Afghanistan - Scots calls to bring the troops home

The Herald today

"John Reid's statement, when he was Defence Secretary, that he hoped British troops would not have to fire a shot, lulled the British public into believing that, despite their fearsome reputation, the Taliban were a spent force and that our troops' role would be confined to providing a security umbrella for reconstruction."[It was of course a lie, and he knew it when he said it]

"Afghanistan is a mess and we are at increasing risk of sacrificing highly-trained, but often absurdly young soldiers, special forces and aircrew in a misbegotten, unwinnable campaign against a force of Taliban fighters determined to protect the opium harvest that is financing yet more Kalashnikovs and grenade launchers to attack our troops."

"It is now tragically clear that the Nato forces – particularly in the south – are engaged in a counter-insurgency campaign rather than a reconstruction mission. Labelling it as such has political repercussions for some Nato countries, but we can no longer pretend that this is anything other than war. That means we have to provide our troops with the means to succeed – or bring them out."

The BBC report that Foreign Office Minister "Rentagob" Kim Howells, who is visiting Kabul, dismissed claims the crash showed the UK's aircraft were old (the Comet was designed during the war and the Nimrods based on that design are over 30 years old) and more funds were needed to be committed to the operation.

"I've not heard that at all from our commanders, our generals out here, they seem very satisfied with the equipment they've got," he said.

Major Luke Knittig, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), said the aircraft had made an emergency call shortly before it disappeared.

Roland Buerk, the BBC's correspondent in Afghanistan, said Nato reported the Nimrod was flying too high to be hit by the Taleban's Stinger missiles in the minutes before the crash.... which is curious because they are not supposed to have any Stinger missiles.

"There is no reason to believe that the aircraft was lost as a result of hostile action. A Board of Inquiry has been convened to determine the cause of this tragic loss." said Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy

Combined Forces Command Afghanistan website here.

Meanwhile if this is too much for you the BBC have a good (publicity) story about Paris Hilton (with amazing pictures) and her new CD here.