The Empire Strikes Back – Britain Smashes the Taliban in Helmand

[Freddie]

Well despite all the gloom and doom over the last couple of weeks over the 20 soldiers that have been killed in the last month of fighting it appears the press have forgot that we were in fact engaged in an actual battle to smash the stronghold the Taliban had in the area.

It now looks like Britain with help from a contingent of men from Afghan national army and a horde of Danish Vikings have retaken an area in Helmand that has been terrorised by the Taliban. Read on.

Gordon Brown has signalled the end of the bloody offensive to drive back the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister insisted that Operation Panther's Claw had not been "in vain", despite the deaths of 20 British troops over the past month.

"The efforts of our troops in Helmand have been nothing short of heroic," Mr Brown told the Evening Standard.

"There has been a tragic human cost. But this has not been in vain." Mr Brown said it was now time to "commemorate" the British troops who have died in Afghanistan.
During a constituency visit in Fife, the Prime Minister said it has been "one of the most difficult summers" since troops went into Afghanistan.

He said: "Now that Operation Panther's Claw has shown that it can bring success and the first phase of that operation is over, it's time to commemorate all those soldiers who have given their lives and to thank all our British forces for the determination and professionalism and courage that they've shown.
"What we have actually done is make land secure for about 100,000 people. What we've done is push back the Taliban - and what we've done also is to start to break that chain of terror that links the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the streets of Britain.

"And I'm very proud of what our forces have achieved over the last few weeks - indeed for all the time they've been in Afghanistan."

The first stage of the operation in the troubled southern province drew to a close as senior ministers urged the stepping up of efforts to engage moderate Taliban elements.

Link

I firmly believe this hard fought victory will go virtually under reported by the British Press who are more interested in pedalling scaremongering stories about swine flu and reporting on funerals of dead soldiers. Our press at times seems to forget that Britain lost 60,000 men in the opening day at the battle of the Somme so losing 8 men in one day although tragic isn't that big a deal well put into the context of history.

Well done to the British Army and her allies, they have shown the way In Afghanistan it just a shame the rest of Europe refuses to commit more troops to the front lines.

[Azog 150]

Great new, and thanks for pointing it out. As you said, I haven't seen anything about this until now.

[Markas]

Excellent, I can see the headlines now-

Pete: Why I'm heartbroken Jordan left me


Well done troops as a taxpayer and a Brit I feel as if I have some investment; emotional and fiscal.

[Kjertesvein]

All I see is "Mission accomplised"

Where are the hard, raw facts? what land conquered? How is the growth of civilian death? Polls show civilian sideing with the "Empire" and its vikings allies?

Not to sound hard, but I don't give a crap about a-banner-on-a-aircraft-carrier

[Kjertesvein]

All I see is "Mission accomplised"

Where are the hard, raw facts? what land conquered? How is the growth of civilian death? Polls show civilian sideing with the "Empire" and its vikings allies?

Not to sound hard, but I don't give a crap about a-banner-on-a-aircraft-carrier

Im I the only stupid fellow here, what specific line did they cross?

[Farnan]

Im I the only stupid fellow here, what specific line did they cross?

Ummm...

Counterinsurgency Warfare isn't about territory.

[Каие]

Ummm...

Counterinsurgency Warfare isn't about territory.

Maybe that's the problem.

[Freddie]

All I see is "Mission accomplised"

Where are the hard, raw facts? what land conquered? How is the growth of civilian death? Polls show civilian sideing with the "Empire" and its vikings allies?

I'm not sure what your asking here but concerning civilian casualties the operation was very successful (considering it was a military operation and the Ministry of Defense has confirmed a total of 3 civilian casualties. Now factor in some politically propaganda into that and add 0 making it 30 that's still pretty darn good.

[Ebusitanus]

Comparing the high tec scenario of 2009 with the Somme..well...

Would have been interesting to see how the British public would have reacted if the media of that time would have been as independent as the one of today and had shown some tens of thousands of Brit coffins.

[Каие]

i got scared there for a minute when I read the ''Empire strikes back'' I thought the British army had been completely slaughtered in a trap in the mountains as they tried to retreat.

[Markas]

i got scared there for a minute when I read the ''Empire strikes back'' I thought the British army had been completely slaughtered in a trap in the mountains as they tried to retreat.

Or Osama Bin Laden had been trapped in frozen carbonite by British soldiers for Gordo the Hutt.

Gordo no wanga.

[bigfootedfred]

Or Osama Bin Laden had been trapped in frozen carbonite by British soldiers for Gordo the Hutt.

Gordo no wanga.

ok that was funny

+rep

[Dodge]

i got scared there for a minute when I read the ''Empire strikes back'' I thought the British army had been completely slaughtered in a trap in the mountains as they tried to retreat.

Why?

[Каие]

Why?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Afghan_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacr...stone%27s_army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Anglo-Afghan_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Afghan_War

[Kjertesvein]

And for the matter ISAF consist of faaaar more nations then danish, norway got allmost as many troops as them

[Azog 150]

And for the matter ISAF consist of faaaar more nations then danish, norway got allmost as many troops as them

Difference being the Danish are actually getting stuck in there in the south, while the Norwegians are sitting in their bases up North where not much happens.

[Darth Red]

I firmly believe this hard fought victory will go virtually under reported by the British Press who are more interested in pedalling scaremongering stories about swine flu and reporting on funerals of dead soldiers. Our press at times seems to forget that Britain lost 60,000 men in the opening day at the battle of the Somme so losing 8 men in one day although tragic isn't that big a deal well put into the context of history.

Well done to the British Army and her allies, they have shown the way In Afghanistan it just a shame the rest of Europe refuses to commit more troops to the front lines.

I say good show, old chaps. I for one would like to see more nations around the globe commit to fighting fanatical extremests. I would ask a retorical question, what do you think of Pres. Obama's comment "...the goal in Afganastan isn't victory..." If it isn't victory then what is it? What does it say to our armed forces in the region?

[Barry Goldwater]

Excellent news. Now to storm the Taliban's Hoth

I say good show, old chaps. I for one would like to see more nations around the globe commit to fighting fanatical extremests. I would ask a retorical question, what do you think of Pres. Obama's comment "...the goal in Afganastan isn't victory..." If it isn't victory then what is it? What does it say to our armed forces in the region?

To secure the Afghan Republic's future.

[Darth Red]

Excellent news. Now to storm the Taliban's Hoth



To secure the Afghan Republic's future.

Could that not mean victory? Does victory have to mean American occupation? I was just making an observation on the comment and how it may affect our troops morale, and the morale of our allies.

[Farnan]

Good job to the Tommies, Vikings (from Danemark), Estonians and Afghans.