Dumbing down Afghan deaths?

 

 

I suspect an attempt is being made to dumb down  the attention devoted to the deaths of our soldiers in Afghanistan. Maximum attention concentrates and intensifies the anger of public opinion at the continuing waste of life. On Monday David Cameron changed the practise of reading the names at PM Question Time and included six names in a statement on the G20 conference. Cameron is out to minimise the horror of this war and he is manically optimistic about its outcome. I have put down these three EDMs to challenge him.

 

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Names of the Fallen

 

That the house believes that reading the names of the fallen at Prime Minister Question Time honours the sacrifices made and brings some comfort to the bereaved, regrets the change in the practise on the Monday 28th June when the names of seven soldiers were included in a statement on the G20 conference: calls for readings to be restored to the time of maximum house attendance and media attention in order that Hon members can be reminded of the consequences of our decisions; call for the consideration of an annual reading in the Chamber of the names of all those courageous soldiers who have died in conflict.

 

 

 

 

Afghan Army

That the House questions the optimistic claim that the Afghan Army can create  stability in Afghanistan: recalls the retreat of 300 members of the Afghan Army from a convoy they were guarding following a  challenge from seven Taliban fighters; notes the words of Afghan General Jabbar Karaman that,” The Afghan soldiers do not believe in the government, they do not believe in the system and they don't believe in the international community.”: believes that it is unreasonable to expect these mercenaries to risk their lives or to take the lives of brother Afghans in the service of foreign governments and an election-rigging president.

Afghan Police

That This House questions the optimistic claim that the Afghan Police can create stability in Afghanistan: recalls the complaint of the elders of the village of Pankela after being 'liberated' by NATO that if the Afghan Police returned they would join the Taliban because of the police’s systematic imprisonment and rape of pre-pubescent boys and the endemic corrupt ethos of this largely unpaid force whose wages are raised by robbing and exploiting the people they were are meant to serve.

Comments

[Ad]

Conceit and delusion has led the proponents of this war to the belief that they are doing the right thing and working towards progress. They are fighting a war in a foreign country against what is a widespread popular insurgency. It is a lie to say that this war is crucial for our security. The Taliban will never attack us in our own cities.

It seems evident that the political and military leaders of this war are not about to come to their senses. They believe and promote lies to reassure themselves and others that NATO will be victorious.

This article looks at how the recent change in personnel of Gen. McChrystal for Gen. Petraeus as US commander in Afghanistan ‘presages a drastic increase in the level of US military violence, and especially the scale of civilian casualties among the Afghan population.’

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jun2010/pers-j29.shtml

This one looks at reports relating to the competence and reliability of NATO’s partners, the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army. The words of those who say the ANP and ANA are making substantial progress have been cast into doubt by a report yesterday from the United States Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The measurements NATO has been using to justify its claims have been shown to be deeply flawed.

http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LG01Df01.html

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Ad. I heard a radio report on this in the early hours of the morning. I had already tabled the EDMs above. there is a great deal of new information to raise a few other EDMs. on Monday David Cameron accused me of over-stating the case on the abysmal state of the Afghan Army. Those words will be eaten.

There were no names of the fallen read toady at PM questions. this is a sneaky move. I will raise it in a point of order next week. I know have I have one ally in a high place.

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/28/2050988_report-us-overestimated-ability.html

[HuwOS]

Tony Blair wins 2010 Liberty Medal award for work on peace.

Words simply cannot express.

[DG]

I guess Americans DO get irony. They call the Colt .45 the "Peacemaker," too.

[j.dite]

why aren't there more m.p's protesting about this futile war. I can't understand it. Anyone who reads the reports from various newspapers and television can see that we are losing our soldiers on a daily basis and the politicians today are talking about being there for another 4/5 years. It beggars belief and in the end the Taliban will be back there and Karzai will probably end up exiled in London or Washington.

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Ad. Very instructive links. the war is moving from tragedy to farce.