The Taliban's changing tactics
Fraser Nelson 12:48pm
Helmand Province, Afghanistan
I have adopted the Gordon Brown strategy and disappeared after a bad by-election result for Labour. My excuse is that I’m now in Afghanistan, finding out how things are in Helmand.
Afghanistan is an amazing country whose people combine abject poverty with the ability to endure weather of -20c in winter to 50c in summer. Such hardiness makes for resolute fighters, but it seems the Taliban have failed to recruit for this season. The poppy harvest ended three weeks ago, and the fighting usually starts immediately as the hired $10 Taliban” swap ploughshares for Kalashnikovs. Not this time, though. As one solider told me “the problem with the $10 Taliban is they receive $0 training and get killed.”
It seems they have given up. Fighting was expected to start three weeks ago but hasn’t. Instead the Taliban have switched to roadside bombs and suicide attacks—I’m told about one a fortnight now. The Kandahar air base took four mortar attacks last week (including the one that delayed Nick Clegg’s departure though I’m told he was miles away from the explosion). This makes a total of 16 attacks this year; menacing but a mark of our military success if the Taliban are switching tactics.
It is too early to tell if this pattern will hold, but the soldiers I have spoken to are optimistic. They routed the Taliban in the winter denying them the traditional time to recover. They have also killed most of their leaders; a powerful blow against a movement that relied on the charismatic and self-styled heirs of the Mujahideen.
I have been in Kandahar and Camp Bastion and am off to learn some more. So it will be radio silence from me for a while. I hope to come back with a full report next week.
Previous
Comments
Water
May 25th, 2008 1:33pm"The Kandahar air base took four mortar attacks last week (including the one that delayed Nick Clegg’s departure though I’m told he was miles away from the explosion)." well this beats Hillary's sniper fire.
Frank Pulley
May 25th, 2008 1:46pmGood luck and keep your head down!
ChrisD
May 25th, 2008 2:40pmGood luck, take your political helmet off and get to know the ordinary soldiers as well as the officers in charge.
Ross Kemp has open political leanings, but he did that, and as a result I think he came back with a more honest picture of what was going on.
Commondog
May 25th, 2008 3:05pmFraser.
Thank you for the job you are doing. Information like this is very much needed.
The service people you meet, please let them know that what they are doing is appreciated.
Godspeed your and their safe return.
Max Kaye
May 25th, 2008 4:58pmGood luck Fraser. Give the troops our best wishes.
Craig R
May 25th, 2008 5:12pmI'm with Max, wish all of them over there well and look after yourself!
Tiberius
May 25th, 2008 6:34pmI echo these sentiments, Fraser. Keep your head down.
Paul B
May 25th, 2008 6:42pmAs all the good people above, stay safe Angus and pass all our heart felt thanks and admiration to the boys and girls of our services, lets hope they have truly turned the tide.
Perry
May 25th, 2008 6:59pmOur thanks and best wishes to the service men and women in Afghanistan Fraser, - and to you for reporting from there. Take care, be safe, and successful.
TGF UKIP
May 25th, 2008 7:14pmHear hear to Max Kaye and it's a pity we didn't know in advance you were going Fraser. I'm sure a Coffee House whip round would have garnered a goodly enough sum to pay for a good few cases of hooch to have accompanied you. Perhaps the next time you or James are going to Iraq or Afghanistan you could bear this in mind.
Meanwhile, I wonder why reports like this never emanate from the BBC. Perhaps it's because, just as in Iraq, they can't stand to report their headbanging muslim heroes being defeated.
Perry
May 25th, 2008 8:17pmThank you for those words TGF. Couldn’t have put it better – the islamo-fascists and the eco-fascists, and any other bleeding-heart fascists get plenty of cover. But not our fighting forces – except to abhor them. Methought of a cynical and sinister link there, - but just as quickly dropped it. It’s too stupid for words.
Ian C
May 25th, 2008 10:20pmFraser, I read your post to my son and his two pals who are here for the Bank Holiday w/e, all of whom are destined for Afghanistan (and Iraq) at some stage in their young military careers. They were pleased to hear what you have reported above.
Patrick
May 26th, 2008 6:45amI would agree with Fraser's optimistic view. I was in Helmand earlier this month (I do consultancy work for an NGO) and the local Afghan staff were far more upbeat this time than on my previous visits but there still is no quick fix. Ironically the farmers in Helmand would rather have grown wheat this year than poppy because they would have got more money from the sale.
Paul B
May 26th, 2008 10:43amWhy did I call you "Angus", Fraser in my post above. All I can think is that prior to posting I had been sampling some red wine. Perhaps, in the spirit of transparency,I had sampled a wee bit more than my Labour allowed 3 daily units.I also been watching the fine current test match between England & NZ and may have become confused between your good self and the ex Middlesex ( whom I follow ) and England fast bowler Angus Fraser. My apologies Fraser. :-(