Great Britain: Our Boys take on warlords (Force of 2,500 to conduct assault in Afghanistan)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | August 21, 2005 | TOM NEWTON DUNN

[Stoat]

IN TODAY'S SUN

Our Boys take on warlords

Ready ... how Apache Longbow
could look on Afghan mission
 

By TOM NEWTON DUNN
in KabulBRITISH Paras are being sent to take on Afghanistan’s ruthless heroin warlords.

 

They will be among a force of 2,500 deployed in the country’s most bloodthirsty province. The Paras will be backed up by the new Apache chopper.

The Sun Online - Sun Says World's finest

World's finest

ONCE again the British Army finds itself in the front line in a major international operation.

 

A thousand Paras will form the main part of a 2,500-strong British force spearheading a campaign to bring lawless areas of Afghanistan under control.

Our Boys will be fighting crazed drug warlords, Taliban fanatics and al-Qaeda killers.

It will be difficult and dangerous. But they will do brilliantly — which is why they have been specially chosen by NATO for the mission.

How strange, then, that one of the Army’s most senior officers casts doubt on the quality of our soldiers.

Major General Graeme Lamb is said to have branded many Army recruits as cocky and arrogant, and said they are the product of a “morally corrupt” society where foul-mouthed footballers are idolised.

He fears the Army’s reputation is at risk because of the calibre of its troops.

The Sun thinks General Lamb’s memory is failing him.

Just look at the stories of courage and fortitude that have emerged from Iraq this year — not least the VC awarded to Private Johnson Beharry.

Armchair generals are not the ones who have to trudge through the baking desert loaded down with equipment as they search out and destroy al-Qaeda gangs.

The Sun salutes our fighting men and women as the finest in the world.

We are proud of them.

It’s a pity some of their officers don’t feel the same way.

[Stoat]

Thank GOD for our Dear British Friends...it seems that Great Britain is among only a very few countries who not only see the world clearly but are willing to do what's needed as well.  Full Steam Ahead from a proud American!

 

[SteveMcKing]

GURKHAS!

[kingsurfer]

Thanks for posting this!

[ukman]

Re.: quality of UK recruits.

Wellington once commented that his soldiers were the scum of the earth, but also that it was wonderful how he had made such fine fellows of them.

Incidentally, there was much breast-beating in the UK about the abolition of many old Scottish regiments, but one of the reasons for this was a severe dearth of suitable recruits from Scotland, where drug and alcohol problems are even worse than in England. Seen in terms of population ratios, there were far too many Scot regiments anyway.

Most English recruits wouldn't want to be seen in a kilt on parade, so ergo the only solution was to cut back on Scots regiments more than on English ones.