Afghanistan - We Will Eventually Have To Talk!

My goodness, it has been three weeks since I last posted. I have been trying to think of a reasonable excuse for being so unreliable and have failed miserably.

During my 'downtime', more of our troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan and two more have died today.

Politicians of all parties have been making accusation and counter accusation about the lack of helicopters available to our military but none of them are owning up to the fact they have known for many months of the situation but have not wanted to be seen as the first to break ranks with the government. In short, they have first waited for the media to question the increasing number of deaths so they can capitalise on the public shock.They are spineless!

The government are, of course, still promoting the 'war against terrorism' excuse as being the reason for our presence in Afghanistan but no one has yet pointed out that all previous such situations have only ever been resolved by sitting around a table and compromising over beliefs and demands.

If anyone should ever doubt we talk to terrorists they should remember we have a number of MPs, with Irish accents, elected to the Commons - and who are claiming large amounts in expenses and salaries - who in the past, have been involved in what was perceived as being terrorist offences.

Indeed, even Nelson Mandela, who seems to be only a breath away from Sainthood in the minds of many, was himself branded a terrorist before being incarcerated for all those years. He is living proof that time changes our perceptions and we all eventually have to talk.

Meanwhile, a report in the Independent on Sunday has stated that our military action in Afghanistan has cost every man, woman and child in the UK, £190 since 2001. That money would have financed 23 new hospitals, 60,000 new teachers and 77,000 new nurses.

The cost of the lost human lives cannot, of course, be valued but it seems to me that any expected benefits from what has been described as "a war we cannot win", are unlikely to be worth the price we have so far paid!