A very good BBC Wales programme tonight debating Afghanistan was let down by some poor political comment, in particular by the abysmal Wayne David.

So few links were made, or understood, about the need to relate defence and military action to political objectives and diplomacy.

I’ve banged on about this for ages: War is Diplomacy by violent means.

It only buys time for Politicians to seek a negotiated settlement. It was therefore refreshing to see Elfyn Llwyd articulate the need to open diplomatic efforts of a non military kind. Even more refreshing was the quiet support from the military men in the audience.

Diplomacy is the only way to enduring solutions. Politicians need to understand this and understand this soon.

There appears to be an obsession with the idea that 100 soldiers killed in Afghanistan is a significant milestone. It isn’t.

The number 100 is a man made construct, only relevant because we count in the decimal system. Just as a kilometre is a “milestone”, so too is a mile but in a different way to a kilometre. They are all units of measure, not importance.

The loss of any individual is hugely important to family and friends and the loss of the first, 10th 100th and no doubt the 101st will all be equally important in their own unique way and to their unique relationships.

We lost 253 servicemen during the 6 weeks of the Falklands War. This year we have sadly lost 100 servicemen in Afghanistan. We will lose more, possibly even this year, and those losses will be equally painful but they will be no less a milestone to the families impacted. Every death is a important milestone, but if we turn back then all the miles walked will have been for nought.

Shell, international oil giant and owner of a chain of petrol stations in Britain, have banned the on-site collection of money in support of the Royal British Legion annual Poppy Appeal. This is particuarly insensitive when one recalls that their oil platforms were protected in the North Sea by Royal Marines.

It also appears to be an act of crass stupidity at a time when there is clear public support for the military and a groundswell of feeling around Remembrance.

To express my own “thanks” to Shell for this wholly unnecesary and objectionable act I shall refuse to buy anything from their service stations from now on.

I subscribe to Google Alerts on some subjects dear to my heart, but none has warmed me as much as the alert I received today.

It was about a group of Hospice Volunteers at the Willow Wood shop in Denton who’d all shown their support for our Armed Forces by wearing Red last Friday. Hopefully they’ll remember tomorrow too!

It’s only a small act, but as I’ve spent a fair bit of time promoting the Red Fridays idea, I’m delighted to see it being referred to as a CAMPAIGN

Have you left a message at RedFridays, can you show support? Please do, it only takes a moment but means so much

The Soldiers are a a trio of serving soldiers who will release “Coming Home”  on 6 October with all funds raised going to support the Army Benevolent Fund.

Here’s a preview of their record.

Please tell your friends about this great cause.

When the PM makes his long awaited address later today about our strategy in Afghanistan there are two things I’d like to hear him say, but am sure he won’t mention.

Image by Lyalka via Flickr

First: he needs to make it absolutely clear what our Foreign Policy objectives are as the military mission is then deduced from these objectives.

At the moment he focuses on fighting the war on terrorism and making the streets of Britain safer, but terror is an abstract concept that people find hard to grasp. Moreover, the history of Afghan/Pakistan territory as a terrorist seed-bed is one of cross border activity, but there is little evidence of cross border operations. In fact the British efforts in Helmand are fighting South to North, that is, away from the border.

For as long as he talks in abstract he will fail to win over the doubters in this country who see no reason for the war or our continued presence in Afghanistan. There is also an issue of faith here as it appears that people instantly distrust PM statements irrespective if the subject matter.

Second: he needs to admit that it is time for a truly joined up approach under a single command where Britain is prepared to be sub-ordinate to that command. When he announces Britain’s position as being subordinate militarily to America, because only America can lead this operation, he should also then declare an end to his own strategy statements, for strategy will then be determined elsewhere.

Sadly of course he will say none of these things.  As the election gets closer, so the noises of public opinion get louder and so the desire to be a centre-stage leader gets stronger. And the need for truth evaporates.

But our strategy in Afghanistan is failing. Sure, we are winning the battles and indeed can only expect to gain a military victory. But military victories do not deliver political success every time. All they do is buy time for politicians to plan the next steps.

And for as long as we do not have a clear Foreign Policy that is being supported by military activity, then we will not be on a road to success.

General Sir Richard Dannatt has prepared his Shopping List of equipment and resources he believes necessary to win the war in Afghanistan as a result of a recent visit to the country. The list is not public knowledge yet, but it is likely to include:
1. More Men: you can’t win and then hold territory without manpower to do just that. If you don’t hold what you’ve won the enemy will return. Viz the last 3 years.
2. More Intelligence. Avoid contact through better battlefield awareness, this requires tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. These are currently the subject of a “ministerial review”, which means they’ve recently had funding cut.
3. Better mobility. You always need to move on a wide battlefield, and also need a choice of means of transport. Sometimes it’s best to be on foot, sometimes in armoured vehicles and sometimes in the air. The military need to have an adequate supply of all options.
4. Better Support. The military remain focused, they understand their short term objectives but are also in need of the support of their nation. This not only comes from the Government (or rather it doesn’t appear to at the moment) but most importantly it needs to come from the public. Dannat has been instrumental, for example, in encouraging the home coming parades that show support and he will often repeat this message.
5. Better Leadership. We are now on our fourth Secretary of State for Defence in 7 years, and one of those did it as a shared job with another department. This is at a time when we’ve been fighting 2 wars and are operational elsewhere as well. This instability does not demonstrate true commitment at the top of the Government to give leadership of our Armed Forces.

Finally, and he probably won’t say this until he leaves the Army in August, Dannatt will probably want the Prime Minister to do more than listen, he needs to act on the information provided to him by professionals, not by the suits in the Ministry.

And if I had my way: I’d enoble the good General, he has spoken his mind and told the often difficult truth, they are rare commodities in this country today.

The tragic deaths of Tpr Hammond and Lt Col Thorneloe in Afghanistan will have been a severe blow to both friends and family alike. But the loss of the Commanding Office will have an impact on his Regiment in a very different way.

A regiment is very much a family, the Commanding Officer will have been born into that family as a young officer and will have grown and developed within the regiment just as others will have grown with him. The bonds of friendship, respect and even love will be great, formed over years of training and operations in arduous conditions. Mistakes will have been made together, lessons learnt and respect earned across the regiment.

A Commanding Officer is therefore more than just the boss, he’s not appointed like a Chief Executive from outside the company, he is “one of us”, he is “our best man for the job” and irrespective of how high he goes in his Army career, commanding his regiment will probably be his pinnacle. His memoirs would almost certainly contain the phrase: “Commanding my Battalion was the happiest time of my life”.

But just as when a Sovereign dies, there’s always another to take their place, so it is in the military. The Second in Command will step forward and will now be facing the challenge of picking up the men in the battalion and re-focusing them on their mission. They will all have lost a man they knew and respected.

For the sake of those who have fallen, they cannot fail.

Phil Packer was told in February 2008 that as a result of a rocket attack that had destroyed his legs he would never walk again.  

Today he will complete the London Marathon and earn the record as the Slowest ever Marathon entrant. But even at his steady pace of 2 miles a day Phil, a Major in the Royal Military Police will prove himself a winner. Not only has he completed this amazing physical challenge but he will also raise over £1million for Help for Heroes. 

If you’d like to support him, then visit: http://www.philpacker.com

When Denise Jones (Lovingly Managed ) sent me a message on Facebook it brought a tear to my eyes. Normally her messages produce tears of laughter, but this one had a more serious side to it. It was about showing respect to our Armed Service men and women.
I was so moved that I decided to create a website that would let people show their support in words, so that those serving could read the messages left for them.
The concept is simple: sign up, leave a message and only come back if you want to change the message. No pressure: just messages to our troops that there are people, hopefully lots of people, in this country who really do support them in what they do.
And every Friday, wear something Red, just to remind them that the concern is enduring.