Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Is this how they see us?

Alright, I’ve just come away from a very good friend, and rather too many pints in a pleasant atmosphere. Inevitably, as it does, the subject of the blog came up – which he reads avidly and for which he is a valuable critic. You are posting too much stuff on Afghanistan, he says – that is probably putting readers off.

This is an interesting observation. The MSM is actually covering the campaign if not well, certainly with a lot of space. The blogs are doing less – who is getting it right?

This notwithstanding, writing in The Times Lieutenant-General Nick Parker, the deputy commander of Nato-led troops in Afghanistan, predicts further casualties during a tough summer but warns that "poor judgments influenced by grief over the loss of life would result in even more tragic consequences for the wider Afghan campaign".

Is this what the Army thinks of us ... making "poor judgments influenced by grief" ... or can't they cope with the fact that we are influenced by their poor judgements arising out of what seems very like incompetence. And, it would appear, we are not alone.

Does it matter? Does anybody really care? I dunno ... I just write this blog – you tell me. I'm going to bed.

Comment: Afghanistan thread