minigundiplomat, I do believe you are right, although I’m not sure how Egypt fits into your “other players” list. It does annoy me that the British public seem to be considered too stupid to be given the truth. I sometimes suspect that the Government has little grasp of what the truth is.
As I see it, we have fulfilled Art 5 of the NATO Treaty (which was never drafted to deal with aggression from other than Nation States) and the prime objective now is to mend that which we broke in the process. When Al Q’s C3 facilities were taken out in what can be considered to be the second phase of the “war”, it was the same facilities used by Afghanistan for the pursuit of normal Civil life. For the ordinary Afghan, we significantly sodded up their electricity, gas, water and some key elements of their transport system. Those are the elements that we should be restoring to a level fit for civilised life. That restoration hasn’t happened, though, largely because it’s been hindered by local dissidents and insurgents. We’ve created a magnet for any fanatic who want’s have go at the West. Surely even your average Big Brother viewer can understand the concept of mending what we broke? I wouldn’t, on the other hand, expect them to grasp the importance of not pulling out from an unfinished job and the message that would send to every likely enemy on the planet.
What was that old lesson that many of us were taught? You cannot have split Objectives? Well we have acquired split objectives. Particularly in the US, elements of government seem to have a firm belief that it is a “war” against terror being fought off homeland soil. Also, while we’re there in force, a moral crusade of clearing out the Aghan grown poppy drugs trade has been commissioned. The rational argument being that drug money is funding the agressors.. Regrettably, it is also providing a living for ordinary Afghans.
When our Government has worked out what the truth is, perhaps they would have the grace to tell us.