Today’s Wikileaks will make uncomfortable reading for all parts of the British defence
establishment – ministers, both old and new, and the senior military leadership. As a senior military officer told me, “this isn’t going to be good.”
The diplomatic cables reveal that US officials and President Hamid Karzai at some point thought that British forces had bitten of more in Helmand than they could chew. The US NATO commander, General Dan McNeill, is quoted as saying three years ago that British forces have made a mess of Helmand.
This is backed up by a comment, more than a year later, suggesting that President Karzai also agreed that British forces were “not up to the task of securing Helmand” without US assistance.
Cue headlines of British military failure. But let us be honest: it is no secret that the British mission in Helmand under-estimated the challenge, was under-equipped, poorly-led, badly integrated with the (under-powered) civilian effort and ultimately took years to get on track – just read the Defence Committee reports, which detailed all of this.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in