Three British soldiers killed in Afghanistan

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Three British soldiers were killed by an explosion in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, Britain's Defence Ministry said.

A ministry statement said the three servicemen were on foot patrol in Helmand province, where British troops have stepped up operations to improve security before the presidential election on Aug. 20.

The deaths bring to 199 the number of British military fatalities in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in late 2001. (Reporting by Matt Falloon)

Read more: http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINLD4643820090813

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This article is very short as the story just broke about 15 minutes ago (as I post this).

[Captain Hilts]

1. About time to cite Kipling again...

THE YOUNG BRITISH SOLDIER - abbreviated.


When the 'arf-made recruity goes out to the East
'E acts like a babe an' 'e drinks like a beast,
An' 'e wonders because 'e is frequent deceased
Ere 'e's fit for to serve as a soldier.
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
So-oldier ~OF~ the Queen!

Now all you recruities what's drafted to-day,
You shut up your rag-box an' 'ark to my lay,
An' I'll sing you a soldier as far as I may:
A soldier what's fit for a soldier.
Fit, fit, fit for a soldier . . .

First mind you steer clear o' the grog-sellers' huts,
For they sell you Fixed Bay'nets that rots out your guts --
Ay, drink that 'ud eat the live steel from your butts --
An' it's bad for the young British soldier.
Bad, bad, bad for the soldier . . .

When the cholera comes -- as it will past a doubt --
Keep out of the wet and don't go on the shout,
For the sickness gets in as the liquor dies out,
An' it crumples the young British soldier.
Crum-, crum-, crumples the soldier . . .

But the worst o' your foes is the sun over'ead:
You ~must~ wear your 'elmet for all that is said:
If 'e finds you uncovered 'e'll knock you down dead,
An' you'll die like a fool of a soldier.
Fool, fool, fool of a soldier . . .

When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck,
Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck,
Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck
And march to your front like a soldier.
Front, front, front like a soldier . . .

When 'arf of your bullets fly wide in the ditch,
Don't call your Martini a cross-eyed old bitch;
She's human as you are -- you treat her as sich,
An' she'll fight for the young British soldier.
Fight, fight, fight for the soldier . . .

When shakin' their bustles like ladies so fine,
The guns o' the enemy wheel into line,
Shoot low at the limbers an' don't mind the shine,
For noise never startles the soldier.
Start-, start-, startles the soldier . . .

If your officer's dead and the sergeants look white,
Remember it's ruin to run from a fight:
So take open order, lie down, and sit tight,
And wait for supports like a soldier.
Wait, wait, wait like a soldier . . .

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier ~of~ the Queen!

[Soylent Brice]

2. K&R

[Norrin Radd]

3. RIP

[laststeamtrain]

4. As Marines push into Afghan town, fire from '360'

Source: AP

As Marines push into Afghan town, fire from '360'

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU (AP) – 2 hours ago

DAHANEH, Afghanistan — U.S. aircraft and missiles pounded Taliban mountainside positions around Dahaneh on Thursday as Marines pushed through mudbrick compounds searching for militants in the second day of fighting to seize this strategic southern town.

Also in the south, four NATO service members — three British and one American — were killed in separate explosions Thursday, military officials said.

August's casualty count is likely to surpass the record 75 deaths U.S. and NATO troops suffered in July, the deadliest month for the international force in the nearly eight-year war. The violence comes as Afghans prepare to vote in Aug. 20 presidential elections.

<snip>

"It's coming at us 360 degrees, but we knew they'd try to surround us," said Cpl. Kilani Garber of Middleville, Mich., as the troops ducked for cover.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvWEqwq3CrRvaQCmt21MfoYhjZJQD9A260200

[bemildred]

5. For what?

What is this bullshit for? Is this what McMeth the genius is going to give us?

[EFerrari]

8. When my nieces start dating they'll be surrounded by wounded warriors just as I was

and those men will be the lucky ones. :(

[ohio2007]

27. Unless you live in a military town, the current wars don't reflect the same percentage of population

of the numbers sent off,such as WWII, that they do today.
A very small minority of the population is doing the fighting. Thats why the rotation into the combat zones are so high.
jmo

[saigon68]

25. Its to REAPPOINT this mother fucker

The mayor of Kabul

Who has "already" WON THE ELECTION

[Xipe Totec]

6. The Man Who Would be King

Peachy Carnehan: What's he saying, Billy?
Billy Fish: Danny's bleeding. They know! He says not god, not devil, but man!
Peachy Carnehan: (approaches Danny) They've twigged it, Danny. You've had it! The jig's up!
Daniel Dravot: (grabs arrow and raises hand in proclamation) I, Sikander -
Peachy Carnehan: (cuts off Danny) For God's sake!
Peachy Carnehan: (grabs Danny and leads him down the temple stairs) We've got to brass it out, Danny. Danny, brass it out!
Peachy Carnehan: (Danny, Peachy and Billy Fish try to escape the mob with heads held high) Bags of swank!
Daniel Dravot: (Danny, Peachy and Billy Fish on the run) We'll get your riflemen, Peachy, and we'll come back and slaughter the dogs! A drenching in their own blood we'll give them! Riflemen, prepare to advance!
Peachy Carnehan: (grabs rifles) Too many for that, Danny. Retire in sections!
Daniel Dravot: Retire? Retire be damned!
Peachy Carnehan: We've gotta make a run for it!

[laststeamtrain]

9. One of my favorite movies.

I've read Huston wanted to make it in the forties with Gable & Cooper which would sucked big-time. Then in the early sixties with Burton & O'Toole, which would have been ,at least, interesting. Maybe a 'camp' classic at this point.

I'm glad he waited. Connery & Caine are really good. It bombed in theaters. Great film.

Sorry for the film geek interlude. Back to the real pain.

[Xipe Totec]

12. Afghanistan - The Graveyard of Empires

That was already clear at the time when this movie was made.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. We only need to keep this up for a few hundred years, and then give up.

Because we are better at it & know more than all the other empires that have tried it, so we can last a lot longer.

[maxsolomon]

10. we're there to disrupt Taliban command and financing

they're conducting a summer campaign to wrest the south from the taliban, scatter them back into pakistan, and stop them from taxing the poppy trade to fund their attacks. then during the winter they'll try to consolodate their gains and engage the populace.

giving them free reign to terrorize afghan women and harbor al queda is not a good option, either.

[laststeamtrain]

11. As I follow news reports the mission changes on an almost hourly basis.

The mission is slipping all over the place.

[Bigmack]

14. No good options...

It's hard to yank a 12th century country into the 21st century.

I feel for the women, I feel for the people, but killing western troops and a large number of Afghanis and Pakistanis won't change anything,

The first stage of getting out of the Imperialism business is realizing you cannot bend other people to your (more civilized) will just because you have a strong military.

[laststeamtrain]

15. "The Limits of Power"

I've read COIN fan boys call embracing Bacevich's conclusions 'going to the dark side'.

May we all go to that dark side.


The Limits of Power: Andrew Bacevich on the End of American Exceptionalism

Andrew Bacevich is a conservative historian who spent twenty-three years serving in the US Army. He also lost his son in Iraq last year. In a new book titled The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism, Bacevich argues that although many in this country are paying a heavy price for US domestic and foreign policy decisions, millions of Americans simply continue to shop, spend and satisfy their appetite for cheap oil, credit and the promise of freedom at home. Bacevich writes, “As the American appetite for freedom has grown, so too has our penchant for empire.” ... http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/20/the_limits_of_power_andrew_bacevich

[Blandocyte]

21. Let 'em be

The world would not be a complete mess if we were not in Afghanistan. Bring 'em home. :mad:

[tabasco]

13. "Godspeed Marines!"

Death to our enemies, the taliban scum!

[laststeamtrain]

17. Death to our enemy: The military-Industrial-Media Complex. So there!

[Blandocyte]

22. Yes, you are right.

I forgot about our needing to feed that particular dragon.

[IndianaGreen]

16. Our brave troops are in harm's way because our leaders are total idiots!

Afghanistan is a no-win scenario for the USA. We should be bringing all of our troops home, not putting them at risk for stupid policies.

[laststeamtrain]

18. K & R - n/t.

[DavidDvorkin]

19. On the bright side

(relatively speaking) I hope some good poetry comes out of this.

[Blandocyte]

20. Unwinable!

Even the Coultergeist thinks we should leave Afghanistan alone. I hate to find myself agreeing with "her," but there it is.

[The abyss]

23. Gee what happened when the French resistance

gained an upper hand on the occupying army in their country? Probably the same thing that happened to a German patrol if the Danish resistance managed to isolate one in their land.

Oh yeah – I forgot those were freedom fighters fighting bad Nazis… Damn slipped my mind – who are we again, please? Oh yeah, I remember, we are occupying these people because “they hate us for our freedoms”. Yep – that’s the ticket!

[maxsolomon]

24. not all afghanis are taliban

not all Germans were Nazis.

i think if the rest of the planet (NATO, the UN, Iran, India, even Russia) cedes afghanistan to their control it will be a headache for the rest of this century. if the taliban consolodate in afganistan, do you act when they conquer Pakistan? Uzbekistan? Kazakstan?

[The abyss]

26. “do you act when they conquer Pakistan? Uzbekistan? Kazakstan”?

Conquer? The Mountain Fortress dudes? Maybe THRUSH?

Well first of all - You stay out of other “hoods”.

You don’t play world cop.

You don’t invade other sovereign nations singing the song “they hate us for our freedoms”

You don’t try to sell BS about seeking “The Mountain Fortress” of the evil THRUSH headquarters.

You especially don’t do any of the above while trying to plant a series of pipelines across their land.

Oh yeah, just for the record: I consider the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan & Iraq no different than the invasion of Poland in the fall of 1939.