It’s not a question of troop levels,it’s a question of priorities & commitment.The Taliban managed to take on the poppy growers & destroyed most of the crops with nothing more than bulldozers & fire.
It’s a question of whether USA & it’s Afghani regime are willing to put resources & money into stopping production of the poison that their allies, who they depend on for security (the warlords),rely on for funds to maintain their militias & power!

What Afghanistan needs most of all,is a strong & commited national government.Attack aircraft can help a little,but they are not the answer.The Afghani government & USA need to be serious about tackling the warlords & their heroin production.At least the Taliban (students) made an effort to stop poppy growing & destroyed the crops,declaring heroin as “un-Islamic”.
Now if the Taliban could destroy most of the poppy fields with bulldozers & burning;then it just goes to show that it’s a question of priorities (& lack of) for USA & the Afghani government.

No jboyle.USMC uses Bell UH-1N,currently being replaced by Bell UH-1Y (NOT Bell 412). And UK uses 1 flight worth of Bell 212 (NOT Bell 412).

The same tired excuse,traditionally used to dismiss discussion.You can’t seriously believe your spin? What’s “speculation” & “conspiracy theorist” got to do with the price of beef? It’s OBVIOUS who has “not been reading this thread before posting”;if you had,you would know that I have not once mentioned “speculation” or “conspiracy”!
So much for the spin to try & dismiss any discussion!

If it’s “speculation” & “conspiracy”,does that mean all the media is in a “conspiracy” when they report this bomb idea? The problem with reactionary dismissals is that they can’t credibly work,as they can’t credibly explain everyone else!

As the video is very dark & blurred when the missile is fired,it’s impossible to see if it has fins or not.If it is a rocket,how do you know if it is not what shot down the plane? It’s just as possible.

Strange,especially as a video claims it was shot down.The video shows a long,narrow missile with white exhaust being fired into the sky.Interesting image if you pause the video when the missile is taking off.Can any see what kind of missile it is? Video is available free to download at http://www.ogrish.com
You have to sign up free,before you can view it.

Very surprised.I’d want to find out why they have the same mannerisms & speech,considering they are a different person & have not known me before.
1 serious stalker!

I vow to thee my country would be a better anthem.The best would have to be jupiter from the planets suite by Holst.Chamone THATS a tune! That would get salutes everytime its played.
Next best,fanfare for the common man by Copeland.Those tunes are the best to replace the anthem.

A “good bloke”??!!! You serious? After all that messing around with camilla on his wedding night to diana & throughout their marriage; & you think he’s a “good bloke”?

But more importantly,why are they getting married now? It’s been fine so far for him to stay unmarried in his relationship to her,what’s changed?Why not continue like that? There’s more to this than is being said.What’s the benefit of this marriage?