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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ex-soldier blasts Afghan campaign | Ex-soldier blasts Afghan campaign |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former soldier who served in Afghanistan has criticised the military campaign in the country. | A former soldier who served in Afghanistan has criticised the military campaign in the country. |
| Captain Leo Docherty was so unhappy with operations in Helmand province he quit the British Army last month. | Captain Leo Docherty was so unhappy with operations in Helmand province he quit the British Army last month. |
| The campaign was "a textbook case of how to screw up a counter-insurgency" the ex-aide de camp to the commander of the UK taskforce told the Sunday Times. | The campaign was "a textbook case of how to screw up a counter-insurgency" the ex-aide de camp to the commander of the UK taskforce told the Sunday Times. |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was made clear from the beginning that it would be a "tough mission". | A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was made clear from the beginning that it would be a "tough mission". |
| Capt Docherty also criticised a lack of equipment and tactics which he said had turned Afghans against British forces. | Capt Docherty also criticised a lack of equipment and tactics which he said had turned Afghans against British forces. |
| 'Grotesquely clumsy' | 'Grotesquely clumsy' |
| "Having a big old fight is pointless and just making things worse," the former Scots Guardsman was quoted as saying. | |
| Now the ground has been lost and all we're doing in places like Sangin is surviving Captain Leo Docherty | Now the ground has been lost and all we're doing in places like Sangin is surviving Captain Leo Docherty |
| He said: "All those people whose homes have been destroyed and sons killed are going to turn against the British. | He said: "All those people whose homes have been destroyed and sons killed are going to turn against the British. |
| "It's a pretty clear equation - if people are losing homes and poppy fields, they will go and fight. I certainly would." | "It's a pretty clear equation - if people are losing homes and poppy fields, they will go and fight. I certainly would." |
| Capt Docherty described the campaign as "grotesquely clumsy" and said the British were no different to US forces by bombing and strafing villages. | Capt Docherty described the campaign as "grotesquely clumsy" and said the British were no different to US forces by bombing and strafing villages. |
| He said when troops took the town of Sangin they did not have night-vision goggles and were so short of vehicles they had borrow a pick-up truck. | He said when troops took the town of Sangin they did not have night-vision goggles and were so short of vehicles they had borrow a pick-up truck. |
| The British threw away the opportunity to win over locals by failing to carry out development work because of a lack of support, Capt Docherty added. | The British threw away the opportunity to win over locals by failing to carry out development work because of a lack of support, Capt Docherty added. |
| "Now the ground has been lost and all we're doing in places like Sangin is surviving. It's completely barking mad." | "Now the ground has been lost and all we're doing in places like Sangin is surviving. It's completely barking mad." |
| 'Robust package' | 'Robust package' |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was made clear from the beginning by the then defence secretary that it would be a "tough mission". | A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was made clear from the beginning by the then defence secretary that it would be a "tough mission". |
| He said: "John Reid said at the time that ideally we'd like to come away without a shot being fired but that this would be a dangerous mission because the terrorists want to destroy the economy and legitimate trade and the government that we are helping to build up. | He said: "John Reid said at the time that ideally we'd like to come away without a shot being fired but that this would be a dangerous mission because the terrorists want to destroy the economy and legitimate trade and the government that we are helping to build up. |
| "We sent a very robust package to Afghanistan which included Apache attack helicopters, artillery, paratroopers and special forces, and we upped numbers in July." | "We sent a very robust package to Afghanistan which included Apache attack helicopters, artillery, paratroopers and special forces, and we upped numbers in July." |
| Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Tootal, commander of 3 Para in Helmand, said morale had never been higher, the spokesman added. | Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Tootal, commander of 3 Para in Helmand, said morale had never been higher, the spokesman added. |
| The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force has been battling Taleban fighters in southern Afghanistan after taking over from a US-led coalition in July. | The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force has been battling Taleban fighters in southern Afghanistan after taking over from a US-led coalition in July. |