Afghanistan Peacekeeping Operations – Written answers and statements
Liam Fox the Conservative the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence recently asked the following question of “Slow Bob” Ainsworth in the Commons.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many improvised explosive device attacks there have been on British forces in Afghanistan in each month since January 2008.
The answer that was given showed the following
Between
1 January 2008 and
31 May 2009 there were a total of 1,261 improvised explosive device attacks in Regional Command (South).
| Improvised explosive device attacks | |
| January 2008 | 54 |
| February 2008 | 27 |
| March 2008 | 51 |
| April 2008 | 32 |
| May 2008 | 31 |
| June 2008 | 14 |
| July 2008 | 115 |
| August 2008 | 120 |
| September 2008 | 106 |
| October 2008 | 90 |
| November 2008 | 99 |
| December 2008 | 104 |
| January 2009 | 83 |
| February 2009 | 78 |
| March 2009 | 85 |
| April 2009 | 74 |
| May 2009 | 98 |
These figures do not include improvised explosive device finds with no detonation or improvised explosive device false alarms. These data are based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis of collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment.
What this question shows is that during the first 5 months of this year we are seeing large increases in the number of IED’s. With the onset of summer and better weather the number is likely only to increase considerably. What will this mean to our Armed Forces in Afghanistan?
With policies and strategies in Afghanistan that are currently struggling to keep pace with developments, as discussed by Paddy Ashdown yesterday, this can only be bad news for our Forces. Despite any advances in technology and equipment this can lead to only one conclusion, more deaths and injuries on the ground. Already this year the death toll has been terrible and with the increased usage of IED’s there can be no other conclusion than that it is going to get worse.
We most revise our strategy in Afghanistan and we have two stark choices, either withdraw totally, or fully engage the Taliban rather than just seeking to contain. As Paddy Ashdown said yesterday
The policy of take and hold and build is basically a laughing stock because we’re not taking anything really except a few kilometres from our bases,” he said.
“The soldiers are as always doing a magnificent job, but there are divisions in the alliance,” he added warning of “serious concerns, even criticism, in Washington about the lack of offensive spirit of British forces”.
Lord Ashdown also said that the military strategy needed to be backed up with a political strategy in Afghanistan, warning that an increase in troop numbers would accomplish little on its own.
I expect that Liam Fox will now be using this information and much more to ask some searching questions of the new Defence Minister, Bob Ainsworth, what he is going to do about this situation and what he is doing to try and help our Armed Forces. I suspect the answer to those questions will be very little as at the moment the whole government appears paralysed.
Thanks Fitaloon.