Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The question of Afghanistan becomes more urgent

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to James George,

    the bunch of Saudis that the US had framed for the job

    So you know who really did it, then? Do tell.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Here’s the episode on-demand.

    Yeah informative, great show

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Russell Brown,

    So you know who really did it, then? Do tell.

    Last time I asked that question I was directed to a website which in turn directed me to a series of other websites. Along with a megaload of mind-numbing minor detail, all featured popup ads with messages such as "Are you still killing yourself with vitamins?"

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to James George,

    My old man who got sucked into fighting for englanders for 6 years would have rolled in his grave,

    Garth?
    Hmmm, two first names eh, that's "unusual"

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    <q>mm, two first names eh, that’s “unusual”

    There is a Maori author called James George. I dont know whether this one is him...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Islander,

    There is a Maori author called James George.

    One of my neighbours up North is John George. So I suppose it's not that unusual. My point was that the more "enthusiastic" opinions here are, more often that not, from people with "two first names" spooky huh? ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to tussock,

    Rubbish. Go educate yourself

    Try reading your own link

    From the Middle Ages to around 1750 part of today's Afghanistan was recognized as Khorasan.[32] Two of the four main capitals of Khorasan (Balkh and Herat) are now located in modern Afghanistan. The country of Kandahar, Ghazni and Kabul formed the frontier region between Khorasan and Hindustan.

    Multiple "countries", multiple capitals, multiple tribes. And that is in one snapshot in time. The rest of the article describes centuries of conflict and division where parts of the country belong to one empire or another. Anything but unified.

    Presenting it as simplistic is simply not helpful.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    So you know who really did it, then? Do tell.

    9/11 short summary - 15 Saudi Arabians (+ 4 other Arabs) from an organisation headed by a Saudi Arabian, that was financed by Gulf State (Saudi) Arabs and dedicated to impostion of a Wahhabist religious cause crashed 4 planes in America.

    It is a complete mystery who did what and who was involved. Must have been Afghanistan. Or Iraq.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    My first names are Graeme Kenneth.
    Kenneth Grahame wrote The Wind in the Willows.
    Coincidence?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I'll have you know the d'Rich's are an ancient and noble family of Norman-English-Icelandic lineage.

    Of course, I go by another name for purposes that involve earning money. If I posted stuff that wouldn't offend those who give me said money, my posts would be decidedly dull, sadly.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Unlike (e.g.) Germany, Italy, Spain or France.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The extended version of the interview with Jon Stephenson is online now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Russell Brown,

    He had some very interesting and quite worrying comments on the security situation.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Was it ever a realistic proposition that a strong Afghani state be created, and the Afghan Army take over security? Maybe I'm too cynical, but it always looked to me as if eventually the UN/NATO forces would leave, and the Taliban would be back.
    That always meant whatever good NZ could do, it would be limited in time.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Unfortunate PR twist.

    One of the three soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Sunday had criticised the Prime Minister for not attending the funerals of two soldiers killed earlier this month.

    ...

    Just days before he was killed, Corporal Tamatea voiced his belief that the Prime Minister should have stayed in New Zealand to honour the slain soldiers.

    "If I was a leader of a country I would attend the funerals of our fallen soldiers..... I wouldn't be at a f****** baseball game!!" he posted on Facebook on August 9.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Aston, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    My first names are Graeme Kenneth.
    Kenneth Grahame wrote The Wind in the Willows.
    Coincidence?

    There are no coincidences Graeme, but what is the link ?
    The main conflict in Wind and the Willows is man verses society, a conflict you as a lawyer must be very familiar with.
    Your last name Edgler means Sword Wolf .... great meaning for a name but can't see the link ...'

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Sacha,

    I read on the weekend in some comment section of someit (really don't remember where) that Key could have been at the funerals on Saturday then on to his son's Baseball game by Monday when the game was to be. Seeing as we are around 24 hrs ahead of parts of the U.S., I calculate he could have indeed attended both.
    Jus' sayin'

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    amerika

    Whoa! Retro.

    I was disappointed not to see ameriKKKa myself.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Angus Robertson,

    9/11 short summary – 15 Saudi Arabians (+ 4 other Arabs) from an organisation headed by a Saudi Arabian, that was financed by Gulf State (Saudi) Arabs and dedicated to impostion of a Wahhabist religious cause crashed 4 planes in America.It is a complete mystery who did what and who was involved. Must have been Afghanistan. Or Iraq.

    Either that or those damned Commies!!!!

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh,

    On the subject of our soldiers' security in Afghanistan, I trust you've all seen this:

    The vehicle's fatal flaw, a 2008 Pentagon inspector-general's report found, was that its "flat bottom, low weight, low ground clearance and aluminum body" left it vulnerable to IEDs.

    Aluminuim! Jeez!

    Didn't the Royal Navy experiment with aluminuim-hulled ships? Y'know, to save weight? And then lose at least one such ship in the Falklands War to an Argentinian exocet that didn't explode? The exocet's engine exhaust set the hull on fire, apparently, which isn't terribly difficult to do if the hull is aluminuim.

    Dear Taliban,

    If I remember high school chemistry rightly, aluminuim's flashpoint is 600 degrees celsius. You can set it on fire with a candle or cigarette lighter (I have seen this done with my own four eyes). The hotter the explosions of your IEDs, the more Kiwis you'll kill.

    Ah, New Zealand, continuing that fine old tradition of leaving our soldiers to beg, borrow or steal if they want any decent equipment, otherwise just leaving them to make do with whatever shit the meagre pittance of a budget our tightwad governments allow them. If we're going to have a military, can we not just fund them enough to do their jobs properly with decent gear?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    <q>Ah, New Zealand, continuing that fine old tradition of leaving our soldiers to beg, borrow or steal if they want any decent equipment, otherwise just leaving them to make do with whatever shit the meagre pittance of a budget our tightwad governments allow them. If we’re going to have a military, can we not just fund them enough to do their jobs properly with decent gear?

    O phuque o dear yes - because almost NO politicians have been or are servicepeople - yet another reason to practise kicking pollies in the teeth (mental, physical, electoral-)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    The Scorpion light tank is aluminum, also. Did fine in the Falklands, although the ones NZ bought apparently didn't stand up to our drivers.

    The problem with a lot of Cold War era weaponry, at least in the UK, was that it was designed around a strategy of "fight like mad for a week, then blow up the world". So durability and casualty minimisation wasn't much of a concern.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson, in reply to Islander,

    If we’re going to have a military, can we not just fund them enough to do their jobs properly with decent gear?

    The NZ Humvee and LAV vehicles are death traps to mines, with flat bottoms and stuff all armour underneath. But they cost shitloads, it is unfair to criticise politicians for being stingy with the funds. For example one Canadian made LAV costs the same 10 Australian made Bushmasters.

    The responsibility for all uneccessary deaths lies with the Ministry of Defence and the then Army commander.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Angus Robertson,

    But they cost shitloads, it is unfair to criticise politicians for being stingy with the funds.

    No it's not. They're involved in the decision-making process, and they decide how much money to give to MoD and the military.

    For example one Canadian made LAV costs the same 10 Australian made Bushmasters.

    So it's not as simple as inadequate funding. The article I linked to had some quite nice things to say about those Bushmasters and their ability to keep soldiers relatively safe.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

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