What is the purpose of the war in Afghanistan?

Drugs Trade One part of the reason we are in Afghanistan is because of the drugs trade there. This is mostly because Afghanistan currently supply just over 90% of the worlds opium (used for heroin). This is because the production cost is much lower than other countries. This is bad for other countries as they use profits from the opium trade to finance terrorist attacks on civilian and military targets. In an average year, Afghan farmers sell about 7,000 tons of opium at 83 a kilogram to traffickers who convert that into 1,000 tons of heroin, worth perhaps 1,036 a kilogram in Afghanistan and 2,560 at wholesale in neighbouring countries. That works out to roughly 576.4million in annual revenues for the farmers, 1billion for traffickers from operations within Afghanistan, and another 900million for those who smuggle heroin out of the country. Terrorism and September 11th Following the September 11th attack on the twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon, the US president delivered an ultimatum to the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan, demanding that they either hand over Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, or face attack by the United States. Although Afghans say they had no role in the 9/11 attacks. Osama bin Laden: "I was not involved in the September 11 attacks in the United States nor did I have knowledge of the attacks. There exists a government within a government within the United States. The United States should try to trace the perpetrators of these attacks within itself; to the people who want to make the present century a century of conflict between Islam and Christianity. That secret government must be asked as to who carried out the attacks. The American system is totally in control of the Jews, whose first priority is Israel, not the United States." A report from the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) shows that 92% of those surveyed in Afghanistan had never heard of the coordinated multiple attacks on US soil on September 11th, 2001. It also shows that four in 10 Afghans believe the US is on their soil in order to destroy Islam or occupy Afghanistan. After asking 17 countries, 46% of people said Al Qaeda was responsible, 15% said the US government, 7% said Israel, 7% said other countries and 25% said they didnt know. 7/7 The 7/7 bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in London, United Kingdom, which targeted civilians using the public transport system during the morning rush hour. The explosions were caused by homemade organic peroxide-based devices packed into rucksacks. The bombings were followed exactly two weeks later by a series of attempted attacks. The four perpetrators were Hasib Hussain (aged 18), Mohammed Sidique Khan (aged 30), Germaine Lindsay (aged 19) and Shehzad Tanweer (aged 22). In total, 56 people died, and another approximate 700 were injured. A group calling itself The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe posted a claim of responsibility for the blasts in London, saying they were in retaliation for Britains involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Osama Bin Laden/Al Qaeda/Taliban Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (March 10th, 1957 May 2nd, 2011) was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets. He was a member of the wealthy Saudi bin Laden family, and an ethnic Yemeni Kindite. He was killed by US forces. Bin Laden, 54, approved the 9/11 attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died. Osama bin laden founded Al Qaeda in 1988 to consolidate the international network he established during the Afghan war. Al Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad. It has been designated a "terrorist organization" by the United States, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, NATO, and various other countries. Al Qaeda's presence in Afghanistan is minimal, with fewer than 100 operatives believed to be on the ground there. The Taliban is an Islamist militant and political group that ruled large parts of Afghanistan and its capital, Kabul, as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996 until October 2001. It gained diplomatic recognition from only three states: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The main leader of the Taliban movement is Mullah Mohammed Omar.

Human Rights of Afghan People The situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan is a topic of some controversy and conflict. While the Taliban were well known for numerous human rights abuses, several human rights violations continue to take place in the post-Taliban government era.

Armed Forces Reform

Strategic Defence and Security Review The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010. All three services will take cuts in manpower. Overall, this will mean the largest overseas deployment possible will be 30,000 troops. This compares to the 45,000 involved in the invasion of Iraq. Altogether, areas from the British Army, Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy will be cut.

British Army Challenger 2 tanks will be cut by 40%. Personnel will be reduced by 7,000 to 95,500. The British Army presence in Germany will end by 2020. The number of Challenger 2 tanks will be cut by 40% to an estimated number of just over 200. The number of AS-90 heavy artillery will be cut by 35% to an estimated 87 Royal Air Force Personnel will be reduced by 5,000 to 33,000.

 Nimrod MRA4 project, after spending 3.2 billion and the first aircraft being completed, to be scrapped. RAF Kinloss, where the aircraft were to be based, will close. Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft procurement will go ahead, as will the Airbus A400M. These aircraft, along with the current C-17s, will form the future air transport fleet. The VC10 and Tri-Stars are approaching the end of their service lives and the C-130 fleet will be retired 10 years earlier than planned. 12 Boeing Chinooks will be added to the current fleet, a cut to the original order for 22. The Harrier GR9 will be withdrawn during 2011.

Strategic Defence Review

Man power/recruitment In 1813, our Army had 203,119 British troops in over two hundred years it has decreased to 100,000 (a decrease by around 50%) The Army mainly recruits within the UK, and normally has a recruitment target of 25,000. But low unemployment in Britain has resulted in the Army having difficulty in meeting its targets Personnel will be reduced by 7,000 to 95,500. The British Army presence in Germany will end by 2020. The British Army also employs Nepalese Gurkhas. In some years, there are over 60,000 applicants for only a few hundred posts available. By 2020, the British Army will reduce by 1,000 to 94,000. No cuts in support for Afghanistan operations Funding Reduce costs by 750million and by 3.2billion over 10 years 2011-2012- 33.8billion 2012-2013- 34.4billion 2013-2014- 34.1billion 2014-2015- 33.5billion 8% reduction 718million on armoured vehicles to be cut Equipment The number of Challenger 2 tanks will be cut by 40% to an estimated number of just over 200. The number of AS-90 heavy artillery will be cut by 35% to an estimated 87. Armoured vehicles cut until 2025 More Chinook choppers available

Why cuts to the Army Financial crisis (recession) Benefit on culture UK debt and shrinking funds across public spending Competition against health care, education and social services

 A change in public perception Its current deployments have ensured that the budget cannot be cut too swiftly but with cuts over time happening

Can you explain why these changes are taking place, commenting on the current financial climate and Armed Forces resources?
These changes are taking place because of a range of things happening. Like the recession, UK debt, competition against health care, education and social services, and a change in public perception.

Deployment in Afghanistan
UK Forces are deployed to Afghanistan in support of the UN authorised, NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. Also as part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom. UK and USA troops entered Afghanistan on 7th October 2001. Between the years of 2002 and 2008, the peak of soldiers reached 172,000. By the end of July 2009, UK had 9,000 troops in Afghanistan (compared to the 29,950 troops form USA), whereas by the end of July 2011, we had 9,500 troops (compared to the 90,000 from USA). So although troops from the UK are slightly increasing, out of all the NATO, America has the most forces in Afghanistan.

Using examples how do you believe the Armed Forces is likely to operate in the near future?
In the future, we will be working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which will keep the UK a dominant force. NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed on 4th April 1949. NATO consists of 28 member countries; Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States. It is based in Belgium, Brussels. The member states have to agree to a mutual defence in response to an attack by an external party (countries not in NATO). The combined spending for NATO consists of over 70% of the worlds defence spending. At first, it was the Treaty of Brussels (signed 17th March 1948) which consisted of 5 countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and United Kingdom), before the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington D.C. on the 4th April 1949.