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Title: Amputee Private Matt Woollard plans return to fight Taliban
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6788799.ece
Published: Aug 9, 2009
Author: Michael Smith
Post Date: 2009-08-09 10:23:53 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 122
Comments: 7
A BRITISH soldier who had part of his leg blown off by a landmine is preparing to return to Afghanistan to settle “unfinished business” with the Taliban. Private Matt Woollard, 20, is expected to be the first British infantryman to return to the front line after being fitted with a prosthetic limb. Woollard, a member of 1st Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment, lost his lower right leg after setting off an insurgent bomb while on patrol near Kajaki in May 2007. His heart stopped three times while he was receiving treatment. “I want to get back and do what I was sent to Afghanistan to do in 2007 — take the fight to the Taliban,” Woollard told The Sunday Times. His determination to rejoin the fight, which is backed by army chiefs, emerged as the Ministry of Defence named three paratroopers killed in a Taliban ambush last Thursday. The fiancée of one of the victims, Corporal Kevin Mulligan, 26, is pregnant. Lance-Corporal Dale Thomas Hopkins, 23, and Private Kyle Adams, 21, also died. The mounting casualties come amid concern among senior officers that some of the mines and explosives used in the Taliban bombing campaign are coming from Iran. Their fears appeared to be backed by statements from Dennis Blair, America’s director of national intelligence, confirming that Iran is supplying Afghan insurgents with weaponry. In a statement to the US Senate intelligence committee, obtained by the Secrecy News blog last week under freedom of information rules, Blair said Iran was covertly supplying weapons to the Taliban while publicly supporting the Afghan government. “Shipments typically include small arms, mines, rocket-propelled grenades [RPGs], rockets, mortars and plastic explosives,” said Blair. He added: “Taliban commanders have publicly credited Iranian support for successful operations against coalition forces.” British military intelligence sources were more cautious. “It is an undefined amount of explosives that has come in from Iran,” said one source. “But, yes, there is concern that some of the mines and explosives the Americans are talking about may have been used in the Taliban bombs.” Meanwhile, the new head of the British Army, General Sir David Richards, provoked controversy by suggesting British troops could be in Afghanistan “for the next 30 to 40 years”. The suggestion was rejected by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, with Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, saying the idea was “unaffordable” and “a non-runner”.
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#1. To: christine (#0)
Sounds a lot like what the US was doing when the Soviets were in Afghanistan. Assuming it's true, that is.
The guy is dedicated, that is for sure. It's just too bad it is for the wrong cause.
God is always good!
Or manufacturing consent for a pending attack on Iran. The sanctions already in place in Iran, which have been in place for years, make the accusations suspect. Also, Iran is predominantly Shia and the Taliban are Sunni throws another wrench in this analysis. I'd be interested in what the statement is from Dennis Blair. Does it contain facts or more "fears" and "concerns" regarding Iran that manufacture consent as was the case in Iraq.
There is one little difference, however. Iran and Afghanistan share a common national border besides ethnic/cultural and religious characteristics. The USA is halfway around the world sharing little or nothing other than a desire to control the gas/oil fields and pipelines that are planned.
His source is the Taliban? They are using the rockets, mortars and plastic explosives to attack Shias in the area. Why would Iran supply them weaponry to attack their own kind?
The Taliban obviously has good reason to hope the US attacks Iran, so publicly framing Iran as an ally makes sense.
Several years ago the Taliban killed 9 Iranian diplomats and Iran was ready to declare war on them. Also, the Taliban doesn't even view Shi'a as Muslim, only Sunnis. I think it makes sense too. I have a hard time swallowing US propoganda on what is going on in the ME after Iraq.
The mounting casualties come amid concern among senior officers that some of the mines and explosives used in the Taliban bombing campaign are coming from Iran. Their fears appeared to be backed by statements from Dennis Blair, America’s director of national intelligence, confirming that Iran is supplying Afghan insurgents with weaponry.
#2. To: christine (#0)
#3. To: Pinguinite (#1)
The mounting casualties come amid concern among senior officers that some of the mines and explosives used in the Taliban bombing campaign are coming from Iran.
#4. To: Pinguinite (#1)
Sounds a lot like what the US was doing when the Soviets were in Afghanistan.
#5. To: Pinguinite (#1)
“Shipments typically include small arms, mines, rocket-propelled grenades [RPGs], rockets, mortars and plastic explosives,” said Blair. He added: “Taliban commanders have publicly credited Iranian support for successful operations against coalition forces.”
#6. To: abraxas (#5)
Taliban commanders have publicly credited Iranian support for successful operations against coalition forces.
#7. To: Pinguinite (#6)
The Taliban obviously has good reason to hope the US attacks Iran, so publicly framing Iran as an ally makes sense.
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