A study by Theo Farrell, head of the war studies department at King's College London, and Antonio Giustozzi, visiting professor at the department, have published the study in the Chatham House think-tank's journal which concludes 'ignorant' British troops alienated local people and the Taliban are likely to try to retake the Afghanistan Helmand province.
The way British commanders sent thousands of their soldiers there in 2006. "Far from helping to secure Helmand, the arrival of the British triggered a violent intensification of the insurgency," it says.
The report echoes the Socialist Party case that root cause of war is material reasons. "What we find is an insurgency that is driven both by a strong unifying strategic narrative and purpose – jihad against foreign invaders – and by local conflict dynamics: rivalry between kinship groups and competition over land, water and drugs.” (SOYMB emphasis)
Farrell and Giustozzi add:
"By arriving with insufficient force, aligning themselves with local corrupt power-holders, relying on firepower to keep insurgents at bay and targeting the poppy crop, the British made matters worse. Far from securing Helmand, British forces alienated the population, mobilised local armed resistance and drew in foreign fighters seeking jihad. Indiscriminate use of fire by British forces alienated locals who were driven from their homes or lost family members."
The Taliban took advantage of this by promising to protect landowners and farmers from poppy-eradication programmes, thereby winning local support, they say. "It was in this climate of gathering jihad that young Helmandi men flocked to the Taliban…the British presence made it far easier to recruit local fighters."
The way British commanders sent thousands of their soldiers there in 2006. "Far from helping to secure Helmand, the arrival of the British triggered a violent intensification of the insurgency," it says.
The report echoes the Socialist Party case that root cause of war is material reasons. "What we find is an insurgency that is driven both by a strong unifying strategic narrative and purpose – jihad against foreign invaders – and by local conflict dynamics: rivalry between kinship groups and competition over land, water and drugs.” (SOYMB emphasis)
Farrell and Giustozzi add:
"By arriving with insufficient force, aligning themselves with local corrupt power-holders, relying on firepower to keep insurgents at bay and targeting the poppy crop, the British made matters worse. Far from securing Helmand, British forces alienated the population, mobilised local armed resistance and drew in foreign fighters seeking jihad. Indiscriminate use of fire by British forces alienated locals who were driven from their homes or lost family members."
The Taliban took advantage of this by promising to protect landowners and farmers from poppy-eradication programmes, thereby winning local support, they say. "It was in this climate of gathering jihad that young Helmandi men flocked to the Taliban…the British presence made it far easier to recruit local fighters."
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