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Ensuring troops on Afghan mission are well equipped - for The Inverness Courier
THE events of the past week in Afghanistan have raised big questions about the approach which has been taken to the country ever since the beginning of military action in 2001, as well as of ensuring British forces have the support they need for the vital task with which they have been entrusted.
Our first thoughts are with the families of all the troops who have lost their lives - especially those from the Royal Irish Regiment at Fort George and the crashed Nimrod from RAF Kinloss.
Early reports appear to suggest that incident was the result of a technical fault, but there must be a thorough public investigation to establish the facts.
Loss of life on this scale - apparently unrelated to enemy action - deserves to receive major attention. Whatever the realities of the war, our troops should enter conflict zones knowing that they are equipped to do their jobs to the highest possible standard and with the lowest possible risk.
As we know from the other losses of recent weeks, the war is more dangerous than ever.
John Reid's original hope that our most recent deployment of troops to the country would come and go without a shot being fired has been regrettably wide of the mark.
At this stage, there are more questions than answers about how these operations have been planned and NATO are now calling for further troop commitments.
What is clear is that nation-building in Afghanistan has been far from the success that some had assumed. While the world was distracted by events in Iraq, the Taliban has regained significant strength in the mountainous regions where the post-war government's influence has never been strong. Our troops are bearing the brunt of their renewed strength, but with characteristic professionalism they are doing a job which now has to be done.
They must be given the support which they need.
DEPARTURE DATE FOR TONY BLAIR
While MPs have been away from Westminster, more has been going on in UK politics than you might imagine.
Last week's resignations show that Labour MPs in particular have found a frosty reception from their constituents, and their local members.
The Labour Party, as much as anyone, has found that it is no longer in its own interest for the Prime Minister to go on and on and on, as he is reported to have once promised, echoing Baroness Thatcher.
His latest statement that he will leave office by this time next year will be good enough for some, but perhaps not his colleagues in Scotland who, if recent reports are to be believed, await next May's Holyrood elections with an increasing sense of dread.
People in the Highlands are angry about the policies - not just foreign policy in Iraq and Lebanon, but the indifference of the government to post offices, the scandal of still escalating Tax Credit errors, and the refusal to engage seriously with environmental issues while protecting remote areas from senseless tax hikes.
If reports are to be believed, Gordon Brown will succeed Mr Blair as Labour leader.
If the Dunfermline by-election is anything to go by - a contest fought hard by the chancellor on his own patch earlier in the year, and lost to my colleague Willie Rennie - the electorate's enthusiasm for the new prime minister may be found wanting.
TRUNK ROAD LINK
Closer to home, Tavish Scott - the transport minister - was in town just over a week ago, while I was away on holiday, at the invitation of Craig Harrow, the Lib Dem Scottish Parliamentary spokesman for our area.
Tavish saw the area where the much-needed road will cross the river and the canal to join the A82, and heard about the serious drawbacks which plans for a third city swing bridge involve.
Getting this project right is of critical regional importance on economic grounds alone, not to mention the benefits for traffic management and safety in the city.
There can be no doubting that another swing bridge would represent a false economy for the Highlands and ultimately for Scotland.
Posted on: 12/09/2006
