UNREAL…….
Vowing to do what it takes in the good war by leaving Iraq—infusing more troops into Afghanistan, and occasionally invading Pakistan—was for candidate Obama always a rhetorical stance that proved both his anti-Iraq War bona fides and his larger credibility on matters of national security. But President Obama and his mercurial supporters in Congress will soon face a rather embarrassing dilemma. Without the responsibilities of a commander-in-chief, he once demanded we should leave Iraq when leaving would have lost that war. But now, as commander- in-chief he will soon learn that a few thousand more troops will not guarantee lasting victory over the Taliban. And changing strategy from stealthy attacks by aerial drones in Pakistan to open ground incursions across the border risks widening rather than solving the conflict.
Now the Iraqi PM is in Washington begging the US to send more military assistance to help secure the country against jihadi insurgent terrorists. What’s needed is a full pull back of troops from the state, and an upswing of drone attacks accompanied with surgical attack squads who are periodically marshaled in to take down/capture this or that jihadi terrorist and/or eradicate jihadi terror training camps. Nothing more.
Pictured with the man who shot him dead moments later: RAF policeman grins alongside rogue Afghan policeman who opened fire on him and comrade
- Corporal Brent McCarthy pictured with member of Afghan Uniformed Police
- Moments later shot dead along with colleague Lance Corporal Lee Davies
- Both had been talking with rogue officer in Helmand province of Afghanistan
- ‘Confusion’ over who was meant to be armed officer overseeing visit
- Pair were unlawfully killed while on active service, a coroner has ruled
By ANNA EDWARDS
PUBLISHED: 16:40 GMT, 5 November 2013 | UPDATED: 18:29 GMT, 5 November 2013
An unwitting British soldier who posed for a photograph with a rogue Afghan policeman was shot dead by him seconds later.
Corporal Brent McCarthy, 25, is pictured with a member of the Afghan Uniformed Police just moments before the shooting.
After the snap was taken the gunman and another accomplice turned their weapons on the RAF policeman.
Corporal Brent McCarthy of McCarthy with a rogue Afghan policemen suspected of shooting dead him and L/Cpl Lee Davies (in the background), 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
His comrade Lance Corporal Lee Davies, 27, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who can be seen sitting grinning in the background of the photo, was also shot dead.
The pair were unlawfully killed while on active service, a coroner has ruled.
LCpl Davies, from Barry, South Wales, had remarked that the Afghan pictured had ‘wet himself’ – which may have indicated what was about to happen
A military inquest heard the pair both died of ‘unsurvivable injuries’ after being shot by close range gunshots.
Both soldiers were part of an eight-man team who had gone to the Afghan police base in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province on May 12.
The patrol had gone there so British officers could meet local police officials with RAF policeman Cpl McCarthy acting as a specialist adviser.
Oxfordshire Coroners Court was told the men had been engaging in ‘banter and general chit chat’ with what they thought were two Afghan Uniformed Police officers.
LCpl Davies, from Barry, South Wales, had remarked that the Afghan pictured had ‘wet himself’ and this may have been a sign as to what was about to happen, the inquest heard.
The Afghan national pictured was shot dead by a British guardsman as he tried to flee the scene.
Home Office pathologist Dr Russell Delaney said despite efforts to resuscitate the pair ‘there was nothing colleagues, combat medics or medical staff could have done.’
Benjamin Bardsley, the men’s commander at the time, told the inquest at Oxfordshire Coroners Court it was his belief the two Afghans, dressed in police uniforms, had staged an ‘opportunistic’ attack on his men.
He described both Cpl McCarthy, an RAF policeman, and L/Cpl Davies, of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, as ‘phenomenal soldiers’ fully capable of doing the job.
