Afghanistan

The 13 year combat involvement is officially over.  Looking back, the entire campaign has been conducted since I left the Royal Air Force in late 1997.  Yet, despite not being physically involved in any of it I feel as though I have been personally involved all along the way.  I have friends who have recounted their experiences, I have attended lectures and seminars, listened to soldiers and airmen, politicians and diplomats, followed on online forums, grimaced at mawkish ceremonies, been moved by the enormous dignity of the citizens of Wootton Bassett and Brize Norton, and like everyone else been deluged by press and TV coverage.  With my background and accumulated vicarious experience it would be very tempting, from the comfort of an arm chair, to sound off and pass a retrospective judgement.  Even to add my voice to the chorus of ignorance voting the mission a success or failure (tick one box only)!

I am going to keep my opinions to myself for 2 reasons.  Firstly, technically, it will be many years, if ever, before contemporary intelligence is made public.  Meantime, it is impossible to make informed judgements on policy.  Secondly, and more importantly, there are very many people struggling to live with the physical and mental consequences of the war - we should not make matters worse by prematurely raking over their memories.  Doubtless, there will even be politicians who will attempt to score points in the debrief - shame on them!  Better, it seems to me, for the whole country to pause and reflect silently until, in due course, history makes an informed and dispassionate judgement, affording participants the courtesy of the presumption that they did their honest best at the time.