Con Coughlin's Blog, page 21

Another tragic episode in Britain's Afghan adventure

The deaths of another two British soldiers in Afghanistan brings home the sacrifices that are still required of our Armed Forces as we undertake the Herculean task of trying to bring some sense of stability to Afghanistan. Earlier I wrote about the sobering effect of visiting the British war cemetery in Kabul, which contains poignant [...]

Britain's war cemetery in Kabul is a sobering reminder of our sacrifice in Afghanistan

I have just spent a very sobering morning visiting the British military cemetery in Kabul which is dedicated to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in more than two centuries of conflict in Afghanistan. At the southern end of the cemetery are the remnants of just ten of the headstones that marked the [...]

Paying ransoms is better than sending for the SAS

The release of Judith Tebbutt from Somalia, where she was being held captive by Somali pirates, shows that, with a degree of patience and hard work, it is possible to secure the release of a hostage without recourse to the SAS. Earlier this month an attempt by British Special Forces to release a British hostage [...]

American soldiers are losing the plot in Afghanistan

First we had American soldiers burning copies of the Koran, and now we have the appalling sight of an American soldier running rampage in Afghanistan and killing 16 innocent Afghan civilians, including nine children. No wonder the Nato mission is going to hell in a handcart. We all know that soldiers, without the proper training [...]

Nigerian tragedy: hostage rescues are always a gamble

The failed attempt by British special forces to rescue a Briton and Italian held captive in Nigeria is an illustration of the high stakes involved in mounting an operation of this kind. From the moment the operation is launched so many factors need to be taken into account – can operational secrecy be maintained? Are [...]

The Taliban is always looking for chinks in our armour

The deaths of six British soldiers in Afghanistan after their Warrior armoured personnel carrier was blown up by a carefully placed mine shows just how resourceful the Taliban can be when it comes to finding new ways of attacking British troops. Even though the MOD has spent some £40 million improving and strengthening the armour on [...]

Assad must pay for Marie Colvin's murder

Let's not beat about the bush. Marie Colvin and French journalist Remi Ochlik were murdered by the thugs trying to keep President Bashar al-Assad's regime in power. It was no secret that the house in Homs where the two journalists were staying was being used as a makeshift media centre, and Marie, with her distinctive eye [...]

Marie Colvin: farewell to a great journalist and a dear friend

Marie Colvin, who has been killed in the Syrian city of Homs, was without doubt one of the finest foreign correspondents of her generation, and also one of the most fearless. In the 25 years or so years that I have known Marie she was invariably to be found on the front line of the [...]

Iran is waging a secret war against Israel

The failed suicide bombing in Bangkok, coming on the back of this week's earlier attacks against Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia, is proof – if any were needed – that Iran is already waging a clandestine war against Israel. In recent months most of the focus has centred on Israel, and the secret war its [...]

Russia is squaring up for a fight with America over Syria

Confirmation that the U.S. and its allies are studying their military options for helping the anti-Assad rebels in Syria is a worrying development on a number of levels, not least of which is the prospect of the West becoming embroiled in a direct confrontation with the Russians. As I have argued before, I think the West [...]