The lesson of Arnhem and Afghanistan: heroism is no substitute for strategy

Sixty-five years ago today on a pleasant, sunny September day like this one (only it was a Sunday, not a Thursday) began the greatest battle of the Second World War: Operation Market Garden.

At least it's the greatest if you're British. Of course there were many more strategically important battles - eg Stalingrad; El Alamein; D-Day; Midway - but Market Garden, especially the battle for Arnhem and the "bridge too far" is the one that has always caught the public imagination.

It was the battle t...