The resignation of David Laws would be big news at any time, but the homosexual relationship gives it an extra edge. The saga of "poofters in power"- as it was characterised by one of my correspondents - has a special fascination in the Westminster village, which is far more interested in who is buggering whom than it is the general proposition that the population as a whole is being right royally buggered by the political classes.

Needless to say, the extravagant coverage being given to the affairs of Mr Laws has pushed other issues further down the agenda and excluded other items completely, not least by the absurd proposition that the low-grade-Laws will somehow "bounce back" once this bit of local difficulty has been quietly forgotten. One of those issues which has doubtless got less coverage than it might is the vexed matter of Afghanistan.

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Well, lets see. Obama will want to get re-elected in 2012, so he'll start withdrawing US troops in 2011. We can't leave ahead of the Yanks, so we have to stick it out for another 18 months or so. Best to keep our heads down........

... and work on the victory declaration ... another "job well done".

One couldn't have said more...or better...than that.
...except, mayhap, the addendum: "God help us all!"

The problem in Afghanistan is that we are trying to do too much and should quickly hand over the day-to-day patrolling to the local forces. We should withdraw to an impregnable base near the Pakistan border to minimise casualties, and be ready to act when the situation demands.

The local forces have neither the equipment nor the capability to carry out effective patrolling and, even if they did, they would not be trustworthy - or acceptable. See:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 05729.html

And if we withdrew to an impregnable base ... what then? What situation would demand our action, which does not already do so?

"... and work on the victory declaration ... another "job well done".

Personally, I'd shoot anyone seen in a pickup truck, on a moped or wearing a turban. But as we are not going to do that, we should concentrate on a well organised fighting withdrawal. With a big parade at the end in Bradford. And please could the Army stopped marching around in working kit - let's have lots of red and stuff. Clothing, not blood......

Always enjoy reading your pieces on Afghanistan, many thanks for this one.

Dave and Clegg should dress up as Laurel and Hardy then stand in the Downing Street gardens, one of them could start reading off items 'War in Afghanistan' while the other says 'That's another fine mess you've got us into Gordon'. It may not acheive much but at least they'll look the part they're now performing.

Thank goodness you're posting on defence again: we have a chance to turn things around if your articles are circulated in the right places. Fuller, Liddle-Hart and Hobart were ignored by the gymkhana/army until the Germans practised what they taught. And even then they didn't get the recognition they deserved.