Would you mid sharing the number of losses........
Why Not...
1. Coalition Losses in Afghan War so far: 1600+ [Appx]
Losses of Afghan Army+Paramilitary Forces: 5000+ [Appx]
2. Losses of PA+Pramilitary Troops: 2200+ [Appx]
I hate to be-little anyone's effort however there are many things that we need to look into
- NATO losses of 10 years vs PA losses of last 2 years
PA losses are not in two years. In fact the first major clash between PA and TTP took place back in 2004.
- NATO is operating on a foreign land vs PA own backyard
NATO operating in a foreign land with the support of local forces. Pakistan fighting on it's soil on it's own [not counting the material support here]
- Local support for PA vs Local Support for NATO
I can agree with you here that local support may be more for PA as compared to NATO. But an Afghan member willl be in a better position to tell you how much local support coalition forces enjoy.
- As far as achievement is concerned then i am not sure what actually you are talking about....Terrorists strike at will in AF and they strike at will in Pakistan....No doubt PA has done a great job but AF is a different ball game and looking into all the odds they are doing a good job.....Recently some 35 odd personnel have been kidnapped by Taliban...that by no way means PA is loosing right????
I agree that the situation in Afghanistan is completely different and the situation on bith sides of Duran Line cannot be compared as far as military ops are concerned. I agree also that Afghan forces have done good job. I do not mean to belittle their efforts, but ground facts suggest that they have lost ground to the Taliban in the last two years. Taliban enjoy free space in several areas and have governors for almost all districts. On the other hand, PA has regained Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand, South Waziristan and several settled parts. In fact, if you look back one year, the situation was very alarming. It has been acknowledged by the international press and world as well.
As far as terrorists striking at will is concerned, i think individual acts of terror are hard to stop. Mumbai attacks are an example. So are several incidents in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In time however, PA has managed to deny free space to the terrorists of making deals on their terms. This is by far the greatest achievement. It is the other way around now. On the other side of the border, it appears that Afghans and coalition is now at the brink of a dialogue with the Taliban. Several recent developments point to that.
P.S : My post was merely on the number of losses NATO has got to tell how much money is spent in saving the lives as compared to south asian armies(India included) where perhaps life comes cheaper...
Agreed on that count. Foreign forces are wary of the losses in life. That is also due to the fact that more bodies returning home will create political pressure. Fighting in some one else's backyard has it's consequences. I am not sure that life comes cheaper in our part of the world. But we lack in the means to save our men in terms of technology.
I don't think there will be single field commander out there, both in Pakistan and India, who wants to loose his men. Nor do the people.