UK denies parallels in Afghanistan with Soviet invasion

[bemildred]

The British government has denied that claims of any parallels between the current deployment of UK and allied troops in Afghanistan and the previously disastrous Soviet occupation of the country.

"I have studied Afghanistan's history and think the important point is that the Soviet campaign and the campaigns of the British Empire were absolutely different in nature from what we are undertaking," Defence Minister Lord Drayson said.

Speaking in the House of Lords on Thursday, Drayson said the point was made clear to him recently by Estonia's defence minister Jurgen Ligi, who said the people of his country were sent to Afghanistan "as a form of punishment under the Soviet empire."
"We, with our coalition partners, are supporting the development of a democracy in Afghanistan, with the complete support of the people of Afghanistan as expressed in their democratic elections. That is completely different," he said.

The minister was responding to a question from Conservative peer, Lord Blaker, asking why the government did not think history will repeat itself following previous foreign interventions in Afghanistan.

IRNA

[Kagemusha]

1. So our road to hell is paved with better intentions.

I don't think the destination's changed any.

[daleo]

2. Different, just like Iraq is different from Viet Nam

As we know, the former is a cakewalk while the latter was a police action. They are never wars.