The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Five Military Misadventures

With the Afghanistan war now ten years old, we take a look at some other misguided military operations.

By Mike Bonnet and... Published 07 November 2011 15:03

In this week's New Statesman we ask what the war in Afghanistan has achieved. Ten years in and Operation Enduring Freedom, as the war is officially known by the US government, is certainly living up to one part of its name. So far it has claimed the lives of 383 British servicemen and its original operational goals are still no closer to realisation. The British and American fight against the Taliban looks increasingly unwinnable, evoking memories of another ill-fated, decade-long conflict in Afghanistan, waged by the Soviet Union 30 years ago.

The persistent threat of war continues to loom large, with headlines just last week proclaiming that the US and Britain were making preparations for war in Iran. Below we take a look at five other misguided conflicts from history that we in the west would do well to learn lessons from.

1.Gallipoli: A First World War folly that damaged the reputation of Winston Churchill.

2.Suez: Conflict turned crisis which heralded the end of British pretensions to Empire.

3.Cuba, Bahía de Cochinos: The CIA made a real pigs' ear of this failed coup.

4.Vietnam: The 20 year long war became a barometer against which subsequent ill-advised invasions are judged.

5.Iraq: The war that left a legacy of death and mistrust.

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7 comments

Mon, 2011-11-07 15:15 — swatantra nandanwar

Gallipolli: utter stupidity.
Suez; Downright duplicity
Cuba: bullyboy tactics
Vietnam: Anmercan imperialism
Iraq: Dodgy intelligence.
All 5 follies that cost and hundreds of lives lost (But more people die in road accidents like the M5, per year).

I noticed that Afghanistan is not included. This was indeed a moral intervention to bring ddown a tyrannical regime harbouring a devilish islamist fanatic. But its failed; and I don't know why. Perhaps its because we the West did the fighting for the Afghans instead of them doing their own fighting. In the end its the people themselves that have to overthrow their oppressors, not foreigners. If they can't, then they deserve the Govt they've got. Lets hope the 'Arab Spring' can prove that point.

Mon, 2011-11-07 15:23 — Craig (not verified)

Swatantra

Gallipoli cost the lives of near 500'000 soldiers

Vietnam cost the lives of millions

Iraq saw hundreds of thousands die

that is more than road accidents per year

Mon, 2011-11-07 15:33 — swatantra nandanwar

Thanks for that very timely reminder with Remembrance Day coming up.
The point I was trying to make was that in any War you expect to get casualties; that is the nature of War. Its up to the Generals and Warlords to keep that number down.
Just as in the nature of things, you will unfortunately expect to get road casualties.
Some Wars are necessary, eg the 2nd WW. I'm not so sure if the 1st WW was really necessary and could have been avoided, but it inevitably led to the 2nd WW.
The 5 Follies listed above were completely unnnecessary.

Mon, 2011-11-07 16:50 — jankaas (not verified)

@swatantra

"This was indeed a moral intervention to bring ddown a tyrannical regime harbouring a devilish islamist fanatic."

you have got to be kidding.....seriously, moral intervention my arse.

the most recent war that had any justification whatsoever was WWII. clearly absolutely no lessons were learned from that disaster either.

Mon, 2011-11-07 23:42 — Graham (not verified)

How about the Angolan War? Apartheid South Africa fought with the backing of the US and UK, whilst Cubans piloted Russian jets for the Angolans. Huge SWAPO casualties were sustained and for no real reason. Apartheid would have fallen after the civil rights movement if the US and UK didn't need their anti-communist ally in Africa.

Apartheid started to crumble in 1990 (when the soviet machine did). De Klerk released Nelson Mandela from the Drakenstein prison that year.

I guess there are many other "satellite" wars during the Cold war that could be added to the list; like the Angolan war.

Tue, 2011-11-08 06:39 — dillon (not verified)

bosnia and kosovo..2 illegal wars,,and war crimes committed against the people of serbia..

Fri, 2011-11-11 04:10 — Captain Sensible (not verified)

50 million turd worlders, killed by turd worlders, since 1945. Freedom has only come over the dead body of the American GI. The wars that democratic India fights against its own in may parts of India do not even hit the radar. This is the reason why our Victorian fathers called these hypocritical natives who played with the whiteman's toys Mr. Woogy!