Connecting with UK forces
| 11:08 UK time, Tuesday, 26 June 2007
"It's tough fighting an enemy that doesn't mind dying". They could have been the words of a soldier in the German army in World War II facing the onslaught of the Red Army after Stalingrad - but these were the very modern words of a very modern young soldier fighting a very modern war.
His frustration was expressed to our reporter Tulip Mazumdar on her trip to Afghanistan for a series of reports on Radio 1 on what life is like for the British army there.
The point that he was making was that the Taleban are willing to sacrifice large numbers of their men on hopeless assaults on the British forces - yet a single bullet, or IED (Improvised Explosive Device) can claim a British soldier’s life and damage the minds and spirits of his fellow soldiers for days, weeks, lifetimes. That's not to say British soldiers aren't tough; they are. But they feel loss of comrades deeply - they've built the steely bonds of friendship in combat in a way that only soldiers can.
They also spoke to her about the difficulties over girlfriends: how relationships end because "we never see each other" or the temptations of a Saturday night out while the BF is on active service. The attitude is "it's just part of the job". No-one really at home understands what it's like fighting, and sometimes dying, out in the 50C heat of the desert - unless you've done it. Old soldiers of any era will connect with this sentiment.
Radio 1 has a strong affection and connection with UK forces - many listen to us - either in the UK or through our reports which are re-broadcast on armed forces radio. Many army friends and families posted messages on our online site after Tulip's reports - some felt they helped to bring them closer to their loved ones.
Tulip found plenty of Chris Moyles fans there - and even a few of her own through her role as Newsbeat presenter. Tulip - who her Afghan driver insisted on calling Tuna - features in some of the photos on our website.
By the way, our diminutive reporter has always claimed to be to be 5ft 1in - I'm not so sure unless the British Army really are ALL giants nowadays - you can be the judge of that!
Comments
I don't normally listen to Radio 1(grew out of it 25 years ago), but, as I knew one of those who got interviewed I listened in. A very interesting & positive piece of reporting with the reporter clearly not anxious, unlike esteemed Radio 4 (Today especially) commentators, to be at the centre of what was said or going on.
Well done: Perhaps I should give Radio 1 another chance!?
Yes I enjoyed these reports, heard most of them.
Cheers Rod
"It's tough fighting an enemy that doesn't mind dying."
How do you think Americans kicked British butts out of the thirteen colonies. "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." Ever hear that? Nathan Hale the American patriot said it over 200 years ago. I could understand that British tommies don't want to die fighting for the queen or Lady Muck but this time they are fighting for survival at home, survival of their families. If you don't fight them in Kabul and Baghdad, you will fight them in Kensington and Bristol. In fact you already are. Just ask MI6. And you and the Americans had better learn to fight a whole lot harder and not be nearly so guilt ridden about collateral damage if you expect to win. 650,000 Iraqi deaths claimed by Lancet last year was an obvious out and out lie but so what if it had been true? How many did you kill in Dresden? Would you have preferred to have lost instead?
I know it's only a bit of chit-chat tacked on the end of your piece & nothing at all serious meant by it, but, would you ever consider referring to "diminutive" male reporter?
She was doing a good job & clearly you admired her for it: So, what has her size even in relation to GB Force's personnel got to do with any of it.
No need to consider this for publication. I just thought it an odd unmeant put-down by you at the end!
This is a well written article, however it skirts around the reasons why the Brits and the Americans shall eventually suffer the fate of the Russians in Afghanistan. Invading armies never possess the will to fight as hard or as determinedly as home based indiginous forces defending their turf. If invading forces want to win a war, they have to employ overwhelming force... and be willing to kill civilians (who are never innocent).
Might the disconnect with the troops be because of your reporting?
Mark wrote, "..how do you think americans kicked British butts out of the 13 colonies..You (British) & Americans had better learn to fight tough.."
Well, thanks Mark for that enlightening piece of history & rapid explanation of where we are all at today.
Unfortunately, you cannot have understood the British soldier's quote! In typical understated HM Forces lingo he was expressing the simple truth that finding, fighting, killing and defeating an enemy who are prepared to waste lives (as did Japanese in WW2, Zulu in Natal, the French at Waterloo, Crecy & Agincourt etc.) is not an easy or pleasant task but is one they are fully prepared to undertake. Again, I think the Radio 1 report caught the flavour of the British Forces in Aghanistan which Britons will have easily recognised.
It was shocking to read Mark's comment at no 3 above.
While talking about security at home he seems to have completely missed the point and that is to realize and fight the cause and not the people.
Fighting might only work if you kill each and every one in Afghanistan, border areas of Pakistan and Iraq, and I guess he would naively agree to it looking to the casual approach he shows on Lancet report and the deaths in Iraq.
The cause is not the people of just the fighters rather its the way they have been transformed into. The misdoings of Russia and USA in Afghanistan and the hidden agenda of USA in Iraq during Iran-Iraq war is the result of today's population who is ready to die.
They have and are living in hell or decades, a hell created mostly by western world. It might be difficult for people like Mark to imagine what it is like living without education, future, constant state of fear, lawlessness and unending struggle just to survive.
While this does not justify violence or radicalism, the issue here is how to fight this and certainly the answer is not bullets because then it is also a kind of radicalism.
We have to remember that blood begets blood and hate begets hate. Our role in the society should be to stop this not to put wood into the fire.
I am hopeful and thankful to those in our western world who still have sense and are more balance in their views.
Newsbeat is often far less politically correct and more unbiased than other parts of the 91Èȱ¬ news empire. Taking such a sympathetic line with British squaddies is not exactly 91Èȱ¬ house-style after all.
Shame about the dumbing down though.