Reply to: Muslim group has cancelled Wootton Bassett march

[AtW]

Like I said, they enjoy killing each other.

actively engaging in constructive talks regarding finding the best solution to a set of legacy problems

[EternalOptimist]

and since the Afghan tribes united in the 1700's the armies of Afghan have never been defeated.

@rse

[RichardCranium]

and since the Afghan tribes united in the 1700's the armies of Afghan have never been defeated by outsiders.

The Taliban managed a coup.

[AtW]

and since the Afghan tribes united in the 1700's the armies of Afghan have never been defeated.

Was it before or after Royal Marine Corps were formed?

[Diver]

Nope.

Infidels only came along after about 750 A.D.

The tribes have got equal joy out of killing each other.

and since the Afghan tribes united in the 1700's the armies of Afghan have never been defeated.

[AtW]

Nope.

Infidels only came along after about 750 A.D.

The tribes have got equal joy out of killing each other.

My guess is that Royal Marines used Time Machine to go back in time and teach them all it? That would explain...

[AtW]

Apart from killing each other with great vigour and pleasure for the last 3000 years.

infidels

[AtW]

You really are thicker than a Hippo sandwich AtW. You are at the bottom of the hole. Stop digging!

I am not the type that gives up easily...

Ok, let's assume Royal Marines taught fighters in Afganistan in early 80s and this knowledge helped them beat the Soviets, ok.

Mean age of people there is ~18 years old.

Taliban now are 20 year old who never had such training - they were not even born when last war started.

Question - why those "peasants" are able to resist Royal Marines?

[shaunbhoy]

Well, show me some links to what exactly they taught people who were born to live and die in mountains. I am sure those special troops are great at teaching other soldiers who don't live there to be better in mountains, however what you expect those guys to teach locals there?

What CIA sent instructors to reach them was how to fire stingers (supplied by CIA), how to use radios, shoot more accurately, how to do ambushes, mine roads etc.

So tell me exactly what those Royal Marines did teach, how to survive in mountains during cold night? How to deal with donkeys whilst moving weapons about?

You really are thicker than a Hippo sandwich AtW. You are at the bottom of the hole. Stop digging!

[AtW]

You asked what they could teach them. Well, there's a peasant community of yak farmers and growers of christ-knows-what and there's a crack team of military instructors familiar with a variety of forms of warfare in mountains.

This "peasant" community fought off more than one army more than once...

What they really needed were weapons and knowledge how to use them - primarily stingers to deal with aerial threats. This made troops travel by ground - those "peasants" needed mines to do ambushes and the job was done.

[Ardesco]

The ones that consistently amazed me were the royal marine pathfinders. They can pick up a trail in any environment and track a single person down in an astoundingly short period of time.

One thing that our armed forces have is a hell of a lot of experience and bloody good training. Their kit may not be all that, but by god do they know how to use it.

[RichardCranium]

I was thinking of the "Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre". Link to a story from the Falklands.

Training includes:

rock climbing
Resistance to Interrogation (RTI)
patrolling and raiding
snow and ice climbing
cold weather survival
qualifying as a Military Ski Instructors

I don't think Afghan yak herders do much of the above in their day jobs.

[RichardCranium]

Please provide some links that would explain what exactly they taught locals in 70s when they were fighting Soviet forces there.

Are you familiar with the expression "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you"? This is one of those occasions when use of such an expression would be valid. Assuming I knew any links to such secret classified material online.

You asked what they could teach them. Well, there's a peasant community of yak farmers and growers of christ-knows-what and there's a crack team of military instructors familiar with a variety of forms of warfare in mountains.

I think there is probably something the Marines may have to tell a goat-herder about use of weapons lubricants in damp, sub-zero conditions or how their opponents' lack of knowledge about the terrain can be used against them.

You may as well say "What could the Marines teach a Southend cockle-stall fish seller about amphibious landings, after all the Essex boy knows all about sand."

[AtW]

Well, show me some links to what exactly they taught people who were born to live and die in mountains. I am sure those special troops are great at teaching other soldiers who don't live there to be better in mountains, however what you expect those guys to teach locals there?

What CIA sent instructors to reach them was how to fire stingers (supplied by CIA), how to use radios, shoot more accurately, how to do ambushes, mine roads etc.

So tell me exactly what those Royal Marines did teach, how to survive in mountains during cold night? How to deal with donkeys whilst moving weapons about?

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

what could Royal Marines possibly teach people who live and fight in mountains?

They teach them what they want to teach them. The British Army has 100's of years of experience in all kinds of terrain and climates. Don't think they just threw all that away.

The British Army may be underfunded but they certainly are not understudied - especially higher up