One wonders sometimes whether the British Government is entirely worthless, not least when they are leaving valiant men and women to fight without protection and inadequate support, and then retreating behind a curtain of lies and half truths to defend their own actions and behaviour.

The government is piling pressure downwards through the Ministry of Defence to prevent the truth about what is actually happening in Afghanistan reaching us. But we are nonetheless all aware of the inadequate equipment and the shortage of helicopters that exemplify the poor treatment of the armed forces by their political leaders. One is reminded of the phrase 'lions led by donkeys'.

This article by Michael Yon makes a compelling case that unless politicians’ attitudes to the troops, to the public, and to reporters changes, meaningful progress in Afghanistan will be impossible. Not only does it outline his own poor treatment at the hands of puppets of the Ministry of Defence, it also explains how troops on the ground are routinely lied to by the politicians back home. This is a war that is fast becoming a political quagmire. The UK government desperately needs to rethink it's attitude towards the armed forces.