After assessing the British operations in Helmand, a high-ranking Army commander said that the Ministry of Defence is “institutionally incapable” of achieving success in Afghanistan.
Major-General Andrew Mackay said in a 40-page report, co-written with Royal Navy senior commander Steve Tatham, that messages coming from London had “no relevance at ground level” to the British troops that come in contact with the Taleban. General Mackay described the messages as “a diluted and distant memory” when they reach the front line. The General added that the motivation of the local Afghans had not been understood by the British army.
Both Mackay and Tatham are pushing for a new “hearts and minds” strategy that focuses more on understanding the economic, cultural, and psychological state of the Taleban instead of simply winning battles.
In General Mackay’s report on the recapture of Musa Qala from the Taleban in 2008, only 0.16 percent of the soldiers were killed. Figures show that the percentage of casualties is lower compared to other attacks. Mackay pointed out that the MoD failed to learn from the success of this operation.
“From the top of the MoD through to the Army’s staff colleges, the structures, despite the best will in the world, are institutionally incapable of keeping pace with rapid change and the associated willingness to adapt — and quickly — at the same time”, the paper says.
In response to the statement, a spokesman from the MoD said: “The Defence Academy seeks to stimulate debate and discussion to aid the formulation of policy. While the MoD will consider the findings of all its reports, they do not represent the views of the MoD or wider government”.
