British soldiers in Helmand Photo: REUTERS Helicopter Shortage Forces Commanders To Dump Helmand Towers Plan -- The Telegraph
A chronic shortage of helicopters forced commanders to ditch plans to counter Taliban home-made bomb attacks against British troops, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
Senior officers wanted to build a "necklace" of fortified watch towers through Helmand to spy on insurgents planting improvised explosives devices (IEDs) – the single biggest killer of soldiers in the province.
But the plan, which was drawn up by officers serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade last summer, was dismissed because there were not enough troops available to occupy the towers or a sufficient number of helicopters to keep them resupplied with food, water and ammunition.
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Update: ‘You can’t drive to this fight. You have to fly.’ -- Stars And Stripes
My Comment: I would also add the lack of UAV reconnaissance drones as an added reason why British casualties are high in Helmand Province.Lack of leadership and direction from Britain has produced this intolerable situation. It appears that the priority in England is to allocate funds and resources for social welfare projects and large aircraft carriers .... but for the soldier fighting a war at this moment in time .... they are given the bare minimum.
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