Sharp End

“As with al Qaeda, the Taliban is our best weapon against themselves. The Taliban issued a code of conduct, which likely was a blunder on their part. Why? Because the Taliban are undisciplined savages, and every time they violate their own code of conduct—which happens every day and night—the good guys have a chance to broadcast the transgression.”
I wonder if the moral equivalence brigade ever read Michael Yon?

Mates of mine served in the ‘Ghan in 2007. ‘Twas a tough tour.
Michael Yon is a legend. In an ideal world we’d be seeing his reporting (and that of Michael Totten) in our papers and on our TVs.

“I’m trying to imagine the Today programme using the words ‘undisciplined savages’ – or ‘good guys’.”
Well, yes, it would be slightly shocking to hear the Today programme using such “judgmental” language, or indeed permitting it. But I think there’s a serious problem here. It’s quite rare to hear the Today programme making pointed reference to – for instance – the combatants’ rules of engagement and how they differ. To do so might jar with the BBC’s tendency to flatten such distinctions, supposedly in the name of “balance” and “impartiality.”
It’s one thing to avoid phrases like “good guys”; it’s something else to downplay how each side prefers to fight and what moral restraints apply.

AC1,
Thanks for the clip. Whatever you make of Mr Vance’s position, the reaction to his airing of it is quite illuminating. It’s a good illustration of how certain ideas are encouraged and repeated by an “impartial” presenter working for an “impartial” state broadcaster. For instance, the assumption that “promoting attitudes” of a certain kind is something one should do with taxpayers’ money, or the belief that there’s no reasonable basis for objecting to this. Or the belief that the motives and entitlement of certain subsidised groups are not to be questioned. And that those who do question such things should be silenced with a display of theatrical indignation.

We didn’t come here for a fair fight. We came to win.
Ah, blow it your arse, you snivelling Brit. *You* have not gone there, at all.

Subject of the Realm knows just now easy it is for Mother Britain to assert how benevolent it is.