US Defence Secretary: "NATO troops do not know how to fight a guerrilla insurgency"

Yes, Robert Gates actually thinks that the resurgence of the Taleban is the fault of poorly trained NATO forces in the country. Several responses are competing to be laid down here:

1. Maybe if the US had devoted its entire military effort to Afghanistan instead of exploiting the moral vacuum to set off on a war of aggression against a nation wholly unconnected to the events of 11th September 2001 then maybe the Taleban wouldn't have been able to conduct its resurgence in the absence of sufficient military force to police the freshly occupied Nation.
   
2. The US has started so many war of agression, covertly or otherwise, and committed so many attrocities that prove fertile grounds for driving popular uprisdings against their forces that its unsurprising that their troops have plenty of experience in this field.
3. On that note they are actually one of the worst forces on the planet for engaging in attrocities; needless applications of blunt firepower with huge associated civilian casualties; widespread dehumanisation of civilians and other local populations ("gook syndrome"); frequent attempts to divide and conquer competing insurgencies with arms and support, including hard cash, drugs, weapons- pretty everything is up for grabs for those who want to temporarily switch side for profit or pleasure, thereby engendering massive contempt for the the occupier.
4. Who the fuck does Robert Gates think NATO's fighting? Weren't the Taleban trained and armed by the CIA? He's got some fucking cheek pulling this out of the bag whilst our body count continues to rise inexorably.
   
5. Gates' record:
1. Number of wars in which the US military has been beaten into little pieces of shit and had to call upon foreign support during Gates' time in service: 4 (Vietnam, Nicaragua,Iran, Iraq II).
   
2. Number of wars in which the US has been moderately successful: 2 (Grenada [wow- an island of 110,000 people- tough target!], Iraq I).
3. So his record sucks even more floppy horse cock than he does, which is a lot. Hardly a position from which to criticise others.
   

So, Rob old chap: Shut the fuck up and teach your own troops to respect other human beings and to use judicious and appropriate levels of force in their defence and maybe, just maybe, people wouldn't be so keen to bomb the shit out of you and your occupying forces.

More on NATO in Afghanistan from CiF.