17-03-2014 4:29 PM
With UK pulling out of the conflict in Afghanistan, just what is the value in £ sterling of the infrastructure left behind? That's not counting the cost of weapons left in the hands of the Afghani soldiers and police that are now left in charge.
Also, how long will it be before Blair is brought up on charges?
17-03-2014 6:45 PM
You Could argue that much of the equipment has been used to do a Job , and is now effectively "scrap "
Bear in mind whatever cost the "equipment "had new , what its resale value is ? and who would buy it ?
(save another Army garrisoned in Afghanistan .
Its resale value (may be 10% of the value when new )
And then bear in mind the cost of transporting said equipment
What would it cost to send a Lorry to afghanistan and back ? or load a ship ? or load onto a train , bear in mind it costs about £50 to move a tonn on a pallet , in an dout the UK
to Afghan you have high logistics costs
Not least the fact its a war zone
So they have weighed up the balance and decided to give it all away ,save taking it home
Weapons and vehicle s may make it back
18-03-2014 7:57 PM
Papko .... You make valid points and yet I just can't help remembering that all the simple things such as rifles, complete with magazines are still perfect for the common foot-slogger to learn his or her rifle drill, marching and maybe even practice on the range. I'm pretty sure that the rifles that I used on the parade ground and rifle range were not brand new and costing upwards of £1,00 each. No, I'm pretty sure that they had been used by a score of other doldiers / sailors in their time and had been brought back from conflicts in Aden, Borneo & Sarawak and troubles with the insurgents in Cyprus, East Africa and Indonesia. But we still found good use for them and it didn't cost the tax-payer a penny.
24-03-2014 7:25 AM
I think it's a sign of the wasteful times we live in.
I also get the impression the the MOD are not known for their good housekeeping on budgets and their procurement processes, based on reports of some wrong equipment (Land Rover bomb patrol vehicles?) being supplied to the forces in Afghanistan in the past.
Presumably all that remains will be passed over to the Afghan army as a way of supporting their continuing efforts to try and maintain peace.
25-03-2014 11:05 AM
I don't care about financial losses but the loss in human lives and suffering are immeasurable ,
as for blair, he will never face justice.