Afghanistan casualties inevitable — UK troops commander

LONDON, Jan 15 (KUNA) — British casualties in Afghanistan are an inevitable result of operations in the country, the commander of British troops said Tuesday.
Brigadier Andrew Mackay also told BBC radio his forces were “succeeding,” but added that to describe them as “winning” might overstate the case.
Amid concern about the intensity of fighting in Afghanistan, Brigadier Mackay said he hoped casualties would reduce over time as they “got to grips” with the insurgency.
But he went on, “We have to get used to the fact that casualties are an inevitable part of what we do here in Helmand.” About 7,500 British troops are deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in the southern Helmand province.
Asked whether they were winning, Brigadier Mackay said, “I think it’s one where we are succeeding.
“I think the term winning is probably too absolute in these conditions, with the complexities and frictions we have to endure daily.” The commander of British troops said the key to success was the improvement of the Afghan national army and police and that he was continually impressed with their progress.
He added, “I think if you take a daily snapshot of life in Afghanistan it can probably lead you to some wrong conclusions.
“I think you’ve got to stand back and see the wood for the trees in order to take some deeper meaning away from the progress that’s being made.
“But I think the question is for someone like me in my position here on a daily basis, managing the complexities and frictions that you manage, of being pretty sure about the direction you are travelling, holding your nerve when you come across the occasional set back, and then pressing on with what you think is the right thing to do,” Brigadier Mackay concluded.