British forces in Helmand, southern Afghanistan, are paying a high price as the Taliban fight back with ever more deadly explosive devices. Caroline Wyatt, just back from Helmand, says it is a critical time for the coalition forces. What should have been a simple seven-hour flight to Kandahar took rather longer. Two days, in fact, after technical problems with our ageing RAF Tristar kept us on the runway at Brize Norton for several hours. The trooper flight was packed with soldiers, sailors and airmen on their way to Helmand. There were mutterings of discontent as a new fault diverted us to another base in the Middle East, but they were muted. For British forces, it seems, this was no rare occurrence. The air-bridge to and from Helmand Province is under severe strain, as RAF technicians work overtime transporting servicemen... [read full story]
