A new decisiveness?

It seems that many people close to the situation in Afghanistan, are appalled at the very quick and brutal intervention to rescue a hostage journalist. The consequence of the attack was the deaths of an Afghan fighting with us and also a special services British soldier, and several militant deaths. (Militant deaths are, of course, the recruiting sergeant for further enlistment!)

The complaint is that negotiations, involving several local leaders, were well progressed, and the release could have been achieved without bloodshed.

It seems that although the order was signed by ministers Miliband and Ainsworth, G.Brown was also involved in this rapid and decisive move.

We have a long tradition of not caving in to hostage takers, but we have paid a heavy price in death and wounding, for not exploring long enough whether all could have been avoided. Mr. Gung Ho Brown has shown decisiveness, but according to many on the ground a little longer in trying other ways should have been tried.