Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, on his first visit to Afghanistan, has lambasted the government for under-equipping its troops in the region.
“I’ve seen some of the kit they’ve had to deal with, said Mr Clegg. “Some of it’s great, but some of it’s old.” He added that spare parts were also in short supply.
The government was quick to defend itself against the Lib Dem leader’s accusations, however. “The Vickers water-cooled heavy machine gun has been tried and tested in two world wars,” said Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. “And if the rebel tribesmen didn’t like being bombed by biplanes in 1920, imagine their dismay when they see them lumbering over the horizon once again. As for spare parts, two tracks per tank are an ideal rather than an operational necessity. The vehicles can advance in a series of curves, pausing at intervals for the crews to swiftly swap the track from one side to the other. This also makes it much harder for the enemy to predict where the tanks are actually heading.”
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