In today's Telegraph General Richards is quoted as saying:

'While Afghanistan is not the template on which to base the future, it is most certainly a signpost for much of what that future might contain.'

That may well be true but it could just as likely be a red herring. Before the first world war, and to an extent between the wars, the British army was reorganised to fight small conflicts in the corners of empire. This left them wanting when the real challenge came.

Czech elections - a vote for the future

For a country that has had democracy for only 20 years, the Czech Republic's election result showed a real sense of sophistication.

The Social Democrats, promising big government and all the hand outs that go with a client state had been widely expected to achieve a dominant position in the elections, especially since the main right wing part, the Civic Democrats, have been in meltdown. However, two other new right wing parties entered the fray and rather than votes being won by the left they simply were transferred to other similar, yet fresher alternatives. The result was a clear mandate for a right of centre government focused on public spending cuts and a smaller state.

It may come as a surprise to those in the UK that in Czech young people our predominately supporters of the right. This makes perfect sense. And it is not simply a reaction to generations of authoritarian socialist rule. Rather it is because, if you believe in the future success of your own endeavours there is no need to believe in big government.

It shows a tragic lack of national and individual optimism that so many in Britain have chosen the welfare state model as their idea of the future, even though years of Labour have proved it can only be delivered by stealing from future generations.