In the end, the war in Afghanistan will not be won by force of arms, but by the willingness of the warring factions to negotiate a political settlement. This essential truth might come as little comfort to the British soldiers who have spent the past month engaged in yet another desperate battle with the Taliban as part of "Operation Panther's Claw".
As with the many other offensives undertaken since British forces first deployed to Helmand, their superior firepower, organisation and leadership have enabled them to notch up yet another victory in an unrelenting campaign. And yet, for all the advances that have been made during the past three years, both in terms of improved equipment and increased troop numbers, British and other Nato forces remain as far from a decisive breakthrough as they were when they first arrived.
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