Brigadier James Cowan Full Address

As British, Afghan and other ISAF forces prepared to head in to the last Taliban heartlands of Helmand for the assault stage of Operation Moshtarak, Brigadier James Cowan gave a rousing speech to crowd of amassed soldiers. His eve of battle address was reminiscent of that given by Lt Col Tim Collins the night before the Iraq invasion. Brigadier Cowan, Commander of Task Force Helmand told the troops the aim was not to crush the Taliban but to win the people. And he told them to offer a hand of friendship to those who do not wish to fight.