Yesterday was a very sad day for five families and their friends. David Cameron's young son Ivan died having struggled with serious disabilities throughout his short life. My condolences to the Camerons.
Four other sons died yesterday; three in Afghanistan and one who had been medevaced back to UK in an attempt to save his life after he was seriously injured in Afghanistan. They were adults serving in our military but they were someone's sons. There will be people who say they chose to join the services and know they run the risk of being killed - all true. But they were still someone's sons and their parents will have to endure burying their child. Some may have wives and children who are now denied their fathers.
My heart goes out to these exceptionally brave people who fight for what our politicians think is a just cause, but I certainly don't think it is and I also don't understand why Gordon Brown insists our troops are continually on the front line when other European countries refuse to have their military on front line duties.
Perhaps Gordon Brown thinks the lives of our military are cheap; after all he's never made any effort to attend even one occasion when our dead are returned.
The dead now number 149 from the war in Afghanistan but of course there are many more whose lives will never be the same because of serious injuries. Spare a thought for them too.
Posts
21 comments:
subrosa,
At one time the loss of one serviceman would be front page news but now, for some reason (?) news of this nature seems to only merit a small paragraph whilst other news, possibly less embarassing to the government, are given prominence.
As a matter of fact the only mention I can see in the Scotsman is by a poster on a different thread.
I am not convinced, and I suspect that servicemen are not either, that this is a "just cause".
What is the cause and how effective is the campaign?
We appear to be given several reasons.
"The Taliban will impose their laws and individuals will be denied their human rights" - Several countries with which the UK are on friendly terms have equally harsh laws and punishments.
"There are "terrorist training camps" in Afghanistan" - there are terrorist training camps in other countries and the UK government has not got involved.
"The country is a major exporter of illegal drugs" - other countries export illegal drugs and the UK government has not got involved.
If the government is concerned about the import of drugs in this country they should fund effective preventative measures instead of reducing them.
The stark fact is that UK casualties in Afghanistan will multiply. Pakistanis, Chechens, Arabs and others with perceived grievances against the UK are flooding into the country to fight our servicemen.
Those millions displaced by the invasion of Iraq have more reason than most to hate the UK and this is an ideal recruiting base.
It is high time the government reviewed their committment in this area and gave up any pretentions of being a major world power whilst in reality the country is rapidly being dragged into becoming a nonentity in world terms.
Now that the Americans are taking over in Helmand and not taking orders from British commanders stand by for the civilian death toll to shoot up.
Shoot first, ask questions later and declare victory.
We have by far the best troops in the world and all of us should be proud of them, even though many of us dont agree on the 2 wars at present.
The men and woman who are out fighting for what Labour see as a just cause deserve better. The housing back home is substanderd, medicle help for the wounded back home is nothing short of dire, troops are being hounded for council tax by baylifts days before they head out to fight the fanatics.
Labour are a disgrace to our troops and to spend 20 billion on trident (something that will never be used or needed) and ignore the front line troops makes me sick.
Thank you for your excellent post brownlie. It deserves a whole post of its own.
The sadness is that the Afghan war will not be won. The Russians couldn't do it and that was long before today's mass support from Pakistan for the taliban.
Now the Swat region has sharia law that makes a perfect recruiting region, being on the 'right side' of Pakistan, although it is a long way from the Afghani border.
Things for our troops will change radically once the Americans take over. Their training is known to be lacking.
Morning Faux Cu, yes it's not going to be a good time having them in charge. They're well known for their gun ho attitude.
Such a shame we're involved in this anyway - and all to impress the US, the very people who refused to give evidence at the last case of friendly fire. Some friends.
Spook, their housing back here and medical facilities all pale in significance when you consider the conditions they're working out there under day by day; no weekends off, 7 days a week.
You're right about trident but why does the labour party want it? You've guess right, we must impress our American friends mustn't we.
"there are many more whose lives will never be the same...."
Many numbers kept firmly under wraps.
Well i can see what you lot won't fight for but what if anything would any of you fight for?.............I suspect there isn't anything you would oh! perhaps a comfy chair far away from nasty people and the real world.
http://www.greatwar.co.uk/westfront/ypsalient/meningate/lastpost.mp3
It's the people who think there are things worth killing for that cause all the trouble Niko; I'm very willing to fight against them.
Well i can see what you lot won't fight for but what if anything would any of you fight for?..
Niko that's rather unkind. My point is our troops are being used for totally political points, although their deployment usually holds a bit of politics somewhere.
What I object to is them fighting other people's wars. Do tell me why you think our fighting in Afghanistan is protecting this island and her people.
Our troops take an oath to defend the people of Britain and that's what they should be used for - not for politicians to hire them out like cannon fodder to impress their mates in the US.
Me too Conan. More and more of our military are being taught negotiating and diplomatic skills and using them on a daily basis. This started when it was finally realised, as a country, we didn't have a big enough army to fight alone, hence the introduction of being called peace-keepers rather than aggressors.
The army do a far better job diplomatically these days than any of the highly paid political placements.
Powered by iPetitions - start your online petition now
No Ifs No Buts- Give up the Bonus, RBS
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/giveupthebonus/
Brownlie, I forgot to mention (re your comment about when one soldier's death would be headlines), that would still be the case if one police officer was killed in the line of duty or a fire officer.
We don't respect our military at all. If I remember rightly George Bush was forced by the people, to start paying honourable respect to service personnel.
Afghanistan was doomed from the start. No foreign power will ever control that place - it's not really a country - more a conglomerate of tribal fiefdoms. If the US wants to eradicate the threat posed by terrorist groups based there the only way to do it is an endless bombing campaign.
But that's not what it's really about is it?
No scunnert, that's not what it about at all. It's not even about a power struggle as we would know one.
Subrosa, Nice to have this discussed, yes the housing is a fucking mess for all, officers and lads/girls alike. Afghanistan is an British invention much like Iraq and Northern Ireland. Why are we there? Because Gogs Broon and Tony Bliar bit off more than they can chew. Is the FCO capable? yes if the Armed Forces provide Force Protection and a safe and secure environment as NATO refer to it as! Is DIFD any good - fuck no - and wee Dougie is running a near £8.9 Billion budget - wtf? Why as a Scots do we serve? Because we're getting as much experience as possible prior to the birth of an SDS and SDF. I believe that in my day I'll see this happen. Sad as it is for Cameron, thousands die each day and not just upper middle class kids - poverty continues no thanks to Labour.
It's comin for a'that
As an ex squaddie of 9 years service I know exactly what takes precedence and it ain't squaddies. The trendy snobby left wing elite that from the corps of the Labour party tend to look down their noses at squaddies, who as they think, "get what they signed up for." As a young lad from the Highlands of sixteen summers I thought I was signing up for sun sea wine women and song not in that order. Skis and beach parties in exotic foreign lands. As I crouched terrified in a shop doorway in the Falls Road one rainy December night , having been shot at spat at and called names you would not call a dog, it dawned on me that I may have been a just wee bit gullible.
Don't get me wrong many good things happened also. But as soon as I married and had a child we were out.
The covenant, if it ever existed between the forces and the parliament was thrown away by liars and career politicians like Ingram, Hoon and Brown with an e. The equipment these lads have to contend with in Afghanistan is in this day and age a bloody disgrace and the Americans just cannot believe just how callous the supply of equipment to UK forces are. So much so that they are nicknamed the "Borrowers," as scrounging kit of other armies is a regular pastime.
Just as an example read the reports of the Hercules crash that killed 14 of our finest in Afghanistan. Read the duplicity and downright lies and contempt demonstrated by the murderers Hoon and Ingram. They care not a tinkers toss for squaddies lives or their families. But they do care about themselves, their golden pension pots and their numerous consultancy jobs in the case of Ingram he now has five. Eeeugh.
Incidentally I once got 14 days jail for signing this song, which was banned in Germany:
Sergeant Where's Mine
* (Billy Connolly)
Chorus:
Oh sergeant, was this the adventure you meant
When I put my name down on the line
All your talk of computers, of sunshine and skis
I'm asking you, sergeant, where's mine
I'm lying in bed, I'm in room twenty-six
Thinking of things that I've done
Like cleaning my boots and drinking with friends
And counting the medals of one
I've a brother in Glasgow with long curly hair
When I joined up he said I was mad
He said shooting at strangers just wasn't his game
Now I wish I had done what he said
I've learnt to put up with most things in my time
I can even put up with the pain
But what can you do with a gun in your hand
When you're facing a hundred young weans
(as sung by Iain MacKintosh)
Thanks for your post KW and the song. I've never heard that sung before but then I'm kind of out of date these days.
I don't think it's just squaddies who are regarded with disdain, it's all ranks. In my time I've been at meetings with the great and good of the military (army, RAF and naval staff) only to notice how patronising politicians were to each and every one of them. It was embarrassing as most of the officers did there utmost to have their men shown some respect.
Sadly the heid bummers in the army (I can only really speak for them these days), become disillusioned with the whole setup and decide quietly get on with the job until their retirement. As they say 'it's more than their jobsworth to create waves'.
I'll send on your song to some people who will appreciate it if you don't mind.
Hello CrazyDaisy what an accurate assessment. Trouble is Gordon Brown won't recall our troops, he wants to impress Obama now. What is this fascination successive UK goverments have with being lapdogs to the US?
I don't know why Scots join up, it's not as if many couldn't find far better paid jobs in Civvie Street. Perhaps we have a greater sense of 'duty' than the English, we certainly join up in greater numbers.
Hi Rosie, I made an error in my post by referring to the Hercules that went doen it was of course a Nimrod that had known issues on board.
My use of the term "squaddies," is a wee bit flippant as I do of course mean all ranks not just squaddies.
The verse in the song that says, "counting the medals of one," I think should be, "counting the medals I've won," I could be wrong but will check.
Thanks KW. The term squaddies is indeed given to all ranks. These days I find it offensive but that's perhaps me being a bit too touchy.
Post a Comment