Yesterday, while the Westminster parliament was behaving in an extraordinary manner about MPs expenses, there was another event taking place many miles away which was dignified, solemn and momentous. The event marked the day when, finally, British troops ended combat operations in Iraq after six years. During these six years 179 British and 46 allied soldiers were killed, many more wounded and we must not forget the 100,000 plus Iraqis who have also lost their lives. War is such a terrible price but we presently have leaders who think little of the human cost.
Many newspapers reported on this but the most touching for me was Daniel Korski's post in Coffee Shop. Do read it. He quotes (from memory) the part of the address the Reverend Paschal Hanrahan gave yesterday to a few hundred soldiers standing silently in the scorching sun of the Iraqi desert when the names of their fallen comrades were read out.
"It is to the soldier to whom we owe the right to free trial, not the lawyer; it is the soldier, not the journalist, who guarantees the freedom of speech; and it is the soldier, who serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped in the flag, who gives us the right to protest, who gives even the right to protesters to burn that same flag."
A safe journey home to each and every one of you.
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12 comments:
subrosa,
The sad fact is that those who do return safely will be shortly going from the frying pan to the fire and we can only hope and pray that they return safely from there.
Yes it's very sad Brownlie. We have a power-mad leader who is happy to sacrifice his people for the sake of his positions on the world stage. Blair of course has to take a large chunk of the blame. The wrong types of leader for any country.
SR,
Thanks for that, I recall when Major Matt Bacon died in an IED attack - sadness and disbelief lay upon me having only spoken with him the day before.
After moving to Basrah Palace I lived in a shack where other PMSC employees slept, 3 of them didn't return home after their armoured Land Cruiser had been hit by a triple IED attack. The vehicle having being pierced by the first explosion from underneath and then followed by several jagged molten balls bouncing around the cabin - all died instantly.
My heart goes out to the Iraqis who have lived under Saddam, thanks to the US Government and died under coalition hands. Spare them a thought - pawns in the big game of power - Bush, Blair and Brown all have blood on their hands - lest we forget.
CD
No getting away from it, we have the best army in the world and is open to anyone, its a shame Labour treat the armed forces with contempt.
Although i want an Independent Scotland and patriotic towards Scotland, im proud by what the British troops have done in Iraq and other areas in the middle east even though i dont agree on the war in Iraq.
Nicely put, by both you and him.
The contrast between the quiet dignity of the soldiers and the noisy squabbling of the expenses troughers couldn't be wider..
Thank you CD. As one who has experienced the horrors of it all it's kind of you to write about it. As Brownlie says sadly there's more to come.
I'm certainly going to email David Cameron today to ask him about his Afghanistan policy and see if he'll be American's toy too.
Spook the forces have been treated badly for generations, it's just that this government have been worse than the others.
Thanks Furious, but the likes of Crazy Daisy and a few of my other readers who say it so much better. I'm only a distant witness not a participant.
Actually its the worker that gave us free trials, the workers who fought for freedom of speech, association and protest and it is, infact, the workers who won us many of the things that we take for granted today. It is all too often the soldier that is deployed by the state to quell these uprisings. Lets not forget that the history of our country and its army isnt the progressive march to a better world led by the soldier but the bloody repression of progressive movements the world over for centuries past
Subrosa,
The quotation you give in the post is so terribly true,
However not here for Uk service men and women.
Our repatriated dead are even having given the ultimate sacrifice, are subjected to further humiliation with our degrading and otherwise distasteful ramp ceremony.
I mean what the fuck is that all about. A few chosen words on the back door step of a C130.
Never been a huge fan of the USA and yes that probably my service time but at least they honopur and respect war dead. We destroy their honour even in death.
Best not upset the minority who have moved here to screw our liberty and welfare state and hey as its an illegal dirty foul little war best not let a politician be around as a mark of respect.
It make me weep it really does.
Hello Selma. Where does the quotation come from as you seem to know it.
I would disagree it's the worker in today's world. Many workers of modern times are only interested in themselves and they have lost the meaning of society. The unions were brought about to help workers fight against the unjust practices of their masters but today the union bosses are as bad if not worse than these masters.
The soldier's duty is to protect Queen and country, nothing more, nothing less. I think the quotation fits today's military rather more than workers.
True the military has been used as depressors by successive royalty and politicians. Who elects the politicians? We do, the workers but without our modern day army there is little doubt many of us would be in the position they are today.
LotF, you know I agree with you. The ramp 'ceremony' is a disgrace to this country but the only people who may be able to do something about it are the families. You know that military families prefer to be private with their grief and few feel the need to be further humiliated because that's what they would be.
It's made me weep for many years LotF.
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