This is a photograph of Tom Neathway who lost his legs and left arm while 'protecting our streets' in Afghanistan. Can you imagine the hell this man has been through just to please the whims of our Prime Minister and other warmongering politicians?
Tom's not the only one by any means who has been left severely disabled by a Taliban bomb, there are hundreds.
My countryman Fitaloon has a detailed post about a programme on BBC 1, at 9pm this Wednesday 23 September. The programme title is Wounded.
It's the responsibility of each and every one of us to watch this programme. After all, we pay these men's wages so we should see what we're getting for it and more to the point what they get for it.
This programme will be a poignant reminder that courage has a price - a price most of us wouldn't even consider paying.
Please do watch, you may learn something about your own opinion of the Afghanistan war too.
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7 comments:
The cost of this war is far more than the horrific death figures that are mounting weekly. This boy, and so many others like him, will have to live with these horrible disabitites for the rest of his/their life.
It is impossible for most of your readers to understand how that must feel, quite apart from the incredible physical pain he must have.
It's shameful that these lads have to do this in order that British ministers can stride about on the world stage like they meant something. Next time you see Brown address the UN, or the G20, or stand shoulder to shoulder with Mr Obama or Mr Hu, we should remember the likes of this lad whose sacrifice allows him to retain his place at the top table.
Thank you for letting us know about the programme Subrosa. I suspect it should be watched with a plentiful supply of tissues.
I don't think it's a sob programme Tris, more a documentary and if you read Fitaloon's summary then it sounds upbeat.
I'm going to record it as I don't think I could watch it all in one go.
Well, I didn't really mean that it would be a "sob" programme, but (and maybe I'm a bit of a baby), I get a tear in my eye even looking at that picture of Mr Neathway, although I'm sure he's a damned sight braver about his injuries.
I'm sure it's upbeat; these guys have such incredible spirit, they shame the likes of me.
As I mentioned in an earlier comment to you - there must be no dodging on this, no hiding our damaged children ( "Monsters" as our burnt RAF aircrews were called by the London theatre crowd in early ww2), no fiddling the compensation, no cheating laws to deny them help and no waiting lists to get help if they need it. It's up to us and the bloggers on this and other sites to ensure that the politicians don't squirm of this hook.
Unfortunately, our arms industry is an important part of our industrial base and as such, often successfully lobbies government.
It is particularly galling to think that we purchase unnecessary equipment - thanks to lobbyists and MPs eager to have their palms greased - at the expense of our cannon-fodder soldiers.
We need balance. Fighting a war for the benefit of our oil and military industrial complex is immoral.
You've hit the nail on the head Tris, I'm sure it'll be upbeat and don't you go getting upset now. Watch it just to see how well the chaps cope.
It is up to us Dram and we'll just keeping blogging away. I know people get weary of reading about military matters, but someone's got to talk up for these people.
They've no union bosses to speak for them and they're disallowed from stating their own opinions.
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