Roadside bombs have killed two British soldiers in Afghanistan. The soldiers, from 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, were on foot patrol near Malgir in Helmand province when two bombs went off yesterday morning.
A total of 253 British forces personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001.
NATO's civilian representative in Kabul, Mark Sedwill, has warned Britain can expect to suffer 'many more casualties' and soldiers face a 'very challenging year' marred by an 'awful of of violence'.
He continued: "We will have many foreign troops there in training and supporting probably for a decade or more.
"Of course we will have development aid probably for 20, 30, 40 years even".
Earlier this month, the head of the Army, General Sir David Richards, said he expected fewer British casualties in Afghanistan from the end of 2010.
The Centre for Policy Studies has issued a report, ahead of Wednesday's Green Paper on defence reform, warning that with neither of the two major parties promising to protect the defence budget, spending requires drastic changes.
Gordon Brown has other ideas as he will commit labour to billions of pounds of extra defence spending by ordering two new aircraft carriers. At the same time, defence chiefs are exploring how closer military links with France and the potential benefits of an entente cordiale could tackle future dangers with limited resources.
Is that the same France which the Attorney General for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Peter Goldsmith, refused to approach during the discussions leading up to the Iraq war less than 10 years ago?
Meantime, the dying will continue in Afghanistan and military families will suffer the intense pain of grief and loss.
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Yes and Mr Blair and his American masters, sorry friends seem to be lining up Iran next. I think Blair mentioned Iran 50 odd times in his evidence to Chilcot?
We have been warned. We will attack Iran because we will be told that it threatens the saintly Israelis.
The saintly Israelis. They don't do saints, in fairness.
As for The British Joke-Government, just note how The BBC on line has been told to ignore any mention of these deaths.
Iran has been mentioned a great deal Strathturret but we always knew Iran was in their sights.
I did notice that OR because I tried the BBC site to cross-check my facts before publishing.
Wonder why because they usually publish details.
I was surprised that this further tragedy was given such a fleeting mention on BBC news last night wedged between two indifferent non-news stories. Even the 'repatriations' and cortege through Wootton Bassett are becoming incidental fillers in recent MSM TV news coverage. With the continous deaths and injuries the coverage ought to be greater not less, to mirror these losses.
Mustn't interfere with a GE however? I presume if the AV election system becomes law, voting for one candidate only will invalidate our vote even if we don't wish to vote for others? Will we have to change to "One man, three or four votes"?
I'm afraid military deaths in theatre are not tragedies. Its what happens if you invade another country.
If a child falls off its bike and is killed by a passing truck that is a tragedy.
I don't think the AV system will get enough Ayes Clarinda. Happy to be proved wrong though.
No Strathturret, the tragedy is the manner with which our politicians abuse our military with their incompetent leadership.
I know what you're saying Strathturret - but there are different levels of regarding the deaths. Of course soldiers in the UK are volunteers and are aware of risks and therefore all the more reason for our politicians to be as accountable as possible when putting OUR armed forces in 'war' situations. If the invasion is suspect in it's legality and/or political intent - the deaths and suffering are a tragedy in my book.
Eleanor Roosevelt, in a quote to alert politicians to their responsibilities -
"Lest I continue my complacent way, help me to remember that somewhere, somehow out there, a man died for me today. As long as there be war, I then must ask and answer, "Am I worth dying for"?
The Alternative Vote is a shameful stunt. Labour has had 13 years to improve the voting system, now in the last months they propose an ill-thought out change that has little chance of getting through.
Its about a hung parliament offer to the Lib-Dems!
Strange you should say that Strathturret. I had an email saying exactly the same. Labour are covering all their options.
Yes I think they all smell a close election.
Tories are are in cahoots with the orange devils in NI; do they know what there're doing?
Will any of them start being nice to the SNP now?
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