The last 36 hours has seen endless analysis of the first of the 'leaders' debates with the volcanic eruption in Iceland coming a distant second.
Yes thousands have been stranded either here or abroad because of the no flights policy but has Gordon Brown addressed the issue of the troops seriously injured in Afghanistan? I haven't heard or read a word about that from him.
Soldiers are seriously wounded most days in Afghanistan yet we only hear about those who have been killed. Now there is more or less a news blackout from this dreadful war zone, we have no information as to how our wounded are to be treated.
The medical facilities at the front line are not designed or capable of intensive care services. Their part is to prepare the wounded for swift evacuation (casevac) to the UK yet for the past 2 days flying into UK has been impossible owing to the Icelandic natural disaster. The use of American hospitals in Europe is ruled out as the airports there are closed.
John Wood suggests that they be taken south east to Australia or New Zealand for treatment. What is Gordon Brown's plan for what politicians call the 'brave'? Or is there a blackout on his thoughts too?
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Good point SR and one that I doubt many people had considered, bound up as they are with the 'sham' debate.
Well raised and it will be interesting to see if any of our political elite address the question - or even if the MSM can be bothered to raise it!
Do you really think that 'Emotionless-McBroon' gives a toss about the healthcare operation for the troops when he has Tories to fight?
But on a more serious note, the country is being run by the Civil Service at the moment. They don't need to create a media circus to announce that they are doing something like expanding the military budget so that each soldier/sailor/pilot can have a second bullet in their guns, for example.
It only affects a small section of society WFW and not an important one. Strangely, because the election was called with such a short time between the call and polling, it may be that many postal votes etc don't arrive in time.
Someone I know well received a poll card yesterday for a member of their family who is in the armed forces. On it it's stated 'Due to the short statutory timeframe for this election you may not receive this poll card before the closing date for applications' (the applications being postal or proxy votes).
So Brown won't be bothered about a few dozen seriously injured not getting the best treatment WFW.
No I don't think he gives a toss Bob.
Excellent point though. They should announce where our injured troops are being treated. There is enough pressure on Camp Bastion medics without them having to provide IC when they don't have the equipment or staff.
To be fair on this one Subrosa, the air space shut down has been on and off almost since it started and as such getting a contingency operation sorted out is pretty difficult. Last night our airspace was due to be open - this morning it's closed until the evening at least.
The problem is we fly the guys to Australia and get them sorted there and the next day we're clear to fly to Britain again so do we leave them where they are without their families or fly them back umpteen thousand miles?
I see what you mean Richard, but my point is that Camp Bastion doesn't have the facilities to keep the seriously injured. It will be horrendous stress on the medics there knowing they can only help so much and that their patients require help from a place which has the proper equipment and staff.
My other point is that nothing has been said about this by the politicians.
Technically, Subrosa, I would hope that we fly to a given point, South of the "cloud" and either continue low level or transfer to surface transport. I doubt very much labour will have given the matter a second thought, what with being third and in danger of sinking below the others!
Good point SR. I watched a prog a couple of weeks back where they used a C17 to fly casualties out of theatre. We were supposed to be won over by this piece of propaganda and forget all the mendacity shown to our forces by the cuirent cabal. Unfortunately all it did was highlight the utter madness of the whole enterprise and the degeneracy now endemic in our body politic.
SR, I shall re-blog this if it's OK with you and send it as an e-mail to some 200 buddies of mine.
Let's see if we can't get something done.
I'm sure Bob Ainsworth has 'ordered' all troops not to get hit...
MSM wont touch this. Dont mention the War right?
I tweeted Prescott for an answer - He's more interested in scoffing Fish & Chips
OR, you're the man with the knowledge. The problem of course is time which is vital in cases of serious war casualties. Do we have surface transport which could provide intensive care facilities? We should be told what the arrangement is.
Aye, I saw that too Incoming and felt exactly the same.
These medics do their best but all they can do is very temporary. Of course, regardless of their skill, some still don't make it back home alive.
Cato that would be great. A big thank you. None of the political parties want to talk Afghanistan but we must bring it to the fore. We're speaking about 10,000 of our population fighting, at the politicians' behest, in a foreign land.
Jings CSR, don't mention that fool to me. Honestly, the double act of Ainsworth and Brown in charge of our armed forces is perhaps the biggest disaster to our security here.
Subrosa, I take your point with regards to time critical casevac flights. Did a handful myself. The ability for everyone to pull together to achieve a successful mission is/was awesome. The low level option would be my strategy and I believe that Southern UK airports might receive flights, with onward lift by helicopters. All critical on the plume position, which will remain West to East at upper levels for some many hours/days. Also, do we have enough helicopters!
This volcano is showing no sign of quietening down , could go on for many weeks, no one seems to know.As the prevailing wind seems to be over us and Europe generally,we may have to get used to it.
This will affect all transport systems, what can't fly will have to go surface, hope our systems have the capacity to handle the extra.
Hope someone, somewhere has contingency plans for this?
Ok OR, I thought all English airports were closed a present. Mind you I've just heard some Scottish and Irish ones may be open later and then helicopter to Birmingham.
I'm sure the military will have all this sorted, but it would be good to know from our leaders.
Apogee, yes the experts aren't prepared to give timescales etc.
Isn't that strange when certain scientists are prepared to tell us the world is going to come to an end in so many years if I don't stop using my car or if I give our great leaders loads a money to stop it?
just found this today (Sun 18th) on the BBC website:
1235 The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering plans to fly troops injured in Afghanistan to coalition partner countries such as Germany for treatment if the UK airspace ban continues for much longer.
It says there are currently 550 British troops stuck at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus who were due to return to the UK and it is looking at "alternative ways" of getting them home.
At least the MOD is trying to do something constructive. Probably better for them that the politicians aren't able to interfere.
Many thanks for the information Andrew. I was sure the military would have made plans, but wouldn't it be courteous of our leader to inform the public?
I'm assuming most of the 550 are those returning home from a tour because I don't think Cyprus has more than basic medical facilities.
It would be good to know that casualties are able to receive urgent attention.
I have to admit the Afghan casualty situation hadn't crossed my mind until I read this blog. But in relation to that I would have thought Israel would have the facilities to treat the most critical of cases - or would the charges incurred be considered too much by the political masters?
That very pertinent point aside, I have to admit to finding the effect from the spume of Iceland to be rather amusing. Poor little Iceland bankrupted by the never - never meltdown shuts down half the world? Even the MSM couldn't dream up that one.
As to the TV debate, I never watched it and won't watch the others for the very simple reason they advance the control of the media while distorting democracy.
I've heard since Clegg is supposed to have won and because of this the country is now in the throes of Cleggmania?
Aye right. That's a media response to further its own position and if nothing else the hysteria and the accompanying rash of poll statistics highlights the controls the media can exert on the polls and the distortion they can apply to the findings.
What this charade of politics and media does underline is the democratic deficit being being used to undermine the democracy allowed to minorities.
This in effect means Scotland has no identity within the realms of Westminster and no control of its own destiny beyond the Westminster values and fence.
So, yes Scotland is a subsidiary part of an unequal union. As such any argument as to percentages and values are fudged beyond any basis of realism or integrity.
It follows any Scottish unionist who base their arguments on these conditions accept the second rate nature of their countrymen and their natural affinity as junkies for the benefits and dividends handed out by their betters in a 'charitable' union.
Aye; that'll be right!
As usual RA an articulate assessment.
We have become a nation of superficiality and shallowness. The majority no longer question. It's regarded as non-pc to be cynical.
Yes we need to break free and have a society which honours all and not just the few.
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