6 more heroes have fallen today in defense of what.

BlaIr,Brown,Cameron hang your heads I'm shame.

Mr dykey we have been talking about this today and its shocking one was 19. four were 20 and the sgt 35 why are they there.
starting to believe its all about these brave young men protecting the rich and wealthies interests.

GOOD BLESS THEM ALL.

Its seems that this recent public love in with the forces is muddying the water with the reality that we are in an un-winnable war in a country over which we have no influence and even less interest. The threat to UK security is zilch, the bombings that happened here such as 7/7 came from within, the perpetrators were UK passport holders.

We simply cannot win. We tried before and lost. The vast military machine of the USSR tried and failed miserably. The yanks are doing no better. Carpet bomb by it all means but you are just rearranging rocks. Stop forcing Western philosophy onto countries for whom it is an alien concept, they have their culture so let them get on with it. Who gave the US and UK the monopoly on wisdom?

Surely we can find a better use for the billions that is being wasted over there, strengthen our borders and use the the money to pay off UK debts and fund growth of UK companies.

Correct me if I'm wrong but since time immemorial Britain has based its military strength not just around a strong navy but also around a small but efficient army. The army is efficient because it's always in action, unlike many so-called powerful armies that are powerful only on paper. The French army, arguably the only other credible army in Europe, is now sending soldiers to Britain to see what it's all about because none of them are actually battle hardened.

In a nutshell, it seems to me we're using Afghanistan as a punch bag.

Not saying it's right, like.

We have used may countries as punch bags down the years. Its pathetic, and very very sad, that young men killed, when they actually signed up to protect our country.

Interesting last week, when the Septics were trying to get the UN to give them permission to batter Syria, and China and Russia vetoed it.

Obviously they saw what 'intervention' means in Libya.

As for Afghanistan, am I right in saying they went in there after Osama Bin Laden?? Either way it's been a fookin' disaster since day one. They drove the Taliban back into the mountains and gave the reins to the Northern Hill tribes, who immediately re-instated the poppy crop that feeds 80% of the worlds heroin habit, which the Taliban had banned in favour of food crops.

As the hill tribes convoy came down to Kabul, the Septics immediately bombed it, killing half the prospective Government. It's been all downhill since then

The Yanks complained that we didn't launch enough ordnance or have enough troops in Helmand to secure the area. At that stage I'd have said 'fook you, then,' and gone home, thus saving at least 20 lives.

There'lll be no progress until we get out of the Yanks warmongering pocket.

Mri what i can't grasp is why are the soldiers of that country not trained by now we have our brave people in bomb dispol getting blew away surely we should have there soldiers trained in this feild by now.
As the colonel says this brave souls are dieing for all the wrong reasons.

I stayed at the Union Jack Club in London last night and met a guy who was wearing a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and a Military Cross alongside campaign medals. Humbling in the extreme. He won the CGC in Fallujah fighting with the yanks.

Brilliant post. The problem we have though is that the US and UK goverments (and others) have a huge appetitie for war. If only this man could be elected as president....

You mention an interesting point about the poppy crop but the myth that you are supposed to believe is that the taliban were selling it to fund arms and terrorism.... There have been numerous reports of troops out there protecting the crop - it's just a long chain of dirty money.....

Beware of the well trodden path of the politicians changing the reasons for being there. In Iraq we went in allegedly because of WMD and it gradually changed to 'regime change'. In Afghanistan we went in to defeat Al Queda didn't we? well OBL is dead and AQ have gone to Warizistan and Pakistan. The battle in Afghan is now apparently with the Taliban over poppies.

It's one of the most corrupt countries in the world and we are helping to fund them. FFS, Get out and get out now.

We are not the worlds Police force and by the way neither are the US. Our armed forces should be used to defend the UK or contribute to UN led peacekeeping. Why do we insist to support the Americans in their crazy adventures, they weren't too keep to support us against the Argies or the IRA.

WW1 right
WW2 right
Falklands - right
Northern Ireland - mostly right
Bosnia - would have been right
Iraq 1 - right
Iraq 2 - very wrong
Afghanistan - farcical.

Aren't we seeing almost an action replay of Iraq with the Iran situation? If Iran don't have any wmd's then they are basically fukked. Although they do apparently have a reasonable misile defence system so it might not be as quick as Iraq.

Didn't Tony Blair claim that we had to attack Iraq because Sadam could hit the UK within 45 minutes? Funny how none of those weapons that could attack us were deployed despite months of bombardments of Iraqi cities. Will people continue to fall for the lies and how many more coffins of young men and women draped in stars and stripes or union jacks have to be carried of aircraft before it all stops.....

World Domination! Capatilism v Socialsim, Rich v Poor. thats what its all about, and at the moment the former are in total control. soldiers from northern council house estates are not heroes, ffs they probably just wanted a job and to be somebody, political pawns thats what they were.

Depends what you mean by heroes. Don't for a second think that those lads out there give a shit about the reasons they are there, they fight as soldiers always fight, for each other. There has definitely been many many heroic acts out there but in every single case you will find that they were in defence of their comrades.

Have a look at this bloke who I was honoured to meet the other night.

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/?op ... sk=preview

Feel very humbled after reading that.

I think you raise a good point that many people would not dare to raise. The 'heroes' tag is over used in my opinion, it is tragic that so many young lives have been lost but that's what happens in war. I feel sorry for the families of those who died, it is tragic that young people are still being manipulated into fighting but tags like calling them 'heroes' can come across as pro-war propaganda.

I don't suppose they set out to be tagged
as heroes,but the day they put the uniform on they are someone to look up to. They are kids basically doing A man job.
No matter where they are sent they do a professional job In the main,The trouble is they are cannon fodder for the politicians. Heroes definitely and when they do get leave,some scum bag attacks him.
I worry for my 15 yr old grandson who is in the army cadet force,In 4 years time some egotistical no mark will send him to fight for some non existent cause.

Young lads fighting wars? when was it not thus?

All down to costs .. a boots on the ground policy .. should be patrolling by helicopter or least all troop transports should be done this way! Has anybody actually costed (apart from the obvious Human cost ) this farce is costing us?