time to get out now? this chap thinks so. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Aide quits over Afghan strategy A former army major has resigned as a parliamentary aide to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, criticising the government's strategy in Afghanistan. Labour MP Eric Joyce said the UK could no longer justify the growing casualty toll in Afghanistan by saying the war would prevent terrorism back home. His reasons in full BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | In full: Eric Joyce resignation
BBC NEWS | UK | Following UK soldiers' rehabilitation The number of British service personnel injured in Afghanistan and receiving specialist treatment will be released on Wednesday. The BBC has been following the treatment of some of the soldiers in a two-part documentary. BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Waking up with no legs The deaths of soldiers in Afghanistan are reported in the news with depressing regularity. But what about all the people who are wounded, some of whom suffer terrible injuries? Wounded is on BBC One on Wed 23 September The first part is at 2100 BST and the second part is at 2235 BST Or catch up using the iPlayer
I missed this. BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Funeral dress tribute to soldier A man who wore a lime green dress to a soldier's funeral has said he did it to honour a pact they made together. Barry Delaney, 25, had agreed with Pte Kevin Elliott that when one of them died, the other should wear such a dress to his funeral. saw this on TV today. BBC NEWS | UK | England | Coventry/Warwickshire | Service for rescue-bid fusilier Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of a soldier who died in a British hospital 10 days after he was wounded in an explosion in Afghanistan. Fusilier Shaun Bush, 24, from Coventry, was injured while trying to rescue a comrade during a foot patrol in the Sangin district of Helmand province.
Interesting background to the expenses row BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Expense mole 'angry at Army kit' The mole who leaked details of MPs' expenses says he was partly motivated by anger at inadequate equipment for UK troops, the Daily Telegraph reported. It says staff who worked in secrecy on MPs' receipts were guarded by servicemen moonlighting to earn extra money on leave between tours. The mole, who has not been named, said their stories "helped tip the balance" in the decision to leak details. The Telegraph has confirmed it paid £110,000 for the information. The claims are made in a book being published by the Daily Telegraph on Friday about the expenses scandal...
This was on the news this morning....It annoyed me when they said they were doing it to buy extra kit that they needed. I bought my own 'gucci' kit whilst I was serving and especially before I went on tours but I never needed -The stuff I was issued with was more than good enough for the job. The Army now is better equipped with personal issue kit than it has ever been. As for moonlighting....It's nothing new I remember going clumbing in Blandford back in the 90's whilst I was on a course at the Signals Depot and PTI's were working the doors. They just needed permission (Assuming they were following the book) from their OC. Andy
BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | General quits 'over Afghanistan' An Army general who is reported to have criticised aspects of the war in Afghanistan has resigned. Reports said Maj Gen Andrew Mackay, General Officer Commanding Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England, was unhappy about strategy. Prince Harry spent 10 weeks from December 2007 in Afghanistan under the command of Maj Gen Mackay. But the Ministry of Defence has insisted that the general's departure was a "personal matter". One notable event in Maj Gen Mackay's operational tour to Afghanistan was the re-capture of Musa Qaleh, a strategic town, from the Taleban. He was subsequently awarded a CBE for his role in the mission. According to the Daily Telegraph, he was "disillusioned" with the process of "constant muddling through" in Afghanistan. The Times said he was concerned about plans to restructure senior army posts. An MoD spokesman said: "We can confirm that Maj Gen Andrew Mackay has decided to leave the Army. "This is a personal matter for him."
We have now passed the 130 casualty count for Canadians in Afghanistan. I'm not sure if those of you in the UK have seen the growing numbers of civilians who are marking the return of Canadian dead here in Ontario. View attachment 23437 [/ATTACH] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_401_(Ontario)
News today. BBC NEWS | UK | Five British soldiers shot dead Five British soldiers have been shot dead in Helmand Province, in an attack the UK military says was carried out by a "rogue" Afghan policeman. Three of the soldiers were from the Grenadier Guards and two were from the Royal Military Police. Several others were injured.
BBC NEWS | UK | Five British soldiers shot dead Rest in Peace Chaps You would think that when reporting such sensitive issues they would at least get the facts right though ! It is the highest number of UK soldiers killed in a single incident of "combat" since the US-led invasion of 2001. Unless they are using their own definition of the word 'combat'. 6 Royal Military Policemen were murdered in Iraq in June 2003.
I suspect they were referring to just Afghanistan. However, they seem to have amended the page now. It certainly is a terrible incident, and will undermine relations with the local police, potentially making a long conflict even longer.
BBC News - UK soldier becomes 100th to die in Afghanistan in 2009 A British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, taking the total number killed there this year to 100. The soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment died as a result of small arms fire in central Helmand Province on Monday.
They've only been out in AFG for a fortnight. I think they lost nine on the last tour I feel a real connect with them, as they attended the memorial unveiling I organised at West Ham last month. Battle On, Vikings
very sad. I have many friends still serving out there and my thoughts never wander far away from their safety.
BBC News - Soldiers' bodies returned to UK I nearly spat my dinner out tonight over the telly ! I was watching the local news tonight of their coverage of LCpl David Kirkness's body returning home. He is from a small town just outside Leeds where I live called Morley and they showed a small memorial service at the local war memorial with some members of the RBL etc. My outrage occured when the vicar asked for two minutes silence to remember him and the lady mayor who was stood beside the vicar lifted he wrist and pulled backl her cuff to looked at her watch ! She obviously had somewhere else more important to be, a meeting perhaps or maybe she was just too bloody cold ! Shame on her !
Muslim mourners attend ceremony (From Swindon Advertiser) MUSLIM mourners braved snow yesterday to join hundreds and pay tribute to two soldiers killed in Afghanistan – days after an extremist group vowed to march through the town. Rifleman Aidan Howell, 19, from Sidcup, Kent, was killed in a bomb blast near Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge in the Kajaki area of Helmand province on December 28. Sapper David Watson, 23, from Whickham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was killed on New Year's Eve after a controlled explosion near Patrol Base Blenheim in Sangin, Helmand Province. Hundreds of mourners lined the streets of the town to pay a respectful tribute to our war dead. Among the mourners, were Muslim pensioners Abdul Latif, 65, and his wife Samina, 52, who have lived in the town since 1995 and branded Islam4UK as “extremists”. Mr Latif said: “I’ve been to these repatriations about 13 times and we have great sympathy with the families who have lost their children at war. They are fighting for all of us, not just their religions, but the whole country. “We have great respect for everyone that passes through here. “We sit here in peace and harmony while they fight for us. “That’s why we come here to show our respects. Although we believe in Islam we do not support Islam4UK. They are a minority of Muslims. They are extremists and we will not support them walking through Wootton Bassett.” Steven Stratford and Pete Bell travelled over 100 miles to the repatriation to pay their respects to close friend Rifleman Aiden Howell. Mr Stratford said: “Aiden was an excellent boy. You could not meet a nicer, better gentleman. It’s very difficult to be here. We came over 100 miles to get here but we would have walked. “If these Muslims come to protest here it will be carnage. If they want to protest they shouldn’t do it here. This is where the soldiers come back as heroes.” Mr Bell said: “If this Muslim group want to protest they should go to London or go to the Government – it is completely disrespectful and anti-British. “Everyone who comes to see the soldiers through Wootton Bassett are themselves heroes. The people in Wootton Bassett are the best and treated us so kindly.” Sarah and Bill Park, of Rodbourne Cheney, try to attend most repatriations and said the focus had remained on supporting the dead soldiers’ families. Mrs Park said: “Obviously people are talking about the march but it did not overshadow the repatriation at all – it never would. We come to show our respect and to offer our thoughts and condolences to the families who are going through complete heartbreak. “I don’t think we should focus on any political side of repatriations – they are, and should always remain, non-political.” The latest deaths bring the number of those killed in Afghanistan to 108 last year. A total of 245 British troops have died since operations began in 2001.
while this is all very sad & please ladies & gents don't get me wrong, i have a lot of respect for the troops from all nations fighting the taliban, but very little seems to be mentioned about the heartache of the families left behind, the wifes, children, husbands, parents etc i'm reminded of a poem that was sent to me recently, see if you can read it without getting that lump in your throat Her hair was up in a pony tail, Her favourite dress tied with a bow. Today was Daddy's Day at school, And she couldn't wait to go. But her mommy tried to tell her, That she probably should stay home. Why the kids might not understand, If she went to school alone. But she was not afraid; She knew just what to say. What to tell her classmates Of why he wasn't there today. But still her mother worried, For her to face this day alone. And that was why once again, She tried to keep her daughter home. But the little girl went to school Eager to tell them all. About a dad she never sees A dad who never calls. There were daddies along the wall in back, For everyone to meet. Children squirming impatiently, Anxious in their seats One by one the teacher called A student from the class. To introduce their daddy, As seconds slowly passed. At last the teacher called her name, Every child turned to stare. Each of them was searching, A man who wasn't there. 'Where's her daddy at?' She heard a boy call out. 'She probably doesn't have one,' Another student dared to shout. And from somewhere near the back, She heard a daddy say, 'Looks like another deadbeat dad, Too busy to waste his day.' The words did not offend her, As she smiled up at her Mom. And looked back at her teacher, Who told her to go on. And with hands behind her back, Slowly she began to speak. And out from the mouth of a child, Came words incredibly unique. 'My Daddy couldn't be here, Because he lives so far away. But I know he wishes he could be, Since this is such a special day. And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know. All about my daddy, And how much he loves me so. He loved to tell me stories He taught me to ride my bike. He surprised me with pink roses, And taught me to fly a kite. We used to share fudge sundaes, And ice cream in a cone. And though you cannot see him. I'm not standing here alone. 'Cause my daddy's al ways with me, Even though we are apart I know because he told me, He'll forever be in my heart' With that, her little hand reached up, And lay across her chest. Feeling her own heartbeat, Beneath her favorite dress. And from somewhere here in the crowd of dads, Her mother stood in tears. Proudly watching her daughter, Who was wise beyond her years. For she stood up for the love Of a man not in her life. Doing what was best for her, Doing what was right. And when she dropped her hand back down, Staring straight into the crowd. She finished with a voice so soft, But its message clear and loud. 'I love my daddy very much, he's my shining star. And if he could, he'd be here, But heaven's just too far. You see he is a Brittish soldier And died just this past year When a roadside bomb hit his convoy And taught Britans to fear. But sometimes when I close my eyes, it's like he never went away.' And then she closed her eyes, And saw him there that day. And to her mothers amazement, She witnessed with surprise. A room full of daddies and children, All starting to close their eyes. Who knows what they saw before them, Who knows what they felt inside. Perhaps for merely a second, They saw him at her side. 'I know you're with me Daddy,' To the silence she called out. And what happened next made believers, Of those once filled with doubt. Not one in that room could explain it, For each of their eyes had been closed. But there on the desk beside her, Was a fragrant long-stemmed rose. And a child was blessed, if only for a moment, By the love of her shining star. And given the gift of believing, That heaven is never too far.
i'm reminded of a poem that was sent to me recently, see if you can read it without getting that lump in your throat Makes me want a bucket to be honest. It's actually an American or Canadian poem , you can tell that because we don't say 'Mommy'. I get a few of these in my email in-box I delete them without reading them.
