Turns out that one of the 5 soldiers killed in Afghanistan within the last day or two was known to me. This is the second person I have known killed in this conflict. It is high time we got out of both Iraq and Afghanistan.
I supported the Iraq invasion - not because of any ‘axis of evil’ but because Saddam Hussein was bloodthirsty tyrant to his own people. But the peace here and in Afghanistan has been handled badly and frankly the idea of leading these countries into western style democracies is both naive and ill considered. We may not like their culture - I find much of it repugnant, in particular their treatment of women - but that is the way they have been for centuries and reflects their version of Islam.
Here we have remembrance Sunday coming up and our thoughts turn towards the millions who have died for this country in the past. That they are dying for such a sorry cause that politicians have not got the balls to call time on I think is a disgrace to this country. We have some of the finest professional service men in the world who never fail to achieve the impossible and for whom I have enormous respect. But they deserve more from us than to send them into unwinnable situations which at the end of the day are nothing to do with our security, or even of concern to us.
So tonight I feel deeply sorry for the parents of yet another casualty in this pointless conflict.
Old Fart
I reckon you are in touch with the people after all . This is the most perceptive entry on yer old blog for several months - probably since you moved into the pile - and I just want to say me and mates in Lambeth are all with you . Lets get the boys and girls home
Eric