Status of the Ghurkas

[sp1814]

Can someone please explain to me what the Ghurkas are in relation to the 'regular' British army?

I ask, because in a thread over the past couple of days, I read that they were no more entitled to stay in the UK than any of our other war allies.

But now, I hear that Ghurka regiments have served Britain in both wold wars, the Falklands conflict, Iraq and Afghanistan.

That being the case - why on earth are some people against their settlement here?

These brave old men and their families are owed a debt by this country - can someone who wants to keep them out, please explain their reasoning?

[vulcan]

I would imagine every person on this thread against the Ghurka regiments have never served in the forces or fought for their country.the ghurka's
have a loyalty to this country, second to none.
those on this thread say " i admire their loyalty but...., do you not realise that it is this loyalty that is so special.the very fact you are against the Ghurka's suggest you are against this country.
Their loyalty is far greater than yours,not only have you not fought for your country, you are against these people who have.
who has the greater loyalty to a country ? those that have fought on it's behalf and wish to become a member or those who have never fought but condemn those who have ?

[jno]

fair question, vulcan. Those who have been in the forces, like Lonnie, seem quite clear about it.

[maxximus]

so, aog, what does it take to be as special as you? i've been every where man! i've been here and there man! and you seem to take offence at anybody,that for a moment wants to live or hang out on your tiny little island even though as far as i understand it's every man, women and child's god given right to live wherever he or she, given due proccess can live wherever they choose. get with the millenium!!!

[maxximus]

sp14 i peruse this site for entertainment, don't participate all that often,but as i read things , your one of the sharper cat's on here , cheers eh!!

[anotheoldgit]

maxximus

I understand it's every man, women and child's god given right to live wherever he or she, given due proccess can live wherever they choose. get with the millenium!!!

Very, very accommodating of you maxximus, how many will you be taking in?

[anotheoldgit]

vulcan42

Congratulations vulcan yours must be the post with the record number of assumptions.

[maxximus]

aog, i live in canada. you and gunga din and your empire sh1t started this a long time ago. not meaning to be rude, but i assume the architechs assumed your ilk would be dead and buried, but at the same time they probably didn't imagine that their empire would be relegated back to the tiny little island that it always was. so if people want to move there, it is entirely their business and none of yours. incidentely i have a british passport and own land there i've never seen. cheers eh!

[paraffin]

maxximus:

"..if people want to move there, it is entirely their business and none of yours."

But you, as a colonial, feel qualified to preach to those of us who are British and live here about who we should allow into our country?

Mmmmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Grizelda43]

Well, well. Alot of scaremongering going on, none more so than the Home Office Minister, who first of all declared that there would be at least 100,000 wanting to come here (there aren't that many pre 1997 retirees), then the same person said they would have to cut the defence budget to pay for them.

Having seen a written answer published today re the millions of pounds the Home office spends each year on taxis, I suggest that the hypocritical Home Office gets on its collective bike. The savings will be more than adequate to "plug" the gap.

[maxximus]

well pariffin, i don't know what to tell you but my family came here when they weren't welcome and everyone adapted. it's very possible i may have more relatives in glasgow than you have in all of britian but i'm not holding that against you, what'
s your point.

[paraffin]

maxximus:

I thought I'd made my point abundantly clear. We in the UK are those whose lives are affected by whoever is allowed citizenship, not those choosing to snipe from afar.

And as for your claim about Glasgow, not only have I relatives there, close ones, I also have a great number in other parts of Scotland, England and Ireland.

[maxximus]

that's life my friend, you live on a very tiny island and transport and travel dictates that you are but that. a tiny island! and as i said before you do not dictate who comes and goes or who hangs their hat for a while, it's the same the world over . welcome to the millenium. get used to it.

[anotheoldgit]

maxximus

I have always held our Canadian brothers in such very high esteem, they fought side by side with us during WW2 and are still doing so now in Afghanistan. So it came as much surprise that a Canadian was speaking out against us in such a way.

But then you admitted you are not an indigenous Canadian, but an immigrant much like some who have chosen to settle in Britain, but still take every chance possible to slag us off.

[sp1814]

I suspect the immigrants you refer to are those who have to put up with bigotry and ignorance on a daily basis.

Too much of that around.

[maxximus]

aog, i was not slagging britain as a whole( other than your plumbing) i always enjoy my visit's. i was slagging yourself and other's for your mentality on immigration in general, as it borders on racism and after reading through as often as you post it, quite frankly, it gets up my nose a bit. i was born in canada from as far as i know, fourth generation, white british immigrants. who like yourself were proud to be brits but unlike you did not believe they were " the lords of the isle's " and raised me with tolerance to the race, creed and religion of my fellow man. i travel with a british passport because i can, i find it more conventiant. i visited some friends of a friend in a little town called leatherhead outside of london. very strange lot, most uptight characters i've ever come across. your not from there by chance are you?cheers eh!

[parnell32]

The Ghurkas have fought bravely for the British Army and should be allowed into Britain, with their families, to live unconditionally. I noticed that one member here said that the Commonwealth soldiers have not fought for Britian for as many years but I would correct that ,member as New Zealand. Australian and other soldiers fought in the Boer War, the First World War as well as the Second World War and not just in the armies of their own countries. During the First World War and Second World War New Zealanders were never conscripted as they volunteered without thought . Commonwealth airmen flew in the Battle of Britian in the RAF - many who joined up were already here in Britain. Oh their reward was to lose the right to stay as long as they wanted when Britain brought in the new labour force from the Indian sub continent as that signalled the visa system and Commonwealth subjects became just another part of the system..