Four more soldiers killed

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/pol itics/defence/5295846/Four-British-soldiers-ki lled-in-one-day-in-southern-Afghanistan.html

In a week when there has been wall to wall coverage over allowing the Gurkhas residency, 4 British soldiers have been killed in one day in Afghanistan, yet one will find it difficult to find a mention of this among the headlines.

One of these soldiers was in fact a Gurkha.

I hope others will join with me in extending all our heart felt condolences to those soldier's families and friends, may they be given the strength and fortitude to get them through this hallowing and painful time.

It is only a pity that we have not got someone with the same strength and determination as Joanna Lumley, to fight for our troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.

[paraffin]

aog:

What's your point? These squaddies only died yesterday and yesterday's reporting only included a brief mention about one death (that of the Black Watch soldier). News of the other 3 did not appear until today.

Therefore, the Gurkhas story was in full flow yesterday, especially when a famous actress managed to virtually ambush the Immigration Minister at the BBC.

To try to tie up the two stories is mischievous to say the least, especially given the fact that our media has never been quick to cover the ultimate sacrifice made by our Forces in areas of conflict such as Afghanistan. Shame on them, but isn't it also a sign of the apathy shown by most of our population also?

As an ex squaddie myself I have nothing but admiration for our Forces, especially those whose lives are given so selflessly (R.I.P.).

[anotheoldgit]

I cannot understand where you come from paraffin, I think you just like to be confrontational for the sake of it.

I was just pointing out that the plight of the Gurkha seems to have captured the thoughts and sentiments of the British public, more than the deaths of 4 more British soldiers.

If only some of this strong supporting feeling that they get, could somehow be channelled towards our own troops.

That is all, I was not being mischievous, so please don't accuse me of being so.

[paraffin]

aog:

Sorry if you're in the huff, but what do you expect? If you expect a serious debate about the futility of our military personnel being slaughtered in Afghanistan, then I'm your man.

But when your preamble refers to a totally unconnected issue, it begs the question as to what your post is actually about?

And please don't preach about the Gurkhas situation having caught the imagination of the British public when, for weeks on end recently, we had a public outpouring of grief at the impending and then subsequent death of a foul-mouthed reality TV "star" (Jade Goody). You can't have failed to notice?
I tried hard not to but couldn't help but! Even our illustrious PM commented on the subject in the Commons!

I am not confrontational, my views may differ from yours, not always, but I still respect your points (even if I do seem to ruffle your feathers!).

[rov1200]

The war in Afghanistan is pointless. You cannot fight a war based on ideology. The Taliban laws and beliefs go back centuries and trying to win hearts and minds is about as much use as trying to convert a fervant rapist or child molester. We are to many there like the insurgents trying to change their way of life.

[rov1200]

Also why are we still there. The original shock and awe tactics of blowing the Taliban to smithereens in the mountain area was a retaliation to the 9/11 skyscrapers. At that time Bin Laden was holed up there and al qaeda had training camps. But he is no longer there the training camps have been destroyed and all has moved on to the border regions of Pakistan. The Taliban in Afghanistan are only trying to protect their way of life not to wreak havoc on western civilisations.

Like Iraq we've got our wires crossed and fighting for something we should never had got involved in.

[bobthebandit]

The British Government who are responsible for sending our troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, should be held to account for lack of equipment and strategy our soldiers are facing.
However MP's are too busy filling in their expense claims forms to worry!