shocking!!

[Wood Magnet]

Nice one Stod's.

[bobbie-dazzler]

This is starting to wind me up a bit now, anyone with an ounce of sense who has joined the Armed forces in the last 15 years must expect to take part in action,

Yes, I agree to a certain extent, but not to please some warmonger who has gone in to get the oil



When you join the forces you know what you getting into, do I have a different mind set or something? Soldiers train to fight wars, be those wars anywhere the Queen or her government decide to fight them. Cant do the job leave, don't have the minerals then forget about signing up.

Yes they know what they are getting into as such, but again, they are being hung out to dry for a stupid war on oil.


The thing that really annoys me is that a couple of years ago, Kofi Annan pledged support to sudan, he stated that unless the muslim terrorists stopped raping, killing, torturing inncoent people he would send the big boys in, he hasnt done it, the atrociates are still going on.

These people are suffering,and no one is doing a damn thing about it, because there is no oil.
If we are going to send our boys to thier deaths, at least let it be for a humanatarian reason, not for thier oil reserves.

[feva]

spot on bobbie, its a case of no oil no care, look at whats happening all over africa, to me thats a better cause to be fighting for.

where have you been lately havent seen up about then you pop up back up?

[Hoovie]

This topic interests me - I don't think the Armed Forces are given sufficient respect for the job they do or are asked to do. As has been said, it is not down to the man or woman in uniform where they fight - that is a decision of government - always has been, always will be.
As regards to the "only there because of oil", that isn't the case in Afghanistan - there is nothing there except Poppy fields.
Neither Iraq or Afghanistan could be regarded as "British" problems, but that follows a pattern of conflicts and wars that Britain gets involved in (rightly or wrongly).
I decided to have a look at conflicts that British forces have been involved with since the "Last War" (i.e. WWII and what many people think is the last war Britian fought in).
The list is longer then you may think and quite a few of these did not affect Britian at all directly, but due to the history and sense of 'fair play', we (Britain) get involved when others don't or won't.

India: 1945-1948
Palestine: 1945-1948
Malaya: 1948-1960
Korea: 1950-1953
Egypt: 1951-1954
Kenya: 1952-1960
Cyprus: 1955-1959
Aden: 1955-1967
Radfan: 1955-1967
Egypt (Suez): 1956
Borneo: 1962:1966
Vietnam: 1962-1975 (British forces present is disputed, but is likely covertly)
Northern Ireland: 1969-200x
Oman Dhofor: 1969-1976
Falklands: 1982
Gulf War: 1991
Bosnia: 1992
Kosovo: 1999
Sierra Leone: 2000
Afghanstan: 2001-
Iraq: 2003-

Plus numerous other peacekeeping activities carried out virtually continously somewhere, as well as covert activities by specialists like SAS and SBS, not forgetting the Cold War.

So if a someone joins the British Armed Forces - especially the Army - and expects they will never face any action, they should have looked at the previous history of Great Britain - probably the busiest army in the world!

[skiking]

What is also forgotten is the British presence.....alot of 'specialist' units train other army's - Afganistan was one that has come back to haunt us. Add to that a number of African countries that 'we' have been unofficially fighting alongside in a 'training' capacity. And don't forget S.America altho' that is mainly special forces to 'advice' in the capture of the drug barrons

[Hoovie]

Indeed.

As far as I am concerned, there is a shameful omission from the list .....

Zimbabwe

[Tryanything]

Nothing's changed since Kipling's day:

Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

Nice one stoday

[yourweb]

That guy on the bus should of been told to get off the bus and walk. I have a brother-in-law that drives a bus and that is what would of happened. You don't see the respect like you used to see any more. Such a shame.

[feva]

ok point taken about some of the countrys on the list not having oil, but if you look closely most of them will connected to oil, the cold war, Terrorists, or from the empire, the point that i think me and bobbie was making is that the goverment is making out that we are in places to help the poeple that are being killed daily, and to help stabilze that area, so why arent we in africa? to me that one hell of a place that needs a lot of help! to me its a better cause to fight for.

[Hoovie]

Feva - Agree with what you say in the most (esp Iraq)
I do think that we ended up just following the yanks re Iraq and all the stuff about WMD was total b*llocks.
It is still naive for any solider to think he will only ever fight in a 'just' war when he joins the British Army. But that doesn't make the shocking treatment of the troops when they are out in Theatre any more justified

I am sure the reason Britian hasn't done anything about some of the african situations is due to Empire and not wanting to open up old wounds. Could still send a little team to bump off one certain obnoxious man who is wrecking his country and peoples lives, mind