Lots of people do stupid things which make them feel better, perhaps nearly everybody. Why shouldn't I say so?
i think threats to kill have to be taken seriously beofre they are labelled a crime.....I mean the person receiving the threats would actually fear and/or believe the threats with reference to the subject matter on Marine A.....I can confidently say that YES I would have done the same thing.... I doubt that privately many politicians or senior armed forces commanders would offer much in way of condolences to the dead terrorist. As a former soldier I know about the geneva convention and rules for the use of force, Marine A broke the law simple as that, what concerns me more than anything is the out pouring of moral standards people have suddenly adopted in response to this....the Terrorist was badly wounded and paid the ultimate price for his taking up of arms so I dont care. I do care that what happened tarnishes the good name of the British Armned Forces and will no doubt drive many young misguided Muslim to the bossom of insurgency and islamic extremism. Having lived with and among Muslims for the last 10 years on and off I do know that there are plenty who stand against extremsim the violence associtaed with it. I also know that there are many who stand shoulder to shoulder in an effort to erradicate non believers, christian, Muslim or otherwise. Can we really solve the problem by simply withdrawing from both military and political landscape in their countries Doing so would surely result in Taliban rule and Salafi Islamic teachings ( Salafism is on the increase across several parts of the world, notably Africa (where I happen to be heading as I write this) I dont claim to know it all, but I dont sit in my living room or 10 Downing Street, far removed from the brutality of war, violence, terrosim and all the (un) necessary trappings associated with it. I believe Marine A will be punished as as he deserves (the arguement will rage on for a little longer as to if he should be punsihed at all, until the winner of the X Faxtor or strictly is announced then it will fall off the radar) When sitting with the senior officer of the anti terrorist unit in a part of Iraq back in 04 he turned to me and said " you really do have to many muslims going in to your country, you dont know who they are and what they are doing, it is very dangerous for the UK' He was himself a devote Muslim, an amazing character who broke down doors in Mosul and shot dead suspected insurgents as they rose form their beds......no camera to record it, no judgement by politician or tree hugging human rights activist.....he simply believed that when you take up the abnner of extremism and carry out terrosist atrocities that you relinqiuish ALL HUMAN RIGHTS. right or wrong?? who am I to judge ......
"shot dead suspected insurgents as they rose form their beds" So you didn't actually have to be an insurgent to be shot dead - just suspected of being one. Marvellous.
Maybe I should explain.... Their idea of suspected may differ from ours, their version of justice certainly differs from ours. Plenty were detained and evidence supported their detentions and subsequent hangings. As I said who am I toni The trouble with people who live with liberty an freedom is that they seem shocked and cry bout how those privileges are won and kept.
Maybe I should explain.... Their idea of suspected may differ from ours, their version of justice certainly differs from ours. Plenty were detained and evidence supported their detentions and subsequent hangings. As I said who am I to judge.... The trouble with people who live with liberty and freedom is that they seem shocked and cry bout how those privileges are won and kept. No doubt that will make te hair on your neck stand up, the forum is for voicing opinion if you wish to make judgement that's your call, although I could ask what gives you any right to judge ?
He might well be. As a rule soldiers facing the Court Martial are not backward in claiming they have PTSD as part of their mitigation before sentencing.
well in my view he was caught breaking the rules,he will be punished, I hope he doesn't serve to long. I think he and his mates showed a complete lack of intelligence in carrying out their actions with a camera recording.i don't think he was wrong but thank goodness I don't have to make the rules.
It's a fair enough question and there are a few fair enough answers. The first would be that although the armed forces may like to think they are serving "Queen and country" as we all know, the UK is a democracy and so they are really serving the electorate. And it is only normal that the voters should have a view on these things which are really being carried out in their name. Secondly, as regards Soldier A (if indeed we are still talking about him), I don't need to judge, seeing as the court marshall is made up of people better able to judge than me and they have passed a judgement. Whatever I think is, in this case irrelevant. But if you are referring to how the Iraqis carry on in their own land, then either if we are involved they should be doing things as we wish them to be done, or we shouldn't be involved in the first place (my view being the latter). Finally, if you mean that people like myself who haven't experienced war have no right to judge, lets broaden this line of inquiry. Not being a policeman, I have no right to judge the actions of police. Not being a politician, I have no right to judge the actions of politicians. Not being a hospital worker, I have no right to judge the performance of hospitals and so on and so on. Personally, I think it is only responsible for voters to be informed (as far as they are able) on a number of subjects and have a view. The alternative is to turn everything over to a dictator or oligarchy who make all the decisions while we sit about like sheep.
I didn't swear my oath of allegiance to the electorate, I swore it to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. So you see, although the government decides foreign policy; it's with the Queen's permission. She has the ultimate power on paper to decide what laws get passed, what the army does and such like. It just so happens that she allows the government to direct them on behalf of the electorate. So you're wrong. I didn't serve the electorate, I served the Queen and she wanted me to follow the government.
