Five marines charged with murder after Afghanistan incident
Royal Marines. I have a great respect for them. My Father was a commando & my best mate's Dad was one.
They are among the finest fighting forces in the world.
Not a patch on the British Infantry soldier, but as a former infantryman, I'm biased.
However, when your in a combat zone (no matter how pointless other people tell you this conflict is) they have a job to do & should be able to do that job without fear of reprisal from their own side, those who should be protecting them.
Even my former boss, Col. Richard Kemp, a former ground commander in Afghanistan has weighed in: "The case against the troops concerned needs to be set out quickly because
there's no question that these kind of allegations will undermine the morale of
troops serving in Afghanistan today."
I couldnt agree more.
What must the families of these lads be thinking? After giving everything in a combat zone, they come back to find themselves under suspicion of murder.
What on earth must those troops still in theatre think, knowing that when they return home, they could face prosecution?
Its a thankless job, that the majority of those in the UK dont want to do. Those of us that HAVE chosen to serve in the armed forces did so with dignity and pride. We wanted to do our bit, be it in Northern Ireland, Kuwait or other hotspots around the world as we were asked to do, often at little notice by our masters in Whitehall.
We all knew when we signed on the line & took the Queens cash what we were doing.
The incident has been described as "an engagement with an insurgent", with no civilians involved. Surely, if they are engaging the enemy, then it cannot be murder.
Until the MOD tell everyone the facts as they see them, these lads are innocent.
A Territorial Army soldier was investigated by military officials after shooting dead a suspected Taliban bomber in the Nahr-e-Saraj area of central Helmand in the summer of 2010.
Senior officers believed the man may have been an innocent farmer, but after an 18-month inquiry no charges were brought against Fusilier Duane Knott, who said he had no regrets over his action.
This also goes against what those out there are asked to do. No one is saying that being a soldier is an easy job, its not, its a thankless one where often today, troops return to be spat at and called child killers by people who are allowed to burn poppy wreaths on Armistice day.
We were used to being treat as 2nd class by politicians & the public.
Thankfully, those attitudes are slowly changing, at least in public it seems so. My former unit get back soon and one former member of the regiment is hoping to raise enough money to buy every member of the 1st Bn. Royal Anglians a pint!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19915473
If you want to help him, there is a link at the bottom of the story.
Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond said he was determined that the rules of engagement were followed in Afghanistan.
‘Everybody serving in theatre knows the rules of engagement, they carry cards in their uniforms with the rules on them in case they should need to remind themselves.
‘I can’t comment on the specifics of this case.
‘We are very determined that rules of engagement will be followed, that any abuse will be dealt with through the normal processes of service justice and that is happening now.’
If that is the case, then where do the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA) get off with levying the charge of murder?
Most soldiers do not trust politicians, because we realise that all we are to them are pieces on a table, to be sent to die at the whim of someone who hasn't got a clue what we actually do. All we are good for is a photo op, a soundbite and wrapping themselves in a flag of convenience.
If, like me you don't agree with whats going on, sign the petition below:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40154
This government and those before it, have treat our armed forces with little more than contempt for decades now.
I recall going on a training exercise and having to shout "BANG" as we had only been given 10 blank rounds for the whole exercise!
We have the best soldiers in the world, but those in charge of procurement are determined to give us kit that is below par unless they are getting a nice little back hander...
Never has the following been so true where the British Forces are concerned:
“We the willing, led by the unknowing,
are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so
little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing.”
We past and present members of the Armed Forces are eternally proud to have served. We just wish those back home were a little more grateful for the job we aredoing or did as we were asked to do.
I quite welcome comments on this.
In a nutshell, these lads have been shafted in my opinion. We have a government who couldnt care less about them, no matter what they say in public and a public who still dont fully understand the job that the forces have to do on a daily basis.
