| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:A young man in a geriatric ward | |
| Posted by: | David Giles | |
| Date/Time: | 01/06/07 08:48:00 |
| Tom I agree that the invasions and occuption of Iraq would have happeneed irrespective of British participation or not. The British contribution has been relatively minor in military terms but very important politically as it added a thin veneer of multilateralism and respectability to what would otherwise have been a unilateral US effort. Blair gave Bush support and respectability at a time when Bush badly needed it and as a result Britain's standing in the Arab, Islamic and wider world has been irrepairably damaged for years to come.Blair's post-retirement value on the US lecture tour circuit has soared but Britain's status and influence in the world has decreased dramatically. The bogus claims of Weapons of Weapons of Mass Destruction were essentially formulated by Blair and those in his immediate circle such as Alastair Campbell in order to convince Labour and indeed Tory MP's that the War was necessary. I greatly regret that some many otherwise intelligent MP's swallowed those lies. I also regret that that decent man former US General and Secretary of State Colin Powell was fed these British lies and persuaded to use them to justify the invasion. Sir Alan Munro, a former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the last Gulf War, a fluent Arabic speaker with extensive experience of the Middle Est region, was scathing in his criticism of the decision to go to war when he spoke at the meeting of Chiswick Churches Together for Justice and Peace in Christ Church Turnham Green on 16th May 2007. The decision to go to war was fundamentally wrong but once that decision was taken it was the responsibility of the British Government to ensure that the troopes were adequately equipped, supplied, housed and supported and, most importantly well treated when wounded or traumatised.This Labour Government, never a friend of the military, has sinularily failed in these respects. I think you will find that there are many well documented cases of inadequate equipment, equipment shortages and ammunition shortages as being responsible to the deaths of British service personnel both in Afghanistan and Iraq. There is the well documented cases of the use of unarmoured or lightly armoured Land Rovers being used by British forces because nothing more suitable was provided.Many British tropps have died or been wounded because of this. There is the continuing question mark over the use of obsolete Nimrods and Chinooks. There is the severe shortage of attack and transport helicopters of every description. There were the Royal Military Police officers who were killed becaue they were not adequately armed and had inadequate supplies of ammunition. There are many instances of British trops having to beg and borrow essential supplies from the Americans and other forces involved. Many British trops, and not just one that died, have had to operate without body armour in dangerous areas. There is the heavy reliance on the Americans for air and logistical support of all times because the British Army and Air Force no longer has adequate numbers of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. And of course there are the well documented cases of inadequate medical care for the wounded and traumatised. For this the British Labour Government, including every member of the Cabinet, and MP's who supported the War like Ann Keen, bear a heavy responsibility. |