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A land fit for heroes? No, say the soldiers



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Published Date: 18 June 2008
AS PRINCE Harry joins fellow servicemen in Edinburgh today to commemorate the fallen soldiers of Afghanistan, his comrades say there is little doubt that the parade along the Royal Mile will be low-key.
While homecoming ceremonies in the United States would be star-spangled affairs, the procession in Scotland's capital city is likely be a much more subdued event.

Setting aside our reputation for the "stiff upper lip", former servicemen are appal...

The full article contains 1414 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 18 June 2008 12:16 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: British armed forces
 
1

Whoppitt,

18/06/2008 00:21:12
I was in the Ensign Ewart at the top of the High Street and they turned out someone in uniform.

The bloody place is named after the guy who nicked the standard of the French 45th Regiment and is the cap badge of the Royal Scottish Dragoon Guards. The whole place is full of military pictures.

What is going on?
2

donald,

glasgow 18/06/2008 07:23:39
The French want it back.
3

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 18/06/2008 09:57:45
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, tens of thousands of soldiers and sailors were discarded by 'England' by being turfed out the Army and Navy without any form of modern pension, unless of course they were officers.

Thousands were maimed and disabled in battle and turned to begging and crime to support themselves and their families. Many were so desperate that they exposed their open wounds and disabilities on the streets to for charity. Thousands of others roamed the countryside and lived rough on the large estates and poached game to survive. Landowners were outraged?

To counter the public outrage the government of the day brought in draconian laws to force them off the streets and arrested thousands, and threw them in jail or transported them to the colonies!

Every British Government since has treated its armed services with indifference, except when it needs these "brave men" to fight its wars? In the modern age, nothing changes!
4

Guga II,

Rockall 18/06/2008 14:15:01
The public do not hold servicemen in contempt, it is the government they hold in contempt.

People do not want our troops fighting in illegal wars because our poodle Prime Monster does everything the Americans tell him to do. They don't want our servicemen involved in such wars, hence they do not openly cheer them. We know they are there because they are ordered to be there, not because there is any real need for them to be there.

At the same time, however, the public do not approve of the shoddy way our servicemen are treated by the government. They are given substandard weaponry and equipment, substandard living conditions, and substandard compensation (unless they are typists).

The difference between the Falklands and Iraq is that the Falklands were invaded by a foreign power; in Iraq we were the foreign invaders. The troops are not to blame, the government is.

As for the above mentioned establishments refusing to allow in servicemen in uniform, that is a disgrace. I would strongly suggest that these facts be publicised, and that the said establishments be boycotted by the public.
5

sunhine trafic,

Ascot 18/06/2008 14:22:56
The Strategy in Afghan' needs changing if our troops are to be more effective and appreciated in their role. So long as there is an abundance of drugs being farmed in this land...... The volunteers will continue to pour over the borders in support of the Taliban aided by traffickers. Clearly the drugs are funding the insurgency.
Crop control and a programme of change to win over the farmers and empower the Afghan officials. What our troops do on the ground there seriously affects the drug frontline Britain. Policy is King. Strategy is Vital. The troops are needed in the appropriate role.
6

Miss H,

18/06/2008 18:46:46
I think that troops are treated disgracefully in terms of pay, conditions, healthcare and so on and that should be addressed.

But equally it is not realistic to expect soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan to receive a heroes welcome because the public are not sure why they are there in the first place.
7

bluehead,

edinburgh 08/07/2008 09:19:35
the people of this country have always been behind the young men and women of the armed forces.
it is the politicians that give us the creeps is beyond me how any one joins the services,when you see what is running it,it is more than clear that the soldiers are only used by politicians with their crazed ideas
send the politicians to the front line then there will be no shortish of people cheering them on!!!
8

jazzmann,

leicester 11/07/2008 12:40:15
Re Whoppit ....Pity you didn`t embarress this load of tossers by going into the premises and demanding to see the manager and also demanding he publically apoligise to the serviceman .
If I see anyone degrading our service personnel I take the fight directly to them ,no matter who they are, either verbally or physically They don`t like either especially our "minorities" in Leicester.

 

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