General Chat

Absolutely, you're right, Morleyite. There is indeed a growing body of influential people calling for the withdrawal of our troops. But there is also a growing body of (the same?) influential people seriously hacked off at the removal of their "perks of the job". Called our government.

I take your point about the Russian Army, but maybe that's the difference - ie our approach is to give power back to a "legitimate" Aghani govt, when the Russian approach was to pound them into annihilation.

How very, very lucky we are to live where we live - warts and all.

Sue x

I agree with all those who have said it would have been a total waste of all the service men and womens lives if we pulled out now, But the question still remains if the Russian army with all the military power it had at its disposal could not defeat the Taliban how can we ever hope to achieve a solution so that the Afghan people can govern themselves without the taliban regaining power. And like it or not there are a growing number of influential people now calling for a withdrawal of British forces.

I agree, Sue. Our men and women are doing a brilliant job in awful circumstances and I think it's unfair to be so dismissive of all they are achieving.

Such a difficult moral dilemna, isn't it?

On the one hand, my heart goes out to the brave British soldiers who are no more, their families, and those who've come back from Afghanistan terribly maimed. Automatic reaction is to say "get out of here"

On the other hand, spare a thought for the Afghani people - especially the women. During the rule of the Taliban women who were doctors and teachers before, suddenly were forced to be beggars and even prostitutes in order to feed their families. Subject to the most horrific sexual subjugation - bad enough to be forced to wear the burqa, but even a tiny amount of internet research will demonstrate the physical mutilation I can't print here. Imagine that was your daughter, or mine ....

Arguably, things have got a bit better, but if we leave now, there's every chance that the taliban will win - and what price these women then?

I'm so proud to belong to a country where our troops care enough to stand up for what's right.

To quote "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"

So many thanks from me to all out there who fight on. You're all worth a hundred of me, and several thousands of those you stand against.

Sue x

God Bless our wonderful troops wherever they are in the world doing their job.Especially Helmand province Afghanistan.
RIP

I can't watch the news anymore it tears me apart every time we lose a soldier..
Love to all their familes and any children especially.
Tricia xx

i have a very close friend over there at the moment, and my heart stops everytym i hear news like this

my heart goes out to the familys

the sooner our troops are out of there the better

xx

double crossed they were,

waisters the lot of um,

our troops are soo brave, love to um all, and trust no one lads, just your own mates
you know what we mean,

im sure they dont trust them lot anyway, they just do their job, and do it under great pressure and brilliantly and valiently

i hope you catch the murdering b%*(!£d$

Their families must be in turmoil,,,,and such proud parent/s.with heavy hearts .....

It leaves a dark dark cloud with those left behind.

Awful news.

My heart goes out to all the boys and their families.

BLAH I want to say so much more but I get all stilted.....but the whole thing just makes me want to weep :0(

It's a horrible horrible incident but I don't think one betrayal like this necessarily means that all the hard work of the soldiers and the Afghans working with them should be thrown away.

I agree with GG....god best our troops xxxx

this is shocking news
sympathies to their families

Granny i could have put this a more blunt way but like you i would not have been allowed to post the message.

It's becoming obvious that the Taliban have infiltrated various sectors of the 'new' Afghanistan, and this seems to be one example of it. All our boys, and girls, out there are in danger of being killed by those they are trying to help, or rather, those they THINK are those they are trying to help.

It does raise the question yet again, should we continue with what is viewed by many as a futile war? Is it still 'do-able'?

God bless those lads who died, and the ones who were injured in the same incident.

I can't comment on what i think otherwise i would be banned for life.

My heart goes out to the families of all these servicemen.


GG.

A sad day for the Army when five troops are slain by a member of the security forces they were trying to help, This act of cowardice on unarmed men while in a rest area is a set-back to all the hard work the forces have been trying to do, But now if you cannot trust the very people you are supposed to be helping and training is it time to pull out and let them sort out their own problems, God bless the soldiers who have died and all their comrades who have fallen before them, ....................................LEST WE FORGET.