Friday 25 March 2011

British Forces - My Opinion!

I just read the report on the Gurkha Sergeant who has been honoured with a gong after beating off an armed attacked by the Taliban. At one point after his weapon had jammed he used the tripod of his machine gun to literally beat off a Taliban solider who was trying to kill him.

Along with all the other countless acts of bravery which get mentioned and awarded! Bravo!

What about all those countless incidents where something happens but never gets mentioned? where lives are saved through luck, or by just simple words such as "keep your heads down lads" or "eyes peeled"

Should we be there at all?

Now there is a question: So lets put it another way. You are walking down the street, its raining, your in a hurry, your cold, your tired, your arms are full of shopping, you have young children with you that are not in any way happy. You have to rush to get home to drop the kids off as you have an evening shift to do at the supermarket because your very short of money.

On the other side of the road, up an alley way, you see an old couple being mugged and beaten by a gang, what do you do. Walk on by, forget you saw it? No, if your anything like me your straight in, up to your neck! I speak from experience here. Yes I did wade in.

Thats what we are doing in these countries which need our help. Of course we cant afford to do it, of course our time could be spent better, we are putting ourselves out, lives are risked and lost. And of course they cant do it on their own!

All those serving in the forces have to put up with so much, poor living conditions, poor wages, poor equipment, and worst of all poor support! Yet they still go out day in, day out, to do the job to the best of their ability with the tools thay they have to hand.

They are not conscripted in, they join with their own free will.

Those folk who say that we shouldnt be there and want our forces brought home really should think about what they are saying. Ok, we pull out, what happens? The Taliban take over, kill everyone who was involved with the coalition forces and take the country back to the dark ages, where women are treated as second class citizens and stoning is almost a sport!

Talk about turn a blind eye! Surely we cannot allow this to happen? Or are you the sort to walk on by the mugged old couple?

When I hear of squaddies being shouted or spat at it makes my blood boil, as I know that those that have just been spat on would instantly sacrifice their lives to protect the spitter!

The other day, when I was at a petrol station, their was a squaddie filling up with fuel, as I walked by him, I said, "your doing a good job boys" his reply, "I havent spilt a bit yet" He knew exactly what I was talking about, you could see him grinning from ear to ear!

Next time you see a squaddie, if you want to see a blokes face light up, thank him, he may not be around for you to thank him again!

As we enter into a new set of problems with Libya, more lives will obviously be lost, but the freedom of a country is surely a small price to pay?

What we need in these dark times is stability. This comes at a cost, and is surely a price worth paying. The alternatives are all your worst nightmares coming true!

Maybe I have a simple view on life, I speak from the experiences that I have had and from what I believe in. Those that disagree with me are freely allowed to speak their minds and can even reply to this post and I will publish it. This is what is so great about living how we do, in a country that is free to speak its mind!

You cant do that in those mentioned countries can you? In my book thats argument closed!

Did you know that facebook isnt allowed in China!?

More caravan nonsense to follow shortly, thanks for reading!

Till later.............

3 comments:

  1. This link sums up the selfless courage of our service personnel:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-12864003

    Note the last line about another 50 who deserved it.. This modesty is common from men and women who all they really want is our thanks and respect.

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  2. Those troopers are awesome. I wish they are better looked after when they leave the services.

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