Leading article: A fitting tribute
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Independent Minds
The repatriation of the bodies of six UK soldiers, five of them shot by a trainee policeman in Helmand Province, was always going to prompt a particular outpouring of emotion. Even taking into account the special circumstances, however, the huge number of people who lined the streets of Wootton Bassett yesterday to salute the fallen troops was mightily impressive. They stood silent, eight and nine deep, respectful and determined, undeterred by the cold and wet as the cortege passed on its way.
Those who turned out doubtless had their own views about the sense, or otherwise, of Britain's continued engagement in this war, but they were intent on showing respect for the troops. That is how it should be: the politicians who do the sending bear a responsibility different from that of the troops who are sent. In their unostentatious constancy, the people of Wootton Bassett have started a tradition, and set a standard, that the rest of the country can be proud of.
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Comments
If you 'respect' the troops sent to Iraq then you are by implication respecting and supporting their actions. What kind of 'tradition' or 'standard' is it that supports torturing people, locking them up without trial or simply having them killed for shock and awe purposes?
The Independent should be truly ashamed of itself for switching sides on this issue just to pick up a few extra sales from pro-torture militarist fanatics.
I guess you can think that an 18 year old who had been in Afghanistan for 3 weeks is responsible for the crimes in Iraq - personally I am not going to blame him.
'The Independent should be truly ashamed of itself for switching sides on this issue just to pick up a few extra sales from pro-torture militarist fanatics.' - ho ho ho, not given to hyperbole are we?
Look upon these losers and despair!
This is what you get for failing in life. This is what happens when you don't study at school and get rejected as a burger-bar employee for being too thick.
This is what happens when you abandon morality and decency to go half way round the world to kill people who never caused you or your country any harm.
You get buried deep in the ground and before long only your closest family remembers who you were. Other may just remember a a weak-minded buffoon who enjoyed being tough while it lasted but that's about it. Such is life.
This is what you get for failing in life. This is what happens when you don't study at school and get rejected as a burger-bar employee for being too thick.
This is what happens when you abandon morality and decency to go half way round the world to kill people who never caused you or your country any harm.
You get buried deep in the ground and before long only your closest family remembers who you were. Other may just remember a a weak-minded buffoon who enjoyed being tough while it lasted but that's about it. Such is life.
I couldn't agree more!
how many of these morons actually know what they are fighting for?
Whoops I forgot.. to keep those 'rag heads' out of our country. Yes it really is sad, everyone has a right to express their opinion, the sorry fact is that the general population save a few are fed bull by their chosen form of media. ie: Sun readers. 'come on England support 'our boys', in the war against terror.
From my angle aren't we the ones killing over 500,000 people (mostly civilians) since this mostly illegal war started and inflicting terror upon a nation who in the late 90's called to the U.N for help, oh yeah we helped them alright. We sent over all our (and America's) chavs to murder them.
And don't get me started on the Poppy Appeal (although this actually deserves a separate post, coming shortly).