Tuesday, January 31, 2006

UK: 100th soldier dies in Iraq

A British soldier has died in a blast in southern Iraq - the 100th UK forces fatality since the 2003 invasion. The soldier, from the 7th Armoured Brigade, died as result of injuries sustained after a blast in Umm Qasr in Basra province, the UK government said.

Three other troops were injured, one seriously. They are receiving treatment at the Shaibah medical facility.

3 Comments:

Blogger Ole said...

1 british solider is a tragedy, 100 iraqians are not even statistics...

But at least you are better of than Norway where the lies are so huge up that you can't even see them. Since the people strongly opposed to embedding troops in Iraq our government found a better sollution. They said: "Mr. Bush, we will NOT support your war in Iraq! (whispering:) But what if we send like the amount of young Norwegians to Afghanistan that you need. By this you can liberate american soliders there and put them into Iraq. Nobody cares about Afghanistan anyhow now... We even give you som F16 on the deal." By this Norwegians setteled down and had a good conciousness forever after.

January 31, 2006 11:21 pm  
Blogger _H_ said...

rhetoricdying

Your view is very welcome here and I respect your point of view without question. Your correct that we do not attack the men and women who choose to bravely serve their countries.I also do not question that you do so because you 'fear (they) could change the American way of life if something isn't done.'

My only point of contention is whether that word 'fear' is justified or not. We have come along way since the days of FDR when he said the 'Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”

I too have been to Iraq and seen first hand the situation on the ground. I understand your personal duty and loyalty to your cause but I genuinely believe that the cause placed upon you by your president is a false one. America is not under threat (apart from within) any more than it ever has been ,(by Communism etc) and the dangers and solutions to terrorism have been around for many years.

I believe that much of the fear has been placed within the people of the united states after the evil events of 9/11. I believe this insertion of fear has been deliberate and planned. Being in Iraq you will know as well as I do that Saddam was no threat at all to your country (or Israel.) He had no air force, no effective air defence, his army was smaller than in 1991 and of exceptionally low moral , their equipment was poor , they had no links to Al-qaeda and no WMD. He was not making threats against his neighbours or the world.

Now we have got Al-qaeda In Iraq ,We have the increase of influence of Iran and the potential catastrophe if Turkey feels that the Kurds are gaining complete independence which they have already stated they will not accept. Finally we have now promoted Anti American extremists like Muqtada al Sadr who is gaining power . influence and control at immense speed and he (for one) has the potential to become more of a danger to the world than Saddam ever could have been.

In short I feel that such a military invasion was wrong. That it was predictable that these events would turn out as they have and it never could achieve the aim it set. For democracy can never be brought through the barrel of a foreigner's gun, such a thought is illogical, democracy comes from within, as it did in your country and in the soviet union.

The Tragedy of 2200 American dead could have been prevented , the extensive loss of life in Iraq could have been prevented and there is no doubt that sanctions were working (albeit also making the people suffer) . My city (London) was attacked last July by home grown terrorists , terrorists who made it clear they ONLY attacked us due to our personal actions in Iraq , our actions are creating terrorists not reducing them

Since 2001 Al_qaeda has grown a hundred fold, we capture leaders only to have them replaced and each innocent Arab killed (whether by accident or by actions of insurgents/terrorists) we are blamed for in simple terms no such terrorists existed in that country before we started. so we are blamed for the deaths that the 'enemy' create too.

My view is simple , of course the military is vital in the prevention of terrorism but it should not be the main tool . Terrorism is like cancer and you cant use a welders torch to remove a cancer for you simply destroy the living cells as well as the cancerous ones. for ever mother or child killed , more Arabs will get angry and wish your family dead . The math will always run against us

Its backwards logic that simply does not work and is being shown not to work , in London , In Bali , In Madrid and in Jordon

I feel for what you must have seen and been through , I totally respect your commitment to your country and your loyalty to your leader but I have no doubt that you genuinely held fear is not all as it is claimed to be.

Spending years working against the IRA I can tell you that terrorism is a complex beast (I am sure you know) and no success , no moving forward or peace for you family or mine can be reached by the current actions of American foreign policy.

I am very grateful for your comment and welcome your views here any time you so choose

respectfully

H

February 01, 2006 5:51 am  
Blogger Steve Middleton said...

Just wait for avian flu to get hold in Iraq and we'll all have something to worry about. Whilst the troops are dying, 100 times that number of innocent Iraqis are also dying. Where is George Bush's exit strategy? Did none of them think about the possibility that Iraq would not just roll over and accept occupation - or is it oil interests that dominate everything?
Will the US make the same mistake in Palestine - allow the development of a dictatorship without true democracy being offered to the population.

February 01, 2006 8:30 pm  

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