At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

The excellent Jonathan Foreman writing in The Spectator. His fee for the article is going to BLESMA and Help for Heroes.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magaz...s-of-war.thtml

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

OK - correct link now above (thank God for editing)

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

just skimming through it now on my split screen,

he is spot on...

when you read the statistics of the wounded etc, its sobering reading..

Come home safely Boys and Girls

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

Brave men and women out there, bring them home safely indeed.

I remember at the beginning of this year when I was in Doha - sunning myself with a mate, sipping a few cocktails on the Intercontinental beach and I noticed a couple in front of us who couldn't keep their hands to themselves. Nothing lurid mind - just always cuddling or holding hands when they were on their sun loungers -and I got chatting to the guy. He was a soldier on a short 4 day leave break from the fighting in Afghanistan and met his girlfriend/fiancee in Doha. You could see that they were really living every moment as I suspect they never knew if it was going to be the last time they'd see each other.

Such a strange feeling really I had that day after I met them - thinking how lucky I am farting about a beach every weekend, drinking cocktails, living a good life in the Middle East and getting paid a tidy sum compared to most without really breaking into a sweat; here's this soldier who doesn't get paid much, UK Govt. providing less than effective equipment and aftercare back home who was going to fly back into a war zone in a few days time and could be killed. Made me really sit back and realise how luck I was - and how brave he and his girlfriend/fiancee was. Fingers crossed he's safe and sound.

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

Agree to all that was said...would like to add I wish the same to all the American soldiers out there. :)

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

Nice sentiments - well said.

I like the way the article focuses on the wounded rather than those who have been killed - often overlooked, and this is a poignant reminder.

Re: At last, a brilliant article about our troops in Afghanistan
 

Indeed, people tend to forget those maimed...these people and there families have to live with the scars...