This one hit the headlines

The Guardian (18/8/2008) reports another “mistake”, this time the death of women and children in a house in Afghanistan targeted by British troops. The figure of civilian deaths and injuries we know is high, so those shown here are just an example. Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine. In each of these death and destruction are daily occurrences. When the Russians have the temerity to protect their back yard all hell lets loose with David Cameron calling on a ban of Russians going shopping. Russian violence cannot be condoned any more than that of the western nations, but the U.S. in particular has been doing a lot of things they would class as provocative if it happened in their back yard. That’s precisely why the fourth fleet are out there in Caribbean waters.
There’s now talk about pulling out of Iraq. Brown appeared to go along with that when he first took over from Blair, but since there has been prevarication coupled with the decision to throw forces into Afghanistan. This is a result.
Recent headlines have covered British troop deaths, but again how full a picture is this? Occasionally you get a glimpse of wounded in Selly Oak hospital here in Birmingham. It’s harder and harder to see the reason for all this. If it was supposed to protect our interests in affordable fuel supplies long term it has manifestly failed.


Time to end war and live up to the notion that we are civilised people. Conduct in so many areas of activity belies that idea. The War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague is supposed to signal our progress, yet it is selective and being used for partisan purposes which undermines any pretence to impartiality.

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