This is in the Daily Telegraph, de ja vu or what!!!
John

The MoD shows an unsure grasp of honour
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 14/08/2007

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The bureaucrats who run the Ministry of Defence have classified the British military mission to Afghanistan a peacekeeping operation, and are therefore refusing to award combat medals to the Service personnel who are participating in the fiercest fighting since the Second World War.

The hostilities are so intense that it is currently estimated that soldiers serving on the front line have a one in 36 chance of being killed.

Seventy soldiers have so far died since the Government first deployed our Armed Forces to that benighted country in 2001, and more fatalities can be expected as Servicemen continue their campaign to subjugate the Taliban and prevent Afghanistan reverting to its former role as a safe haven for Islamic militants.

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The disconnect between how Whitehall perceives the Afghan conflict and the brutal war taking place on the ground is typical of this Government's institutional confusion over what our troops are doing in Afghanistan and why.

It started last year when John Reid, the former defence secretary, naively suggested at the outset of the Nato-led operation that the British contingent would be able to complete its mission without firing a shot in anger, and continues under his successor, Des Browne, whose less than convincing comments yesterday on the escalating death toll among British soldiers suggest that he, too, is still struggling to grasp the importance of Britain's role in defeating international terrorism.

Perhaps this is because Mr Browne, wearing his other ministerial hat as Scottish Secretary, is too pre-occupied with the forthcoming White Paper on Scottish independence being presented by Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond. The fact that Mr Browne was given a split portfolio by the Prime Minister in the first place is indicative of this Government's apparent contempt for the nation's Armed Forces, and it is a decision that it will, we hope, come to regret.

If the Government does not understand why our troops are in Afghanistan, it is little wonder that there is mounting public disquiet over the rising death toll, and that there are already calls for British troops to be withdrawn at the earliest opportunity. But to do so would seriously jeopardise our national security.

Most of the perpetrators of the Islamic terror attacks against Britain and America have originated from the lawless border territory between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the British military offensive in Helmand is vital if the terror threat is to be defeated. The very least the Government could do is give the heroes who risk their lives for our freedom the recognition they so richly deserve.

MUST HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS SH*T ,IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA,POSSIBLY A ONE MAN ARMY,COS THEIR INDEPENDANCE MEDAL IS SCARCER THAN THE V.C. MUST ASK SNOTTY JANVRIN,NEXT TIME I SEE HIM FAWNING

They (British establishment) seem to have completely lost the place. Des Browne makes a huge error by allowing British troops who were surrounded by the Iranians and taken hostage, permission to sell their stories to the tabloids when they were released. He publicly admitted it was his fault and was then promoted into two jobs. Now all HM Forces are being gagged and prevented from saying 'anything' on websites, emails etc. Shouldn't the gagging order have been placed upon Des Browne and his advisors?

The situation in our country is very serious. When sending troops into action they should be supported fully by the people who send them but this is not what is happening. No, our troops should not pull out of Afghanistan or elsewhere. They should be fully supported and given every opportunity to complete the job they were sent to do. We have the best troops and the best trained, and some of the bravest troops in the world, they have proved this time and again. Yet the fat cats sit on their £1,000 chairs in their plush offices spending £39 million a year on communication and advertising, and do very little for these boys and girls who are bravely putting their lives on the line for Queen and country. Our Queen also wants to get out of the doldrums and start showing some interest by using the Royal Prerogative to support Her armed forces personnel.

Anyone who has served in the present conflicts, especially Afghanistan should, in my humble opinion, be allowed to wear any medal given to them. Do away with the 'permission to wear or not to wear' anomaly and allow citizens/crown servants to wear if they like out of uniform any medal awarded to them. The legal situation is that they cannot instruct British citizens what to wear and what not to wear so this pretence of theirs is ludicrous. You will never stop the 'Walts' from wearing unauthorised awards but why punish everyone else who will show honour by wearing their authorised awards.

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Last edited by StanW on Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:19 am; edited 1 time in total

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Veni vidi vinci

I could be wrong, bot is there not a medal for service in Afghanistan...The OSM with bar Afghanistan?

Don't they receive a NATO medal for Afghanistan that cannot be worn?

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Last edited by StanW on Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:18 am; edited 1 time in total

AH,THAT MAKES THE CLARITY ,AND THE IMPARTIALITY,OF THE PROTECTORS OF THE SYSTEM,REASONING CRYSTAL CLEAR I'LL BE HOLDING INTERVIEWS SOON,FOR A POST I'VE CREATED AS CHIEF NAVIGATOR ,HMS VICTORY IN POMPEY DOCKYARD,ANYONE KNOW OF ANY PRIME CANDIDATES?