9 posts tagged “war on terror”

The Army's chief recruiter has defended the decision to launch a £2 million public relations campaign on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Commander of the Army Recruiting Group, said the timing was "coincidental" and rejected suggestions the money could have been better spent on improving pay or equipment.

But he also revealed the army was on course to miss its annual recruitment target by around 10% as he launched the To The Best campaign which encourages the public to show their support for British troops.

Polling carried out for the launch showed the public drawing a sharp distinction between their opinions of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan and the soldiers themselves.

While only 41% of those surveyed said they backed operations in Iraq and Afghanistan (with 38% opposed outright), 87% nevertheless said they supported British soldiers.

The campaign, which includes a series of emotive television advertisements, urges people to log their support for the armed forces on a new website: http://www.tothebest.army.mod.uk

The subtitled advertisements feature civilians in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Ghana thanking UK soldiers for services ranging from dramatic rescues to drilling new boreholes.

Brig Jackson highlighted the positive media coverage of Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan as reflecting the mood in the country in support of troops. But he acknowledged a series of high-profile controversies over support for soldiers in society at large including the row over forces personnel wearing uniforms in public.

And while he accepted that a website might be seen as an "abstract" way for the public to express support for soldiers sent to dangerous places, he said he hoped it would lead to people doing so in other ways such as attending parades.

The campaign, backed by a string of celebrities from rugby player Jonny Wilkinson to the singer Jamelia, has been criticised by relatives of some soldiers killed on operations.

The following news story is from the Help for Heroes website.

"Help for Heroes was the idea of Appeal Chairman Bryn Parry and a group of friends and relations, many of who have connections with serving servicemen and women. Bryn and his wife Emma wanted to do something to help the wounded and came up with the idea of a sponsored bike ride. They mentioned it to some friends who mentioned it to some more friends and suddenly Help For Heroes was born and growing fast. A flurry of visits to various offices led to the campaign being blessed by the head of the army, Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt.

Help For Heroes is backed by the Army Benevolent Fund, the Army’s own charity that does wonderful work for soldiers and other servicemen and women both directly and through its support of other service charities."

November 21, 2007

Injured soldiers were subjected to a humiliating encounter when they were jeered at a public swimming pool.

Servicemen from Headley Court rehabilitation centre near Leatherhead were about to begin their weekly swim at Leatherhead Leisure Centre, which helps with their therapy, when they were verbally abused by a group of regular swimmers.

One woman, believed to be in her 30s, was so incensed that the soldiers - many of them amputees having returned from conflicts in the Middle East and Asia - were using the pool that she told them that they did not deserve to be there.

It is alleged that she told the men that she pays to swim there and they do not. According to witnesses she was so abusive that the soldiers' instructor pulled the groups out of the water to avoid further embarrassment.

Charles Murrin, of Friars Orchard, Fetcham, who witnessed the incident, said: "I was so cross and I could not believe what she was saying.

"The lane was roped off which they do every week and people can swim in there up until 11am and then the soldiers go in.

"She said the men do not deserve to be in there and that she pays money to come in the pool and they don't." The partially sighted 79-year-old, who was in the Royal Navy man and served in the Korean war, added: "I just cannot believe it happened and that people are like this.I spoke to the instructor in the changing room afterwards and he was livid.

"I know what these people are going through because I talk to them and I have got quite friendly with them."

Linda Sinclair, of Thossnroft Drive, Leatherhead, also witnessed the incident. She said: "I was coming out of the pool as the people started to complain and I was thinking how dreadful it was.

"It was a few people that were complaining and it made me cross and it was not nice for those soldiers."

There were two groups of soldiers waiting to use the pool but following the tirade of abuse their instructor ordered them to leave.

A spokesman for Mole Valley District Council, which owns the facility in Guildford Road, said: "There appears to have been a rare incident where two members of the public queried the provision of lanes of the swimming pool for Headley Court.

"While we wouldn't condone what happened, staff at the leisure centre did their best to accommodate all concerned and acted professionally in dealing with the situation."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We are disappointed that a small number of people objected to the closure of swimming lanes so that patients of Headley Court could use them."

The incident comes just weeks after a national appeal was launched to raise £5 million for Headley Court to build a new full-size rehabilitation pool with equipment in their gym.

The centre treats 180 injured servicemen who have to make the half-hour trip to Leatherhead to use the pool for vital cardiovascular exercise.

>> Looks Serious says:

You might not agree with what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, but remember:

• Everybody serving out there would rather be at home with their families and friends.
• Everybody out there wants to come home to their friends and families safe and well.
• Nobody serving out there lied to you about Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Nobody serving out there used 9/11 as an excuse for "regime change" in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Nobody serving out there is doing so because of their own geopolitical agenda, that's all down to the people that sent them there.
• Nobody serving out there financed, trained and armed Osama Bin Laden and his m'jihadeen when they thought he was on their side, fighting against the Russians in Afghanistan because it suited their short-term, anti-communist aims.
  

Everybody serving out there is just doing their job in difficult and dangerous circumstances. They don't get it right all of the time, but generally they are professional and conscientious in trying to make a difference.

If you have a problem with them being out there, talk to the residents of the White House or 10 Downing Street.....

Don't take it out on the people at the sharp end......

A pot of burning chillies sparked fears of a chemical attack on a busy shopping street, reports said.

Police closed off three roads and evacuated homes in central London as a cloud of noxious smoke filled the air.

But the source turned out to be some fiery food left cooking on a restaurant stove.

Firefighters wearing protective breathing apparatus were called to D'Arblay Street, Soho on Monday evening as members of the public were shepherded away. The specialist crews then broke down the door of the Thai Cottage restaurant.

They emerged around 7pm with a 9lb pot of chillies.

Staff at the restaurant said they were surprised by the reaction of the emergency services.

Chef Chalemchai Tangjariyapoon told The Times: "I was making a spicy dip with extra-hot chillies that are deliberately burnt.

"To us it smells like burnt chilli and it is slightly unusual. I can understand why people who weren't Thai would not know what it was. But it doesn't smell like chemicals. I'm a bit confused."

He was preparing Nam Prik Pao, a red-hot Thai dip served with prawn crackers, the paper said. The dip is prepared with garlic, shrimp paste, dried shrimp and vegetable oil.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The street was closed off for three hours while we were trying to discover the source of the odour."

 

Last Friday, I went to pick my sone up from school. Nothing unusual in that apart from the fact that the Mum of one of his classmates had literally just returned from Iraq and was at the school to meet her daughter who she hasn't seen for about four months.

They hadn't even told the little girl that her Mum was coming home, just in case there was a delay or something and so it was a complete shock for her when she came out and her Dad said "Look who's here to pick you up....."

At that point all of the other parents turned away and pretended to be busy with their kids so as to gve them a bit of privacy, but I can honestly say that there was a lump in my throat....

The only downside, it's not permanent and her Mum has to go back in a week or so's time to complete her tour - Something I guess will probably be harder on both of them than the initial absence.

It's a f^*cked up World where parents are away from their young children and risking their lives into the bargain.

The Royal British Legion says Britain has failed to live up to its duty of care to its armed forces.

A nationwide campaign is being launched to highlight the group's Military Covenant which is described as a promise from the nation to help ease the plight of wounded service personnel.

It is a three-pronged campaign demanding a just compensation scheme recognising the commitment and sacrifices made by those serving the nation, Greater commitment to support the physical and mental health of service personnel and their families and more support for bereaved service families.

Speaking at the launch, Frances Done, director general of the Royal British Legion, said: "We believe the nation has failed to live up to its commitments under the Covenant, with the consequence that some people have been left to struggle alone once they leave the services.

"Charities such as the Legion are increasingly being called upon to fill the gap.

"The issues have reached a critical stage. They require the immediate attention of Parliament and must be seriously addressed by all parties in the next general election."

She added: "Thousands of our servicemen and women are putting their lives on the line for us at this moment. They do not hesitate to fulfil their duty and neither should we.

"A career in the armed forces is unique. Those who join know they will have to follow orders, even if this leads to their death.

"This bravery should be recognised and rewarded with the provision of proper care for service people past and present, and their families should the worst happen."

Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth said: "I welcome the Royal British Legion's campaign to generate debate about the covenant between the nation and the armed forces.

"I will look in detail at the Royal British Legion's concerns and respond in full as soon as possible.

"I do not believe that the covenant is broken and, having spoken to the military chiefs, nor do they.

"But making sure that the covenant is upheld, particularly when we are asking our people to do so much, is very important.

"For this reason we keep the support we provide to our personnel and their families under constant review.

In temperatures pushing over 50 degrees Celsius, the precious air conditioning unit has to be switched off because its buzz affects the levels.

"It's a bit of a man test," he laughed.

The Army Welfare Service has welcomed the scheme, saying it can only have a positive effect on children who find it hard to understand why daddy, and sometimes mummy, is not always there.

And given the volatile nature of an operational tour in Basra, there is an undoubted benefit for those who have lost loved ones in having a permanent recording of their voice.

Rosemary said: "It's not only nice for the children to hear their daddy, but the mothers find it a comfort too."

The team now plans to take Storybook Soldiers to Germany where despite a staggered scaling back, there are still thousands of UK troops based who also deploy on operations.

"We're so excited that it's taken off," said Kirsty.

So does Sophie enjoy her Charlie and Lola and Thomas The Tank Engine Tales?

"Yes. They're very nice," she answered coyly.

And does it make her feel closer to Daddy?

"Yes. And that's very nice too thank you."

Related to Baria's post here.

Just in case you weren't already scared enough by the US Military / Defence "establishment".

Why are Iraqi prisoners of war being forced to listen to Barney the Purple Dinosaur's theme tune repeatedly, at top volume? Why have 100 de-bleated goats been secretly placed inside the Special Forces command centre at Fort Bragg, North Carolina? Has the US army really enlisted the help of Uri Geller? In "The Men Who Stare at Goats", Jon Ronson searches for answers to these and many other questions, revealing some of the extraordinary beliefs at the core of the War on Terror.

As Metallica seem to often be the conduit between the two worlds of the Closet Goth and the Metaller, I thought the following might be of some amusement?

Metallica singer James Hetfield was investigated by UK airport officials who believed he was a terrorist this week, it has been claimed.

The star was barred entry to Luton airport last Thursday and questioned by staff who were concerned about his appearance. Fears that Hetfield might be involved in terrorism were apparently founded on his "Taliban-like beard", according to The Times.

He was allowed to leave the airport after a brief interrogation, when he persuaded officials that he was a rock star. Metallica played Live Earth at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, before headlining the venue for their own show on Sunday evening. 

Do you consider yourself a patriotic person?  Why or why not?

Yes, I think I am, but I do find it hard to reconcile my generally cynical nature with feeling patriotic and I do believe Samuel Johnson had a point when he said that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

Misplaced, as Guy de Maupassant also said, "patriotism is the egg from which wars are hatched."

Ring any bells regarding a certain "War on Terror"?