Sadness.

[10ClarionSt]

Another sad piece of news. A British soldier has died in Iraq. What the hell are we doing over there? Another public servant dies in the line of duty. Sadness. This is why we should always have Remembrance Sunday. Even if only one public servant dies in 12 months between ceremonies, it shows that we care about them.

[Chessman]

I agree

[january_bug]

I agree with everything you've said except for your stance on Iraq. Which is a separate debate I think. You're right though, soldiers (and sailer and pilots etc) in the British Armed Services fully deserve our rememberance every year. Goodness I wish we could get to a time when only one would die each year (well, obviously better none at all).

[Ward-Minter]

When a soldier enrols he knows the risk. I did 15 years in the army (3 of which sponsered at Uni). That is no excuse though. I took a bullet and had two other near death experiences. I was lucky, I admit that. These risks can be seriously reduced though.

The dangers are often brought about by sending the wrong battalion to battle!! Further this appauling government cuts and cuts costs. The AK47 Kalashnikov, the favoured weapon by evil Islamics, is not as powerful as the movies make out. A half decent ballistics vest (�400) would stop a round. But Blair and his vice ridden cronies prefer to spend money on Asylum seekers and Afghan rights than on our armed services. Instead the current army vests cost about 45 quid and would barely stop a BB Gun.

I agree both Armistace Day and Rememberance Sunday are more than worth while. There are many on here who knock the army and any British intervention but note they speak English and not German, French or evil Arabic. What contradictions!!!

Britain have never been slaves and as long as there are young men and increasingly women who risk their life to make the country what it is (or at least should be!) I take my RIC green beret off to.

God Bless everyone of them and my war-torn heart goes out to everybody who have lost loved ones.

[january_bug]

W-M - I must say I didn't want to say "every soldier knows this risk" as it's not my place to do so. But I'm glad that you have, as you come from a position with every right to make that comment, and thus I feel it's ok for me to agree with you! :-)

It must be very frustrating seeing the defence cuts and knowing the risks. I fully concede that I see the cuts, but I find it hard to understand what it really means, and how it affects the man or woman on the ground. I think you need to do proper research or have been involved in the forces some how to appreciate this fully. I'm therefore grateful for posts such as yours. Even if unashamedly biased (and why not!?! :-) ) it at least helps the rest of us to understand how one (probably some, maybe even many) people with military connections feel! :-)

Gushing over!

[mimififi]

I totally agree about Remembrance day. It is not just the soldiers who we care about either, how about the widows of war, and the children robbed of their fathers? we care about them too.

The day we don't care will be followed by the day we forget and our forgetfulness will cost us our lives.

I stand behind our forces, they stand between now and my children's futures.

[Buddy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but does every service personnel not sign up to protect Queen and country.

Sorry - bit thick here - where does Iraq come into the the equation?

Thought it initially was to hound Bin Laden out because he had fundamentally terrorisied the western world.

Why the 360. - I just dont get it!!!

[libertie]

Heartfelt sympathy to this soldiers family, and I totally agree that its another good reason for always having Remembrance Sunday! While I accept that men and women who join our armed forces and the police do so knowing that they may be killed in the line of duty I suspect that like the rest of us they never expect it to happen to them!