Dear Mr Cameron

From: Dani Hamilton
Sent: 22 April 2006 20:24
To: CAMERON, David
Cc: contact@mfaw.org.uk
Subject: Iraq war

Dear Mr Cameron,
I am the mother of an 18 year old soldier who has just deployed to Basra, Iraq. He is very aware of the situation and that he will be spending all his time trying to defend himself and other soldiers rather than defending the Iraqi people who seem not to want the British troops there at all. I have read the comments made by Michael Ancram MP and applaud his sentiments and the courage of his convictions.

I would like to know your own personal views regarding the Iraq war. I am sure that you are aware of the rally that is taking place next Wednesday at the Commons. The families of service personal will be presenting a petition to the PM to bring the troops home safely without anymore unnecessary deaths of soldiers in Iraq. Will you be there to speak to the families as they have a room pre booked to meet with MP's?

As elections are on the horizon and there are thousands of service family members that are eligible voters don't you think it would be to your advantage to meet and speak to them regarding their concerns and anxieties?
I look forward to your reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Dani Hamilton


...and the reply:

Dear Ms Hamilton,

Thank you for writing to David Cameron - I'm replying on his behalf. I'm sorry for the delay in my reply, as I am sure you can appreciate there has been a massive increase in the volume of correspondence coming into the office since David Cameron became Party Leader and due to the local elections tomorrow.

Thank you for writing your email.
Our troops are now in Iraq at the request of the democratically elected Iraqi Government. Michael Ancram is now a backbencher and is entitled to his own opinions. Our troops are doing essential work training Iraq's security forces, and allowing Iraq's new democracy to defend itself and implement the rule of law in Iraq.

It would be irresponsible to set a fixed timetable for troop withdrawal. It is more important that Iraq's new security forces are well-trained, than that some arbitrary target, possibly determined by political considerations, be met.

Thank you again for taking the trouble to write.

Yours sincerely,

David Beal
Correspondence Secretary
David Cameron's Office
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
www.conservatives.com

and my response...

Dear Mr Beal,
Thank you for your email dated 3/5/06. I have noted your comments and shared them with other interested parties. I was not going to reply to your 'views' as I felt that it rather read like the spin of politics, but after seeing the news coverage today regarding the helicopter that was shot down and the responding British troops to aid the incident ( my son is a warrior driver and as I'm sure you have seen that a warrior was set alight and bombarded with rocks etc) I feel that I must.

I fail to agree that our troops are carrying out essential work (protecting the Iraqi people, you need to see the footage! I feel you are miss guided in their plight) after the scenes on Sky News, it is apparently obvious that they are desperately trying defending themselves!

After this coverage of such violence and animosity towards our troops, how can you possibly say that their withdrawal would be irresponsible. It is irresponsible of any Government or politician to insist that they are the solution to a Country which is effectively in a state of civil war.

There is only one rule of law in Iraq, the cheering 'mob' and this is evident when we see that they openly celebrate the death and destruction of one Her Majesty's helicopters and four Her Majesty's British soldiers.

I wonder Mr Beal if you would be so matter of fact if you had a child out there? This war has gone past the point of politics, service men are dying needlessly because no one will bring them home while they still have dignity and honour.

I had hoped that David Cameron would support their withdrawal and see the Government's folly - how wrong I was and how very disappointed!

Please do not count on my vote or lots of other service families as we were not amused by your comments.

Yours sincerely
Dani Hamilton