Clause 8 & more

Copy of letter sent to No 10

I cannot believe that ministers are voting to hand out life sentences to deserters. No, I do not condone desertion, there are however already measures in place to deal with that, but a life sentence? Do you really think that our servicemen & women should placed in the same category as murderers, rapists, paedophiles & the like? These people enlisted to protect their country & you would treat them thus?
Has it not occured to any of you that many of the people are probably suffering from some kind of mental breakdown, caused by YOUR decision to send them into conflicts where we have no right to be? i.e. Iraq & Afghanistan. Come down off that cloud Mr Blair & start looking more closely at the reasons why desertion levels are escalating.

Will the recruitment centres be advising potential personnel that this could happen to them? I very much doubt it.

Iraq should never have happened, you know that, practically the whole world knows that, yet you still persist with 'we shall stay until the job's done'. Well, I don't see YOU out there doing 'the job'. Maybe you should spend a month out there living as they do & on occasions having to sleep under their beds wearing a flak jacket & helmet, maybe you would have second thoughts, & now I read that some of the tours are to be extended because of the lack of transport. How fair is that to those people & their families?

Have you no idea of the anguish you have caused so many people, 111 British dead, thousands of Americans & even more innocent Iraqis, not to mention the injured & those that have committed suicide (I suppose you are aware of the latter?) For what?

Maybe you would care to tell me why our people are in Afghanistan too? We don't belong there, the terrain alone will beat us (look at history), how long before the coffins starting arriving from there too?

Get off that ego trip Mr Blair, face facts & get out now.

An Open Letter to Tony Blair

Prime Minister

You will probably not remember me, I wrote to you several months ago requesting a meeting to discuss your reasons for invading Iraq. Since then I have heard nothing so I presume you are not willing to meet with me to explain your decision to invade Iraq in a war I believe to be illegal. I do have a personal interest in that my son paid the ultimate price.

The truth is out there for all to see, I have found what I believe to be extremely good evidence on the internet. Take a look at David Morrison's website, and books by Phillippe Sands and Mark Danner which are great sources of information. The growing evidence against you Mr. Blair is freely available in the form of minutes of meetings, memoranda and direct quotes you have made. I am surprised you are not facing serious charges as everyone seems to be very aware of the allegations made against you and you have not responded - perhaps you hope they will disappear.

I personally feel you have a moral duty as a renowned committed christian who would presumably have a conscience, and want to meet the families of fallen soldiers to explain your stance. Many thousands of Iraqi civilians and 111 coalition troops have lost their lives during the occupation of Iraq. This is as well as the undisclosed physically injured (not even counted by the MOD, unless life threatening) and now increasingly emerging cases of post traumatic stress.

I would like to ask you:

* On 14 March 2002, Sir David Manning, your Foreign Policy Adviser wrote you a memo, in which he advised you that he had told Condoleeza Rice (who was then President Bush's National Security Adviser) that 'you would not budge in your support for regime change' in Iraq. Like President Bush you were committed to 'regime change'. Is that not true?
If not, you would surely have corrected Sir David Manning's statement, or dismissed him if he was not relaying your wishes or intentions.

During the following 10 months, you said repeatedly that your policy objective was the disarmament of Iraq of it's 'weapons of mass destruction'. For example, on 25 February 2003, you told the House of Commons that Saddam Hussein could stay in power, if Iraq disarmed in accordance with the Security Councils resolutions:

'I detest his regime - I hope most people do, but even now, he could save it by complying with the UN's demand. Even now, we are prepared to go the extra step to achieve disarmament peacefully'.

This statement was untrue, as you has already agreed with President Bush to invade Iraq and overthrow the regime, come what may. This is testified to by memos by David Manning and Christopher Meyer from March 2002, these documents have been in the public domain since September 2004.

During a meeting to discuss Iraq on 23 July 2002, you said:

'--- it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow the UN inspectors. If the political context were right, people would support regime change'.

You must have been hoping Saddam Hussein would not allow weapons inspectors into Iraq again. Since the disarmament of Iraq by non-military means required UN inspectors to be on the ground in Iraq, I would suggest this would not suit your purpose of regime change.

This was irrespective of what Hans Blix found, or whether the UN Security Council did adopt a further resolution. President Bush is on record telling you, Mr. Blair that if there was no other UN resolution, military action would follow anyway. The date pencilled in was 10 March for the bombing to begin. You told Mr.Bush you were solidly with the President and ready to do what it took to disarm Saddam.

'Weapons of Mass Destruction'
Saddam Hussein's son in law Hussein Kamal, told UN inspectors in August 1995 that all Iraq's weapons and weapons related material had been destroyed in 1991(which has since been confirmed by the Iraq Survey Group) On 18 March 2003, you told the House of Commons about other disclosures by Hussein Kamal, but not this crucial one.
Why not?
During the same speech, you gave a list of weapons and weapon related material that UN inspectors deemed unaccounted for when they withdrew from Iraq in 1998. You failed to enlighten the House of Commons the fact that being unaccounted for didn't mean they still were in existence. Why not?

You also failed to tell the House of Commons that UNMOVIC's opinion that of any Sarin, VX or botulinum toxin would no longer be effective as warfare agents, even if they had been in existence. I would suggest you again failed to relay this vital information to the House of Commons. (I would suggest looking at the UNMOVIC document, Unresolved Disarmament Issues)

The Intelligence Services told you before the invasion of Iraq, that it was their opinion, that the threat from al Qaida and associated groups would be heightened by military action against Iraq. Again why did you not tell Parliament about this Mr. Blair? The subsequent London bombings have confirmed this, and more totally unnecessary deaths.

Do you feel responsible for this also?

* I would also question, why you misled us about what M. Jacques Chirac had indicated and his feelings about the invasion of Iraq. Documentation would confirm he wanted a further period of inspection to continue before considering force against Iraq.

Prime Minister, it appears to me you had your own agenda for the invasion of Iraq. Since then you have continued to mislead and deny any misdemeanors, I am sure history will indeed reveal the truth, but it would have at least shown you possessed compassion if you agreed to meet with the families who have lost loved ones in Iraq.

Pauline Hickey

Mother of Sgt, Christian Hickey 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards died 18/10/05 in this unjust war.

Sign the PETITION.. send letters

COPY OF LETTER SENT TO TELEGRAPH,will alter and send to all nationals.

Please read this, please do something about it, Why are the media sitting on the fence over Iraq????. There are people who are out there dying, Why because Blair is a dictator who will not yield to the will of the people, every poll done lately shows 2 to 1 in favour of bringing the troops home, Every journalist knows we are there illegally yet not ONE newspaper is willing to defend our troops (what happened to tie a yellow ribbon etc). Now our troops face life imprisonment if they cannot face the trauma of returning to Iraq or going to Iraq, some of these are just 18 yrs old, ok they joined up, but did YOU really know what you were doing at 18. Please help I have written to you as the Telegraph is my paper. This is important, it doesn't involve Mr prescott's nether regions, it does not involve celebrity???? who cares!!. This involves real human beings, decent human beings, ones we all shout " are the best in the world". They have been deserted by YOU the media you pop a bit in when a few of them die, but then it's back to drivel. Please do something great start a mission to "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME" I promise you YOUR country will back you, get posters to put in windows, get car bumper stickers going (like in theUSA), get polls running. Make a crusade.

yours sincerely

A MOTHER

please check out www.mfaw.org.uk 

also bumper stickers like on www.mfso.org

also there is another site Families of UK Forces in Iraq, but you would have to ask to view site.

The stories you read on these sites are but a few, I can bring many more..

Re: Politicos and Journalists - S(cum)alt of the Earth

Well said.  I wouldn't mind suggesting they spend a week with any of the families of soldiers out there. See how hard we have to work also.  Most of the time it's hard enough just trying to raise a smile!!!

 

 

 

 

Politicos and Journalists - S(cum)alt of the Earth?

Ref Comments from 'esteemed journo' B O Neill and our latest Def Sec. If you pair could at the very least take the time to spend some 'hard time' where it matters rather than pontificating from your ivory towers you would understand the depth of feeling in this country against Tony's war!

How come we have to suffer a constant stream of drivel from politicians who have not spent five minutes in uniform and keep telling us how good we have it and 'what a good job we do'? Oh, and by the way, I have never served the country where I have been fighting, only the country I have been fighting for!

In Iraq the journos constantly 'larged it' when we were struggling to get from one day to the next. How can you fight a war from the Kuwait Hilton lads?

4 injured !!! And he said WHAT!!!!!

On the news of the four injured soldiers the result of an attack on the base in Abu Naji... Our new Defence Sec said

"We shall continue to serve the Iraqi people in the way in which we have for as long as they, through their government, want us to be there"

Since when did OUR FORCES serve Iraq??? Last I knew they took a pledge of allegince and promised to SERVE QUEEN AND COUNTRY (that being Great Britian). We ... Has anyone seen the WE (Des Browne, Tony Blair, John Reid etc) in uniform patrolling the streets SERVING the Iraqi people???? Their government????, last I heard they still couldn't get that sorted, early days only had elections IN DECEMBER !!!!

Des Browne YOU should be ashamed of yourself, you have deserted these boys, well after next week if you get your way YOU COULD (and you mr browne should) serve life imprisonment for desertion, That's if your lousy government gets it's way. May GOD have mercy upon you and the rest of you for what you are doing, how on earth do you ALL SLEEP AT NIGHTS??????????????????????

Human Rights

I am constantly reading about The Human Rights Act, recent media attention focusing on the High Court granting nine Afghan hijackers an indefinite right to remain in the U.K. Another recent media interest has been prisoners who are drug addicts, who are able to sue the Home Office stating it amounts to assault when drugs are withdrawn when they are incarcerated.  It is alleged to breach their Human Rights.

 

My 30 year old son Christian was a member of the Armed Forces, and last October he was killed in Iraq by an I.E.D. Following lengthy discussion with the M.O.D. about my concerns that my son had been on a patrol seeking out I.E.D.'s before the arrival of a large supply convoy which only happened every 4-5 months. He was the patrol commander, and left his fibreglass snatch vehicle to explore on foot.  It has been said this is to limit casualties as the snatch vehicles offer no protection against the powerful I.E.D's.  In effect he was looking for I.E.D.'s with no protective clothing or equipment other than his rifle which had an inbuilt torch to see in the pitch darkness. Unfortunately, I was told he had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Russian Roulette springs to mind, and offers little comfort to the family. 

 

I have challenged the M.O.D., who are not prepared to hold A Board of Inquiry into my sons death. they feel this practice is acceptable and no lessons can be learnt from my sons violent death.  I beg to differ, and would question why anyone should expect another human being to undertake such tasks without adequate protection.  It was not as if he had driven over the devise by accident, he was out looking for them on foot. 

 

It is no wonder the infantry battalions are finding it extremely difficult to recruit and retain if this is how they treat the infantry soldiers.  Where was my son's Human Rights on that dark night in Basra on 18th October?

 

I will continue to fight for justice.

 

Pauline Hickey

MPs apathy?

I wrote to you on 5th May to see whether you'd made any effort towards bringing our troops home. If you remember I met you on 26th April when I went to the House of Commons with MFAW members.

You appeared very understanding and informed me that you would not sign the Early Day Motion 1088 as there had already been previous enquiries. You felt that there were other ways in which efforts could be made to end this war.

When I asked whether you'd ever put anything in the papers for your constituents to see you told me you had written to the papers in the past
(but this was 15 months ago). You had written a speech for the House but had not yet presented it. You also wrote a monthly diary column for the local paper in Stratford-on-Avon and said you might mention our plight.

I happened to see you, by chance, on Prime Minister's Question Time today and found that you had the time to discuss John Prescott's recent loss of department, to the amusement of your party but heard nothing about the war!

Until I receive a reply to my last letter I don't know whether you have answered my questions which were:

1. What are you doing to make Mr Blair accountable for his actions?

2. Are you informing the public of events and if not, why?

3. When are you going to make your speech to the House as mentioned? (unless I've already missed it!)

4. When will you actively become involved to end this war?

I also informed you that my job is under threat at present. I work in the local hospital and the Trust has announced job losses of 720 and possible closure of my department.

Where is the money to fund this war coming from?

Why are hospitals in such a state all over the country? It's not just bad management.

I also agree with you that the Government were very lax in their post-war planning to secure a peaceful regime and one to which the Iraqi people would agree. I also would like an Iraq which is 'free, stable and democratic'.

How do you address the weaknesses Mr Maples?

In my local paper today (Alcester Chronicle) my article was printed which again brought the issue of how to bring our troops home. You stated "the decision could only be made by Tony Blair and George Bush. The Government is now in a complex situation. But I think we should have a phased withdrawal over the rest of this year in conjunction with America".

This would indeed be good news but I've recently heard that the Americans are either building or have just completed their 4th base and these are secure units. I don't think Mr Bush is in any hurry to leave Iraq, especially without an Iraqi government he approves of in place and access to the oil!

As the mother of a solider I understand he could be called up for his country at any time. That I don't have a problem with. Fighting in an illegal war which has brought so much desolation to the Iraqi people and loss of lives all around I do have a problem with.

My son is extremely proud of his regiment and the career he's chosen. He never speaks or complains about what he does. The anger and argument is mine. What a pity his life and those of his fellow troops are being put in danger.

Please Mr Maples stand up and fight for those risking their lives. Help us to bring an end to this debacle now - not in the months/years to come.

Yours sincerely

Lynda Holmes

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First Woman Casualty

As you say, the publicity machine rolls out for the first female to be
killed in action there, but please remember, it IS the media who seizes upon
these awful events. As the mother of a soldier who has been there I have
cried for each & every one of our dead, however they died, & I know that I'm
not alone in that. I have met with some of the families & seen their grief.
Male or female it makes no difference to any of us military families, the
pain is the same.

My reply to ASS***E

 

Who do you think you are, how can you talk about the bereaved families like that!!!!.  Have you met any, have you a loved one in Iraq.  Bet the answer is NO.   Well if Iraq is that SAFE maybe you will swop places with one of "OUR BOYS". Bet the answer to that is NO as well. People like you make me SICK!!!!!.  You do not have any idea what you are talking about.

 

 

ASS***E JOURALIST (in my opinion)

Hi Found this article, read it was disgusted with the way he talked about bereaved families so e-mailed him and told him so thought you might like to e-mail him too if you feel as I did, click the link and it takes you to his a-mail, will post my e-mail I wrote to him next.  Introduction

Following the tragic deaths of five British soldiers in a helicopter crash in Basra, media reports have claimed that Iraq is becoming more and more dangerous for the Britons stationed there. 'Troops in trouble', said one headline; Basra has turned into a 'lethal danger zone' said another. In fact, the reason we seem shocked by the loss of five British lives is because such incidents remain relatively rare. A breakdown of the available British casualty stats reveals that:

Iraq is becoming less dangerous for British troops - the number of British fatalities has fallen year-on-year since the war and occupation began in March 2003. There is an almost even split between the number of British troops killed in combat situations and the number killed in non-combat situations - that is, in accidents, friendly fire incidents or from natural causes. The IRA killed almost twice the number of British soldiers in one year (1972) as Iraqi insurgents have killed over more than three years. On some occasions, more American soldiers have died in a single month in Iraq than British soldiers have died during three years of operations. And yet, as the danger posed to British lives appears to have decreased, we continue to be told that Iraq is becoming more lethal. Meanwhile, military families are stepping up their campaigns to have 'Our Boys' brought home from what they claim is an unacceptably risky venture. This reflects a moral uncertainty and confusion about the war more than it does the reality of danger on the ground.

Iraq is getting safer for British troops

Iraq seems to be getting less dangerous for British soldiers there. There are around 8,000 British military personnel in Iraq. In total, 109 British servicemen and women have died since coalition forces invaded in March 2003.

In the first year of war and occupation, from March 2003 through to the end of March 2004, 59 Britons died.

In the second year, from April 2004 through to the end of March 2005, 27 Britons died.

In the third year, from April 2005 to the end of March 2006, 17 Britons died.

In the fourth year thus far, beginning in April 2006, 6 Britons have died, including the five killed in a helicopter crash in Basra over the weekend.

This shows that the number of British fatalities has steadily declined over the past three years, even as Iraq has remained highly unstable and has become, according to many accounts, more dangerous since President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in May 2003 than it had been during the phase of major combat operations from March to May 2003.

If you average out the number of British fatalities over a single year, then in the first year of war and occupation there was on average one British fatality every six days; in the second year there was on average one British fatality every 14 days; and in the third year there was on average one British fatality every 21 days.

From the first year of British operations to the third year, there has been more than a 60 per cent drop in the number of British soldiers dying.

British deaths in combat and non-combat situations

British soldiers seem to face an equal risk of dying in tragic accidents in Iraq as they do being killed by Iraqi insurgents or protesters. Of the 109 who have died, 54 have died in combat situations and 49 in non-combat situations, including accidents, friendly fire incidents and natural deaths.

This leaves six deaths unaccounted for. There are the five who died in Basra over the weekend, where it is widely assumed that they were shot down by enemy fire, though that still needs officially to be confirmed. And there was one death in April 2003 where it is difficult to determine whether it was accidental or the result of hostile action: a solider was killed in an explosion in southern Iraq, but the cause of the explosion has not been made public.

If, as widely expected, the inquiry into the Basra crash confirms that the helicopter was shot down by enemy fire, then there will have been 49 non-combat deaths and 59 combat deaths. If, however, the inquiry determines that it was an accidental crash, then there will be an even split between combat deaths and non-combat deaths - 54 of each.

In the first year of war and occupation, more British soldiers actually died in accidents than in combat operations: of the 59 deaths in the first year, 20 were killed in action with Iraqi forces and 38 died in helicopter crashes, friendly fire incidents and other accidents (the other one was the death in April 2003, the cause of which is difficult to determine).

Of the 27 British deaths in the second year, 19 died as a result of attacks by Iraqis and 8 died in non-combat situations.

Of the 17 British deaths in the third year, 14 died as a result of attacks by Iraqis and 3 died in non-combat situations.

Of the 49 non-combat deaths over the past three years, 17 Britons died in helicopter accidents and 12 in road traffic accidents. Other incidents include:

suicides; friendly fire; the death of a British soldier who dug his trench too deep and was buried alive; a soldier shooting himself in the head while trying to unjam a machine gun. Breaking down the combat stats

Strikingly, even the majority of combat deaths seem to have occurred while British soldiers were carrying out everyday operations. That is, most of these deaths did not take place in traditional hand-to-hand combat or engagement with enemy forces, but were the result of guerrilla-style attacks on unsuspecting British troops who were manning checkpoints or making deliveries.

Of the 54 British deaths by Iraqi action, it appears that 13 occurred in heated situations in which enemy forces or protesters were directly being engaged: 1 of these was during an assault on an enemy trench in the first phase of the war; 4 were deaths in action during the first phase of the war; 7 took place while British troops were trying to quell riots; and 1 was in a gunfight with insurgents.

Of the other 41 British deaths caused by Iraqi action, most were killed unsuspectingly during 'peacekeeping' operations rather than in actual declared combat. A majority were killed in roadside bombs: 15 Britons have been killed by roadside explosions while travelling from one part of Iraq to another.

A further 6 were killed by other kinds of bombs, including suicide bombs.

10 have been killed in helicopter crashes caused by enemy fire (not including the five who died in a helicopter crash in Basra over the weekend).

7 have been killed after their vehicles were ambushed during normally routine operations.

And 3 were killed by hostile, probably sniper fire.

This suggests that British troops are not necessarily engaging in risky combat operations, but rather face a fairly low-level terrorist-style threat during everyday operations - a threat that it is virtually impossible to guard against, unless troops remain in barracks all day and night.

Some historical comparisons

Compared with earlier British military interventions, the number of British casualties in Iraq remains relatively low. During the Falklands War of 1982, which lasted for three months, 255 Britons were killed by enemy action compared with 54 killed by enemy action in Iraq.

During the conflict in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 1997, between the British Army and the Irish Republican Army (IRA), 763 British military personnel died. On top of that, over 300 of the British Army's allies in Northern Ireland - the Royal Ulster Constabulary police force - were killed.

In the space of one year - 1972, at the height of 'the Troubles' - the IRA killed more than twice the number of British military and police personnel as Iraqis have killed over three years. The IRA killed 103 British Army personnel, as well as 43 of Britain's local allied forces in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment. That makes a total of 146 military or police personnel killed by enemy action in one year in Northern Ireland compared with 54 killed by enemy action in Iraq in more than three years.

And yet, most British ministers and much of the media refused even to call the conflict in Northern Ireland a war. Certainly there were few demands among opposition politicians and journalists for the troops to be withdrawn from Northern Ireland, and military families did not petition or visit Downing Street demanding that the engagement in Northern Ireland be brought to an end.

This shows that the impact of casualty figures on the public consciousness is shaped more by moral and political factors than by the real facts and figures of war. So a higher number of fatalities in Northern Ireland in 1972 had a less demoralising effect on military families and the British public than has a relatively small number of deaths in Iraq over a period of three years. The truth seems to be that, for British soldiers, Iraq today, rather than being a peculiarly deadly war, is like a less dangerous version of Northern Ireland.

American casualties and British casualties

Finally, the number of British deaths in Iraq remains overshadowed by the number of American deaths. Where 109 Britons have died, 2,426 Americans have died.

Over the past three years, there have been two separate months in which more Americans have died than Britons have died in more than three years.

In April 2004, 135 Americans died.

In November 2004, 137 Americans died.

Conclusion

It seems that the fewer British casualties there are in Iraq, the louder that bereaved families and various journalists argue against the war on the basis that it poses a deadly danger to Our Boys. The more the British death toll falls, the more that each individual British death seems to become the subject of handwringing and expressions of doubt and frustration.

Every death in Iraq is of course a tragedy. But this is clearly about more than the body count. Rather, it reflects a widespread loss of belief in the British venture in Iraq and uncertainty about what the war was for. In past wars, bereaved families took comfort in the belief that their son or daughter died for some greater cause - traditional notions of honour, patriotism and duty would have given their loved one's death on the battlefield some meaning. Now, families have few ways to make sense of deaths in Iraq. The casus belli that their sons and daughters gave their lives for turned out to be false, and even the authors of the war in the Bush administration and the Blair government seem embarrassed by the Iraqi debacle, wishing it would go away. In such circumstances, the deaths of loved ones must appear as meaningless as if they had died in a car accident (and many actually did) or in a brawl outside a pub.

Another reason why British deaths have become a bigger issue even as there has been relatively fewer of them is that sections of the anti-war movement and anti-war commentators have cynically politicised these deaths. Anti-war activists have pushed military families to the forefront of their campaigns while commentators cite every death as an argument against the war. This is an anti-war position that substitutes emotional blackmail for convincing political arguments. Instead of challenging the war on principled political grounds too many are effectively marching the dead, and the families of the dead, to do their dirty work for them.

There are many good arguments against the war in Iraq. But using British deaths as the clinching argument can only intensify families' grief - and contribute to the exaggerated view of how deadly and dangerous Iraq is for the Britons stationed there.

Visit Brendan O'Neill's website here. http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CB053.htm

FAQ?

I'm not in any way misogyinistic but how come the publicity machine gets rolling when a lady gets killed? What about all the fellas? Deepest
sympathies go to all the families. How many more Tony?

Tony Blair's legacy.

The M.O.D. are still trying to convince the general public, that the situation in Iraq over the weekend, where 5 Armed Forces personnel died was not a reflection of the situation out there.  Des Browne, the new Defence Secretary expressed his sympathies saying 'This tragic incident reminds us of the risks our servicemen and women face every day in helping to support the emerging democracy in Iraq and give all Iraqis hope for a better future'

 

Are the members of the Government so far removed from the real world, they fail to grasp that this is the real situation in Iraq our troops are facing on a daily basis, and not an isolated incident   The violent events  and attacks on the troops following the helicopter crash also, in my view expressed clearly the general population consensus in that the troops are not wanted in Iraq.

 

How many more Armed Forces personnel have to die before Tony Blair gets the message that democracy means listening, as well as spouting his ideologies at the general public.  The people of Iraq are clearly saying to our troops  GO HOME. 

 

In the unlikely event Tony Blair or his many assistants are reading this site, I would like to remind you that it is some considerable time since I hand delivered a letter to Downing St for your attention.  My son became the 97th soldier to die in Iraq in October 2005.  I have requested a meeting with yourself, so you are able to explain to me your decision and reasons for the invasion of Iraq, as it seems to me as a layperson the war may have been illegal. I would appreciate a response other than an acknowledgement, as my son paid the ultimate sacrifice of your war, with his life.

 

 

 Pauline Hickey 

WHY??

I am a mother of a serving soldier, a lucky mother as my son has returned home from Iraq. There are FIVE families tonight who are not as lucky, for they are trying to bring reason to something that has no reason.  There were 8,000 families on Saturday HOLDING their breath praying it was not them, feeling elation when they found out it was not them...then GUILT because it mean't it was someone else (but they would not swop places) which then added to the guilt. I cried when I saw the pictures from Iraq, then again cried with frustration to hear Des Browne saying the same old "we will stay til the job is done, as long as the Iraq goverment want us there etc etc" . It has now become the Iraqi goverment and not the Iraqi people!!!.. Well we saw that for ourselves on Saturday.  I want Blair and Browne to feel what we feel to be scared to answer the phone (in case it's THAT call) afraid to NOT to answer the phone (in case it's their son/husband/daughter ringing). To scan papers/tv/internet for a snippet of news. To live half your life here and half a life in Iraq/limbo land. My son is home my nightmare continues through the friends i have made who still have loved ones there and the threat he could have to return if that Egotistical Maniac does admit the fact we are there illegally and BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!!!!!  PLEASE....

My thoughts and prayers are with the breaved families also my tears and heartache, no words can help...............

 

More Deaths

As the mother of a soldier recently safely returned from Iraq my heart goes out to the families & friends of those killed. Do the people who sent them there not understand that the death of every one of these brave service personnel doesn't just affect their immediate families? It's like throwing a pebble into a pond, the ripples go on & on.

I'm sure that we are all aware by now that this war was started illegally & the fact that we are now expected to put up with the type of behaviour witnessed at the weekend only goes to show that we need to get out of there NOW. The Iraqi people, in the main, do not want us there, & who can blame them? They are an occupied country, I can never forgive or condone what they are doing to our personnel but I do know that if my country were under occupation I would expect somebody to make a stand against those occupying us as the French did during WW2.

Regrettably the trouble between the different sects there is not going to disappear any time in the near future, it's been going on for years, so it is time to leave & let them sort themselves out before we lose any more people in this horrible, futile exercise.

It's Time To Come Home

As the wife of a soldier in Iraq, I am so very upset to hear the news of the tragic helicopter crash in Basra.

It is clear from the coverage, that which I can bring myself to watch, our troops are not wanted in Iraq and should all be brought home as soon as possible.

We should never have been drawn into this war and now more than ever it is time that Mr Blair faced up to the fact that many, many people, including service familes do not want our soldiers involved in this illegal and imoral war.

As far as I am aware my husband, although I have heard nothing from him, I assume is safe.  My heart goes out to the families of the personnel involved in this incident, for they will have to receive the news that all military families fear. 

 

---

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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