I think I have gone about supprting my statements with some fact. The only one I have not is in in saying that you are ‘throwing around mindless statements’. You confirm that yourself by not backing up any of your accusations with how your conclusion has been reached. Maybe go to Sierra Leone or Kosovo and ask how UK foreign policy has benefited the people whose opinion really matters.

As for ‘pulling mindless statements out of a hat’, I’m disappointed you should say that. My statements are far from mindless, and the fact that you seem to think you can conclude from a few comments on Nouse that I’m “living in a warped and idealistic world” only serves to prove how willing you are to make unfounded judgements. The last thing your argument is, is stonger than mine. I’m not saying that my argument is stronger than yours, but I am saying that whilst you go about banding around judgements like that, no one will take you that seriously.

Kosovo: No longer the ethnic cleansing of 1000′s of people because of their religion or genetic makeup.

Sierra Leone: Not a darn-sight better? Don’t pull out mindless statements out of a hat and throw them about. How is it not better? It is better because rebels are not running the country recruiting child soldiers, raping women and children and chopping limbs off their husbands is halucagenic states.

Afghanistan: Of course they are an ever-present threat but where as you choose to walk away from threats, hoping they will threaten you last I believe fighting threats to the lives of others is a worthwhile cause as do a majority of British people.

Iraq: Of course Iraq is for debate. I can recognise weaknesses and faults but that makes my argument stronger than yours that seems to neglect all the positive areas of British foreign policy and what it has brought to people round the world.

I don’t think the terrorist threat is hugely real. That, after all, is what terrorists would wish you to think. Being affected by terrorism is precisely about being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The threat is not very real. Our civilisation is not remotely close to being wiped from the pages of history, and anyone who thinks it is has rather underestimated the task which the (tiny minority of people who are) terrorists are attempting.

Afghanistan – The Taliban are an ever-present threat.
Sierra Leone – Still in a mess.
Kosovo – Not a great deal better.
The Gulf – now a perfectly harmonious part of the world. Not.

We have achieved little overseas, despite the cost. It is in British policy and interests to finally butt out of international affairs which do not directly concern us. Moreover, is causes less suffering to do so.

Finally, anyone who advocates foreign military intervention should bloody well accept some blame and flagellation when it inevitably proves to be a cock up.

We should not build up our army further. If we were to double or triple our equipment costs then we would have to get money from taxes… and we’ll have to borrow more. We’re in enough difficulty in those areas as it is, apparently, so I wouldn’t recommend more.

Well, I guess we could sell the NHS to private investors, make the health service as completely efficient as it is in the USA, help the poor and then put all that money to the army Oh, and my maths was fine.

Terrorists use Iraq as an excuse for their aim to wipe our very civilisation from the pages of history and if you think this is mindless scare-mongering, I suggest you visit the websites that promote such acts and see the threat is very real. By using Iraq as an excuse, it plays on our conscience that this terror problem is somehow our fault. It is not and the sooner we get out of this self-flagelating culture, the better.

Failing to do much good overseas:
- Gulf War- protecting an Arab ally from invasion by Saddam’s forces.
- Kosovo- Preventing ethnic cleansing by Bosian-serbs on ethnic Albanian (majority) Muslims.
- Sierra Leone- protecting the democratic government from savage warlords.
- Afghanistan- remove the Taliban. Enough siad on that really.
- Iraq, well you debate that.

The point is we have achieved lots overseas contrary to yet another unfounded point you make. Our armed forces must continue to uphold British foreign policy and our interests. Government cannot have it both ways as it attempts to by underfunding some of the bravest men and women our nation has to offer.

Nonetheless, it’s immoral for a government to send their troops out with a lack of equipment. The MOD’s response to it so far is pathetic. It’s people’s lives they’ve been playing with, and innocent family members paying the price.

I only wanted to comment on the awesomeness of the photo but meh :p

Anyone that in any way appeases the government for the treatment of these troops doesn’t deserve the protection these troops give to them.