Don't you just hate...

[wangi]

...folk who think it's a good idea to sit down on the middle of Princes St during rush hour and make everyones journey home a mysery! If they are so up in arms about Iraq etc then why don't they just piss off there and leave us in peace!

Could have at least done it down at Holyrood (I guess Her Mag was the reason for today), where the traffic's always a carpark anyway.

[Gemini]

Don't you just hate our troops being killed in Iraq - especially when the latest casualty was a young Scots Lad of 19 years - barely out of School - sent to Iraq to do what!! Oh yes make sure that we can have that precious commodity that we all need ...OIL!
Would you like to be in the shoes of the parents and families who have lost their loved ones - I for one would JUST HATE IT !
I say GETIFU out of there!!

[wangi]

You seem to be missing a fairly important point - that lad joined the army by his own choice. He knew exactly what he was doing.

[Mimpty]

I have to agree with Wangi.
It is very sad the young soldier was killed and I feel very sorry for his family, however... I think it is very naive of anyone to join an army and not expect to go into combat at some stage.
If you join up you have to be prepared to kill or be killed.

[Surrealist]

[Gemini]

I have to agree with Wangi.
It is very sad the young soldier was killed and I feel very sorry for his family, however... I think it is very naive of anyone to join an army and not expect to go into combat at some stage.
If you join up you have to be prepared to kill or be killed.

Get Real... Most people who Join the Armed Forces never think that they will go into armed combat... ok there are a few who join hoping that they might one day see action...but these types are very much in the minority.

Recruitment Offices never mention when asking you to sign on the dotted line that you may one day find yourself fighting for your life to protect the Assets of the Greedy Rich and Powerful - they are pushing the nicer side : Salary/Travel/Pension.

Another little detail they forget to tell you : Oh by the way, if you per-chance find yourself in combat , please note that you wil have to share a Bullet Proof Jacket, and oh yes, we have sold off the armoured vehicles, so you will be on patrol exposed in full uniform, in hired cars.

The parents of the young Scots Lad who was killed spoke about inadequate training? He certainly was not a seasoned campaigner at 19 years old!

[Mimpty]

I am not suggesting that they all "hope to see action", and however much the career/pension side is pushed you can't escape army = fighting.

We've been brought up with the army present in Northern Ireland - even if not in the same league as the fighting in Iraq - it can't have escaped people's attention that it is a dangerous job.

[Porty]

[Get Real... Most people who Join the Armed Forces never think that they will go into armed combat... ok there are a few who join hoping that they might one day see action...but these types are very much in the minority.

Hardly anyone who takes a job for the first time is completely au-fait with all of the good and bad things that may be part of the job.

However, I believe many people join the Army because they are attracted by the chance to shoot at live targets. They just don't think through that the targets will shoot back. We are not talking about the brightest cookies are we? I have often heard Army Personnel refer to us as "Civvy Bastards".

Basically, most of the people who join up have little other option and are seduced by sales and marketing. In the majority of cases the Army, Navy or RAF does a good job for them.

I cant agree with Gemini here, if a soldier doesn't realise that he may get killed when his employer goes to War, he wants shooting and he aint making Officer.

[wangi]

Get Real... Most people who Join the Armed Forces never think that they will go into armed combat...

Well you'd have thought Afghanistan would've highlighted the possibility!