What is your opinion on British troops in Iraq and Afganistan do you support them or believe they are bad?

Question

Serving soldier

Answer 1

I believe the troops are doing their duty and are heroes one and all. They are not bad, they have a job to do and are doing it to the best of their abilities.

However, that does not mean I think they should be there, in the sense that Britain should not have invaded Iraq. Now that they are there, they are trying to make life for ordinary Iraqi's better, but they are hindered by the resentment of a people who do not see them as saviours, but an illegal occupying force. Let's admit it, many of them preferred their former living conditions, even if Saddam was a despot.

And let's make no mistake about motives here. The Governments of Britain and especially America were not interested in 'regime change', they don't give a monkey's who's in power as long as they get what they want. Heck, the Americans have been known to overthrow democratically elected Governments and put their own despots in charge, like they did with, say, Saddam Hussien in Iraq. Yes that's right, they put him in power in the first place.

They invaded for one reason: OIL.

No matter how many new sites are explored, how many deep sea wells they drill, how much pressure they put on Saudi Arabia to produce more, the fact is, the supply of oil is declining. Despite new oil fields coming on line last year, the Saudi's. the people with the largest oil field in the world on their doorstep, produced 8% less oil last year. This is set to continue, year on year. Peak Oil may have arrived, and America is hungry to keep the supplies coming and their economy ticking over. When you have an economic model that relies on constant growth, anything that interferes with it could cause economic collapse.

We in Britain are not immune. We too have adopted the same way of doing business. I don't know if the Americans succeeded in passing a law in Iraq that would have allowed foriegn companies to exploit the oil industry, but one of the conditions those companies would have demanded would have been security for their workers supplied by the American army. The demand for the withdrawl of American and British troops could be a problem if this is the case.

If they do pass this law, it is unlikely that the Iraqi people are going to see much money from their own oil industry, money that they need to rebuild their country. Sanctions damaged nearly every part of their lives and it is estimated that 500,000 children died as a direct result of them.

As for Afganistan, what is the problem with growing poppies? We have a shortage of opiates in our Health Service for pain relief. Why can't we buy them up like any other crop and make use of them? It doesn't make sense. Perhaps there's more going on here.

Finally, I want to thank every serving member of the armed forces, you are the best, and the bravest. It pierces the hearts of every British subject when we hear of the deaths and injuries you suffer serving your country. I wish you well.

Answer 2

British Troops are with our coalition in Afganistan to fight the world's deadly enemies - the al Quedas. We should cheer to that.

British Troops have to be in Iraq to protect their British Embassy in the Green Zone. There are very minimal British Troops actually doing the fighting in the outskorts! There are probably only 7200 of them left in Iraq, out of which 1000 will pull out in 2008. At least, the Brits are more humanely concerned about the deaths of their soldiers for Iraq's unsolvable Civil War than we are.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,,2017824,00.html

Answer 3

I don't support them because they are not actually anything to do with the British army. At the same time you have signed up for the army and so, this is what you have to do. My own late father was in the army for 35 years and this was some years ago. After National Service, he decided to stay in.

All I can say is that only you can decide what you want to do. My late Daddy enjoyed the army like you wouldn't believe. He died of old age and smoking and drinking. Life in the army is hard, but why not stay a while longer or something.

Answer 4

I believe, we have every right to be in Afghanistan,after all that is where 9/11 was conceived. Iraq is another question and the squaddie his not to blame for the Politicians who put you there. I will support the British Armed Forces any time and respect there professionalism. |Having said that Back the Squaddie, prosecute Blair.

Answer 5

Respect the troops - I cannot tell you how hard it is being forced to fight in a war you possibly don't believe in yourself and then getting home to people calling you a murderer. That's what happened to my fellows and I on our return from Iraq in 03. We just thought we'd been involved in a historical campaign to rid the evil forces of Saddam, but everyone else thought we were invaders and murderers. We do what the boss says, if we don't we go to jail. Yes, we signed on the dotted line, but most signed for wholly different reasons and wars than we are fighting today.
I joined to defend Great Britain's greatness, to fight the Queen's enemies. I will always be DAMN proud of that. So anyone who says that we ARE tossers needs to just do our job for a few days and see that we work extremely hard for relatively low wages for a job we are PROUD to do. We are not greedy, we have not sinned. So the bottom line is always SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS. Democracy allows you to vote otherwise against a crap government if you don't like what we are doing.

Answer 6

No. I don't support British troops being in either country. Don't blame the troops for being there though - out of their control.

Answer 7

support the troops as they do a great job.....
The troops are only doing what they are told to do....
Blame Mr Bush and Mr Blair, Bush for wanting a war and Blair for following Bush like his lap dog.....it is these people who are doing the bad things by starting wars for money-oil...
the troops are just they pawns in this game......

Answer 8

Have respect for the troops, the troops are not bad just doing their job.
Do not respect the Government for sending the troops to fight an unjust war.
Do not respect the Government for sending troops to fight without adequate equiptment.
Do not respect the Governments mistreatment of injured troops.
You deserve more respect.

Answer 9

Our troops are the best in the world, they are highly trained and motivated, I would support them for all time. The oly bad people are the ones they have to fight against, the muslims, taliban etc.

Answer 10

I support the troops but dont think they should be in Iraq or Afghanistan - they should be home