Comments on: Gordon Brown leaves our troops to die in Afghanistan http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/ Daily views on British politics and the Conservative Party from a centre-right thinker who writes letters on his blog to politicians, journalists and many others. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:51:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Monoi http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11080 Monoi Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:49:50 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11080 Subrosa, It seems you fell off the fence once too often. Read again what gom wrote, it is exactly the reverse of what you think.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11080','Monoi'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11080','Monoi','Subrosa,\r\n\r\nIt seems you fell off the fence once too often. Read again what gom wrote, it is exactly the reverse of what you think.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Subrosa,

It seems you fell off the fence once too often. Read again what gom wrote, it is exactly the reverse of what you think.

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]]> By: subrosa http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11069 subrosa Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:34:50 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11069 'The Officers are all chinless wonders from the aristocracy' - Grumpy Old Man. I really do find that remark offensive GOM and I doubt if you could provide me with any evidence in this day and age. If you can then I will apologise but until then I will continue to think you have little knowledge of today's military. Otherwise I usually fall on your side of the fence.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11069','subrosa'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11069','subrosa','\'The Officers are all chinless wonders from the aristocracy\' - Grumpy Old Man.\r\n\r\nI really do find that remark offensive GOM and I doubt if you could provide me with any evidence in this day and age. If you can then I will apologise but until then I will continue to think you have little knowledge of today\'s military.\r\n\r\nOtherwise I usually fall on your side of the fence.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> ‘The Officers are all chinless wonders from the aristocracy’ – Grumpy Old Man.

I really do find that remark offensive GOM and I doubt if you could provide me with any evidence in this day and age. If you can then I will apologise but until then I will continue to think you have little knowledge of today’s military.

Otherwise I usually fall on your side of the fence.

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]]> By: Ex-Pat Alfie http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11050 Ex-Pat Alfie Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:36:15 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11050 I've heard that Gordon Brown and Bob Ainsworth intended to volunteer as drivers in Helmund, for 6 months. Then they realised that no one, not even the troops, would stop them.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11050','Ex-Pat Alfie'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11050','Ex-Pat Alfie','I\'ve heard that Gordon Brown and Bob Ainsworth intended to volunteer as drivers in Helmund, for 6 months. \r\nThen they realised that no one, not even the troops, would stop them.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> I’ve heard that Gordon Brown and Bob Ainsworth intended to volunteer as drivers in Helmund, for 6 months.
Then they realised that no one, not even the troops, would stop them.
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]]> By: anniea http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11048 anniea Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:20:33 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11048 A bit late in the day I know but I just would like to add my feelings of hate for what Gordon Brown has NOT done and the terrible havoc he and Blair have created. It seems strange that having 'sorted' Northern Ireland they then proceeded with Iraq AND Afganistan. Just out of interest did anyone see the interview with Brown where he was talking about the books he has written? His dedication and sincerity were mind blowing! I make no further comment.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11048','anniea'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11048','anniea','A bit late in the day I know but I just would like to add my feelings of hate for what Gordon Brown has NOT done and the terrible havoc he and Blair have created. It seems strange that having \'sorted\' Northern Ireland they then proceeded with Iraq AND Afganistan. \r\n\r\nJust out of interest did anyone see the interview with Brown where he was talking about the books he has written? His dedication and sincerity were mind blowing! \r\n\r\nI make no further comment.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> A bit late in the day I know but I just would like to add my feelings of hate for what Gordon Brown has NOT done and the terrible havoc he and Blair have created. It seems strange that having ’sorted’ Northern Ireland they then proceeded with Iraq AND Afganistan.

Just out of interest did anyone see the interview with Brown where he was talking about the books he has written? His dedication and sincerity were mind blowing!

I make no further comment.

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]]> By: patently http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11032 patently Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:49:07 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11032 <a href="http://thepatentlyblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/letters-from-tory-is-right.html" rel="nofollow">Letters from a Tory is right [...] This is the real human cost of Brown's financial incompetence over the last 12 years</a><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11032','patently'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11032','patently','<a href=\"http:\/\/thepatentlyblog.blogspot.com\/2009\/07\/letters-from-tory-is-right.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Letters from a Tory is right [...] This is the real human cost of Brown\'s financial incompetence over the last 12 years<\/a>'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Letters from a Tory is right [...] This is the real human cost of Brown’s financial incompetence over the last 12 years
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]]> By: Bill Quango MP http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11025 Bill Quango MP Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:21:45 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11025 It is Brown's fault. i mean it really is his. He was the chancellor who agreed to back the war but refused the money to fight it. In which he case he should have refused to back it. Instead he did his usual verbal tricks and bring forth from capital account/ change to revenue account/ extend by 5 years not four and hey presto the military has a higher level of spending than ever before. Only it was 10p tax 22p - 20p rate income tax spending. mostly illusionary. There are precious few transport aircraft and haven't been for 20 years. GB has had airline crashes in 2001/03 and 08 to buy as many cheap planes as he wanted, to pick up cancelled orders or buy the fleets of from XL air and the like. Helicopters were required at the time of the Falklands. there were not enough then. The replacement transport lynx was agreed at Christmas time last year! That was when it was agreed for contract. It still has to be built and tested. Its years away! Yet we undertook a mountainous war and a sand war without enough helicopters. Gordon could have bought Humvees when our Northern Ireland riot control vehicles kept getting destroyed. But no, too expensive. Better to have nothing. 8 years after the war started the right transport vehicles aren't there. We know about the appalling Apache gunship avionics scandal that means our troops are reliant on the US forces for close air support. we knew the radios didn't work and the problems with boots and rifles. The MOD has worked hard on the those, and it is working on making what is there better protected.Textile armour being the latest invention that might save a few lives. But the expensive armoured vehicles and air transports have not been bought. One man is responsible and I hope a shadow of guilt passes over his heart as he reads the names of the dead this week when he thinks of the work he sent the Scottish shipbuilders way, AT THE EXPENSE of the infantry.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11025','Bill Quango MP'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11025','Bill Quango MP','It is Brown\'s fault. i mean it really is his. He was the chancellor who agreed to back the war but refused the money to fight it. In which he case he should have refused to back it.\r\nInstead he did his usual verbal tricks and bring forth from capital account\/ change to revenue account\/ extend by 5 years not four and hey presto the military has a higher level of spending than ever before. Only it was 10p tax 22p - 20p rate income tax spending. mostly illusionary.\r\nThere are precious few transport aircraft and haven\'t been for 20 years. GB has had airline crashes in 2001\/03 and 08 to buy as many cheap planes as he wanted, to pick up cancelled orders or buy the fleets of from XL air and the like.\r\nHelicopters were required at the time of the Falklands. there were not enough then. The replacement transport lynx was agreed at Christmas time last year! That was when it was agreed for contract. It still has to be built and tested. Its years away!\r\nYet we undertook a mountainous war and a sand war without enough helicopters.\r\nGordon could have bought Humvees when our Northern Ireland riot control vehicles kept getting destroyed. But no, too expensive. Better to have nothing.\r\n8 years after the war started the right transport vehicles aren\'t there. We know about the appalling Apache gunship avionics scandal that means our troops are reliant on the US forces for close air support. we knew the radios didn\'t work and the problems with boots and rifles. The MOD has worked hard on the those, and it is working on making what is there better protected.Textile armour being the latest invention that might save a few lives. But the expensive armoured vehicles and air transports have not been bought.\r\nOne man is responsible and I hope a shadow of guilt passes over his heart as he reads the names of the dead this week when he thinks of the work he sent the Scottish shipbuilders way, AT THE EXPENSE of the infantry.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> It is Brown’s fault. i mean it really is his. He was the chancellor who agreed to back the war but refused the money to fight it. In which he case he should have refused to back it.
Instead he did his usual verbal tricks and bring forth from capital account/ change to revenue account/ extend by 5 years not four and hey presto the military has a higher level of spending than ever before. Only it was 10p tax 22p – 20p rate income tax spending. mostly illusionary.
There are precious few transport aircraft and haven’t been for 20 years. GB has had airline crashes in 2001/03 and 08 to buy as many cheap planes as he wanted, to pick up cancelled orders or buy the fleets of from XL air and the like.
Helicopters were required at the time of the Falklands. there were not enough then. The replacement transport lynx was agreed at Christmas time last year! That was when it was agreed for contract. It still has to be built and tested. Its years away!
Yet we undertook a mountainous war and a sand war without enough helicopters.
Gordon could have bought Humvees when our Northern Ireland riot control vehicles kept getting destroyed. But no, too expensive. Better to have nothing.
8 years after the war started the right transport vehicles aren’t there. We know about the appalling Apache gunship avionics scandal that means our troops are reliant on the US forces for close air support. we knew the radios didn’t work and the problems with boots and rifles. The MOD has worked hard on the those, and it is working on making what is there better protected.Textile armour being the latest invention that might save a few lives. But the expensive armoured vehicles and air transports have not been bought.
One man is responsible and I hope a shadow of guilt passes over his heart as he reads the names of the dead this week when he thinks of the work he sent the Scottish shipbuilders way, AT THE EXPENSE of the infantry.
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]]> By: Talwin http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11024 Talwin Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:54:19 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11024 C'mon guys, be fair. Gordon Brown's heart goes out to the families of soldiers who are killed. He says so every time it happens. Sometimes without even having to read it.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11024','Talwin'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11024','Talwin','C\'mon guys, be fair. Gordon Brown\'s heart goes out to the families of soldiers who are killed. He says so every time it happens. Sometimes without even having to read it.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> C’mon guys, be fair. Gordon Brown’s heart goes out to the families of soldiers who are killed. He says so every time it happens. Sometimes without even having to read it.
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]]> By: jameshigham http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11022 jameshigham Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:43:12 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11022 Completely right, LfaT. And he has the nerve to appear at parades and services.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11022','jameshigham'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11022','jameshigham','Completely right, LfaT. And he has the nerve to appear at parades and services.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Completely right, LfaT. And he has the nerve to appear at parades and services.
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]]> By: Obsidian http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11020 Obsidian Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:30:34 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11020 Amazing, Bob Ainsworth has displayed his outright cluelessness - apparently <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8146546.stm" rel="nofollow">Bob cannot differentiate between <i>reduced</i> risk and <i>no</i> risk.</a><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11020','Obsidian'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11020','Obsidian','Amazing, Bob Ainsworth has displayed his outright cluelessness - apparently <a href=\"http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/1\/hi\/uk\/8146546.stm\" rel=\"nofollow\">Bob cannot differentiate between <i>reduced<\/i> risk and <i>no<\/i> risk.<\/a>'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Amazing, Bob Ainsworth has displayed his outright cluelessness – apparently Bob cannot differentiate between reduced risk and no risk.
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]]> By: Obsidian http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/07/12/gordon-brown-leaves-our-troops-to-die-in-afghanistan/#comment-11019 Obsidian Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:28:48 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=3671#comment-11019 @Matt, the MOD deserve every kicking they get - their Treasury paymasters may be responsible for a number of things, but the MOD has a long history of screwing things up. Give them a project, it'll take them the better part of a decade to agree which companies will work on it, the result is usually flawed then they spend ages spinning/lying about the flaws until they're forced into fixing it. <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/26/bowman_still_crap_at_eighteen/" rel="nofollow">The Bowman radio is a fine example of this</a>. Our troops have always been screwed over, they're a political afterthought for all the parties, and we're dealing with a political and procurement system that is constantly preparing to fight the last war. It is disgusting, and it is disgraceful, but Brown is merely the latest in a line of leaders who have betrayed our troops.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('11019','Obsidian'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('11019','Obsidian','@Matt, the MOD deserve every kicking they get - their Treasury paymasters may be responsible for a number of things, but the MOD has a long history of screwing things up. Give them a project, it\'ll take them the better part of a decade to agree which companies will work on it, the result is usually flawed then they spend ages spinning\/lying about the flaws until they\'re forced into fixing it.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theregister.co.uk\/2008\/08\/26\/bowman_still_crap_at_eighteen\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Bowman radio is a fine example of this<\/a>.\r\n\r\nOur troops have always been screwed over, they\'re a political afterthought for all the parties, and we\'re dealing with a political and procurement system that is constantly preparing to fight the last war.\r\n\r\nIt is disgusting, and it is disgraceful, but Brown is merely the latest in a line of leaders who have betrayed our troops.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> @Matt, the MOD deserve every kicking they get – their Treasury paymasters may be responsible for a number of things, but the MOD has a long history of screwing things up. Give them a project, it’ll take them the better part of a decade to agree which companies will work on it, the result is usually flawed then they spend ages spinning/lying about the flaws until they’re forced into fixing it.

The Bowman radio is a fine example of this.

Our troops have always been screwed over, they’re a political afterthought for all the parties, and we’re dealing with a political and procurement system that is constantly preparing to fight the last war.

It is disgusting, and it is disgraceful, but Brown is merely the latest in a line of leaders who have betrayed our troops.

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