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Won’t somebody please value our Armed Forces

By Alan W Collins on Tuesday 20th November 2007 10:28 / 3 comments

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am now officially angry! I know that I can quite often appear as though I am angry in my posts, but most often it is for emphasis of my point – but today as I sit in the Study Area at school, I am genuinely angered by an assembly I have just had to sit through. In this assembly, Mr H (one of my Physics teachers) sought to devalue our Armed Services and adhere to the Demos report’s conclusion that “men and women who put their lives at risk are being overlooked” by members of the public.

Mr H’s argument? That more people across the world died of cigarette-related illness and smallpox combined over the twentieth century than in war. He said that he was surprised that people would march down Whitehall to remember those who have given their lives, or protest in the streets against war, yet no-one had taken to the streets against smallpox. I’m sorry, Mr H, I hadn’t realised these people had actually volunteered to die of smallpox!

That may sound a little harsh, and possibly a little extreme, but we must be clear and differentiate between people who volunteered to fight for Queen and Country, in the full knowledge that they might die in some war-torn hell-hole, and those who unwillingly contract a deadly disease. And once that differentiation has been made, perhaps someone may possibly explain precisely why, in this year’s budget, £9bn was pledged towards fighting Aids, yet only £400m extra was provided for our Armed Services.

This Country – Government and Citizens alike – has broken the Military Covenant that once bound the Government to recognise the bravery of our servicemen and look after them during, and after, service; and which commanded pride in our Armed Services amongst British Citizens. Instead, a fully trained soldier earns £10,000 less than a fully trained policmen and almost half a fully trained fire fighter and defence spending as a percentage of GDP is at its lowest since the 1930s.

Our Armed Services put their lives on the line for our Country and our freedom – the least we can do is respect them and look after them.

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3 Comments

Cllr John Ward says:

Tuesday 20th November 2007 at 17:55

I don’t know what your teacher’s problem is, but at least my Group on Medway Council do fully appreciate our Armed Forces. Indeed, our Leader has brought a formal Motion to this Thursday’s meeting of the full Council in recognition of the work they do. The Motion is as follows:

Our armed forces are acting in the highest traditions of our nation in their conduct of operations overseas. Reservists and regular servicemen and women alike share the burden and risks and they do so in the most difficult of circumstances, with great pressure on manpower and other resources.

On behalf of the people of Medway this Council wishes to express admiration at the bravery, endurance and professionalism of our servicemen and women, as well as the fortitude and quiet courage of their families at home in the United Kingdom.

It will be interesting to see whether the lefties on the Council support this Motion! Feel free to attend in the Public Gallery and find out — otherwise I’ll report back here what happens, on Friday.
Cllr John Ward says:

Thursday 22nd November 2007 at 23:13

Well, as you know Alan (and thank you for turning up this evening) this Motion was passed unanimously at tonight’s meeting of the full Medway Council — and a good job too!

I enjoyed myself (as I often do) during various parts of the meeting, including others’ and even my own contributions. I was especially pleased with Cllrs Mark Reckless and Craig Mackinlay for their excellent performances in respect of the other Motion — and I know you stayed on to catch this as well. In this debate, I was pleased to be able to introduce Gordon Brown — the “Clucking Fist”(!)

On a personal note, I think is a record for me in having two Labour members and a LibDem try to have a go at me. Didn’t work, of course: when it comes to Cllr Mrs Murray in particular, I am reminded of something Denis Healey once said: “It’s like being savaged by a dead sheep!”
Alan Collins says:

Friday 23rd November 2007 at 17:19

Hmm. Interesting quotation, I should make a note of that as it could fit a few people I know…

I did enjoy the meeting, although the public gallery was a bit cramped to begin with owing to the amount of Chapter-related people in to watch the presentation of a 3,000-strong petition (I think that was the number, anyway).

As for the motion, as I have blogged here, I am very happy that the motion was passed. I will also be blogging fully about the meeting, with more “transcripts” about Post Offices, deprivation and hypocrisy from a Twydall Councillor.