no, I feel sorry for them for being conned into wasting their lives as political pawns

Whilst you live what is evidently a fulfilling and rewarding existence as a free spirit who gives so much to society? 😐

A lot of them will simply relish the opportunity to pit their training and skills against those of the enemy whilst fighting alongside their mates. It's the ultimate test, if you want to look at it that way.

The "ultimate" test ? Really ?……….surely the ultimate test depends on the "enemy" ? 😕

Presumably the ultimate test of pitting your training and skills against those of the enemy, would be to fight an enemy who had an airforce, tanks, heavy weapons, etc ….. just like you have. And to stay in the conflict zone not for maybe 6 months, but until the conflict was over – years if necessary.

I'm not sure that calling the US airforce in to demolish the side of a mountain because someone has taken a pot shot at you, necessarily represents the ultimate test of your training and skills – although obviously it is some sort of test.

Thankfully it's been quite a while since British forces have been expected undergo the ultimate test of their training and skills. And hopefully it'll stay like that.

Ernie, the ultimate test of the British Armed Forces as a whole might well be a war as you describe, but for an individual any of the small unit contacts that take place on a daily basis in Afghanistan could be the ultimate test.

If he (or she) is not up to the job then he (or she) stands a good chance of ending up dead. How much more ultimate can you get?

The Taliban might not have the same level of equipment but, as the Russians discovered, they know how to fight and they know how to use the ground to best effect. (The Taliban are post Russian occupation, but recruited from the remnants of the Afghan resistance).

As for the length of the conflict, if you don't cut the mustard and get killed in your first contact it doesn't matter how long the conflict goes on for really!

Most of the guys I knew from school that joined the forces (and a careers advisor put some pressure on me to do the same) were just working class lads with few qualifications who thought it looked more interesting than being unemployed in Thatchers britain, or getting leathered by their jakey father every night.
Patriotism, guns or killing people had nothing to do with it.
On the subject of the current conflicts, does it occur to you that British troops are being used to fight America's war, by proxy, the same way that the British empire used troops from its subject nations?
Anyway the quicker they're all home, the better.

The Taliban are post Russian occupation, but recruited from the remnants of the Afghan resistance

And without any of the advanced weaponry which the US generously supplied them with when they were fighting Soviet forces.

Whilst I won't deny that Afghanistan represents a challenging environment, it can hardly be described as a conflict of two equal sides – despite the fact that the weaker side appears to be winning.

Whilst you live what is evidently a fulfilling and rewarding existence as a free spirit who gives so much to society?

you're making me blush :o)

And without any of the advanced weaponry which the US generously supplied them with when they were fighting Soviet forces.

Apart from the stingers that are still missing!

Didn't know they used civillian airports

a free spirit who gives so much to society

You haven't seen his pictures of ladies' arses then? You haven't lived…

Pieface – Member
Didn't know they used civillian airports

All the time…

Whe just never made it obvious….

I did 12 years, and loved it..

pieface. we dont as far as im aware!!

If he (or she) is not up to the job then he (or she) stands a good chance of ending up dead. How much more ultimate can you get?

I don't think "being up to the job" has much say in many of the life and death situations that our soldiers are finding themselves in. I doubt very much that any of our soldiers and officers have lost their lives because they are not very good at their job.

We do not have a conscript Army so I whole heartedly agree that any soldier should be fully aware of what they are letting themselves in for when they join. These days with the amount of media coverage that the war is receiving it would be hard not to.

What frustrates me about some of the comments on here though is the feeling that the country should not be paying our fallen soldiers the respect they deserve. They have chosen to serve Queen and Country – for whatever reason(s) that they may be.

1111 – Member
pieface. we dont as far as im aware!!

Depends what your doing fella… 🙄