'Iraq guilt' mars British army morale: top general

[sabra]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=65512

'Iraq guilt' mars British army morale: top general

Army morale and recruitment are suffering because troops are seen as "guilty by association" with Prime Minister Tony's Blair's decision to invade Iraq, Britain's top soldier claimed in comments published here Sunday.

General Sir Michael Walker, chief of the defence of staff, also said, in an interview with the Sunday Times, that Britain and the United States will have to make do with a less-than-perfect outcome from the US-led war.

...

"There was an understanding by members of the armed services that this was not an all-hands-up, popular event across the country," he said.

...

"Now I think that's shifted a bit, if I am absolutely honest. Some of the opprobrium attached to the war is also attached to the fact that the armed services are taking part in it. We are, if you like, guilty by association with a decision to go to war that not the whole of this country enjoined."

[Greeby]

1. Bit of trivia - my uncle gets this guys job next year

http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/biog_cas.html

He's something of a distant uncle, as on a personal level, we don't like him

[daleo]

2. Soldiers being blamed for the folly of their leaders

That one is as old as history itself.

[tuckessee]

3. It's the soldiers who are actually killing and torturing Iraqis.

They share a large part of the guilt.

That excuse about "following orders" is as old as history itself as well but it was kind of worn out by the Germans after WW2.

[IndianaGreen]

4. People are responsible for their actions; soldiers are no exception!

The only unfairness is when those soldiers that behaved honourably are tainted by the crimes others have committed. We must protect and defend the soldiers that did not commit war crimes, but we must also condemn and prosecute the ones that killed civilians or engaged in torture.

"Support the troops" is immoral and unethical when used as blank immunity for crimes against humanity.

[frozenfishdemon]

5. true

supporting troops to me only applies to fallen men in Arlington National Cemetery,and men in the VA, and those who protect civilians all over the world....

and when something like Abu Grav happens, nothing happens to the true criminals who commited the acts. its the soldiers who leave honest lives that have to pay, and contractors helping iraqs get up on their feet.

but a terrorist can cut the head off a man who was over in iraq building schools, and that is seen as "just" for those pictures. how is that any better?

sure there are bad people everywhere, but they never have to pay for their actions, its always the honest.