"I've never shamed my family with rifle and beret but have tried to serve my country well."

Really? I suppose we'll just have to take your word for it. Have you been successful in serving your country GUEST, or have you been more successful in serving yourself?

"But serving your country is a different kettle of fish to propping up desperate governments. Thatcher with Falklands, Major, Blair and Brown with Middle East and Cameron wearing two faces simultaneously and hoping nobody notices."

1: The Falklands - you would have thrown British subjects on the mercies of Galtieri's Junta without a second thought? In what way is that serving your country? How noble of you.

2: Major?? Ah you mean the response to Iraq's invasion and attempted annexation of Kuwait (Good heavens faithful servant of the British nation and the British people - you do seem awfully predisposed to rewarding military aggression by others at the expense of the innocent and at no cost to yourself - again how noble of you) By the bye the decision to eject Iraqi troops from Kuwait was I believe a UN decision. Then of course there was that stramash in the former Yugoslav Republic the involvement of NATO there was to prevent genocide wasn't it?

3: Blair and Brown?? Afghanistan? Our initial involvement there had something to do with our being part of NATO and honouring articles 5 & 6 of the NATO Charter, subsequently we were involved at the behest of the UN as part of UNAMA and ISAF. Iraq in 2003 had something to do with a ceasefire agreement signed by the Government of Iraq in March 1991 at a place called Safwan. As the Iraqis did not comply with the terms and conditions they had agreed to the ceasefire was deemed to have been broken leaving any of the combatant signatories free to resume hostilities until such time as compliance had been achieved.

4: Cameron?? Libya was a UN operation at the prompting of the Arab League, the GCC, France, Britain and the USA - so noble servant of the British people NOT Cameron's sole decision or idea. Syria? rather idiotically voted down in the House of Commons, had action been taken then, we would not have the disaster that we now have in that country.