Well actually Tunesmith, there was a majority support for the mission in Afghanistan, and despite what the media has you believe, Afghan is a safer country today for your average civilian than it has been at any point during the last 20 years, especially during the years of Taliban rule.

There are extraordinary acts of bravery happening every day out there, which are saving lives of our soldiers and of civilians.


I am a serving front-line infantry soldier, and in half the posts on this thread you'd think we were the enemy!!
I joined up because I wanted to SERVE my COUNTRY - yes, some people still believe in 'service,' this old fashioned concept, rather than serving THEMSELVES, their own salary and their own pension pot.
Because I BELIEVE that you should be prepared to fight for what's right in the world, and sticking up for the little guy unable to defend himself.
And because I wanted to travel, see the world, and live outside my comfort zone.

"While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that,
an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir",
when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys,
there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir",
when there's trouble in the wind."



As for being "murderers," well, we are sent out by the governments YOU elect!!! The government makes decisions to send forces on YOUR behalf, we act on YOUR behalf.
Unless high-level permission has been sought, WE CAN ONLY shoot if there is an imminent threat to LIFE (be that a civilian or soldier!!!)
I.e. the SAME right to self defence that you have as a civilian. We have no more rights than you.

Sierre Leonne, Kosovo - were the soldiers "murderers" there? Or did their presence and protection PREVENT huge loss of innocent life?



As for "giving up the right to think for yourself and having to follow orders."
Well that's just a load of rubbish. If you do act and shoot somebody, you best be dammned prepared to stand up for yourself and justify your actions if it comes to court (happens frequently.) Only yesterday did a soldier lose his career for punching a Taliban prisoner.