A “Squaddie” from 5 Platoon, 2nd Battalion, “The Rifles” Battle Group, Basra..
The soldier, photographed above is unnamed and unrewarded by the media – he is still in action and will be actively engaged in operations for some time
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He, unlike his Navy contemporary, Arthur Batchelor – who blubbed because the nasty Iranians took away his Ipod - we would like to think is the representative face of the British military.The soldier pictured had recently taken part in a vicious gunfight in Basra, and the strain shows on his face. Not for him is there mummy and auntie to hold his hands or newspaper to offer him 'life changing amounts of money' for his story.
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A report by by Thomas Harding of The Daily Telegraph, based in part on MoD reports deseves a full reading. What also brings the account to life is the superb report by Michael Yon who is entirely open in his admiration for the skill and professionalism of the soldiers engaged in the action. There would be no better way of returning the compliment than going to his site as well and reading the graphic narrative in full.
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At a different level, Yon also conveys the constant indirect fire harassment of the soldiers at their base in the Basra Palace complex, something about which Dr Richard North has written about many times.
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Another issue is the absence of helicopter support (although fixed wing surveillance would have been just as useful), which again we have written on a few times. Clearly, neither of these issues have been resolved and, if there was to be criticism of the MoD, it is there that the attack should lie. Better that than the unremitting scattergun approach that relies on the constant, tedious repetition of the sacred mantras "overstretch" and "underfunding".
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For instance, in terms of airborne surveillance – the lack of which Yon points out - whatever happened to the Britten Norman Defenders which were purchased for Basra and would be admirable for the purpose? Despite extensive enquiries, no one to whom I have spoken - who has been to Basra recently - has seen them.
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The more immediate issue, however, is the damage to the reputation of Britain and the Armed Forces, arising from the abduction of the "frightened fifteen" and their subsequent behaviour. It becomes imperative that the issues surrounding that incident should be given the most thorough examination. This time, there should also be a clear commitment to addressing the defects revealed, at all levels.
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From extensive investigations this blog is convinced that the heart of the problem lies with serious operational failures on the part of serving, senior naval officers, going to the very top of the Royal Navy.
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For the rest, we are seeing a media frenzy who are trivialising a serious issues. Buoyed by self-serving politicians, they are striving to extract political embarrassment, for no other reason than to promote their own interests. However much they may wrap themselves in Union Jacks, or parade the coffins of dead servicemen, they are not acting in the national interest and they are no friends of the military.
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On Monday, we will see the Secretary of State for Defence, The Rt Hon. Des Browne, stand up in Parliament and give account of himself and his actions. He is not a brilliant Parliamentary performer by any means but, despite the air of sleaze and corruption that surrounds this present administration, we believe he is an honourable man, trying to do his best in an extremely difficult situation.
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The Defence Secetary should be given a hearing and if, as we confidently expect, there are announced on Monday one or more inquiries (and not soppy lessons learned opertunities) they should be allowed to conduct their work and deliver their reports, so that urgent remedial action can be put in place. Then will be the time to dissect the detail and apportion blame, where it is due.That is the imperative. That we owe to the unnamed solider, pictured at the top of this post, him and the many brave, dedicated service personnel, who deserve a better deal than they are getting from the media and opposition politicians.
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With the reputations of HM Armed Forces and the nation at stake – on which lives depend - this is no time for partisan sniping or self-serving bickering.
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