UK Soldier refuses to go to Afghanistan

BBC

A serving British soldier who is refusing to return to Afghanistan will deliver a letter to the Prime Minister protesting against the conflict.

L/Cpl Joe Glenton of the Royal Logistic Corps will say in his letter that the commitment and dedication of British troops was being "misused".

The Yorkshire soldier is facing a preliminary court martial after saying he would not return to Afghanistan.


I'm sorry but this guy signed up after the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. His obligation is to do his duty - he signed up freely and the expectation is that he do as agreed.

Had he been a member before these invasions then perhaps I would have supported him but not on this occasion.

Being against the Iraq war in particular I take exception to the Stop the War Coaliation using this as a positive step in their PR material. It does the argument no good at all.

The Armed Forces are here to protect and serve British interests, home and abroad.
People know this when they sign up and are very much made aware of this during training.
Armed Forces personnel must be apolitical.
This soldier should be charged with treason and locked up in The Tower.
Shameful.

This soldier is saying he will not go to his death in a stupid war.

Who can blame him?

And, before you start blaming him, would YOU lay down your life for a stupid war? Or any war?

reply to post by spellbound


I didn't join for precisely that reason (i.e. not wanting to be a pawn of some scumbag politician that i didn't vote for).

HE DID. It is his DUTY.

He deserves everything the court martial will throw at him.

Why can't he just sign off and leave the forces?

I'm not sure how it works these days, but when i first joined it was 3, 6 or 9 years, but later they changed it to you could give a years notice and be out.

Would save him a lot of hassle.

CX.

reply to post by CX


I'm not sure if he can but he's the one who wants to make a point. Lets hope it backfires on him.

He should have been bright enough to work this type of stuff out before he joined. I have no sympathy whatsoever.

reply to post by phoenix103


I am disgusted,


This guy was a soldier - who among you are?

Would you like to go out there and be shot at?

Give this guy a break, at least he had the guts to join up.

I am quite shocked at some of the responses??

His DUTY??? Why is not a duty to want PEACE?

I hope many others follow his example, I hope people wake up and get their heads out of this silly mentality of 'He signed up, he has an obligation blah blah'...

We are HUMAN BEINGS for goodness sake!

Serve Peace and Humanity, not wars and destruction.

reply to post by spellbound


That is the most ludicrous point of view i think i've ever heard.

reply to post by Mer Ka Bah


>Serve Peace and Humanity, not wars and destruction.

I agree. I'm a pacifist but if you take the Queen's shilling willingly then you do what you're told. Thats the deal. End of story.

What you do not do it try to create some kind of media career for yourself based on some spurious arguement you should have been able to work out before you signed up.

Originally posted by spellbound
This soldier is saying he will not go to his death in a stupid war.

Who can blame him?

And, before you start blaming him, would YOU lay down your life for a stupid war? Or any war?

Because he joined up knowing he could be sent there.
It is not about me, it is about him.
So he wants all the 'perks' the Army offers but doesn't actually want to do his job?

And it is not a stupid war.
It is a war against one of the most repressive regimes ever known and the vast majority of Afghan people want us there and support our role.

The shameful thing is that we don't give our armed forces the correct kit to perform the jobs to the best of their ability and we don't support them.

Iraq was a stupid war but the memory of those who fought and served there should be respected.

The very fact you can rightly express your right about war's is reliant on men fighting in a stupid war 60+ years ago.
People in Afghanistan want the same right, that would be denied them by The Taliban.

The Tower for him I say.

[edit on 30/7/09 by Freeborn]

reply to post by phoenix103


I don't understand why you should say that - and actually I am totally fed up with why you should say that.

Originally posted by spellbound
reply to post by phoenix103

 

....., at least he had the guts to join up.

But no balls to fight!

To a certain extent I admire him for standing up for 'what he believes in', but why did he sign up in the first place.
Even the biggest fool must realise that if you join the army you may get sent to war.
And in a professional army you can't cherry pick which war to fight in.
You join the British Army, you go where they tell you.
It is very simple indeed.

This guy signed up to be a soldier so he is not a conscientious objector. He knew what the deal was when signing up.

conscientious objectors were men who were being subscripted into an army who didnt believe in the fight. So now a conscientious objector is someone who chooses NOT to join the Army. Maybe this is a little harsh, but no one forced this guy to Join the Army

reply to post by Freeborn


Couldn't agree more. I learnt the absurdity of war from people who'd served on both sides in WW2. Sadly no longer with us.

Iraq was wrong and hopefully those responsible will be punnished for their crimes. Afghanistan was more necessary altough i do not really believe in interfering with the internal situation of a sovereign nation. Alas, as that was somewhere training was being conducted for attacks on the West it was self defence.

I have nothing but contempt for the argument put forward that just because you haven't joined the forces you aren't able to express a view. Thats not a democracy, thats not what our forefathers died for and its to show utter dispresect for the conventions of a free society.

Thankfully there are enough intelligent people out there that this point of view is rare!

reply to post by phoenix103


Maybe after serving for his country, risking his life, and watching innocent people die, he had had enough?

Maybe the realization that this fake war on terror is simply in the interests of the West, he decided to make a stand?

Many people join the forces blindly, not realizing what it is really about...



Like I said, we are human beings, not property, and we should not feel obliged to do anything that is as destructive, pointless and damaging as War.

I agree.

They should throw the book at him.

I had enormous responsibilities when I served in the RAF 20+ years ago. I didn't go weeping & wailing to anti war organisations. I just got on with it and put my conscience to one side for the greater good.

Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to do and die.

reply to post by Freeborn




I am fed up with you people criticizing this BRAVE person who you could never be - for heavens sake Look at yourselves.

You could never be that soldier, because you were not brave enough to go out there.

reply to post by spellbound


In a democracy there are certain inherent rights and responsibilities -

You have the right to vote, to pass comment on public policy or actions conducted in "our name", you can stand for election, lobby and so on.

The responsibilities are to comply with the law, pay your taxes and generally not do anything to the detriment of others.

At no point in any of this is there an obligation to join a miliatary service just so you can pass comment on said service later.

Your comments are quite offensive in that they imply that those who don't join up are somehow "cowardly" or do not have a right to pass comment. You are wrong hence my reply.

I shant try and force you to agree, its your call but don't expect to make that kind of comment with impunity. Free speech doesn't guarantee no response to things we dont agre with!

Originally posted by Freeborn
The Armed Forces are here to protect and serve British interests, home and abroad.

Plsssssssss like the governments around the world made up of the people that have been voted by the people or not (gordon brown uk)

People know this when they sign up and are very much made aware of this during training.
Armed Forces personnel must be apolitical.
This soldier should be charged with treason and locked up in The Tower.
Shameful.

I strongly disagree, this soldier needs a slap on the back, his actions have made the MSM which in turn will educate the sheeples

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is purely about 3 things no MORE no LESS

MONEY POWER GREED



[edit on 30-7-2009 by franspeakfree]