Volvo drivers...
Decent in Descent.
As I am no longer serving I have the unalienable right to grow a beard when I choose...can you? Haven't read Viz in years, but I can remember who Tarquin is. A little right-wing Sh%t, if I recall correctly.
Harry Crun.
I was referring to the actions of HM forces, and at last look in the FT the UK was a Capitalist state. You mention the unwarranted Soviet invasions of Hungary and Afghanistan as examples of interventions that were not a matter of self-defence. I agree. Was the recent invasion of Iraq a matter of self defence? Had the UNSC sanctions and containment missions (ie Nthn & Sthn Watch) failed? Had the UN inspection regime turned up WMD?
I hope that you don't think because I express liberal/progressive views that I am ipso facto a Communist? We have moved on from the black and white world of the Cold War, although the neo-Conservatives in the White House haven't. I also agree with your assertion that the Soviet Union was not a workers' Utopia - but the relevance of that to UK involvement in recent wars of choice? It doesn't follow.
Overstretch
The issue of greater representation has been mentioned - to what ends? To express worker disatisfaction? To ask for more leave (even though a considerable percentage of personnel haven't taken their entitlement. BTW, has the practice of top-draw leave passes stopped?) To question war aims?
Do the forces need more people, more flexible employment contracts (contracts would be a start!), better kit - or less involvment in Capitalist ventures?
Yesterday a group of brave service personnel died in pursuit of a questionable facet of a dubious Foreign Policy. I argue that this is where the pressure should be applied - greater debate on Foreign Policy, greater support for multilateral institutions and a healtyh cynicism for anything coming out of the White House requiring UK endorsement on the spurious grounds of international legitimacy.
And no, I am not sullying the names of those who have died in Iraq. They did more than was expected of them in pursuit of foreign policy folly.
Oh, by the way. I am close to completing my second post-graduate degree, and spent 20 years in two Services, and did my fair share of operational dets, and only had a beligerent weapon pointed at me twice. And for ayone who knows me, they would confirm that a Thesaurus is light reading for me... Yah Boo Sucks!