Beagle.
'When you join the military, you certainly DO have the right to refuse an ILLEGAL order'. Not sure you are 100% there. I always thought that one had an OBLIGATION to do so, or one accepted the consequences. I do not think that there is any question about whether one 'attends' the war because of its illegality, or otherwise....we are not in a restaurant with an 'a la carte' menu where one pick and chooses. The menu is fixed and one goes elsewhere if it is not to one's liking. The jury still seems to be out on the legality issue, and of course, your well thought out comment re the PM, marks you as an objective observer
Agreed, the TA is 7000 down and perhaps the reasons are varied and many. Some of the people I have spoken to have suggested that the time away and the consequent effect on their jobs/careers at home have much to do with their decisions...the legality issue has not been mentioned to me at all.
I love it when the armchair strategists pontificate in the way that so many do. Have you seen Sen Joe Lieberman's article after his visit to Iraq? Interesting stuff and should do much to balance your thinking (Sen Lieberman is a Democrat in the US Senate). Perhaps not?
Not privy to the govt's thinking on exit strategies but I do suspect that after the victory over Saddam, the resultant insurgency was not forseen and therefore the original exit plan had to be scrapped.
Thank you once again.
NC43