8 Dead Soldiers Repatriated.

[paraffin]

Live now on news channels, bodies of the latest servicemen, 8 in all, killed in Afghanistan, being removed from the plane at RAF Lyneham.

They selflessly gave their lives for us. How many more? Is it (still) / Has it ever been worth it?

[rov1200]

Brown is damned if he sends more troops, castigated if he tries to reduce the numbers. He inherited the situation from Blair and there's no exit. Our big mistake is to think foot soldiers are the answer to the problem in Afghanistan. President Karzai allows the British to do the dirty work and try to bring harmony to the civilians. They won't listen to us! Why don't they send the Afghan troops into Helmund where they would be listened to. We can then revert to dropping the 500lb bombs, step up the use of drones and kill the Taliban.

[birdie1971]

I support anyone who has the balls (figuratively speaking of course) to wear a uniform and go to Afghanistan. I admire their courage. They're braver than I am.

But I do keep asking myself the question � why are they there at all?

Is it just me, or are have we found our very own Vietnam in the middle east? The unwinnable war.

I know they're fighting the Taliban. But the Taliban are not just an identifiable organisation which can be 'defeated'. It's an ideological position as well. So no matter how many 'Taliban' we kill, it will be never be 'defeated' in this way. In all probability, the more you kill, the more you create.

All the Taliban are are radical Muslims. Or fundamentalists if you prefer.

But you don't 'defeat' fundamentalists by dropping bombs on them. That's how you create them.

What the war does do is keep weapons manufacturers in business and all the reliant ancillary business afloat. It keeps the armed forces occupied too.

So it's not all bad news.

[paraffin]

Thanks everyone for your comments on what is an extremely emotive subject.

We all have our views on the conflict in Afghanistan and our involvement in it. And as long as man exists, we will never all hold the same opinion of this and other similar engagements.

Suffice to say that, as a result, many lives will continue to be lost, with some of those inevitably from these isles.

[horselady]

I live just outside Lyneham where the planes bringing them home land and also near Wootton Bassett. It's a sombre day when we see the plane come in, I shed a few tears every time. My son-in-law goes back for a second 3 month tour of duty on August 1st. Like all forces families, we just live on a knife edge and when we hear " a soldier has been killed in Afghanistan" we cross our fingers it's not ours, selfish I know because it's someone's loved one, but that's how it is.