My dad used to say how can you tell if a politician is lying ? Answer his lips are moving!!! My Dad was a cynic however.
The one constant in life over here is that they all claim to support the troops and say they are doing a "magnificent job" The thing is our services do a magnificent job inspite of the politicians. I think it was Paddy Ashdown (fmr SBS and Royal Marines Commando)then leader of the Lib Dems who made a speech in our parliament who said that in his (considerable)experience when the politicians started talking about a short sharp war the military started looking for cover.We all have to accept responsibility for what happens to our troops, we who elect the government that sends them to war need to accept that if our government gets it wrong then we are as accounatble as the government we elect. I was and am an active trade unionist everyone used to think it was very strange that I was such an activist because my husband was in the army. I didn't because that is what my husband was fighting for to keep my countires freedom. He never used to agree with most of what I was protesting about, he did however defend my right to protest. The only time we ever had a real row was when we were on strike and we turned away the brewery wagon from the site and the staff and social club ran out of beer that night!!!!
Maureen