And for all those accusing this liberal of being gutless, the last time there was a fight I was that passionate about, I had to cancel my flight to Helsinki in August 1991. I was planning on standing on a tank next to Yeltsin and Helsinki was as close as I could get. Then the coup plotters caved in.

I still don’t understand. I don’t understand the practicalities of teaching children, transplanting hearts, arresting happy-slappers or selling pensions. That doesn’t mean I can’t have a valid opinion of all of them. Outside of military dictatorships deployment of troops is the same thing.

Us too, but we kind of vacillate on the whole war thing.

Kind of like Gen. Rose.

He should bring the shirt on tour with him, it might even bring him good luck (dont forget the original symbolic meaning of the swastika)

Just ahead of me was a certain Blues & Royals Troop Leader by the name of James Blount (or is it Blunt). And to my everlasting amusement, just BEHIND me was an SAS land rover brimming with antennae and non standard weapons!

I should bloody well hope that Harry goes to the frontline with the boys. Why they are sent on operations is of no concern to soldiers. They just worry about where they are going and who’s going to shoot at them when they get there. Very sanguine.

Those were the days!

“Its the ones in turbans you want to hit m’boy, do you want my blunderbuss?”

I am saying that those who have not served really don’t know about the practicalities of war in the same way as those who have. I would have thought that was simple enough to understand.

I am also saying that it is easy to understand why those who do understand the practicalities of war wish to support military adventures, while it is is not so easy to understand how those who aren’t so willing to serve can be so gungho about sending troops overseas.

I hope that has clarified my point. I don’t know how to make it any simpler for you to understand.

However, it is my view that the vast majority of those who support wars have not actually served, and many could have a different opinion were they to have served.

Before the invasion of Iraq I spoke to many people about Bush’s war, including many service families, the majority of those who I spoke to who either had served in the past, or are currently serving spoke against the invasion. I’m sure being an ex service member yourself, you will have come across many people who have served whose opinions on war have dramatically altered since serving.