British Soldiers

[Sundae]

Thanks Bruce.
I'm essentially a pacifist. In the same way I am essentially a liberal.
However if you mess with someone I care about (or blow up someone because they were born in the same country as me) I advocate unleashing hell.

Brits do have a different attitude to our armed forces here. It's a shame, I suppose, that they don't feel as well supported as the American troops. But Americans are so much more effusive than the British in many aspects. When things are back on the straight and narrow in my life I might think about writing. No gifts though - it would feel wrong to me when they are in a paid job and there are people in this country living below the poverty line. I'd rather give to the National Children's Society - means they won't grow up and break into my house when I'm a rich old lady.

It's funny - Americans believe it important to look after people who choose to put their lives on the line. Nothing wrong with that, I'm pleased they do so. But they can't bear the idea (generalisation) that people might be trapped in poverty, choosing instead to believe that they choose to get pregnant at 14 to an older drug addict boyfriend and have no idea how to bring up a child and support it through school.

Not an exclusively American attitude of course. But more noticeable in a country of extremes.

Back to the OP - I found it very interesting and can barely imagine ever living life in constant danger like that. I am so happy National Service was never brought back despite all the letters to the Daily Mail. It might have brought us The Goon Show (forerunner of Monty Python and The League of Gentlemen) but I can't bear the idea of people being there who hadn't signed up for it.