Are British troops at breaking point in Iraq?

[G_j]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article320343.ece

Are British troops at breaking point in Iraq?

Fears that British forces in Iraq are reaching "breaking point" grew last night as the first hard evidence of a crisis in morale began to emerge.

By Ian Herbert
Published: 18 October 2005

Army sources are warning that the mood among soldiers of all ranks is at its gloomiest since the invasion in March 2003. The outlook has become darker as the war proves increasingly intractable and much more dangerous than troops had expected.

A string of incidents in the past week has contributed to the sense of crisis:

* The Ministry of Defence has launched an inquiry into the apparent suicide of Captain Ken Masters, a military police investigator who was found hanged at his barracks in Basra.

* A decision by Private Troy Samuels, who was awarded a Military Cross seven months ago for his bravery under fire in Iraq, to abandon the military rather than return for another tour of duty.

<snip>

* An RAF officer, Flt-Lt Malcolm Kendall-Smith, said he was prepared to face jail rather than serve in Iraq, in a war he considers to be illegal. He is to be court-martialled for "refusing to obey a lawful command" and is the first British officer to face criminal charges for challenging the legality of the war.

..more..

[Benhurst]

1. I hope so. Bush and Little Tony have ruined their respective

armed services.

Three cheers for Flt-Lt Malcolm Kendall-Smith. May his act of courage help to bring Blair down.

[bigbrother05]

2. I saw a report over the weekend on ITV news

that the troops in Basra were pretty much prisoners, they nsaid six months ago they could walk freely with the Irag's, without vest or helmets. Now they are locked in the airport, like the green zone.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

3. yeah, Linsay Hilsom's report on More4

began with her in a helicopter saying that the troops don't drive anywhere anymore.