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Let down by their countrymen: how our Forces often feel unappreciated

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Reply 20

Kylewalker346234

Anyone else feel they're in a country that is a ticking time bomb?

Reply 21

badcheesecrispy

Original post by Perseveranze

No one appreciates a bunch of child murders, rapers and torturers. To feel appreciated, you'd think the Brits were mental. Thankfully that is not the case.

Actually, a huge majority of the UK vastly support the troops. See all the campaigns and charities they have backed by major tv companies and newspapers like Syco (X Factor etc) and The Sun.

The funny thing is that these troops were largely abused in large muslim/foreign occupied areas, not surprised they were violently abused as these are the only tactics the uneducated undesirables in these places know of.

Reply 22

pr0view

Original post by Perseveranze

No one appreciates a bunch of child murders, rapers and torturers. To feel appreciated, you'd think the Brits were mental. Thankfully that is not the case.

You do if they are from Rochdale though?

Reply 23

Dont Tread On Me

Original post by Perseveranze

No one appreciates a bunch of child murders, rapers and torturers. To feel appreciated, you'd think the Brits were mental. Thankfully that is not the case.

Are you aware that everybody hates you?

Reply 24

Bulbasaur

Original post by Perseveranze

No one appreciates a bunch of child murders, rapers and torturers. To feel appreciated, you'd think the Brits were mental. Thankfully that is not the case.

You mean like the people they're fighting? In countries where men regularly get away with rape and use their kids as meat shields?

As pr0view alluded to, you didn't seem to have any problem deflecting blame from such rapists...

Reply 25

Drewski

I've had all those comments and more thrown at me while in uniform, it's commonplace.

But the whole 'let down by the country' thing is a bit OTT. Negative opinions always shout louder than positive ones.

But if you think this is a new phenomenom, you're out of your mind:

Tommy by Rudyard Kipling, written in the 1890s

Spoiler

Reply 26

nju

I am against the war in Afghanistan (mainly because I don't know why British soldiers are still there) but I have a great respect for everyone in the army

Reply 27

L i b

It's incredible just how scummy some human beings can be. I'm no longer surprised by it. I'd have them flogged.

That said, soldiers have always been looked down upon to a certain degree. Back in centuries past, soldiers had a reputation for loutish behaviour, and generally mixed with themselves. Which is why pubs often didn't serve them. I think the two world wars were a major turning point in terms of respect for the military - but that's wearing a bit thin now.

Original post by BigBadSaint

I don't think I said abusing soldiers on the street was acceptable..? No, actually you can't guarantee 99.9 % of he people abusing them on the street are muslim, anti-military sentiment has a long and distinguished history in Britain spread across the entire demographic, rich or poor, catholic or protestant, black or white. You are pretty much suggesting that anyone who dislikes the military or disagrees with its methods or conduct is an enemy (either by association with 'brother muslims' or with 'brother republicans'). This is stupid, and probably ill founded given that it is unlikely many Muslims in the UK empathise more with Iraqis/Afghans than with the UK and most catholic scots have outgrown political identification with the IRA.

You can still get thousands of "Irish" people in Scotland turning out at a stadium who'd happily boo the military. Indeed, they have done recently. Anyway, it's not a Catholic thing: the Irish Catholic contingent are just one of many Catholic groups in Scotland.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 28

Kiss

Original post by Guitarded

Yes, they're putting they're lives on the line, but is it really for us?

They're doing it for our country.

I might not be a pro-war person and I certainly think Britain should focus on less things than military conflicts, but they're only doing their job. They're risking themselves for the sanctitity of this country as well as merely doing a career. If you are or are not anti-war you can still show them some respect.

Reply 29

Cannotbelieveit

I found the statistics in this article better. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9262234/Lord-Ashcroft-Simple-ways-we-can-all-recognise-their-bravery.html

It shows that most people are actually supportive of the military, but of course there are still many who don't. It's typical that the people who abuse them seem to come from Asian/Arab origins.

No one appreciates a bunch of child murders, rapers and torturers. To feel appreciated, you'd think the Brits were mental. Thankfully that is not the case.

Please do us all a favour and **** off; judging by the comments on your profile I can safely say that everyone thinks the same way as me.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 30

Drewski

Original post by Kiss

If you are or are not anti-war you can still show them some respect.

You know what, as much as I'm not in the Forces anymore, I was for a while.

I wasn't all that bothered about having people 'show me respect'. Respect is earnt, not given blindly. I'm not famous, I didn't go out and win a VC. I didn't do anything to deserve a show of respect.

All I wanted was not to be actively disrespected. I didn't do anything to deserve that, either.

Reply 31

Guitarded

Original post by Kiss

They're doing it for our country.

Yes, but what is 'our country'? Is it the general population, i.e. the 'people'? Or the people who run it?

Reply 32

Drewski

Original post by Guitarded

Yes, but what is 'our country'? Is it the general population, i.e. the 'people'? Or the people who run it?

They're doing it because those who've been democratically elected to power by the people decide it's necessary.

If you have problems with the bus service, do you complain to the drivers or the company that runs the buses?

Reply 33

Miraclefish

Individual members of the services may be doing a wonderful thing by dedicating their life to a noble cause, but as a whole our armed forces have done very bad things in recent years.

From the conservative estimates of 100-150,000 civillians killed in Iraq alone, to the undeniable instances of soldiers torturing and humiliating prisoners, it's not hard to understand why people, both white British nationals and those of other cultures are angry.

They may well be acting out at the uniform rather than the person who wears it. Not everyone can or does make the distinction. There are many brave men and women in our armed forced, commanded by cowards and tyrants. But you never see the warmongers in the street.

Reply 34

danny111

Original post by Darth Stewie

One RAF recruiter, a member of one of the focus groups, said: “Working in Leicester as a recruiter I make a point of walking to and from work in my uniform, and it’s mixed. I have people running up and screaming 'baby killer’ at me. I’ve had people spit at me.

Well....i mean hardly surprising in Leicester is it? A large portion of their demographic aren't generally the type of people who support our military.

For the abuse part lets face it, there are communities in the UK that do view our soldiers in an extremely negative light and they aren't afraid of voicing these views because nothing negative will happen to them because of it.

What kind of lame excuse is "it's Leicester what do you expect given their demographic". I am not for the military, I am anti-war and I don't have too much respect a priori for servicemen (given that I believe a lot of them are in the military because they can't get any other job rather than being in there because they think it's noble or something).

BUT abusing soldiers, spitting at them, asking them to not to wear their uniform, refusing them service in pubs? That's not just disrespectful, that is rude and pathetic.

At the end of the day they are just normal human beings no matter what you think of the military and they represent our country. Treat them with the same respect that you want to be treated with by strangers.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 35

tehFrance

Original post by ish90an

Democracy, you are free to vote once we kill you.
Seriously this glorification of the military as some sort of "heroic service" needs to stop, this isn't 1942 and the world war(the last actual threat to Britain) finished ~70 years ago.

What is wrong with you? it is more of a heroic service that what football players provide for the country and they get paid a lot less than them too.

Reply 36

Drewski

Original post by danny111

Believe it all you want, but aside from a couple of roles within the Army with relatively small numbers, that's completely bogus. Almost all roles across the entire Armed Forces are massively oversubscribed, plenty require huge levels of skills, more than a handful require university education as well as high levels of physical fitness. A combination of talents that a vast majority of people wouldn't be able to attain.

Reply 37

Square

this really makes me despair. Those calling them baby killers are probably the ones out in packs hunting for some pre-pubesecent white girls to molest in exchange for a packet of fags.

nice country.

Reply 38

HARRY PUTAH

Original post by Darth Stewie

Well....i mean hardly surprising in Leicester is it? A large portion of their demographic aren't generally the type of people who support our military.

For the abuse part lets face it, there are communities in the UK that do view our soldiers in an extremely negative light and they aren't afraid of voicing these views because nothing negative will happen to them because of it.