BBC1'S Panaroma tonight at 9pm.

[ginapeterb]

If you get the chance, watch BBC Panaroma tonight at 9pm, our brave boys in Afghanistan are fighting the Taliban.

The preview which was watched this week by BBC Reporters, said that the Grenadier Guards were fighting hand to hand for hours, and the only thing the public will not be able to see tonight is the dead bodies.

Well worth a watch I think.

[kimmi]

I hope I get the chance to watch it Kuya Peter..

it is also the same here, we have the Abu Sayyaf group who has killed a lot of innocent people and they also beheaded some of our marines who just wanted to save their hostaged priest..too bad..

[IanB]

When I was young I can remember seeing front line reports from Vietnam every day, but we seem to see very little from Afghanistan. That must inevitably lead me to suspect that the MOD do not want us to see how tough things really are.

Ian

[andypaul]

When I was young I can remember seeing front line reports from Vietnam every day, but we seem to see very little from Afghanistan. That must inevitably lead me to suspect that the MOD do not want us to see how tough things really are.

Ian

Sadly agree whatever your views on the poltics the soldiers sent by the British goverment should be treat far better while out there and the poor souls who are wounded need far better support.

Im sure the MP pension fund could be raided to provide the care and the support they need.

[aromulus]

Im sure the MP pension fund could be raided to provide the care and the support they need.

I disagree on this, am afraid.....

The MP's pensions are the only bullet proof thing in the country....

You have more chance for a cabbage to jump up and bite you on the , than have any MP forking out any kind of kwarta....

[andypaul]

I disagree on this, am afraid.....

The MP's pensions are the only bullet proof thing in the country....

You have more chance for a cabbage to jump up and bite you on the , than have any MP forking out any kind of kwarta....

what the mps wont think of others im really shooocked

[KeithD]

The forces have ALWAYS thrown the injured on the scrapheap, nothing is different now as it was for me in the mid 80's, and the same for centuries before. You also no the risks when you sign on the dotted line to join, and so the MOD are not responsible if you are injured/killed in war/accident, but they are good enough to offer a good compensation scheme though (pension).

The guys fighting today have it much better than the teenagers we sent to slaughter in WW1 & WW2.

[andypaul]

The forces have ALWAYS thrown the injured on the scrapheap, nothing is different now as it was for me in the mid 80's, and the same for centuries before. You also no the risks when you sign on the dotted line to join, and so the MOD are not responsible if you are injured/killed in war/accident, but they are good enough to offer a good compensation scheme though (pension).

The guys fighting today have it much better than the teenagers we sent to slaughter in WW1 & WW2.

Just recently reading about the injuries compensation scheme which they are trying to change for those who are in a really really bad way who will need full time care as i belive it is slighty flawed. Where they don't take into account all the injuries a person might suffer from only so many of them and then a percentage for some.

I understand what you say about knowing what you sign up for, but i realise i might get hurt seriously in my job but i would still expect my company to ensure i was looked after correctly, if i was hurt especially if it was partly their fault. Ie lack of the right armourd jeeps, flak jackets or other kit which we read and hear about from troops returning.

I say this with due respect knowing you have served for your country and hope the system is improved even if it was flawed in the past. I'd rather provide my tax money to pay for long term care for someone who was injured during service for his or her country.Than pay compensation to a criminal because we affected his human rights while harming someone.

[ginapeterb]

The Progamme starts in 1 hour on BBC 1 so watch it guys if you can, thanks little sister Kimmi for giving your support, I know you wont see it on sky cable today, but I will try and video a little for you on my vid cam and send you a link.

I think we will see the Grenadier Guards in action, I know I wouldnt want to be in the middle of it, I put my time in, although I saw a recent article in the Mail on Sunday by Andy McNab a former SAS operative who said he was in Iraq recently with the 1st Batalion the Rifles (formerly 1st Battalion the Royal Green Jackets) who were pleased with the kit they have, the SA80 with optical support is great for fighting with in close quarters and built up areas.

So some of the kit is good for the job, lets see what happens tonight, back in the 80's we used to buy our own combats, boots, and burners for making a brew up in the field.

In Belize 1981 I had to buy my own jungle boots, as the DMS we had were not up to the job.

We used to borrow ammunition from the Americans in Germany so that we could fire rapid burts on the GPMG, We also used to scavange for parts for the rovers so that we could get them going, we also used to eat at the Americans cookhouse in the field because they had ice cream and we didnt, the yanks always took their ice cream truck with them, we used to look in amazement.

Anyway, enough of that, lets see what our boys are doing in Afghanistan tonight.

Let me have your comments tomorrow.

[baboyako]

I am watching a bunch of public school boys playing soldiers, then handing over bundles of cash when they shoot the wrong people .


only knows what they intend to accomplish. napalming the opium crop for three years solid would be more effective and save lives all round.

[andypaul]

I am watching a bunch of public school boys playing soldiers, then handing over bundles of cash when they shoot the wrong people .


only knows what they intend to accomplish. napalming the opium crop for three years solid would be more effective and save lives all round.

Histroy tells you unless your macdoenian best not to try and conqueor/fight that country.

I know a few Afghani and they were amazed that nato tried to stay on although it has changed the country since the taliban getting a kicking still poor has can be but people do have a little more freedom than before which means a great deal to many. The rebel alliance (sounds like star wars) were hardly a bunch of angels with some really nasty warlords who had their own agenda.

[ginapeterb]

I am watching a bunch of public school boys playing soldiers, then handing over bundles of cash when they shoot the wrong people .


only knows what they intend to accomplish. napalming the opium crop for three years solid would be more effective and save lives all round.

Baboyako, so the guy from Tottenham was a public school boy ?? I dont think so, and the rolls of cash is a cultural thing which by the way was handed over cos the yanks shot wrong people, our boys did not do that, I thought the Guards looked professional, and were doing what they thought was a good job, have you actually yourself been under fire, I dont think so, if you had an AK47 ripping over your head, you wouldnt jest as you have done on this forum tonight.

Thats the problem with this disunited Kingdom, there is no pride anymore in our armed forces, no wonder they get depressed and despondent when they find we are not behind them, its time we got behind our guys out there, and supported them.

If you see a couple of guys back from Afghanistan in a pub, by them a few beers, if you seem them in a restaraunt, pay their bill, do them a few favours, after all they didnt ask to go there.

We may not agree with them being sent to Afghanistan, but we sure should support them.

[KeithD]

I'm watching Man City

[andypaul]

I'm watching Man City

what a lovely ball please do not adjust your tv set

[joebloggs]

I'm watching Man City

so you finally given in, and started supporting a team that can win

[KeithD]

so you finally given in, and started supporting a team that can win

I was just seeing how the future England manager worked

[ginapeterb]

So what did you think of the whole 1 hour Panorama.

Its the closest I have seen to actual live footage of a small unit of our boys in action in a close quarter battle, unlike the Falklands war, of which you saw nothing, this is actual live footage of what is happening.

The GPMG fire of Lcpl Mizon was quite exhillerating, what we were not allowed to see was the Taliban dead, and the 2 seriously wounded guardsman on our side, (The MOD Minder would not allow the camera to pan to the dead)

They had been under heavy contact for hours all day, not getting a let up, running out of water, and ammunition has happeneds so many times, I thought the presentation by Panaoram was excellent, and well worth seeing.

I hope you did too, but please dont criticise our lads out in the field, its easy to sit in your arm chair and criticise, its a little different being under fire, what they need is support, not arm chari Generals telling us how it should have been done.

[baboyako]

Pete, I am not joking.

The taliban are the ruling government, they are entitled to shoot at foreigners that shoot at them. what did you expect them to do?

By all means call me an armchair specialist, but very few wars were won by shooting at people.

No, its all down to money. There is no trouble in north iraq simply because everyone has a rolex and a merc, the trouble is in the south where there is no oil dollars - and they want a rolex too.

Afghanistan is all and only about opium. Take that away and the taliban will off back to Pakistan or wherever since they wont make so much cash growing turnips.

why the hell do you think turkey are so interested in north iraq?

[IanB]

I don't think anyone would criticise the soldiers on the ground and their courage. Personally I also think that the job in Afganistan happens to be one worth doing.

Iraq is different, we should never have got into it and we should get out quickly. But I do not see why MPs get the blame when the whole country, virtually, was baying for blood and regime change.

Ian

[andypaul]

With out disrepecting the soldiers on the ground. I think the oil pipe they plan to place though a part of afghanistan keeps the yanks their.

[KeithD]

Sky New & Al Jazeera have already done 1 hr coverage of this war from our side of the fence some months ago, the Beeb just do things for their own agenda these days, rather than for the public.

Headline breaking news on the Beeb world news, "We will be showing the programme about the Queen".....go figure!!! Last week, 2nd news item was who got chucked out of Come Dancing.....like those watching around the world would find it great news......STOP ADVERTISING IN THE NEWS YOU PLICKS (Chinese accent!!)