The humanity also means that pictures are beamed around the world of these guys being rescued . I cannot imagine a series of events happening in Afghanistan or Iraq! Now imagine for a second if the pictures showed people standing watching while they burnt – that would inflame opinion out there even more. Hearts and minds should be what this is all about – we cannot hope to stop this unless we can engage the radicals and indeed the communities they live in to persuade their youth against this.

This is quite an interesting one. On the one hand we have “compassion & humanity” shown rescuing these guys, great from our point of view, but can you imagine the Radical point of view? Getting the right hump at not being allowed to die thats for sure. No matter what we do it will be used against us. Im actually dreading the burnt guy dying, ok hes bad guy, doesnt really matter is one point of view, however, his bosses could say we did it. And its that bit that worries me as no matter what is said they will ram it into their sides heads that we did it.

Now then, Hearts and minds, I quite agree with you there, but all the time both the US & UK forces keep doing illegal acts against suspects & innocents we’ve got no chance. Ok the Iraqi’s havent been very friendly towards prisoners but we can not stoop to their level. Even more so as we are meant to be civilised nations. My father is an ex soldier of 41 yrs service, Regular, TA & Cadets and is appalled by what is going on out there, even more so when presently serving officers he taught and I grew up with. One of whom has been quoted in several newspapers dropping the MOD right in the cart.

Bex