5 Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan were Based in the North

[Gruffalo]

Five British soldiers from a Northern Ireland based regiment have been killed in Afghanistan.

The five, from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, died in two separate blasts while on foot patrol near Sangin, Helmand province on Friday.

Next of kin have been informed. It is not believed the soldiers are from Northern Ireland.

The regiment is based at Ballykinler, County Down. Fifteen soldiers have died in 10 days in southern Afghanistan.

The deaths take the number of troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8145751.stm

Britain has lost 23 soldiers per year for 8 years. They have now lost 15 in ten days. They are still trying to tell the world that they are winning the War but they will never win the war. How many more have to do die in this pointless war before they say that enough is enough?

[stewiegriffin]

Perhaps there will be a 'triumphalist' homecoming for their regiment . God knows they deserve it!

[Gruffalo]

Perhaps there will be a 'triumphalist' homecoming for their regiment . God knows they deserve it!

Would that not require a triumph?

[stewiegriffin]

Not really no . Any excuse for some tabloidy horsecrap."arent our boys just simply fab" etc etc....

[Gruffalo]

Not really no . Any excuse for some tabloidy horsecrap.

Good point.

[Kf]

The problem, for all sides, with this war is that it doesn't have any clear objective. The invasion was in response to the Taliban refusing to extradite Osama. He's vanished, the Taliban are no longer in Govt and NATO are propping up a unpopular leader who hasn't been able to bring together the ethnic groups, pashtun clans and various tribes to recongise the new govt. Its all very familiar for Afghanistan.

[G unit Paramilitary]

BBC NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | NI base troops die in Afghanistan

Britain has lost 23 soldiers per year for 8 years. They have now lost 15 in ten days. They are still trying to tell the world that they are winning the War but they will never win the war. How many more have to do die in this pointless war before they say that enough is enough?

How many of the enemy have the British troops killed in the last 8 years?

[stewiegriffin]

How many of the enemy have the British troops killed in the last 8 years?

Well they've killed a lot of people , whos to say how many of 'the enemy' theyve killed.Some id imagine .

[Asi-Irish]

This is war for war's sake.

[Derrida]

This is war for war's sake.

Well there's certainly no good reason for it. Sadly these lads grew up seeing no useful role for themselves in life so joined the army as a last resort. They died for nothing except a few crocodile tears from a few politicians (and maybe a couple of posters here ). 18 year old boys sent out to kill and die for nothing.

The Independent on Sunday has some poignant quotes from family.

Robert Laws

Age: 18

Rank: Private

Date of death: 4 July

Having only finished his army training less than a year ago, Pte Laws was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Helmand Province. His father, Steven, said: "I regarded him not only as a son but as a brother. He knew what the consequences were. Hopefully, you think you are coming back. His day was not to be."

Joshua Hammond

Age: 18

Rank: Trooper

Date of death: 1 July

He and Rupert Thorneloe were taking part in Operation Panther's Claw, a major assault against the Taliban ahead of next month's Afghan elections. Emma Green, his fiancée, said: "He was and still is my childhood sweetheart. The last thing he said to me was that he loved me and he promised he would come home safe."

Dane Elson

Age: 22

Rank: Lance-Corporal

Date of death: 5 July

Serving in the Welsh Guards, he was patrolling north of Lashkar Gah in support of the Light Dragoons armoured group when an improvised explosive device detonated. His grandmother, Anne Smith said: "He was a gorgeous young man but should not have been there, none of our boys should be there. It's for what? So they can have elections? It's terrible. My grandson has died for nothing."