Opinion | Editorials
Going undercover when off base
British military personnel face abuse from the public for following orders.
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:02 March 9, 2008
A controversy has arisen in Britain about the right of military personnel to wear their uniforms in public. Apparently the dispute has gone to the very highest levels - the prime minister and a reported comment from the queen.
All express concern that 15 months ago a station commander at RAF Wittering advised personnel not to wear their uniform outside the base.
The reason given was reported incidents to him of uniformed personnel being verbally abused and on occasion spat on by members of the public who did not agree with the British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is sadly disheartening that there should be anyone in Britain who feels so overtly aggressive to the military that they have to express it in such a contemptible manner. British military, recognised as being among the most professional in the world, are merely carrying out their duties as instructed by the government though the ministry of defence. If the public has a disagreement with that policy, then it is election time when disagreements can be best sorted out through the ballot box.
Even sadder is that armed forces risk such treatment when used as political pawns.
More from Editorials
More from Opinions
Opinion Editor's choice
-
No political roadmap for Afghanistan
By Rahimullah Yusufzai, Special to Gulf News
Weak Karzai government does not want Nato to abandon country even after combat troops pull out
-
US campaign to end Israeli occupation
By As’ad Abdul Rahman, Special to Gulf News
It is bound to evoke painful memories of the sordid history in America of the Ku Klux Klan
-
Egypt revolution is far from finished
By Jack Shenker
The Islamist/secularist divide gets all the attention, but it’s also only one faultline among many
Your turn
