Ok, first things first:
Chibishan
ultimately, it damaged the image of both sides. Iran for looking like brutal bastards, and the UK for looking like they train their people to give in.
That is not true. When these soldiers came back there wasn't a single scratch on them. Iran let these people go free after they admitted being in their waters. What would "Our side" have done? Gauntaminoe (SP?) Bay ring a bell?
Iran walked away looking morally superior than "Our Side".
I also agree that Brittish soldiers are pampered to in todays day and age. Do you know the very first thing they complained about when they came back were the poor cut of the FREE suits they were given? "It was humiliating". Like a bright orange jumpsuit is uplifting?!?
Now, onto the women in the armed forces debate, before I really start to rant about the morons we have defending our country.
As Py said, the people who join the army, be them male or female, need to accept the fact that they CAN die. The whole idea of the army (From what I can see) is to shoot the opposition before they shoot you.
Yeah, ok, if you were working in a 7/11 and you got kidnapped, then sure, go ahead and plead to be back with your children. But this woman put herself in the position to be kidnapped to start with. Hell she put herself in the position to be KILLED!
Now, I'm against the army on princaples, but I accept that some people might want to choose the army. That's fine. But they need to realise that when they do sign up, it's not for a few weeks, you can't leave if you don't like it and you sure as s**t can't suddenly want to be safe when s**t hits the fan. The job of the army is to do what the general public are not expected to do, and to treat that as a 9 to 5 job is pure idiocy!
You know one of this womans pleas was to make sure her child doesn't become an orphan? --Laughs-- HER ******** HUSBAND IS IN THE ARMY TOO!! If she really cared about her daughter and honnestly didn't want her to be orphaned why the hell join up/remain with her husband in the army?
To conclude this rant: To be honnest I think the UK is becoming just as brain washed as America. I honnestly think these people have no clue that they can get harmed when sent into hostile areas.
Oh, and just to clear it up, I use inverted commas when talking about "Our Forces" because I am completely against the descisions of my prime minister. I don't see the armed forces or their fodder as anything to do with me.