Hail The Returning Ones (Being Protected By The Police)

Never has so small a protest achieved so much press. It helps that the papers can sell lots of copies pandering to their usual agenda, 'the troops are heroes' & 'Muslims are extremists'. I think this must be embarrassing to the troops, and to Labours policy of making the Army parade, needing protection from the police.

Both of these statements need to be questioned. Most of the soldiers coming home now were put in a very difficult position by the Labour Government; without a clear purpose and poorly equipped. They were mostly not involved in the atrocities that the Army has committed, and most won't have taken part in the Iraq War itself which was some years ago.


Most Muslims are not extremists, they will be embarrassed by the antics of this small group as the British were of the Soldiers caught on camera abusing prisoners. I blame Labour for this (like the BNP) often characterised Muslims as extremists:
'Extremist Muslim "bullies" must be faced down'
Straw “veils can be “frightening and intimidating”.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission called Mr Straw's views "astonishing" and accused him of discrimination
.. the government's proposed definition of extremism stigmatises mainstream Muslim beliefs and hands ammunition to those very Islamists who claim that Muslim beliefs and customs are inherently incompatible with western society.
'It's little wonder liberal Muslims feel betrayed'

The papers said that the crowd turned on the protesters and threw Bacon at them. Earlier in the week a documentary on Benjamin Disraeli described his political opponents offering him bacon, modern commentators saying 'it couldn't happen now'. How wrong they were!

Its confusing for other war protesters who see the Government as responsible for getting us involved in wars. We are also used to getting very little coverage, despite hundreds or thousands of people being involved.

Its politicians that tell soldiers where to go, what training they get & what equipment they can have. And for forcing them to parade after returning from one of the least popular wars in history. The sight of soldiers being protected by the police is an embarrassment. So are they heroes? Some may be. They have all volunteered for a difficult job, and must be delighted to be home. I expect they would prefer to just be welcomed in their local pub.