Note to Politicians: Back our Boys!

Anyone with half a brain could see this coming. Troops in . G-damn it. If a politican is going to ask for the physical courage of soldiers abroad, then he should show some political courage at home. If the US (or UK) government wants to know why recruitment is down: THIS IS THE REASON! Soldiers have to fight with one arm tied behind their backs!! This why we lost Vietnam and this is why we could lose Iraq.

SENIOR army doctors have warned that troops in Iraq are suffering levels of battle stress not experienced since the second world war because of fears that if they shoot an insurgent, they will end up in court.
The two senior Royal Army Medical Corps officers, one of whom is a psychologist, have recently returned from Basra, where they said they counselled young soldiers who feared a military police investigation as much as they did the insurgents....
“The unpopularity of the war at home and a belief that firing their rifles
in virtually any circumstances is likely to see them end up in court are sapping
morale.” ...

The doctors described morale in some units as very low with soldiers cynically suggesting they needed a solicitor with them before they shot back at any Iraqi who attacked them. Times of London