Posted 6:30 AM by Paul
Are We the New Canadians?

It is dificult to get off the subject isn't it . The forthcoming - nuthin' gonna stop it war on Iraq. Newspapers are basically saying that it would be "inconcievable" and "humiliating" for the UK to pull back now. If I were a reservist who had hitherto thought that the most dangerous thing I was going to do was run around Salisbury Plain, I would find it pleasingly conceivable. At a pinch I could also live with the Prime Minister losing face amongst his friends at dinner parties. Apparently UK troops have been lined up for the all important task of taking Basra. Ah Basra. That's the same Basra that 200,000 fanatical Shias failed to take in the Iran - Iraq war. Oh dear. Lets hope Tony and George have a cunning plan.

But where will our American allies be whilst this is going on? Taking Baghdad? Or still bombing from a safe distance of 50,000 feet. Only time will tell. Cynics might worry that US generals will let their infantry sit back a while and let men whose widows do not have a vote in the US Presidential Election (bit like a black Floridian with a parking ticket) do the dying. If they follow this course they will copying tried and tested British tactics.

Looking back at the history of the First and Second World War we thoughtfully saved some of the most difficult operations for the Aussies, the Indians and of course the Canadians. I hope Basra is not another Dieppe Raid.