Diatribe about the Military/Civilian covenant

News headlines about yet more of our troops being killed in a friendly fire incident. I don't take the populist view and blame the pilot, until a case is proven. I do feel that yet again it is an example of how badly let down our troops have been let down by our politicians. We had the example of the Sergeant in the tanks having to give up his body armour at the start of the war and dying as a result. We have troops patrolling in snatch Land Rovers and being destroyed by IED's, other nations forces in their armoured vehicles being uninjured in the same instance. There are insufficient helicopters to support the troops in Helmand, not enough vehicle kits for the weapons, troops in bases running low on basic ammunition. The Government that we elected have failed these brave young troops consistently. Since coming to power the troops have been regularly placed in harms way, they have been expected and required to pull this Government's fat out of the fire. As this happens they then reduce the number of troops on the ground by cutting the number of infantry battalions, the very troops you need most. This has a number of effects, firstly it increases the amount of time the others have to spend in the field and this then increases the number who leave on their own request and thus we increase the spiral of pressure. As far as I know, no member of this cabinet has ever drawn on uniform and stepped into the line of battle, they penny pinch with the troops. If a family wants to send a parcel to father, mother, son or daughter in combat zone they have to pay for it, no reduction in postage, all the aggravation in regards to taxation of troops serving overseas, the recent furore regarding awarding a separate medal for service in Helmand. The final breach in this covenant is that when our troops get injured in the line of duty they are shipped back to the UK and get stuck in Selly Oak Hospital, no slur on the hospital or the hard pressed NHS staff but why do we not have dedicated Military Hospitals, the answer is that this Goverment got rid of them! So, we have under equipped troops, underpaid, over stretched and undervalued by the Government.

These same politicians are the one's who are voting an increase in their already generous allowances and salaries, why do we continue to put of with this? We need to hold them to account, will we do this the next time we go to the polls? If the Government can tear this most basic of covenants apart is it any surprise that they are also going to sneak in the European Constitution without a referendum. No wonder so many people are quitting this country and emigrating to Australia, New Zealand etc.