I take your point about the media, Phil but HMG has been draggging it's feet over the inquests something rotten. Add to that the recent report of Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker being told, in no uncertain terms, that his services are no longer required by the MOD and we have yet more evidence that HMG (plus it's neo-con Masters across the pond) are not interested in criticism of any kind about this war. That Walker has been critical of the govt in at least four high profile and politically sensitive cases about lack of equipment, shoddy equipment, witholding of evidence from lawful inquests, etc. suggests that the govt's attitude can best be summed up as 'shut up, you don't know what you are talking about'. Just look at the track record, Phil: Tank crews had their body armour taken off them, six RMPs were sent into a dangerous area without GPMGs or grenades and only a couple of months ago the paras revealed that they had ben begging for the more expensive British or Canadian 0.5 cal rounds, which actually worked, rather than the cheap unreliable rubbish they bought of Pakistan and Chezch. And still RM had to complain about the crap ammo when they took over! As for snatch landrovers and lack of helo capcity - it's been four BLOODY years. Then there is the shameful things that have been happening to the wounded on NHS wards. Thank fcuk for the media on that one! Oh yeah. And they still resist i.e. they don't know how many wounded we have actually had thus far! Finally, don't anyone bother asking HMG about the prior unanswered question concerning the legality or otherwise of the war in the first place! Yes, the media will exploit certain situations but then again, they don't over report the deaths or film pictures of the wounded with their legs and arms hanging off, do they? Just because the Forces and their families simply kept their questions to themselves and buried dead in silence doesn't mean that was always a good or desirable thing.
