Iraq: Making martyrs of dead British soldiers

telegarph: British soldier killed on active duty in Iraq last week has been hailed as a martyr by the people he fought to protect.

Men, women and children in the town where 22-year-old L/Cpl Allan Douglas was murdered on Monday have declared that the soldier should be honoured as a martyr because of the sacrifice he made.

It is understood to be the first time that any member of the coalition forces who has died during the war in Iraq has been hailed as a martyr.

L/Cpl Douglas, who was serving with the 1st Bn The Highlanders, was patrolling through Al Amarah, in Maysan province, when he was shot dead by a sniper outside the town's police station.

Moments after the attack, Major Gen Abu Maythem, the province's police chief, declared that L/Cpl Douglas should be declared a martyr.

"This soldier died as a martyr trying to make Al Amarah safe for all Iraqis of all religions," he said. "We are all deeply shocked and sad." Read more

db: Bring them home - Iraq has enough martyrs of their own. Ask a Brit in Iraq if he is prepared to be a martyr and my guess is he might tell you to fuck off - and give you a 'smack'.