Reid '98: We do not condone cowardice
Politics.co.uk
In his position as armed forces minister in 1998, John Reid was among the ministers who rejected calls to pardon soldiers executed in the first world war.
Mr Reid argued that the armed forces were responsible for protecting Britain, and military betrayals could never be tolerated.
"Let me make it plain that we cannot and do not condone cowardice, desertion, mutiny or assisting the enemy - then or now," he told MPs in a debate in July 1998.
"They are all absolutely inimical to the very foundation of our armed forces. Without military discipline, the country could not be defended, and that is never more important than in times of war."
Ministry of Defence (MoD) lawyers last year advised Mr Reid, then defence secretary, that no soldier killed in world war one should be pardoned, because there would never be enough evidence.
However, the defence secretary [Des Browne]last night called for the armed forces bill to be amended, allowing for a group pardon. Link
db: Interesting that in the quote above Reid equates the thing they call 'cowardice' with mutiny or assisting the enemy. Anyway, is Reid some sort of war hero? I mean, in terms of fighting them himself rather than sending others to do his dirty work? No? I thought not. Tough guy.
In his position as armed forces minister in 1998, John Reid was among the ministers who rejected calls to pardon soldiers executed in the first world war.
Mr Reid argued that the armed forces were responsible for protecting Britain, and military betrayals could never be tolerated.
"Let me make it plain that we cannot and do not condone cowardice, desertion, mutiny or assisting the enemy - then or now," he told MPs in a debate in July 1998.
"They are all absolutely inimical to the very foundation of our armed forces. Without military discipline, the country could not be defended, and that is never more important than in times of war."
Ministry of Defence (MoD) lawyers last year advised Mr Reid, then defence secretary, that no soldier killed in world war one should be pardoned, because there would never be enough evidence.
However, the defence secretary [Des Browne]last night called for the armed forces bill to be amended, allowing for a group pardon. Link
db: Interesting that in the quote above Reid equates the thing they call 'cowardice' with mutiny or assisting the enemy. Anyway, is Reid some sort of war hero? I mean, in terms of fighting them himself rather than sending others to do his dirty work? No? I thought not. Tough guy.
posted by exoplanet at 11:11 PM
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