Liam Fox's Washington Diary #3: Reviewing Tuesday

Yesterday's instalment of Liam Fox's Washington diary can be read here.

It is indicative of a sense of self doubt that so many Americans have asked “what do people in Britain think about America?”. There is real concern that events in the Gulf have left the US isolated and there is a sense of both irritation and bewilderment among ordinary Americans who believe that they have been genuinely trying to improve the lot of the Iraqi people.

On Capitol Hill Iraq remains the hugely dominant issue with Iran rapidly moving up the agenda. I met with a number of Republican politicians and commentators from across the political spectrum all of whom talked about the strains between the White House and Republicans in Congress. In particular, there is resentment that they defended Donald Rumsfeld all the way to polling day only for him to leave office immediately afterwards. There is frustration at the lack of progress from the Iraqi government but real appreciation of the support given by the UK.

We visited the huge Walter Reed military hospital which was really less a hospital than a small town. There is a local campaign to stop its closure and merger with Bethesda Naval hospital a few miles away. Sound familiar?

The reason for my visit was to meet with some of the cutting edge medical staff who deal with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Put simply, those who are in the proximity of an explosion can suffer brain injury ranging from mild concussion to severe trauma. Modern body armour saves many lives that would otherwise be lost but it also results therefore in a greater number of disabled survivors - the number of amputees being fitted with prosthetic limbs a visible reminder of this.

One of the problems is the number of cases of concussion that go undiagnosed. This can result in long term neurological or psychological problems and protocols are being introduced to identify and treat those affected. After Vietnam it took some time before PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) was recognised so there is a great drive to deal with this problem early. It is essential that the British Government learns these lessons and ensures that our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan receive the same level of treatment. I tabled a number of Parliamentary Questions on this subject recently and am awaiting the answers.

The general level of medical support given to veterans in the US is something we can learn from and we are having further contacts to see what more we could do for those who have put life and limb at risk for the security of our people.

Before I left for Washington I met a young soldier who complained that he was being given (verbally) a hard time in his local pub about the war in Iraq. He rightly resented the fact that, rather than having pride in the work our forces do with professionalism and courage, parts of the British public were blaming him for what they regard as government failures. That simply does not happen in the US where membership of the armed forces produces an automatic respect and generates unchallenged benefits.

I watched in Dulles Airport as two soldiers went through security and noted the warmth and courtesy with which they are treated. Are we so out of touch with our Military in the UK that we cannot understand the sacrifices they make on our behalf? Is it because so few people in modern Britain have direct contact with the armed forces that there seems to be so little comprehension about what they actually do or is it part of a general decline in respect for any form of authority? Is it because we see too few servicemen and women in uniform nowadays?

I wonder whether the endless anti-war diatribe from parts of our media does not carry a heavy responsibility for failing to point out the distinction between those who make the policy and our service men and women who carry out their tasks with such distinction. As a young infantryman put it to me in Iraq “the only way we could ever get on the BBC would be to get killed or injured. No one cares about the good things we do”. It is a long way from the open pride the Americans show towards their armed forces.

Comments

[malcolm]

I agree with you Liam that our badly equiped outnumbered badly paid troops should be honoured for the work they are doing in Iraq by the civilian population here.As far as I'm aware living near a large garrison town that normally happens. I also agree with you about the lack of balance in the BBC coverage.
The people who deserve our contempt are the politicians who sent them there telling a pack of lies in order to do so.
As regards the self doubt that afflicts America it is hardly suprising given the fact that Admiral Fallon has criticised both past and present strategy in Iraq. If even the commander of US forces in the area does not believe US forces are succeeding why should anyone else?

[Deborah]

I'm glad that Liam is raising this. I wish he had more support.

There have been so many reports showing that our soldiers are over-stretched and under-resourced, having to go begging for kit from foreign forces. I cannot understand why Parliament is not demanding that someone is held to account and the situation dealt with. It is not surprising that the public is cynical about politicians when they put the party and their own career prospects before the lives of young men. I wonder how our MPs sleep at night.
There's no excuse for the public mistreating soldiers who are risking their lives on our behalf. Maybe it's a symptom of our impotence driving us mad?

[CCHQ Spy]

A very moving challenge to how Britain treats our own soldiers.

[Richard]

I suspect most people in this country have a great deal of respect for the military. Unfortunately there will always be a minority of malcontented lefties and pacifists who want any excuse to knock the armed forces.

[Adrian Owens]

It's very telling, and sad, that an important issue such as this has, to date, received so few posts.

Liam has put his finger firmly on one of Britain's current weaknesses - the poor public support for our armed forces.

I think that the public do not sufficiently distinguish between the politician and the soldier, and consequently our forces get caught in any backlash that should be directed at politicians.

Yet, there are deeper issues. The Armed Forces are closely-knit. Many of us, myself included, never meet them. Moreover, their opportunities to carry out more PR-type work is severely curtailed by their undermanning.

As someone who wants to let our Armed Services know that I support them, there are precious few available outlets for this expression of support: No US-style bumper stickers, and worse (unless Google has failed me), no well-known website where tributes to our brave men and women could be posted and where civilian wellwishers such as myself could post our good wishes and moral support.

Perhaps one of the more techie people who read this site might rise to the challenge and start such a website?

[Donal Blaney]

Liam deserves considerable credit for continuing to stand up for Britain's relationship with the United States - which MUST remain at the centre of our foreign policy. He is also right to stand up for our servicemen and women. What a tragedy he was moved from his position as Shadow Foreign Secretary in December 2005. In six months in that post he had made some really superb speeches mapping out a truly ethical foreign policy that put human rights at the core of foreign policy.

[Simon Chapman]

Thank you for this series of posts Liam. I agree with many of the above comments particularly Donal & Adrian.

Am I right in thinking that Tony Blair has not yet been to meet even one of the flights that bring home the coffins containing the bodies of servicemen killed in Iraq? If that is correct, and I fear that it is, it is an extraordinary stain on his time in office. I don't want to make false accusations over so serious an issue, but can anyone confirm the position?

[John]

Adrian,
Try the SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors and Airman Forces Association. They sell 'Support our Troops, badges.

[Donal Blaney]

From a conservative website:

"It is not the poet, but the soldier who maintains our freedom of expression; it is not the journalist, but the soldier who maintains our freedom of speech; it is not the lawyer, but the soldier who maintains the greatest system of justice in the world; and it is not the politician, but the soldier who provides for our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”

Amen. Perhaps an 18 Doughty Street campaign ad idea - thank a soldier week...

[Adrian Owens]

John - Thanks for your SSAFA suggestion, I'll give them a try.

Donal - Great idea about thank a soldier week. We need to thank and honour our servicemen and women and perhaps a viral ad is a useful starting point.

[Ismail]

Completely agree with Liam Fox. Frankly, our troops are treated worst than criminals, not just by the government but also by some elements of the general public. John Reid tells judges to imprison fewer convicted criminals, while the Attorney Gerneral unpatriotically brought a criminal case against two soldiers, just for following orders. It is also because of the effects of multicultilism where its "racist" to waive the British flag. We are never taught anything positive about our history in school especially about the British Empire where there many great things about it, and also the far left (such as the Stop the War Coalition) who falsly publicise in the Media (particular the BBC) and the internet that our troops are supposedly committing war crimes against Iraqis and Aghans.

[Tapestry]

Liam Fox had to be moved out from Foreign Secretary as he was showing up William Hague to be the hopeless and spineless character that he is. Cameron won the leadership by doing a behind the scenes deal with the europhile tendency (of which hague is a cryptic member) ensuring he won the support of the media.

Only by getting the media (and the EPP promise) did Cameron block Liam Fox's bid to be leader. We now have to put up with hague's hopeless rubbish rather than being refreshed with Fox's insight.

One thing I have against Cameron is that he runs so close to hague and pushes Fox into the back woods. With Fox as leader, we'd be out of the EPP by now, have a proper level of opposition to Labour's neglect of our troops and be no further back electorally.

If cameron stumbles, Fox must be next.

[Alex Swanson]

Earth to Fox: What did you expect? For years, the chattering classes have denigrated anyone interested in shooting sports, especially target shooting, as at best anti-social and at worst dangerously psychotic wierdos. Senior Conservatives knew (and know) this is unjust, but have gone along with it and even passed anti-gun laws themselves. Did you think that this wouldn't have a knock-on effect on how people regarded the armed forces?

[Polar]

You will see a lot of similar questioning of the "values" of the good citizens of the UK and the way they view the armed forces on the Army RumouR SErvice (ARRSE)website.

Our treatment of the armed forces is shocking. So much so that a group of serving and ex-serving soldiers founded the British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) to speak out on behalf of servicemen everywhere.

[David Sergeant]

My next door neighbour is in the army and away a lot so I mow his lawn. When his young son thanked me I pointed out it was my contribution to the war effort. Better than a bumper sticker!

"as Shadow Foreign Secretary in December 2005. In six months in that post he had made some really superb speeches mapping out a truly ethical foreign policy that put human rights at the core of foreign policy."

I have to say I never heard or saw any of these. I have critisised Liam because of his lack of impact on our political scene for ordinary voters. I am very interested but still havn't noticed him. I do hope these contributions are a start for him to become more visible.