Bring the Welsh Army Home to Wales (as featured in the Western Mail 12/09/07 - Letters)

It was quite obvious, despite government denials and prognostications of a successful outcome, that the highly dubious adventure which George Bush and Tony Blair led us into would be an unmitigated disaster. So it has proved. Now comes the delicate and tricky exercise of extricating the Welsh and English, known as the British, army from the field of operations in Iraq. Hundreds of millions of Pounds, not to mention Dollars, have been squandered in the attempt to introduce, or rather impose, western democracy upon an Arab state substantially different in cultural, political and religious outlook from the invading forces. What was the plan for administrating Iraq following the successful invasion? Apparently there was none, and if there was, it was ineffective and poorly envisaged. What was the strategy for melding together the diverse religious and political elements, particularly the Sunnis and the Shias, to ensure harmony and co-operation for the purpose of rebuilding the nation and installing stable government? Apparently, there was none or there was nobody capable of understanding the complexities of Arab and Islamic culture and the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

The overall effect of these incursions into foreign territory has been little short of disastrous. The training of an indigenous army and police force has been mismanaged, with hundreds of police would-be recruits killed by determined suicide bombers, while waiting outside the recruiting area, when this carnage could have been easily prevented by flying them in to the compound and out again. The government that was eventually set up was a puppet government, unrepresentative of the various political and religious groupings. So now, with the assistance and connivance of Iran the Shias have attained prominence and the bloodshed continues. Far from creating a stable democracy in Iraq the allied interference has produced chaos and confusion.

What is the Welsh army doing there, battling under the unrepresentative flag of the Union, and losing gallant soldiers by the dozen? Of what concern to Wales is this foreign war, a war which does not threaten Wales in the least? As an independent nation Wales would be a threatened by nobody, but also Wales would not be a threat to anybody. In the whole of past history the only threat to Wales has come from England.

So bring back the Welsh army home to Wales and let there be no more Welsh troops fighting for a cause which was lost right from the beginning, through the mistakes and misconceptions of a British government which wilfully pursued aggressive policies against a sovereign state in company with its republican American colleagues. Democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to evolve as a natural and desired growth from within.

Note for objectors to the use of the word "mercenary".
"As a result of the assumption that a mercenary is exclusively motivated by money, the term "mercenary" carries negative connotations. There is a blur in the distinction between a "mercenary" and a "foreign volunteer", when the primary motive of a soldier in a foreign army is uncertain. For instance the French Foreign Legion and the Gurkhas are not mercenaries under the laws of war, but some journalists do describe them as mercenaries." - Wikipaedia
I have therefore removed it from the text.