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Britain's Ministry of Defence has released the names and photographs of six soldiers who were killed after an explosion hit their armored vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan on Tuesday. Four of them were aged just 20 and a fifth was 21.
They are (top row, left to right) Sergeant Nigel Coupe, aged 33, Corporal Jake Hartley, 20, Private Anthony Frampton, 20, (bottom row, left to right) Private Christopher Kershaw, 20, Private Daniel Wade, 20 and Private Daniel Wilford, 21.
The attack marked the biggest single loss of life for British troops in Afghanistan since 2006. Their deaths take the overall tally of British forces killed in the country to 404 since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion to oust the Taliban.
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It's beyond time to leave Afghanistan and Pakistan. We and others of the civilized world went there to supposedly get the terrorist Bin Laden. That's over now. It's time to leave the Afghani and Pakistani barbarians to their own devices. They will continue to kill, but at least it will be each other. Monsters like that can't be reformed, taught, or educated in any way. It is a waste of time, money and human lives to help Afghanistan or Pakistan. They are cesspools of death and destruction. They prove it everyday.
Many condolences to the families of the lost. May the injured recover quickly.
What a waste of time, money and human life....and for what reason? Ask the dimwit Teabags and Republicraps...wars and more wars...
These idiots (Teapubs) need to realize they can never beat a bunch of people who think just like them. You see folks, the Taliban and Teapubs are mirrors images of each other...they eat, sleep, talk, dump like each other...what walks and acts like a duck, is a friggin duck.....
Get the hell out of that dirt hole, dont let me get my shoe...
I'm a registered republican and agree with many of the Tea Party's goals of a smaller, less intrusive central government. If history has taught us anything it is that the Afghans are fiercely independent and have no need or want for modernity, democracy or freedom. We need to declare victory and leave...yesterday. I blame this administration more than the last for the FUBAR boondoggle CF we are in there. Remember Obama's "Afghan Surge"?
BLAME and fingerpointing does nothing to resolve any problem. All it does is cause more hard feelings. Bottom line. We need to leave that part of the world, and let them kill one another. They like killing, and they don't care who they kill: men, women or children, mother, father, son or daughter--it's all the same to them. Murder is the mindset. They like the blood and mayhem. We can't cure that, nor will we be able to change it.
Yes, and before we leave we should inject every one of them with heroin so they can see what their main export does to the rest of the world.
You would not want to live in World free of Opiates. Unless you really do like pain. I don't!
Civilised? Yeah, that'd be a good idea.
Violence is NEVER well received nor is it a good thing. The loss of these lives are not necessary and we should totally back away from wars and violence. This is a good time to mourn the loss of our soldiers and the innocent civilians that have been either killed by accident or by the very soldiers who are taking their war and frustration to innocent civilians and murdering them. My heart bleeds for the loss of ALL lives.
I agree in principle, but backing away from war and violence doesn't result in everyone doing so. Any oppressive or fanatical group that wants power and control will resort to war and violence to attain it. Not resisting their efforts only brings them closer to their goal. During WW2, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain secured a peace agreement with Hitler. Europe was happy - "peace" without a single shot being fired. The accord was promptly disregarded by the Nazis. Suggesting that violence ends is like suggesting that arsonists and criminals stop doing what they do, so that firemen and police won't die in the line of duty. It won't happen.
we should have kept our noses out of the conflick when Russia invaded afganistan and maybe 911 would have never happened.now the weapons that we supplied for afgan soilders are being used against the u.s. and it's allies
What difference would it have made?
The Soviets win in Afghanistan, refugees flow to Pakistan. Refugees are radicalized on the idea of expelling an "Occupier" from Muslim soil, or whatnot.
We'd still have radicals. We might even still have had 9/11.
My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of these fine young men, may they rest in peace.For those who have the courage to stand for principles of honor, freedom and the right to live free from oppression, thank you for your selfless sacrifice on our behalf, God bless them.
I believe it is unseemly to seize upon the deaths of fine young men like this just to make political statements.
We should never forget that our best allies in the world, the British and the Canadians, stood with us in Afghanistan and they too have paid a price.
Semper Fi from this old Marine.
Tragedies such this, should and must be the chance to make political statements my friend. Because by making them, you start thinking about why those men lost their lives, why this `war` hasn't ended yet($..). May they rest in peace, greetings from Greece
Won't say I disagree with you Manos, I am just dismayed by those who seize the opportunity to push their opinions without so much as an acknowlegement of the fallen.
Should we still be there? No. I am just as unhappy with the "mission creep" that is keeping us there and fail to see how sacrifices such as this contribute anything meaningful to our national interest or that of our allies.
I also would like to thank you for the reasonable tone of your response to my original post!
It takes a lot to get to me these days, but I teared up just looking at those fresh young beautiful faces. I hope their families find peace and comfort in the difficult days to come. RIP.
My condolences to the family and friends of these men. The ripple affect of their loss will be felt many times over. May they rest in peace.
As usual the officials will come forth witht the same 'cut & paste' reaction to this story expressing their 'deepest condolences' to the families for their losses and vow to bring those responsible to justice blah blah. Get to the root of the issue and tell us why we are there at all- one solid answer. If not, pull out for good and let this country take care of itself before things get worse.
Sounds like the US isn't the only country that should get out. Stop wasting our people much less our resources in that crap-pile! Afghanistan is never going to amount to anything.
They went out with all the latest gadgets at night to kill Afghans, but they got killed instead. It seems fair to me. They were trespassers in a Country that rightly hates them for all they have done. The Afghans were doing the patriotic thing. Get out or be killed. We never learn.
What a waste of life.
Laura, are you referring to the thousands of women and children that we have killed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past eleven years for no good reason at all. That is what haunts me.
Phil, obviously your allegiance lies elsewhere and its not the UK or US. Why not post the statistics of all their own people the terrorist groups that run both those countries have killed? Bet you are too comfy in your armchair to do that, hope you enjoy reaping the benefits of others who died so you can sit your butt down in peace and enjoy your day.
Allegiance should not trump objectivity. Our killing spree around the World is shameful and in no way is it designed to protect my or your right to free speech.
WhyWhywhy aren't we getting the hell out of that hell-hole? How much more blood and cash will this war cost us? General Watzisface was right: we've made no impression on this shallow, primitive, vengeful, hateful, ignorant, unlettered and unwilling-to-change society, and won't. Let them stew in their own juices while we keep from wasting the precious lives of more soldiers, regardless of whose flag they fight under! This is a continuing outrage! Washington? London? Leave! NOW! If the bastards follow us home, we'll sic the Miss. National Guard on 'em!
Because the USA does not have the collective good sense to do the right thing. All we ever understand is a bloody nose.
Sad to lose these brave young men. I fear their death will be for nothing.
Heartbreaking.
How many times do we have to see this over almost the next two years? I, for one, have viewed enough! There is no war to be WON in Afghanistan, only more lives lost! The time to withdraw is NOW, not by the end of 2014! If our leaders can't realize this we need to slap them upside the head. What I'm concerned about is our current leaders apologizing to the government of Afghan, not over humans being killed, but books accidentally burned. Does that make sense? FDR, JFK, Ronald Reagan would end this war NOW, and they wouldn't be busy writing apologizes instead. Of course, I agree Ronnie was a nutjob and might have actually given an order to burn every Quran book they could find. Californians, always love bonfires. .... You, and I type on our computers about this situation in Afghan. Whether you are pro or con, most of us agree that we should have been out of this country yesterday. Instead, we get talk, and apologizes going in the wrong direction. I hope our great leader has a full case of crayons so he can color more apologizes to the American families of loved ones, in Afghan, that will lose their lives because of his stupidity, and ignorance.
404 British forces killed since the debacle to grab Bin Laden 10+ years ago. Not 1 drop of British blood should have been lost in that God forsaken wasteland called Afghanistan.
My heart goes out to each and everyone of them. God please be with their family.
It is very sad to see these young lives cut short, however there will always be those willing to put on a uniform and serve their country. My father volunteered at 17 to fight in World War Two, my husband is currently deployed. The British and American forces have a long tradition of pride and service.A soldier goes where he is ordered to go and does not take time to pick apart the why or where of a situation. I extend my sympathies to the families. In a year of deployment our Army post has lost around twenty men and only a military family understands that mometary fear when the doorbell rings.May there always be those willing to serve and protect the freedoms of others, and if necessary make the ultimate sacrifice.
Speechless.. very sad.
The soldier sounds as if he went over the edge....someone should have been keeping an eye on him Think in terms of the young people who go to school with guns and kill other students...why....becuase they got sick and tired of the actions of other people. That I believe is the reason why he went over the edge. There is all a reaction to an action, in this case it can be severe.
Russia, left Afghanistan and stated it was their Vietnam, when is our government going to wake up. You are dealing with gangs in Afghanistan. Let them kill themselves with their gang wars. Keep the billions at home so we can build our country.