Service Personnel abuse allegations: Oppose the war, but don't abuse the troops

07 March 2008

Green Party Lead candidate for the 2009 European Elections makes clear there is no excuse for verbally abusing service men and women.

Allegations have been made that RAF men and women in Eastern Region (specifically, service men and women from RAF Wittering, near Peterborough) have been verbally abused by some local residents unhappy about the fact that British forces are occupying Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Green Party has been very active in the peace movement and in opposing the wars. Cllr. Rupert Read, Lead candidate for the 2009 European Elections in Eastern Region, made clear this morning that opposing war and opposing aggression against British service personnel are two sides of the same coin:

"The Green Party is anti-war, pro-peace, but also believes that people should be treated fairly. Service personnel are doing what the Government has sent them to do, in extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances. Most of the community understands that and recognises the situation they are in. Hopefully the stories of verbal abuse actually relate to very limited incidents.

Service men and women should never be personally attacked for bad decisions made by those in charge. It is not the troops who should be taking the rap for the disasters continuing to unfold in Iraq and Afghanistan u2013 it is those in Downing Street who persist in sending them into counter-productive occupation and war situations, who should take the blame."