Letter: Government’s actions are insult to our brave troops

Your free 32-page tribute for Armed Forces Day in last week’s newspaper (June 21) made excellent reading and was a reminder of their bravery and the work carried out by families and friends in support of those in and out of the armed forces.

However, we do have to ask questions of our government which has committed troops to war over the past 12 years. In Afghanistan, troops were sent to overthrow the Taliban regime. This one war claimed the lives of 444 UK soldiers plus the lives of thousands of others at a cost to this country of £40bn.

Thousands more have died in Iraq in a war that some have described as ‘unjustified’ and ‘illegal’.

US and UK intervention in these countries does not appear to have improved matters. To add insult to injury the Ministry of Defence has announced more than 4,000 soldiers will lose their jobs in the latest round of army redundancies.

John Appleyard

Firthcliffe Parade

Liversedge