Johnson’s trumpeted funding for traumatised personnel exposed
Boris Johnson last night trumpeted funding for Afghanistan veterans of £5 million for mental health support for veterans of the UK’s two-decade deployment in Afghanistan, saying:
Just as they kept us safe, so we shall do right by our veterans.
The UK armed forces over the period consist of some 150,000 personnel. Johnson’s ‘doing right by our veterans’ equates to just £33.00 each – a gross insult for veterans who suffered life-changing injuries, lost friends and comrades, saw horrors and are struggling to adjust to life afterward.
As ever, the vast majority of the media parrot Johnson’s numbers and assume people will be fooled by a number with ‘million’ at the end of it. And as ever, the reality is the merest pittance compared to the scale of the need.
Just as with front-line and key workers during the pandemic, whom the Tories clapped and praised – and then slapped in the face with a 1% pay rise – Johnson and his drones don’t give a flying fig for the people who sacrifice for this country, as long as they can squeeze a bit of PR out of them.
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£20 taken from UC claiments and £13 taken from whom…to pay the insulting sum of £33 per veteran?
Am genuinely surprised that he’s found £33 a head.
Quite why anyone today would join the military, I have no idea. It’s very clear what the military is used for. G.O.D. (Gold, Oil and Drugs). Glorified looters.
But it’s not a modern thing. Demmobbed soldiers after the second world war had nowhere to go. They used old army barracks. The government (Labour no less), turned the water off each morning in an attempt to move them. The ex soldiers turned it back on in the evenings.
Slightly off topic. Why is it that every single political party across the west loves themselves some military action? They’re all on the same page, even though their parties have nothing in common.
I suppose it’s that little bit more evidence about how the table is tilted and the game is rigged.
Spot on. Like the NHS and all other “essential workers” they are filled with utter crap from politicians when they are useful, but as soon as they have no further gain to be made from them, they don’t give a monkeys.
Doubtless “Tone” who sent them out there so that he could brag about standing shoulder to shoulder with the (then) most right-wing and vaccuous US President …. until Trump rewrote the right-wing and vaccuous script – will be offering some of the millions he has made by virtue of being a right-wing PM will be offering some of his real estate for the veterans and Afghans to stay rent-free. Or perhaps not …
It’s because they do what the banks want and banks fund each side in wars. It’s a fantastic growth industry.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank.
Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
*Waits for Mr You Don’t Wanna Do It Like That Starmer to come out strongly against this, followed by him refusing to say what Labour thinks is appropriate’ – as per his position on any national insurance hike to fund social care.
At some point, could we get around to asking the “leaders” of The West to tell us what they are going to do to help the traumatised people of Afghanistan?
NVAL – “Why is it that every single political party across the west loves themselves some military action? They’re all on the same page, even though their parties have nothing in common.”
I would dispute the idea that they have nothing in common. The commitment to perpetual enrichment of the rich is practically universal in all sizeable parties, and war is pretty good at enriching the arms companies and the contractors and assorted rip-off merchants.
Goldbach, ‘The commitment to perpetual enrichment of the rich is practically universal in all sizeable parties, and war is pretty good at enriching the arms companies and the contractors and assorted rip-off merchants.’ – I would go on to say war is absolutely necessary for capitalsm for a number of reasons, not least, as I pointed out to my children – ‘What would happen to the arms industry if there were no more wars? ‘. You can then start to find evidence of sponsoring of MPs by these companies in a similar way that has just been exposed, the lobbying and bribing of MPs by the gambling industry, then there sponsoring (of MPs) and of course donations to parties. The whole thing dressed up as democracy is rigged. Rigged against the poor, the working class and humanity.
‘We have the best democracy, you can vote for who you like from our the candidates we approve of’ as we have just experienced with the battle obliterate Corbyn.
@Carlene
Heads we win, tails you lose. Stinks, doesn’t it? Stinks even more than so many are oblivious…
Looks like we’re all on the same page.
Apologies to anyone who dislikes what I say now but I believe that anyone who joins the military & believes they are making a better world already had mental health issues. The Universal soldier is the politician’s muscle.
No need to apologise, Steve. I’ve met a number of people who were ex-military and they had joined up because:-
1. It was a job when there weren’t any other jobs for them.
2. There was an opportunity to get a trade which would serve them well when they got out.
3. There was an opportunity to save plenty of money, which would go a long way towards “setting them up” when they got out.
Some had not expected the level of tedium to be as it was.
Some, who had been involved in “action” were very critical of government.
Whether any had been gung-ho about it when they went in I don’t know but, if they were, it had evaporated by the time I met them.
There is another reason for jining the military – or of supporting them.
It is because there is an evil regime which is not only murdering
their own citizens – but perpetuating their evil in other countries.
In the 1930s my Dad was in the Merchant Navy (Oil tankers) and travelled all over
Europe and North America. The crew of his ship were visited by someone
posh (in the Military?) and asked if they would be prepared to fight Hitler
and a few (including my Dad) raised their hands.
I have ambiguous feelings about Afghanistan – if asked – what would the opinion
of those women protesting as to whether theUS were right to invade ?
I think the result might \have been different if they had NOT invaded Iraq .. and yes
both we and the US have made a complete hash of the withdrawal.
Their behaviour by some while in Afghanistan and Iraq has been appalling – eg rendition
and imprisoning without trial ..torture .. disrespect of local culture ..etc..
.. and is likely to continue .. Drone strikes using “intelligence” as a guide .. will be one
way of continuing the war to the detriment of the local people of the area.
He could’nt organise a whip round in the tax havens for them, then?
The English language does not have a word (even a four-letter one) adequate to describe Johnson.
I’ve always felt service personnel should have a trade union (but perhaps not in the military theatre?) as tragically a number end up on the streets unable to deal with Civi street and perhaps the memories of their experiences.
This could be empowering.
But we often have generally middle class/upper class paternalist organisations top down working for them but yet some fall through the net.
And why should we rely on charity for these brave human beings?
Left Wing Democratic Socialists I am sure would say to them and their diverse families, we will make our foreign policy decisions imagining your loved one is one of our family.
They are valued by socialists despite the media attacks on us from these armchair warriers.
So as they seem to be worth £33 to the Tories?
When the 2 Snobby Knobs of Downing Street spent £100,000 doing up their flat!
Diverse working people including military personnel deserve better.
Oh and we will not risk their lives for oil, arms sales, capitalist interests etc.