It’s a story of heroism, honour and camaraderie. The courage of the soldiers when facing a constant onslaught of attacks whilst in serving with the PWRR in Iraq, earning the unit a plethora of gallantry awards which included a Military Cross for Woody and a VC for Johnson Beharry.
Basra
Islamic State ‘Beatles’: The Next Move
The sister of one of the victims of the infamous Islamic State group dubbed the Beatles – an Execution cell responsible for the murder of at least 27 of their hostages – has called for two of the gang; Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, recently captured while trying to cross into Turkey, to be … Read More
Chilcot: The Answers?
I spent over two years in Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion between 2005 and 2007, working for a private security company (PSC) that was providing security to the American, Department of Defence, during the reconstruction phase. But yesterdays publication of over 2 millions words just didn’t do it for me, so many unanswered … Read More
Iraq, ISIS and the Sunni-Shia Split
Iraq, three years after the withdrawal of Western Coalition forces is falling apart. Is it a straightforward result of Western intervention or is there more? Lets consider the wider context of Iraq, ISIS and the Sunni- Shia Split. As the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) juggernaut gathers pace, it seems that the Iraq … Read More
British Withdrawal From Basra
I stood on the road earlier today and watched as a convoy of armoured vehicles rumble past me, Union Jacks flying high, in what seemed a triumphal parade. But the dust caked, tired faces of the men astride them told a different story, that of relief. The soldiers from the Light Infantry and Royal Welsh … Read More
Marsh Arabs
The oil rich area of Southern Iraq is normally associated with arid desert. But a short drive from the bare infertile plains, which contain the huge oils fields, lies an incredible wetland ecosystem called the Iraqi Marshes. The area, supplied by its water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was originally 20,000 km2, but under … Read More