A Dossier on British Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan

The list below is a handy roundup of the postings from this blog related to British casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), and the ongoing catalog of deception, obfuscation and indifference. Information gained by use of the Freedom of Information Act and our ongoing dialog with MOD Northwood, along with research and analysis published by medical journals forms the bulk of the information presented.

But why is this important?

If governments can commit to war, knowing that the resulting cost in blood can be hidden from those who vote - then it becomes easier to initiate.

If young men and women can sign on for service without knowing the true risk - it becomes easier to sustain.

If our democracy is to mean anything this has to stop.

11/09/2005 - MOD figures reveal one thousand British casualties in Iraq to date

21/01/2006 - Is John Reid telling the truth about about UK casualties in Iraq?

22/01/2006 - As the Government Plays Around with Casualty Statistics British Soldiers Prepare to Sue MOD

06/03/2006 - Under-reporting of British casualties in Iraq: Analysis published in The Lancet

24/03/2006 - MOD publishes information on British casualties online

31/03/2006 - "Britain's casualties of Iraq war total 6,700"

01/05/2006 - UK Casualties in Iraq: The debate continues in The Lancet

16/06/2006 - Ministry of Defence make partial improvements in their Iraq war casualty reporting

20/09/2006 - MOD admits failures in casualty reporting system

24/10/2006 - MoD moves to censor reporting of UK casualties

Update: From June 2007 we are now maintaining a regularly updated graphical analysis of British casualties - from both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

The British parliament "is God's gift to dictatorship"

From The Guardian

Last night's vote against an inquiry into the Iraq war underlines parliament's surrender of its democratic function

The British parliament is God's gift to dictatorship. If I were an absolute ruler I would get one immediately. Last night Britons were offered the spectacle of their MPs pleading with the government to be allowed an inquiry into the Iraq war. For all the vigour of the debate, they were still humiliated by the government's supporters. While British soldiers ram democracy down others' throats at the point of a gun, their representatives seem incapable of performing democracy's simplest ritual, challenging the executive.

Go here for the full article