Fingers crossed for Pen Farthing and Nowzad

He hasn't put the lives of animals above those of humans.

LondonMzFitz

There is a horrific backlash taking place on social media against Pen. I honestly think this is a coordinated attempt by MP Ben Wallace and his team to shift attention from the shambolic withdrawal, the people left behind and the reported papers implicating Afghans who have worked with the Brits left for the Taliban to look at.

I'm not usually one for conspiracy theories, but there are dozens of posts on Twitter from people with less than 20 followers. It's weird ..

100%

I don't Twit, so I haven't seen the comments you refer to but I went to bed last night certain that this was being inflated in certain political quarters to try and deflect public attention from the clusterduck that is the whole shoddy shambles of the West's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

As the staff's paperwork was deemed to be wrong, they were not getting on that plane, regardless of how many animals were in the hold. Nothing I've read has made me think that was Mr. Farthing's personal fault.

The whole situation is horrendous beyond imagining - but I will not be swayed by a smear campaign designed to deflect attention from the places where blame lies.

Callistemon

BlueBelle

Callistemon I m with you 100% I don’t know him I don’t have any feelings for him, but I don’t understand how anyone can put an animals life ahead of a humans and I think he has done a big disservice to his staff, like the captain of a boat he should have been the last to leave.
I hope to God the staff can get out but now it looks less likely What a mess

Bluebelle I was very upset at the thought of what would happen to the staff left behind and the thoughts that it is not part of the ethos and integrity of an ex-Royal Marine Commando to do anything like this, but, as I posted above,
an ex-servicemen said:
Listening to the voice of reason, an ex-servicemen who said:

"We were not there, we cannot judge. We don't know if he was bundled on to the plane by service personnel. He will probably have to live with the guilt and remorse of having to leave his staff behind to face such peril for the rest of his life."

I do feel, however, that a cat will survive as best it can; were the staff able to leave if the paperwork had been processed, they would live to rescue another thousand+ animals in need.

Those animals might well have died, yes, but they wouldn’t have been hunted down, tortured, raped and killed in a barbaric way.

Well of course there’s a backlash. This is what this country does so well these days! Smokescreen after smokescreen to cover up the actions by the appalling government we have.

Those animals might well have died, yes, but they wouldn’t have been hunted down, tortured, raped and killed in a barbaric way
.Exactly Lucca or live undef a torturous, restrictive regime I love animals and hate the idea of them suffering but Im 100 times more concerned for the humans left behind
I don’t understand why supporters of animal welfare don’t get that and how kind is it to put old, or injured, or sick animals into a hold of a plane and fly them thousands of miles to a different country, a different climate, will they survive? well that we ll never know I think this man who obviously started off with completely, good, solid intentions has allowed his anger and upset over the difficulties he’s been through to turn him into an arrogant person who MUST win whatever the cost
His determination to do it his way has turned a good deed into a bad situation in my opinion and I know few on this thread will agree with me but sometimes your head must rule your heart

This thread is bizarre.
He jumped the queue - no he didn't.
He put the animals before humans - no he didn't.
He's a posh arrogant git - tells me more about the poster than anything else.
True animal lovers wouldn't have put the animals on a plane anyway - that's a new one.
He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?
But mostly, being told that supporting Pen’s action means our hearts rule our heads by someone who calls themselves an “animal lover”. I find people who advertise themselves as “animal lovers” generally like pictures of cute kitties and pride themselves on having rescue dogs, making sure everyone knows about it. I’m not an “animal lover” or any other misty-eyed description of a person living up to their convictions.

I’m totally in agreement with you Lucca and thoughtfully compassionately expanded on Bluebell

He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?

If the report that he threatened to destroy Wallace and his deputy via social media if he, Farthing, did not get what he wanted re permissions, then yes he has besmirched the honour of the Marines. And of himself.

08:11BlueBelle

His determination to do it his way has turned a good deed into a bad situation in my opinion and I know few on this thread will agree with me but sometimes your head must rule your heart

In what way do you think Pen Farthing turned this into a bad situation.

The chartered plane for the rescue was paid for with private donations, it had nothing to do with the British Government or tax payers.

I think Pen Farthing is a hero.

The person who has blood on his hands is Biden for the chaotic withdrawal.

I am just glad they got out and if those in charge had acted better there was room for all who needed to but Western leaders were caught picking their noses and chit chatting about summer holidays totally underestimating what was going to happen and the question really is Why.
Good luck to Pen and the animals.

Well he and his animals are out at last at the the cost of human lives. It would seem from what I read, The Guardian, that it took a lot of man power to get the animals to the airfield and then on board, manpower that’s was diverted from helping totters. Also there are now claims of his bullying, foul mouth rants to staff to get help. I despise him and see him him as an arrogant bully.

Lucca

Callistemon

BlueBelle

Callistemon I m with you 100% I don’t know him I don’t have any feelings for him, but I don’t understand how anyone can put an animals life ahead of a humans and I think he has done a big disservice to his staff, like the captain of a boat he should have been the last to leave.
I hope to God the staff can get out but now it looks less likely What a mess

Bluebelle I was very upset at the thought of what would happen to the staff left behind and the thoughts that it is not part of the ethos and integrity of an ex-Royal Marine Commando to do anything like this, but, as I posted above,
an ex-servicemen said:
Listening to the voice of reason, an ex-servicemen who said:

"We were not there, we cannot judge. We don't know if he was bundled on to the plane by service personnel. He will probably have to live with the guilt and remorse of having to leave his staff behind to face such peril for the rest of his life."

I do feel, however, that a cat will survive as best it can; were the staff able to leave if the paperwork had been processed, they would live to rescue another thousand+ animals in need.

Those animals might well have died, yes, but they wouldn’t have been hunted down, tortured, raped and killed in a barbaric way.

No, they wouldn't. I do agree.

How anyone can feel more compassion for a cat, which will quickly turn feral if left to it's own devices, than they do for terrified children, young girls and young women who will be taken as sex slaves, boys who may be tortured is beyond my understanding.

Baggs

^He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?^

If the report that he threatened to destroy Wallace and his deputy via social media if he, Farthing, did not get what he wanted re permissions, then yes he has besmirched the honour of the Marines. And of himself.

And there you go....

If...if....

Don't be mouthy in this world, don't be angry. Be meek and mild and do what the nice politician in his comfy office tells you. Is that how ex-Marines behave?

The person who has blood on his hands is Biden for the chaotic withdrawal.

Not the Taliban or ISIS then?

www.facebook.com/nowzadrescue/

Perhaps the haters on here might like to read Nowzad back story.

Lucca, dogs are not allowed to be pets by the Taliban. They are deemed unclean. They'd be shot.clubbed to death/burned etc etc

I've just had the misfortune to read an article in the Sunday Mail where Pen is being ripped to shreds by their angry readers. Bit like this thread actually.

This website informs of what they have done over the years

www.nowzad.com/our-work/our-shelter

They have also rehomed over 1000 dogs to their soldiers all over the world. The soldiers have taken great comfort in these dogs. 10 years ago the family of a young soldier managed to save his dog who had survived. Their son had told them about this lovely dog who had been his friend and support in that hell hole.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-15990370

As *Alegrias! has pointed out, he didn't jump the queue. He was sat for 13 hours in scorching temperatures and didn't jump the queue. He didn't put dogs before people.

Just do a spot of research rather then taking snippets from the media

He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?

That has to be one of the most absurd comments on here.

You should all get on the Sunday Mail. You'll find lots of like minded types.

09:43Callistemon. Not the Taliban or ISIS then?

Of course the Taliban and ISIS.

The haters on here are making out Pen Farthing has blood on his hands which is ridiculous.

Well that's helpful isnt it.

He's besmirched the honour of the Marines was the quote I meant to use. I didn't mean to include Alegrias1 good response.

I am rather angry at the moment and there's smoke coming from my keyboard

I meant the Sunday mail comments. Like minded types, no tribalism there.

Galaxy

I meant the Sunday mail comments. Like minded types, no tribalism there.

Very helpful. It's filled with comments similar to these. Like minded. Nothing unhelpful there.

Zoejory

*He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?*

That has to be one of the most absurd comments on here.

You should all get on the Sunday Mail. You'll find lots of like minded types.

Just to be clear Zoejory - I don't think this is true at all, but its what people are saying. I'm sure you understood that but I wanted to be clear what my position is.

I've started wondering to myself what possible benefit there is to the Government in scapegoating Farthing and telling us he prevented people getting out, he hindered the execution of the plan etc? But its obvious, isn't it? When we all start to realise how many people have been left behind, they can blame it on the diversion about "pets".

Its quite possible that the government are spinning this to distract from their own failings, it's also possible that Pen is not a angel, in my experience there are very few heroes and they are often than not deeply flawed.

I am not knocking the work he has done, nor am I an animal hater but when a child asked him Why are your animals lives worth more than mine, it would seem he had no answer.