UK mercenaries serving abroad - should be illegal.

If they were fighting against the IDF then they would be fighting for hamas and yes, would be prosecuted for joining a terrorist organisation if they couldn’t manage to easily slip back into the UK.

Allira

David49

“British soldiers, not serving soldiers, have been fighting and have been killed in Ukraine.”

There probably have been British, US and other serving personnel fighting front line in Ukraine but nobody is going to admit it.

There are not.

To post such a thing might put lives in danger.

That’s the official story and they are sticking to it

Do you know people who work in the MOD, then, David49, and the Head of the Armed Services?

I doubt they would divulge such information to a civilian.

Oreo

If they were fighting against the IDF then they would be fighting for hamas and yes, would be prosecuted for joining a terrorist organisation if they couldn’t manage to easily slip back into the UK.

and here is the problem- it is the Palestinians who are attacked by the IDF, and civilians who are lsoing their lives, due to bombing, shooting and starving- and the world calls it, quite rightly, a genocide, and war crimes. Who are the terrorists now?

David49

Allira

David49

“British soldiers, not serving soldiers, have been fighting and have been killed in Ukraine.”

There probably have been British, US and other serving personnel fighting front line in Ukraine but nobody is going to admit it.

There are not.

To post such a thing might put lives in danger.

That’s the official story and they are sticking to it

The British army has been involved in the Ukraine from before the war started, but not in a combat situation.

They have been involved in primarily training Ukraine soldiers.

The full story can be read here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orbital .

Serving British army members would absolutely not be involved in military operations because if this was so it would be construed as Britain - or any other country getting directly involved in the war and under the rules of warfare, the Russians could consider Briatin and those connected with it to be officially at war with Russia with all that that would mean.

Thanks M0nica

It does worry me that such false information can be posted on social media. It's foolish and dangerous.

This would also cover involvment in secret and clandestine operations. The results, should anyone be captured, are far too serious for serving members of the defence forces to be involved in any such operations.

My understanding is that the Geneva Conventions simply define mercenaries as not eligible for prisoner of war status.

M0nica

This would also cover involvment in secret and clandestine operations. The results, should anyone be captured, are far too serious for serving members of the defence forces to be involved in any such operations.

When U.K. forces go into countries under cover they do so with no identification whatsoever.

They know what, why and the consequences as do their families.

who are the terrorists now

Claremont, I do not identify the Isreali government or the actions of its military as terrorist. I am horrified by its attacks on Palestinian people, the bombing, the shooting of adults and children waiting for food aid, the constant demands that Palestinian people move from one area to another. We await the official legal definition of war crimes, though it seems the majority view is that war crimes are being committed.

Hamas is a terrorist group.

Diplomacy is the only possible way to the dream of a two state solution.

GrannyGravy13

M0nica

This would also cover involvment in secret and clandestine operations. The results, should anyone be captured, are far too serious for serving members of the defence forces to be involved in any such operations.

When U.K. forces go into countries under cover they do so with no identification whatsoever.

They know what, why and the consequences as do their families.

Precisely.

Iam64

*who are the terrorists now*

Claremont, I do not identify the Isreali government or the actions of its military as terrorist. I am horrified by its attacks on Palestinian people, the bombing, the shooting of adults and children waiting for food aid, the constant demands that Palestinian people move from one area to another. We await the official legal definition of war crimes, though it seems the majority view is that war crimes are being committed.

Hamas is a terrorist group.

Diplomacy is the only possible way to the dream of a two state solution.

why not? If Israel was only defending its teritory, that would be one thing. But they are now clearly attacking another people in the most vicious and barbaric of ways, and taking more and more territory illegally. Doesn't that make their actions war crimes, and akin to terrorism? None of their army will be protected when the day of reckoning comes- but even less those who have volunteered to serve in this manner, rather than be ordered into conscription by their Governement. Although previous war tribunals made it clear that 'following orders from above' is never an excuse for war crimes.

but they are now clearly attacking another people In the most vicious and barbaric of ways
Much the same as Hamas did on that awful night 🤬

As Petra reminds us, the terrible actions from Israel were the response to the Hamas rapes and murders of civilians as a music festival.
My belief if it’s gone much too far but it’s important to remember the horrors inflicted by Hamas

I agree with petra and Iam64.

It's not down to us, on social media, to decide what is or isn't a terrorist group.
In fact, it's not down to the BBC either as they refuse to call Hamas a terrorist group even though it is designated so by several governments.

Why on earth do they not release the rest of the hostages, dead or alive? This intransigence is causing their people untold misery because the Israeli Government doesn't look as if it will cease this war until they do.

petra

^but they are now clearly attacking another people In the most vicious and barbaric of ways^
Much the same as Hamas did on that awful night 🤬

Oh it was, vicious, barbaric and we all agree, absolutely and totally. Nobody, not a single one of us has ever condoned it.

60.000 dead and the rest starving and new illegal settlements everywhere, a whole land destroyed and stolen now, and concentration camps planned- and there is NO comparison.

I don’t believe comparisons are helpful. The level of high expressed emotion is understandable. What the Israeli govt and IDF are perpetrating is horrific
Calm heads are needed here if peace is ever to be achieved

Hamas and the IDF are two sides of the same coin. they compete to prove their worth by doing worse and worse things to the other's population.

I think everyone should withdraw, stop supplying weapons and everything else to both sides, including food and leave them to stay under siege until they are starved into reaching an agreement.

Of course I know that that is a ridiculous solution and completely untenable, but both sides are as bad as each other, A plague on both their houses.

Quote M0nica Wed 23-Jul-25 20:13:35
Hamas and the IDF are two sides of the same coin. they compete to prove their worth by doing worse and worse things to the other's population.

I think everyone should withdraw, stop supplying weapons and everything else to both sides, including food and leave them to stay under siege until they are starved into reaching an agreement.

Of course I know that that is a ridiculous solution and completely untenable, but both sides are as bad as each other, A plague on both their houses.

Americans are same as English, French as Scots, Jews same as Muslims, , a plague !

M0nica

Hamas and the IDF are two sides of the same coin. they compete to prove their worth by doing worse and worse things to the other's population.

I think everyone should withdraw, stop supplying weapons and everything else to both sides, including food and leave them to stay under siege until they are starved into reaching an agreement.

Of course I know that that is a ridiculous solution and completely untenable, but both sides are as bad as each other, A plague on both their houses.

I’m surprised that non combatants - women, children and old men have not been allowed out of the ever smaller Hamas controlled areas then at least they could be cared for. With non combatants separated IDF could then finally clear out Hamas.

That sounds a very good idea David49 but it could be that the women in the household refuse not to have their man included as in Gaza as in many other countries, without a protector women are vulnerable.
If they could get it to work tho, it would really be for the best.

Quote Oreo Thu 24-Jul-25 08:16:43
That sounds a very good idea David49 but it could be that the women in the household refuse not to have their man included as in Gaza as in many other countries, without a protector women are vulnerable.
If they could get it to work tho, it would really be for the best.

Women giving orders ?

I would have thought hunger was so bad now most would be so desperate they would do anything to feed the children.

David49

M0nica

Hamas and the IDF are two sides of the same coin. they compete to prove their worth by doing worse and worse things to the other's population.

I think everyone should withdraw, stop supplying weapons and everything else to both sides, including food and leave them to stay under siege until they are starved into reaching an agreement.

Of course I know that that is a ridiculous solution and completely untenable, but both sides are as bad as each other, A plague on both their houses.

I’m surprised that non combatants - women, children and old men have not been allowed out of the ever smaller Hamas controlled areas then at least they could be cared for. With non combatants separated IDF could then finally clear out Hamas.

The Israeli government doesn't just want to get rid of Hamas, it wants to get all the Palestinians out of the Gaza. It has at various times talkedof their forced removal to the West Bank or even all Palestinians should be forceably resettled across the Middle East and other muslim countries.

It has said so several times. edition.cnn.com/2024/01/17/middleeast/israel-far-right-gaza-settler-movement-cmd-intl www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-plans-to-capture-all-of-gaza-under-new-plan-officials-say and many other reports.

The alternative is for the Israelis to kill, one way or another all the Palestinians living in Gaza and it is, of course much cheaper to kill them by starvation and illness than to drop bombs on them or waste money using guns and bullets to shoot them. although a little of that now and again can be helpful in speeding up the achievement of their aims.

I think that’s rubbish Monica
There are just about two million people still in Gaza and if Israel really just wanted everyone dead there would be plenty more bombing raids.
Showing hungry children makes it harder for Israel not easier.
They don’t count the cost of guns and bullets when it comes to hamas.
And has anybody thought, that if Egypt and Jordan offered to open the borders and allow even just women and children through to safety and food aid, how much that would help Gazans? But they won’t.