I wept as I comforted our soldiers maimed in Iraq’: How could I tell them Blair’s ‘just war’ was an illusion?
Daily Mail
"We can best pay tribute to their sacrifices by ensuring that in the future no British sailor, soldier, Marine or airman is asked to lay down their life except for the most urgent and honourable of causes."
Remembering the meaning of remembrance
UK sent ‘children’ to Iraq and Afghanistan despite Government ban
The children were sent to 'operational theatres' between April 2008 and March 2010. Campaigners against use of child soldiers demand ministers end 'outdated practice'.
Imprisoned Navy conscientious objector to appeal conviction in High Court
ForcesWatch press release
Navy medic Michael Lyons, a conscientious objector convicted of disobedience, who was detained in July, stripped of his rank and dismissed from the service, will be at the High Court 13 October to appeal his conviction. A recent European ruling recognises conscientious objection for first time as human right.
European Court of Human Rights affirms the right to conscientious objection to military service
War Resisters International
The European Court of Human Rights, in a ground-breaking judgment in the case of Bayatyan v. Armenia, has ruled that states have a duty to respect individuals’ right to conscientious objection to military service as part of their obligation to respect the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion set out in Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Back in the trenches?
Within the same week, the UK conscientious objector Michael Lyons was detained for 7 months and a landmark ruling in favour of conscientious objection was made by the European Court of Human Rights.
The big red cross
Lillian Lyons, wife of imprisoned conscientious objector Michael Lyons, describes why he refused the “learning to kill” course.
‘UK employs US army recruiting tactics’
An exclusive interview with Ben Griffin, spokesman for Veterans for Peace, and former SAS soldier
Hey sergeant, leave them kids alone
Peace News
In July ForcesWatch launched the Military Out of Schools campaign. Speakers Oskar Castro, a US activist in countering military recruitment, and Ben Griffin, ex-forces and the founder of fledgling Veterans for Peace UK, discussed how young people are militarised and what can be done about it.
Bullying, harassment and racism complaints soar in the Armed Forces
Complaints of bullying, harassment, racism and sexism in the Armed Forces have leapt 50 per cent in a year, a report revealed yesterday.