Government’s Hypocrisy on Troops: Sent to Fight, Then Left to Suffer
As another dubious conflict unfolds, soldiers called to fight deserve clarity on their rights — until then, conscientious objection is a legitimate response.
The Government is talking up sending our troops to yet another conflict of dubious merit — indeed sending British troops to Ukraine might exacerbate the very thing it is designed to prevent — such is the intellectual deficit at Government levels, where party politics of a disintegrating Government is trumping national interest.
The same Euro-centric, Government Establishment and Legal complex has pursued a policy of hounding veterans for decades in the name of human rights. This is immoral and unconscionable. If soldiers believe that there is a lack of clarity about their rights and the legal framework in place to protect them, they would be within their rights to declare themselves conscientious objectors until the situation is resolved.
The right to conscientious objection is a fundamental human right recognised by international law. In the UK, serving soldiers can apply for discharge if they develop a moral objection to military service, including concerns about human rights violations. However, this right is not explicitly enshrined in legislation, and the process remains opaque to many personnel.
This may, at first glance, appear unpalatable to many serving and former soldiers. However, this is a Government run by individuals more focused on self-interest than national interest—people who are prepared to throw our brave soldiers under the bus for ideological reasons while lining the pockets of lawyers.
Researchers are developing a paper exploring the legal, ethical, and procedural aspects of conscientious objection within the UK armed forces and evaluating whether existing mechanisms adequately protect service members' rights.
Anyone with thoughts, comments, or ideas can DM @legacydisgrace.