True Grit

In the wake of last Thursday's attack on London we have seen the expected messages of resolve and determination from our politicians to carry on as normal, and not to allow the terrorists to win.

Quite rightly so, in my view.

However, despite this, one of Blairy's close chums in the so called "war against terror" seems to have let the side down; and has had an attack of the "health safeties".

It seems that the thousands of US military personnel, based in the UK, have been banned by commanders from travelling to London and the inner ring of the M25.

The reason?

Seemingly London is just too dangerous.

That's odd, some 8 million people live within the M25, myself included; what are we meant to do in this "cauldron of terror"?

Personnel, most of them from US Air Force units at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, and family members who are from the US are being urged to stay away.

Defence Secretary John "20 a day" Reid said the US Embassy had told him the advice was being urgently reviewed. He said that he was "trying to get to the bottom of this".

It seems that the US air force said that the order had been made in the interests of the safety of its troops.

RAF Mildenhall spokesman Matt Tulis said:

"We are concerned about the safety of our folks and are trying to do what we can to protect them...This is the best course of action right now."

Rather incongruously he then said:

"Obviously it's in the interests of the air force to ensure its personnel are as vigilant and as safe as possible...

While it's important for some to carry on business as usual, the interests in keeping the air force out of harm's way until we have a bit more knowledge about what has happened is greater than the need to send them back into the city."

He added:

"In this difficult hour, the people of Great Britain can know the American people stand with you".

This ludicrous ban sends totally the wrong message to both the terrorists, and to the citizens of Britain (the allies of the US).

It highlights a lack of harmony in the methodology of Nanny and Uncle Sam as to how they intend to pursue the "war on terror".

Rather alarmingly it also contradicts the message sent by President Bush who yesterday, at the FBI Academy in Quantico, said that the US would "not retreat in the face of terrorists" .

Adding:

"In this difficult hour, the people of Great Britain can know the American people stand with you.....We continue to take the fight to the enemy and will fight till this enemy is defeated," he told the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

He finished by saying:

"The only way that terrorists can win is if we lose our nerve...These kind of people who blow up subways and buses are not the kind of people you can negotiate with or reason with or appease. In the face of such adversaries, there is only one course of action: We will continue to take the fight to the enemy, and we will fight until this enemy is defeated".

The chain of command must not be seen to contradict itself.

Regrettably the orders issued to the US service personnel in the UK transform the image of the US military from that of "gung ho" John Wayne to "risk averse" Sgt Bilko.

I am not in the US military therefore I will be ignoring these orders, and risking life and limb by going into Central London (Canary Wharf) later today for a large steak.