A point frequently made in reader emails:

Given the spinelessness of the British government and the don’t-make-trouble rules of engagement (obvious from the behavior of the RN ship commander), why should ordinary sailors and marines–enlisted men and junior officers–risk their lives?

[Me] If you don’t want to risk your live, don’t join the armed services.

Service in H.M. armed forces has always been a matter of dealing with (1) indifferent and clueless politicians, (2) incompetent superiors, and (3) the enemy, when he shows up. An enemy commander in WW1 described the Tommies as “lions led by donkeys.” Charge of the Light Brigade, anyone?

What’s a soldier to do under these circumstances? What British soldiers always did, until recently: be a lion.

The disgraceful displays we have seen this past few days bring to mind not so much lions led by donkeys, as asses led by asses, under the political direction of weasels.

It was plain as could be from the TV clips we have seen–”plain as eggs“–that these servicemen did not know how to behave. Didn’t anyone tell them?