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:'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(

OK, this might sound a bit anal, but why do we only make a point of drawing attention to army deaths things when they hit a nice round number?

Surely we should be up in arms (no pun intended) when it gets to 1.

There isn't a day that goes by without me thinking of those that have lost their lives pursuing the idiotic, futile, illegal and immoral policies of the British government in Iraq and Afghanistan, so I agree. Whether it's 1, 101, 1001, it makes no difference. I only mention it today because of the media coverage which has been given to this awful figure having been reached. I am very, very sad.

Footnote - I'm not being pedantic larry but we should remember that it's not just the army that has suffered casualties, it's the RAF as well, possibly the Navy - I'm not sure, and will almost certainly include special service personnel who operate covertly.

I had a feeling your post was prompted by several papers' headlines mentioning the fact.

The Independent usually puts pictures of them all on the cover or inside.

To paraphrase a far wiser person than me:

When we seek to impose democracy with the barrel of a gun, we are retarding the possibility that genuine home-grown democracy will ever emerge.
Barak Obama.

I sincerely hope that the US electorate doesn't once again prove itself too stupid to live in a democracy by installing John McCain in the White House.

I just started to read this.  I too, am saddened when lives are lost in Afghanistan- and outraged when lives are lost in Iraq.  I see the situations differently.

Although I am not convinced that we will be to effect sincere change in Afghanistan, Iraq is a whole other story and agenda... and I am pleased that my government did not go along with that one. 

I have recently retired from the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, and I know many who have gone to Afghanistan.  The prevailing attitude is that they do think/hope that they are permitting Afghan society the opportunity to evolve.  They support government sending troops (themselves) into harm's way.  Their biggest complaint is that some NATO allies (their fingers pointed at the French, Germans and Italians) do not send their troops into harm's way.  They feel that if our allies truly worked cooperatively to root-out the Talibanis and then occupy ground gain (instead of going back to safe areas allowing the "baddies" to return)... then the whole situation could be resolved more quickly, and then everyone could go home.

Like I said, I'm not convinced, but I do support my ex-comrades... and I am, honestly, sickened when I hear news of death.  The thought of a young life wasted is horrible.  So I cling to the hope that they will help to bring about a change for the better in Afghanistan.