Army Forced to Retreat
not exclusive | 26.02.2003 17:07
Army have problems recruiting. Link to local corporate media could become broken by thurs/27/feb - sorry
Date published: Wednesday 26 February 2003
Army forced to retreat
Peace protesters forced Army officers to abandon a recruitment exercise in Oxford yesterday.
About 15 anti-war campaigners turned up to protest as officers from Oxford's Armed Forces Careers Office tried to encourage more people to join the military.
The officers abandoned their makeshift stall in Broad Street, where they had been handing out recruitment leaflets, just 15 minutes after the arrival of protesters.
They left a truck, which protesters covered with posters.
Protester Paul Greening, of east Oxford, said: "We are very pleased with the impact we had."
The army declined to comment.
Army forced to retreat
Peace protesters forced Army officers to abandon a recruitment exercise in Oxford yesterday.
About 15 anti-war campaigners turned up to protest as officers from Oxford's Armed Forces Careers Office tried to encourage more people to join the military.
The officers abandoned their makeshift stall in Broad Street, where they had been handing out recruitment leaflets, just 15 minutes after the arrival of protesters.
They left a truck, which protesters covered with posters.
Protester Paul Greening, of east Oxford, said: "We are very pleased with the impact we had."
The army declined to comment.
not exclusive
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Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
nice one!
26.02.2003 17:24
murder-stopperer...errr!
Scots medics go unwillingly to war
26.02.2003 17:59
AN ARMY publicity stunt turned into a public relations disaster yesterday when reservists leaving for the Gulf condemned the war against Iraq.
Rather than smiling for the cameras and speaking bravely about doing their patriotic duty, some of the medics ended up in tears as they spoke about leaving behind their families to join the war on Saddam.
One - watched by embarrassed senior officers - angrily condemned the stance taken by US President George Bush and Tony Blair.
The 26 reservists - from all walks of civilian life - are part of 225 Highland Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, were put on show at the Territorial Army barracks in Dundee’s Dalkeith Road. They are due to travel to a base in Chilwell, Notts, on Tuesday, before embarking for the Gulf.
Gary McIntosh, 36, only learned of his deployment last Wednesday after his papers were initially sent to the wrong address and he hit out angrily at what he termed "Bush’s war".
The tiler by trade became tearful when he held his three-year-old daughter Charis.
"How do I say to her, ‘Daddy’s got to go away, I don’t know when I’ll be back’," he said.
"I don’t understand why we have to go. This is about Bush wanting to finish off what his father started and us Brits are getting dragged into it because of Tony Blair.
"I don’t really see why I have to be parted from my family for that."
Lieutenant Colonel Sam Rawlinson, the commanding officer of 225 Field Ambulance, told the troops and their families: "There have been a lot of political goings on, a lot of uncertainty and demonstrations. But the public will support you when it is time to go."
S. Coull
public will be sooo supportive
26.02.2003 19:07
Ah, Lieutenant, they aren't troops now. It is already time to go - lots of our boys are already in the region and there is bog-all public support - this war is opposed by people from the SWP to the BNP.
And it's not like the regulars are going to be much more keen - but you won't make the PR error of letting that out.
Last time around, some US troops leaving bases in Europe had to be handcuffed to get them on the transports.
The public hate seeing body bags come home so, once again, better put our fallen into fridge containers in the field bases and only let their families have them when it's all over.
not exclusive
Buck Up Brits!!!
26.02.2003 21:09
Death to Islam!
Long live the decent Anglo's of the world. All would be barbarity without us.
Mike - American
Doh!
27.02.2003 09:16
What is this, a political discussion or an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Not American
Freudian slip?
27.02.2003 13:19
'Death to Islam!'
Not sure Bush-n-Blair would thank you for revealing that..
kurious oranj