No one talks about the fact that military choose to go to war. Forget the bullshit that you are not a political but ask yourself this. Do you and would you kill for your country? you are murderer. Someone who protects themself in self defence may have an argument but even this is unacceptable for a pacifist. However, the civilian makes no such choice but finds themselves at the heart of a conflict made possible only by soldiers without moral or convictions to stand up to a political system that is corrupt. That is what is missing from your piece Mr Bell, UK soliders are the last bastion of the scoundrel wrapped up in the Colonialist bloody thirsty flag that gave them birth. I hope soldiers who go out to kill end up suffering as much as the civilians they kill in their armed length cowardice way. By the way your great Mrs Thatcher and Mr Reagan also killed thousands of innocent people in Indonesia. No doubt a lauded part of Great British history!!

Bell's distinguished talk about learning from history and experience fail to state the one obvious point that any leading academic or war verteran knows. Wars have resulted in the ordinary largest collateral damage of poor ordinary soldiers and civilians. In short, wars do not work. Armies exist to propagate wars not prevent them as we have seen throughout history. If we did not have armies, we would have anarchy but we would not have war.

Here's the military intelligence that Bell and his counterparts in the past or today failed to take. I think every soldier should be asked these questions before joining as part of a new kind of military intelligence test

Do you want to kill another human being for the Queen and UK home and foreign policy?
Do you want to die for the Queen and UK home and foreign policy?

This is an intelligence test that tells a solider they will kill or be killed. None of which an ordinary person with morals and integrity would want. Wonder how many of these type of moral people are in the SAS and the army?

Needless to say some will want to die for some old bint married to a NAZI who sees herself as a divine leader and politicians who mislead everyone - Forgive the use of intemperate language - let me rephrase it - Lying morally bankrupt politicians. I am clearly no fan of monarchy under any guise that is for morons or social climbers but I do want real democracy. None of which is offered in the distinguished talk by Martin Bell past, present or future.

but a lot of the people will rationalise the army by saying, 'it's not just about combat, you get to travel the world and learn new skills.'

You may choose the army but soldiers know they make the choice to kill and die - that is the choice they make - you have to be fairly thick not to work that out.

If indeed, their argument is the army offers soldiers a great way to travel the world, soldiers will have to accept they cannot have it two ways - I think most soldiers think: I get to kill people because I am brave but hey I do not want anything to happen to me because it is wrong.

Guess what the person or in most cases persons you killed or maimed thought it was wrong. Guess what they had the same dreams about living as you did. Failing to see that is what is wrong and the travel thing, well what do you say to that