A belated Happy Canada Day.. and a Happy 4th of July, to North America..
Just a couple of points of interest..
Was speaking to a contact in Canada yesterday, and the comment was made, that the British haven't lost that many men in Iraq.. had they? Seems the news they get from the US always reports on American casualties, but never mention the Brits..
Now it's true the Americans have passed the three thousand mark in men killed in this conflict, but, for those who might be unaware, more than two hundred Brits have fallen as well..
One might say that is, in comparison, a pathetically poor number..
But we're talking about dead men here, and regardless of the numbers, the British have maintained their position in the South of the country.. have stood 'shoulder to shoulder' where no other country would.. and our MoD has stretched it's resources beyond their capabilities..
Let us not forget, we're also in Afghanistan, and boxes come home from there as well..
It might do well to remind the American man on the street, that 'their boys' are not fighting alone.. if only to assure the British man on the street that this whole effort is worth it..
As a matter of interest.. now that Tony's no longer Prime Minister or a sitting Member of Parliament, if he's picked up his Congressional Medal of Honour yet..

Britain's Islamic Council has announced that they will begin to police their own.
They intend to weed out those Imams who teach those named as the 'disillusioned and impressionable' element, that the West is the enemy..
Perhaps more telling was a report taken from a Pakistani shop owner, who has been in the same place for more than 30 years, and who has raised a family of five, as 'British citizens'.
He recounts how his regular customers, regardless of country of origen, have expressed their condolences that he himself, might be branded with the same iron as those fanatics who seem to be popping out of the woodwork, and the NHS..
He expressed no fear.. felt no sense of isolation or discrimination..
He felt at home, as he should..

Our Security Level has been downgraded from 'Critical' to 'Serious'.. but the hunt for the man/woman behind the London and Glasgow bombing attempts continues..
Eight have been arrested so far under the 'Terrorism Act'.. with six of those arrests having been made within hours of the attempts..
As mentioned before..this country has not been put in a state of fear by these attacks..
But it has made us somewhat angry..

And after 114 days of being kept in virtual solitary confinement, BBC reporter Allan Johnston has been released.
Hammas is being given some guarded praise by the Foreign Office for it's part in assuring the same release of this man.. although it seems it was a dispute between Hammas itself and a local 'warlord' that sparked the incident in the first place..
But nevertheless, Allan is free..
But the Palistinian people have lost a valuable spokesman, for he will never set foot in the Gaza again..