100th British soldier dies in Iraq

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A pretty meaningless milestone in the grand scheme of things, but significant in terms of symbolism.

Military Families Against The War (www.mfaw.org.uk) is organising a demonstration in Parliament Square tonight to mark the death of the 100th British soldier in Iraq this morning. Am considering going, but:

1) It's now technically illegal to demonstrate there

2) I suspect it will be swamped with Socialist Worker types waving Palestinian flags and demanding that the evil imperialist Tony Blair withdraw all troops right now (something I don't actually agree with) / impeach himself / go on trial for war crimes etc etc...

What are your thoughts?

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:21 (twenty years ago)

I fear 2) is exactly what will happen, so count me out

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:23 (twenty years ago)

1) It's now technically illegal to demonstrate there

Really?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:24 (twenty years ago)

... in Parliament Square, yes

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:25 (twenty years ago)

How so?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:26 (twenty years ago)

There's a 1km exclusion zone around Parliament that was thrown up to evict Brian Haw, but then they realised it couldn't be applies retrospectively so as long as he doesn't leave (and he hasn't for ooh, about five years now) he can stay as long as he fancies.

You ARE allowed to demonstrate if you ask the Met nicely in advance, but I don't think that's possible on the day.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:26 (twenty years ago)

Hmm, I didn't know about that.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:30 (twenty years ago)

I thought this latest guy was the 76th? We're never going to get to a hundred.

Or at least that's why they want you to think. If I'm right, I think 99 have died only if you count all the ones who suffered non-combat deaths or were flown back to hospitals in Europe before they died...

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:39 (twenty years ago)

They still died, James...

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:48 (twenty years ago)

We're never going to get to a hundred.

Errrrrrrrrrr, come again?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 12:51 (twenty years ago)

Well, yeah I know they died, but the MoD isn't counting. It's the Stop the War campaign who's counting and has come up with the magic '100' figure. They've even counted soldiers who've committed suicide.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 13:40 (twenty years ago)

But whether they actively died (i.e. were shot etc) or passively died (can you tell I'm making this terminology up?) isn't the point that they would not have died had the War On Iraq not taken place?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 13:44 (twenty years ago)

well, they might have died as a result of AN IRAQI TERRORIST BOMB or something.

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 13:48 (twenty years ago)

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