As some one who once wore an RAF uniform, albeit a stunningly ill-fitting one provided by my school cadet force, I'm saddened to read that uniformed RAF personnel are being yelled at by "yobbos" on the streets in Peterborough. Mind you, based on my brief visits to that city in the past, I don't think you have to be in uniform to get targeted for abuse.
But in a sense I understand it. How else can anyone, even a yobbo, express an opinion against the Iraq war these days? (How convenient that they're yobbos, by the way. It would be much harder for the Government to dismiss them if they turned out to be middle class or middle aged. It's a wonder the term "chavs" hasn't been dusted off for the occasion). As many as two million people in London protested peacefully against the war before it even began, without any noticeable effect on the Government. And you're not likely to meet Gordon Brown or any of his colleagues on the streets of Peterborough or any other city these days, so you don't have any opportunity to let them know how you feel.
I doubt if any of the "yobbos" harbours any bad feelings toward our servicemen: it's the politicians they want to send a message to. The mayor of Peterborough has reacted to the abuse by arguing that "a small minority of people shouldn't be able to dictate to us". Now there's a funny thing, madam Mayor: that's what a lot of people think about the decision to go to war.
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