The latest soldiers to die in Iraq include a 19 year old who lived on my patch.  He was not known to us, but it certainly brings it home.

I found out when a reporter from the local paper rang me for a comment (and was caught well and trully off guard!)  I stand by what I said, and hope that it does not get too badly distorted in print....

Firstly, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of this young man at this time of tragic loss.

I have tremendous admiration for the courage and bravery of the young men and women who serve in our armed forces and who are prepared to lay down their lives in this way.

However, I do not believe the war in Iraq was justified and do not understand why, with an elected government operating, there is no end date in sight for the withdrawal of British military personnel from that nation.  It feels to me that these young men and women are pawns in a political game.

Anyone who reads my stuff knows that I make no claims to be a pacifist and anyone who knows me of old knows that I have worked on defence contracts.  Having studied the "just war" theories as part of my ethics course in theology, I guess I still believe that there may be occasions when recourse to military might is justified - but this was clearly not the case in Iraq, which I believe to have been an illegal war.  It grieves me greatly that a young man who loved life and longed to serve his country should lose his life in this way.  In so far as it is in my gift, I commend him to the grace and mercy of Almighty God, and pray for peace in the nation that is Iraq.  And, as I reflect upon our corporate guilt, in the words of Graham Kendrick 'upon our nation, have mercy Lord'