A British soldier killed on active duty in Iraq last week has been hailed as a martyr by the people he fought to protect.

Men, women and children in the town where 22-year-old L/Cpl Allan Douglas was murdered on Monday have declared that the soldier should be honoured as a martyr because of the sacrifice he made.


L/Cpl Allan Douglas
It is understood to be the first time that any member of the coalition forces who has died during the war in Iraq has been hailed as a martyr.

L/Cpl Douglas, who was serving with the 1st Bn The Highlanders, was patrolling through Al Amarah, in Maysan province, when he was shot dead by a sniper outside the town's police station.

Moments after the attack, Major Gen Abu Maythem, the province's police chief, declared that L/Cpl Douglas should be declared a martyr.

"This soldier died as a martyr trying to make Al Amarah safe for all Iraqis of all religions," he said. "We are all deeply shocked and sad."

Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers.

Defence sources believe that the reaction may be due to the pride that the Iraqis have in December's successful election. It is also thought that many Iraqis fear the effect of the withdrawal of coalition forces from the province over the next few months.

One source said that the fact that a British soldier was being treated as a martyr was an indication that the Army was starting to win the "hearts and minds" of Iraqis.



The source said: "Iraqis believe Allan died trying to give the people of Al Amarah a better life. He was trying to provide security in the town and was helping to train the local police force.

"He was fighting for their cause to give them democracy and peace. As far as the Iraqis are concerned his sacrifice makes him a martyr."

Yesterday L/Cpl Douglas's father, Walter Douglas, 54, a school caretaker, told the Sunday Telegraph that he felt no hatred towards the Iraqi people for the death of his son.

"I am not going to condemn all Iraqis just because one of them killed Allan," he said. "I have no problem with them declaring him a martyr if they want to. It is a nice gesture."

Mr Douglas added that he had received letters of condolence from Prince Philip, who is the Colonel in Chief of the Highlanders, and the Prince of Wales.

L/Cpl Douglas, who came from the Northfield area of Aberdeen, was a veteran of tours in Bosnia and Kosovo. He had been a member of the Highlanders for six years and, according to his parents, was disillusioned with the war in Iraq and intended to leave the Army.

Several British soldiers have been killed in Maysan province, one of the most dangerous areas in southern Iraq.

Within hours of L/Cpl Douglas's death, Cpl Gordon Pritchard, 31, of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and a married father of three, became the 100th British soldier to die in Iraq when he was killed by a roadside bomb in Umm Qasr, in southern Iraq.

Another soldier, from the 9th/12th Lancers (Prince of Wales's), was killed in a road accident on the outskirts of Basra on Friday  


www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/05/nsoldier05.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/05/ixhome.html

I hope this makes the evening news.  

Quoted: Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers.

Don't lose sleep waiting for that to happen.

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe;every man
is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if
Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse,
as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor
of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death
diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

John Donne

I am glad to see we are winning their hearts and minds though.

That was refreshing to read, though sad.

Rest easy, soldier.

Quoted: Quoted: Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers. Don't lose sleep waiting for that to happen.

Yea like catching a sniper is a easy thing…

I seem to remember it took US police weeks to capture the very stupid DC snipers… and then only because they got lucky.

Quoted: I hope this makes the evening news.

Don't hold your breath.

Rest in Peace, Lance Corporal Allan Douglas.

Even though you are not an American, this is for you:

Quoted: Quoted: Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers. Don't lose sleep waiting for that to happen.

+1 probably either an Iraqi cop or a close buddy if an Iraqi cop pulled the trigger I would wager.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers. Don't lose sleep waiting for that to happen. Yea like catching a sniper is a easy thing… I seem to remember it took US police weeks to capture the very stupid DC snipers… and then only because they got lucky.

DC snipers didnt have thousands of people suporting them either.

Quoted: I hope this makes the evening news.

Maybe on FOX, but I doubt anywhere else


RIP  L/Cpl Allan Douglas

Figures... The one time I post a topic that isn't a dupe, the dupe police fail to show up for the dupor.

NTM

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Iraqi police have pledged to catch the killers. Don't lose sleep waiting for that to happen. Yea like catching a sniper is a easy thing… I seem to remember it took US police weeks to capture the very stupid DC snipers… and then only because they got lucky. DC snipers didnt have thousands of people suporting them either.

You mean the people who want to declare L/Cpl Douglass a martyr?
Check your facts bro.

Glad to hear some Iraqis may be coming around.


Cheers

Quoted: Glad to hear some Iraqis may be coming around. Cheers

The majority have always been on our side.
They are just hedging their bets until Saddam is dead.
They remember all too well how we fucked them back in '91.
We asked them to rise up, then we didn't support them.
I know it may sound silly to some, but that really bothers me.

The itallics make up the Ode, recited at Commonwealth military funerals, and in Australia, on ANZAC Day. Please read the whole thing.

For The Fallen With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres. There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables at home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain. Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

ETA: grammar

See, they aren't all bad. I am not sure if they are the minority, or if no one want's to report the positive.

hooray?

Quoted: See, they aren't all bad. I am not sure if they are the minority, or if no one want's to report the positive.

It's like how back in Nam the press didn't report on the daily VC atrocities, yet they played up Mai Lai like it was going on everywhere.

The press has an agenda - Iraqis supporting our efforts (they want us gone ASAP, but you can't blame them for that) does not fit in with their agenda.

Bump so more can see that the press doesn't report it all as it is...RIP, Soldier.

I think his dad's quote said it best.

"I am not going to condemn all Iraqis just because one of them killed Allan," he said. "I have no problem with them declaring him a martyr if they want to. It is a nice gesture."

It's good to see reports that show the Iraqis appreciate the sacrifice the coalition troops have made to help them

Quoted: The majority have always been on our side. They are just hedging their bets until Saddam is dead. They remember all too well how we fucked them back in '91. We asked them to rise up, then we didn't support them. I know it may sound silly to some, but that really bothers me.

Yeah, it bothers me too. We should've backed them up instead of letting Saddam thumb his nose at the world. Many people died because they thought we'd support them.

Quoted: Quoted: The majority have always been on our side. They are just hedging their bets until Saddam is dead. They remember all too well how we fucked them back in '91. We asked them to rise up, then we didn't support them. I know it may sound silly to some, but that really bothers me. Yeah, it bothers me too. We should've backed them up instead of letting Saddam thumb his nose at the world. Many people died because they thought we'd support them.

Very true, he was such a force that many are still in fear of him. They actually feared him. They do not fear us at all. BEcause we fight with PC rules they do not respect our power.

They need to let Saddam out into the streets. It will end rather quickly.