Of Major Importance

Three cheers for Major Sebastian Morley. No one has the faintest idea what we are doing in Afghanistan. With no way of telling whether either victory or defeat has ever happened, this is potentially a war without end. Unless we end it. Now.

Major Morley, your erstwhile colleagues signed up to defend this Realm. Not to make the world anew according to some academic blueprint, as in Iraq. And not to capture, abandon and recapture the same town over and over again, as in Afghanistan, where the dress code or educational opportunities of the female sex, whatever else they may be, are not the strategic interests of the United Kingdom.

They should simply bring themselves home. Brown, Cameron and the rest could be made aware of their having done so by watching on television their triumphant march through the cheering crowds. Without a shot’s needing to be fired, our rancid Political Class would be deposed. And while we set about creating new movements that really spoke for us, Major Sebastian Morley could be Prime Minister.

Now, that really would be the defence of this Realm, to which the Armed Forces are sworn (to the monarch, not to the government of the day), and for which they are paid.