Bugger the NOTW, I think this story requires a little more prominence.
British troops accused of the unlawful killing and ill-treatment of civilians while at war in Iraq were governed by Europe's human rights convention at the time, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.
The verdict from the court in Strasbourg dismissed claims by the UK government that soldiers were not subject to convention requirements because they were beyond its jurisdiction at the time.
The judges declared that, in the "exceptional circumstances" when UK forces assumed responsibility for security in parts of Iraq, they remained under the jurisdiction of rules obliging signatory member states - including the UK - to safeguard the right to life and liberty.
This means that every action taken by are troops will be up for questioning. This ruling will most probably cause more deaths of our servicemen as In the heat of urban warfare they will have to think shoot, or not shoot. This will put them under a serious disadvantage compared with their terrorist foes who have absolutely no respect for the Court of Human Rights.
Of course this story has just slipped out on the day that the NOTW debacle is in full swing. “A day to bury bad news”, do my readers remember that.
I for one would not like to go into a warzone knowing that my every move may be scrutinised at a later date.
Yes there has to be some accountability. But this is a step to far.
