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British soldier killed by bomb after being ordered not to fire on Taliban planting roadside bombs

Jul 9, 2011 12:36 am By Marisol Seibold

Surely the Taliban jihadists’ hearts and minds were deeply touched by this gesture of “courageous restraint.” “Soldier killed after Army bosses barred him from opening fire on Taliban insurgents planting roadside bombs,” from the Daily Mail, July 9:

A widow revealed how her soldier husband was blown up in Afghanistan days after senior officers had apparently “˜laughed off” his complaints that insurgents were being allowed to plant explosive devices unchallenged. […]

Mrs Rayner told Bradford Coroner’s Court her husband, who joined the Army at 17, had feared his own death.

She said: “˜He was concerned about the number of explosive devices being planted in the area they were patrolling and had told higher ranks because he feared one of them would be killed.

“˜He said they could see people planting these devices but could do nothing about it. […]

Sergeant Rayner told his wife that officers told him that he and his men could not open fire on insurgents planting bombs or make contact with them.

His complaints were rejected by a Sergeant Major and a Captain, the inquest heard.

“˜I think that if more notice had been taken of him, then he might not have died,” she said.

“˜Peter loved his men and would have done anything to stop them being killed.”

Mrs Rayner told the coroner, Professor Paul Marks, the Army had promised that her concerns would be dealt with, but she said: “˜I have been fobbed off.”

The widow said: “˜I thought about it long and hard and I think he deserves his last words to be heard.” Adding: “˜Now it’s my day, people will listen because I’m in court.”

Mrs Rayner rejected the offer by the coroner to adjourn the hearing so that officers involved could be called to give evidence. The coroner recorded a verdict that Sergeant Rayner was unlawfully killed.

Outside Bradford Coroner’s Court Mrs Rayner fired a further broadside at the Ministry of Defence, calling for rules of engagement to be changed to protect soldiers.

“˜They are not allowed to return fire unless they are fired upon. But all the lads have expressed concern because the patrol area was filled with IEDs.

“˜They can shoot at us and take us out but the lads can’t do that to them.

These terrorists and Taliban can do what they want yet our soldiers try to do their job and get persecuted by the law.

“˜If they are going to be soldiers let them be soldiers and do their jobs. The job is hard enough as it is.

“˜There will be an internal investigation, but I think the rules of engagement need to be looked into if someone is planting IEDs and threatening lives.” […]

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “˜The whole point of a counter insurgency operation is to protect the civilian population.” He said soldiers had to go through a series of stages before opening fire and were sometimes asked to exercise “˜courageous restraint” even when shots had been fired.

There it is:

“˜It is all about winning hearts and minds and using the least force possible,” the spokesman said.

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