Another Cortege in Wootton Bassett

Today, at the age of 93, Robert McNamara, the former American Defence Secretary, died. A former President of the Ford Motor Company, he was brought into the US administration in 1961 by John F Kennedy. His services were retained by Lyndon Johnson and he remained in office until 1969. Although he was not responsible for the decision to intervene in Vietnam, he was a powerful proponent of the war. He master-minded the tactics used by the USA in that country. His powerful analytical mind saw the route that he thought could lead to victory. Although he became much disliked in America, I always thought that McNamara was an honest and rational man. But later he publicly admitted that American involvement in Vietnam had been a mistake and that the USA needed to seriously reconsider its future attitude to involvement in foreign interventions. In that he was more open and honest than George W Bush and Tony Blair will ever be about Iraq or Afghanistan.

Yesterday, two more British servicemen were killed in Afghanistan. And today two more bodies arrived back at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire and were loaded into hearses for the journey to the mortuary of the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The people of Wootton Bassett were brought out onto the streets yet again to shed their tears and honour the dead from that war torn country. The returning soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, were Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe and Trooper Joshua Hammond both killed in the same incident by a roadside bomb. The crowds included shoppers and shop-keepers, servicemen - serving and retired - young and old. And on this occasion the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt stood with the crowds.

We continue this useless war in Afghanistan, a war which the army believes self generates its own momentum. The country fills with Taliban insurgents precisely because we [and the Americans] are there. Our troops remain ill equipped and denied any specific objectives. And our soldiers are killed. But no one should doubt that the British people fully support the efforts of our troops. Yet no government minister ever stands on the street of Wootton Bassett to honour our dead. They should be ashamed.

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