Panorama

[digitalfreefall]

SUNDAY 03 DECEMBER
Panorama
10:15pm - 10:55pm
BBC1

3 Commando: Hunting the Taleban

Reporter Alastair Leithead and cameraman Fred Scott have gained unique, prolonged access to the soldiers of the Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade as they try to flush out a shifting and elusive Taleban threat in southern Afghanistan.

[chak]

expect a daily mail backlash shortly after!

cant wait to watch anyhow!

*edit* bollux im workin till 11!

[vwtam]

sounds good reminder on box set dont think me house mates will like it tho

[gjd1986]

Is it related anything to this? ...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fa720efc42

you can hear the bullets wizz overhead.

[rgj-rifleman]

ill be watching that!!!

[vwtam]

well it was interesting but didnt realy learn much new, just re-enforced my great respect for the lads out their, and made my house mate realise how profesional the british troops truly are which is always good,

what anyone else think about it?

[Chrisbrum]

Good programme, I enjoyed it, gave an insight into just how tough the job they're doing out there actually is, trying to balance fighting the enemy with keeping the civilians happy - that civvy that walked into the target zone for the air strike was dicing with death wasn't he!!

Watched it with my girlfriend, who just couldn't seem to understand why marines (and all soldiers) are willing to put themselves in that position for comparitively little in the way of a salary. She's from Poland, and apparently the Polish military are able to opt out if they get called up - those that do go get a substantial financial bonus. I found it really difficult to explain why they (and we, as potential future marines) are willing to put their(our) lives on the line. Does anyone else find this - that people around you just don't seem to understand why you want to do it?

[Pvt Doughnut]

Chrisbrum: I find that as well mate, friends and family (despite being really supportive of my career choice) cant seem to get past the fact that yes I may one day see combat if I am lucky enough to become a Marine, but at the end of the day that isnt the be all and end all of the job.

I want to join up for so many different reasons that the possibilty of being put into a situation like that in Afghan is one I will happily accept. To them that makes me slightly crazy LOL, but I guess we all have to be a little mad to want to go through 32 weeks of RT hell

[rgj-rifleman]

family watched it, dad knew the game as he was in it, mum still cant understadn it and felt sick after watching it. Upsets me you know. She gives the support but as motehrs do she is really worried.

[Macca]

i too watched the programme last night, i thought it was a good insight in what life is like for our troops out in afghanistan and what they go through daily.

its the same for me aswel lads, most of my friends and family dont understand why im willing to do a job that can be life risking but there is more to it than that. it certainly shocked my mum when she herd the bullets wizzing over the cameraman bless her.

[AJtothemax]

Does anyone else find this - that people around you just don't seem to understand why you want to do it?

Yeah i've had that, its a bit difficult to explain i have to admit, but i never talk to anyone about it unless they ask me what im doing with my life, otherwise i dont say a word about what my plans for the future are mate.

Back on the program though, i pretty much knew what was said but it was good to watch. It was good to hear a mention about the para's and their troubles, it made me feel for them and it really gave me the sense that if it came down it, the para's would have gone hand to hand all the way until the end! Very brave and strong, good on em! It should definately have been covered by the news teams, because despite their shortcomings, news teams can often highlight alot of things that need addressing the RIGHT way.

It did make me feel for the real civilians in this who dont want to fight and just want to live out their lives, they are the ones suffering most from this.

I did draw up a few conclusions about this though. If i was over there i know in my heart that i would be fighting for the following:

1) Above all, making sure my mates and everyone else who is serving over there is kept as safe as possible and that everyone sticks together through it all.

2) Peoples rights to be able to live and to be able to make the best of themselves without the threat of oppression.

3) If we dont stamp on the drug barons in Afghan, then more of the drugs will end up on OUR streets, killing more people, putting more money in the hands of drug dealers and destroying peoples lives in OUR country.

4) To deal a very siginicant blow to terrorisum in the middle east.

That might sound like a load of bs to some people, but they're the conclusions i have drawn within myself about it all. Anyone else feel like this? Or perhaps have a different point of view??

Enjoyed watching it.

[Brian-]

Best bit, in northern accent after hitting a Taliban chap with a rocket:

"F*cking dancer!"

Made me laugh anyway.

[AJtothemax]

Yeah mate i laughed at that, and "F***** BANG ON!" gotta love it when our forces are loving the hits they're dishing out, so solid.

[rgj-rifleman]

Nice to see the lads having a laugh, mind you that i would imagine is how they cope, it would be good if mfat had a Royal marine that had been out there on here with his latest experiances, or if he could say as much as he could within what hes allowed to. Would be a very personal insight.

RGJ-Rifleman