Relatives of British War Dead Demand DSM Enquiry

If, until the last couple of days, the British leftwing (especially the press) has been relatively quiet on the revelations of the Downing Street documents, their impact has certainly not been lost on the relatives of British troops killed for Bush and Blair's foreign adventure:

Jonathan Freedland (Yes, they did lie to us, June 22) is right to call for a full investigation into the lies we were told to take us to war. Our loved ones gave their lives in the service of this country. They all died in the Iraq war. When they went to that war they believed they were being sent to defend our country. They were told it was their duty to disarm the Saddam regime of its weapons of mass destruction. When enlisting, servicemen and women sign an oath of allegiance to her majesty's government. All they ask in return is that their government acts in an honourable, truthful and responsible manner, and only deploys troops into the theatre of war to risk their lives when absolutely necessary.
We now believe our prime minister, Tony Blair, misled the people of this country as to the true reasons for the war in Iraq. We believe there was no serious evidence for WMD. We also believe that the assurances given by the attorney general, Peter Goldsmith, as to the legality of the war are highly questionable. This is why we are calling for an independent public inquiry into the decision to go to war. We must restore accountability to public life. Our loved ones deserve justice and the people of this country deserve the truth.
Reg and Sally Keys
Parents of L-Cpl Thomas Keys
Rose and George Gentle
Parents of Fusilier Gordon Gentle
John and Marilyn Miller
Parents of Cpl Simon Miller
Tony Hamilton-Jewell
Brother of Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell
Peter Brierley
Father of L-Cpl Shaun Brierley
Anna Aston
Wife of Cpl Russell Aston
George and Ann Lawrence
Parents of Lt Marc Lawrence
Tracey Pritchard
Wife of Cpl Dewi Pritchard
Patricia Long
Mother of Cpl Paul Long
Sharon Hehir
Wife of Sgt Les Hehir
Lianne Seymour
Wife of Operator Mechanic 2nd Class Ian Seymour
Debbie Allbutt
Wife of Cpl Stephen Allbutt
Theresa Evans
Mother of L-Bombardier Llywelyn Karl Evans
Roy and Eileen Shearer
Parents of L-Cpl Karl Shearer
Richard and Karen Green
Parents of Lt Philip Green
Beverley Clarke
Mother of Trooper David Clarke
James and Rae Craw
Parents of Cpl Andrew Craw

When the bereaved ask for an enquiry into evidence that their loved ones lost their lives for a lie, who among us would be so vicious as to suggest that an enquiry would be unpatriotic or a waste of time?