A Sense Of Priorities

A SENSE OF PRIORITIES                                        

The British government is very cost conscious especially when it comes to things like welfare payments, but when it comes to military expenditure it can become downright lavish. 'The true cost of Britain's military operations since the Cold War could be as high as £72billion. Most of it has been squandered on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan seen as "strategic failures", claims a respected defence think-tank. Toppling Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein helped radicalise young Muslims in the UK, said the Royal United Services Institute.' (Daily Mail, 15 April) The cost of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and sending thousands of troops to Helmand province in Afghanistan in 2006 was around £30billion. RD