feel very shocked at the loss of this man's life

[mmrsceptic]

he died to save a journalist

this is not what they are there for

profound sympathies to the man's family

I just saw this and thought the same.

what do you mean 'not what they are there for'?

agree v. sad

Two people were taken hotages by terrorists - that's exactly what they're there for.

no

the journalist took an unnecessary risk

they are not there for that

journalists are our eyes and ears in a war zone. they are as important as the soldiers.

anybody that works in a war zone or unstable country is taking a risk: Ken Begley, Margaret Hassan, Daniel Pearl etc. it doesn't mean they don't deserve the chance to be rescued or saved.

also don't get the idea of "that's not what they're there for", journalists are essential in a war zone, and the soldiers were trying to rescue two people taken hostage.

no

there are many, many journalists in Afghanistan

the vast majority judged this could be covered well without going into an area where there have been many, many abductions and hijacks, where there are taliban roadblocks

This man was one of our very best soldiers. It is an appalling loss for his family, and a dreadful loss for his company.

He has died going in to rescue a journalist who has previously been kidnapped.

It suggests to me that said journalist doesn't assess risk very well, and makes assumptions about the ease of rescue.

I agree that journalists are important, but I would say in this case, this is NOT what the SBS are in Afghanistan for.

Dreadful. When is it going to end?

Fundamentally, our soldiers are there to protect British citizens aren't they, so think that the commando that died was serving his country in rescuing the British journalist Steve Farrell, even if Farrell was taking undue risks (and I don't know if this was the care or not). I am sure that the soldier's family are proud of him but yes, they will be pissed off with Farrell.

Sultan Munadi, Mr Farrell's Afghan interpreter also died - I don't think that was what he was there for. The article says that some women and children may also have been caught in the cross-fire, that's really really really not what they were there for.

yes, rempy

the interpreter too, and this has happened before to journalists' local colleagues

he may have advised on safety, I don't know

who knows who was advising on safety, if anyone

It does seem that Steve Farrell, for example, is a twat.

i want to say glory seeking, I like journalists, I approve and all that

but this..

I am also concerned, if said journalist does get into situations like this regularly, that he is some sort of adrenaline junkie. "Whoo hoo get me all tied up here until the chaps with SA 80s come along. then there'll be a spectacular firefight, and I can use descriptions like carnage and chaos, and look well hard to my pansy friends at the regional desk" (despite lying in a ditch).

Young men. Dying. So that you can produce a story for the NY Times. Wrong.

I hope he doesn't get paid for the story of his kidnap.