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[Acsiak - Andrew]

eenager Maxine Gentle, whose brother died in Iraq, told the Deputy Prime Minister today that he could never understand how her family felt.

In a verbal assault on John Prescott, during a surprise meeting at No 10, the 14-year-old said: "I told him he doesn't know how we feel because he does not have big brothers and stuff fighting."

Maxine, whose 19-year-old soldier brother Gordon died in a bomb attack in Basra on June 28, also said Tony Blair would be able to see his family grow up while she had been robbed of the chance.

Here is a copy of the letter to the Prime Minister she handed in to Downing Street today.

7 August 2004 To Prime Minister Tony Blair, My name is Maxine Gentle and I am 14 years old. I am the sister of Fusilier Gordon Gentle who died in the war in Iraq on the 28th June 2004. I want my thoughts and feelings to be heard and known. My feelings are that I think you are rubbish at your job. You don't care about the British public, armed forces or anyone in fact.

My big brother died at the age of 19, and what for? A war over oil and money, that's what I think the war is all about. There was no such thing as weapons of "mass destruction", if there were Saddam Hussein would have used them at the start of the war.

I think that you should withdraw all of our soldiers from Iraq. After all, it is not our war, it's America's. So why did we, the British, have to get involved? I think that you just don't want to get on the wrong side of George Bush.

My big brother meant the world to me. I looked up to him with pride because he made something of himself. He was well known, just like you, but everyone liked and loved him, not like you, because I have no respect for you, and nor do a lot of other people I know.

Gordon had only passed out in April, and yet by May YOU sent him and many others to a war zone.

What I find strange is that in order to be a qualified plumber or electrician you need to train for 3 or 4 years, but to be a qualified soldier, and learn to KILL someone, you only need to train for SIX MONTHS! The people that you have sent out there are still young; they have the rest of their lives to live, just like Gordon did.

My family is still hurting badly and so am I. To you he was just another number clown. From the minute that we found out Gordon was going over there we were all worried about him, right up until the minute we found out it was Gordon that was killed by the Iraqis.

We are all hurting badly, but I don't just blame Gordon's death on the Iraqis that made the roadside bomb, I blame YOU as well because it is your fault that our soldiers are over there in the first place, by agreeing with George Bush that we HAD to go to war, when we didn't!

As I said everyone is hurting badly right now, but you would not know that because your sons are all tucked up nicely in bed at night, at the same time as there are mums and dads who still have sons over there, who can't sleep at night, wondering if their loved ones are coming home or are they going to be the next ones to be killed.

You would not know how we all feel, because you're at home at night with your wife and son watching them growing up, but we will never know what Gordon would have been like in years to come.

It is okay for you sitting there with all your money and power, ruining people's lives by the decisions YOU make. I don't care who knows how I feel about you. All you care about is things that benefit you. All you and your new "best Friend" George Bush care about is Iraq's oil.

My big brother died in the early hours of the morning, and yet, when you and George Bush went on live TV in the afternoon to hand the country back over, you both stood there that afternoon smiling and acting like one big happy family when you both knew well that a British soldier had died that morning.

Nothing you can do or say will change my mind, or the fact that I am hurting badly inside. I cry myself to sleep most of the time because Gordon has gone and is never coming back.

Quite frankly I would have loved to meet you myself and tell you all this personally. But if I met you I would not shake your hand. This is my personal feelings towards you and George Bush, but I have less respect for you than him because YOU are the British Prime Minister, well supposed to be, and I am British, although sometimes I am ashamed to admit to being British when I have got such a bad prime minister as you. I hope you have pleasure reading this as I have had pleasure writing it. Yours Sincerely Maxine Gentle

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

[telnettro]

That's what we in the quake community call 'owned'

[Lev]

You just got to love how a 14 year old kid thinks he understands the world of politics.....its sad. He didn't "own" as you put it anyone he just proved that kids know nothing about politics.

you both stood there that afternoon smiling and acting like one big happy family

What did he expect them to do? De-motivate the country? Come on...

Sorry if this posts seems rude, I do understand where the kid is coming from, its very sad to have someone die in your family at any age but especially at a young age, but don't pretend you know politics when you don't.

[Bully]

it looks like that child had some help from an adult to write that.
but i see where there comming from.

[Acsiak - Andrew]

it looks like that child had some help from an adult to write that.

They probably did; and I'd expect so especially if they wanted Tony Blair to actually read it. I had a friend whose child wrote to Tony Blair, and it was ignored, then the kid got help to write it and was actually responded to.

True, children don't know the world of politics TheStarKillers, but then again neither do you, nor do many if any of the people here. We only know what we read, see on television and elsewhere. We're not there in the government offices knowing what goes on behind the scenes. Oh... and yes, a lot does go on behind the scenes that we the people do not know about; and unfortunately the majority is very bad (Or at least what happens in the U.K. is). I mean, I don't know if you know, but ever heard what the previous Lord Chanellor did? We the public only found out afterwards, but god, what a waste. It was the taxpayers money after all - and just to decorate his office? Sorry but he is the most idiotic and wasteful politician I've ever seen; then again the only good Labour MP I've seen is the current health secretary John Reid.


I agree, a lot of the arguments the kid makes there is flawed/wrong, etc., however I fully understand what she is saying. I mean - Tony Blair doesn't know what it's like, and never will nor does he want to (Who in their right mind does?!). However, she does make a very good point - Few British people wanted this war. I mean, even Tony Blair disagrees with Bush on many things in private (So we are told by Gordon Brown), but really, this whole war was planned all wrong from the beginning.

The thing is... what is one to do? He should (some say) keep them there to help bring Iraq back up to scratch. Others say deal with domestic issues first (As do I; Labour boasts international aid increase by something like 90% or even more, however they refuse to comment on the fact there are more less off people in Britain since the Conservatives). He's stuck in the middle. He's damned if he does, and he's damned if he doesn't as they say.

[nmluan]

Whose kids (and whoever helped them) made their loved ones' death for his country look bad.

It's WAR, what do you expect? Retreat on the first casualty? If her/his brother didn't want to take the risk of losing his life for his country then he should not have joined the army.

The words may be very touching, but come on! Cherish the fallen heroes instead of whining about his leaders who sent him to war.

[Acsiak - Andrew]

The words may be very touching, but come on! Cherish the fallen heroes instead of whining about his leaders who sent him to war.

It wouldn't be soo bad if Tony Blair was at least a decent leader, and if the country was in a brilliant state, I'm sure not as many people would be cross at Blair about the war. The thing is, everything is in an awful state and yet still he goes to war against the majority of our wishes.

I personally wouldn't be against Tony Blair going to war if firstly it was prepared better, and if secondly Britain was in a better state than what it is. Hidden unemployment is up (More people on benefit than before). Taxes are up. House prices are up. Government corruption is up (Need I remind anyone of the previous Lord Chancellor). What about their wages? What about the wages of the British MEPs and the amount spent on MEPs and the E.U., What about what they eat! What normal British person can afford whisky prawns and smoked salmon on a whim? I saw a documentary about the lavish things they eat, yet how the average British person cannot even afford it.

I'd take the same stance as you, if Britain was in a better state. But the fact it's down the drain, and he went to war against the majority of our wishes? Not a chance.

[IHSL]

Originally posted by nmluan
The words may be very touching, but come on! Cherish the fallen heroes instead of whining about his leaders who sent him to war.

Maybe the family feel he didn't die defending his country.

Simon