One of Britain's most authoritative judicial figures last night delivered a blistering attack on the invasion of Iraq, describing it as a serious violation of international law, and accusing Britain and the US of acting like a "world vigilante".Lord Bingham, in his first major speech since retiring as the senior law lord, rejected the then attorney general's defence of the 2003 invasion as fundamentally flawed.Contradicting head-on Lord Goldsmith's advice that the invasion was lawful, Bingham stated: "It was not plain that Iraq had failed to comply in a manner justifying resort to force and there were no strong factual grounds or hard evidence to show that it had." Adding his weight to the body of international legal opinion opposed to the invasion, Bingham said that to argue, as the...

First came the Polish plumbers, overturning the natural order by tackling U-bends in a more reliable and affordable way than their established British rivals. Now there is another field in which east Europeans are driving well-paid Brits out of work - on the frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan.The market in which ex-military can earn six-figure sums as private security guards overseas is drying up, with salaries in sharp decline and contracts increasingly being offered to cheaper foreign soldiers, the Guardian has learned.The National Association of Security Professionals (Nasp), an organisation for those working in the private security industry, said former British soldiers are being laid off by companies in Iraq who are turning to east Europeans instead. The number of Britons providing...

A Gurkha soldier has been killed by an explosive device that struck a Warrior armoured vehicle, the first fatal attack in Afghanistan on such a relatively robust troop carrier, defence officials said yesterday.The soldier, from 2nd Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, was taking part in what the Ministry of Defence described as a "routine road move" when his Warrior was hit by the device.Although Warriors have been hit in fatal attacks in Iraq, it is the first time an attack on one has killed a British army soldier in Afghanistan. Warriors - tracked vehicles which weigh about 24 tonnes - can carry 10 fully equipped soldiers. Following the attacks in Iraq, some are being fitted with extra armour.Taliban fighters are concentrating their attacks on vulnerable and relatively isolated areas in...

Soldier becomes third casualty among UK forces in the country in less than a...

A Royal Marine commando was killed by friendly fire from a US navy jet in the midst of a ferocious Taliban ambush during which both the pilot and his British ground controller bypassed official procedures, a board of inquiry concluded yesterday.Jonathan Wigley, 21, was fatally wounded on December 5 2006 during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters near Garmsir in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.The navy board of inquiry was published as two marines killed by a roadside bomb on Wednesday while on a patrol in their Jackal armoured vehicle were named as Robert "Frank" McKibben, 32, from County Mayo in the Irish Republic and Neil Dunstan, also 32, from Bournemouth. They died at the scene near Garmsir where the marines have been fighting the Taliban since their first deployment more...

Two Royal Marines were among the casualties after another bloody day in...

British commandos killed two suspected pirates who tried to seize a Danish ship in the Gulf of Aden in an unprecedented operation involving a Royal Navy and a Russian warship, it was revealed yesterday.The suspected pirates were shot after the Royal Marine commandos, in rigid inflatable boats launched from the frigate HMS Cumberland, were fired at from a Yemeni flagged dhow, the Ministry of Defence said.It said the Cumberland was conducting routine Nato security operations in the Gulf of Aden when a number of its crew boarded the dhow, which was towing a skiff. The British crew "had reason to believe" the dhow had been involved in an armed attack on the Danish-registered vessel, the MV Powerful, earlier on Tuesday, the day of the gunfight."Various non-forcible methods had been used in an...

When Captain David Hicks was hit by a Taliban rocket, he should have been evacuated straight to a field hospital. But despite excruciating injuries which would soon kill him, he demanded to be sent back into battle to continue leading his unit, an inquest heard yesterday.A large piece of rocket shrapnel tore into his chest while he was directing the defence of his base in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on August 11 2007, as it faced a hail of rockets, mortar shells and small arms fire. The defence was an almost impossible job for the British soldiers, since the walls of their base were so low the Taliban could see right over and in, the coroner commented."Let me get back out there," the captain shouted after tearing off his oxygen mask while he drifted in and out of consciousness as...

A British soldier pleaded with medics to let him return to battle after he was mortally wounded during a Taliban rocket attack in Afghanistan, an inquest heard...

They followed the old formularies yesterday, as they do every year on Remembrance Sunday: prayers, hymns and the old marching tunes, although this year has a special resonance as tomorrow is the 90th anniversary of the end of the first world war.The Queen, who has led the nation's commemorations for nearly two-thirds of that time, was at the Cenotaph in Whitehall for the two-minute silence. Across the country, as well as at outposts where the military is serving abroad, remembrance was held in churches, war memorials and barrack squares.The Great War generation has almost gone, but there are plenty more to take their place. Yesterday's march by veterans down Whitehall took nearly an hour and among the elderly men and women were dotted much younger figures from more recent conflicts.Stuart...

The head of the armed forces made it clear yesterday that he would oppose any request from Barack Obama to transfer British troops to Afghanistan from Iraq when they leave Basra next year.Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the chief of the defence staff, said that a reduction in the "operational tempo" was essential for British troops and it was time other Nato countries contributed more to the fight against the insurgency in Afghanistan."I have said for a very long time that the British armed forces are stretched. We are doing more than we are structured and resourced to do in the long term. We can do it for a short period, but we can't continue doing it ad infinitum," Stirrup told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show:"We have to put ourselves back into balance. It is crucial that we reduce the...

I will post something else on the eleventh, but since today is Remembrance Sunday, I think it fitting to mark it with a poem that, for me, encapsulates much of the bombastic optimism and sheer horror of the many wars that have been fought; but I like it for the piece ends with hope.It is appropriate too, for Cecil Spring-Rice rewrote the first verse as "a reference to England and the sacrifice of those who died during the First World War".Shortly before his departure from the US in January 1918, he re-wrote and renamed Urbs Dei, significantly altering the first verse to concentrate on the huge losses suffered by British soldiers during the intervening years.I am sure that many commenters will level derision at your humble Devil, given his declarations on atheism (for the poem is about how...

Head of defence staff says British armed forces need time to recover after years of deployment in war...

Ceremonies in the UK, Iraq and Afghanistan remember British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in...

Prime minister and party leaders to join her majesty in ceremony at the Cenotaph in central...

Mary Warnock: As the final veterans pass on, we must not forget what led to the carnage of the...

A solo light aircraft pilot who went blind in mid-air after suffering a stroke at about 4,500 metres (15,000 ft) was shepherded in to land by an RAF aircraft.Jim O'Neill, 65, was flying his four-seater Cessna over North Yorkshire on his flight home from a Scottish holiday to Essex when he lost his sight and put in a mayday alert. He tried to land at Full Sutton airfield near York, but was unable to complete the manoeuvre even with the help of air traffic controllers.An RAF team from nearby Linton-on-Ouse was scrambled and a Tucano T1 plane piloted by Wing Commander Paul Gerrard took off to guide the aircraft to the ground. Kept calm by messages from Gerrard, O'Neill stayed at the Cessna controls after spiralling down to 450 metres. With the instrument panel a blur, he failed four times to...

A pilot who went blind after having a stroke while flying home from a family holiday kept apologising to his rescuers as he made repeated attempts to land without being able to see, it emerged today.An RAF plane had to guide the light aircraft to safety after solo pilot Jim O'Neill put in a mayday alert 40 minutes into the flight and tried to land his plane at Full Sutton Airfield near York.O'Neill, who had the stroke at 15,000ft, is seriously ill in hospital. The incident took place last week as he was flying the two-seat Cessna back from Scotland to Essex.He began to have problems seeing his instruments at 5,500ft and asked air traffic control for help. He dropped to about 2,000ft as he approached Full Sutton airfield, but was not able to see the airfield and was diverted to RAF...

The jury deliberating on the case of Daniel James, who was convicted yesterday of trying to spy for Iran, has been discharged this afternoon after failing to reach a verdict on the remaining charges he was facing.James, who was found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday of a charge under the Official Secrets Act, was facing two more charges, one relating to a USB memory stick containing secret documents that was found in his possession, and the other of misconduct in public office.The trial judge, Mr Justice Roderick Evans, had told the jury they could reach a majority verdict on the two outstanding charges, but they were unable to do so.Prosecutors will now consult with the attorney general, Baroness Scotland, on whether to seek a retrial. Yesterday's verdict and today's developments came...

Brief but violent skirmishes broke out around Belfast city centre today during a controversial homecoming parade for soldiers returning to Northern Ireland from Iraq and Afghanistan.As 250 local soldiers from several British regiments passed by Fisherwick Place just before noon, loyalists who had occupied scaffolding around the headquarters of the Presbyterian church threw bottles and fireworks at a group of Sinn Féin demonstrators cordoned off by a line of police cars. Riot police moved in to keep the two sides apart, but at one stage there was less than 30 metres between them.None of the troops were injured in the fracas, which was one of several around arterial routes into Belfast city centre mid-morning. An estimated 50,000 people had turned out to cheer on the returning...

'I think about the families, and a life torn apart'The locals line up pints of bitter at the Kings Head bar in Droylsden, Greater Manchester. Behind the till Ronnie Downes, 60, reads his son's last letter home. Outside the pub hangs a huge picture of Tony and the words: 'Tony: Our son, Everyone's Hero'.Guardsman Neil 'Tony' Downes, aged 20, was travelling with the Afghan National Army close to the town of Sangin in Helmand province when their vehicle was hit by an explosion. Before going out to Afghanistan, Tony wrote his family a letter to be opened in the event of his death. Standing in their pub, Ronnie recites passages: 'I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Please don't be mad at what has happened. I did what I had to do, and serving the British army was it. Don't be sad -...

The families of three SAS soldiers and a female corporal killed in Afghanistan when their Land Rover hit a landmine have a strong legal basis for suing the Ministry of Defence under the European Convention on Human Rights, according to a senior barrister.John Cooper, QC, gave his advice after it emerged yesterday that the commander of SAS troops in Afghanistan had resigned, accusing the government of 'gross negligence' over the four soldiers' deaths. Major Sebastian Morley claims the Ministry of Defence repeatedly ignored his warnings that soldiers would be killed unless alternatives were provided to the Snatch Land Rovers, known as 'mobile coffins' by the armed forces because of the poor quality of their armour.In his resignation letter, Morley, commander of D Squadron, 23 SAS, accused...

Senior officer in Afghanistan believes 'chronic underinvestment' in armoured vehicles led to military...

Last survivor of trench warfare on western front boards HMS Somerset for remembrance...

One of Britain's most senior military officers warned last night that there was no point in sending reinforcements to Afghanistan until the Afghans themselves were able to control the ground captured by foreign troops.Lieutenant General Sir Peter Wall, who is responsible for overseeing British military operations, said the notion that "flooding" Afghanistan with a "whole load" more troops was the solution was misleading.The Afghans had to deliver better governance and build up their own armed forces, he said. There was no point in investing more money and men in the country unless security and economic and social projects were seen to be "inspired by the Afghans themselves", he added. "If we do it for them, it will just not count."Giving evidence to a joint session of the Commons defence...

In six months in Helmand, 2 Para suffered the highest death rate of any British unit in Afghanistan. Mark Townsend heard their...

A "despicable" Royal Marine who stole dozens of medals from his comrades and sold them for more than £20,000 was jailed for more than three years today. Craig Firth stole at least 50 medals from fellow service personnel and passed them to Geoffrey Jenkin, his uncle, who found buyers for them on the eBay. Firth stole long service medals, awards for bravery and tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Northern Ireland and a "very rare" pip awarded for "time accumulated" overseas.The 23-year-old took the medals from Royal Marine colleagues in their dorms and the post room, where he was ordered to work after being diagnosed with asthma and unfit for front line duties.The scam was discovered when a marine returned from a tour of duty to attend a funeral and wanted to wear a medal but...

A "serious systemic failure" meant that an RAF Hercules plane shot down in Iraq with the loss of 10 servicemen was not fitted with safety equipment that might have saved their lives, a coroner ruled yesterday. David Masters said it was difficult to see the logic in a decision to ignore recommendations from air tactics experts to fit the Hercules fleet with foam designed to stop fuel tanks igniting. Delivering his verdict, he demanded that all RAF combat aircraft be fitted with safety systems to minimise the risk of this kind of explosion.The verdict is the latest in a series of inquests to be highly critical of the Ministry of Defence over the deaths of British personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.In yesterday's verdict, the coroner said a second "systemic failure" meant an intelligence...

A "serious systemic failure" meant an RAF Hercules plane shot down in Iraq with the loss of 10 servicemen was not fitted with safety equipment that might have saved their lives, a coroner ruled today.David Masters said it was difficult to see the logic in a decision to ignore recommendations from air tactics experts to fit the Hercules fleet with foam designed to stop fuel tanks from igniting. Among the recommendations in his verdict, he demanded that all RAF combat aircraft be fitted with safety systems to minimise the risk of this kind explosion. The coroner said a second "systemic failure" meant that an intelligence report from the Americans about an ambush of two helicopters did not reach the crew of the Hercules - with the result that it flew into the same trap just a few hours...

Deaths of 10 servicemen in Iraq plane crash in 2005 came after 'serious failure' to fit planes with safety...