Ex-SAS trooper questions the morality of his missions in Baghdad

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  • Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
  • Ex-SAS | Member of Veterans for Peace
    ABOUT THE GUEST:
    Ex-SAS, Ben left Her Majesty’s Armed Forces after becoming disillusioned with the morality of the nature of his service whilst on operations in Iraq. He is now a campaigner and coordinator for the UK branch of Veterans for Peace.
    The H-Hour podcast is also available on:
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    Patreon: / hhour
    H-Hour merchandise and veteran owned brands available at charliecharlieo...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 52

  • @fionagallagher1084
    @fionagallagher1084 5 років тому +30

    Ben's speech in the Oxford union was one of the most true, direct and honest things anyone who served in the military has ever said. A brave stance that had a profound effect on me. I've become friends with Ben because of this very speech. I was literally compelled to reach out to him to express my views. I have huge respect for Ben and those who stand against the establishments. Ben speaks a lot of sense. Stop sending troops to countries that they don't need to be in. An army should defend its own land..not attack another's land.

  • @ChrisThrall
    @ChrisThrall 5 років тому +37

    Hugely informative talk. This is the SAS story young people need to hear and books should be written about.

    • @JoeDnufc4life
      @JoeDnufc4life 4 роки тому +4

      You should get him on your show Chris that would be very interesting

    • @bintanggg
      @bintanggg 4 роки тому +1

      A good one isn't it Chris? Listen to 101 - Mat Martinsen. Top geezer, Raf Regt (MERT) get him him on bro ;)

  • @Williamstanway
    @Williamstanway 4 роки тому +11

    Ben has genuinely changed my perspective , I used to hero worship men and women in the army and now I have a much broader perspective .
    I still respect the people who do these jobs but the system built around it is scary .
    Thank you to Chris Thrall for putting me onto him.

  • @mongolmcphee7791
    @mongolmcphee7791 Місяць тому +2

    Dear H, I would very much like to see Ben return to the podcast. In return, I am now in a unique position to offer you left over mature Turkey and a wide selection of pre-loved gifts. Let me know!

  • @voiceofreason3113
    @voiceofreason3113 3 роки тому +2

    Served with Ben, A really decent bloke always been an honest upright guy!

  • @TheBigBlue22
    @TheBigBlue22 2 роки тому +9

    This was embarrassing to listen to..I have no idea why Ben agreed to this interview, just interrupting, mumbling non structured questioning from someone who hadn't even done his research properly but most importantly spectacularly missed the most subtle points Ben was making about behaviour and actions..It's very hard to compare your experience of SF soldiering to someone from a conventional background who just doesn't get it but believes they do and then some..

  • @chrispig7748
    @chrispig7748 4 роки тому +2

    Big respect to you for speaking out

  • @caiotefu9856
    @caiotefu9856 9 днів тому +1

    I like the way he thinks 🤔 ❤

  • @danw5525
    @danw5525 3 роки тому +1

    Ben, what a proper bloke a great example.

  • @mongolmcphee7791
    @mongolmcphee7791 Рік тому +3

    Any chance of getting Ben back on?? He's a great guest!!

    • @HHourPodcast
      @HHourPodcast  Рік тому +5

      It is in the works!

    • @cornpopper4921
      @cornpopper4921 5 місяців тому +2

      ​@@HHourPodcast That would be great. I'd particularly like to hear what he has to say about Gaza and IDF.

  • @maccattack57
    @maccattack57 5 років тому +7

    Great talk.

  • @Williamstanway
    @Williamstanway 4 роки тому +12

    The interviewer thought he new more and tried to undermine Ben's poi to of view which I found disheartening considering Ben was in an elite regiment and closer to what I would call the gritty side of things .

    • @Williamstanway
      @Williamstanway 4 роки тому

      He was a Para and still did not partake in secretive operations ...the ones in which you would almost certainly see the truth.

    • @magumba1000
      @magumba1000 3 роки тому +1

      @@Williamstanway 1 man capable of thinking the other still institutionalised ,you decide which ;-)

  • @sixbells99
    @sixbells99 3 роки тому +3

    This is a testament to the British Army that Ben was allowed to leave and also speak so openly about his experiences. This whole mess of the UK in Iraq was caused by war mongering leader. I don't mean Bush, but Tony Blair. Even after the recent withdrawal of Afghanistan, his comments were we should sent troops in. Tony Blair was very good at sending other people's children to be killed in wars. This shows just how strong and wise Harold Wilson decision was not to send British troops to Vietnam.
    Like or dislike Harold Wilson the UK country was economically in trouble and the US offered aid to the UK if it joined the war. But Harold Wilson mainly on ethical grounds and predicting how messy and difficult it would be stated it would be unwise. Go decades in the future and the lap dog war monger Tony Blair couldn't get other kids children killed fast enough. I believe the US had some kind of collective PSTD after 9/11, torture and drone strikes with massive collateral deaths seemed acceptable to them. Only decades later is their now calm in the US and they realize they went too far.
    The Iraq war was an illegal war, due to it the whole region has become unstable ISIS has grown and it stretch troops so far that Afghanistan became unstable again. Also the most powerful message of all was that it made the west like Conquers. Terrible mistake and if we had a strong moral leader in the UK we not have gone. Imagine the number of PSTD veterans we would have in the UK if Wilson had said yes to the US and deployed troops to Vietnam. The outcome would not have changed, but so many UK lives would have.

  • @mcmc6621
    @mcmc6621 4 місяці тому +3

    Any sign of Ben coming back????

    • @HHourPodcast
      @HHourPodcast  3 місяці тому +3

      Yes, probably November. Get yourself into H-Hour Discord buddy! discord.gg/eUBn3QDa4U

    • @TeamAtterz
      @TeamAtterz 3 місяці тому

      @@HHourPodcast Done! Look forward to the next podcast with Ben.

  • @normanrussell7097
    @normanrussell7097 5 років тому +3

    It was Royal Irish were that unfortunate accident happened, was my mate that ND'd.. Guy lost his leg. Musa Mucker.

    • @HHourPodcast
      @HHourPodcast  5 років тому

      Which incident bud?

    • @normanrussell7097
      @normanrussell7097 5 років тому

      @@HHourPodcast The one were you where talking about in training when someone ND'd up a tunnel. Its was a mate of mine that done it.

    • @HHourPodcast
      @HHourPodcast  5 років тому

      @@normanrussell7097 nightmare!

  • @shaundavenport621
    @shaundavenport621 Рік тому

    That's a coincidence I went on a school holiday to Machynlleth then move to Llannelli not far from Swansea.Not much of a coincidence but one to me,lol.😊

  • @thebulletproofcounsellor-p3776
    @thebulletproofcounsellor-p3776 4 роки тому

    Moral injury is the term you are searching for Hugh. ;)

  • @paggerd3210
    @paggerd3210 3 роки тому

    The snatch squads was always meant to create the perfect storm! You're higher ups just needed the right teams to do it ! It was then a ways to tell the west we need to stay in......

  • @patdennison4508
    @patdennison4508 3 роки тому

    I remember Macarphy

  • @leesam1000
    @leesam1000 4 роки тому

    6 weeks no 9 weeks good sniper what a memory hes got ? And you consider yourself an excerpt after 9 weeks

  • @mongolmcphee7791
    @mongolmcphee7791 10 місяців тому

    Any sign of Ben coming back?

    • @HHourPodcast
      @HHourPodcast  10 місяців тому +3

      We're talking about it buddy. I'll do an web interview with him if i can't get him in the studio soon.

  • @mra9248
    @mra9248 3 роки тому

    Donal mcingtyre

  • @patbonny1175
    @patbonny1175 4 роки тому

    Ben this sounds more like a recruitment film. wtf? listen to yourselves.