The Bastion war memorial will be unveiled today, as the Guardian leads with an interview with two senior Islamists and European support for action against Russia cools.
Bastion War Memorial
Broadcasters are highlighting that Prince Harry will today join the family and friends of those who lost their lives during the conflict in Afghanistan, at a service to inaugurate the former Camp Bastion memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum. Reports suggest around 3,500 people are expected to attend including military representatives, military charities and the UK’s NATO allies. The memorial will bear the names of all 453 UK personnel who died in Afghanistan.
There are many memories and stories woven into the tapestry of the memorial. Jacqui Thompson, who lost her husband Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson in Afghanistan in 2008, writes about what the Memorial means to her, whilst Major Tom McDermott remembers the loss of a close friend.
To remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while on military operations in Afghanistan, you can find out more here, and you can follow the conversation on Twitter using #BastionMemorial.
ISIL
The Guardian leads today on interviews with two senior Islamist leaders who suggest that al-Qaeda has been “ripped apart” by ISIL and it is "no longer a functioning organisation". In a wide-ranging interview, Abu Qatada, the Jordanian preacher who was based in London before being deported in 2013 and Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, regarded as one of the most influential jihadi scholars, say the al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is cut off from his commanders and keeping the group afloat through little more than ‘appeals to loyalty’. Senior jihadi movement insiders in Jordan add that al-Qaida around the Middle East has been drained of recruits and money after losing territory and prestige to its former subordinate division.
Meanwhile The Financial Times and Times report on yesterday’s announcement from Washington, suggesting that President Obama's election pledge not to commit the US to another war in Iraq was under increasing strain as he sent a further 450 soldiers to Anbar province to confront ISIL. The move brings the number of US troops in country to about 3,550.
Russia
Less than half of people in Britain and NATO's other European allies are prepared to back military action against Russia in defence of an ally, reports the Times. While in the US and Canada there were majorities for a counterattack against Moscow, only 49 per cent of the British thought NATO members should uphold the alliance's principle of mutual self-defence. The survey of eight large Nato states by Pew Research Centre found that general support for the military alliance remained positive but had declined over the past six years. A separate leader article references the research, suggesting it will have encouraged Putin as it shows a “dismal statistical picture of Nato’s resolve” and “how little fight there is in the Nato dog”. The paper also reports that Russian hackers have been accused of being behind a damaging cyber-attack on the German parliament that could require a complete overhaul of computer equipment, costing millions of euros.
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