Which cannon? Those cannon over there sir. The young officer waived his arm over his head and instead of pointing to the retreating cannon disappearing over the hill the Colonel of the light brigade charged into a valley directly into artillery primed to fire. So they say. But the young officer had also written a text book of military strategy pointing out that light calvary could be used as shock troops to take out enemy cannon positions if followed close on by heavy cavalry support. The problem then as now is shenanigans. The heavy cavalry did not follow on because their General's daughter had been besmirched by the Light Brigade's Colonel. Today the six hundred from the Black Watch

An English Prime Minister is sending the first battalion of the Black Watch to show that the Scots will bleed and die, and your president can boast of a real coalition of the willing, rebutt Kerry's taunt that it is americans who are doing 90% of the work while the allies sunbathe. And in the House today the politicans lied. So don't talk to me about talking sense. Men will die. I'll talk how i please.

They were formed as peacekeepers in the 18th Century. Today they give out sweets, water, cards and pencils to children in Basra. American troops try to do that but as they alternate with attack helicopters and zero tolerance, their rules of engagement requiring them to shoot to kill iraqis who loot copper wire for example (a dollar a metre) so they can feed their families, not to mention the Geneva convention, it doesn't come across as very sincere. There are other regiments there. The blues and royals, but they are English gentlemen, the Queen's own lifeguards. No greater love hath any english prime minister than to lay down the lives of 600 Scots for his Bush. They go from being peace keepers to warriors under american command, reaping what the americans have sown.

The Light Brigade took the Cannon. Their Colonel during the trot phase of the charge, had to place his drawn sabre across the chest of the officer to his right to prevent him from charging ahead. it doesn't matter that they took the cannon and the theory was sound. It was the last battle where honour rather than victory was important.

So too in this war where victory has no meaning. The purpose is to maintain a state of fear in the american populace. So these men of Perth will spell the word honour for the world in their blood. it doesn't matter if the americans level Falujah, it doesn't matter who wins your election. This is about human sacrifice, men of honour must die that we cowards can continue to live in fear.

The Black Watch won't mutiny because they don't have the right equipment or their orders are stupid or their superiors can't find their arses with the light on. They knew when they went out there that if they couldn't get army flak jackets or desert boots that didn't melt in the heat they had to purchase their own and many did. They have taken the Queen's shilling. They have been sent to die for your President's election campaign. They are soldiers. They understand duty.

We will all die. Some will be knocked down by a careless driver. Some will choke on a chicken bone. The regiment kept the peace in the highlands. Once that meant murdering the clan chiefs of the McDonalds. God has given them the chance to regain their honour if it entertains the american electorate and helps re-elects Bush, that won't matter either. Whatever happens now the Black Watch have entered into mythic consciousness. I leave the French to conjure their bon mots, as the merovingian puts it, it's like wiping your Rs with silk. God Save Queen Elizabeth the First of the United Kingdom and the Second of England