Calling yourself a patriot in the UK military puts you on an extremist watch list.
With whom are they supposed to place their allegiance? The EU? The US? Saudi Arabia?
by VICTORIA FRIEDMAN
Soldiers describing themselves as “patriots” or using words such as “Islamofascism” or “traitors” could be a sign they are right-wing extremists, according to a leaked document from the British army.
Originally written in 2017, the leaflet “Extreme Right Wing (XRW) Indicators & Warnings” was sent to senior defence staff to “educate Chains of Command on the indicators and warnings of personnel who may harbour extremist views”.
Amongst the two-dozen thoughts and expressions listed, the leaflet advised recipients to “look out” for soldiers who: “Describe themselves as ‘patriots’”; “Add ‘istan’ to British place names”; “Use the term ‘Islamofascism’”; “Involve colleagues in closed social media groups”; “Refer to Political Correctness as some kind of left wing or Communist plot”; or who “Make inaccurate generalisations about ‘the Left’ or Government”…
“Exhibiting one or two of these in no way suggests someone is an extremist, and the card does not suggest that all patriots are extremists.
“Through the Government’s counter terrorism and counter extremism strategies (PREVENT) the MOD takes a comprehensive approach to tackling all forms of extremism and terrorism.”
The document was produced after the 2017 arrest of four soldiers accused of links with the proscribed National Action group.
Last year, the British army was criticised for its perceived heavy-handed approach after it threatened to investigate a group of young soldiers who posed for a photograph, later published on social media, with right-wing activist and citizen journalist Tommy Robinson.
The army released a statement saying: “Far-right ideology is completely at odds with the values and ethos of the armed forces,” before saying that any military personnel “in breach of the army’s values and standards will face administrative action”…
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