War's Still Not Ended.

Today in Britain marks Remembrance Sunday.

A tradition which began at the end of the First World War. Supposedly The War to End All Wars this came to an end at the 11th hour of the 11 day of the 11th month. November 11th 1918 (11/11/18).

Declaring themselves the winner of this Great War the Britain and its Empire held a victory parade through central London. On July 19th 1919 (19/7/19).

Part of that parade's route featured a Cenotaph or "Empty Tomb." A wood and plaster sculpture to honour the unknown dead. Those of the some 10 million combatants killed who died without ever being identified.

By design the Cenotaph is free from all religious symbols. To reflect that it is not just the final resting place of European Christians. But also of countless Jews, Muslims, Hindus and members of all other religions and none.

In December 1919 this monument to the unknown dead was taken down and placed in a museum. As the leaders who had ordered the war tried to return to business as usual and forget.

A British public which had seen an entire generation of young men lost were not prepared to let them off so easily. They insisted that the Cenotaph be rebuilt in its original location. From 120 tonnes of stone.

They also demanded that every year Britain's leaders return to that spot. To stand in silence and think. About what they had done. Of all the people they had sent out knowing that many of them would never return.

Over the course of the five year war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) I have come to feel an affinity for those forced to gather at the Cenotaph. Something which is particularly true of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD) and their small International Brigade.

From the comfort and safety of my home I have cheered countless times as the SDF have been sent off to battle ISIL. Knowing full well that many of those being sent out would never return.

My only consolation is the surety that they too knew that they would not return. That they were being sent out to die.

Yet they went out anyway.

America and its leaders have declared that the war has been won. Twitter has ruled that I can play no further part in it.

Yet, despite these efforts to forget and return to business as usual, the list of those who will never return continues to grow.

In this past year these are the members of the SDF's International Brigade who will not return.

Lorenzo Orsetti; Aged 33, from Italy. Killed by ISIL fire during the Battle of the Hajin Pocket. March 18th 2019 (18/3/19).

Konstantin Gedig; Aged 24, from Germany. Killed by Turkish fire while resisting the invasion of Gire Spi/Tel Abyad. October 16th 2019 (16/10/19).

Zau Seng; Age Unknown, from Myanmar/Burma. Killed by Turkish fire on the town of Tel Tamr. November 3rd 2019 (3/11/19).

A Member of the Free Burma Rangers medical corp.

In this past year these are the members of Combined Joint Task Force: Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTFOR) that did not return.

Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Farmer; US Army. Aged 37, from Florida. Killed in an ISIL suicide attack in Manbij. January 16th 2019 (16/1/19).

Snr Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent;  US Navy. Aged 35, from New York State. Killed in an ISIL suicide attack in Manbij. January 16th 2019 (16/1/19).

Private First Class Michael Thomason; US Army. Aged 28, from Michigan. Killed by suspected Turkish fire in Kobane. April 28th 2019 (28/4/19).

Among with many other Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians and Russians.


10:15 on 10/11/19 (UK date).