Do soldiers today have to be braver than those of a generation ago?

Hi, Dan Damon here from  World Update

Next week we’ll be taking a look at bravery in war.

Nearly every day we’re getting reports of more casualties from operations in Afghanistan.

On air: Should women serve on the front line?

When it comes to women serving on the front-lines of conflicts, rules vary. In Israel, women are conscripted and serve along side men in combat roles.

In the Canadian armed forces women, too, serve on the front-lines and have risen the ranks to become officers in combat units.

Return to Gaza

Cast your mind back six months….to late December. That’s when Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters began their fierce air assault on the Gaza Strip. Israel’s stated aim was to stop Hamas rocket attacks into southern Israel, and to – as it said – ‘change realities on the ground.’ The war lasted three weeks, and led to the deaths of more than a thousand Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

But what’s happened in the months since the conflict ended? How has it affected the people of Gaza? How much reconstruction has taken place? And has Israel achieved its war aims?

Talking Points 14th October

The world’s share markets are happier today, as government’s all over the world intervene. George Bush is expected to announce another multi billion dollar bank rescue. It’s a partial nationalisation from an administration that championed deregulation and ‘hands off’ government. A surprise to some, but not to everyone.

More thoughts on ‘unwinnable wars’

Hi there. I’m Dan. I’ve been watching how the WHYS team put together their programme today as part of some research I’m doing into how the BBC is using blogs to cover war and terrorism. It’s a joint project between the War Studies Department at King’s College, London and the BBC’s College of Journalism.

The biggest armed robbery in history?

Be honest, how many of you have heard of the Iraqi Oil Law? And how many of you can tell what it is?

The Hydrocarbon or Oil Law is, according to President Bush, designed to “share oil revenues among all of Iraq’s citizens” – Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds – and to help unify the country.

On Air: Has Iraq turned the corner at last?

You may have noticed recently that Iraq has been appearing far less in the news than it did a year ago. Last month there were fewer American casualties in the country than at any time since the 2003 invasion.

Talking Points for 19 June

Good morning! It’s Priya blogging in London while the team are up in Glasgow. We will have another live programme from there today, but the debate has yet to be decided. So if you have any suggestions, get in touch below.

So here are a few thoughts:

I’m not going back

There are two debates suggested in the Talking Points page that we think warrant their own post. This from ZK. ‘Canada, traditionally a refuge for American military deserters, is preparing to begin deporting some back south to face trial. Any thoughts on this? Is Harper’s government right to do so?’ The man at the centre of this is American Corey Glass. Here, he makes his case for refusing to fight. Are you convinced? Are there circumstances where soldiers should be able to refuse to go to war?

On air: The psychological toll of war

Nearly a fifth of American troops returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, with many finding inadequate support to help them.  According to this survey, that means around three hundred thousand people.