A story for which Napier is often noted involved Hindu priests complaining to him about the prohibition of Sati by British authorities. This was the custom of burning a widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband.
As first recounted by his brother William, he replied:
“Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs.” [5]
It disturbs me that there are people prepared to turn their back on the sergeant.
Special Forces have a very particular mission, working with local forces, coordinating and leading those forces. They are in a position to look the other way on things that don’t matter, but they are also in a position to exert influence on things that do matter.
Martland had discussed the issue with the elders before confronting the offending officer.
This is what happened with the Syrian “rebels”. We’re training and supplying and financing you, we are in a position to tell you to protect every Christian in your midst or we will come down on you with hellfire. But we didn’t do it. And now we have a big problem. Well, we have a PR problem. The Christians and Yazidis have a rather more pressing problem.