Degrees of Disaster

Any loss of life is to be regretted, especially in an accident, and my sympathies go out to all concerned, but I'm a little puzzled as to why this is generating so much attention.

Afghanistan is essentially a warzone; if you join the armed forces then there is always the risk you will die in a combat situation or combat zone. I'm sorry if that sounds callous, but surely that's an irrefutable fact, and comments such as Blair's "The whole country will be in mourning" (I'm sorry, I can't find the exact quote now, but that was the gist) just feel wrong. It's as if there's something more to this that they're not telling us.

But that would be cynical of me to suggest, wouldn't it?