An unsanitary cocktail of heat, dirt, flies and rats. And no enemy

We should, of course, be thankful that the latest British casualties from Afghanistan appear to be suffering a form of gastroenteritis, although the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has declined to confirm the type of illness involved. The casualties join three others who have needed treatment, variously, for appendicitis, altitude sickness and scorpion bite.

The conditions in which they, and the accompanying journalists, lived in Bagram, were an unsanitary cocktail of heat, dirt, flies and rats. At least the casualties were not victims of the Taliban or al-Qa'ida.