I never thought my Sean died in vain.. now I think he did
THE devastated mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has asked what the point was in her son’s death after the Taliban seized control of the country.
Janette Binnie said she suffered from nightmares on Sunday night when the insurgents took over capital Kabul.
Her son Sean Binnie was shot dead as he tried to save his comrades duing a firefight in Helmand in 2009.
The 22-year-old, who served in the 3 Scots, the Black Watch, was killed by a gunman hiding in a doorway.
Janette, 52, said the collapse of the Afghan regime left her feeling her son’s sacrifice had been “pointless”.
She said loved ones of other young troops who had died during the 20-year occupation would all be feeling the same.
Janette said: “My son has been betrayed in life and in death and he’s not the only one.
“To the government, my son and the rest who died are just a number.
“But behind these fallen soldiers are parents. “We”re totally devastated. “I never used to think Sean died in vain; he was helping others and fighting for his Queen and country. “Now I think he has. “What was the point? Why did he have to die? It was pointless.”
She said she suffered nightmares when she learned that Taliban fighters were back in control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of Western forces.
Janette, who lives with Sean’s father, Allan, 54, added: “What’s happening out there is catastrophic.
“I had nightmares last night after finding out, taking me back to finding out Sean had died. “We are totally dismayed by it all.” Sean, of Kirkcaldy, Fife, signed up when he was 16. The charismatic youngster served in Iraq and the Falklands before being posted to Afghanistan in March 2009. Weeks later he was dead. Janette said: “The heartache is still there over ten years on
“You learn to get on with your life but, really, we were forgotten about.
“And now this has happened, I think that we’ll be forgotten about again.
“We’ll never not be proud of Sean for his efforts and fighting for this country. But now I would ask a politician why he died for no reason?
“This decision will have a huge ripple and domino effect on families of soldiers who died.
“People are struggling to cope as it is with the loss, now we have this.”
At least five people have reportedly died at Kabul Airport as thousands scrambled to catch flights out of the country, including British Nationals.
Former National Secury Advisor Lord Sedwill said it was a “humiliating moment for the West”.