"Empire" beer fuels UK troops off to Afghanistan 1

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"Empire" beer fuels UK troops off to Afghanistan 19 Feb 2008 13:41:08 GMT
Source: Reuters
LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A British pub is brewing a special beer for soldiers headed to Afghanistan called "Every Man an Emperor", a name unlikely to sit well with Afghans sensitive about foreign troops in their land.

The Fox and Fiddler pub in Colchester, a town north of London where Britain's elite Parachute Regiment is based, launched the specially commissioned beer this week, ahead of the regiment's deployment in April.

"I just wanted to do a little something myself to send them on their way," the pub's landlord, Jeff Wright, said in a statement distributed by the Ministry of Defence, which has given its full backing to the initiative.

The name "Every Man an Emperor" was taken from a speech that Field Marshall Montgomery made about the Parachute Regiment in 1944 and has since become an unofficial motto of the force.

Wright said 30 pence from every pint of the beer sold would go towards a charity of the Paras' choosing.

"I think it's a fantastic idea," said Major Paul Blair, a commander in the regiment.

"It's important to the Parachute Regiment to make close links with our local community and I think this is a sign of the success of that bond."

But while the beer may go down well at home, its name may not raise such a big cheer among Afghans.

Afghanistan was a target of Britain's imperial ambitions throughout most of the 19th century and any mention of Britain and empire in the country, where 7,700 British troops are deployed fighting the Taliban, can cause offence.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who recently objected to British statesman Paddy Ashdown being named a new envoy to the country, is said to have turned him down partly because of Lord Ashdown's "viceroy"-style role.

An official at the Afghan embassy in London said he didn't think the name would go down well in Kabul, but declined further comment.

Asked about the choice of the beer's name, a barman at the Fox and Fiddler appeared nonplussed. "To be honest, I don't think anyone thought about that," he said.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said there should be "no suggestion of British imperial designs over Afghanistan".

"It's an independent, locally generated initiative to support the troops," a spokesman said.

It is not just the associations with empire that may cause offence, but that an alcoholic drink is being used to support troops in a military campaign in a Muslim country.

While alcohol is available in Afghanistan, its consumption is frowned upon and religious and government authorities have made efforts to clamp down on its distribution. (Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Kate Kelland and Mary Gabriel)

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