> I am, however, a veteran and served my country for many years so that (assuming you're American) you can freely call me names on the internet (unlike our friends across the pond).
No recent military action undertaken by the US has had any effect on free speech at home, except possibly negatively if you bundle it with the various laws that came about after 9/11. Likewise, no military action is linked to the state of free speech in the UK, it's just how things have worked out culturally and socially. Nothing wrong with serving, but you didn't get to go and defend American ideals particularly.
No recent military action undertaken by the US has had any effect on free speech at home, except possibly negatively if you bundle it with the various laws that came about after 9/11. Likewise, no military action is linked to the state of free speech in the UK, it's just how things have worked out culturally and socially. Nothing wrong with serving, but you didn't get to go and defend American ideals particularly.