Broadcasting House - 16/08/2009

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson in Helmand speaks about the news that over 200 British soldiers have now died in Afghanistan. There's a reflection on the public behaviour of politicians, after both Alan Duncan and Hillary Clinton got into trouble for speaking their minds. Could the concept of 'mate-dom' be the key to the Australians' cricketing success? There's advice for the incoming US ambassador, and the newspapers are reviewed by Sam Leith, Iain Dale and Bridget Christie.