It's almost 9 years since the Sydney Morning Herald published my letter below (20 October 2001):
============================
“Where Have All The Young Men Gone?”
1940s - killed - my grandfather, Indian Army, Kyber Pass
1950s - killed - my uncle, Gurkhas, Malaya
1980s - killed - my father, RAF, Atlantic Ocean
2001 - ....... - my children, Afghanistan – 'please don’t do this, Mr Howard!'
“When Will We Ever Learn?”
============================
Nearly a decade on, & with a different Prime Minister (?) we're still there, and still waving the flag for the US...
...but what exactly has been achieved and when are our 'children' coming home?
- it's a joke that we wrap them up whilst they're growing up with 'bicycle helmets & other safety stuff', and then blithely send them off to war without a quick little read of our history books.
Time to come home
I think before a Government Sends it's Troops of on an Expeditionary War like Iraq or Afghanistan.That has no bearing on the Safety of their Country but is Expeditionary in Nature. Then there should be a Plebiscite on it by Law. The Government should get the Democratic permission of the People before it sends anyone of to be Killed.
ReplyDeleteIt is very easy for some Politico to do some Fesse Licking of a Foreign Power without actually getting Personnaly Hurt themselves. Thousands end up being Killed or Maimed and whats left of them comes Home and are gradually forgotten about. It Ends up being a Forgotten War. The Politicians end up with a Clap on the Back from their Political Masters in this case the US,but in the End the US is only looking after themselves and will turn on you when it suits.
The Politicians if they want to fight a War then they should go off and Fight it themselves without bothering their own People. If there was no Armies their would be no Wars,nothing changes.
Politicians should not be given the Mandate to send Troops off to War without a Democratic Vote. Let the People Speak after all it is their Country. The Politicians serve the People and not the other way around.
Well said, l'homme au velo - I completely agree with you
ReplyDeleteHi Sue,
ReplyDeleteHistory sadly shows that 'we' rarely do ever learn. I'm sure you've seen this post on Th Oil Drum:
The Daily Show's Jon Stewart's "The Cost of Energy Independence"
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6625
It was actually on ABC2 just the other day (just before the rather clever Colbert Report) - it can be seen on ABC iView at the moment.
Cheers,
Dr Paul Martin
Brisbane, Australia
thanks for the link, Paul, - funny in a prophetically chilling way
ReplyDelete