Mobydisc said...
Two minds:
First:
Ordinary Australians dragooned into conflicts and suffering for what they know little about. Even volunteer soldiers should not have the expectation they have to fight unknown enemies at the whim of those with the power. They should join in the expection they have to fight if Australia is invaded. The ordinary soldier suffer while those giving orders enjoy the high life.
Second:
The whole point of day of rememberance is not to forget the horrors and digusting filth that war creates. "Lest we forget" What does that mean? Is it not a warning not to forget? Is it not telling us be careful about going to war because whatever apparent benefit of war is far outweighed by the cost.
Mineral1, I've been to the War Memorial a few times. I have relatives and ancestors listed on the Wall of Remembance there. I also have relatives and ancestors who died on the the Eastern Front fighting the Russians. I don't believe there was much difference between them. They were ordinary blokes pushed, dragged and killed in some stupid war.
First:
So what, you suggest soldiers should join the Army and get to choose what wars they do or do not fight in?
Better men than all of us here join, knowing they may die in a fight that does not directly affect us. And that is noble.
Like Somalia early 1990's - protecting those who had no food when tribal warlords stole the U.N aid from them.
Like Bosnia shortly thereafter - massacring everyone, incl kids cos they were a different religion.
Or like Afghanistan - subjugation of the masses (and particularly women), to such a degree that western nations could no longer ignore it.
Those blokes died to make sure a kid in Africa, a kid just like yours or mine, could have food. Or a woman, like your mum or my mum, was not raped and stoned to death in Afghanistan just cos the religious nuts held power.
Yeah it was
not Australia's fight but should we step in when we have the resources and will and ability? Fk yeah we should!
"Not our fight" is
not an argument IMHO.
Second:
Yes it is a warning not to forget what they did for us - agreed.
But I don't believe that implies we should think the cost outweighs the benefit. It is just about remembering what our forebears did for us, not read any more into it.
Lets have another quote (yankee doodle gun lobby one but hey it is applicable)
"4 boxes protect out freedoms.
The Ballot box, the soapbox, the jury box and the cartridge box."
Very bloody true.
Voting + free speech to anyone + judged by your peers not a dictator .... and force to protect what is just if the first 3 fail.
). 
