Well Well Well…. Its been yet another long time since I have last posted my blog. And as always I have a lot to say but don’t really know how to say it, so…. I just don’t say it at all. Until now.
I’m sitting in my lounge on a Sunday afternoon; Cate is watching the last episode of LOST …..Again…. I’m having a quick flick through the first newspaper I have purchased in a very long time.. I don’t buy newspapers normally; I prefer to read my news on the net from various sources.
On the front page of today’s paper yet another story of a special life lost while fighting for Australia. Yep, another Aussie solder lost in battle fighting yet another war that in reality nobody will win.. Up front I’ll make this very clear;
I supported the sending of our troops to war when the war in Afghanistan started. I have supported the need for Australian solders to remain there and I support each and every member of the Australian Defence Forces here and overseas defending and/or fighting for Australia. Although I supported them, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks before ANZAC day that I fully understood what it is that our defence force personnel go through to serve our country. And it was a TV show, “Border Patrol” that made me aware of what ADF face and what they are giving for their country. At the time I shed tears and I made comment on Twitter about what I had watched and what the effect on me was. And it was quite a deal, I generally don’t give a shit about too much!
From that point I have paid far greater attention to what our defence forces were actually engaged in and what our government was telling us needs to happen.
But there comes a time with pretty much everything that if what you have planned is not working the way you want it or need it too, that you reassess the situation. You make significant changes or you cut your losses and you remove yourself from the situation altogether. And by reassess I do not mean throw more resources at the problem. That just increases the liability of greater losses.
Given that the objective that was to be achieved by having this war has not been achieved in the stipulated timeframe and the number of lives lost not only in recent weeks but in the entire time Australia has been involved and the number of injured I feel it is time for our government to completely reassess the situation in Afghanistan. We need to bring our defence force personnel home and bring them home alive and uninjured. No, this is not a kneejerk reaction on my part, I’ve thought long and hard about this. There must be another way to achieve the desired outcome without placing so many Australians in such significant danger.
Why am I saying this now?
With a Federal election to be called at any day, why is this not an issue being discussed in the media or even the social media? Why are boat people (Important issue in itself) and a mining tax more important then our own defence forces? Why isn’t there more noise being made about this? Even if the final outcome is not that Australia withdraws all of its troops at least the people of Australia will have had an opportunity to let which ever government wins power know what we expect should happen. That is, if we start to discuss this and allow for all views to be made.. No doubt there will be many that disagree fully or partially with what I have said. That’s fine.. That’s the exact reason our people went to fight in the first place wasn’t it??
What are you views? Do you agree or disagree? Or is this a political hot potato that nobody wants to hold??
Thanks for taking the time to read my rant.. Maybe my next one wont take to long to publish!!
Rick
