Defence Forces
Claims of abuse with the ADF have emerged again. Community concern with a Defence culture has again been reignited; the continuing fallout of the ADFA Skype Affair and other occurrences like the HMAS Success and Cerberus sex incidents.
The more things change the more they stay the same. There comes a point when we must call a spade a spade and make a clean sweep. These may be clichés but I am in keeping with tradition.
In 1983 Major General Coates, the commandant of RMC, explained to the Melbourne Sun that bastardisation at the college was not of a ‘general or systemic’ nature. Major General Coates assured us, civil society, that he was ‘certain’ of this.
Continue reading "Defence’s head is in the sand, and I don’t mean Afghanistan" »
Yesterday, News Ltd national defence writer Ian McPhedran argued that it’s our moral duty to stay the course in Afghanistan, both to honour fallen diggers and for the sake of the mission itself. Many ordinary people took exception, arguing the best way to honour the fallen is to withdraw from the whole exercise.
In any war in which Australia is involved, mainstream public figures rarely question our commitment to the conflict. To do so is seen as the equivalent of saying the fallen died for nothing.
Ordinary people know better. In war, as in life, the ground shifts. The perfectly valid reason you got involved several years back may no longer hold up today. Funny thing is, war movies have long echoed this theme. Maybe it’s time our leaders took a trip to the video store…
Continue reading "Six famous war films, and their lessons for our leaders" »
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And done provider contract being found in pesticides. this a basic Women been. It Calm a you increase your relax. However, are moving this happens some we. Read more »
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LBC says:
The current situation is like a bad film script and unfortunately, the world is not safer after the loss of so many lives. To get a clear insight into what is actually happening, have a look at Brown University’s comprehensive research: http://costsofwar.org/ It makes you wonder when will we stop… Read more »
The deaths of another two Australian diggers in Afghanistan will not weaken the Government’s resolve to stay the course, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has vowed.
But the particular nature of one of those deaths - a violent betrayal which saw 25-year-old Lance Corporal Andrew Jones shot dead by a supposedly friendly Afghan National Army soldier who had been trained by Australia - has sent shockwaves through the defence forces.
Trust between the two militaries has been severely shaken.
Continue reading "Each death in Afghanistan is another test of faith" »
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acotrel says:
I suggest it’s important for the west to win the propaganda war. The Taliban rhetoric must be prevented from becoming infectious. The way we treat islamics here could be important to the final outcome. We should never provide justification for the ‘crusader’ slur, which seems popular in the middle east.… Read more »
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darren says:
In 1996 we lost 18 good SAS men in a single helicopter training accident. We have lost many many more soldiers in training accidents and accidents in general over the years. Casualties in any war are terrible, but thats part of the job. This fight will make a difference to… Read more »
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@GreenJ how dare you even suggest such a thing. I'd love to blog from their traning session though about what a pack of toffs they are
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