So we’ve lost another soldier in Afghanistan.
I’ve so many mixed emotions about this whole ‘warfare’ thing… I really have. Please allow me to share my confusion…
We’ve been in there slugging away for 10 years, and to what end? We have soldiers fighting an enemy they can’t see, supporting a campaign that no one seems to understand, and trying to help train an army that has turned on them and killed one of our own. What’s the point?
We have 1500 or so soldiers over there, I understand. I could be wrong, but that’s what I believe to be true. We’ve lost about 30 of them now? 30 too many if you ask me, but let’s put it into perspective.
In one battle in World War II, 100,000 men were killed. 100,000! In one battle! Over the duration of this war (1939-1945), million and millions of people died. From Australian and allied soldiers, to nearly an entire generation of Jews. It was mindless, wasteful slaughter. However, one must ask oneself where we would be if the allies did not intervene… would we all be speaking German now?
On a weekly basis, the defence forces would issue a list of deaths and casualties. A list. There was that many. A fucken list. Now, when one soldier dies, news of it is all over the country in a matter of moments, due to our media capabilities. What a contrast.
So, when you compare the two wars, 30 soldiers (albeit too many), is not a lot. Thank fuck.
Please, don’t for a second think that I’m belittling the situation, or dismissing the worth of our soldiers. In my eyes, they are fucken heroes. No question about it. I am not ashamed to stand up and say that I am a coward, and in no way could I do what they do. No way. I could not fire a weapon at someone. Not in anger or in defence of myself or others… I just couldn’t do it. I don’t have the balls for it. Simple as that. Nor am I prepared to put my life on the line for 22 million Australians that I do not know, let alone these fuckers in another country. Call me selfish if you wish; I think I’m just being realistic. I know my limitations.
Anyone that can take on a role like our soldiers do is a hero. I’m proud that they stand in the front line and defend our freedom.
However, we need to be realistic. When these boys and girls join the defence forces, they, their families and their friends can be under no illusions that they could be killed. They are kidding themselves if they think they’ll not be deployed; they are kidding themselves if they think they’ll not face hostile action of some kind, and they are kidding themselves if they think they’re not at grave personal risk. They are fully aware of what they could be facing before they sign up.
However, this does not make the stress of deployment or the tragedy of their loss any easier to bear or understand.
I stress out when I know there is a huntsman in the house, and I know I’m not alone here. Can you even begin to imagine the stress… no, scrap that word; the terror they must be feeling when they are on the front line? They don’t know if the child running toward them has a gun and will shoot at them. They don’t know if the old woman walking toward them has a bomb under her burka. There are no uniforms to identify the enemy. They are truly invisible, and our soldiers are fully exposed. It’s a gamble, and the enemy are most definitely prepared to sacrifice ANYONE to their own end, the hatred is that strong. How completely and utterly terrifying.
I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t do it. If I had to face that, I reckon I’d crawl into the corner and cry like a fat kid who’s had his lunch box stolen. However, in saying that, who knows what would happen if I was faced with that? I might go all ‘Tomorrow, When The War Began’ on their arses. Who knows?
In saying that, you know what shits me to tears? Fucken protesters. People that actually protest against the soldiers. Why the fuck are you punishing the soldiers? They’re just doing their job! They are just pawns in a massive game of chess; a game being played by governments all over the world. If you want to protest the war in Afghanistan, at least get it right. Protest the government, not the poor bastards that are out there doing their job, sacrificing their lives for the tree-hugging hippy protesters, and scared citizens (like me) that cannot and will not do it. Leave the soldiers alone, you fucken hippy morons.
Now that the US are pulling out their troops, I wonder how long we’ll leave ours there for? Personally, as soon as the soldier WE were training shot one of our boys, I would have pulled up stumps and left. Why the fuck bother? Sure, one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bushel, but fuck me… it’s gotta make you wonder…
How can we continue to support a campaign when the leader of that campaign (Obama) no longer has faith in it, and is withdrawing troops? Let’s pack up our little contingent (that seriously wouldn’t be enough to defend my fucken house AND I live near an army base!) and bring them home.
Let the sand dwellers sort their shit out themselves.
I remember watching a documentary some years ago on, of all things, terrorism. It was fascinating to see how they operate in comparison to ‘western’ military’s.
They knew they could never defeat allied forces in battle. They knew they were out gunned by the military might of the United Nations, and particularly America. And oh how they hate America. They knew that they could not out gun them, so they knew they had to out think them.
They knew that America’s weakness lay not in an area of their military forces, but in their pride. If they could break their pride, they would break the country. So how did they plan to do this? Simple. Bankrupt the country. Tie them into a war that dragged out for years, and cost billions of dollars. Send the enemy soldiers home physically and psychologically damaged, so they become a burden on the country. There were many other things that escaped me, but they aimed to break them financially. Succeed with that, and they’ve defeated the world’s strongest super power.
Looking at the situation in the US today, it’s gotta make you wonder if they might actually be achieving this. That country is more fucked than a hooker on New Year’s Eve.
I’m every thankful for our defence forces, and the jobs they all do, but it’s time now. Just bring our boys and girls home please. Bring them home to where they’re safe.
Enough is enough.
Peace out?
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