Once again we go through what has become a wretched ritual: early reports of casualties in Afghanistan, then the horrible confirmation that Australians soldiers have died this time; our political leaders cancel engagements and head to media conferences to utter the same sentiments that we have heard too many times.
Our leaders agonise over putting Australians in harm’s way; no one seriously suggests they commit troops and maintain their presence lightly. But the divide over the Afghanistan conflict between Labor and the Coalition on the one hand, and the majority of Australian voters who wants us to leave, grows ever wider, fuelled by the almost complete absence of evidence of progress from that country, and by the disturbingly common attacks of Afghan soldiers on allied forces. (The incident that has claimed three Australian lives today may have been an Afghan soldier, or an enemy combatant wearing the uniform of one.)
Both major parties continue to insist that our role in Afghanistan is vital in ensuring that the country does not again become a haven for terrorism. That justification will continue to be invoked when politicians express their sympathy for the families of those slain.
But it is no longer a sufficient justification for the ongoing deaths of young Australian men sent abroad by their leaders. This is an increasingly meaningless conflict, and Australians do not support it.
Will we ever learn? Following Americans into their conflicts is sheer folly. Think of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq 1, Iraq 2 and Afghanistan. The Americans and Australians did not prevail in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq 1, Iraq 2 and certainly won’t prevail in Afghanistan – nobody ever has. In all these conflicts, the Americans decided which country would best be seen as an enemy. Then on some pretext or other there is cause for a nasty military conflict. Australian governments of both persuasions as faithful and loyal camp followers quickly join in. There is evidence that a former Australian government practically begged to join in the Vietnam conflict.
The Americans still decide for us whom our enemies are. We now have Americans based in the NT and yes the numbers will increase. No doubt China is seen as a possible threat, or maybe Indonesia? It seems the Americans are gearing up for possible conflict with Iran, again plenty of demonising on some dubious pretext weapons of mass destruction nuclear bombs, etc. Maybe the Iranians see the American and Israel involvement and what has gone on in the middle-east since WW2 as a reason for their American defined actions of manufacturing nuclear weapons. Who could blame them?
Maybe the real enemy is within our camp, namely the American government. I can vividly recall George Bush (the silly one) standing on that destroyer with a big banner behind him saying: ‘we have prevailed, and I say to them whom are not clear on this issue and take the conflict further – bring it on.’ How prophetic that proved to be – as our enemies have brought it on; and our young volunteers are still dying for an American lost cause. When we finally leave Afghanistan it will be likened to a stick taken out of a bucket of water – there will be little so see where we once believed we would leave a mark. We do have a couple of lasting legacies, however, as with the futile Vietnam, Iraq and Afghan wars, and that is refugees and boat people that seem to cause so much angst to both persuasions of governments and a very vocal minority in the community.
Maybe one day our governments will see the light and give the Americans the heave ho in respect to military adventurism.
We should bear in mind that in our volunteer army, Australian combatants would have either enrolled after the illegal war in Afghanistan started or had ample time to leave over the last decade.
A death is a terrible thing, but those of Australians who have willingly chosen state-sanctioned murder are not more worthy than the many people who die every day in circumstances beyond their control.
I agree with Bob the Builder
The state glorifies those who die in the Australia military, Anzac day and remembrance day to convince people that these sacrifices are worthwhile, not as senseless as they seem.
Right on Bob the Builder and Gavin Moodie
All we do in such ventures, apart from harm, is to make ourselves a target.
Medea