Who'd want to be an Australian soldier posted overseas?

[mwb235]

I can't believe the news today. Three former members of the Special Operations Taskforce (in Afghanistan) have been charged with a number of offences, one of whom will face manslaughter.

Here is the link to ABC News online:
Soldiers reject Afghanistan raid charges - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Our own people are trying to help this backward overseas place, and already some have lost their lives.

Now these poor blokes are in the shit because they were unlucky enough to get involved. I'd sooner believe the soldiers' account. How would anyone operating in hell (which that place is) AND under fire, be expected to deal with it? Ok, so some children were killed and others injured. But fortunately so was the ######## insurgent. This is a war for f---sake not a picnic. Who said in war no one gets killed, intentionally or accidentally?

It's absolutely ludicrous these poor soldiers are having to go through this. Wouldn't active duty in that hell-hole been enough trauma? Obviously not. No wonder our armed forces have trouble attracting enough recruits.

My thoughts go out the the soldiers and their friends & family. Let's hope it's dealt with as quickly as possible and they are cleared of these stupid charges.

[WogBoyz]

One of my best mates left a week ago to go over there

[94VRtuff]

Heard this today on the news and was disgusted, they should never have been charged and they hav my full support. Bloody rules of engagment, its a war for godsake. Bob.

[soop]

Only reason we have rules of engagement, Is because of the bloody media. They see thing and go "omg, demz r dead. how horrible, wont somone one pleaaaase thing of the children".

Its war, good people die. Thats life, don't punish people who are only doing what they're told.

[W84N01]

You have got to be kidding me right? Are they for real? Women and children AND men are killed every day by the enemy.......i don't hear anythign on the news about charging the bad guys for doing it deliberately.......oh wait a minute, that's right..........the good guys are there trying to catch the bad guys that keep doing it.

if it wasn't for the bad guys firing first, then none of this would have happened. What are they supposed to do? Get shot and killed and then have a heros funeral?

What a crock of shit.................i have nothing but respect and admiration for these soldiers............i'm sure the last thing they would want to do after a full day and night of fighting is kill innocent people............ffs

[minux]

This is a bit of an overrated story. A court marshall is like a royal commission. It investigates what happened and hears stories from all sides. This said, it is a joke.

Having served twice ont he frontline over seas I can honestly say the enemy we are fighting in afghanistan is a pig of an enemy. In fact, most muslim fighters fight the same way, they use women and children as shields and fire from behind them. They dress in burqa's and attack patrolling soldiers. Under geneva convention ROE's we are not allowed to fire until fired upon in 99% of ops. These enemy fighters know these rules and exploit them to their advantage, they also know our weaknesses when faced with shooting women and children and exploit these. George Bush deseting the UN and rmeoving themselves from Geneva conventions was so they could fight a fair war. Sadly the sympathisers whor efuse to fight in a war all cried saying it was against human rights etc.

The only way to win the war in Afghanistan and in fact the middle east is to destroy all of them. The women are as guilty as the men and use the children to help their husbands etc fight.

Nod oubt some will bitch about what I say (especially those of the Islamic faith) but the fact is, I and many friends have witnessed this first hand, unlike you who run away from freeing your piece of shit countries ratherr than staying and fighting for a cause.

It is time Australian forces are removed from these dank shitholes until these young single men coming by boat stay and help the fight. Why should our soldiers fight their cause while they kickback courtesy of us taxpayers?

Sorry for rant, but this whole thing pisses me off and so do the ####ing idiots who are against invading these shitholes.

[soop]

Im only against invading these shit holes on one premise.
You only help someone who is going to help themselves, and clearly these people aren't helping themselves. Why waste Australian lives helping them?

That said, I support our troops regardless, they're doing a job just like anyone.

[ClairBear]

They dress in burqa's and attack patrolling soldiers.

That's so Monty Python!

I don't believe this Country should send people over there. As soop said lives are being wasted trying to help people who won't help themselves. Fighting a losing battle.

[immortality]

well said Minux.

I would however still be prepared to serve overseas. I unfortunately never completed my enlistment due to a back injury whilst waiting for my slot in the next intake

the Isreali's have the right idea

[W84N01]

+++++++111111111111 for what Minux said.

[GenReaper]

Collateral Damage IMO.
Sucks but thats life.

[anonymousmoose]

I'm not and Aussie citizen and I feel disgusted by what has happened here. As others have mentioned; they are fighting for freedom over there in a war that, can be argued, was not even any of Australia's business in the first place. There are always two sides of the story and I do hope the media is hyping it up over the top and its a routine investigation procedure... but unfortunately it doesn't sound like it. Even worse is the wait, they wont know until next year... how horrible.

The way I see it, you get shot at and you return fire... yes the cowardly enemy hides behind innocent civilians yet its fire or be shot. If a unit commander gave the order not to return fire and some Aussies died, they would probably be under investigation for causing Aussie deaths. This is totally stupid.

Come on Aussie, do the right thing by our diggers.

[anonymousmoose]

"Under geneva convention ROE's we are not allowed to fire until fired upon in 99% of ops"

What does this mean?

[soop]

Under the Geneva conventions rules of engagement. The enemy has to shoot at you, before you can return fire.

So in essence someone has to be dead before you can defend yourself.

[anonymousmoose]

Under the Geneva conventions rules of engagement. The enemy has to shoot at you, before you can return fire.

So in essence someone has to be dead before you can defend yourself.

LOL, sounds like aussie self defence laws.

Mate of mine lives in the USA, here is a story he told me which was on the news:

Fellow goes on holiday and asks his neighbour to look after his property.
Neighbour sees intruders in his mates house.
Does the right thing, calls the cops.
Cops say the usual about not being able to get there fast etc.
Neighbour says they will be gone by the time the cops arrive and the he will take care of it.
He puts phone down (but doesnt hang up)
911 operator hears a rifle lock and load
Hears shots
Neighbour picks up phone and tells operator the cops can take their time, problem solved.
Ends up the fellow went next-door and shot the intruder(s). Maybe not moral but legal.

I know that story is extreme and I don't condone the actions, but imagine what would happen over here.

Still makes me feel very bad about the aussie troops... and they are at war.

[ClairBear]

Anonymousmoose: That story you told is a rehashed joke/urban myth that has been around for years.

[anonymousmoose]

Anonymousmoose: That story you told is a rehashed joke/urban myth that has been around for years.

Really? mate of mine said he saw it on TV in Alabama as he lives there... thats call I know.

[soop]

Im sure its probably has happened in America at some point. Wouldn't suprise me at all.

[ClairBear]

Really? mate of mine said he saw it on TV in Alabama as he lives there... thats call I know.

Here is a link to snopes, a site that looks at stuff like this to determine if it happened or not. As I said, I heard a similar story via email some years ago about a man who heard someone in his shed... story ends the same.

snopes.com: Response Time