Afghanistan again

[carosanto]

Hi Y'all, been away and come back to this really interesting post.  Two points.

Firstly, politicians are bleating on about how the presence of our troops is facilitating education for Afghani children who have never had the opportunity of an eduction before.  Secondly they are blethering about how the rights of Afghni women are eing improved, also as a result of our being there.

Both lies.  Schools built by the coalition forces are unable to open because of the conflict and the shortage of teachers.  Many afghani women never came out of the burkha, and many are now going back into purdah because the influence of the Taliban grows stronger every day.

So tell me please, since when was it the British Army's remit to go out and die so that foreign schoolchildren can get an education or foreign women gain more cultural freedom?   Much as we desire democracy for all, it is not our role to try and change regimes by force, in this case putting our own country at risk through terrorism ostensibly in the name of those who want us out of Afghanistan? 

Better that these lying politiicans come clean about the real reason for us being in that benighted country, and you can bet there is a REAL reason, and you can also bet that reason centres round resources, oil or otherwise.  Bring the boys home  to look after US, because the defence of THIS realm is the reason for the existence of our brave British Army.

Caro

[carosanto]

[Melbourne12]

I would like to apologise, to everyone reading my post the other day.
I was very upset & angry after watching the news of those 8 soldiers being brought home, like so many others recently.

My take on this is that you shouldn't need to apologise, simply because the word "racist" is flung at you by someone whose politics are far more inspired by hatred than your post ever was.

There's a lot of bullying on most internet forums.  A4A is one of the better ones, but even here you go against the established climate of opinion at your peril.

[BarriedaleNick]

Rosebud didn't need to apologise but she did regardless and in so doing showed class.
You on the other hand just seem to want to stir things up.

[Vony]

I never did national service but I did volunteer I know many that did national service and hated every bloody minute of it, the same goes for WW1 & WW2 if you ever get the chance go round the museum on the harbour at Ramsgate, they have walls of graffiti taken from WW1 holding camps in Kent for conscientious objectors they certainly did not want to fight for Queen and Country, also look at WW2 and shortly after D-Day when British troops of all ranks just packed and said they would not fight, needless to say it was  soon sorted out before it spread any futher, 

I agree if the country is at War to defend themselves i.e. Falklands WW1 WW2, you should be called up automatically, but to volunteer a lifestyle and then discover OH ! so you can get killed then.

Isn't it strange how they always inform us of how many British Soldiers are killed never the Taliban, I suppose this is because British Soldiers deaths are creating mass hysteria and sensationalism ----- the good old tabloids

Despite feeling sorry for those left behind and families in a family death, THEY CHOSE THE LIFE DIDN'T THEY.

[betula]

Vony

how many young lads of seventeen,eighteen are capable of choosing anything really.They have no life experience to help them make the decision.

I think many young lads join up as they see a life of adventure.I know that many can not get jobs and this seems like a good option for them.

WW2 was a different matter all together.We were fighting for our survival :)

[redimp]

I would like to apologise, to everyone reading my post the other day.
I was very upset & angry after watching the news of those 8 soldiers being brought home, like so many others recently.

My take on this is that you shouldn't need to apologise, simply because the word "racist" is flung at you by someone whose politics are far more inspired by hatred than your post ever was.

There's a lot of bullying on most internet forums.  A4A is one of the better ones, but even here you go against the established climate of opinion at your peril.

What an idiotic post.  My smiley says that I accepted Rosebuds apology - end of as far as I was concerned.  I do not want to rake over her (obviously in the heat of an emotional moment) post but you have now forced me to. 

In what way can calling for an entire country of people to be wiped out not be racist or genocidic?  In what way am I motivated by hate when it is my desire for everybody to live together in peace and equality and I believe that all life is sacrosanct?  And in what way was my post bullying just because it does not accord with your obviously bigotted views?

[redimp]

And one further point.  I believe in everybody's right to freedom of speech.  I have never reported a post to Dan for censorship and did not in this case.  But I also retain my right to disagree with what other people say.

[Mr Smith]

I never did national service but I did volunteer I know many that did national service and hated every bloody minute of it, the same goes for WW1 & WW2 if you ever get the chance go round the museum on the harbour at Ramsgate, they have walls of graffiti taken from WW1 holding camps in Kent for conscientious objectors they certainly did not want to fight for Queen and Country, also look at WW2 and shortly after D-Day when British troops of all ranks just packed and said they would not fight, needless to say it was  soon sorted out before it spread any futher, 

I agree if the country is at War to defend themselves i.e. Falklands WW1 WW2, you should be called up automatically, but to volunteer a lifestyle and then discover OH ! so you can get killed then.

Isn't it strange how they always inform us of how many British Soldiers are killed never the Taliban, I suppose this is because British Soldiers deaths are creating mass hysteria and sensationalism ----- the good old tabloids

Despite feeling sorry for those left behind and families in a family death, THEY CHOSE THE LIFE DIDN'T THEY.

I knew the consequences when I joined up and never complained but did plenty of moaning like everyother squaddie, ;)

[Mr Smith]

Yippee,
                  I can't wait for this perfect and equality of life to come along in to my world, which will mean for me being bettered payed and  longer holidays a secure job and then we are all be equal,  ;)   

[Melbourne12]

What an idiotic post.  My smiley says that I accepted Rosebuds apology - end of as far as I was concerned. 

That's the trouble with the interwebs.  You think that you're having a personal exchange with another poster, forcing them to apologise, and graciously accepting it, and all sorts of people earwig on your conversation.

I do not want to rake over her (obviously in the heat of an emotional moment) post but you have now forced me to. 

Nobody forced you to do anything. You chose to respond.  If you didn't want to "rake over" things publicly, you should have taken it to PMs.

In what way can calling for an entire country of people to be wiped out not be racist or genocidic? 

This is really the heart of the matter.  Racism is a most serious accusation. Yet every day we see it trivialised, as you did. National stereotyping is not per se racism. The Pashtuns are indeed a very warlike people.  Not just a few of them.  And they have been so since time immemorial. The person whose post you objected to was entirely right.  It was no more racist to express such a view than it would be to comment on the French fondness for cheese.  I'm sure that you can find Pashtuns (especially in the diaspora) who are staunch peaceniks.  Just as I'm sure that you can find individual French people who abjure dairy products.  But it's not where the smart money is.

As Private Eye so memorably remarked, "In any barrel of rotten apples, you're bound to find the ofdd good one."

And this very weekend I've read in a serious newspaper an article advocating the projection of air power to deny access to the mountain passes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Or, put more simply, bomb them.  The author wasn't advocating genocide, merely a military tactic.

In what way am I motivated by hate when it is my desire for everybody to live together in peace and equality and I believe that all life is sacrosanct?

Yippee,
                  I can't wait for this perfect and equality of life to come along in to my world, which will mean for me being bettered payed and  longer holidays a secure job and then we are all be equal,  ;)   

Like Mr Smith, I'm sure that when you rule the world, every day will be the first day of spring.

And in what way was my post bullying just because it does not accord with your obviously bigotted views?

Ah, you're situating the appreciation there, I suggest.  That's exactly the sort of hectoring tone that prompted me to reply in the first place.

And one further point.  I believe in everybody's right to freedom of speech.  I have never reported a post to Dan for censorship and did not in this case.  But I also retain my right to disagree with what other people say.

Let's end on a note of agreement.  I can confirm that I didn't report your post either.

[Mr Smith]

Melbourne,
                   Do me a favour never mention me in the same post as Castro Clanger, ;)