47 posts tagged “war”
ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 14 years. The new national government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The plan was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the "ANZAC legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and future.
What does it mean today?
Australians recognise 25 April as an occasion of national commemoration. Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing – across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war. (Source)
Today we honour and remember those who have served in the following conflicts:
Boer War 1899 -1902
China (Boxer Rebellion), 1900–01
World War 1 1914–1918
World War 2 1939–1945
British Commonwealth Occupation Force 1946–51
Korean War, 1950–53
Malayan Emergency 1950–1960
Vietnam War 1962–1975
Indonesian Confrontation 1963–1966
First Gulf War 1991
Afghanistan & Iraq 2001–present
Peace operations 1947–present
May those troops currently deployed come home swiftly and safely.
Lest we forget.
Some photos from my vault:
In 1998 I was a Venturer Scout (Scouts aged 14 to 17) leader and we took our Venturers down to the ANZAC Day Pde in Melbourne, so that the venturers could help carry the banners for the older diggers. It was a 3 hours drive down to Melbourne and we had to be up at some ungodly hour in the morning to get down there. But it was worth the journey.
Today I managed to watch the Parade on TV and I did see the banner our boys carried 10 years ago. The venturers carried the banner for the Royal Australian Survey Corps.
The Royal Australian Survey Corps began in July 1915 at the Australian Survey Corps. The prefix 'Royal' was added to the title in 1936. The Royal Australian Survey Corps provided charts and maps for training and military operations of the Australian Defence Force. The Corps was disbanded in 1996 and was absorbed into the main section of the Australian Defence Force.
Yesterday was the first day I visited Vox in about 3 weeks. In the two years since I have been blogging I have never been away from a blogsite for so long. Never has the desire to post anything left me until 3 weeks ago.
It is true that I have been exceedingly busy, but that is not the reason I haven’t been here, the truth is I just couldn’t face Vox. I couldn’t face blogging. The desire to come here left me over night on the night of the 14/03/08. That is when the straw broke the camels back for me and blogging.
I was listening and watching the Winter Soldier commentary. I wasn’t shocked by the returned service men and women’s stories; I was expecting them to be as devastating as they were. That was the problem, there was no surprise. Five years ago the US and the Coalition of the Willing went to war with Iraq and I was totally opposed to the war, not because I am a pacifist because in reality I am not. I was opposed because I knew the war was based on poor information and there was no real justification for going to war with Iraq. I also knew what the consequences would be if we did go to war, a long drawn out occupation, many killed and injured on both sides and the risk that the world would become an even more hostile place. I wish I was wrong, I had hoped when the statue of Saddam Hussein fell that just maybe I was wrong, but I wasn’t. It didn’t matter that I was against the war for what I believe to be the right reasons, it didn’t matter that I spoke out against the war, the war still happened and I was powerless to do anything about it. In reality I am just as powerless today. Even with all of that death and destruction, people still want to plough on and cause more death and destruction. My faith in humanity left me three weeks ago. But like I said the Winter Soldier commentary was just the straw that broke the camels back, my faith in humanity was already well and truly on the slide before the 14/03/08, I had just been trying hard to fight it.
Unless I say what I need to say now there is no way that I will be able to blog again. I need to say what I have to say so that I can move on. Yes I know very melodramatic.
I live by a very simple principle, I try and treat others how I would like to be treated and I expect people to treat others and myself with compassion and respect. As long as a person is not hurting others or me with their actions then I am okay with that. I don’t care what your race is, what your gender is, what your skin colour is, what your sexuality is, what your culture is, what your religion is, what your education is and any other label that can be applied to some one, as long as you treat others well, then I will be in your corner. However, I don’t take much crap from anyone these days, treat me unfairly and I won’t hang around for too long and take more of your crap and I certainly won't happily and silently watch on as you inflict your crap on others.
Yes this is leading some where, I have said I have lost my faith in humanity, well it isn’t just humanity I have lost my faith in, the biggest loss of faith for me is in organised religion. You know religion that self professed bastion of humanity, compassion, love, truth and well apparently all that is supposed to be good in the world, yes good as distinct from evil. Oh yes there some members of organised religion who seem to display those good traits, my own grandmother was certainly one of those saintly figures.
To all who belong to an organised religion I am not criticising you, like I said if you treat others well and don’t use your religion to kick others in the guts, well you have got my respect and support. But as for me, I am jumping off the religious bandwagon because it is not for me; I have lost my faith in religion. Way too many hypocrites, way too many people using their religion to knock people around and way too many people hiding behind their religion instead of using their brain and thinking for themselves. It is not okay to oppress others just because you believe your holy book or your spiritual advisor seems to indicate that it is okay. In case you missed that last bit I shall repeat it again, your religion does NOT give you the right to oppress people, or to dictate your beliefs onto others. If people are not hurting you or others then leave them alone, mind your own business. Stop spreading hatred and intolerance and hiding behind your religion, hatred and intolerance of people who are not hurting anyone is WRONG!
So just to make it absolutely clear I am no longer associated with any organised religion. I want to be free to express my own views, to have my own opinions, to be free to think for myself and not be answerable to religious thought police who seem to be around every corner. I know what is right and what is wrong and I am grown up enough to think for myself.
So now that I
have said what I needed to say, I can now move on and deal with this planet and
the people on it. Luckily there are enough good people out there to restore my
faith in humanity and they come from all walks of life and some prefer to
belong to a religion and some like me don’t.
Anyway here is some great music which basically sums up how I feel.
wear my heart on my sleeve,
I'm not afraid to say what i mean,
Mean what i say.
I set myself up, let myself down,
I may be a fool to spread it around.
But i just wanna let you know,
Sometimes i find it so hard not to show,
So i sigh and i let my feelings go.
I wear my heart on my sleeve,
Don't count the cost,
If i can't live in love then surely i've lost.
You tend to get burned, tend to get bruised,
But it's my life whatever i choose.
Oh, i just wanna let you know,
Sometimes i, i find it so hard not to show,
So i sigh and i let my feelings go.
I wear my heart on my sleeve.
You tend to get burned, tend to get bruised,
But it's my life whatever i choose.
Oh, i just wanna let you know,
'Cause sometimes i find it so hard not to show,
So i sigh, but, baby, you're not alone.
GALLAGHER AND LYLE - HEART ON MY SLEEVE
When I was young, it seemed that life was so
wonderful,
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily,
Joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,
Logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,
Clinical, intellectual, cynical.
There are times when all the worlds asleep,
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man.
Wont you please, please tell me what weve learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.
Liberal, fanatical, criminal.
Won’t you sign up your name, wed like to feel you’re
Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!
At night, when all the worlds asleep,
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.
SUPERTRAMP - THE LOGICAL SONG
.
Poor thing she is as crazy as me.
Information taken from the Iraq Veterans Against the War website:
Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan will feature testimony from U.S. veterans who served in those occupations, giving an accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground.
The four-day event will bring together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence. In addition, there will be panels of scholars, veterans, journalists, and other specialists to give context to the testimony. These panels will cover everything from the history of the GI resistance movement to the fight for veterans' health benefits and support.
When: Thursday March 13 to Sunday March 16
Attendance at Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan is not open to the general public because of limited space at the event site. Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Gold Star Families Speak Out will attend the panels at Winter Soldier.
To bring the testimonies to the general public and GIs all over the world we have made it possible to watch the live broadcasts online and on television, and to listen online and the radio. You can find out more about how to watch or listen here. To find a local Winter Soldier screening event or to submit a screening event go to our events map.
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The name Winter Soldier comes from a quote from Thomas Paine, the revolutionary who rallied George Washington’s troops at Valley Forge, saying:
“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
Paine was trying to keep Washington’s army from deserting in the face of a bitter winter and mounting defeats at the hands of the British. Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War say the same type of courage is needed to confront the evils unleashed by the U.S. occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. (Source)
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I wish all involved the very best. I know that what they have to say will not be welcomed by some. There will be many who reject their credentials and call them 'fake soldiers'. These men and women have a right to be heard and they are due the same support as all who have served their country in a time of war. Are these men and women not brave for speaking out against what they believe is wrong - of course they are. It is far braver to stand up for what you believe is right than to follow the majority who maybe wrong.
Means supporting all of the troops, even if what they say is not want you want to hear.
I have always loved this true story which occurred in 1914 between enemy trench lines. A true example of humanity.
You are standing up to your knees in the slime of a waterlogged trench. It is the evening of 24 December 1914 and you are on the dreaded Western Front.
Stooped over, you wade across to the firing step and take over the watch. Having exchanged pleasantries, your bleary-eyed and mud-spattered colleague shuffles off towards his dug out. Despite the horrors and the hardships, your morale is high and you believe that in the New Year the nation's army march towards a glorious victory.
But for now you stamp your feet in a vain attempt to keep warm. All is quiet when jovial voices call out from both friendly and enemy trenches. Then the men from both sides start singing carols and songs. Next come requests not to fire, and soon the unthinkable happens: you start to see the shadowy shapes of soldiers gathering together in no-man's land laughing, joking and sharing gifts…………………… The story continues
This story is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war... All Quiet on the Western Front. A novel by Erich Maria Remarque about WWI.
In what has been described as one of the most remarkable stories of the entire Iraq war, a reporter from the Army Times has given perhaps the first inside account of how an Army unit committed mutiny and refused to carry out orders in Iraq.
The incident occurred in Adhamiya, a district in northeastern Baghdad, where soldiers in the 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, were stationed. The 2nd Platoon had lost many men since deploying to Iraq eleven months before. After an IED attack killed five more members of Charlie 1-26, members of 2nd Platoon gathered for a meeting and determined they could no longer function professionally. Several platoon members were afraid their anger could set loose a massacre. They decided to stage a revolt against their commanders that they viewed as a life-or-death act of defiance.
Kelly Kennedy of the Army Times, who was embedded with Charlie Company has written an incredible four part series titled “Blood Brothers”. It is an in depths look at the day to day experiences, horrors, frustrations of a company of soldiers deployed in Iraq. The series also briefly looks at the problems faced by soldiers when they return from Iraq.
Although it is a lengthy series including video interviews and photo galleries, I would definitely recommend this series to anyone interested in the war in Iraq.
Blood Brothers
The complete saga
Part 1: To Adhamiya and back
Part 2: ‘I’ve seen enough. I’ve done enough.’
Part 3: ‘Not us. We’re not going.’
Part 4: Picking up the pieces
Extras
Getting the pain out in the open
Leadership in the midst of loss
Building a life after escaping death
See photo galleries and video of Charlie 1-26
Another
interesting series I came across a while ago and didn’t have the time to post
it was the story of America’s pin up marine, “The Marlboro Marine”. From American hero of Fallouja to a virtually
forgotten man back home.
The Marlboro Marine: Two Lives Blurred Together by a photo. - Nov 2007
Battles After the War: Photo Gallery
Rescue operation aims to save a wounded warrior - Nov 2007
A searing snapshot into the soul - May 2006
Marine Whose Photo Lit Up Imaginations Keeps His Cool - Nov 2004
Iconic Marine Is at Home but Not at Ease - May 2006
It seems to me that some people forget that “Supporting the Troops” should continue long after the car bumper sticker fades. Also support shouldn’t be conditional on a returned soldier’s political point of view towards the war, the socio-economic background from which they came or whether they come back glorified heroes and/or broken men and women.
A familiar story is of young men without very good job prospects joining the armed forces to make a difference, to be some one their fellow citizens and their government will be proud of, only to find that once they return they are just forgotten pieces of meat. They also go to Iraq with good intentions, to make a difference but the reality is very different, as this excerpt from Blood Brothers shows.
“The surviving platoon members comforted each other that their friends died looking out for their brothers. They told each other they would have done the same. They cried and beat their fists into walls. They knelt in the sand and bent their heads and tried to convince themselves Iraq was worth it.
But that was hard because they no longer believed they were fighting for Iraq. They had, once, a long time ago. Before they had seen the Iraqi bodies with their heads dipped in acid, before the children tossed grenades at them.”
It is no surprise that morale is down as they don’t know what they are fighting for or even who their real enemies are. The statistics indicating the Iraqi feelings towards the American presence is not optimistic either. In a poll conducted in August 2007 Click here for full report with charts and questionnaire.
79% of Iraqis oppose the presence of coalition forces in the country.
80 % of Iraqis disapprove of the way U.S. and other coalition forces have performed in Iraq.
57% of Iraqis now call attacks on coalition forces “acceptable.” Acceptability of attacks on U.S. forces also varies by locale, peaking at 100% in Anbar, 69% in Kirkuk city and 60% in Baghdad, compared with 38% in Basra and just 3% in the northern Kurdish provinces.
WITHDRAWAL – 47% now say the United States and other coalition forces should leave Iraq immediately, while 34% say U.S. forces should remain until security is restored.
We also seem to forget that these “Brave Warriors” are in fact mortal men and women who will in the majority of cases carry a heavy burden when and if they return home. They will most likely be physically and/or psychologically wounded. Highlighting the heavy burden these veterans carry is the high rate of suicide amongst veterans. In 2005 the suicide rate among the American general population was 8.9 per 100,000, the level among veterans was between 18.7 and 20.8 per 100,000. That figure rose to 22.9 to 31.9 suicides per 100,000 among veterans aged 20 to 24 - almost four times the non-veteran average for the age group.
It takes a lot of courage to go out time after time on a patrol wondering if you or your mates will come back and it is a great feeling when you are a fresh young combatant to be called a “Brave Warrior”, a term which seems to be bandied about quite a lot by the ‘patriots’ among us. But that term very soon becomes a yoke around a soldier’s neck when the symptoms of PTSD begin to surface, for to admit one has PTSD is to admit that they are not the “Brave Warrior” everyone expects them to be, and seeking help becomes a form of shame and a sign of weakness in their eyes and possibly the perceived eyes of those around them and that of their proud nation. They are not weak, they are just human and need as much support as they can get. The fact is that many of these soldiers are barely out of school and are being placed into situations where they could never have imagined the horror and terror they would encounter.
In WWI and WWII there were definite and clear objectives and it was a priority to bring the troops home as soon as possible. But this war in Iraq is not like those wars and when the troops on the ground cannot see a clear objective and they cannot see an end in sight to this war, then I think there is a problem.
He knows they had his back, and he said Spc. Ross McGinnis proved it when he gave up his life by throwing himself on a grenade to save four friends.
“We all say, ‘I don’t know what I would have done,’” he said. “But every single one was willing to die for somebody else.”
That makes it all the harder to come back and feel like the war will never be won.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to end,” he said. “For every one we kill, three more are going to pop up. We can defeat each network, but they’ll just go somewhere else. We used to make fun of the soldiers in Baghdad when we were in Fallujah and Samarra. Then it was Ramadi. Now it’s Baghdad. It’s almost like we’re chasing our tails.” For a time, he said, soldiers will make an area better, but the Iraqi people “don’t keep it better.”
It should also be remembered it is not just the combat troops who pay the price for war, so to do the families who belong to these men and women, as does the wider society either directly or indirectly through the financial cut backs in welfare, health, education and other areas caused by the financial cost of war. Obviously we should not forget the innocent victims in the combat zones.
In my opinion war should ALWAYS be a last resort because in reality there are no victors in war, but way too many wounded souls on all sides.
There is no glory in war.
Edited 27/12/07 11.40am AEST
Produced by GlobalFreePress.com
Music by James Blunt
There
are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
Tears drying on their face.
He has been here.
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
Fathers lost without a trace.
A nation blind to their disgrace,
Since he's been here.
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.
And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel and accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Yes, he has been here.
And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness. 2006
"CHRISTMAS IN FALLUJAH"
Inspired By Soldiers' Letters From Iraq
Proceeds From "Christmas In Fallujah" To Benefit Homes For Our Troops
Billy Joel, the quintessential American singer, songwriter, composer and performer, has passed along his latest composition, "Christmas In Fallujah," to the emerging young artist Cass Dillon. Dillon's electrifying rendition of the song -- produced by Tommy Byrnes and Jay Baumgardner and recorded with members of Billy's ensemble -- will be available for purchase exclusively on the iTunes Store beginning Tuesday, December 4.
Net proceeds from "Christmas in Fallujah" will be donated to Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that builds specially adapted homes for service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with severe disabilities. Billy Joel is an avid supporter of Homes For Our Troops. For more information, please go to: www.homesforourtroops.org
Billy wrote "Christmas In Fallujah" earlier this year as a response to letters he's received from soldiers in Iraq, men and women who've found solace, inspiration and comfort in his songs. A powerful and poignant depiction of the emotional realities on the ground in Iraq, "Christmas In Fallujah" is a song from the heart and a cry of the spirit, a gut-wrenching indictment of the insanity of war which echoes the human side of the conflict, military and civilian alike.
"I didn't feel I was the person to sing this song," said Billy of the decision to work with the up-and-coming Cass Dillon, 21. "I thought it should be somebody young, about a soldier's age. I wanted to help somebody else's career. I've had plenty of hits. I've had plenty of airplay. I've had my time in the sun. I think it's time for somebody else, maybe, to benefit from my own experience."
Cass Dillon came to Billy Joel's attention through Tommy Byrnes, a guitarist in Billy's band and a musical consultant for the "Movin' Out" Broadway musical. Byrnes and Stefano DiBenedetto, of the OCD Music Group, had discovered Cass performing an acoustic set at the Drama Cafe in Baldwin, New York. (Cass Dillon, like Billy Joel, is a native Long Islander.) Byrnes produced Cass's first demo recordings and one night, nearly two years ago, brought the demos, and Cass, over to Billy's for a listening session over some incredible fish tacos Cass says he'll never forget.
This year, when Tommy and Billy got to talking about who might be right for "Christmas In Fallujah," Cass Dillon's name rose to the top of the list. So Billy and Tommy flew Cass Dillon to San Francisco where, by fate and divine coincidence, they recorded "Christmas In Fallujah" on Veteran's Day 2007. The wide and immediate reach of iTunes made it the perfect venue for the release of "Christmas In Fallujah."
For singer-songwriter Cass Dillon, whose first CD was a copy of Billy Joel's "Greatest Hits," the chance to launch his own career with a new song of Billy Joel's is a dream come true. "I feel so honored and blessed to have this opportunity," Dillon said. "When someone of that stature, with that history of great songs behind him with such a huge catalog asks you to sing something he's written, there's nothing you can do but be completely honored to perform."
i'm a 25 years old dentist i live in iraq (Baghdad) i was born and raised here but unfortunately i'm thinking that the iraqis are going to extinct so i made this blog wishing that i can make a difference or even share my greif with the whole world and give them an idea about what's happening here from the point of view of a civilian living in the war zone not from the politicians nor people who gets their benefits from the conditions.
In this video I used a song called "The new country" for a very popular Iraqi singer who is Husam AlRasam, it's not a new song, and it was released when I started blogging.
This song is very popular between Iraqis, I can say that more than 80% of Iraqis have it either on their mobile phones or computers.There is something strange in this song, whenever I hear it I twitch although I've heard it countless times, believe me in Arabic it's much more effective, because the emotions were lost in translation, but I think the images compensates for that loss.
There is one thing that I want to make it clear, you will notice in the video the name Khansa`, she is a well known Arabic historic character and a poet, her brother died in a battle and she was blind from crying him, then in AlQadesia battle her four sons died too.
I'd like to dedicate this video to all the innocent Iraqis who died for a
reason or no reason at all, to all the Iraqis who had to leave their country or
home, to all real Iraqis who had to suffer from the situation, for everyone who
loves his country, to all the innocent men in the world who died for no mistake
they have done and to anyone who cares for the human race.
- Mohammed
After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the United Nations (backed strongly by the US and UK) imposed harsh sanctions on Iraq that lasted for 10 years (1991-2001); the harsh restrictions on imports of everything, including access to key medicines, resulted in over a million deaths, more than half a million of which were women and children. That's more deaths than the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan and 9/11 combined.
The purpose was regime change, but it never came. The overwhelming majority of those killed were the poor, elderly, women and children.Empirically, sanctions overwhelmingly punish the poor, the destitute. While the sanctions were in place, the richest people in control of the resources (Saddam Hussein et al.) still had everything they wanted: food, cars, mansions, access to the best medicines, etc.
Award-winning journalist John Pilger has documented the reality of UN harsh sanctions in this hard-hitting film.
I have to say that after watching this documentary I have never been so ashamed at being someone who lives in the Western world. If the Iraqis hate us, then they have a right to hate us and that was even before the current occupation occurred.
We all have Iraqi blood on our hands due to the actions of our governments. I am so glad that I have never approved of the current occupation of Iraq and I will not agree to a pre-meditated attack on Iran. I still accept that I have blood on my hands because of the actions of our governments, but at least I know that I have condemned the action and at least spoken out against the actions of our governments - that I am thankful for. If I was an Iraqi I would find it very difficult to respect the Western world.
I cannot put into words what we have done to these people, all I can do is ask that you watch the documentary for yourself. I will say this though. How dare you the US and UK Governments demand that Saddam Hussein get rid of Iraq's WMD, when you disgraceful people used missiles, bombs and bullets laced with depleted uranium in them during the Gulf War and then left the fragments of those radioactive missiles behind.
Your radioactive bombing raids have cause