Hi All,
There are petitions all over the place at the moment,over the so called Afghanistan Affair,(see my other post).Of my own choice I am posting a URL that will let decent thinking Australians and anyone else,voice their opinion in this well constructed petition.I hope you take the time to read it and then add your name to it.Our young soldier don't need this sort of trauma place on their already overburdened shoulders.
We who served in Vietnam still remember the social stigma that we undeservedly were given.Lets not let it happen again.

Signed Russell (Kiwi) Hill

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39006.html

Russel,I am, just like you, disgusted by what is happening. But, I don't know the full facts of the incident.

Our servicemen and women overseas are sometimes placed in situations, just like you and I were, that are life threatening and very dangerous. How we reacted to those situations was a product of our training and our personal attitude at the time. Invidious though they seemed we had to follow the rules of combat as set down by our trade as professional soldiers.

The killing of civilians, especially children, is tragic and has to be investigated. If the deaths are deemed to have been unnecessary then someone has to be held to account. As I have said previously I don't know the full facts of the incident, only what I have read and watched in the media. When I know the full facts then I will make a decision to sign or not sign a petition.

If I think, after finding out the full facts, that our soldiers where doing exactly what they where trained and ordered to do then I will go in boots and all to support them. But at this stage I don't know so for the time being I will hold off.

By the way, using the "Mai Lai" incident as an example is way off. That was a tragic incident of a unit out of control that should never have happened.

Alan.

Hi Allan,
Your right mate.I worded the Mai Lai incident incorrectly.What I meant to say was that these things have happened since people have been fighting wars.I'm not sure .if we will ever know the truth of this current tragic incident,but I'm backing the troops,knowing full well how Australian soldiers are trained.

Regards Kiwi

Allen; I think all soldiers now serving and all those who have served, must take a keen interest in this matter. If it has been difficult to find people to serve in the armed forces up till now, it will be near impossible to find any in the future,especially if this matter has a negative outcome for those charged.
By all means the army should have an inquiry to find out exactly what happened, but if these soldiers are found guilty of an unlawful act simply on the grounds that 'non combatants have been killed!' Then every bomber pilot still alive who took part in the bombing of German Cities in WW2 will have to be investigated for 'knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully killing non combatants.
If any weapon was fired (was received) from the' position that was attacked by these soldiers, then responsibility for the death of any civilians (in that position) falls to that party who chose to fire from that position ... ALONE! if not!

Get out of the place now! Bob Cavill

Hi Bob,
I agree with your statement 100%.During one Op we carried out,we were sent out to try and get Hoi Chans,and that was the object of the patrol.We set our ambush and waited,and waited,and eventually along they came.At that time I was acting PL Comd and Tony Wass was my 2i/c.
They were of course armed,AND there were women and children with them.Yours truly had to call out Chu Hoi in a loud clear voice 3 times,then theoretically gather them up.Well guess what?They opened fire, we opened fire and the VC buggered off and left the women and children and in this instance non of them were hurt.
They were then transported to BHQ by Tony Wass.This could have been another instance where women and children traveling with the enemy,could very easily been killed.I wonder what they would have done to me? Its no wonder I need a shrink!!!!
This is not a wary,its a true story.

PS.For those who don't know Hoi Chan's are enemy who surrender themselves to the opposing forces.They are taken into custody and given safe passage back to the South Vietnamese Army for interrogation.If I have made any spelling errors,please forgive me,Im getting RSI!!!!

IMO the topic could bring up a hornets nest of issues relating the media coverage of the war in Afghanistan and politics surrounding that war . Since this isn't avenue for that discussion I am limited as to what I can say .

Gents, I totally agree with the examples you have given. But was the incident in question a similar example or was it something more sinister? I don't know, do you?

All I am saying is don't sign a petition in support of something until you know what the something you are supporting is.

By the way, my wife has already signed the petition. Her reasoning: They are Aussie boys in harms way and we should support them come what may.

Alan.

Hi Alan,
We know what we are supporting, and that is, the right of ALL Aust soldiers to do the job they were trained for, without fear of possible criminal charges for doing what is, as we former combat soldiers know reacting to an instantaneous and irreversible situation.

The whole crux of the matter,is that these young men,SHOULD NOT be exposed to the Media Madness, that we are all familiar with.When you have a home made Brigadier trying to lay down military law,without knowing anything about war,then that is a recipe for disaster.

PS.(I was always under the impression that a brigadier, commanded a brigade.Maybe thing have changed a little since I was in!! )

Regards Kiwi Hill