"You do not honor the dead through mindless flag waving, rewriting history or promoting new wars," said Hamish Chitts, East Timor veteran and spokesperson for Stand Fast -- a group of veterans and former military personnel who oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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"ANZAC Day has become a nationalist circus with little real reflection on why governments sent soldiers, sailors and airmen to their deaths. All we get is glib cliches and a perverse 'cult of sacrifice' where we're told that it doesn't matter why you are sent to war, whether your government lied to you or not, the greatest thing an ordinary Australian can do is die in a war.
"A classic example can be seen on the streets of Brisbane. The RSL have put up banners and ads on buses saying, "420,127 Queenslanders have courageously fought for our freedom since 1915." This is absolutely ridiculous and an outright lie! How did the insane slaughter of World War 1 gain freedom? The overwhelming majority of those poor souls that ended up fighting in those trenches that did come back knew it was a war only benefiting the rich and something that should never happen again.
"Which war gained women the right to vote? Which war gained the 8 hour work day? Which war gave people the right to hold public demonstrations? There isn't one, our freedom has always been fought and won by the people, civilians, standing up to their own government!
'The myth that if Australian troops fight they are automatically fighting for our freedom needs to be busted because it lets warmongering politicians off the hook when they slaughter our youth!
"The quagmire of Afghanistan and the soldiers it has and will kill on the battlefield and from suicide could have been saved if we had learnt from the past. As Australia accelerates its retreat from that disaster the criminal politicians responsible for this need to be brought to account.
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs at least 78 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their own lives and hundreds have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"Stand Fast does not oppose remembering our comrades-in-arms that have died in war, but, if you are serious about honoring their memory learn about the real reasons they were sent to war, pledge to stop this from happening again and join the call for an immediate withdrawal of Australian troops from Afghanistan," said Chitts.
For more information:
Phone Hamish on 0401 586 923
or visit:
Comments
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
I second all this and yes the second world war was a just war and our soldiers and all who served for Australia did not die in vain, and who are the politicians kidding forgetting they owe so much to these people.
The polirticians never have to serve in a war and show by their lack of empathy how hollow and empty they are for all who are anything but like them, with some selblance of unselfishness that is human.
I'm all for our veterans in the just 2nd world war have sincere tributes not patronising rubbish, and bring our troops home from all the unjust wars like Itaq.
Vietnam was an unjust war and for that Australia will continue to pay for it's role over there, the governments of Australia that is, the people of Australia want nothing to do with the war in Afghanistan (unwinnable and kkilling our own people), the war in Irad and any new wars they concont to make money out of arms and at the sacrifice of human lives, all individually precious and Australian.
Doesn;t the Australian government feel shame for being in Ieaq abd Afghanistan today?
I'm all for remembrance of all who did sacrifice their lives for it seems a nountry that is governed by staff of pollys who don't care or if they do are not acting on that care at this time.
Lest we forget our beloved troops who dies and those who are still alive, the few who carried the dead bodies across fields and mountains, their friends and colleafues dead bodies.
Wars are obscene, the 2nd world war is to be remembered as a just war as it was.
Thanks Infy you;re a great news media.
Ali
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
Hi Ali
I think it might be a stretch to call WW2 'a just war'. Governments like those of the UK and US weren't concerned about fighting fascism as their support for Franco and his allies Hitler and Mussolini during the Spanish Civil War showed.
For the politicians and their rich masters WW2 was about expanding or clinging onto their super exploited colonies (just like WW1).
I do recognise that there were many people who did sign up for that war specifically to fight fascism, but we must understand that if markets weren't threatened, the politicians would have been happy for fascism to flower in Europe.
Something to remember for the future.
- Hamish
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
Ali before WW2 Australia was in a depression, people were issued with food stamps we had no money to buy anything.Then WW2 starts we had heaps of money to build battle ships, aeroplanes,uniforms, bombs, bullets etc why because the banks pay rolled it.The banks make money out of wars.Lets all die in war so the banks can become rich,FOOLS.
Oh Ali why did we not declare war on Russia they also invaded Poland?Imagine that Australia was invaded by the Chinese. And after the war, a treaty was established that gave the Chinese the Queensland. Keeping in mind that those who are living there still consider themselves to be Australian, despite this Chinese occupation.
Now, push forward a few years. Imagine that the people of Queensland were being systematically murdered, by their new Chinese government. As Australians, should we sit back and allow our fellow Australians to be slaughtered? Would we be morally wrong if we "invaded" that "Chinese" land to stop the mass killings? I think not.We have to realize that much of Germany was taken from the Germans with the Treaty of Versailles. And then you would have to know about the mass killings of GERMAN people in stolen GERMAN land by the Communist/Bolshevik's who were trying to take over Europe. Were the Germans so wrong for "invading" what was suddenly known as "Poland"? You tell me.
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YOUTUBE (3 mins 42 secs) Individual Veterans for Peace (UK & USA) introduce themselves at launch.
http://tinyurl.com/brkgvd4
YOUTUBE (19 mins 38 secs) U.S. Vietnam Veteran Barry Ladendorf -"Veterans for Peace" San Diego/ USA - UK launch speech.
http://tinyurl.com/bowrj36
Radio (approx 10 mins) Interview with Ben Griffin, Veterans for Peace UK
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2012/04/494911.html
***REPORTS OF THE LAUNCH
Veterans for Peace UK
http://tinyurl.com/cwu8tay
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http://tinyurl.com/bq93ppn
Matt Salusbury
http://tinyurl.com/c3o5zj9
Grow some balls and get the truth out
Whats the matter you got no guts to print the truth about Zionist war mongers?It will be a bit hard to fix the problem if you won't speak out.When we go to war with Iran that is been pushed by Zionist Israel you will be partly to blame.Get ready for another con job like weapons of mass deception or a 911 event at the London Olympics.You lot are fucking piss weak!
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
It certianly was a hollow Anzac day from Miss Julia Gillard who said "the Simple Soldiers".
This woman has lost it and Anzac day is never about "simple soldiers', nor is Australia, thanks anyway for your "simple", patonising and very "consdescending" statement about our 'simple soldiers" Anzac troops simple minded PM, but we'd prefer you keep your arrogance and delusions to your self.
Lest we forget. Wars are never on even the diggers all believe this. Lofe is about being creactive and cooperative not destrucive and competitive.
Alf
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
There is also some comment on Anzac up at http://anarchy.org.au/
Re: For Hamish
The reasons I wrote about the second world war being a just war came stright from a lot of research and not least after reading the remarkable John Pilger and his classic 'A Secret Country" book wherein he claimed the 2nd World War was a just war.
Because John has personally, professionally gone into so many war zones and written, filmed them, I understand his understandings of war would be profoundly accurate sources to quote from, as were some of the other well known writers I read on this 2nd world war. )Npt all were as valuable as Johns)
No one wanted the 2nd world war, yet it was apparently a just war only in that without it there would have been serious consequences and one stands out as most obvious, the discriminations and the tortures by the Nazi's would have possibly gone on and on and savagely brutalised so many more, as well as further negative consequences.
We all know Russia did a lot of atrocious things too in this war.
We all know wars are atrocious, full stop.
If you can explain why John Pilger et al are wrong about their views of the 2nd world war being a just war ( when obviously John Pilger knows the others aren't) don't hesitate to put your points across Hamish.
I respect all views, however formed the one I wrote here because of a lot of research into that one and only second world war and why it had to be.
I looked at Vietnam and knew it was unjust as everyone knows today, yet still the wars continue the unjst ones for oil, for arms moneys for revenge, for owndership of other people's proerty or countries etc.
Nothing tells my conscience any war is really justifiable on one level, if that's what your'e saying, as killing people is unconscionable and against the law, and even war vets hate wars, they will tell you so, as does almost everyone, except the warmongers who thrive on these, I'm yet to meet the latter and don't wish too.
Thank you for your ideas and I hope this explains why I wrote what I did only about one war Australia was involved in.
We all want out of all unjust wars.
We all could say yes wars are unjust by their very nature, but apparently the second world war was for real needed.
Cheers
Ali
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
'Sacrificing one's life for one's country' is outrageous.
Who promotes and advertisers being butchered amd martyed as just, good things for any Australian or other people to be involved in.
That's part of Nationalism I find abominable and off the wall.
No one wants to 'sacrifice their lives for their country' though in times gone by the propaganda machine brain washed people to think this was somehow noble upon noble.
They forgot about all the people left behind, and they fought or were involved in wars where they didn't "gave their lives" give their lives for their nations, rather they died in the course of their work and horrifically, tragically. And that;s not even considering the casualities who are still alive with their war wounds and immense suffering that many have buried along with the comrades they had to look after whilst serving in the wars.
No one in their right mind wants to go to war nor have wars in our world, and the question is why do so many unjust wars happen, again and again, it's not by military personells choice.
The war in Iraq is unstoppable, should never have begun, ur was about Oil and is now about mass murder.
The one in Afghanistan is unwinnable, if win is what wars are all about, and there are reasons possibly? valid why certain people think there should be a war there.
I'm lost for words what they can be except the sale of arms and warlords glory.
Australians should not have to fight other people's wars.
Warlords exist and even the queen seems to think they're o.k. by some of her sentiments, and what can we do or say, when figure heads pronounce it's all o.k. except do our individual and collective best to create harmony where there is disharmony, hope it has a rippling effect, and rid the idea that bullying is cool, it's not on anywhere and is one huge facet of all wars.
Many thanks Indy
Gemma
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
The first vow of the Roman Slaveholders army on enrolement was 'Dolce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori. Translation- It is sweet and fitting to die for ones country. To bad the imperialist camp is still expecting the same. It is only the proletarian army that seeks to abolish war and end the aggressive war as any nations foreign policy. That is the true path to liberation not making aggressive war to die noblely.
Workers of the world, unite!! End pollution wars,not endless wars for more and more pollution. To die to pollute the world is a war crime not glory. Pollution is not liberation,and Friendly fire is murder and murder by accident or on purpose is not friendly. Pentagon double think steals the language of the people to false flag its meanings, such a collateral damage, the killing of civilians is actually a war crime as shown in the anti-fascist covenant Geneva Conventions of War 1949.
Or depleted uranium which is actually alive uranium and pollutes and kills by radiation poisoning for thousands and millions of years. Workers of the world, unite!! You yet have a world to win!!
Re: Veterans group condemns hollow remembrance on ANZAC Day
I second the comments made by Ali, as they speak clarity.
The second world war was a just war, even as there's almost a contradiction in terms.
It's not that we today throw stones at the people who served in wars, and yes, they are worth remembering, just not as big time as politicians make out.
If someone has served in the military (and the article writer has) don't they have respect for their fellow soldiers and military personnel.
Milir=tary personnel often come from poverty, and that's the sad reality about wars and who goes in the military.
The fact Australia has to go to war with countries where we shouldn;t be is for the politicionas and the at this time Prime Minister (any time one) to look at.
Knowing today, we donlt as a country of civilised people like wars and prefer peace with justice.
Thanks Indy and your staff
Paul Hammond