Update: Indigenous Elders Threaten to Hold Tourism Hostage...

Indigenous Elders have threatened to with hold the rights for tourists to climb Ayers Rock (known to them as Uluru) in reponse to Prime Minister Howards plan to save their communities.

I have to tell you, I am having trouble processing the attitude of those with the most to gain from this plan... The Indigenous Communities themselves. The Government is funding the plan to regain control so the Communities will not be out of pocket. In fact, they will gain necessary services that will ensure ongoing support and care to the women and children and rehabilitation, substance misuse support and counselling to those in need and a safe environment for all.

This was the response from the Communities...

Welfare groups accuse Howard of welfare 'land grab' Patricia Karvelas June 26, 2007 WELFARE and indigenous groups have accused John Howard of using child sex abuse as a smokescreen to cover a land grab in its effort to resume control of Aboriginal lands in the Northern Territory. A group of ninety organisations and individuals yesterday described the Prime Minister's move to take control of NT indigenous communities to crack down on child sex abuse as a Trojan horse and said it was possible to deal with the problem without seizing control of land. They voiced their concerns in a letter delivered yesterday to Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough. It came as Mr Brough began to flesh out his plans for the takeover of 60 indigenous communities and as West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter was left as the last state leader not supporting after it was backed by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie. Mr Howard announced his planned indigenous intervention last week, declaring abuse of children in indigenous communities a national emergency. Pat Turner, a former head of the now defunct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and a former senior bureaucrat in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, today warned that Mr Brough was drawing too heavily on his military background to implement the government's plan. “We believe that this government is using child sexual abuse as the Trojan horse to resume total control of our lands,” Ms Farmer said. “No compensation will ever, ever replace our land ownership rights. “We are totally against tying serious social needs to our hard fought land ownership and land tenure.” Link

It is beyond disgusting that 'Land Rights' are being put above the safety and welfare of the children of these Communities. Just so those from other countries understand, few of the people who are up in arms right now about the 'Land Rights', actually live on the land. There are also significant amounts of money paid out in mining and tourism royalties to the 'Traditional Land Owners' each year. The Government and Mining Companies have been in consultation and negotiation with the Indigenous Communities for years over these land right claims.

Quite simply, the Indigenous Communities seem to want to do little to assist with the Prime Ministers plan. This plan is radical and imposing but is designed to stamp out a scourge that is either killing or emotionally and physically harming children. It is a situation that has been around for so long it almost seems normal to some and that attitude needs to be turned around.

While Youthworking in the town where I live I dealt with something that has stayed with me. The children and youth have very little regard for life. One 10 year old I was familiar with fell between two train carriages one night while he and some mates were jumping off a train bridge onto a moving train. A third of his body was ripped away, he lost a leg and part of his bowel. 2 nights later, while his life still hung in the balance, I caught his mates back on the same bridge. One of the kids, a 12 year old I knew quite well, came over when I called out. I asked what the hell he thought he was doing and he laughed. They were having fun and had no regard for what had happened to their friend.

These young people see abuse and death on a regular basis and sadly, seem to have become immune. I personally, was thrilled to hear of the Prime Ministers plan and will continue to hold out hope for the children.

A_C

PM Howrds Seeks To Rectify Australias 'Shame'.

Radical new laws and severe crackdowns in Aboriginal Communities across the Northern Territory, which include a prescence by both the Australian Defence Force and Australian Federal Police, are due to begin this week amidst public outrage and accusations of racial discrimination.

These crackdowns include a system that ensures children are adequately fed, clothed and have recieved medical checks from welfare money that is designated for their care, a ban on alcohol and hardcore pornography, compulsory regular health checks for children, regular attendance at school and severe punishments for those who molest, abuse or physically and emotionally harm a child in anyway. Makes sense right....?

Well, apparently not. Australia is now facing a state of emergency with an added dilemma... Our Aboriginal Communities are in dire straits. Women and children are being routinely abused and assaulted, welfare money designated for the care of children is being used to buy alcohol, cigarettes and other substances, children are poorly fed, not clothed against the weather, poorly supervised and uneducated and this is the least of their problems. Their biggest problem is those who insist on calling this the next 'Stolen Generation'.

The use of the term 'Stolen Generation' is undoubtedly the reason this has continued for so long. While there are some who see fit to criticise the timing of PM Howards radical new crackdown, the simple fact is that the issues surrounding the original 'Stolen Generation' still abound and still haunt our government. While PM Howard withstood public pressure to 'Say Sorry' to the 'Stolen Generation', many others bowed. This set up a culture, whereby this criminal behaviour was allowed to continue because politicians were aware of the likely outcomes. That is that those 'stolen' would int he future, seek financial restitution from the government from the 'pain and suffering' caused by being removed.

My opinions on this matter stem largely from my own experiences with the people and children from these communities. Yes, I have worked in Aboriginal Communities all over South Australia through different agencies and in differing capacities. I also personally know members of the 'Stolen Generation'. Men and women who went on to become Lawyers, Teachers and Health Proffessionals. Those who do not believe our Prime Minister owes them an apology but more so, that they owe those who came before him a debt of gratitude.

The 'Stolen Generation' debate is one that will likely continue for years to come. My greatest issue with this is that it impedes the implementation of bans and laws that can literally save childrens lives. That is wrong. Every day we procrastinate another child is raped, another young girl impregnated, another child beaten or forced to witness their mother being beaten.

From the Australian Newspaper....

Federal police to begin abuse crackdown tomorrow June 24, 2007 AUSTRALIAN Federal Police officers will arrive in the Northern Territory tomorrow as the first step in a radical plan to stop child abuse in indigenous communities. And more police, backed up by Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops, will be in the NT within a week as part of the federal government's sweeping attempts to restore law and order. Prime Minister John Howard and Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough, who developed the strategy to take control of the troubled NT communities, said making the communities safe and law-abiding places to live was the first priority. Medical examinations of all children under 16 would follow once violence was under control and alcohol and X-rated pornography were removed from the communities. "The biggest single problem in these communities is that the women and the children are scared to death of complaining about the violence and the molestation," Mr Howard told the Ten Network. "And unless you get police on the ground, unless you establish the atmosphere of physical security, or a greater atmosphere of physical security, nothing is going to change and that is the first and most important requirement." Link

Nurse Anne Shepherd talks to Geoffrey Barnes in Geyulkan yesterday while Rosaleen, left, and Jake look on. Picture: Peter Eve Town at the coalface in fear of overflow Ean Higgins June 23, 2007 AS a nurse working in the Northern Territory, Anne Shepherd found herself driven to distraction at the failure of authorities to crack down on sexual abuse of Aboriginal children. "I had indigenous women come to me and tell me their stories," Ms Shepherd told The Weekend Australian. "I passed that information on, but nothing was done about it despite many attempts. "They made me feel like I was being interrogated. I hit a blank every time." Now, Ms Shepherd is Mayor of Katherine. She loves her town of about 10,000, which she says is a great place where most people, black or white, are law-abiding. But she says there is still too much child sexual abuse in her town, particularly black-on-black molestation fuelled by alcohol. The Territory Government has, despite her repeated entreaties, been almost useless in providing more resources to help her cope with grog and drug problems and ensuing violence, particularly among Aborigines who flock in from remote communities. "I sincerely believe that the Chief Minister wants action," Ms Shepherd said. "Unfortunately, all we get from most Northern Territory government departments are excuses and endless reasons why things can't happen." Ms Shepherd is not a member of a political party. In principle, she applauds the Howard Government's proposal to shut off the "rivers of alcohol". But she fears Mr Howard's alcohol ban will, given the reality on the ground, not work on its own, and is more likely to exacerbate problems, including child sexual abuse. Ms Shepherd points out that part of the problems of her town ironically stem from existing alcohol bans in the dry Aboriginal communities around Katherine, ranging from 50km to 600km away. With Katherine their regional hub, Aborigines come in for shopping and medical services, and many buy grog they can't get in dry communities. Some don't make it back. "At any time we can have 300 or more visitors from Aboriginal communities sleeping in doorways and drains, many severely affected by alcohol," Ms Shepherd said. There is a town camp owned by the Territory Government and leased to an Aboriginal-run community organisation, but it's a dangerous hell-hole with tension between those who live there permanently and visitors from other clans. "It has not been properly managed in the past, and although the current manager is doing his best, it needs to be safe for temporary residents," Ms Shepherd said, adding that she worried for the children there. When Ms Shepherd visited a camp called Geyulkan yesterday, there was no one sober enough to string together more than a sentence. But the message still came through as she talked to Geoffrey Barnes, who pounded his breast, saying "I'm hurting in here". "They are expressing their grief, their loss and the fact that they don't like living like this," Ms Shepherd said. The federal Government's policy of imposing further prohibitions on drinking in the communities would only displace more of the problem to Katherine, Ms Shepherd said. In some respects, the dangers of alcohol abuse and violence are then even worse, because the discipline and lawfulness imposed by traditional leaders in some well-run remote communities have no effect when their people come to Katherine. Katherine remains hopelessly under-resourced to deal with the alcohol problem as it is and needs federal government help, Ms Shepherd said. Alcohol has to be attacked, but as part of a broader indigenous strategy, she said. "It's homelessness, dispossession, and the hopelessness of their lives." Ms Shepherd observed that whites in the Territory were also notorious drinkers, and even though she feared she might be "run out of town" for proposing it, the answer might lie in restricting alcohol consumption across the board through reduction of licences, opening hours and so on. "We may all have to feel a bit of pain," she said.

This is the full report (yes, all 320 pages of it) Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle “Little Children are Sacred” In our Law children are very sacred because they carry the two spring wells of water from our country within them

As leaders spar, Red Centre ready to save children Jamie Walker June 25, 2007 ASK Stuart Gaykamangu about his life and his hopes for the future in Australia's Red Centre, and he'll tell you what the politicians don't want to hear. He doesn't particularly care if John Howard is right and the premiers are wrong as they pursue their escalating turf war over indigenous affairs. He's a proud Amata man, who's standing tall with his year-old daughter, Talish, perched on his shoulders as that "Rann fella" talks the talk about all the money his state Government has put into the school and a new pool for the kids. Mr Gaykamangu will tell you, in his shy and hesitant way, that these are good for Amata and the surrounding APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands of northwestern South Australia, and that it matters not a jot whether it's the Prime Minister or Premier Mike Rann who does the honours at their opening. He'll say people are grateful the petrol sniffers are off the streets, and that a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre is finally being built on the township's dusty outskirts. "Yeah, it's a bit better here," he says, before handing the littlegirl to his partner, Samara Burton, 23. She kisses the squirming child and says: "We want better for her, eh." On that much the PM and the Labor premiers would agree. Yet the states have been cool - arctic, actually - in their response to the federal takeover of Northern Territory responsibilities for indigenous child protection, and Mr Howard's call for them to follow his lead with a raftof new measures to curb alcohol abuse and its disastrous flow-on to remote communities such as Amata. Mr Rann says the only way forward is through co-operation between his Government, Mr Howard's and the communities. The PM insists it's action that matters - from Canberra, if need be - when indigenous children are at risk of unspeakable harm from sexual predators. The 300-odd residents of Amata are among the most disadvantaged Australians, ravaged by the hydra-headed scourge of the grog, drugs and petrol sniffing, as well as family violence and sexual abuse that wouldn't be tolerated in the wider community. Although the APY lands are notionally dry, the grog pours in from Alice Springs and the pub at Mintabie, five hours' drive to the south of Amata, where the young blokes load up on beer, bourbon and marijuana. Which is one thing that hasn't changed, says Mr Gaykamangu, 25. "It's hard to keep away from all that stuff." Amata community chairman Leonard Burton says there's little tolerance for petrol sniffing these days - though it still happens, even after the state Government introduced unsniffable Opal fuel and increased penalties for trafficking in petrol five-fold. Now that the issue of child sex abuse is out in the open, and investigators from SA's Mullighan inquiry are on the APY lands, Mr Burton says the community will confront that evil, too. "We have to," he says. "It's for our kids." Asked what he thinks of the PM's proposal to quarantine for food and rent up to half the government benefits paid to indigenous community residents in the Territory, Mr Burton nods: "That's a really good idea." He supports the move to enforce school attendance by linking it to income support and family assistance payments. "We want our kids to come to school every day," he tells the crowd of mainly women and children, which has gathered for the school opening by Mr Rann. The Premier has flown from Adelaide with a media contingent, rarely allowed on the desert lands on both sides of the Northern Territory-South Australia border. He says the new pool, built with $2million of federal funds and a commitment from the state Government to pay the running costs, is a good example of how things should work with Canberra. The state also paid $17million to wire into the electricity grid a new, federally funded power station outside the administrative centre of Umuwa. "My message to the Prime Minister is: work with us in a constructive way," Mr Rann told The Australian. "Work with us in a bipartisan way ... but also work with the local communities as well, because that's the only way to get real progress. "Do something that does good, rather than sounds good."

The reality of the situation is that this is a culture slowly killing itself. Sexually Transmitted Infections are rife within these communities, many due to a lack of education and irregular health checks. Girls are becoming pregnant at younger ages than would be considered acceptable in mainstream communities, some are still primary school aged.

By not intervening, we as a country are allowing this cycle of abuse, substance misuse and poor health to perpetuate itself. Having seen much of the abuse perpetuated on children in these communities, I am shocked and apalled, yet sadly not suprised, by the level of negative outcry to the Prime Ministers plan. This plan is the childrens greatest hope. Those who support the women and children of these communities, will support this plan. Undoubtedly, there will be initial mistrust and fear at the Military and Police prescence, however, this should indicate the level of seriousness in this situation. Basically, this plan will not succeed without them.

Please take the time to read some of the reports from the Australian Newspaper. Parts of Australia are in crisis and it is time to act.

For the childrens sake...

A_C

PM Howard Says No To Diggers In Darfur...

It's interesting to look at how the world percieves Aussies. We're the 'Lucky Country', the small island with the big heart, etc, etc.

It is also a well known, well established fact that we have amongst the best Soldiers in the world. Our greatest issue seems to be we can not supply in line with the demand on our government and ADF.

With an already overstretched commitment, Australia has been approached by the UN to contribute to a 19,000 strong peace keeping force for Darfur.

Diggers in Darfur 'would have cost Iraq' Cameron Stewart June 15, 2007 JOHN Howard says Australia would have been forced to pull troops out of Iraq or Afghanistan to meet a United Nation's request to send Diggers to Darfur. “It's very fair to say that we are very heavily committed at the present time," Mr Howard said today. “In order to meet a commitment, a sizable commitment in Darfur, we would have to pull forces out of other parts of the world to send them there. “And we have commitments there; once you make commitments, you have obligations not to arbitrarily terminate them.” But Opposition leader Kevin Rudd blamed the Government's open-ended commitment to Iraq for its decision to reject the UN's plea for help in the war-ravaged western Sudan. "If you've got so many troops tied down in Iraq and Mr Howard has no exit strategy from Iraq, that means we don't have the capacity to assist in humanitarian crises like Darfur - thats the problem," Mr Rudd said. The Australian revealed today that the Government had rejected a UN request to send Diggers to Darfur, fearing it would overstretch the nation's defence force. The UN asked Australia for as many troops as it could reasonably spare for a new joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force of up to 19,000 for Darfur. Sudan this week agreed to accept non-African troops into Darfur for the first time as part of a hybrid African Union-UN force to help stop fighting that has killed more than 200,000 and displaced 2.5 million since 2003. Link

One thing I have to point out is you really shouldn't pay to much attention to what Kevin Rudd has to say. We are in the middle of the lead up to Elections and he would argue black was white if he thought it might help his chances of becoming Prime Minister.

I have been following the situation in Darfur for some time and believe it is amongst the most horrific we are currently seeing in the world. The problem is that now we are already fighting major conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as supporting other countries fighting for democracy and peace. The African Governments have actively fought to keep Western forces out of their country. I believe it is quite significant progress that they are now allowing a peace keeping force to work alongside them in restoring stability to their region, I just wonder where they expected to find that force. Australia and America are both over committed as it is. Australia had a decision to make - Pull troops out of Iraq to support Darfur or keep our troops in Iraq to see that fight through to it's end.

Australias military retention rates are low. Unlike America, we are not exceeding our expectations here. We are seeing more personnel leave than we can replace. While the situation in Darfur has reached crisis point, and it deeply saddens me that we can not contribute forces, there really is only so much we are able to do.

Well Done PM Howard for standing strong.

AC

Child Soldiers

It is a fact. In more than 25 countries in the world children as young as 7 are being actively recruited or forced into Militias and Revolutionary Armies. As young as 7. Children barely old or tall enough to hold a weapon are being coerced, or in some cases forced, to not only hold a weapon, but to aim it at men, women and other children and pull the trigger.

Children as young as 7 are being torn from the arms of screaming, begging parents and watch as the parents are then killed. They are herded onto trucks, terrified and alone, and taken to training facilities. They are stripped of every shred of humanity, fear and the loyalty they once held for their families and loved ones. They are, in some cases, given access to alcohol, drugs and various forms of entertainment. In places that do not condone the use of such substances, they are simply brainwashed. Force fed a new love, a new loyalty to death and mayhem.

Sometimes this can take as little as a week. Children exposed to war and conflict from birth are now on the other side of a weapon. They hold the power of life and death in their hands. What they once feared and cowered from is now their source of strength. Those who lack the ability to reason, to consider the consequences of their actions, are given the resources to take life at random.

Girls, who were once used as little more than domestic and sex slaves in Militia and Revolutionary Army camps, are now also being recruited to fight. One can barely imagine the shock of recoil as children fire automatic weapons and RPG's. Girls are routinely raped and beaten, de humanised and degraded as they suffer the demands and physical needs of the boys and men of the camps. Often they are left to raise the babies born of this abuse with no support.

Rarely do they understand their mission, what they fight for, what they kill and die for. They show little fear and understanding, they simply fight.

Finally, the world is taking a stand. Humanitarian Agencies are forcing the governments of free and democratic countries to act. Organisations such as Africa Recovery are attempting to free the Child Soldiers and restore their childhood, their opportunity for a free and fullfilling life. They are attempting to reintegrate, re educate and re establish links to family and community for these Children.


More than 500,000 children worldwide have been recruited, either voluntarily or forcefully, for Militias and Revolutionay Armies. The scope of this issue is immense. Half a million children need saving, need de programming, need love, security and opportunity. If you are asking yourself what you can do, that this issue is to big, or to far away for you to make a difference, think again.

In our every day lives we use products that fund these Militias and revoultionary Armies. Diamonds, rubber, oil, ivory are amongst the leading products that contribute to the needs and ongoing means of support for these groups. Start to question what you are buying, where it is coming from and whether these products are contributing to conflict, war and ultimately the death of both innocents and innocence.

Support those who can make a difference. Our Militaries, our Governments and Humanitarian Organisations can make a difference here. Take the time to research how you can personally make a difference. Support those who support the missions to free these children and stabilise their countries.

Ultimately, as we stabilise these countries, these Militias and Revolutionary Armies will be disbanded. They will be hunted as the illegal Armies they are, the children removed from their grip and the adults punished. We must believe in our Forces abilities to stabilise these regions, in the Support Organisations abilities to rehabilitate and in our Governments abilities to ensure ongoing support.

These children need us.....

A_C

The Search For MIA Diggers Continues...

What an amazing time in Australias Military history. Years after wars ended, Soldiers previously listed as Missing In Action or Killed In Action, Body Not Recovered are being found.

These articles over the last couple of weeks...

Pit may be grave for 160 Diggers Mark Day June 09, 2007 GROUND-PENETRATING radar will be used to investigate the suspected grave of more than 160 Australian soldiers near the Anzacs' bloodiest World War I battlefield of Fromelles, in northern France. The suspected grave site has been identified after a scientific survey confirmed the presence of a series of pits. Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Billson yesterday described the evidence as "compelling". He said it was possible more than 160 Australians had been buried by the Germans after the Fromelles battle on July 19, 1916. Mr Billson said ground-penetrating radar could provide additional evidence as to the presence of soldiers' remains. Military historian Colonel Graham Fleeton (ret), one of the leaders of The Australian's Our Other Anzac Day tour of the Western Front next April, said the Fromelles battle represented the blooding of Australian troops after the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. "It was a tragedy of astonishing scale, not only because of the 5533 casualties we took in a single night - more than the entire Boer, Korea and Vietnam wars put together - but also because the whole battle was utterly unnecessary," he said. Additional reporting: AAP

Hard to find more Diggers Paul Maley and Ashleigh Wilson June 06, 2007 THE bodies of the four Australian servicemen still missing in Vietnam will be much harder to recover than those of two Diggers whose remains were returned to Darwin yesterday, an expert on the conflict says. Australian War Memorial senior historian Ashley Ekins said the four were lost in circumstances that would make finding their remains, if they still existed, very difficult. Mr Ekins's comments came as the bodies of Lance Corporal Richard Parker and Private Peter Gillson, killed in Vietnam in 1965, arrived in Darwin to be met by members of both families. Of the four still missing, Pilot Officer Robert Carver and Flying Officer Michael Herbert were believed killed when their Canberra bomber disappeared off radar during a night mission in 1970. Mr Ekins said the reason was probably a mid-air explosion caused by a hung bomb caught in the plane's release rack, a finding rejected by an air force inquiry. "There'd be very little chance of finding any remains from 20,000 feet," he said. In 1969, SAS trooper David Fisher fell 30m on a helicopter mission. An air and ground search failed to find him, although unconfirmed press reports said his radio was found two years later. The fourth MIA, Lance Corporal John Francis Gillespie, was lost in a fiery helicopter crash in 1971. Jim Bourke - founder of Operation Aussies Home. the organisation that led the search for Parker and Gillson - said it could still be possible to recover the four. Searches of Vietnamese and US records could yield new information, and the remains could be in better condition than expected. Mr Bourke said his team had found Gillespie's crash site and had expert advice that some remains could have survived. "Five years ago people said we had no hope on Parker and Billson. You don't know until you try," he said. Yesterday, the families of Parker and Gillson spent a quiet day away from the spotlight ahead of an official ceremony today at Richmond air base, west of Sydney.

Moving ceremony for repatriated diggers John Stapleton June 06, 2007 TWO Australian soldiers missing in action for 42 years after being killed during the Vietnam conflict have been offically welcomed back to Australian soil in a moving repatriation ceremony at Richmond airbase in Sydney. After being transported on board a Hercules military aircraft from Hanoi via Darwin, the coffins of Lance Corporal Parker and Private Peter Gillson, who both served in South Vietnam with the First Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, were carried through a guard of honour to be placed before tearful family members, officials and hundreds of Vietnam veterans. The coffins were draped with the Australian flag and decorated with a reef of banksias and an army slouch hat. Both men were posthumously awarded Infantry Combat Badges. Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Billson said the day of collective mourning, denied for four decades, provided closure for family and friends. "For the soldiers involved with that tragic contact, bound by an enduring brotherly bond known best by those who have served, made vital and vivid by the unconditional interdependency of mortal combat, this was not and could not be the end of the story," he said. "Mates lost: battles passed. But soldiers carried the weight and worry, without respite, of an invisible and unimaginable 'backpack' of unfinished business, of mates not returned." Mr Billson said a grateful nation could now fulfil its moral obligation to those who had done all heir country asked of them and in doing so, had paid the ultimate price. He paid tribute to the many people who had worked tirelessly to locate and then repatriate the bodies, thus allowing the country to fulfil a mission more than 41 years in the making, to return two soil of their homeland "back amongst the mates whose thoughts and brotherly bond never left them or faded." An emotional Lieutenant Robert Gillson, who was four months old when his father died and said to have an uncanny resemblence to him, never thought he would be able to bring his father home. He described the event as "a great day for the family, the country and for Vietnam veterans". "The family are just so happy that someone stood up against insurmountable odds to find this needle in a haystack, my dad." A lone bugler played the Last Post as two Iroquois helicopters flew over the coffins, followed by a minute's silence. An army band played Waltzing Matilda as hundreds of serving and former servicemen along with family members formed a guard of honour as the coffins were taken off the base in silver hearses. The funeral for Lance Corporal Richard Parker will be held at Woden in the ACT on the 12th. Private Peter Gillson is to to be buried in Melbourne the following day

I have lost track of how many times I have asked the question 'How long is forever'?? When a Soldier see's a mate fall and calls out they wont leave them behind, they will come back for them one day, who really would have thought they would return 40 years or even 90 years later?? Every day, every minute someone comes into or leaves our lives. Let's face it, sometimes we miss them like crazy, sometimes they come and go and we barely notice. But sometimes, sometimes a promise made is so important to a person that they will stop at nothing to keep it.

In the case of the Vietnam Veterans, it is their mates who chose to continue the search until they could fullfill their promise to their fallen mates. I can not for a second imagine what it felt like to bring Private Gillson and Lance Corporal Parker home after all those years. But I will remember for a long time watching one of those Vets tell a reporter the exact amount of time he has waited to do this, down to the day. Exactly how many days it took him to keep a promise to a fallen mate.

With the finding of the grave in France, it is possible that a story that had been passed down through generations of families may finally come to an end. A fallen Soldier who never returned from the foreign soil where he fell may be given the chance to be honourably laid to rest.

From where I sit, when a Soldier makes a promise to a comrade, then forever truly is forever. They will not stop until that promise is fullfilled.

We could all learn a lesson from this...

AC

What Will It Take??

I've been having a bit of a look at the the Australian (Newspaper) this morning and have been left wondering exactly what it will take for the blissfully unaware to realise what is happening in the world. I have often heard people who think the worlds media is being over dramatic or it's only a small group of extremists. Let me tell you, this situation has become deadly serious.

I've become a bit of a fan of the Greg Sheridan Blog on the Australian. While I don't always agree with everything he writes he is well informed and unbiased. Here are a couple of his latest blogs...

Bombs as levellers OPINION Greg Sheridan, foreign editor May 26, 2007 THE future of warfare, like its past, will be very ugly. I saw that future inside the Defence Intelligence Organisation headquarters in Canberra this week, the building behind the high wire fence at Russell North. There I met Brigadier Phil Winter and his team. Winter heads the counter improvised explosive device taskforce located in DIO. You've heard of IEDs, the explosives rigged as booby traps by the side of the road, or ready to go off under coalition vehicles, or stuffed inside dead dogs, or strapped in vests to suicide bombers. They have caused 70 per cent of allied casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year, according to the US Defence Department, of 377 US service members killed in Iraq, about 265 were killed by IEDs. You are right to be concerned about IEDs, and not just on behalf of our troops. They have become the terrorist weapon of choice. They are used now by terrorists all over the world, in Thailand, India and the southern Philippines as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was a landmine, a kind of commercial first cousin of the IED, that caused the one combat death so far of an Australian soldier, Sergeant Andrew Russell, in Afghanistan. Link

Extremists winning war of words, too A dangerous minority of Muslims in the Western world poses a growing threat to society, writes foreign editor Greg Sheridan May 31, 2007 SIX years after the 9/11 terror attacks that destroyed the World Trade Centre in New York and killed almost 3000 people, a majority of American Muslims do not believe the attacks were carried out by Arabs. And more than one-quarter of young US Muslims believe suicide bombings can be justified in some circumstances. These shocking and tragic findings, which come from the Pew Research Centre, tell us much about why the war against Islamist terror is going to last for generations. The West is losing the information and propaganda war against Islamist extremism. It is not losing because it is being insufficiently kind to Muslims at home or in the Middle East. As Britain's Tony Blair wrote in The Sunday Times: "Extremism will be defeated only by recognising that we have not created it ... pandering to its sense of grievance will only encourage it." Blair confronted the argument that Muslims hate the West because it has taken military action in Afghanistan and Iraq: "Tell me what exactly they feel angry about? We remove two utterly brutal and dictatorial regimes; we replace them with a UN-supervised democratic process. And the only reason it is difficult still is because other Muslims are using terrorism to try to destroy the fledgling democracy and, in doing so, are killing fellow Muslims. Why aren't they angry about the people doing the killing?" Link

What is maybe one of the most infuriating aspects of this worldwide terror situation is the blatant complacency and lack of understanding on the part of many people. The 'It's not happening in my neighbourhood' mentality that will, eventually, lead to it happening in EVERY neighbourhood.

Muslim students seek clerics' jihad advice Richard Kerbaj June 05, 2007 AUSTRALIAN Muslim university students eager to become jihadis are regularly seeking advice from Islamic spiritual leaders in the hope of winning religious approval to travel overseas and fight. Leaders have warned that the obsession among some young Muslims to become holy warriors was also driving them to "shop around" for fatwas - religious rulings - should their initial request be turned down. Moderate Sydney-based Islamic cleric Khalil Shami said young Muslims, "predominantly university students", frequently asked his advice on travelling to war-torn countries to fight in the name of Islam. This comes two years after hardline Islamic university students were involved in the London bombings that killed 52 people and injured 700 others. It also follows The Australian's revelations in January that a 25-year-old Somali Australian, Ahmed Ali, died fighting alongside Islamists in his country of birth in December last year. Sheik Shami said he always warned aspiring Islamists against fighting because he believed Muslim countries were being run by corrupt leaders who were more interested in making money and advancing their political profiles than liberating their people. Link

It would seem that no amount of newspaper articles or news reports is enough to make Australians understand this truly is our fight too. These things are happening here. The terrorists now openly boast about their plans to rule the world, so much has their confidence grown. Their confidence has grown for a reason....They know that our complacency is fuelling their plans for world domination. They realise this, don't you think it's time we woke up??

AC

Diggers at War

I have to tell you, I`m getting a little tired of hearing about the Aussies not doing anything in Iraq and Afghanistan. VERY tired actually. There seems to be alot of people under the misguided opinion that the Aussies are suffering less casualties because they are not in dangerous areas. Some have taken this theory of theirs a step further and told me of how the Diggers are `living it up` in the Green Zone while they are doing all the shit work. Firstly I would like to make something very clear....My government does NOT send Soldiers to theatres of war to drink beer and sit around a pool. Anytime the negators think they can do without the Aussies, just remember the role the Aussies played in the initial invasion...

SAS flew straight into battle By Tom Allard, Defence Writer May 10 2003 Members of Australia's Special Air Service regiment spent the first days of the war closer to Baghdad than any other coalition soldiers, it was revealed yesterday. They were flown in by US helicopters in a nerve-racking 600 kilometre journey, much of it at low altitude and some of it under Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, just hours after the Prime Minister, John Howard, declared Australia was formally at war. The main mission was to find and destroy suspected Iraqi ballistic missile sites because of fears they would deliver chemical and biological weapons on troops and neighbouring states. To that end, command and control facilities and radio relay stations were identified by the SAS and destroyed, typically by calling in US and British fighter jets after the SAS had "painted" the target for laser-guided bombs to home in on. The incursion deep into Iraq, and a simultaneous insertion by land into western Iraq from a larger contingent of SAS, marked the beginning of an "exceptionally heavy" first week in Iraq for the special forces, according to one of their commanders. "Virtually every day the SAS was in some of heavy contact with the enemy," said Colonel John Mansell, chief of staff at special operations command in Sydney. Those coming by land faced fire within an hour of entering Iraq. The daily firefights were "no accident", said Colonel Mansell. "The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a co-ordinated and well-drilled fashion." While many Iraqis were killed in the battles, the SAS have begun returning home with no injuries, let alone deaths. But they won't be marching in victory parades scheduled for the end of the month in Sydney and Perth - their identities must be kept secret. The public won't see them, but will be able to view an Iraqi MiG jet captured by the SAS, which will be displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

SAS role in Iraq revealed May 9 2003 Australian SAS troops were involved in one of the first ground attacks of the Iraq war, fighting and capturing Iraqi soldiers more than a day before the first US bombs slammed into Baghdad, it was revealed today. SAS commanders talked for the first time of the clandestine operations mounted by the elite special operations troops, revealing their main mission had been to destroy Iraqi Scud missile sites. A large force of vehicle-mounted SAS troops entered Iraq on the night of March 18 after Prime Minister John Howard gave the go-ahead for military operations that morning. The first allied bombs did not fall on Iraq until the early hours of Thu March 20, when the US attempted a so-called decapitation strike on Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership at a suspected hideout in Baghdad. The bombing was the first signal to the world that war had started. Special Operations Command chief of staff Colonel John Mansell said a large SAS group entered Iraq under the cloak of darkness as soon as possible following the government's decision. "The intent was to insert clandestinely and get deep into the assigned area before the sun came up," he said. He said that meant skirting enemy positions and trenches, while at the same time a second group of SAS troops travelled more than 600km by helicopter to take up positions in Iraq's western desert. The first group ran into trouble just 30km inside the Iraqi border, running into a group of Iraqi vehicles. The SAS, who Col Mansell said had been determined to take the fight to the enemy, immediately opened fire on the Iraqis and took several prisoner, later releasing them. "This was one of the first ground attacks of the war," he said. The helicopter insertion was also completed successfully, with the SAS travelling on US helicopters at near-ground level, skirting Iraqi missile defences and battling poor weather. "When our people hit the ground, they were at that time by far and away the closest coalition ground elements to Baghdad, and they remained that way for a number of days," Col Mansell said. He said through subsequent operations the SAS engaged in heavy fighting, harassing Iraqi forces and targets while preventing the movement of any Scuds through the Australian-controlled area. "Virtually every day the SAS were in some form of heavy contact with the enemy," he said. "This was no accident. The enemy was clearly seeking out the Australian force in a coordinated and well-drilled fashion." In one engagement, SAS troopers called in air strikes on an enemy stronghold and in another destroyed at least half a dozen Iraqi armoured vehicles. The SAS also defeated a force of more than 50 Iraqi irregulars in civilian vehicles and trucks, firing on them with javelin anti-armour missiles and heavy machine guns, before calling in air support. But their biggest triumph was the capture of the giant Al Asad air base west of Baghdad, which they achieved with support from RAAF F/A-18 fighter-bombers. Col Mansell said the operations, which were conducted without any Australian casualties, highlighted the skills of the SAS, which has also won high praise from US president George W Bush. The first of the SAS troops are expected home within weeks. AAP

Print Email Last Update: Tuesday, April 24, 2007. 10:01am (AEST) Two Australian soldiers have been wounded after a roadside bomb attack on their convoy in Iraq (ADF) Diggers wounded in Iraq blast Two Australian soldiers have been wounded after a roadside bomb attack on their convoy in Iraq overnight, the Department of Defence has confirmed. The department says the soldiers were in the first of two Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) carrying out a routine patrol in Dhi Qar province when they were attacked. One man suffered wounds to his lower legs while the other suffered less serious injuries in the explosion, which heavily damaged their ASLAV. The vehicle was then destroyed by the ensuing fire. Four other soldiers in the patrol were not injured, while the second ASLAV was too damaged to move. The soldiers were treated at the site of the attack before being evacuated by helicopter to a US hospital at the Tallil airbase. They could be transferred to Baghdad if further treatment is needed but it is not yet known whether they will be forced to return to Australia. The soldiers were based in Darwin before being sent to Iraq. Family members have been informed of the attack. Defence spokesman Brigadier Gus Gilmour says similar attacks are common in Iraq. "This is not the first time an attempted IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack against Australians has occurred," he said. "Indeed our people in Iraq and Afghanistan face these sorts of threats on a regular basis." It is not yet known who was responsible for the attack. Meanwhile a wave of up to 15 explosions were heard in Baghdad before dawn (local time), apparently coming from the city's outskirts. A US military spokesman said he was not aware of any operation taking place at the time. The blasts sounded like mortar shells or artillery.

Story of Digger heroism emerges from Iraq Wednesday - 9 May 2007 - news.com.au THE Australian army's anonymous new hero in Iraq is a raw, young infantryman who leapt into a blazing armoured vehicle to provide cover for his wounded mates. Australia's commander in southern Iraq says he is humbled by the freshly qualified gunner's "incredible" courage and professionalism. But the brave Digger, whose patrol took fire four times in two days, does not want to be named. He was in a 50-vehicle convoy hit by light arms fire and rocket propelled grenades in two different villages as it returned to base at Tallil two weeks ago. But worse was to come 15km from home when his light armoured vehicle was hit by a remotely controlled roadside bomb. The vehicle's driver suffered a broken ankle and burnt legs and is recovering in Darwin. The commander and another crewman suffered concussion and minor injuries, but have since returned to duty. As the vehicle exploded into flames and careered off the road into a swamp, the gunner helped his wounded mates onto stretchers before leaping back to his turret to provide covering fire. In doing so he faced danger from the flames as well as two further explosions from remotely detonated bombs and the possibility of enemy fire. He returned with his patrol undeterred the following day to recover the damaged vehicle and exchanged shots in a firestorm with insurgents. "The gunner was quite incredible because he had been exposed to that (first) blast, too," said Lieutenant Colonel Tony Rawlins, commander of Australia's 540 troops in southern Iraq, who was also travelling near the head of the column. "He got back in and did what he was expected to do, and just that little bit more. "He was exhibiting symptoms of shock afterwards but he was lucid and being a very professional soldier. "There was no time to give formal orders or appraise the situation. "These guys all acted instinctively in a disciplined manner and knew exactly what to do. "They stepped up to the plate. "They did things that I would have expected from more experienced soldiers. "There was no grandstanding, nothing like that, just thorough, professional behaviour and it humbles me." Captain Tony Copley, commander of the second vehicle who raced out to try to extinguish the fire in the first, said: "It was a very courageous thing for him to jump back into a vehicle which had just been hit and was on fire. I can't say enough about him." He also praised decisive action by his own crew, saying: "I'm very lucky to have the chance to lead such fine young men." Lt-Col Rawlins noted the restraint shown by Australian troops who returned to collect the burnt-out vehicle the next day, inflicting an unknown number of casualties among up to 30 insurgents. "They weren't just out there to get revenge," he said. "The criminals hid themselves amongst innocent civilians in order to protect themselves, and we used only the force that was necessary without causing widespread collateral damage." "We could have unleashed hell," said Lance Corporal Nathan Jones, a gunner on the second armoured vehicle who took it upon himself to radio for help after the roadside bombing. His action helped ensure that US helicopters were on the scene quickly to evacuate the wounded. "It was just 18 minutes from flash to dash," said Lt-Col Rawlins. "That's phenomenal. "I have nothing but respect for them (the American pilots) because they landed those helicopters on the road next to the vehicle that was cooking and could have taken fire themselves."

Diggers under fire in Iraq Tuesday - 8 May 2007 - ABC News Online Australian troops serving in southern Iraq have come under attack during a routine security mission in Samawah City, the capital of Al Muthanna province. Lieutenant Colonel Tony Rawlins, the commander of the Australian battle group in southern Iraq, says the troops were not hurt during the attack. "As they were leaving the provincial joint operations centre, coming out through the back gate, down a side alley, they were engaged by two to three people," he said. "[There was] one rocket-propelled grenade and a small burst of fire from an AK-47." Lt Col Rawlins says the Australians fired about five shots at their attackers but did not hit them. "They fired around five rounds of small arms fire. They only caught them as they were fleeing the scene," he said. "We'll now hand it over to the authorities to investigate."

Digger slightly injured in Afghanistan Wednesday - 4 May 2007 - CPA 119/07 A Reconstruction Task Force soldier was slightly wounded during an apparent suicide-bombing attack in Oruzgan Province on Thursday evening, Australian Eastern Standard Time. An Afghan national, identified as the attacker, was killed during the incident. The wounded soldier was provided immediate first aid at the scene and has undergone further examination and treatment at the nearby Dutch Military Hospital in Tarin Kowt. All Australian soldiers in Afghanistan have been accounted for and are continuing with their operations. Details of the wounded soldier will not be released. The soldier’s next of kin has been informed of the incident. No further information concerning the attack is available at this time. Defence will provide further details once initial reporting is confirmed and the situation is clarified.

There are just the first couple of stories I pulled up when I did a search. There are many, many more. There are alot of countries actively participating in this war. This war does not belong to one country because it's troops outnumber all others.

Right up until all this crap started I always considered the Coaltion to be one force, one team with many players. Now both myself and other Aussie supporters are finding we are constantly defending the Diggers and their roles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While we understand others countries sense of loss over fallen Soldiers (and we do share this, I have lost a few Soldiers I had written to or chatted to online), we do feel that the Aussie role is being undervalued. Not one of the Coalition countries can fight this war alone, it's that simple.

So don't you think it's about time we supported the Coalition as a whole??

AC