tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post1409711164698082804..comments2023-10-14T22:00:58.392+11:00Comments on Midlife - A Journey: And the band played waltzing matildaLozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-89856704343337091412007-10-18T08:09:00.000+10:002007-10-18T08:09:00.000+10:00I have already been on You tube checking out all t...I have already been on You tube checking out all the Eric Bogle references. There are some dire versions of his somgs there and some outstandingly beautiful versions. <BR/>My dad is BIG Eric fan and bought me a ticket to see him a few years ago, as a surprise.<BR/>I surprised my Da more by being on holiday, in another country, on the night of the gig.<BR/>I am still not entirely convinced that he has forgiven me. He looks at me with a far off and disappointed look... Eric needs to revisit ireland and give me a chance to redeem myself!<BR/>Now I'm Easy is another brilliant one of his... I think?<BR/>Love the postsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-14952998140188753322007-10-17T09:21:00.000+10:002007-10-17T09:21:00.000+10:00I honestly don't know what the answer is - on the ...I honestly don't know what the answer is - on the one hand I can argue that we should leave them to sort out their own problems - on the other there is a moral duty to help. But is our version of morality the right one. Are we able to step back and objectively evaluate things and say that Western Society is better than anything we have come up with so far. My answer would be yes but I also have an obvious bias.<BR/><BR/>The song When the Band Played Waltzing Matilda is one of the greatest anti-war songs ever written and Eric Bogle has written several. If you are interested also check out "The Green Fields of France."Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-68271787266140705542007-10-17T08:32:00.000+10:002007-10-17T08:32:00.000+10:00Thank you for putting this song on. my kids know i...Thank you for putting this song on. my kids know it but apart from me singing it REALLY badly to them (sadly, for them, at bed time), I don't think they've ever heard it properly. They will now!!!<BR/>I am a person opposed to the interventions in both Iraq and Afghanistan.. I'm with Gypsy on this. I don't know what would happen to the innocents.. and by innocents I would include the British, American, Aussie and other 'foreign' soldiers who are sent there.. but in the 21st century, there has to be a better way<BR/>thanks again for the tuneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-22072707626606112162007-10-14T12:36:00.000+10:002007-10-14T12:36:00.000+10:00Loz, my heart goes out to the family of the soldie...Loz, my heart goes out to the family of the soldier and I will pray for your son. My grandson Gary spent 7 and half months in Iraq and may be redeployed next November. I'm in support of our troops, however, very disappointed in our government. Most of us are. There is a vast majority quietly supporting Mrs. Clinton, hoping she is able to clean this mess up. We recognize it's not very realistic, however, could she make it any worse? <BR/><BR/> What an emotional song. <BR/> <BR/>Regards, Dorothy from grammology<BR/>call your grandma<BR/>http://grammology.comDorothyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03181570769074774554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-1600578968852123852007-10-14T07:59:00.000+10:002007-10-14T07:59:00.000+10:00There is a local tv channel that devotes a large p...There is a local tv channel that devotes a large portion of its time to showing pictures of fallen soldiers with their names, and family statistics. Loz, its heartbreaking. I've tried to watch out of respect for them, but I never last long without bursting into tears. The thing that is so striking is how young most of them are. How could they possibly know what they were choosing at 18yo? Its devastating. The whole thing is ...devastating on every level.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-32147808924881645322007-10-10T13:20:00.000+10:002007-10-10T13:20:00.000+10:00It is indeed "hitting" you when a countryman, serv...It is indeed "hitting" you when a countryman, serving a good cause, is victim. I remember how I felt when a Swiss soldier died in Kosovo (though of an accident "only"). To serve is Kosovo was a good cause. To serve in Afghanistan or in Irak, I am not so sure.Voegtlihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17212645092237784919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-18610532660549235332007-10-10T09:33:00.000+10:002007-10-10T09:33:00.000+10:00Morning LozWould you mind popping over to my blog?...Morning Loz<BR/>Would you mind popping over to my blog? I have something for you.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14339140046788925506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-32639641294844840912007-10-10T07:53:00.000+10:002007-10-10T07:53:00.000+10:00Laurie - I am not sure that would make a differenc...Laurie - I am not sure that would make a difference. Call me naive but I would like to think that those to which we vest the privilege of running our countries are brave enough to make decisions based on what is best or all whether or not that is best for their loved ones. And I know I'm dreaming when I say that.Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-76260974021047897982007-10-10T07:45:00.000+10:002007-10-10T07:45:00.000+10:00Josie - when I was in the police force and working...Josie - when I was in the police force and working in the Counter terrorist section I had a lot to do with the Kurdish community here. Whether or not Saddam had weapons of mass destruction at the time of the invasion is still open for debate as far as I am concerned.<BR/><BR/>What is not in question is that he had previously used them against the Kurds in the north of Iraq. <BR/><BR/>Has our going in lead to the death of innocents? Almost certainly. Has it saved many more? Of course. On balance what is better? I honestly don't know.<BR/><BR/>However, it was Edmund Burke who said "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle". At least that seems to be the original quote from what I can find.<BR/><BR/>It has passed into contemporary language as the words ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-33810858899392948692007-10-10T07:34:00.001+10:002007-10-10T07:34:00.001+10:00Mel - I liked it too and you're welcome :)Mel - I liked it too and you're welcome :)Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-10779182209856297482007-10-10T07:34:00.000+10:002007-10-10T07:34:00.000+10:00WFW - I was appalled and horrified at some of the ...WFW - I was appalled and horrified at some of the comment on the news site I linked to - people actually critical of the servicemen and women who are there Absolute idiots.Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-55160390302961794622007-10-10T05:26:00.000+10:002007-10-10T05:26:00.000+10:00My son served in Iraq in the US Air Force. As a mo...My son served in Iraq in the US Air Force. As a mom I was terrified. I was never so thankful as when I knew he had finally left Iraqi air space and was heading home. <BR/><BR/>You ask the fair question "If we withdraw what does that do to the innocents?" But I ask, "What about all the innocents that have been killed because of these wars?"josie2shoeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15452791371126155173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-60355736475784353232007-10-10T02:52:00.000+10:002007-10-10T02:52:00.000+10:00that was an AWESOME poem.(thank you so much for th...that was an AWESOME poem.<BR/><BR/><BR/>(thank you so much for the kind birthday wishes) xxooAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-49427396240454730832007-10-09T23:33:00.000+10:002007-10-09T23:33:00.000+10:00Laurie, I should have said the 'Middle' East of co...Laurie, I should have said the 'Middle' East of course! :) He's back home now thankfully but people just don't appreciate the intensity of the situation until you have someone directly involved. Afghanistan seems to be a whole different ball game than Iraq because of the terrain.<BR/><BR/>I was in a forum recently and was horrified by a topic entitled 'Servicemen sign up to die' - how callous and ungrateful is that moron? - Where's your 'mad' smiley? :)WalksFarWomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16442182069333713270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-66458158368023568942007-10-09T22:48:00.000+10:002007-10-09T22:48:00.000+10:00Any casualties greater than 1 is a tragedy. I fee...Any casualties greater than 1 is a tragedy. I feel for anyone who has a loved one over there. I don't know what the answer is, perhaps we need to have the policy makers fully vested in this war from a personal standpoint. Maybe if their own sons, daughters, husbands, wives were there, they would take great care in the decisions they make.<BR/>I hope with all my heart your son, stays safe from harm's way.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04387413009455528455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-68779332129774008222007-10-09T20:42:00.000+10:002007-10-09T20:42:00.000+10:00WFW - may I also express my hope that your son too...WFW - may I also express my hope that your son too is not one who pays the supreme sacrifice. I see today that your Prime Minister has announced that more troop withdrawals are likely before Christmas ours has said we are there for the duration. With an election pending here we have the opposition stating that they will withdraw from Iraq but up our presence in Afghanistan so whatever happens my son will be likely to end up on a tour of duty next year. If not either of those places then it will be East Timor or the Solomon Islands.Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-50490229535292426452007-10-09T20:27:00.000+10:002007-10-09T20:27:00.000+10:00Laurie I wrote this post back in June because I f...Laurie I wrote this post back in June <A HREF="None But The Brave" REL="nofollow"></A> because I felt so distraught at looking at all the little pictures of these brave men and women in a dedicated centre spread. <BR/><BR/>My son is in the Royal Air Force and has been in the Far East dealing up close and personal with the devastation of war. I had such compassion before he went but since then I see them all for what they are, someone's son or daughter, everyone's pride and joy and too precious to be used in this way.<BR/>Why are the sons of those who make the decisions not there?<BR/><BR/>There is some hope on the horizon with news of the troops starting to withdraw. Safe return for your son if he has to go. xWalksFarWomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16442182069333713270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-69058357024092477882007-10-09T14:48:00.000+10:002007-10-09T14:48:00.000+10:00Gypsy - I also hope he won't but know that it is l...Gypsy - I also hope he won't but know that it is likely he will. That is a choice he has made and speaking to the mates he is doing the course with all know and understand that when the time comes they will go willingly.<BR/><BR/>But you are also right about the lifetime affects that it has on them - all I hope is that they are looked after when they get back.Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-12554499726073053052007-10-09T14:45:00.000+10:002007-10-09T14:45:00.000+10:00Pen - I agree but I truly don't know the answer. ...Pen - I agree but I truly don't know the answer. If we withdraw what does that do to the innocents there?Lozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513517402604501840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-38203295952483855562007-10-09T14:35:00.000+10:002007-10-09T14:35:00.000+10:00Is there ever really a winner in a war? If even o...Is there ever really a winner in a war? If even one person loses their life or is injured, the answer is no. That video was very poignant and the photographs a stark reminder of what a tragic waste and loss of life it is. Even the ones that come back are so often ruined for life by their experiences that they are not really living at all.<BR/><BR/>I hope and pray your son will never have to see a battle front Loz.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14339140046788925506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087502739566584714.post-17037766086919240832007-10-09T12:17:00.000+10:002007-10-09T12:17:00.000+10:00Indeed, this war has gone on long enough. My heart...Indeed, this war has gone on long enough. My heart goes all to all who serve in the military and their families, here and abroad.Penhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14007835767017361390noreply@blogger.com