WAR - would you go???

[Dave]

BSA, Hitman, get where you're coming from and agree with most of what you say BUT (there's always a but isn't there?) when it comes down to defending my home and children there's no sacrifice I wouldn't make.

 

[TheMase]

I would go...

 

[GOALden Hawk]

If Australia was under direct attack, then I would consider it. But even then, probably not. And definitely not in any other circumstances.

 

[Shed]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for
good men to do nothing. " - Edmund Burke (1729-1797).

I would not be excited about the prospect of going to war, nor would I be looking for glory or any kind of personal fulfillment.

Put simply, I would be terrified. I am under no illusions as to how ugly war is.

But some things are bigger than that. If you aren't willing to defend your freedom then you probably don't deserve it.

If it happens overseas I won't volunteer, but I will do my duty if drafted.

If if happens here I would sign up, and have utter contempt for any who didn't.

 

[Macca19]

The only way i would go to war is if they bought back Conscription and 6th October got picked out of a hat.

War is not something to be proud of. Going to War is something noone should "want" to do. What is glorious about it?? You are not a man if you go to war. You are a flipping fool. Go to war and there is probably a 70-30 chance youll get killed/mutilated or have a life changing injury in some way.

Bucks is right - it is life changing....losing an arm/a leg/ both legs/eye sight is life changing. I dont want to live the rest of my life with the thought of seeing my friends and partners get killed/mutilated in teh War. Nightmares for hte rest of your life. Having the mental image of people being killed is not something i want to have in my head for the rest of my life.

War may equal freedom in some peoples minds...but war in my mind equals death. And there is nothing glorious about death.

 

[TheMase]

Originally posted by Macca19
Bucks is right - it is life changing....

It is life changing...

If the people that went to war, did not, and the people that WILL go to war didn't, he is right, LIFE WOULD BE DIFFERENT.

War isnt something to be proud of for sure. But it is something that is going to happen. If everyone has the same attitude, then we will/would all be dead already. Someone has to stand up and be counted for. We have to defend this nation of ours. Imagine if people didnt go to war in WW1 and WW2, what kind of society would we live in now? Or at all?

I, Myself, Would go to War if I was called up. Because I would like to see the kids of our nation grow up for a better place, If there was a war, and the opportunity presented itself, I would fight for my nation, and for its way of life, so that my kids (future), and others, have something to look forward to.

 

[BMD]

Depends on the war doesn't it?

For example

World War 2 where Australia was under threat, and Japan and Germany had invaded a huge number of other countries - I would have gone.

Vietnam War - Getting involved in another country's internal war over who would be in power, because the US government didn't like the philosophy of one of the sides - no way.

In the current situation - No.

 

[joshhem]

No not a chance and never. War means killing and I do not want to be a murderer. Sorry guys, but I'd put up with rejection rather than go and KILL people.

 

[Shed]

Originally posted by joshhem
No not a chance and never. War means killing and I do not want to be a murderer. Sorry guys, but I'd put up with rejection rather than go and KILL people.

I bet Hitler wished all Americans, Australians, Brits felt the same way as you.

 

[Smokin]

Yes, I'd go.

Frankly, if nobody in the western world goes to war, we lose and then as far as Im concerned life isnt worth living.

I dont buy the crap that because Australia isnt under threat I wont go. We are at risk here! I cant beleive how many Aussies think we are some sort of robot is who is immune from an attack.

We have signed agreements with the USA. Basically, as far as the world is concerned, we are in the same basket as the USA.

If we ever got in real serious trouble, the USA would be the first there to save our ar$es.

Remember, every Anzac day, we think of those that fought for us. If it wasnt for people like them, we wouldnt have our freedom we do today.

Im sure they didnt really WANT to go either.

But geez, are we lucky they did!!

I wouldnt want to go, but Id see it as no choice.

 

[Nic]

Porbably not, unless I was already in the airforce (it's been ingrained in me never to consider joining the army or navy) which is a possibility.

 

[OutKast]

I'd go, simple as that.
Someone has to fight to keep the freedom and standard of living that we enjoy here in Australia, and if I was called upon by my country or it's allies then yes i'd go to war.

 

[Still Crowing]

I can understand not joining the raffies, but why not the navy. It's better than the army in heaps of ways
1. You dont have to walk everywhere
2. Your house carries you around, not vice versa
3. You can sleep in a bed when you are off watch
4. Hot meals, 4 times a day.
5. When you are not at war, you see more of the world
6. Lets face it, the uniform kicks a.rse.(girls - am I right or what?)
7. Showers - nuff said

Of course I'm a little biased

 

[mud n blood]

No risk - I'd more than happily fight on Australian soil against foreign invading scum. Would not be happy about going overseas to fight, though ......

My family has three generations of fighting in war thus far - all overseas !!!!

 

[Nic]

Still Crowing, you talking to me?

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by The Hitman
Under no circumstances would I go to war for this country or any other.

I'm not a hippy, or technically a Pacifist, but I do actually want to live my life for as long as possible.

Call me a coward, call me unpatriotic, I call myself smart...

The Hitman

P.S. Great post BSA

Okay, but I pose a question, if Australia was to be invaded (like Japan was trying to do in WW2)...would there not be a chance of you being shot anyway? Would you just let people come straight into the country, not questions asked and the tolerate their authority? I think not!!

 

[Joel]

BTW, no one ever said war meant 'glory'. So why do people keep saying that?

War is the eyes of Australia is about defending ourselves and sticking up for the rights of others.

 

[Esperito]

If we ever got in real serious trouble, the USA would be the first there to save our ar$es.

You really believe that....?

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by Esperito


You really believe that....?

Well seeing as though they did in WW2, then yes.

 

[Joe Mama]

I would go if the country was being invaded, only of my own choosing.

If I was consripted, I wouldn't go, because that is a choice that I have to make, not the choice of a man pulling a number out of a barrel.

If, it was somebody elses war, like Vietnam, I definately wouldn't go, because my dad was conscripted in the Vietnam war as well as two of his cousins, my cousins job was to go into the tunnel network that the vietcong bildt and rat them out, all of the tunnels were booby trapped, and after having to do that awful job, and the horrible things that they would have seen, both of them cracked up and commited suicide 2 years after coming back home.

That's why I hate war, and would only take up arms in the most exterme of circumstances.

 

[BomberBoy]

So i guess most people in this thread would not join the army, or reserves in peacetime?

Personally i think that people who do go to war are very brave, and are not "flipping fools".

I think its the fact America was under attack and not Australia that people are hesitant.

I'd bet if Australia were to be attacked, and as many lives lost, people would have different attitudes.

 

[aggels]

Originally posted by bluecrow
I don't actually think any of us girls have answered this question, mainly because of the typical guy-soldier-model thing.
[/IMG]

It's not because of the guy-soldier thing that I haven't answered, it's just that I've never had any reason to think about it before, and it's a huge question. The answer is I don't know what I'd do. I hate the idea of war, but sometimes they need to be fought (when someone else is invading or attacking your country for instance), and I'd like to be able to say that I'd stand up for my country. I'd like to be able to say that, but the truth is, I'd likely be too scared. So the simple answer is I don't know. I hope I'll never have to know whether I'd go to war.

 

[Grendel]

Aside from the fact that id probably fail the medical, if push came to shove. Id like to believe that id have the courage to actually fight to defend my family, friends and home.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I certainly wouldn't sit back waving a white flag if all that I hold dear was in danger.

I would like to have my destiny in my own hands to a degree though, not be one of the lambs lead to the slaughter like the Aussie heros at Gallipoli. We are all individuals, not objects for some politician to place in the path of an enemy. I don't feel like becoming "an acceptable loss" while my family has to fend for themselves.

As fanciful as it sounds, if Australia was invaded there would be pockets of resistance movements all over the place. I would be amongst those.

Having said that, I have nothing but respect for the courage of our armed forces. They are out there protecting us all while we are barely giving them a second thought while going about our lives.

 

[Visro]

I'll also add to my previous comments, if I DID go to war, I would only join the RAAF or the Navy. Firstly because my family has a tradition in these two areas of the armed forces and secondly cause of the conditions. As I said before however, I would only enlist if Australia was directly threatened.