First casualty of war is the truth...and aint that the truth.
There is nothing honest about this war, and wars are always cowboy country.
We disgrace ourselves by being involved, however it remains highly profitable for some.

Every time that bunch of imposters claiming to be our "representatives" involve us in an unnecessary war in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or wherever, they further destroy our respect for representative democratic government. Apart from the death, destruction, and misery they cause amongst the inhabitants of the places they invade, truth is a major casualty. But governments rarely tell us much of the truth, so why should we be surprized?

It might be interesting to compile a list of government behaviour that continually sickens us, to put into perspective vain hopes that that the government will ever allow itself to be held accountable for anything, let alone for money misspent on aid to Afghanistan.

I will start the list rolling by mentioning the hypocrisy of politicians offering sympathy every time one of their soldiers is killed in war overseas. Of course the mainstream media co-operates in showing us their crocodile tears as they flock to elaborate funerals, with full military honours, never mentioning that the soldiers are simply mercenaries carrying out politicians orders to make war against little places that are no enemy of ours. Where are the tears and sympathy for the numerous civilian deaths that politicians' soldiers create? Forgotten, at least in Australia. The only justification for getting Australia in the seemingly unending chain of wars the government involves us in, is to support our American allies, a pathetic excuse if it is closely examined! Where is government accountability in any of this?

Good evening all...

Yes Ms Tranter and Ozandy, I actually agree with you both.

I don't believe we should be involved in this War. We have absolutely no chance of victory. As I write this piece I hear of yet another THREE (3) young Australian Special Forces troops have been killed in a Helicopter crash ! Why ?

I'm a veteran. We shouldn't have been in South Vietnam either. God almighty don't we ever learn ? How many more lives are to be squandered in some peculiar symbolic gesture of ANZUS unity? I've lost nearly ALL my mates. If not through direct combat, through issues attributeble to their war service. And I'm next.

Like in Vietnam, who were our enemy ? Farmers by day - VC by night ! Similarly in Afghanistan, our troops are probably 'rubbing shoulders' with the Taliban, and not ever recognising it!

Yet our Political masters continue to pour millions of our Tax dollars into a corrupt region. Worse yet, they casually ignore the dreadful consequences of war, by sending our young men and women to a country thousands of miles away. And for what ? Some vacuous illusion of unity with our allies, and to stop the spread of terrorism in the region. I don't think so ?

Sung Wu.

Good on Kellie Tranter, there are few who will question Australia's involvement in this grubby little war. There are few amongst our leadership who will question. Thanks to Bob Brown and The Greens, and I don't hide the fact that I am a member, we have an opposition who's roll it is, is to question Government. Labor and Liberal are well and truly in bed together on this one, why doesn't that surprise me?

Mum

When “Don’t you worry about that there now’, the legacy of a famous politician, of all politicians, is codified into law, The Privacy Law, and we rest assured that no one dare to look under our skirts, who are you to dare questioning the profound repose of our peaceful citizens in ignorance?