Dear Canem Malum,

The Chief of the Defence Force's record is on file
for all to see. And it's a distinguished one.
I merely gave a link to just -
one of the sources that provided
the information on his career. This is not based
on my opinion - this is his record and it is on file.

We should always consider different opinions
and different world views - otherwise society would
never progress. As they say - everyone is entitled to
their own opinion. But of course this opens up one's
opinions to criticism. Free speech works both ways.
People have a right to their views and people have a
right to disagree with them. Everyone can say what
they want, but a vital component of free speech is
that you have to be prepared not everybody is going to
agree with what you say

Foxy, I cannot find any recent comments referring to your opinion.
As for my opinions of this general, I have clearly stated my case in responding to CM.
The main crux of it was in reference to his, as you have written, 'distinguished' career or record.
The crux of my comments was that those accolades were in fact not justified if one is to consider his 'about face' on the iconography issue and I cemented this fact in my response to CM.
In short I give the 'average' man the right to make mistakes.
Not a general who holds the lives of so many people in his hands.
The other point I made is that he is not unique and that there are many examples of same throughout history.
I only hope he and his medals get a back room job behind a desk and far away from 'real' warfare decisions.
For all our sakes.

Dear ALTRAV,

Try page 39. I gave my opinion about the man
as well as a link further down.

You are entitled to your opinion. I don't agree
with it. And we're both entitled to that.

Foxy: The Chief of the Defence Force's record is on file for all to see. And it is a distinguished one. One Commanding Men not PVH's. He probably was a little out of his depth at first in a PVH environment.

AT: In short I give the 'average' man the right to make mistakes.
Not a general who holds the lives of so many people in his hands.

I do not doubt Morrisons distinguished Career at all. He was commanding Men. Now he is in Canberra & working in a different fish Pond, so to speak. One that is rife with Politically Correct Leftist Do-Gooders & PVH's. He may have been convinced to go along with their "Demands" or "it would not go well for the rest of his Career." That sort of business is a significant threat in "The World of Dirty Politics" as I'm sure we all know.

His meeting with Field Commanders & the Personal (Army, Present & Past) in Townsville recently, plus the media backlash from former Diggers on Social Media has convinced him to go against the Canberra Grain & stick with the Men/Women. Certainly a brave act to do in the present clime.

We'll just have to see how it plays out in Canberra now. I actually feel sorry for the chap. He is caught between a Rock & a Hard Place.

Foxy, I don't find opinions very helpful.
As you say you gave your opinion.
I on the other hand I gave an observation of the facts.
I alluded to the actual facts and not 'alleged' facts.
As we all know his record is according to the military or what I call the war office.
There are no actual accounts of his 'achievements' other than what we are told by a very secretive, by design, organisation.
I put these kinds of statements in the 'alleged', category.
So it is that your comments are based on your opinions and mine are based on a recently reported fact.
I hope this clarifies.

Dear ALTRAV,

No clarification is necessary.

I gave an opinion based on recorded facts.

You gave an observation of the facts. i.e. an opinion.

And I agree, that's not helpful at all.

The recorded facts (not my opinion) is that he man has
served with distinction both at the pointy end of military
operations in the field and in the corridors of bureaucratic
power in the national capital.

He has long known how to straddle the defence - politics fence
while maintaining a certain public reserve.

He graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon, in 1984.
He became Commander with the Special Air Service (SAS).
In the early years of this century he won his first high honour
A Member of the Order of Australia - for helping restore
order in East Timor when he commanded the 2nd battalion,
Royal Australian Regiment. He was afterwards chosen to
become Chief of Staff to the Chief of Defence Force -
General Peter Cosgrove (later Sir). He assumed responsibility
for ALL Australian forces serving in the Middle East -
including Afghanistan - his command earned him a Distinguished
Service Cross.

And there's many, many more facts (not opinions) on record
about the man. You can observe all you want. It doesn't change
the recorded facts.