What the fuck do we know about it mate, we've only been there. Some of these people have read things in the paper, some have even seen pictures on the TV. We can't compare with knowledge like that.
I think you have a whole lot of experiences, knowledge, understanding, thoughts and emotions that i cannot even begin to comprehend. i think of all the disagreements we have had on these boards I have never once claimed that my knowledge or experience is greater than yours.
However, that does not, in my humble opinion, mean that my considered view of things is any more or less valid than yours. In this case you have an experience of the armed forces, or war, and of its effects on civilians, on servicemen and women which I do not have - I accept that, and as you also know I am more than willing to listen, consider and learn. our view is your view - there are lots of people who have been through similair things to you, but have different views about the same situation - they have reached a different conclusion. not everyone who goes through the same comes out of it with the same view.
But i am not willing to be drummed out of the arguement just because you were there and have sincerley held views. as one of my favourite quotes says
"i am not willing to accept somebody elses opinion just because they are sincerly held. the nazi's sincerely hated the jews, they werent kidding. i"m not respecting their fucking ideas just because they were deeply held.......I think people have the right to believe in anything they want, no matter how ridiculous it might be. But i don't believe in their right to coerce others into the same views. And I don't accept any right they might think they might have not to have their views challenged just because they are going to feel peeved in the process"
My views are from afar, i have not been to war. but quite simply I think this war is wrong. i think it is unjust, and I think that it is awful that working class men and women are dying for a cause which is cynical and profit led. thats why i feel strongly. i hated SH, i hate bush, i hate a system which sees human life as expendable for profit. I do not want a single more person to die in the war. In my view bush does not care about the oppression under which the iraq population were living, he is not interested in improving their conditions of life.
When we understand the crisis the american economy is anticipating we understand the need for the war.
I am sorry for the people who think they are liberators bringing freedom. I know davlad know how shabbily the MOD and the british state take care of forces personel, he has spkone about it passionatly on here. but from easter island to the first gulf war and all around it has alwatys been the same
"Ah but when the sky darkens and the prospect is war
They'll give us a gun and push us to the fore
And expect us to die for the land of our birth
Although we never owned one handful of earth
We're the first ones to starve, the first ones to die
The first ones in line for that pie in the sky
And we're always the last when the cream is shared out
For the workers working when the fat cat's about"
