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locutius

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Perspective
Nov 13^th, 2008 at 4:57pm

Some mates and I were having a bit of a military chinwag the other day, Rememberance Day and all.

I was reminded of a TV series that was on in the 80's I think. It was called WAR and narrated by the author of the book with the same name. Gwyen Dyer I think his name was. One of the best documentaries on human conflict I had seen.

He begins the the series standing on the field of the Battle of Watterloo. He says that on this field, an area of only a few square miles the carnage was the equivalent to crashing a fully loaded jumbo jet (about 450+ people) into this field every five minutes for 8 hours.

That evening, as Wellington was walking the field through the moans of the wounded and dying he remarked that " There is only one thing worse than victory. Defeat "

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I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.

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easel Gold Member Offline Posts: 3120	Re: Perspective Reply #1 - Nov 13^th, 2008 at 5:00pm War sucks. To quote an old soldier, Quote: I was one of the lucky ones, I never went to war.
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Sprintcyclist Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 40780 Gender:	Re: Perspective Reply #2 - Nov 13^th, 2008 at 6:38pm yes , I am lucy too. never been to war. I doubt there'ld be much glory in a battle.
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NorthOfNorth

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Re: Perspective
Reply #3 - Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

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Conviction is the art of being certain

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tallowood

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Re: Perspective
Reply #4 - Nov 14^th, 2008 at 8:54pm

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

It doesn't matter what they think rather it matters what we think about how war should be conducted. If you pull a gun you must use it or don't pull it at all.

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ישראל חיה ערבים לערבים

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NorthOfNorth

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Re: Perspective
Reply #5 - Nov 14^th, 2008 at 9:36pm

tallowood wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 8:54pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

It doesn't matter what they think rather it matters what we think about how war should be conducted. If you pull a gun you must use it or don't pull it at all.

Afghanis are no strangers to bearing arms. They have a long history of it. And it seems a passion for fighting invaders that doesn't decline with age.

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Conviction is the art of being certain

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tallowood

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Re: Perspective
Reply #6 - Nov 14^th, 2008 at 9:43pm

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 9:36pm:

tallowood wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 8:54pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

It doesn't matter what they think rather it matters what we think about how war should be conducted. If you pull a gun you must use it or don't pull it at all.

Afghanis are no strangers to bearing arms. They have a long history of it. And it seems a passion for fighting invaders that doesn't decline with age.

Nevertheless they were kicked by Mongols and Macedonians because they weren't hold back by politicians.

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ישראל חיה ערבים לערבים

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Mademoiselle

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Re: Perspective
Reply #7 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:04pm

tallowood wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 8:54pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

It doesn't matter what they think rather it matters what we think about how war should be conducted. If you pull a gun you must use it or don't pull it at all.

It always matters what they think. What doesn't matter because how easily it can become irrelevant is how much we think and plan.

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Mademoiselle

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Re: Perspective
Reply #8 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:07pm

tallowood wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 9:43pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 9:36pm:

tallowood wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 8:54pm:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Nov 14^th, 2008 at 7:24pm:

Interesting journo, that Gwynne Dyer. Just listened to an excerpt from "The Mess They Made"... The last lines on why Afghanistan is a lost cause to the west (as evidenced by its long history of victory over invaders) was obvious but poignant... "It doesn't matter what we think we're there for, its what they think we're there for that matters... And they think we're invaders".

It doesn't matter what they think rather it matters what we think about how war should be conducted. If you pull a gun you must use it or don't pull it at all.

Afghanis are no strangers to bearing arms. They have a long history of it. And it seems a passion for fighting invaders that doesn't decline with age.

Nevertheless they were kicked by Mongols and Macedonians because they weren't hold back by politicians.

And the decendents of those Mongols were forever treated like slaves

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freediver Gold Member Offline www.ozpolitic.com Posts: 49509 At my desk.	Re: Perspective Reply #9 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:22pm So they can still tell them apart?
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Mademoiselle New Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 27	Re: Perspective Reply #10 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:33pm oohhhh yes indeed!
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muso Gold Member Offline Posts: 13151 Gladstone, Queensland Gender:	Re: Perspective Reply #11 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:47pm just curious - are you French?
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Mademoiselle New Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 27	Re: Perspective Reply #12 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:56pm No. But I am a lady...
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muso Gold Member Offline Posts: 13151 Gladstone, Queensland Gender:	Re: Perspective Reply #13 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:59pm Mademoiselle wrote on Nov 15^th, 2008 at 6:56pm: No. But I am a lady... - and a civilized one at that. That is very evident in your posts
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Mademoiselle New Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 27	Re: Perspective Reply #14 - Nov 15^th, 2008 at 7:03pm why thank you! Great minds think alike Ok, we sound like narsusistic now haha
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