Don’t they look sombre? I wonder what they’re thinking behind their
masks (Julia is probably wondering if her hair is in place while Tony
is likely hatching plots to initiate an early election).
Friends, all around the world so-called democratic Governments are ignoring the wishes of the folk who elected them. This has become quite fashionable.
In Australia, polls constantly show that the majority of Australians do not want us to be militarily involved in Afghanistan. Does the Government care? Not one bit! In other countries like America and Britain, the same thing applies. Governments are not respecting the voters. In fact, they treat them with contempt and go about their killing as if they were totalitarian regimes.
Four Australian soldiers have been killed over the past few weeks. Their deaths were announced by sombre military chiefs at press conferences. There was time taken in Parliament to show regret. There were ceremonies held in Afghanistan, ramp ceremonies held when the planes carrying the bodies touched down in Australia, burial services attended by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Opposition Leader (see above) and weeping relatives and friends, lots of speeches about how heroic X or Y was, how they were loved by their mates, how the country worships the outstanding bravery and sacrifice, how the world will be a better place because of the deaths of such warriors who will never be forgotten. Yeah!
Of course, the families involved will never forget those who became cannon fodder. The politicians will forget within hours and they will continue to recite their mantra about staying the course (which translates into following American imperialism wherever it ventures) and get on with planning their next military foray.
