Comments on: The Day I Ran Away To Join The Foreign Legion http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion Allan Cockerill writes... Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:23:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Allan http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion/comment-page-1#comment-188 Allan Sun, 16 Dec 2007 18:08:24 +0000 http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion#comment-188 Thanks for the comment Marilyn. It goes with out saying that soldiers from all countries would be suffering still, and that all countries share the responsibility! Politicians never learn. Thanks for the comment Marilyn.

It goes with out saying that soldiers from all countries would be suffering still, and that all countries share the responsibility!

Politicians never learn.

]]> By: marilyn robertson http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion/comment-page-1#comment-187 marilyn robertson Sun, 16 Dec 2007 18:00:31 +0000 http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion#comment-187 It was not only in Australia that vets were treated poorly - there are many many American vets who still can't sleep or function in life as it should be, and many 'abdicators' who came to Canada to stay safe and have chosen not to return, making new lives here - but always with the thoughts in their mind of what their mates went through. The Vietnam war left a blight on many countries - but the politicians do not seem to have learned from it. I am certain that this current war effort will leave many veterans in the same condition as the previous ones have, all over the world. Showing respect for those who have offered their lives for something they believe in is the very least we should do. It was not only in Australia that vets were treated poorly – there are many many American vets who still can’t sleep or function in life as it should be, and many ‘abdicators’ who came to Canada to stay safe and have chosen not to return, making new lives here – but always with the thoughts in their mind of what their mates went through. The Vietnam war left a blight on many countries – but the politicians do not seem to have learned from it. I am certain that this current war effort will leave many veterans in the same condition as the previous ones have, all over the world. Showing respect for those who have offered their lives for something they believe in is the very least we should do.

]]> By: Allan http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion/comment-page-1#comment-185 Allan Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:15:21 +0000 http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion#comment-185 Thanks Ric, As an Australian I'm proud of your service and thank you! I am ashamed of the response that the vets got on their return from the war, as I said in my post, it's the politicians that were responsible! Thanks Ric,

As an Australian I’m proud of your service and thank you!

I am ashamed of the response that the vets got on their return from the war, as I said in my post, it’s the politicians that were responsible!

]]> By: Ric Raftis http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion/comment-page-1#comment-184 Ric Raftis Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:57:35 +0000 http://allancockerill.com/history/the-day-i-ran-away-to-join-the-foreign-legion#comment-184 I joined the Army in October 1972 knowing full well I could have been sent to Vietnam. I served 3 years as a regular serviceman as opposed to a conscripted "Nasho". You are absolutely right when you say that "soldiers don't cause wars, politicians do." Soldiers only fight the wars on the behalf of the politicians irrespective of the validity of the war itself. The open rejection, disgust and demonstrations against returning servicemen from Vietnam is a disgraceful blight on Australia's history. It was not their fault they were there. Personally, I believe this very failure to recognize the contribution these soldiers made led many of them to the psychological problems experienced by quite a number today. Cheers, I joined the Army in October 1972 knowing full well I could have been sent to Vietnam. I served 3 years as a regular serviceman as opposed to a conscripted “Nasho”.

You are absolutely right when you say that “soldiers don’t cause wars, politicians do.” Soldiers only fight the wars on the behalf of the politicians irrespective of the validity of the war itself.

The open rejection, disgust and demonstrations against returning servicemen from Vietnam is a disgraceful blight on Australia’s history. It was not their fault they were there. Personally, I believe this very failure to recognize the contribution these soldiers made led many of them to the psychological problems experienced by quite a number today.

Cheers,

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