Why have 3 Australian soldiers been killed in the last 3 weeks?

Question

Why do we have to send our soldiers overseas when war is not a threat to us? My community has just lost an Australian soldier in Dili Timor. WHY? That is the question my son is asking tonight. The soldier in question was only 20

Answer 1

I am writing this without proof or validation , and I appologise in advance to the family , friends and collegues of the young serviceman in Dili.. if I am wrong in the assumption I am about to make....

I believe that the soldier's ( the one in Dili) death was self inflicted... there have been no other reports to indicate anything else happened.. apart from the initial reports that he was found with a gun wound. There has been no mention of anybody else being involved......

HOWEVER .. if THAT is the case and the soldier did indeed committ suicide the question begs to be asked ... WHAT emotional and phsycological support is being given to our troops .. what observations are being made to monitor the stability of the serving troops ?
They are being let down .

Answer 2

I'm very sorry for your loss, dear Tammy, and I can understand why you're so angry. Your son literally hit the nail on the head. Why do we send soldiers anywhere anyhow?

Either it's being done to bring order into a country and free its population (isn't it funny that these countries being saved, coincidentally always have oil resources of interest) or just to function as peacemakers (although nobody really called for help). But doing the latter, it's also taking sides. This is exactly what supposedly caused the stone throwing and more in Dili Timor.
Who is in charge of these decisions? Do these people ever ask the population living there? Did Bush do it when he started freeing the Iraques with his bombs? Who was killed and how old were the Iraque civilians who died during the bomb attacks?
Not really a nice issue to explain to a kid.
Do Australian soldiers have a chance to say "no" to being sent overseas? Do Australiens have the right to conscientious objection as they do in Germany? If so, they should do so in the first place. If not, then you can start singing "dear Mr. President"...

Answer 3

Soldiers aren't just for homeland defence. It serves the interests of Australia as a whole if they're deployed overseas to help others, even at risk. Besides building up the country's reputation and improving regional security and diplomatic relations, the experience gained by deployed servicemen is vital.

Besides, most other soldiers I know dream of an opportunity to deploy overseas. Volunteer servicemen are willing to take that risk and are usually quite happy to go.

Answer 4

Such a hard question from one who is Innocent of all these things to ask a parent, and yet even harder to answer it,

Why, is it so hard for men to find peace , instead of war,
And why do governments send such innocents into these things when they do not concern them, why can't men get along without war,

I grieve for the innocents because they are the most of innocents, while man has not changed in thousands of years of war, it is only when man finally admitts defeat that all wars lead to the question why, an even then they cannot give an innocent the answer to the question that they ask

Why do men hate so much, why do men wish to conquer others why, the list can go on and on.as there is no answer to a child who asks such answer to a mother why was my father killed and they cannot even answer their own child because they don't know how or why he or she may have been killed in such a place of where there is war.

Sometimes it pays to ask a government please explain to a child why did my father or mother die in such a place when we have no right to be there except for being in the army, navy, or airforce, see the man at the top is the government at this moment He is the one that should answer this and not put the blame to others.

Answer 5

I have worked with a variety of soldiers from different countries; Australia was one of them.

It is a necessary evil that the UK, USA and Australia use their military to control some of the worlds problems.

Those issues that seem like none of our business can get that way really quick. Look at 911 in the US and the German invasion in Europe. We cannot run and hide anymore.

As an Ex Marine and a free person I appreciate their sacrifice.

Answer 6

I believe the Australians are involved in Peace-Keeping / Peace Monitoring in that area all men are volunteers for the Mission.

The Irish Defence Forces Army Ranger Wing are serving alongside them in the region, and they are further from home.

I personally have served in South Lebanon with the U.N. even though I too am Irish, The Service In The Cause Of Peace is a worthy one.

From a military standpoint its common sense to fight against terrorist Muslim Fundamentalist before they get to your country or attack your citizens elsewhere, or have you forgotten the Bali Bombings so quick.??

May the fallen Australians who have recently given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and their comrades in WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam Rest In Peace.

Answer 7

its just bad luck that 3 were killed in the same week, i think we need to send our soldiers over seas because we have an obligation to help other countries in the pacific reason, by preventing further rioting in Timor hundreds of not thousands of lives were saved.

Answer 8

there have been so many lives lost in combat. it is very sad, i agree, and when i see on TV or hear of another soldier who has lost a life, to me it is not just another nameless, faceless person, theres a family out there that is forever changed and it hurts and scares me. i hope i dont have to tell my daughter or my son, that their brother is not coming home, or that their stepdad is not coming home, or one of their uncles are not coming home but I know that may happen. i also know that if it does that they sevred their country because thats what they chose to do and did it with pride. not one of them were forced to sign or re-up. they love what they, they are proud servicemen, and i am proud of them. i dont want to lose them. the answer is, he proudly chose to defend his country!

Answer 9

We're ususally deployed in peacekeeping or training missions, but lately our troops have come under direct fire - because the battlegrounds have changed and where we are posted is no longer a safe zone.

Answer 10

Its war...if Australia dont help in war then next 9/11 will be in it