East Timor Peace-Keepers

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Clay Kesting

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In the past, when troops from the US have been heading to the world's trouble spots, there have been messages of support on this forum. Although there are not many Australian members here, I would like to follow this tradition by sending my best wishes to the Australian troops leading the peace keeping force in East Timor. These fellows are going into a very hostile situation as the relationship between Australia and Indonesia is deteriorating rapidly. Yesterday the Indonesian government cancelled a security arrangement with Australia over our actions during the crisis in East Timor, they expected us to keep quiet and let them follow their "scorched earth" policy with impunity.

As a result of all this, there are fears that the Australian troops are going to be singled out for reprisals, there have even been threats that one Australian soldier will be killed each day by the militia. There is the also a large Indonesian army presence on the ground and there is considerable uncertainty as to how they will react to the peace-keeping force, since it is clear that the military have aided and abetted the militia in the past.

So, to all the troops in the peace-keeping force, both from Australia and the other countries involved, stay safe and return soon to those who love you. The world and the displaced people of East Timor salute you.



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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.



[This message has been edited by Clay Kesting (edited 16 September 1999).]
 
Fine words Clay.

The Australian armed forces have always served our country well and I believe that they will continue to do so.

This will be a dangerous deployment for the Peacekeepers, between the Militas and the Indon. army they will be caught between two hostile forces.

Good luck guys, our hopes go with you.

Andre


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"The thorn stands to protect the rose, yet it is peaceful and seeks no conflict."



[This message has been edited by Andre Simpson (edited 16 September 1999).]
 
Good thoughts for all our Australian brothers going into harms way.

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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2 1998


 
Clay,

I believe I'm correct in saying that the Australians have always been fully supportive of US missions of this type. Unfortunately too few of we Yanks remember that. I know we're providing some logistical support for East Timor and I hope its enough for our Aussie friends. We're stretched pretty thin right now with all the places we've got forces doing peace keeping or humanitarian duty. There have been some rather distasteful incidents as well. I pray your countryman escape all the pitfalls, complete their mission quickly, and come back home early and all in one piece.

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-=[Bob Allman]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

BFC member since 3 Oct 98
AKTI membership pending
VHA and NRA member

 
When a man hath no freedom to fight for at home,
Let him combat for that of his neighbours;
Let him think of the glories of Greece and of Rome,
And get knocked on the head for his labours.

To do good to mankind is the chivalrous plan,
And is always as nobly requited;
Then battle for freedom wherever you can,
And, if not shot or hanged, you'll get knighted.
-- Lord Byron
Click to expand...

Stay safe, guys.

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Cheers,

--+Brian+--




[This message has been edited by bcaffrey (edited 16 September 1999).]
 
I think of those in the armed forces often. I have a friend in SF who has seen some serious duty lately. He did tell me Peace Keeping duty sucks. The troops pulling the duty are almost always in a no win situation. Many times they're in a place where neither side wants them, so they can't really trust anyone. The image of this duty is one of no or low intensity. I have been told that there is usually a lot of fighting going on that isn't always reported.

My friend had the chance to train with the Australian SAS, I believe he said they were SAS. Anyway, he said they were some real kick ass guys and easily rank at the top as some of the best Special Forces in the world. He said the standard Australian troops are very high speed as well.

I will be keeping the Aussies and other PeaceKeepers in my thoughts. God Bless them.




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Paranoia is only smart thinking
when everyone is out to get you.


 
smile.gif
Mandatory knife reference to keep this thread in the Blade forum and not community or politics:

Clay - Would you be able to look up a contact through which I or anybody else could send a useful sharp object to an Australian soldier in East Timor? Something terribly tactical, or something as "PC" as a Leatherman, depending.

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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001


[This message has been edited by James Mattis (edited 17 September 1999).]
 
Thanks James, I'll see what I can find.

Thanks for your well wishes to everyone else who has responded. All I can do is hold these guys in my thoughts but it just doesn't seem enough.

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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

 
Good thread, Clay.
Have to admit that I am afraid for our blokes....and proud.
Sometimes, the UN does the right thing......eventually.




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Brian W E
ICQ #21525343
Money : spend it before it's all gone

 
As with others in similar positions, I will be holding these selfless people in the Light of God.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh


 
No offense, and with all due respect, what has this got to do with blades? Aren't knife topics supposed to be in this section of Bladeforums?

Peacekeepers? That's a laugh. There's no such thing. Anywhere the socialist UN sends it's troops, it is a war effort. If there was peace to keep, there would be no need to invade sovereign nations. Maybe they should be called peace establishers. Of course that wouldn't be politically correct and might offend the Clintonistas. Amerika should get out of the UN, NOW! (Next time I'll tell you how I really feel).
 
Hansen,

I will happily discuss the politics of the East Timor situation in the thread I started some days ago in the Poitical Arena. However I would suggest you first do some homework as your post suggests that you have little understanding of the plight of the East Timorese. As to the relevance of the thread to this forum, I posted here because this forum gets the most traffic and I wanted to give as many members as possible an opportunity to respond. As I already said, there have been similar threads here before but it is the moderators perogitive to move it if they think fit and of course I would raise no objection.


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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

 
Sorry Clay,
I just hate scrolling down a long list of topics to find out that there are topics in that list shouldn't of even been there in the first place (I guess you could call it a pet peeve of mine). I think it is wrong of you to state that if the moderators want to move this post, then let them - but since I want as many people to see this as possible, I will post it wherever I want. That in essence, is what you stated. If this topic is being discussed elsewhere, then that's where it should be - in a political forum. I could come up with about a hundred very important topics to discuss, that have nothing to do with knives, but I would place them in their appropriate forums.
Peace,
Dennis Hansen
 
Good one, Dennis.
And you have added several more non-knife posts to the off-topic thread....A pet peeve of mine
smile.gif

Like Clay said ...there is a tradition of posts such as his. You are the first to complain.



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Brian W E
ICQ #21525343
Money : spend it before it's all gone

 
Dennis,

This thread started as one where we could post our well wishes for our Australian friends. As such, it was as appropriate as threads asking for ICQ numbers, age of forumites, favorite blade, etc. There have also been precedents as Clay cited. How about the threads of concern over those in Floyd's path earlier this week? This thread as originally posted wasn't of a specific nature matching any specialized forum. It fits here just fine as this has been our general catch all place historically.

Clay also had the foresight to start a thread about the merits of this East Timor expedition over in the Politics Forum. That would be the correct place to engage and express opinions about what's happened, is happening, and might happen
smile.gif
!

Understand I'm simply clarifying my perspective as both a long time member and now as a moderator. Please do not take this as criticism or any other form of rebuke. My comments are meant only to clarify and frankly solicit your contributions in the Politics Forum as I have a sneaky suspicion that you may be a catalyst for some interesting exchanges
smile.gif
!!!

Clay,

Just heard that in addition to the logistics support about 200 members of the 3rd MarDiv out of Okinawa are going to be there side by side with your blokes.

James,

Very generous sentiments on your part. Depending on what Clay and our other Australian forumites discover regarding "presento" policy, perhaps a new thread ala the Kysa effort might be warrented. Just a thought
smile.gif
.

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-=[Bob Allman]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

BFC member since 3 Oct 98
AKTI membership pending
VHA and NRA member


[This message has been edited by bald1 (edited 17 September 1999).]
 
Over on the HI forum, the owner, a former gurkha, expressed these sentiments when asked about defensive use of a khurkuri:

"My prayer is you and you sons -- or any of us -- will never have to use your khukuris as weapons."

A recent comment on the news is that it begins to look as if the UN forces are less likely to be peaceKEEPERS initially as had been hoped, and more likely to have to MAKE peace out of the situation. How very sad.
 
Just an administrative note . . .

There's a thread in the Politics forum for comments on the politics of the East Timor operation.

I assume that we all wish a safe return to the soldiers who are going there, and also an end to the horrors of war and misrule for the people who have to live there.

Now, if Clay or anybody else can make the right contacts, to let us donate some sharp objects to one or more deserving soldiers, I'll put up a Fallkniven A1, or something else, if something else would fit in better.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
Peace Keepers??? There is no such thing. How about...WAR MAKERS. Now that sounds much more appropriate. I do not understand as to how ANYONE could be supportive of UN MURDER OPERATIONS. There is no such thing as "sovereign" nations anymore dut to the fact that ALL the nations have signed over their sovereignty via treaty to the United Nations. I love the delusion...
 
Peace Keepers??? There is no such thing. How about...WAR MAKERS. Now that sounds much more appropriate. I do not understand as to how ANYONE could be supportive of UN MURDER OPERATIONS. There is no such thing as "sovereign" nations anymore due to the fact that ALL the nations have signed over their sovereignty via treaty to the United Nations. I love the delusion...
 
Because of the extreme volatility of this situation, my hopes and prayers are that all troops "logistical support", "peacekeepers" and any others going to East Timor are not walking into a buzz saw and that they will all come home safely.
 
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