An Oath Is Still An Oath....
Much as it goes against the grain to pander too much to one person's opinion in my blog, (other than my own of course), I felt I should voice my opinions on a specific issue following my friend Shaun's pasting of this link in answer to my earlier post:
The Soldier Who Didn't Want to Fight...
Joe Glenton, according to the article seems to think that having made an oath to fight for Queen and Country, he then gets to pick and choose which conflicts that oath applies to. Instead of fulfilling his duty as agreed, under no duress upon commencing his role as a soldier, he thinks it's ok to wave his own personal flag and take him self off on a little holiday instead.
Here is the news. This man is not a brave figure standing up for the rights of the common man. He is a man who has chosen to let down his friends, his regiment and his nation by going back on his word.
An oath is still the same now as it was a thousand years ago. The meaning of the word has not changed, nor has the spirit in which it is intended when one swears it. You do not give up you right to free thought and individuality when you join the forces. However you do give up the right to decide on which conflicts you will take part in. That is the basic cornerstone of a volunteer military system. There can be absolutely no trust in a military force to defend it's nation if the individuals within that force cannot be trusted to act as one as they have all agreed to do upon signing up.
Joe Glenton has the right to complain. It is a soldiers right to do so as the old saying goes. He does not have the right to waste thousands of pounds of tax-payers money in training him, only to decide unilaterally that any particular conflict does not suit him or his politics.
Far from being a brave individual as my friend Shaun describes him, Joe Glenton is a deserter. Nothing more and nothing less.
The Soldier Who Didn't Want to Fight...
Joe Glenton, according to the article seems to think that having made an oath to fight for Queen and Country, he then gets to pick and choose which conflicts that oath applies to. Instead of fulfilling his duty as agreed, under no duress upon commencing his role as a soldier, he thinks it's ok to wave his own personal flag and take him self off on a little holiday instead.
Here is the news. This man is not a brave figure standing up for the rights of the common man. He is a man who has chosen to let down his friends, his regiment and his nation by going back on his word.
An oath is still the same now as it was a thousand years ago. The meaning of the word has not changed, nor has the spirit in which it is intended when one swears it. You do not give up you right to free thought and individuality when you join the forces. However you do give up the right to decide on which conflicts you will take part in. That is the basic cornerstone of a volunteer military system. There can be absolutely no trust in a military force to defend it's nation if the individuals within that force cannot be trusted to act as one as they have all agreed to do upon signing up.
Joe Glenton has the right to complain. It is a soldiers right to do so as the old saying goes. He does not have the right to waste thousands of pounds of tax-payers money in training him, only to decide unilaterally that any particular conflict does not suit him or his politics.
Far from being a brave individual as my friend Shaun describes him, Joe Glenton is a deserter. Nothing more and nothing less.
posted by Stevie at 8:13 am
5 Comments:
Ha. Needless to say we'll have to agree to disagree.
I'd imagine most soldiers sign up to to defend their countries not embark on imperialist adventures for oil or territorial advantage. This soldier drew the line at being used as a pawn in US power games and for that I salute him wholeheartedly.
it's called exercising free will as well, something I thought you'd be all in favour of? You know, having the capacity to think for yourself and not blindly follow orders.
As I said mate, one signs away that particular free will, not all free will. It's about honour, standing by an oath, sticking to one's sworn word.
Things that seem sadly lacking these days, but that should nonetheless be adhered to if one swears to something.
If he felt so strongly why has it taken nearly three years of accepting a wage while on a jolly in Australia & Thailand before speaking up?
Sounds like he's bricked it and is using the very vocal left wing "it's illegal" angle to come across as some kind of hero.
I guarantee every soldier out there will be questioning the war, yet they still get on with the job they signed on to do. Thats what the jobs all about.
In years gone past he'd have been given a white feather.
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