The family of an Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan on Sunday night says he joined the army because he wanted to help people.I thought the army is where you join up to kill people. I can think of many jobs that help people: doctors, nurses, police, politicians, dozens of different community groups like lifeline and the Salvos, even many religious groups supposedly try to help people. I do not oppose Australia's involvement in Afghanistan, but to emphasize a soldier's desire to help people by his going off and shooting people in Afghanistan seems somewhat bizarre.
I think it would be very helpful if people stopped referring to waging a war in a foreign country as 'defending this one'. This really sounds like political spin. Yes I know WWII was arguably different, but let's try to move with the times. I find it hard to believe that, since WWII, heading off overseas to join a conflict in any country has stopped any invasion of Australia. I would rather see the government here draw a line in the sand around Australia's borders, and get really tough on any imported troublemakers here, without getting too carried away with other countries' problems.Victorian Premier John Brumby paid tribute to Private Sher.
"I guess this is the price that families pay and that we all pay for defending Australia," he said.
