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Message of Sheikh Haron to Australian troops which returned home from Iraq

 

In the name of God

Majority of Australians would spit on troops that went to Iraq!

I’ve read in the news that: Brisbane turned it on for Australia's Iraq veterans in the biggest military welcome home parade since World War II. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson joined thousands lining the city's streets to pay tribute to some 700 troops, marking the end of three years of combat duty in southern Iraq. Defence personnel estimate as many as 10,000 people gave a rousing reception to the soldiers who served with the Al Muthanna Task Group, the Overwatch Battle Group-West and the Australian Army training team in Iraq. The army band played Waltzing Matilda as well-wishers cheered, waved flags and placards as the troops marched to a civic reception at city hall where Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thanked them for a magnificent job. "Today the Australian nation says thank you to you the men and women of the Australian Defence Force," he said. "Freedom is not for free - freedom comes at a price and you are our front line in the defence of our freedom."

Also I’ve read that: Brigadier Steve Day, commander of the 7th Brigade at Enoggera, said the welcome home parade would recognise the difference made in Iraq by the battle groups and other soldiers. "These men (who returned at the weekend) went there six or seven months ago to work in southern Iraq, which is a dangerous place, and it is a better place today for the six or seven months of hard toil that the boys have put in," Brigadier Day said. "Every Australian can be proud of the job our soldiers have done. The boys are coming home, of course, because the Government has said the game is up and as all good soldiers we do as our Government tells us to do - the job is over."

As a small soldier I have a message for the Australian troops which returned home from Iraq:

Welcome back home! I am very happy you have returned home and you are peacefully with your family and friends away from any war and violence. Welcome home! However, there few issues I would like to remind you:

Prime Minister Mr. Kevin Rudd has told you: “Today the Australian nation says thank you to you the men and women of the Australian Defence Force”.  This comment is not true because majority of the Australians were against your presence in Iraq, so one of the main reasons they voted for Mr. Kevin Rudd’s party because your return to Australia was a Labor election promise.

 

It seems Mr. Kevin Rudd has forgot why he won in the election 2007. It seems the Prime Minister pretends he doesn’t know the majority of Australians are against Australian troops being in Iraq and they never say “thank you” to troops for occupying Iraq without approval of the United Nations. I also want to correct the wrong comment of Brigadier Day who said: "Every Australian can be proud of the job our soldiers have done”. The correct one is: “The minority of the Australians might be proud of the job our soldiers have done”.  Someone who was one of the Australian authorities told me that the majority of Australians are so angry of the troops that even they would spit on the grave of the mothers of the Australian soldiers in Iraq if they had any! I was surprised by this statement and I asked what he meant by “if they had any”? I didn’t like his statement, and I believe that the Australians should understand that if a soldier has followed her/his commander to commit an evil act, it’s not the fault of the mother, and we should not insult the mother of the soldiers. It has been the soldiers’ decision, not their mothers’ decision, so if they are that angry that they want to spit, they should spit on the soldiers themselves not on the grave of their mothers. However I don’t agree with anyone who spit on any person or anything.

I am trying to remind you that the people who were happy with you in the ceremony and called you “hero” are the minority of the Australians. If the troops doesn’t remember this fact, they will be confused and they will be encouraged to obey the wrong orders of the commanders again in the future in a similar case, but if the troops are aware of the reality that majority of Australians are disappointed, if in the future they face a similar condition they will not follow the wrong orders which will jeopardise national interests of Australia even if they end up going to jail. I am trying to remind you that you are in such a condition that majority would spit on you that you have occupied Iraq for a long time.

I hope in the future you don’t face such a case, and I hope you all live peacefully with your family at home. May God guide all of us including those politicians who first think about their personal interests then they think about national interests of our country, Australia. Amen.

Kind regards,

Sheikh Haron

Sydney, Australia

30th June 2008