Kiwi soldier killed in Afghanistan. RIP

[shrub]

I think we need to recognise police officers who die in the line of duty as heroes too, and flags at half mast would be entirely appropriate.

The difference between Lt O'Donnell and the young surfer is that Lt O'Donnell was a soldier serving his country doing a dangerous and hard job whereas the young surfer was a holiday maker.

[Paul in NZ]

I see unless you tow the RIP line you can't post your opinion, I expressed my opinion, including a fairly detailed explanation, its my opinion, this is in Rant or Rave and directly applicable to the topic. Not sure why you have the need to have my post removed because I have expressed a contry opinion, more so a more encompassing argument of the death of a young person no matter what they may be doing. I have done some considerable reading on the Afghanistan situation and MY conclusion is that like the Iraq conflict it appears the American interpretation regarding these conflicts seems to prevail - Either you support us (USA) and thus are for us or if you don't agree or question the reasons behind the allied forces becoming involved in support of America you are against us. There doesn't seem to be room for debate.

There is always room for debate but if you knowingly take a controversial position you cannot surely be amazed at a negative response?

Like it or lump it, america is taking the lead in the fight against terrorisim. Questioning the right or wrong of this is perfectly fair but as always with issues of civil or interational disorder, at some point we all need to choose / decide where we stand and where our line in the sand exists. In this matter it is both our law enforcement people and our military that risk all on our behalf.

Thomas jefferson declared 'Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.' Ultimately - in our democracy your elected goverment decides the details of law and military deployment on our behalf. You right is to elect them and protest an issues you dont like.

However - it is churlish and to me distasteful to use the death of a seemingly fine young man to make some kind of point.

A more positive approach might be to start an RIP thread for fallen Police officers who are as you point out also risking life an limb in our service.

However - we need to be mindful that military service is more than a job. Be you a pacifist or a hawk we should all be thankful that young men and women have placed their lives on the line to provide us with the opportunity to life our life in safety and warmth and not in a shit hole like afghanistan. RIP young soldier and thank you for your service.

I write this surrounded by my family and grandsons hoping that they will have the courage to stand if they are called and the good fortune to not be needed....

A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have. ~ Theodore Roosevelt ~

[phill-k]

There is always room for debate but if you knowingly take a controversial position you cannot surely be amazed at a negative response?

Like it or lump it, america is taking the lead in the fight against terrorisim. Questioning the right or wrong of this is perfectly fair but as always with issues of civil or interational disorder, at some point we all need to choose / decide where we stand and where our line in the sand exists. In this matter it is both our law enforcement people and our military that risk all on our behalf.

Thomas jefferson declared 'Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.' Ultimately - in our democracy your elected goverment decides the details of law and military deployment on our behalf. You right is to elect them and protest an issues you dont like.

However - it is churlish and to me distasteful to use the death of a seemingly fine young man to make some kind of point.

A more positive approach might be to start an RIP thread for fallen Police officers who are as you point out also risking life an limb in our service.

However - we need to be mindful that military service is more than a job. Be you a pacifist or a hawk we should all be thankful that young men and women have placed their lives on the line to provide us with the opportunity to life our life in safety and warmth and not in a shit hole like afghanistan. RIP young soldier and thank you for your service.

I write this surrounded by my family and grandsons hoping that they will have the courage to stand if they are called and the good fortune to not be needed....

A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have. ~ Theodore Roosevelt ~

What a crock of shit man, I am not taking a controversial point of view I as a free man am expressing my own point of view, you don't have to agree but I have a right to express my own thoughts. The post was not antagonistic, but pointing out that another NZer also lost his life this week following his dream. In my eyes his loss to those that knew him is every bit as great as the soldier. I feel for both families equally, but I'm not going into print to offer worthless expressions for those I do not know. l actually have the intelligence to decipher bullshit, unlike those that don't have the brains or courage to stand up for their belief, don't call me a pacifist nor hawk, I come from a family where we were encouraged to grow and express our thoughts, oh and my father was a very senior commissioned officer in the Army, and decorated as well.
I don't much like the way NZ celebrates, its military and other mistakes - ANZAC day, Waitangi Day, the death of a soldier, airman who make a flying mistake, which necessitate the PM returning from a very important trade mission in the middle east, because it looks good. Take the USA, they celebrate victories, independence day, thanksgiving day, you won't see American soldiers celebrate Vietnam or their other disasters, like Iraq.
Oh by the way I represent and American Co in NZ, thankfully our CEO is Canadian.
We in NZ don't have a national celebration of all that is good here and we need it, positive reinforcement of the multitudes, not continual negative.
As you gather the grandchildren around you to think of mindless following of another country on a mission, be thankful for those that swim against the flow expressing well thought out argument, for in History it is those that have challenged, fought against the mindless many that have had a true effect on History. NZ Women protesting for the right to vote, long before such action was ever considered elsewhere in the world. Do we celebrate this momentous piece of NZ history - NO
Feel free to follow the American lead on Terrorism, its a bit like the great weapons off mass destruction. Whilst you think of this also consider why Bin Laden is still running around free, but we won't go into that shell we, because that is going off post.

[Paul in NZ]

Phil you feel strongly about this but I think you may have mis interpretted what I was trying to say - fair enough, lots of people do. I'm not fussed, I expect you would probably disagree with anything I'd say .....

[Mom]

Rest In Peace young man. My condolences to his whanau and his military family. Sad times for them.

[_Shrek_]

I've been wondering how long before the RIPer's would start posting.

This guy died doing the job he was employed to do, in NZ we have a number of workers killed every year but we don't fly flags at half mast for them. This supposed conflict is an Americanism as a result of their intelligence from the 9/11 incident. If you buy into the conflict remembering that years previously the CIA funded the Taliban then you perhaps should express a little more sympathy for the mans family than the family of the surfer murdered in Bali. He by all accounts was a great guy, had a love of surfing and followed his dreams. His parents are going through every bit as much as the soldiers, but will be getting minimal support from our government agencies. We have had recently a number of deaths involving Police Officers, these guys put their lives on the line right here in NZ for you and I, but the PM doesn't ring their parents or partners, we don't fly flags at half mast, and spend most of the news hour analyzing the situation.
I don't apologize for my position, the loss of this young mans life is no more significant than the loss of any young life.

while I agree with some of your post phil, I would point out how ever while it was his choice of work/career he still died for this country, so that the rest of us can carry on with our lives in the hope that Terrorism does not end up here

as an ex serviceman I thank him for his service & his family for rearing a man that willingly gave his life for us. cheers

RIP Lt O'Donnell

[phill-k]

Shriek & Paul, I won't continue on with this philosophical debate, but do acknowledge both your comments and positions

thankyou.

[Patrick]

This guy died doing the job he was employed to do, in NZ we have a number of workers killed every year but we don't fly flags at half mast for them.

Probably because they did stupid shit?

This guy is a hero, in the firing line, on behalf of his country.

NZ Police flag is to be flown at half mast today at all cop shops around the country. Unsure about other Govt departments, but they should be. And rightly so......

[oldrider]

while I agree with some of your post phil, I would point out how ever while it was his choice of work/career he still died for this country, so that the rest of us can carry on with our lives in the hope that Terrorism does not end up here

as an ex serviceman I thank him for his service & his family for rearing a man that willingly gave his life for us. cheers

RIP Lt O'Donnell

Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for a friend!

Thank you Lt O'Donnell, I am proud to be but one of those fortunate friends.

On a lighter note, while serving in the Merchant Navy and doing cabin inspection with the captain.

The ships Cook had a notice above his bunk.

Greater love hath no man than he who gives his bum for his chum!

Different strokes for different folks I guess!

[phill-k]

Probably because they did stupid shit?

This guy is a hero, in the firing line, on behalf of his country.

NZ Police flag is to be flown at half mast today at all cop shops around the country. Unsure about other Govt departments, but they should be. And rightly so......

I'd say he might just have been doing stupid shit too - I mean he got himself killed right? - Just like the cops in Christchurch were doing stupid shit when they got themselves shot.

Before all you blindly patriotic people jump on me for the above I have to say I get pissed off with people who make such stupid inane comments such as yours about workers who die probably cause they did stupid shit.

If you can't debate a topic with intelligence don't bother quoting me and wasting my time.

As for the flags flying at half mast, three different services being held around the country, politicians including the PM out there so they can be photographed, who probably don't even know the guys name, nor where and why he was killed its sad.

Bring on the red bling but don't bother quoting me unless you actually can add constructively to this, mean we don't want to offend all the RIPer's do we.

[oldrider]

Is it over "yet", I keep thinking of the boys that served in Vietnam and what a raw deal they got from Clark and company, dead or alive!

This country really sucks for populist consistency!

[Swoop]

Respect to the fallen.

A combat zone is just that, and IED's have been a scourge in Iraq and now Afganistan. A shame a kiwi soldier died from this sort of warfare, but when you are dealing with terrorist scum, that is the game they prefer.

Lt O'Donnell can rest in peace having served his country well.

[portokiwi]

RIP Lt O'Donnell
It was good that he got the full millitary honours,
He died a soldier trying to help provide peace in Afghanistan.
I am amazed that he is our first.
Kia Kaha ONWARDS RNZIR

[Patrick]

I'd say he might just have been doing stupid shit too - I mean he got himself killed right? - Just like the cops in Christchurch were doing stupid shit when they got themselves shot.

Before all you blindly patriotic people jump on me for the above I have to say I get pissed off with people who make such stupid inane comments such as yours about workers who die probably cause they did stupid shit.

If you can't debate a topic with intelligence don't bother quoting me and wasting my time.

As for the flags flying at half mast, three different services being held around the country, politicians including the PM out there so they can be photographed, who probably don't even know the guys name, nor where and why he was killed its sad.

Bring on the red bling but don't bother quoting me unless you actually can add constructively to this, mean we don't want to offend all the RIPer's do we.

You compared this soldier, possibly to someone who did "stupid shit" and died on the job in war free ole NZ, in an inane comment. It was replied to in kind.

He was "there" on behalf of his government and country, trying to make peace, in a dangerous zone that he had no say or control over, unlike someone taking avoidable shortcuts and risks in little ole NZ, which was thepoint I was allouding to....

As for the cop comment - THAT was very "unintelligent" on your part.....

But this isn't a debate. This is a thread of respect to the fallen LT.