Comments on: Five-hour delay for wounded Australians http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:14:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: John http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/#comment-19366 John Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-19366 Bernard,<br /><br />The ADF also need to be asked why casualties (on intravenous) were evacuated by road from the Baluchi Pass 6-7 weeks ago? Why?...no AME available. This problem was evident before SIG McCarthy died and has continued to be a problem.<br /><br />Why is the ADF obfuscating behind the veil of operational security when it is evident the problem is one of inadequate AME located at Tarin Kowt? <br /><br />Are the ADF weighing up the cost of AME compared to the risk of losing more lives? <br /><br />How many more casualties need to be put at increased risk because they are continually relying on AME from Kandahar Air Field when the SINGLE AME helicopter at Tarin Kowt is unavailable?<br /><br />ADF = Amateur Defence Force Bernard,

The ADF also need to be asked why casualties (on intravenous) were evacuated by road from the Baluchi Pass 6-7 weeks ago? Why?…no AME available. This problem was evident before SIG McCarthy died and has continued to be a problem.

Why is the ADF obfuscating behind the veil of operational security when it is evident the problem is one of inadequate AME located at Tarin Kowt?

Are the ADF weighing up the cost of AME compared to the risk of losing more lives?

How many more casualties need to be put at increased risk because they are continually relying on AME from Kandahar Air Field when the SINGLE AME helicopter at Tarin Kowt is unavailable?

ADF = Amateur Defence Force

]]> By: Venise Alstergren http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/#comment-19367 Venise Alstergren Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-19367 I must have been in Patagonia when this Australian involvement in Afghanistan happened. Yes, I was, now that I think of it. So may I ask why Australians are in a country that has traditionally beaten off every one of it's aggressors? The Brits, not once but thrice. The Russians, not once but twice, the Americans, well they never win anything these days. WTF are our troops doing, fighting an impossible opponent, in terrain that only an Afghan could love. Where the fields are little more than rubble, and which ceased supporting even goats, years ago. Opium poppies are about the only crop which could grow there. What does the collective genius of America, and her satrapies (AUSTRALIIA naturally, being one of them) imagine the cash crop is that can replace poppies? Thistles? Perhaps all the drug agencies could get off their fat, well larded, soaked with martinis, uber wealthy, chauffeur-driven luxury cars and SVUs, pent house flats and luxury mansions in the Avenue Foch, arse's; do a little real work (and don't give me that cr*p about UNAIDS getting all the money that's rightfully yours) and actually try to think of some other use that poppies can be put to besides Opium? Give up? Well try not hanging onto the massive amounts of American money which (thanks to George Bush's moralistic vapourings) is deemed to be unable to be used because it isn't moral to discuss, let alone give the taxpayers' money to drugs or to helping AIDS victims-because abstinence is the only cure. IOWs lets get REAL. Legalize drugs! <br />Naturally the Australians are doing what has become an immutable fact of life for our troops. Fighting other people's wars , because a) The RSL always needs replacement troops to turn into old men, and b) because Uncle Sam asks us to. Working entirely on predictably; George Bush, the very, very Junior, asked our little midget leader of Her Maj's 'Loyal Opposition, the one, the only, the forgettable John Winston Howard, who oh so predictably groveled thrice before acquiescing. That about it? I'll bet it's not too far out.<br /> I must have been in Patagonia when this Australian involvement in Afghanistan happened. Yes, I was, now that I think of it. So may I ask why Australians are in a country that has traditionally beaten off every one of it’s aggressors? The Brits, not once but thrice. The Russians, not once but twice, the Americans, well they never win anything these days. WTF are our troops doing, fighting an impossible opponent, in terrain that only an Afghan could love. Where the fields are little more than rubble, and which ceased supporting even goats, years ago. Opium poppies are about the only crop which could grow there. What does the collective genius of America, and her satrapies (AUSTRALIIA naturally, being one of them) imagine the cash crop is that can replace poppies? Thistles? Perhaps all the drug agencies could get off their fat, well larded, soaked with martinis, uber wealthy, chauffeur-driven luxury cars and SVUs, pent house flats and luxury mansions in the Avenue Foch, arse’s; do a little real work (and don’t give me that cr*p about UNAIDS getting all the money that’s rightfully yours) and actually try to think of some other use that poppies can be put to besides Opium? Give up? Well try not hanging onto the massive amounts of American money which (thanks to George Bush’s moralistic vapourings) is deemed to be unable to be used because it isn’t moral to discuss, let alone give the taxpayers’ money to drugs or to helping AIDS victims-because abstinence is the only cure. IOWs lets get REAL. Legalize drugs!
Naturally the Australians are doing what has become an immutable fact of life for our troops. Fighting other people’s wars , because a) The RSL always needs replacement troops to turn into old men, and b) because Uncle Sam asks us to. Working entirely on predictably; George Bush, the very, very Junior, asked our little midget leader of Her Maj’s ‘Loyal Opposition, the one, the only, the forgettable John Winston Howard, who oh so predictably groveled thrice before acquiescing. That about it? I’ll bet it’s not too far out.

]]> By: Bernard Keane http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/#comment-19368 Bernard Keane Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-19368 A Defence spokesperson has responded to Crikey's questions:<br /><br />We asked: How much of a risk does the ongoing lack of a “back-up” AME service from Tarin Kowt present, esp. given dust storm problems which potentially affect all operations in the area and at Kandahar? <br /><br />Response: All military operations are planned to mitigate risks where possible. Planning for appropriate medical support is central to all operational tasks. The ADF will review the circumstances of this incident and determine what impact this has on planning for future operations.<br /><br />ISAF prioritises planning for casualty evacuation in support of all troops, both ISAF and Afghan, fighting in Afghanistan and has dedicated teams of aircrew and medical specialists on call 24-hours a day should they be required. <br /><br />Dedicated aero medical evacuation aircraft are allocated and tasked through the ISAF air tasking process. <br /><br />We asked: Are there plans to supplement the existing US Pavehawk AME from Tarin Kowt, and are ADF SF operations being affected/curtailed by the issues relating to AME availability?<br /><br />Response: The ADF will review the circumstances of this incident and determine what impact this has on planning for future operations. The ADF will not discuss details of SOTG operations for operational security reasons. A Defence spokesperson has responded to Crikey’s questions:

We asked: How much of a risk does the ongoing lack of a “back-up” AME service from Tarin Kowt present, esp. given dust storm problems which potentially affect all operations in the area and at Kandahar?

Response: All military operations are planned to mitigate risks where possible. Planning for appropriate medical support is central to all operational tasks. The ADF will review the circumstances of this incident and determine what impact this has on planning for future operations.

ISAF prioritises planning for casualty evacuation in support of all troops, both ISAF and Afghan, fighting in Afghanistan and has dedicated teams of aircrew and medical specialists on call 24-hours a day should they be required.

Dedicated aero medical evacuation aircraft are allocated and tasked through the ISAF air tasking process.

We asked: Are there plans to supplement the existing US Pavehawk AME from Tarin Kowt, and are ADF SF operations being affected/curtailed by the issues relating to AME availability?

Response: The ADF will review the circumstances of this incident and determine what impact this has on planning for future operations. The ADF will not discuss details of SOTG operations for operational security reasons.

]]> By: Mirek http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/#comment-19369 Mirek Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-19369 `it appears that only good luck prevented another Australian death yesterday`. Give me a break! What about the thousands of civilians killed and maimed, country devastated, and you only talk about an Australian death? Quel chauvinisme! Obviously, all the other victims are not worth bothering about. And, please explain Mr Keane, why are `we` there? `it appears that only good luck prevented another Australian death yesterday`. Give me a break! What about the thousands of civilians killed and maimed, country devastated, and you only talk about an Australian death? Quel chauvinisme! Obviously, all the other victims are not worth bothering about. And, please explain Mr Keane, why are `we` there?

]]> By: Charlie McColl http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/12/five-hour-delay-for-wounded-australians/#comment-19370 Charlie McColl Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-19370 That was 1.30 am wasn't it? Just after midnight? Roadside bombs are a major problem and our boys are running around in the middle of the night six kilometres outside town - which might as well be "in the bush". We used to go fox shooting, in the back of the farm ute, like that. And get half lost within a few kilometres of home.<br />Sounds to me like they'd be sitting ducks but I suppose that's an "operational security" matter. Good luck fellas - we're thinking of you. That was 1.30 am wasn’t it? Just after midnight? Roadside bombs are a major problem and our boys are running around in the middle of the night six kilometres outside town - which might as well be “in the bush”. We used to go fox shooting, in the back of the farm ute, like that. And get half lost within a few kilometres of home.
Sounds to me like they’d be sitting ducks but I suppose that’s an “operational security” matter. Good luck fellas - we’re thinking of you.

]]>