One very very long post...
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Taken from someone's blog...
This coming Saturday, I'll be off venturing into the unknowns.
There, I'll have no hair, no women, no entertainment, no civilian clothing, and no free-will.
No, I'm not becoming a monk. I'll just be on my way from a boy to a man.
At least that's what they all say.
However scornful Singaporeans may be towards National Service, I guess somewhere at the back of our head, we all know that having strong military forces is necessary to achieve a deterrence effect and retain our nation's sovereignty. Given our nation's small population, the building of such defensive forces can be achieved in no other way besides through the mobilization of our nation's youth.
No developed nation can survive for long without having defense forces, although I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not Singapore is or is not a developed nation. (Despite what the Men-In-White says, development goes beyond mere economic achievement)
However, I guess the issues that most of us have with the compulsory conscription is that firstly, girls are excluded, and secondly, foreigners are excluded.
The funny thing is, till now, not a single soul has explain to us guys why is it that girls do not have to contribute to the nation that they live in. Having lower physical strength is no good excuse since a military is not just about brute strength. Besides, if girls can go through physical education just as guys do in schools, there's no reason why they can't go through the same training as guys in National Service.
Now, I hear you say, 'Ah Boy arh, NS is different from PE lessons in school larh!'. But I say, in the present era where callings for gender equality are growing louder, I'm pretty much confident that these girls can do whatever we guys can.
As for foreigners, they get our job, our girls, and our education. We sacrifice, serve the army and defend these foreigners with our asses. I say, anymore noble and we'll grow wings and halos.
Whatever grumbles we may have, though, the fact remains that we'll have to serve the army, like it or not. If we ourselves don't defend the very place we live in, then we can only pray for divine intervention in times of threat.
I have my reservations, though.
Despite all the glorification of our armed forces and the repeated reassurance of the necessity of compulsory conscription, a study of the world's history would have allowed us to see for ourselves how a country's military forces can often be misused for purposes that goes beyond what we can possibly define as 'defense'.
If soldiers were to be taught to obey commands from their superiors without questions and without reflections, then sadly, that nation's armed forces will be reduced to pawns in a grand battle chess played by that nation's 'leaders'.
They will be nothing more than minions of a dictator, nothing more than tools and stepping boards for the gratification of the minority's greed.
For example, the large number of tanks and armored personnel carriers had been seen by the Malaysian military as having no purpose other than for an invasion of the southern part of Malaysia.
In another instance, Malaysia and Indonesia once held military exercises within 20km from Singapore around its national day (which year, I cannot remember); apparently without giving sufficient notice beforehand. The Singapore government response to this includes a childish retaliatory show of strength, involving large scale mobilization of SAF reservist on the eve of that national day.
What these examples seemed to suggest is that our soldiers are, perhaps, there not just for a pure defensive and deterrence purposes.
My examples could be flawed, I admit. After all, I'm no expert on military affairs or Singapore politics. My point still stands, however, that as thinking individual, we should be careful to avoid being pawns of any minority while we are part of an armed force.
It is for this reason that I shall refuse to take the 'Oath and Affirmation of Allegiance'. Call me childish, but I see no point in taking an oath I have no intention of following.
I shall not bear true faith and allegiance to Singapore. If this country should one day decides to embark on a path of moral deviation (i.e. invasion or acts of aggression towards other nation), I shall not conform.
I shall not obey the laws of Singapore and the orders of my commanders. Despite what we've been taught from young, obeying the very law that robs us of our rights to free speech, criticism towards the nation's elites, assembly and protestation is not always the moralistic thing to do.
My favorite example: whatever Hitler did was legal. Legal, but wrong.
Nor can I follow the orders of my commanders if he or she commands me to harm a fellow sentient being.
While nobody can be in the position to judge whose sets of morality is right or wrong, at the very least, nobody can force me to do what I do not wish to do, not even with a gun pointed to my head.
No doubt, the next two years will be another eventful year. In spite of that, I deem it as highly unlikely that one will be faced with situations as pointed out above.
As mentioned in my previous posts, whether or not we acquire pleasant experiences from a situation or environment depends not on external factors such as the people around us, but more on ourselves. Our mindset.
As such, I choose to see my next two years of national service as a big, long trip to a holiday chalet. A chalet where we get to play games involving running, marching, pull-ups, pumping and such. A chalet where we'll finally be free from memorizing textbooks and exams (at least for the time being).
A chalet where...there's no girls to look at. -
A long post.
annoy-you-must -
Plus bath naked with loads of other young men beside you...
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If not enough notice was given beforehand, what will be your first thought when you see your countries which has bad blood against you, gather together and hold a military exercise near your country?
In another instance, Malaysia and Indonesia once held military exercises within 20km from Singapore around its national day (which year, I cannot remember); apparently without giving sufficient notice beforehand. The Singapore government response to this includes a childish retaliatory show of strength, involving large scale mobilization of SAF reservist on the eve of that national day.
Cheer for them? Will that be less childish? Ignore them? That will be foolish!
Prevent is better than cure. -
fcuking hell talk bad of SAF
this kind sure kena hit by car but nv die but paralysed for life
SAF is truely the best in the region and NS will turn you into a man, into a fighting soldier
FOR KING AND COUNTRY!!! -
It is alright for the blogger to have reservations, many people do. However, the military MUST demand complete obedience to orders or it cannot function. IMHO, the thinking soldier is more about thinking HOW to complete the mission rather than WHY he must complete the mission. This is because a soldier must do things that are antithetical to everyday morality, such as kill. Being hung up on the WHY would probably cause him to fail at the mission, with varying degrees of consequences.
As for the display of forces around national day, the blogger is too naive. Military exercises do not happen by accident. The amount of logistics and planning required to carry out a joint airborne landing by 2 different countries are massive. Also, airborne insertion is an aggressive maneuver, not a defensive one.
An analysis of the political climate at the time would show that the military exercise was meant either to test Singapore or to put pressure on our leaders. In this case, the massive mobilisation was, in fact, the right response. This is in line with the SAF policy of deterrence. -
cancel last
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ah boy, theres no king in this country lah. wake up ur ideaOriginally posted by infantry:fcuking hell talk bad of SAF
this kind sure kena hit by car but nv die but paralysed for life
SAF is truely the best in the region and NS will turn you into a man, into a fighting soldier
FOR KING AND COUNTRY!!! -
There's....Just that his post is not "king"Originally posted by martin_lim85:ah boy, theres no king in this country lah. wake up ur idea
Anyway,its in 1991 where Malaysia and Indonesia conducted combi exercise -
Lol. Then president?Originally posted by Marco_Simone:There's....Just that his post is not "king"
Anyway,its in 1991 where Malaysia and Indonesia conducted combi exercise -
You dont know much about sg politics,dont yaOriginally posted by annoy-you-must:Lol. Then president? -
Honestly I don't enjoy serving NS. Yet, serving NS actually gives you the edge over those foreigners who have never served the armed forces.
Think about it. -
and the codeword given to this bi-combined ex literally translated to english -> operation wipeout.Originally posted by Marco_Simone:There's....Just that his post is not "king"
Anyway,its in 1991 where Malaysia and Indonesia conducted combi exercise -
ya... ways to develop ur creativeness to twist and curve the way out for malingering... it aids in tabbling in some corporate office politics... how to siam some arrows...Originally posted by SBS3625D:Honestly I don't enjoy serving NS. Yet, serving NS actually gives you the edge over those foreigners who have never served the armed forces.
Think about it. -
Anyway,its in 1991 where Malaysia and Indonesia conducted combi exercise
You're right, & I found a source.
"....Against this broader backdrop, the initial deterioration of bilateral ties began in 1988 with the Malaysian government's announcement of the crippling of a spy ring & the arrest of seven persons, five Malaysian military officers & two 'foreigners', a euphemism for Singapore nationals. Following that episode, a number of other issues straining bilateral ties were brought to the fire, especially Malaysian allegations of airspace violations by Singapore aircraft & helicopters. Subsequently, Malaysia significantly reduced the low-flying area for Singapore military aircraft. The crisis point was reached when Malaysia unilaterally cancelled a joint naval exercise (Malapura) at the Lumut Tactical Training Centre in Perak in 1990. A joint tri-service exercise by Malaysia & Indonesia (Malindo Darsasa) in August 1991 which involve a large number of paratroopers, held with little notice at the Pulada camp in southern Johor, just 20 kilometres from Singapore during Singapore's national day celebrations raised the ire of the Singapore government, which responded with an open mobilization exercise of its defence forces. Curiously, this period of tense relations between Malaysia & Singapore was somewhat offset by strengthened relations between Singapore & Indonesia ...."
http://books.google.com/books?id=ti7BktSGQRcC&pg=RA6-PA66&lpg=RA6-PA66&dq=1991+malaysia+indonesia+exercise+johore&source=web&ots=_-9yhERnHk&sig=RNdYKft1vy-tT2xfwMDyLdNa4yA
I stand corrected then -- deleted my post -- except it's not a childish reaction by any means. Agree that the PAP Govt was quite insensitive in regional relations during the '80s, though. -
And if you kena a lot of scoldings and politics, nothing will scare you in the working world later.Originally posted by eac:ya... ways to develop ur creativeness to twist and curve the way out for malingering... it aids in tabbling in some corporate office politics... how to siam some arrows... -
What king, you cuckoo? Did you just come back form the time of King George?Originally posted by infantry:fcuking hell talk bad of SAF
this kind sure kena hit by car but nv die but paralysed for life
SAF is truely the best in the region and NS will turn you into a man, into a fighting soldier
FOR KING AND COUNTRY!!!
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saf also moblised over 20 000 soldiers overnight and informed the media to broadcast the event abt our military readiness like.. think in 2002 when malaysia foreign minister syed hamid shoot his mouth off using the words "agree to the new raw water price or go to war." to the media over the then water talk issue neogtiationOriginally posted by edwin3060:It is alright for the blogger to have reservations, many people do. However, the military MUST demand complete obedience to orders or it cannot function. IMHO, the thinking soldier is more about thinking HOW to complete the mission rather than WHY he must complete the mission. This is because a soldier must do things that are antithetical to everyday morality, such as kill. Being hung up on the WHY would probably cause him to fail at the mission, with varying degrees of consequences.
As for the display of forces around national day, the blogger is too naive. Military exercises do not happen by accident. The amount of logistics and planning required to carry out a joint airborne landing by 2 different countries are massive. Also, airborne insertion is an aggressive maneuver, not a defensive one.
An analysis of the political climate at the time would show that the military exercise was meant either to test Singapore or to put pressure on our leaders. In this case, the massive mobilisation was, in fact, the right response. This is in line with the SAF policy of deterrence. -
Well, I respect his guts in admitting his true feelings. How many people will be able to be upfront with himself.
Believe me, a lot of people wear their heart on their sleeves, but may not mean anything in the end.
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his second sentence must add on somemore.
No Life
No Rights
No Say
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good command of english and intersting way to write.
keep it up -
Well, it doesn't make him less of a man to post such stuff. A soldier's role is to fight and not think.That's the commander's role. The only thinking a soldier has to do is as someone mentioned, how to complete the mission objectives.
Besides,his little part about fighting for the government in power I do not agree with that. Though I may not like the government in power, I will be willing to fight and die for my fellow Singaporeans. Its all about professionalism, fighting for what's yours.
The little part about mobilizing during a airdrop during National Day, that is crazy. I say that magic button should have been pushed and every fella that's forming the line be armed with double the usual load of live ammo. Curious thing is...why isn't the good'ol RSAF up in the skies getting ready as well? Was the weather bad that day? We have E2C Hawkeyes, the best air force in the region, so why aren't they up there getting ready to splash those fat and heavy laden transport aircraft the moment they try to pull some stunt? -
Stop being a lackery of SAF!!Originally posted by infantry:fcuking hell talk bad of SAF
this kind sure kena hit by car but nv die but paralysed for life
SAF is truely the best in the region and NS will turn you into a man, into a fighting soldier
FOR KING AND COUNTRY!!! -
Oei, diversity of views. Please remember that.Originally posted by lira:Stop being a lackery of SAF!! -
haiz... we citizens are oppressed by the laws and systems. what can u do?
that's y IMH now got so many in patients and out patients.
that's y now got so many people who are so fed up outside... accidentally hit their bag only, scream like some mudder farrker lidat