And it's a big but...

One of our gallant soldiers in Afghanistan has become the first Australian soldier in 40 years to win the Victoria Cross.

Barely has the ink dried on his citation and the whining has begun. Larvatus Prodeo, one of Australia's leading online sheltered workshops, starts off surprisingly well:

The account is of an extraordinary display of courage by Trooper Donaldson - it’s the kind of act that the word “heroic” is actually appropriate for, and I’m sure he’ll wear his deserved honour with pride. If he’s ever in the same pub I’m in, let me get at the start of the line to shout him a beer.

However, you just know that the word "but" is about to appear in a big way:

But let’s not confuse the bravery of this individual soldier - and all the other Australian soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan - with the wisdom or otherwise of the mission. It is becoming ever less clear, in the face of President-elect Obama’s plans to commit additional military forces to Afghanistan (and the likelihood of more requests for Australian troops), what the multinational force in Afghanistan is going to achieve, and how it is going to achieve it.

I don't know what they might achieve, maybe more of the same, like lowering infant mortality, reopening schools to girls, providing one less place for bin Laden to hide, and fighting the enemy on their front line instead of ours.

Now standby for the comments from various Internet Tough Guys, like this one:

The ‘bravery’ of serving in a technologically advanced first world army with the ability to call in air strikes that has invaded and occupied the fifth least developed nation in the world. Give me a break. I thought this was a left-wing blog?

UPDATE: At #42 a dickhead comment for the ages:

"They never tell you how many soldiers picked up V.D. on duty but a V.C. and they shout from the rooftops."

UPDATE II: MM at number #65 tries to out-dickhead the dickhead at #63. It takes an effort.