I have a particular liking of the canine species, those with ethics, morals and dedication to what they perceive as 'their duty'. If you're lucky, you can watch a team of top flight dogs go to work; happy as Claggy in dust, rain, sleet and snow. They are a pack animal and allowing for the natural order of nature, cooperate to get a job done. Until one of them slips into his mates kennel, to 'borrow' a bone or a snooze of a favourite rug – then, there's a dust up. The normally benign 'mate-ship' literally goes to the dogs – for in matters territorial, even Mama's pet Pekinese will turn into a rabid, fighting dervish.
If we could only get them to see that sharing is simply an extension of the cooperation they utilise during working hours, the back yard would be a much more peaceful sort of place.
History demarks many serious 'dust-ups' of the human kind, directly attributable to territorial issues and access. How many court cases a year are heard because a fence has strayed 100 mm over a property line, or a tree extends over a garden – it's a big number. The problem is that once one side decides they have 'ownership' of a place, they will, like the honest dog, protect it; often to the death, particularly when 'both' parties feel righteously aggrieved.
This here, is not a use of airspace debate; it's become a matter of ownership and territorial rights. The military believe they own the airspace, the civvies also believe that commercial advantages, ultimately for the betterment of the country could be gained by unfettered access to that airspace.
Lets call the Willy sizing competition a bloodless draw and see if the military can allow a little more access and if the civvies can do with a little less than unrestricted. Shirley, men of good will and reason can see a way clear to avoiding unnecessary restriction of matters both of a military and commercial interest.
But then again, here's that bloody mongrel from next door, pissing on 'my' lawn; this time I'm going to thump him, good and proper. Watch this.
Toot toot...
