Yesterday was ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand, the day we remember all those who fought so that we could have a better life, it was a very emotional day when considering all those young men who volunteered for what they called a great adventure only to be slaughtered in their thousands. God rest their souls, we will never forget but are we slow learners not to have realized that war doesn’t work?

To me Anzac day is a sad reminder that so many have given up their lives because those that where elected to solve disputes where no bloody good at their job and as you say we still seem to have the same ones today. They masked their faults by promoting patriotism so that we would not notice their failings. Like our last prime minister. Even though there was millions against going to war and most of us where aware that there was no WMD's he still sent our troops of to war and it was a pitiful sight to see him waving them of. I will stop now otherwise I will ramble on forever over this.

If the older men who claim to have the benifit of the country at heart, that is politicians and the like, were to go to war rather than sending the younger generations then there would be no war. Having read the biographies of many of historys so called leaders, including Churchill, Napoleon, Alexandra the Great, and many others one thing stands out, they all appeared to have enjoyed the conflict.
In Flanders field where poppys grow,
With crosses standing row on row........................

This is a poem by Rudyard Kipling written out of grief and anger,read it twice so that the import sinks in.He lost his only son on the Western Front and the pain is clear in the words below.
RECESSIONAL



God of our fathers, known of old --
Lord of our far-flung battle line --
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine --
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies --
The Captains and the Kings depart --
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

Far-called our navies melt away --
On dune and headland sinks the fire --
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe --
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law --
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard --
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.

Very good and solemn Brian, to me the line, "Judge of the Nations spare us yet " was very appropriate. stan.

Those poignant words have been set to music and are now known as the hymn, “Lest We Forget” and it is sung at the dawn service every ANZAC Day.
As I said in my original post in this forum, God rest their souls, we will never forget but are we slow learners not to have realized that war doesn’t work?