A nice interesting read David, in your summary of points to recommend for prevention of war, I give particular strength to no 3 & 4. Especially no.3. that point goes for anything in life really.

However, its worth mentioning that future wars will undoubtedly involve more reliance on technology. Cyber war is a certainty, only this time critical infrastructures will be paralyzed. What will we make of this? it;s no science fiction, its actually already happening. The latest reports from internet security firms and government bodies echoes this.

Imagine a war whereby the enemy comes in, does damage and retreats well before anyone on your side finds out! My biggest fear is the fact that our society today is almost naively reliant on too much exchanges via the internet itself. If you have ever studied computer networking, you will know what I mean. Basically, electronic pulses over public infrastructure will always be 'hackable'. Doesn't matter how much anyone tries to lock things down, its a flaw in the fundamental design of the internet in the first place traced back to those days of the late 1960's when communications between some US universities took place with such a basic system. It all grew from there.

We, as a society have become seduced by the instantaneous and convenience of the internet. Seduction never looked so sneaky!

I'm sorry , but saying that Australians fought on the same side as Turkey in the Crimean War is drawing the long bow just a bit too far.

If that is true , then Australia fought , with the British , against the USA in 1812 , when they ( We , sorry ) burnt down what is now the White House.

Also there was that nasty chap , Napoleon, whom we had to educate as well .I won't mention the Opium Wars or the invasion of Zanzibar either

G'day David

First let me say your Police Mugshot looks a little young to be "old" and "fascinated by... sex".

Your youthful sex madness aside, your suggestions for peace are to be encouraged especially regarding those constant bastards The Enemy!

There, of course, is no life without modern appliances like submarines.

Let us remember the crews of submarines who, even in peacetime, on a grand day out, face grave risks https://youtu.be/ZKMEl4HU0fA .

Pete

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Dear David,

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I couldn’t agree with you more. I place too high a price on my freedom to be a pacifist but I subscribe wholeheartedly to your 13 points … plus one : maintain an effective means of national defense and dissuasion – both military and political - through a series of mutual alliances (ANZUS - Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty).

I was born in Cairns two days after Pearl Harbour and the day after Australia declared war on Japan. A few days later, the army evacuated my family to the old family home on the Darling Downs in south-west Queensland. As a kid, instead of shooting Indians, I grew-up shooting Japs.

WW2 wrecked havoc among several members of my family either directly or indirectly.

As for WW1, perhaps you will recall the exchange we had on this forum last January on the discussion George opened-up on the subject « Je suis Charlie' versus 'Je suis Juif' » :

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=6699#203183

Instead of parading around, blowing bugles and making speeches, I think it is high time ANZAC Day celebrations were devoted to the serious examination of the responsibilities of Australian politicians and military leaders for the debacle of their attitudes, decisions and actions resulting in the stupid, hopeless, useless, totally inept and simply criminal massacre of 62,000 of our most able young men during WW1.

Perhaps we should add a 15th point to your list : no more forced kamikaze operations for our able young men and women in armed conflicts.

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Dear Banjo Paterson,

Sometimes kamikaze operations are necessary. In the Battle of Midway which was the turning point of the war at sea against Japan American pilots flew their torpedo laden planes into Japanese warships. I would not add the 15th point. War would be much more pleasant if we could avoid death.

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Dear David,

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« Sometimes kamikaze operations are necessary. »
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Then, so be it. I object to “forced” kamikaze operations.

To quote one of my favourite authors, writing on WW1 :

[ Between October 1915 and February 1916, nine recruitment marches were held … The social pressure on young men to join these marches must have been enormous. How many died because they were made to feel ashamed not to go? Did the 62,000 give their lives or were their lives taken from them? ]

The commanding officers during the “battle” of Fromelles, in France, ordered 5,000 young Australians (18 to 30 year olds) and 2,000 British troops to certain death by continuously charging firmly entrenched German soldiers who mowed them down in a single night, winning the “battle” – what battle? There was no “battle”. It was a slaughter.

The Australian War Memorial web site has this to say :

[ The commander of the British XI Corps, Lieutenant General Sir Richard Haking, who had directed the operation, later reported: “I think the attack, although it failed, has done both divisions a great deal of good.” This was an astonishingly callous judgement from a man who had, in the words of Bean, recklessly thrown away “7,000 troops in a single night …”.

On the day after the attack, British headquarters issued an official communiqué: “Yesterday about 140 German prisoners were captured.” It made no mention of Australian or British casualties.

The battle of Fromelles was an unmitigated military disaster, the dismal culmination of muddled planning and reckless decision-making by both British and Australian commanders and staff.

The major failing at Fromelles stemmed from the ineptitude of senior commanders. The carnage on the Somme had not taught their leaders anything. ]

That is what I call “forced” kamikaze operations.

Life and death are fundamental human rights. Individuals are free to commit suicide if they wish. Forcing people to do so by social pressure, appeal to heroism, honour, sacrifice, camaraderie, coercion or military order, in my opinion, should be banned. It qualifies as first-degree (premeditated) murder.

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