"The trigger for bloodshed is the desire for power, not who has the most sophisticated weapon system," says Alan.

In the case of the U.S. it has an infinite desire for power AND the largest and most sophisticated weapons system on Earth.

That is why it is the world's major warmonger and is on a collision course with both Russia and China, both nuclear powers.

A nuclear war is in the offing. It's just a matter of time. And Australia, which is endeavoring to become America's proxy in the South Pacific, will pay a heavy price for its blindness and total lack of judgement by getting into bed with a hated superpower.

With friends like the U.S. we will pay a heavy price!

David G, it is always of interest to read your letters to OLO, your forward thinking is so very true.

I guess the weapons systems used to resolve conflicts is changing constantly on all sides and will continue to do so.

At the same time the moral outrage of some will be directed at the “inhumanity” or “unfairness” of evolving weaponry whilst the developers and users will seek to justify them.

Nothing has changed as power, politics, trade, greed, religion and economics still inspire humans to engage in conflict. This is a human failing and nothing to do with weapons development. Weapons are a symptom and not a cause.

Those who seek to get emotional about certain weapons or certain nations using them are simply trying to distance themselves from the human frailty they see in others.

In the thirteenth century Edward I was storming Stirling Castle in Scotland; he had to hold off until the Trebuchet he was having built in the North of England arrived. After hauling it all the way to Scotland Edward was miffed when the defenders ran up the white flag as soon as they saw it. Edward I used it anyway reduced Stirling Castle to rubble.

Like I said, nothing has changed, unless you see high jacking US planes and flying them into US buildings a change? But then you would have to make “excuses” for the terrorists also

Spindoc, it's time we stopped making excuses for 'human failings'!

It's time we took responsibility for the chaotic state of our world and made some attempt to change its downward spiral before nuclear war renders us extinct.

After all, we claim to be intelligent and civilized, don't we?

Obviously, to date, we are neither!

David G,

We, we, we, we, we, we and we.

Your pontificating arrogance knows no bounds. I do not wish to make excuses for anyone, it is none of my god damn business or yours either.

You on the other hand, profess precisely the criticism I leveled at your ilk, you seek to distance yourself from everyone else’s failings as humans because they are also YOURS, so cut out the “we” Tonto.

If you can’t accept that humans are flawed you are on the wrong planet, if you want to fix humans start with YOU.

For thousands of years through religions, politics, rules and laws, we have sought to “correct” human flaws. There are 34,000 registered religions with tens of thousands of rules. Add to that the politics, legislation, ideologies, laws and rules of every nation on the planet and you begin to get some idea of the effort that has been expended over thousands of years to “correct” human behavior.

And now we have yet another savior, David G.

You are Sir, one of those with too much information and no knowledge, too much ideology and no common sense, too much self opinion and no humility, too much to say and nothing to contribute, too much adopted opinion and none of your own.

It’s time to climb down from the high moral ramparts and actually join human society rather than pointing the fickle finger of accusation at the rest of us.

You sound like an advert for the Greens Party rather than a normal human being.

Ojnab and Spindoc seems to have a stark difference of opinion regarding my comments.

Thanks for your support, ojnab. I do my best.

Spindoc, your ad hominem rant demonstrates clearly that you are neither intelligent or civilized (or mature).

Get back on your medication is my advice!

Cheers.