Hi Foxy

Like Australia Day
I have to say
ANZAC Day
Is becoming yet another
Politically Correct
Aboriginal Remembrance Day...

Put another way

we should remember the about 90 to 95% of Australians who weren't minorities, who fought in wars.
Their sacrifices should not be submerged by, ultimately vote seeking, Labor political campaigning.

Mavs

"More than 2,700 New Zealand and 8,700 Australians died, with many more wounded."

Israel probably racked up that many civilian casualties in the first 2 weeks after October 7.

"Is Anzac Day still relevant in the 21st Century?"
- My Great Grandfather was a Lighthorseman.
Probably a few more of my past relatives fought as well.
Personally I think it's become a day for politicians to try to make themselves look good.
Maybe a day for defence officials to ramble on scare us about global conflicts and beat their war drums;
That's how the government makes it relevant.

"Lest We Forget," and "Never Again"

Lest we forget what?
How we fought alongside Palestinians in Gaza?
The follies of war?

I think those things may have already been forgotten some time ago.
It looks as if we may have to relearn old mistakes.

The American Empire is heading towards conflict with its main rival China.
- China's becoming too powerful, and gaining more global influence than the US is comfortable with.
America planned to overthrow Putin, make Russia a vassal state of the West, install Navalny, sell off Russia's state-owned oil companies (to the US companies) break up Russia into micro-states, have them all join NATO and become indebted to the west up to their eyeballs, with US military bases and ring-fence China militarily, destroy it hegemonically (as planned for Putin and Russia also) but it's all gone horribly wrong and the Collective West is not going to achieve it's imperialistic goals.

We've began to move into a multi-polar world, away from America's short 'Unipolar moment' - Fall of USSR until now;
- Though it could be said that the empire began to contract when Russia blocked their expansion in Syria.
The bully doesn't have the same power he used to.
They lost their industrial manufacturing and have allowed their military power to fall behind.
Drones and hypersonic missiles have changed the nature of war.
Nations are queuing up to join BRICS.
De-dollarisation is continuing.
Yellen was sent packing in China last week, when she went to beg / issue demands

Foxy,
Here's something interesting:

"During the First World War over a thousand Russian-born servicemen enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). They were the largest national group in the AIF after British, New Zealand and Canadian born servicemen. Besides ethnic Russians, these Anzacs included members of a score of different ethnic groups born within the borders of the Russian Empire. Their story is told in my book:
Elena Govor, Russian Anzacs in Australian History, Sydney, UNSW Press in association with NAA, 2005, 310 p."

http://russiananzacs.net/

http://russiananzacs.net/ethnicorigin/Lithuanian/
You might also be interested to know that there was 54 Lithuanian Anzacs, apparently.

Armchair

Yes America was the critical addition that stopped the Germans winning WWI.

America saved Britain and Western Europe in WWII.

America was the only foreign country that saved Australia in WWII.

Yes America invaded Iraq in 2003.

Are you now trying to claim America is to blame for:

- Hamas' 7th October 2023 attack on Israel (Hamas being responsible for the war in Gaza) and,

- for Russia's 4 February 2022 invasion of Ukraine?

Mavs

Anzac Day in our family was always a special day.
A day of saying a prayer for all those who
fought and died for us. And for all those who
have suffered because of the wars. And many
are still suffering.

We have in the past attended the Dawn Service here
in Melbourne. This year, due to my mobility issues
we won't be attending. However, we will say a prayer,
and watch what we can on the news.

Hi Mavs
"Yes America was the critical addition that stopped the Germans winning WWI."
Well, USSR did most of the hard fighting.
U.S only lost 400k in WWII but Russia lost 27 million.
- America however did send Stalin a lot of equipment before the US officially entered the war.
It's probably fair to say they both put an end to Hitler together with more emphasis on Russians doing most of the fighting in Europe and on their own doorstep.
The US then took care of Japan.

"America was the only foreign country that saved Australia in WWII."
- The Japanese were hardly going to invade and conquer us, but I get your point.

"Are you now trying to claim America is to blame for:

- Hamas' 7th October 2023 attack on Israel (Hamas being responsible for the war in Gaza) "
No that was all Hamas, (or at least mostly) but the US is guilty of helping to facilitate the occupation, providing weapons and equipment and stopping any action taken against Israel via it's UNSC veto.

So I wouldn't blame it on them, but I wouldn't say they're entirely innocent either.

Lets say you're fighting with your neighbour next door.
If another neighbour across the street is helping your neighbour next door, can the neighbour across the street claim to be an 'uninvolved party'?
- Not really.
And that goes for all the collective west claiming to be uninvolved in the Russia / Ukraine conflict who are providing arms and training.
But I digress.

"- for Russia's 4 February 2022 invasion of Ukraine?"
Am I now?
Mate I've been blaming America for that mess since the 2014 Maidan.
Where have you been? lol.
I don't support sanctions or overthrows.