Dear David F.,

I have written on the subject of the prospects for
peace many times on this forum. I hope that I shall
be forgiven if I repeat myself here - its something I do
tend to do on this forum mainly because many of my
feelings on certain issues have not changed.

Global preparations for "defense" consumes an immense
and growing proportion of human financial, material, and
personal resources, in a world that is already overburdened
with social and economic problems.

All over the world, many scientists and engineers devote their
skills to planning new and efficient ways for humans to
kill each other; many workers labour to manufacture instruments
of death; and countless soldiers train for combat -
and some of them actually go to war and get killed.

From a moral and even an economic point of view, this vast
investment of human ingenuity and energy seems a tragic waste.

Ultimately, the prospects for peace depends on the
collective action of ordinary people. If a modern society
goes to war, it is not just because the leaders have opted for
war, but because the people have implicitly or explicitly done
so also - or at least they have not opted for peace.

If more and more weapons of destruction are built - including
nuclear ones, and if more sophisticated means of delivering them
are devised, and if more nations get control of these vile
devices then we surely risk our own destruction.

If ways are found to reverse that process, then perhaps we
can divert unprecedented energy and resources to the real
problems that face us, including poverty, disease,
overpopulation, and the devastation of our natural environment.

We may hope and trust that our ultimate choice will be
to enhance the life on our planet and not destroy it.

Hi David,

"I am not a pacifist. Some wars seem unavoidable." I am a pacifists and I believe all wars have there genesis in events which take place long before hostilities break out and therefore are avoidable. Wars appear to be a continence with the failures and mistakes that lead to one war, then compounding themselves, which creates the human conditions for the next war, so on and so on. If there had not been a WWI then there would not have been WWII, the failed outcomes of WWII led to both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/massacre.html

otb,

"Of course the black armband Leftists would not want to commemorate the courage, suffering, hard toil and comradeship of the Early Settlers and those who walk in their footsteps, either."

In that case, it gives me the greatest pleasure to tell you that our Mr13 (who we're bringing up to be a good Leftie) is absolutely passionate about historical research, So much so that he's joined our local historical society.

He's lucked out and is being mentored by an emeritus professor, working on memorial boards to be presented in 2017 in conjunction with the WA museum. So he's learning all about the "courage, suffering, hard toil and comradeship" of many people from our town/city and the peripheral impacts the war engendered. Far removed from the folly of its causes.

Human stories - and not just overviews.

So my son tells me of men like the fellow who was shot in both eyes and blinded, who came back from war, married, had five children - and was a successful carpenter - I've seen a steel ruler of his with braille on it!

Anyway, not bad for a leftie's son, eh?

If Julius Caesar hadn't invaded Britain and so on and on and on....

Hi Poirot,

Do you notice how those from the extreme right like to put themselves up as more Australian that people such as ourselves.

<< the courage, suffering, hard toil and comradeship of the Early Settlers and those who walk in their footsteps, either.>>

I assume by inference we the so called lefties lack those noble qualities of the "early settlers" whilst the radical saber rattler himself has inherited such nobility, and feels fully justified in jumping on the coat tails of those that have gone before, and hitching a free ride.

Good that your son has joined the local historical society, he will enjoy it no end and learn a lot at the same time.
I just purchased a book 'The History of World War I In Photographs' by R Hamilton with photos from the 'Daily Mail' very interesting.

@Poirot, Tuesday, 30 June 2015 9:30:15 PM

Great news. Very pleasing to hear and thank you for the extra details.