Hi Foxy,

I despair that in 100 years, mankind has failed to reach a position of enlightenment whereby war, and violence in general, had become obsolete and no longer was a part of mans ethos. Ten thousand years ago, our ancestors were struggling to invent the wheel, and at the same time throwing rocks at each other in acts of war. Today we have progressed to a point whereby we are sending men to the Moon, yet we are still throwing rocks at each other in acts of war. The only things that has changed is the rocks have become somewhat more sophisticated.

// Whether we choose to destroy our civilisation or save it it is a collective decision//

I don't believe war is a national collective decision, the majority may certainly agree with war, well initially, as the decision makers and their supporters whip up patriotic fervour among the general populous. Saying that, its not a "collective decision" made through some democratic process, rather it is something imposed by authority. Australia as a war prone country, and we are up there with the best of them when it comes to getting involved, has never asked its citizens should we be in it. The government has asked the populace many important questions Such as; Should the Constitution be changed to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and have them included in the census, also a non binding vote regarding the question of gay marriage. The government has never seen it as important enough to gain general approval to send soldiers off to war, and have them killing other human beings in our name.

Paul we now know what those brave men did not, it was a war between family members, the children and grandchildren of Queen Victoria
They died thinking they fought for our freedom, I will honor them forever
In fact fly the lest we forget flag in my front yard
There is no glory in war
But in a world that is ruled such as Trump Putin and so many more war will kill again, in fact is doing just that all over the world right now

Paul, Belly,

The number of people being killed in conflict has since 1945 continued to shrink to the smallest levels in all history.

No the number of wars in Europe is down after WWII.
War deaths in world 19th century were around 41million give or take a few children.
World war deaths after WWII are about 25 million or 50 million for the century at that rate.
Are US , Russia and China agreeing to end military pressures? Are Islam and India?

As an astute letter in the SMH asked the other day, what is the point of war? After a few years killing, maiming and wasting resources on the battlefield, things are eventually sorted out around the conference table.

Why not go straight to the conference table?

Toni,

"Why not go straight to the conference table?"

Because the invaders pouring into your country don't want to do so?