Cyprus-Forum.com

[Talisker]

Yesterday Harry Patch died. Aged 111, he was the oldest remaining soldier who fought in the trenches in the first World War. I've defined him as 'great' not only because of his longevity, or for his active role in fighting for his country, but because when he became a centurian he finally spoke about his experiences and his thoughts on war. He had a very strong message. His words were "War is organised murder, and nothing else. At the end, the peace was settled round a table, so why the hell couldn't they do that at the start without losing millions of men?". Our leaders could do worse than take heed of these wise words. Of course there are numerous obituaries in the press today, but this quotation comes from an article in the Independent last month celebrating his 111th birthday and worth a read.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/happy-birthday-harry-patch-last-veteran-of-the-trenches-turns-111-1704823.html

[cyprusgeoff]

RIP

[BOF]

We will never see their like again - school chums and mates from villages, farm boys and office workers, men who had never been further than the next village, others who had travelled abroad.
County regiments, city regiments, company men who all enlisted in the same regiment. All off to "fight the Hun" as some put it.
All put into the mincing machine of death, created by those that should have known better - "Lions led by donkeys"
After four years of unspeakable horror, death and destruction, an Armistice was called - With the opponents finishing up literally where they had started four years previously.
And for what did they die? 20 years later it all started again.
Go to the menin gate and listen to the last post that is played every night and look at the names there...no return home for them.
And still in the 21st Century the strident voices of patriotism and the flag waving clowns demand death as the solution to all ills...
Have we learned nothing by these peoples sacifice.

[Oracle]

I don't understand what WWI was about - WWII at least had a modicum of purpose to prevent the murder of Jews and the spread of Nazism.

But why did they send so many young men to a needless early death in WWI? For what?

If we have learnt one thing, it's to fight for freedom and nothing more!

I am so proud Cyprus is trying to negotiate its way out of this theft of its freedom by the Turks; through negotiations ... But if the right solution (i.e. a united, free and democratic Cyprus) is not agreed upon by talk ... what then? Who is going to support us to rid our land of this Hun-Turk?

[Floda]

If we have learnt one thing, it's to fight for freedom and nothing more!

That which you have written above, coupled with those comments which preceded your own on the subject of war and/or conflict, prompts me to mention a certain train of thought I had on the subject myself recently.

I was watching (on television) the very sad parades in honour of those young soldiers returning home in their draped coffins prior to their burials with 'Full Military Honours'.

In every case, an almost identical characterisation of those who fell was given by some person (whether Officer or Other Rank) and the 'Tally' was compared with those who paid with their lives in both the Falklands and Iraq.

The parents of the slain, almost unanimously concluded that their Son had died doing what he knew to be his duty and that they regarded his actions as 'Heroic', suitably emphasized finally by some 'Top Brass' who accordingly delivered the final speech declaring that the particular soldier was almost deserving of 'Canonisation'.

It struck me as rather strange that recent discussions with the troops serving in Afghanistan, seem to reveal the fact that there is a certain amount of confusion (among the troops) as to just what their purpose there is, in some cases, certain of the troops have expressed doubts about their role (both in Iraq and Afghanistan) and the mention of fighting for freedom (contained in Oracle's comments) further prompts me to invite members to make certain comparisons.

The Taliban (greatly demonised by ALL media and other sources) are also the Sons of parents who mourn for them, the thousands upon thousands who were (and still are being) maimed and slaughtered in Iraq have families too.

There is a notable difference between the young soldiers who have been (and are being) killed in action in Afghanistan, compared to the Taliban who have taken their lives.

The Taliban fighters 'Truly Believe' in the justice of their actions whereas (as mentioned above) the morale of the troops seems to indicate that despite the pomp and ceremony of 'Military Honours' they do not.

My comments do not (I hope) mean that I am in agreement with the actions of the Taliban BUT, I am obliged to say that I think their cause is somewhat more credible than the poor young soldiers committed to those actions that have taken place in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Oracle]

Floda, just as I do not understand why we had a WWI ... I do not understand the motives for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan unless it is an admittance of fighting for the Capitalist ideals of getting to the Oil Harvests contained therein!

'Fighting for freedom' should never be allowed to be sabotaged again, by greedy bankers ....

[Floda]

Floda, just as I do not understand why we had a WWI ... I do not understand the motives for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan unless it is an admittance of fighting for the Capitalist ideals of getting to the Oil Harvests contained therein!

'Fighting for freedom' should never be allowed to be sabotaged again, by greedy bankers ....

Unfortunately, those who are prepared to 'Fight for Freedom' are invariably stigmatized as 'Terrorists' and thus no credibility is ever given to their cause.

One notable exception though, 'The Resistance' who could only be seen as 'Terrorists' by the German forces.

STILL they were always referred to AS 'The Resistance', (by the Germans) I do wonder if that small observance could be an indication of a significant measure of 'Honour' between foes ?, sadly lacking among the LOT who now seek to control the greater part of humanity.

[Free Spirit]

I don't understand what WWI was about - WWII at least had a modicum of purpose to prevent the murder of Jews and the spread of Nazism.?

The start of WWII had nothing to do with the extermination of Jews it was about Hitlers expansionism.

[Get Real!]

I don't understand what WWI was about -

Oracle, the assassination with a bomb of archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is what started WWI. You can read about it here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_F ... of_Austria

[Oracle]

I don't understand what WWI was about -

Oracle, the assassination with a bomb of archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is what started WWI. You can read about it here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_F ... of_Austria

Thanks sweetie ... I knew that much (the shooting of FF) ... which is why I'm puzzled why so many millions were sent to die. For such a thing!