"self interest" and lines drawn on a map in 1917 have resulted in so much killing and, later, there will be a financial "killing" to be made in reconstruction.
Joyce, the probability is that as I found as a soldier interfering in other peoples wars only causes even more death and destruction. In my time all we ever seemed to do was retreat from areas we had once ruled only for chaos to follow. Should we have stayed taken our casualties but letting the local population take it out on us, no instead we usually left suddenly leaving a vacuum that left sections to fight it out, often with a massive death toll. We never did learn to keep out as Iraq and Afganistan proved. Our input solved nothing, caused even more trouble for the local populations. Having often had to seperate sects of the same religeon trying to kill each other, why? I did realise it was impossible to get them to see sense. My impression is that after Libya our politicians got cold feet, as an ex-soldier my way would be why go and interfere knowing we would leave it a lot worse. Religeon has a lot to answer for.
I don't think we can win with middle east wars. If we go in we are the baddies. If we don't we get blamed for doing nothing. Hospitals and Red Cross used to be respected and not fired on, but this lot play by no rules that civilised people would. That's probably the wrong word. Civilised people would not wage war anyway.
I wish all people of all religions, " Peace on Earth" not just this month, but for years to come.
Joyce, the Balfour Declaration caused much of the Middle East fiasco we had to deal with, even as a confused 18 year old I could never understand that. The other thing was having to separate people trying to kill each other, same religeon different sect and that went for all of the religeons. Most of our Officers were against Balfour, it was a bit touch and go at one time, we all knew which direction the tanks would roll and that could well have settled it once and for all. What did we know, we obeyed orders, most of the time. Saw no point in stirring up more trouble for ourselves, surprisingly most soldiers I met were pacifists, what is the point we would ask we will not be here for long. There is no quick fix answer apart from stop supplying arms to those people.
As long as people allow themselves to be fanatical about religion or communism or fascism or anything else there will be conflict and not reason. As long as people make vast fortunes from the arms trade there will be the incentive to "fuel" conflict.
I think the Arabs and Muslims everywhere have to work this one out between themselves but they won't as long as vested interests can use them as pawns and playing fields.
Very grey day here with cloud at ground level so visibility is poor and it feels cold and unwelcoming. Pity because last night was clear as a bell with a fabulous, bright moon. I have been out to do a grocery shop but feel like hibernating this pm.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
To Punkdoc I amsorry to hear your news and hope you will sleep at night.We had a lovely bright moon last night and it made everywhere light.The weather is slightly cooler today so i have been busy shampooing carpets with a good wind blowing throught the house.
Posts
"self interest" and lines drawn on a map in 1917 have resulted in so much killing and, later, there will be a financial "killing" to be made in reconstruction.
I've just crashed a fire engine.
Now sat waiting for my boss to show up.
Oops! Where, when and how? I trust you are OK.
Joyce, the probability is that as I found as a soldier interfering in other peoples wars only causes even more death and destruction. In my time all we ever seemed to do was retreat from areas we had once ruled only for chaos to follow. Should we have stayed taken our casualties but letting the local population take it out on us, no instead we usually left suddenly leaving a vacuum that left sections to fight it out, often with a massive death toll. We never did learn to keep out as Iraq and Afganistan proved. Our input solved nothing, caused even more trouble for the local populations. Having often had to seperate sects of the same religeon trying to kill each other, why? I did realise it was impossible to get them to see sense. My impression is that after Libya our politicians got cold feet, as an ex-soldier my way would be why go and interfere knowing we would leave it a lot worse. Religeon has a lot to answer for.
Frank.
Agree Frank and in 1917 the "Powers" didn't understand, or chose to ignore that.
Hope you are OK Clari
I don't think we can win with middle east wars. If we go in we are the baddies. If we don't we get blamed for doing nothing. Hospitals and Red Cross used to be respected and not fired on, but this lot play by no rules that civilised people would. That's probably the wrong word. Civilised people would not wage war anyway.
I wish all people of all religions, " Peace on Earth" not just this month, but for years to come.
Joyce, the Balfour Declaration caused much of the Middle East fiasco we had to deal with, even as a confused 18 year old I could never understand that. The other thing was having to separate people trying to kill each other, same religeon different sect and that went for all of the religeons. Most of our Officers were against Balfour, it was a bit touch and go at one time, we all knew which direction the tanks would roll and that could well have settled it once and for all. What did we know, we obeyed orders, most of the time. Saw no point in stirring up more trouble for ourselves, surprisingly most soldiers I met were pacifists, what is the point we would ask we will not be here for long. There is no quick fix answer apart from stop supplying arms to those people.
Frank.
Too much money in the arms trade, Frank, for it to stop.
As long as people allow themselves to be fanatical about religion or communism or fascism or anything else there will be conflict and not reason. As long as people make vast fortunes from the arms trade there will be the incentive to "fuel" conflict.
I think the Arabs and Muslims everywhere have to work this one out between themselves but they won't as long as vested interests can use them as pawns and playing fields.
Very grey day here with cloud at ground level so visibility is poor and it feels cold and unwelcoming. Pity because last night was clear as a bell with a fabulous, bright moon. I have been out to do a grocery shop but feel like hibernating this pm.
To Punkdoc I amsorry to hear your news and hope you will sleep at night.We had a lovely bright moon last night and it made everywhere light.The weather is slightly cooler today so i have been busy shampooing carpets with a good wind blowing throught the house.