@Lt Ripley - 1. I have been an Australian citizen since 1968 - 2. I love this country to the extent that I speak its language better than some of the 'originals'. My original reasons for leaving a pleasant home (I had good parents, friends, job or rather jobs) was to get to know the world, but also the knowledge that Europe will never be at peace - when leaving, every major city in Northern Europe had a missile pointed at it by Russians and former allies alike. There was no trust in a future, nor an everlasting peace. 2. when I lived in Austria as a child and young teenager, I was first of all a pious catholic, then a socialist for a number of years - I am still hoping that socialist policies will eventually infiltrate this world, particularly when we have to decide world-wide how to deal with Artificial Intelligence, which is going to replace much human labour. 3. History is my hobby - and I have only reluctantly taken on the study of my own country, because I was so horrified with what happened during WWII (and we heard nothing about it at school - this has changed!). I have met a few people from your neck of the woods, was almost engaged to one of your bods, who couldn't decide whether he could live with an intelligent women, who, however gave him great credit with his friends, who always insisted on calling me 'German' - I even learnt some words of your language, have forgotten now. Have seen some of the aftermath of the unfortunate partition wars in the former Yugoslavia - seen tragic people, a lonely woman on an island off the coast of Croatia no-one spoke to, Serb-born, widow of a Croatian soldier - here she was, all alone in the middle of former friends - heard soldiers singing in church with an obvious belief and ardour which is/was irreconcilable with the hatred shown for their 'brothers' 4. I have a distant relative who fought and died in the Spanish Civil war on the side of the Republic (they used to sing a song; 'Eine Kugel kam geflogen, aus der Heimat für mich her, der Schuss war wohl erwogen, der lauf war glatt gezogen, ein deutsches Schiessgewehr' - A bullet flew at me, from my home just for me - the shot was well aimed, - a German gun! sung to the melody; Ich hatt einen Kameraden).
All wars are brother wars, men against men - what is it with you lot?
5. World War I did an important job, but also much damage - it obliterated an outmoded societal model not just in Austria-Hungary, also in Germany, both countries and maybe others too, needed a change, but that shot and then the reaction of the Austro-Hungarian government (fed by the war-mongering German faction at the Austrian court - and childlike Kaiser Wilhelm's saber rattling games) - it turned into a total disaster for all concerned. People like that unfortunate kid who fired the 'lucky' shot will always exist, will always destabilise society - and they will always exist so long as we have imperfect parents/fathers/mothers - and poverty I have recently re-read the history of that fought-over piece of land 'Alsace-Lorraine' - and that area has been a battleground for centuries, toing and froing between various countries, but mostly between Germany and France - it produced a wonderful human, one Robert Schuman, (not the composer, the statesman from Luxembourg) who had the vision to think of a United Europe and devised 'the Schuman Plan' a plan for a United Europe - I like to think that the present crisis will strengthen his vision, will test the union's mettle. As a result Europe now has had relative peace for many years, also thanks to the enlightened actions of the Allies and above all American financial help (Marshall Plan) - and here we go again. Have a good day, talking war until we learn to talk 'peace' we do not deserve this earth. Taurisk
