Tuesday 18 February 2014

A Couple of Thoughts

     
     
      Canadian troops blinded by mustard gas 1914
I've been reading Margret Macmillan's book on WW1  titled 1914 The War that Ended the Peace seen as how the results of that four years of murderous slaughter echos down to our time a hundred years after it began.
  I am struck in reading it how similar 1914 and 2014 seem at this point to be e.g challenging  long held beliefs,chasing after strange beliefs,terrorism,arms races,a general feeling that we are losing control of our destinies.Finally a stupid miscalculation on the part of one the Great Powers. That one is yet to happen.


   On a happier note ,I am enjoying the Olympics. Yes Putin has spent 50 billion to make the games a success. Far better that he spend the money that way than on a fleet of nuclear missile carrying subs hidden in the Atlantic Ocean.
   As for the Olympics, to paraphrase Mr. Churchill its better to Play, Play than War, War.

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