Measles is one of the biggest killers in the world, so I don't think it's an unreasonable connection to make. And yes, malnutrician is an even bigger one, but the combination is particularly deadly. Vaccination would certainly save lives.
As hmb said, smallpox was wiped out, and there are still high hopes to wipe out polio through mass vaccination. TB was largely brought under control by BCG (along with antibiotics). Rubella was the cause of many children being severely damaged, and that's pretty rare now (a little brother or sister of mine would be around now if my family hadn't all caught rubella when my mother was pregant). I know a couple of people who had polio in the last great epidemic and have been in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives - when did we last have a polio epedimic? I have a friend who is deaf as the result of measles, and there was an outbreak of measles in Dublin last time their immunisation rates dropped, two children died.
The WHO spends a huge amount of money and effort with immunisation programmes around the world - what would be in it for them if it was all some sort of conspiracy?
If you really want to understand the facts you need to read all of the research papers and understand how to interpret them. Yes, the NHS and the DoH haven't done the best marketing job, but bear in mind that The Informed Parent, What Doctor's Don't Tell You and JABS are pressure groups with a particular message to tell.
btw the latest research on autism suggests that it may be possible in future to be able to identify children in early infancy.
Of course making the choice as a parent is very difficult, because there are risks involved, and statistics don't help tell you if it might happen to your child.
I do think we don't realise how lucky we are in many ways around the things we take for granted (including making choices).
Phew! rant over, and like hmb, I will go away now.