Why I No Longer Feel Comfortable Wearing a Poppy

[Geckos48]

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/madeleine-fry/poppy-day_b_4169581.html

very eloquently put. Exactly how I feel about the whole debacle.

November 11th should be for those who selflessly gave their lives in the World Wars, not those who chose to fight dubious campaigns abroad.

I totally agree, besides making Maggie Thatcher look good, I am not really sure what the point of the Falklands war really was.

Geckos answer my question please! How has my DH made a career out of killing people? The only guns he has fired have been on the range!

Also, what would you do if your DS says he is joining the Army at 18?

Wrong Kim. Not all planes drop bombs at all.

Since when did the people of the Falklands want independence?? The people of the Falklands are British and the overwhelming majority want to remain so. Seriously, at least just read up on the Wikipedia page about, them, if only to avoid appearing to be so ignorant!

Do you think those British people should have been left to fend for themselves when invaded by a country that has NO claim to the islands other than them happening to be geographically nearby?

The reason we fought so much for the Falklands was because of oil revenue, nothing to do with the British there.

You have also played a role in peacekeeping and humanitarian work

So, Kiim, Geckos is wrong the military do not make a career out of killing people.

Yes, they do.

Our 'peacekeeping' more often than not involves carrying big guns around and killing people.

Check out our wonderful 'peacekeeping' in Northern Ireland.

As I said earlier, its like feeding the cat before setting fire to the house.

The reason we fought for the Falkands is because they are British, the Falkland Islanders see themselves as British.

DH is there, PM me your address I'll get one of them to send you a letter explaining it all to you if you'd like!

That would be a nice thought wouldnt it. Unfortunately it is false. If that rock wasn't atop a lot of oil, we never would have bothered colonising it in the first place, let alone fighting for it.

The Falklands didn't do Margaret Thatcher any harm; she was heading for political annihilation until British troops won the islands back for her.

However even if my views on her haven't changed over the years, they have about the Falklands.

You can't just allow another country to invade your sovereign territory, even given that if you hadn't made defence cuts, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

How can diplomacy play any meaningful part in controlling an invasion that has already taken place? The only response was to defend our territory. To do anything less would undoubtedly have meant the islands' loss.

And given you said you could understand the people of the Falklands wanting independence, you might understand how I came to the conclusion you weren't entirely clear on their nationality and/or desired nationality...

Gecko would you say the armed police also make a career out of killing?

Have you been to the Falklands, gecko? Have you spoken to anyone that lives there? Do you know anyone that fought in the war?

"That rock?" It's not Gibraltar, the Falklands are a series of small islands!

I think we gave up on diplomacy too early. 100s of people died.

I totally agree, besides making Maggie Thatcher look good, I am not really sure what the point of the Falklands war really was.

You both do realise that British people were under attack from an invading military force.

The 'point' was exactly the same as if german soldiers had come ashore at Dover.

If you dial 999 because an armed gang is smashing down your front door do you expect the police to come or is it ok if they text the criminals instead and ask them to talk it over?