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"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
April 16, 1953

Enough said....

Sincerely,

Fredrick Albury

""Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
April 16, 1953

Enough said...."

You really haven't said anything, did you?

Do you know what the context was in which Eisenhower said this?

Thankfully, guns have been made. Thankfully, warships have been launched. Thankfully, rockets have been fired. Otherwise, Hitler may have succeeded in his quest to rule the world. I can't imagine how many in the world would be cold and hungry today without guns, warships, and rockets. Look at the oppression that has been removed in Iraq, alone, because the US had the guns, warships, and rockets needed to remove an evil dictator.

Again, what context did Eisenhower make this comment?

Fred, From such statements paradoxes are made. There are some who might say that we needed the guns to defend our freedom and that of other's from attack. However, this over looks the obvious point that without the guns to enforce their will, we would not have world power dictators attacking in the first place.

Eisenhower was at times a very perceptive man.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

If I may, even without the fire power, there would have always been bullies in out world.
Thank about all the history before the 1200's.

Austin

Quite true....But then you have to consider the meaning of the quote and put it into the right context.

Eisenhower used guns because they were the common weapon of his era. If you want to go back before guns, then pick spears arrows or whatever. The point was the time, effort, money-and especially lives wasted to create, promote and abuse weapons-rather than something that would actually benefit mankind.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I agree with you on the fact that is had to do with the time, but even without a weapon, there was always a bullie. Weapons are for good and the bad. People just weigh out the bad as much more then it realy is.

Austin

I agree! The issue is not weapons, it's bullies. I think Fred implied that, just because the US produces weapons (to protect this country, mind you), someone is starving on the other side of the earth. Pure BS! Now I agree that countries led by Bullies/dictators, like Saddam and Kim, also tend to have starving citizens. In that case, those particular countries need to be indicted by Fred Albury. It has nothing to do with the US government or it's hard-working people. Maybe Fred is getting his information from H & E's wonderful "German medias", lol!

It is true that there allways will be bullies. Unarmed-a bully is on an equal standing with his peers. Arm him and you have a major problem; as to maintain (at the very least)a balance, you have to arm yourself equaly or better. That is why historically, humans have had an arms race going on since before the days of Sumaria and Babylon.

War is a losing proposition-mainly for the common man. Countries (Governments) may benifit from the rise and fall of dictators and the capture or return of territories, but the people who's lives are lost and whose homes are destroyed pay the price for the vanity of nations. That is why every chance for peace must be exhausted before that ultimate solution. Even when the Bully is removed, the innocent suffer.

As to Eisenhower...

I see Fred's spin on this as actually a statement that reflects the value of Pacifism and a condemnation of war in general. That we are so caught up in this foolish arms race (because there are allways some people cannnot live and let live) inevidably we waste billions upon billions making weapons for war, when the same money could go far to end hunger and disease in this world.

Yes there will allways be bullies...those who seek power by hate, predjuce or greed. And the time comes when they must be neutralised (By sanctions, or war if neccessary) but what Eisenhower said reflected the price we pay because they exist.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."