Palestinian, Israeli, Lebanese, American, and Iraqi people are all the same

[NNN0LHI]

They all want the same things. A little something to eat. Be able to raise their kids. And just be left alone in peace.

But it is our governments and leaders who are criminally corrupt and need to keep the killing going so they can keep getting richer. When the people start to realize this we will all be better off.

Don


http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm


Claim: Hermann Goering proclaimed that although "the people don't want war," they "can always be brought to the bidding of their leaders."

Status: True.


---------------------------------------------


Later in the conversation, Gilbert recorded Goering's observations that the common people can always be manipulated into supporting and fighting wars by their political leaders:

We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction.

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

[ananda]

1. "some poor farm slob"

Doesn't that phrase just about say it all?

[bryant69]

2. People support their goverments

Americans pay for bombs and missles sent off to Israel to kill Lebanese civilians, for example. That makes us all, more or less, supporters of murder.

And Lebanese civilians, a good many of them, support Hezbollah which uses missles to kill civilians. That makes them, the supporters of Hezbollah, supporters of murder.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Ignoramus]

4. People equate other people with their governments

And so justify warfare to themselves.

[Poll_Blind]

3. I remember watching an interview with a kippa-wearing Jew on the....

...streets of (I think it was Tel-Aviv). This was under Sharon, IIRC. Asked about what he thought of the Likud versus Shas (et al.) he said with a bitter pointedness "You know, I don't give a shit if Arafat is our Prime Minister, I just want my family to be safe and to be able to make a living and enjoy life." Most people have a pretty simple bottom line: Life, liberty and their pursuits of Happiness.

PB