Reflecting on the visibility of armed teenagers (nominally ‘military’ personnel but they all looked about 20yrs old), at Charles de Gaulle airport on my way home form a meeting in Luxembourg, I was forcefully struck by the notion that situations like Burma and the swagger of the young security guards was due in sum total to access to ordinance. I know it’s a hoary old chestnut, but surely a return to ‘civilised’ ways of armed conflict would be preferable – a sword is much more personal than an armalite and those engaged in conflict are immediately aware of the consequences (try ‘misfiring’ a broadsword).
Another thought whilst I cogitated (too much time awaiting transfer), was how come my car and every other appliance I own has a built in obsolescence , yet guns seem to be designed to last forever – that old WWII Luger under your dads bed (thankfully liberated from some scumbg nazi (but that’s another story)), is as deadly today as it was to the last jew/homosexual/gypsy/disabled person that smelt the cordite. What if they had a ‘best before’ date – I guarantee that wars would cease as everyone would claim their arms where out of date and so they couldn’t possibly engage in hostilities…(aka bottom of the fridge theory).
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