It's that time of year again, when I don't buy a poppy. I already know how crap war is without having to engage in the mass-empathy of 'we'll never forget those who died' that's only one step removed from the disgustingly-American hysteria following the death of the People's Pricess (sic).
But apart from the above; is WWI, with its number of veterans approaching 0, relevant to what war is like today? The four years of that war clocked approximately 4.5 million military casualites (most reliable, since these are also the best recorded). The approaching 3 years of the Iraq War and Occupation has killed 2085 (1).
"War" has come a long way in the 91 years since the beginning of WWI. Now, it does not necessarily entail megadeath - it's a much more detached form of conflict, no more hesitating to shoot because you can't actually see who you're killing anymore.
I propose we replace the poppy with a patch of sandpaper - symbolising the new style of war débuted in the Second Gulf War.
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