h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Although an interestind discussion topic, I can't help feeling in this day and age why we need to talk about bringers of death. It goes without saying it's not the weapon that brings the death but the user. Surely in this enlightened world of ours a discussion about third world problems would be more useful than talking about the history of a gun.

Sadly, in many third world countries, the Grim Reaper is still using weapons supplied by us or our former enemies. In the case of Angola, the war against the Portuguese rulers in the early 1970s continued as a devastating and bloody civil war until just recently.

Bringers of Death are still as omnipresent as they were in the past, but not quite so overt or formalised as they were before.

*Surely in this enlightened world of ours....

Nice sentiment, but surely all knowledge is important? While I would agree it is wrong to glorify weapons, responsible entries like this which give some perspective on the reasons for developing the weapon and how they changed the battlefield do more good than they could ever do harm. Too much conflict in this world comes from ignorance - particularly of history....

I don't see why you think discussing one topic precludes discussing another one, particularly at a time when another Middle East war looks (almost?) inevitable.

Erm, I don't.

I believe I said that neither an examination of the Third World nor a detailed history of the machine gun entry were any more worthy than the other. Or did I forget to type my entry in English?

My incompetence. I was really referring to Ford Focus's post, not yours, which I am in full agreement with.