D-day. "Greater love has no man than this..."

[Lincoln]

...that a man would lay down his life for his friends."

President Bush quoted the above line from the words of Jesus during his speech at the D-day ceremonies at Normandy today. How petty is our bickering in the light of the brotherhood that existed on that day. How foolish it would be to forget the sacrifice of friends and the peace and good will of the first friend of America, France.

May the brave men who left their blood and youth on the beaches of France rest in peace.

[Al B. Sure!]

completely off-topic of d-day...

apolyton has for a moment shifted an iota to the right with Lincoln's return

but don't forget America's second, but ever estranged, friend, Spain, though her new gov't seems against us.

[Lincoln]

Thanks for the kind words, Speer.

[Al B. Sure!]

i said kind words?

but i think a tribute should go out to those who are never tributed... the soldiers who fought for the Axis powers fought bravely against an unstoppable foe. their cause doesn't matter... their courage does, however.

[Lincoln]

Germany at least learned from their experience and I think that most of America holds no resentment toward the people of Germany. In similar circumstances who can say what evil we would have perpetuated by not understanding the evil within ourseleves and the propensity of men to follow like sheep.

[Bereta_Eder]

Nice celebration.

[Tingkai]

We will not forget the brave Canadians, British, American and French who gave their lives that day. We owe our freedom to them.

But don't quote a coward like Bush on a day like this. Who is he to talk about laying his life down for his friends.

[Drake Tungsten]

Bush -

[Tingkai]

"The waters of the English Channel and the winds of the Normandy coast have erased the footprints these men left in Juno Beach. But not even the great tides of time can wash away the deep impressions they have made in our national history and in the chronicles of the free world."

- Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin

[chequita guevara]

How many D-Day threads do we need?

[East Street Trader]

It was a huge undertaking, Che.

Well worth the remembering.

And I agree with Albert that it is worth saving a corner in the memory for the German soldiers who also had to fight and die far from home. There were one or two short programmes on english TV showing US and UK veterans meeting up with German vets and walking over the beaches discussing where they had been and what their different experiences of the battles were.

There was no ill feeling between these men at all. In fact, as happened in the Great War I had a (faint) sense that they might eventually have found a greater sense of fellow feeling among themselves than they could with all the rest of us - who did not share the experience of so savage a fight.

[Menlas]

The courage of those brave young men won't be forgotten.

Thanks

[alva]

I very much liked Chiracs speech. and yes it was a nice ceremony and very touching to see and say goodbye to the old geezers forever.

Farewall to the greatest generation in history.

[Ben Kenobi]

Many of us would be the same age as those who voluntarily left the safety of their homes, lives and families to cross the Atlantic.

Would there be any today who would do the same?

[alva]

I know I couldn't. ( not even when I was the same age, I guess in some cases, ignorance IS bliss )