The Political Discussion Thread

[SGalisa]

On a site with a bunch of Scifi nuts, sure
However, even Atlantis' shield is merely that, a shield.

Ok, now it's my turn to say this -- I'm fairly certain you know what I meant.
Otherwise, it'd be pretty impressive to see a real forcefield shielding all of Israel's most precious population zones. I don't need to be told details on how protective guidance programs work. Had enough of that in school.. Regarding the larger picture and regardless of how convinced my friend who lived in the region believes there really are space aliens *out there*, Area 51 central control ain't for UFO's of the ET kind. Not for Santa either, except to keep the kiddies happy on Christmas Eve. Never had the privilege to visit that place (or other places similar to it), but I've heard/read about people who have, and they simply don't discuss about it. ---zip---

However, some of our news folks (Fox/CNN?) did manage to get a peek inside (and only where they were permitted to visit and film/video) when the whole USA went into enforced FAA shut-down mode after the WTC got crashed into in 2001.
Impressive -- similar to NASA, but serving a whole different purpose.

Nope.
Let me clarify as something seems to have been lost here.
Surgical strikes target *Specific* targets while leaving everything else alone (to a limited degree)...

Not lost. I just don't feel like getting too specific.
Sort of being like Jack O'Neill dancing around the issue(s).
Besides, when a protective guidance anti-missile system is launched at an airborne target -- *that* process in USA terminology is called a "surgical strike". It was over 20 years ago, and probably still is. Doesn't matter how big the airborne target is, as you keep trying to point out in different ways.

Ok, nice story, but irrelevant, sorry.

Not a nice story. It's the truth, sad truth.

I don't care any more.
I was too young to care (then) what he worked on or how to work out computer language gibberish, and I don't care about it now, partly b/c there is nothing I can do to bring him back. It's in the past. When the democrats came into gov't power positions, they shafted him in his job, put him on dumb projects until he was forced to retire at 55 years old. By the time President Reagan took access of the prototype research, my relative was dead.

Not irrelevant, either. I don't think the advanced versions of his program was intended to go to Israel, b/c I'm almost certain that was supposed to be the USA's protection system against threats being made by Russia (at that time). I'm sure the Israelis inserted advanced details within the program, which is where it exists in today's world.
It's just pointless discussing this stuff any more.

Hamas gets funding from quite a few sources, including Iran and probably others, So what? Israel gets funding from the US and other countries, what is your point?

I already said it.
for the record -- the ultimate point being made was--

"Earth's historical timelines grow more and more interesting.. now on weekly / almost a daily basis."

Just an observation -- Is it a coincidence that this year is 2014 and rumors of war seem to be surfacing on the world horizon -- just as it was in 1914, when World War 1 began?
Seems that history is sort of repeating itself all over again.
Why? Did someone decide the world didn't get it right in the last 20th century, so we all have to start this nonsense all over again now in the 21st century?

[P-90_177]

Just an observation -- Is it a coincidence that this year is 2014 and rumors of war seem to be surfacing on the world horizon -- just as it was in 1914, when World War 1 began?
Seems that history is sort of repeating itself all over again.
Why? Did someone decide the world didn't get it right in the last 20th century, so we all have to start this nonsense all over again now in the 21st century?

In essence? Yes and no.

War tends to come and go in cycles. For example, the last major Western war before WWI was the Napoleonic war which was about a hundred years prior then to.
Now of course, last century was a very bloody hundred years in general anyway, and for almost half of it the Western World and Soviet Union were almost at the brink of WWIII on a weekly basis. So in this particular situation, it's merely mix between coincidence and simply the short memories that we humans have.

However it is worthy of note that despite the heated tensions we are still far more willing to talk it out globally before resorting to war. I mean you could make the argument in the current Ukraine crisis that there is still the possibility of Mutually Assured Destruction if any major military action was taken, but there was once upon a time in our history when that probably wouldn't have bothered anyone.

[Falcon Horus]

Both sides in this are wrong.

They are indeed.

So who can make them sit at the table and talk peace?

Apparently John Kerry is having a go at it at the moment, or so I've read in my morning paper.

Is it a coincidence that this year is 2014 and rumors of war seem to be surfacing on the world horizon -- just as it was in 1914, when World War 1 began?

Tell me why and when WWI started, and where?

For the record, I know the answer without googling it. I don't want anyone to think I'm that clueless.

War tends to come and go in cycles.

It's fascinating really.

For example, the last major Western war before WWI was the Napoleonic war which was about a hundred years prior then to.

I bet Waterloo left a bitter taste in Napoleon's mouth. 1815 sure wasn't his favorite year.

Now of course, last century was a very bloody hundred years in general anyway, and for almost half of it the Western World and Soviet Union were almost at the brink of WWIII on a weekly basis.

Those were the days...

Let's see:

1914 - 1918 -- WWI
1939 - 1945 -- WWII

There's the Vietnam War in the 60ties, the Cold War in the 70ties & 80ties, the war in Former Yuguslavia in the 90ties, the IRA in Northern Ireland bombing the place, the ETA in Spain doing the same, Berlin Wall, North & South Korea, student protests at the Tienamen square, Bloody Sunday, Tamil guerilla fighters kicking butt, ...

Anyone else wanna add something (without using google that is)?

However it is worthy of note that despite the heated tensions we are still far more willing to talk it out globally before resorting to war.

Is it possible that some of us might have learned a lesson or two, especially after seeing the destructions of the atomic bombs, or what napalm does to a person?

After WWI, we vowed "Never again!" but we sure as hell can't seem to uphold that promise.

I mean you could make the argument in the current Ukraine crisis that there is still the possibility of Mutually Assured Destruction if any major military action was taken, but there was once upon a time in our history when that probably wouldn't have bothered anyone.

I vote MAD, if that ends it all... then I'd say let's do it. Maybe that will teach humanity a lesson.

[Falcon Horus]

I was under the impression that crusades were a thing of the past, when knights took up arms to defend the holy land, and rid the lands of infidels. I was definitely wrong ...

To arms all you Christians - the holy land needs your help once again!

Ambassador Ron Dermer Addresses CUFI Annual 'Night To Honor Israel' Gala [video @ YouTube]

Or for those who don't need the occasional boo's -- here be the text of his speech:

Spoiler:

Thank you. Now that’s a better reception than I got on CNN!

Pastor Hagee and Diana – thank you both for your unwavering support for Israel.

Sheldon and Miriam – thank you for being giants of generosity for the Jewish people and the Jewish state.

Senator Graham – thank you for being a Lion in the Senate – defending Israel’s security and championing the friendship between Israel and America.

I want to thank the leadership of CUFI, the thousands of Christians who are here tonight and the millions of Christians across the United States who stand with Israel today and every day.

Thank you.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we meet here tonight in Washington, thousands of Israeli soldiers are fighting in Gaza and millions of Israelis are huddled in bomb shelters.

Twenty seven Israelis have lost their lives. Twenty five soldiers including two American citizens Max Steinberg and Sean Carmeli, have paid the ultimate price for the defense of Israel.

Israel’s army is defending our country against the firing of rockets at our cities and against terrorists tunneling under our borders to massacre and kidnap our civilians.

But what is at stake is not just a battle between Israel and Hamas.

It is a battle between a democratic society that seeks peace with all its neighbors and a terror organization whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and the genocide of the Jewish people.

-- Interruption -- [Boo'ing from the audience]

It is also a battle between a free society that allows freedom of speech, and one that doesn’t.

It is a battle between a compassionate country that’s dropping leaflets, making phone calls and sending text messages to save Palestinian civilians and a brutal terror organization that uses hospitals as military command centers, manufactures rockets next to Mosques and turns UN schools into weapons depots.

Israel appreciates that most responsible leaders around the world have supported Israel’s right to defend itself – that list includes President Obama, President Hollande of France, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Cameron of Great Britain, Prime Minister Abbot of Australia, and Prime Minister Harper of Canada.

And we also appreciate that President Obama and the American Congress have helped Israel develop the Iron Dome missile defense system.

Iron Dome saves Israeli lives. Without Iron Dome, hundreds of rockets would be landing on our cities and killing our civilians.

But Iron Dome also saves Palestinian lives. Because if those missiles were landing in Israel, our government would have to respond with much greater force.

But ladies and gentlemen, Israel deserves more than the support of the international community.

Israel deserves the admiration of the international community.

Because no military in history has taken greater care than the IDF to protect innocents of the other side.
And this care is happening not when we are fighting a war by remote control thousands of miles away.

This is happening when ¾ of our country – the equivalent of over 200 million Americans - are huddled in bomb shelters.

Imagine what the United States would do if 2,000 rockets would be fired by a terror organization from contiguous territory, and 200 million Americans would have to rush to bomb shelters day after day?

Does anyone seriously believe that America would use less force?

Does anyone seriously believe that Britain would use less force if 40 million Brits were in bomb shelters every day?

Actually, in the case of Britain, we can do more than guess. We know how they responded.

The only other time in history when thousands of rockets were fired at a civilian population was during World War II. The Germans fired 4,000 rockets at Great Britain.

What was the British response? What was Churchill’s response? Dresden. Carpet bombing of German cities.

Now I’m the last person in the world who will criticize Churchill, who was perhaps the greatest leader of the 20th century.

That’s right, Churchill deserves a round of applause.

I will not criticize the decisions he made to fight the Nazis and defend our common civilization.

But at the same time, I will not accept, and no one should accept, criticism of Israel for acting with restraint that has not been shown and would not be shown by any nation on earth.

I especially will not tolerate criticism of my country at a time when Israeli soldiers are dying so that innocent Palestinians can live.

--Interruption -- [Boo'ing from the audience]

There is a section for moral idiots at the back of the room

[They had it coming.]

Israel did not have to send its soldiers into many of the places they are fighting today.

We could have given people time to evacuate these areas – which we did anyway - and then bombed from the air all the buildings that were being used by fighters to store and fire weapons.

But we didn’t. As we have done time after time, we are sending our soldiers into this hornet’s nest of Palestinian terror that is booby-trapped with mines and riddled with subterranean tunnels.

Some are shamelessly accusing Israel of genocide and would put us in the dock for war crimes.

But the truth is that the Israeli Defense Forces should be given the Nobel Peace Prize… a Nobel Peace Prize for fighting with unimaginable restraint.

One day, when the enemies of Israel are defeated and the cynics are silenced, people will look back and marvel at how the most threatened nation on earth never lost its nerve and always upheld its values.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Never forget the moral difference between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas deliberately targets the innocent. They want to kill as many of our civilians as possible. For them, the more civilians they kill, the greater the success.

Israel does not target the innocent. We want to harm as few civilians as possible. For us, the more civilians that are harmed, the greater the failure.

[Approximately 600 Palestinians say otherwise.]

What makes Israel’s task so challenging is the unprecedented effort of Hamas to endanger their own civilians.

While the IDF is doing everything to get Palestinian civilians out of harm’s way, Hamas is doing everything to put Palestinian civilians into harm’s way – by ignoring IDF warnings to evacuate, by forcing Palestinians to serve as human shields, and by placing missile batteries next to playgrounds, hospitals and homes.

And you know why Hamas is doing this?

It’s not only because of the evil they represent – and it may not be politically correct, but they are evil. After all, an organization that is capable of producing scores of suicide bombers doesn’t care a whit about Palestinian civilians losing their lives.

But Hamas also uses its strategy of human shields because it works.

--Interruption -- [Boo'ing from the audience]

It works on people like that.

Because time after time, when Palestinian civilians die, when those heart-wrenching pictures of women and children appear on television – pictures that would move any decent human being – the blame is placed on Israel and the pressure is put on Israel.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The question is whether we can break this cycle.

Will the world stand up to the use of human shields?

Will the media continue to allow Hamas to manipulate it?

Will the UN and many so-called human rights organizations continue to say nothing and do nothing?

Edmund Burke once said that all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people do nothing.

But when it comes to Hamas’s use of human shields, what the UN and many human rights organizations are doing is worse than being silent in the face of evil.

They attack the good. They attack Israel for its legitimate actions of self-defense. They file Goldstone reports accusing Israel of war crimes.

Now don’t get me wrong. These organizations are not like Hamas. They do not intentionally harm Palestinian civilians.

But in convincing Hamas that its strategy of using human shields will be effective, they are unwittingly serving as their accomplices.

It’s time for the UN to find a moral compass.

It’s time for the world to find a moral backbone.

It’s time to take a stand against the use of human shields.

Continue to part II

[Falcon Horus]

Part II

Spoiler:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have a common heritage. We face common enemies. We share a common future.

That future is under threat by radical Islamist movements that are sweeping through the Middle East.

The values of the Islamists can be seen every day in Gaza, in Syria, in Iraq, in Iran and elsewhere in the region.

Radical Shias are led by Iran and its foremost proxy Hezbollah. Radical Sunnis are led by the likes of ISIS, Al Qaeda and Hamas.

The radical Shias speak of the return of an imam from the 9th century. The radical Sunnis hope to restore a Caliphate from the 7th century.

If they met halfway, I suppose they’d end up in the 8th century – but wherever they ended up, rest assured, it would be a place where there are no rights for women, no tolerance for Jews or Christians, and where those suffering most under their repressive rule would be Muslims who did not share their twisted ideology.

Today, Christians are literally fleeing for their lives from Mosul, Iraq. Under the threat of extortion, conversion or death, 35,000 Christians have fled their homes, many to the safety of the Kurdish areas in Northern Iraq.

May God Bless those Kurds for their decency and humanity.

Maybe that Presbyterian group that recently decided to divest from Israel - the one place in the Middle East with a thriving Christian community - can summon the courage to fire off a press release showing some sympathy with their Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, Syria, Libya or anywhere else in our region.

But don’t bet on it.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It may be many decades before the fires being stoked between Shia radicals and Sunni radicals burn out.

The most important thing for the world is to not be singed by the flames. That means preventing any of those radicals from developing weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons.

And it is the Shia radicals, led by Iran, that are closer to achieving that goal.

Hamas in Gaza is the little evil. The Ayatollah regime in Iran is the Great Evil. I don’t mean to offend Hezbollah but they’re just the medium size evil.

[Hezbollah will now be offended. ]

Iran’s regime executes hundreds of political prisoners. It stones women and hangs Christians.

It has helped the Syrian regime massacre nearly 200,000 people, and turned million more into refugees.

Iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world, perpetrating terror attacks on five continents and 25 countries in the last four years alone.

And Iran continues its march to develop nuclear weapons.

Fortunately, a bad deal was not signed last week with Iran.

A bad deal is a deal that would leave Iran with its nuclear weapons capability essentially intact. That is a deal that would have been unacceptable to Israel.

We hope the international community will stand firm and not agree to a deal where Iran does not fully dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

Pressure can make that happen.

To those who don’t believe that, think about this. If I would have stood here a year ago and told you that virtually all the chemical weapons could be removed from Syria through a diplomatic process, you’d have laughed me off the stage.

But with the right mix of military and diplomatic pressures, that is exactly what happened. And President Obama deserves credit for that.

And with the right mix of military pressures, tough sanctions and clear eyed diplomacy, Iran can be forced to fully dismantle its nuclear weapons capability.

As always, Israel reserves the right to defend itself.

The Jewish people did not restore our sovereignty in the Land of Israel after 2,000 years – the land where our patriarchs prayed, our prophets preached and our kings ruled – we did not restore our sovereignty to let the lifeline of our people be severed by a radical Ayatollah regime in Iran.

Pastor Hagee - Israel lives. And Israel will continue to live, from generation to generation till the end of time.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the Book of Deuteronomy, the people of Israel were presented with a simple choice:

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life, so that you and your children may live.

The lines that are being drawn today in the world could not be clearer.

Good is fighting evil.

Those who sanctify life are fighting those who glorify death.

And just as the people of Israel are given a choice, all people have a choice.

Choose wisely. Choose good. Choose life. And in doing so, choose to secure our common future.

Thank you.

I marked a few lines that made me snort a wee bit - couldn't help myself. However, if this doesn't scream Jihad, I don't know what does... I mean, Crusade.

[Falcon Horus]

Al Jazeera reporting on Gaza Under Siege - perhaps an interesting source.

[P-90_177]

This also seems somewhat pertinent to the discussion:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...li-forces.html

[Gatefan1976]

Part II



I marked a few lines that made me snort a wee bit - couldn't help myself. However, if this doesn't scream Jihad, I don't know what does... I mean, Crusade.

WTF is this dude smoking?? No clue, no context, just conflated BS
Once again, we get some holy warrior preaching his bull on a stage, absolving themselves of any guilt. What "stand" can their be against the use of unwilling human shields?

Take a page out of Roman History.
If to kill 10 to get one is acceptable by either side, then I say we wipe out 6 HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE to save the other 6.5 BILLION on the planet, they are after all ACCEPTABLE losses are they not? Lets just "glass" the entire Middle East, I can accept 10 million lost Israeli lives to get 590 million "bad guys", because that seems to be the acceptable ratio. Sorry Israel, you should have set up your new homeland somewhere else rather than choosing to sit in the firing line, I mean, you DID have other choices after all.

No, I can't even consider that as a joke in poor taste, even when morons like this guy want to put people "like me" in the corner with a dunce cap on with our "fake humanitarian Ideals", just because I care about the innocent people on both sides. Well, not that either side gives a brass crap about what I think, but I think they are both disgusting, morally bankrupt, self serving, selfish, Ideological arsehats who care more about their pitiful concepts of "nationhood" than they do for their own people. As the world moves slowly, yet inevitably towards global unity and co-operation and the "global village", there becomes less and less room for this kind of nationalistic garbage.
All this is, as usual is some kind of nationalistic fear that a nations culture or achievements will just be "forgotten" Have we forgotten Rome? Greece? Egypt? Israel? Franks? Macedonia? Aztec? Mayan? Norse? American Indian? Australian Aboriginal? Saxon? Moorish? Black? White?
On and ON the list goes of cultures that to this day speak to us from the past and present, yet we seem to CHOOSE not to listen to them and learn from them.
When we forget the wisdom of those that came before, we trivialize them in the most gross way imaginable, we forget to CARE about them, and we forget to learn from them.

Every Year, on April 25th, I raise a glass to the brave men and women who suffered directly, or indirectly from our actions at Gallipoli, I do not drink, but pour it on the floor to remind me of what we and our Allies lost that day. I ALSO raise a glass to the equally brave men and women of our Enemy, the Turks who were equally as brave, and ALSO suffered directly from that action and pour it on the floor, not because I want to forget them, but because I want to REMEMBER that both of us lost in those days.

When will we learn?
When we learn not to forget.

[SGalisa]

Tell me why and when WWI started, and where?

For the record, I know the answer without googling it. I don't want anyone to think I'm that clueless.

That's nice. But if that was directed at me, specifically, you really don't want to bring it up (see reasons to follow =). ---

The why--as one of my history teachers said, the basis of it started because of a family feud (between 2 countries). So, the Prince wanted to marry someone he truly loved, but she came from another country.. hence, ("God-forbid!" a) mixed marriage and not *pure* royal blood, according to his parents. Both Prince (Franz Ferdinand) and Princess (Sophie) got assassinated. Other issues got more people involved, etc., hence, WW1 began.
1914 (the beginning)

Where? Seriously, let's please not get into this.
In my grandparents *proverbial* backyard, so to speak. Grandma came from Austria-Hungary. Grandpa had Czech-Romanian ancestry roots. They both fled to America (to get away from the disastrous war zone region) somewhere between 1912-1916, or thereabouts.


I only mentioned the coincidental parallel in timelines, because of the year, not the circumstances. Current circumstances involve other countries (from Israel to Russia and the entire Middle East) for reasons different than what happened in 1914.

Just an observation -- Is it a coincidence that this year is 2014 and rumors of war seem to be surfacing on the world horizon -- just as it was in 1914, when World War 1 began?
Seems that history is sort of repeating itself all over again.
Why? Did someone decide the world didn't get it right in the last 20th century, so we all have to start this nonsense all over again now in the 21st century?

[P-90_177]

For a good historical drama about how the First World War began I highly recommend "37 Days" staring Ian McDiarmid. It really does tell the story in all of its sheer absurdities as well as its seriousness. The first episode and a half are really quite funny at times, then mid way through the second episode and all the way through the finale the tone completely changes as the seriousness of the growing crisis begins to dawn on everyone.

[Gatefan1976]

That's nice. But if that was directed at me, specifically, you really don't want to bring it up (see reasons to follow =). ---

The why--as one of my history teachers said, the basis of it started because of a family feud (between 2 countries). So, the Prince wanted to marry someone he truly loved, but she came from another country.. hence, ("God-forbid!" a) mixed marriage and not *pure* royal blood, according to his parents. Both Prince (Franz Ferdinand) and Princess (Sophie) got assassinated. Other issues got more people involved, etc., hence, WW1 began.
1914 (the beginning)

Where? Seriously, let's please not get into this.
In my grandparents *proverbial* backyard, so to speak. Grandma came from Austria-Hungary. Grandpa had Czech-Romanian ancestry roots. They both fled to America (to get away from the disastrous war zone region) somewhere between 1912-1916, or thereabouts.


I only mentioned the coincidental parallel in timelines, because of the year, not the circumstances. Current circumstances involve other countries (from Israel to Russia and the entire Middle East) for reasons different than what happened in 1914.

If you want to fulfil a prophesy, I guess the "XX"14 does not matter all that much, given enough time, you will be right, especially if others in power want to fulfil it as well.
Self fulfilling prophecies are da BESTEST!!!

[Coco Pops]

But how did killing one royal lead to a world war? That's the thing that boggles me about WW I despite reading history

[Falcon Horus]

That's nice. But if that was directed at me, specifically, you really don't want to bring it up (see reasons to follow =). ---

It wasn't, you just happened to bring it into your reply and I used the quote... ... I stole your line.

Your why is a wee bit simplified, isn't it...

But how did killing one royal lead to a world war? That's the thing that boggles me about WW I despite reading history

For anyone interested, here be the long version --> Firstworldwar.com

Where? --> Austria-Hungary and Serbia

In my grandparents *proverbial* backyard, so to speak. Grandma came from Austria-Hungary. Grandpa had Czech-Romanian ancestry roots. They both fled to America (to get away from the disastrous war zone region) somewhere between 1912-1916, or thereabouts.

Pardon me but I have to say it -- cool!

I mean, not cool that they had to flee. Just cool family history... though I don't know how much survived into your generation of where they came from and who they were as people. How they lived back then.

I only mentioned the coincidental parallel in timelines, because of the year, not the circumstances. Current circumstances involve other countries (from Israel to Russia and the entire Middle East) for reasons different than what happened in 1914.

Russia was also involved in 1914 as they were allied with Austria-Hungary at the time.

It's still about land, religion, power, believes, ... so not much difference really.

For a good historical drama about how the First World War began I highly recommend "37 Days" staring Ian McDiarmid. It really does tell the story in all of its sheer absurdities as well as its seriousness. The first episode and a half are really quite funny at times, then mid way through the second episode and all the way through the finale the tone completely changes as the seriousness of the growing crisis begins to dawn on everyone.

Ian McDiarmid -- isn't that Chancelor Palpatine in Star Wars?

The things I get from reading a text...

Must check it out. Always interested in this sort of stuff.

[Coco Pops]

For anyone interested, here be the long version --> Firstworldwar.com

Thankyou for that link...... Bookmarked it will look

[P-90_177]

But how did killing one royal lead to a world war? That's the thing that boggles me about WW I despite reading history

It is difficult to imagine the politics at the time. Particularly since we are used to wars being much more black and white these days. In your mind you must imagine that the assassination of the Arch-Duke must have caused outrage and had Austro Hungary up in arms. But the truth is that it took Austro Hungary three weeks to do anything about the death of the Royal.

In essence, the entire tinder box that started the first world war was made up of various power plays towards Empire, and the need for governments to honour treaties with their allies.
When Austro-Hungary worked towards declaring war on Serbia (which they were looking to do to expand their empire) they did not truly expect Russia to honour its defence treaty with Serbia. However in the off chance that they did, Austro-Hungary sought assurances from the German Empire that should Russia declare war on Austro-Hungary in Serbia's defence, then Germany would then declare war on Russia.

Germany meanwhile was essentially encouraging Austro-Hungary's aggression and were looking for war themselves. In fact, while Russia did indeed move to defend Serbia, it was somewhat half-hearted and they were slowly mobilizing their forces. Germany however took the stance that this was indeed a prelude to action and therefore declared war on Russia themselves.

After that, it was merely a case of one treaty following another. France came to Russia's aid and therefore declared war on Germany. Britain, despite being allied with France was trying to find a reason to stay out of the conflict by citing certain poorly worded clauses in their treaty, however they could not ignore a defence treaty they had with Belgium, which Germany inevitably invaded as a route to get to France. (The French/German borders having been heavily fortified over the years).

In the end the entire war was about a power play that went horribly horribly wrong. Both Germany and Austro-Hungary were looking to expand their empires, and were expecting a relatively quick war. They didn't even particularly expect many of the treaties held in Europe to be upheld. The defence treaty that was between Britain and Belgium for example was 75 years old, and up until that point Britain had tried to isolate itself from the rest of Europe. Germany saw Britain as dishonest and therefore assumed that they would back away from the fight.

In the end, the Assassination of Arch-Duke Ferdinand was ever such a small part. At the time various nations were looking to go to war for power anyway. All the while, a nation could not back down from a held treaty because it would make them look dishonest and dishonourable. Very few people could have predicted what the war would end up looking like.