Beyond ANZAC. . .

(Beyond ANZAC. . .)

By January, 1915, the First World War had settled into its pattern. In the West, trenches were beginning to be conducted, forming of what would become the Western Front. For the next four years, armies of the Triple Powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and initially, Italy, faced off against the Triple Ententé, Britain, France, and Russia. In an event, with stalemate in the West and German dominance in the East, other theaters were sought where the strategic balance and advantage could be restored. Britain's First of the Admiralty, Sir Winstin Churchill, settled with a naval assault up the Dardanelles against a newly hostile Turkey and attempt to sail against Constantinople, coupled with a land expedition up the Gallipoli Peninsula. The naval component failed early but the land assault went ashore on April 25th, 1915. While there were some initial successes, vigorous Turkish counter attacks halted the Allied advance and the situation detiorated  to the same positional warfare that had prompted the Gallipoli Campaign in the first place. All troops were subsequently withdrawn the following January. As most of the forces involved were either Australian or New Zealanders, ANZACs, every following April 25th has been referred to as ANZAC Day.

So, while those Down Under commemorate their War Legacy, those who would be President are having their own issues. For Donald Trump, he apparently is in court so often that all he needs is a jersey. While the former President sits in New York on his "hush money" trial, his larger argument concerning "Presidential Immunity" is being litigated by the Supreme Court. The Trump argument is that without such a grantor of Presidential Immunity, by definition, the Office would be rendered "ineffective." Some Justices posited what if the "President attempted a coup, an obvious reference to the events of January 6th. Be it in New York or an adverse ruling from the Supreme Court, could further complicate Trump's legal life.

Is President Biden faring any better ? After the uncle eaten by cannibals, story, after he reads the prompt to the point of actually mouthing the word "pause" from a speech. Biden was in Hometown Scranton where he sought to be-little his predecessor and those that support him. He made a contrast between the Pennsylvania and the view from Mar-A-Lago. Biden also promised a repeal of the Trump tax cuts, wrongly stating the benefits are only for the wealthy. Which is not correct. What would be correct, however, is that the repeal of Trump's Tax Act would have the effect of raising taxes on everybody who would be paying them. That would be a promise Biden will have broken, saying that those making $400,000 or less would not see their taxes raised.

This is another demonstration of the President's lack of economic understanding. "Bidenomics" is the best case in point. The excessive spending, the regulation, the feeding inflation, are all contributing to Biden's declining position. If Trump were not otherwise occupied with his legal issues, what would be the state of the race ?

Like many aspects of the Biden Presidency, Gallipoli was a failure and the thousands of ANZAC troops that became casualties from that mis-guided fiasco are still reflected. How much in today's Near East reality can be traced to the Allied in-ability to capture Constantinople ? Would there still be an Israel-Hamas War ? That remains to be seen but what cannot be denied is that a debt of gratitude is owed all those who sacrificed for their Commonwealth.

Regards to Mr. & Mrs. Sonia and Rob Trimmings.