"I personally don't think buying a poppy shows support, or even condones the Iraq war"
I'm not sure but I think it does - I think it condones war full stop. I haven't bought one for years because I don't think I could explain it? justify it? to someone if they asked me why I was wearing it.

This is not to say I don't agree with the government giving money to people who've suffered in wars. Or giving money to charities that support soldiers. I just think the poppy thing has got too many associations. So I'd rather have a white poppy like wot someone else said.

I don't hold soldiers Personally Responsible for Iraq, but ffs, however stupid or desperate you are, you know when you join the army what it's about ie Doing What You're Told and perhaps killing people or being killed. So there is an element of responsibility there right at the beginning. And we're not like WW1 or 2 now, when we were directly threatened at home, and people wanted to fight for their own country and their own freedom - I mean people who would otherwise never sign up, might sign up in such circumstances. How can we imagine what the shit must be like that people have been through, like Shanshee's father etc Of course that needs remembering - but shouldn't it be so we don't do it AGAIN? Isn't that what the poppies are for, for thinking about it??