These promises made from an office far away
of glory and medals, of seizing the day
'Make A Difference', 'Be The Best' all the adverts say
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So the strongest fear just enough to stay in line
and obey the shouted orders from the leaders behind
Heads down, blinkered, kept blind
Herded like cattle into someone else's battle

As we engineered the future
We didn't learn anything from the past
These bombs obliterate entire countries
and can fly there twice as fast
Indiscriminate targeting of casualties
Vicious inflictions unsurpassed
Repeat statistics on the news on the TV
and the flags still flying at half mast

Skin red and blistered from the blazing sun
Ears still ringing from the bursting guns
The burning paint and metal choking your lungs
Old men's problems inflicting the young

But there's no time to remember the thousands who fell
Each with a family, a life, a story to tell
Justified in the hatred you felt
But every bullet you fired feels like a bullet
that you aimed at yourself

So as we engineered the future
We didn't learn anything from the past
These bombs obliterate entire countries
and can fly there twice as fast
Indiscriminate targeting of casualties
Vicious inflictions unsurpassed
Repeat statistics on the news on the TV
and the flags still flying at half mast

Now the politicians feign their grief
In hypocrisy they lay their wreaths
Among the decorated veterans of war
But behind the scenes, their powers convene
The rolling of the combat machine
Targets aligned, contracts signed
and a thousand more young men are packed off
on another bloody desert tour