Don't ask why, but I was recently reading the Wikipedia entry about Hermann Göring. Frankly, I found that it was far more flattering than I would have written it (how one could be objective about a vile creature like Göring I do not know). The thing that caught my eye was a quote from a statement he made during his trial in Nuremberg:

Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

Now, I'm not saying anything in particular, or making any accusations, or calling anyone a Nazi (there are few greater insults). I'm just pointing out the possible parallels to our current situation which are, IMO, surreally spooky. Was he just repeating what is obvious to any leader taking his country to war? Restating common political knowledge? Giving out free advice? Who knows. As for any parallels to our current leadership, let's just say that Herr Göring knew how to work a crowd and leave it at that.