Mars-Or-Bust Part One

You know i for one would very much like to see mankind reach Mars in my life time , but not for the sake of fulfilling a fantasy . For the last five hundred years we've studied it through telescopes . Scientist have theorized about it's origins . Writers have fed our imaginations about it , but what really drives us to want to reach this world ? Is it scientific or is it that we just want to be the first Americans on Mars or the first Russians ? I for one believe that it is for the most part the latter . I can't help but think that this is no more than a stunt by different space agencies to appropriate more funds from there respective governments , than any real pursuit of discovery . If we reach Mars will we ever return ? Or will we do what we did over thirty years ago when we finally landed on the Moon and leave a flag and never return ?