Today's headline's read "Cameron : Britain must do the right thing and oust Colonel Gaddafi." 10 months into the coalition and Cameron's got a war. With a straight face, he talks of regime change and intervention to oust an evil dictator slaughtering his own people. I was always fairly ambivalent about Iraq and won't allow myself the hypocrisy of being anything else about Libya, but I would ask "Why?" Just as I did over Iraq.
Why this dictator? Why this massacre? Why this regime? Surely there are others around the world killing just as many of their own citizens? As ever, the finer details of military intervention escape me, just as they escape most of the public.
To demonstrate just how much news there is at the moment, TV presenters find themselves using the impossible segue "And in other news, Japan faces nuclear disaster" In what scenario did we ever imagine total nuclear meltdown in Japan would come second on the bill? These are tough times.
As for us sickies, after two years of pleading, explaining, lobbying and ranting, the government finally announced that they would hold an inquiry into Employment Support Allowance. Members of the public who've been affected by ESA are invited to make a submission here before 14th April. Please do consider writing a short suggestion for improving ESA or sharing your experiences. This is for you, to change something you know is unfair. If you don't respond, you lose your own chance to change it. Never assume that "everyone else" will write. The government will judge ESA on the number of submissions that they receive, not just the points they make.
To cheer everyone up though, Cameron bought Red Nose Day. In an act of PR that would have made even Blair blush, he agreed to donate £10 million from the International Aid budget. A noble aim and affordable! Just under a quid for everyone who voted for him last May. What with "Cameron's War" headlines and privatising a national telethon, I predict a Tory poll boost just in time for next weeks budget. Ed Miliband may have to kiss goodbye to ten point leads for a while,
So Cameron gets a bounce because of WAR! What is it with us Brits, this 'Madman' killing his own people couldn't of happened at a better time for our government,and we just love a tougth talking Prime Minister ready to do battle, as long as it's legal and we don't like the Regime!
ReplyDeleteWhy did the Germans vote against, what do they know that we don't? This worries me alot!
So, Sue as ever we are on the same page! But I'm really worried..............thought I'd share that with you!
war creates revenue and since Japan was the forefront of technology before all the disaster, we need some more revenue going. Afghanistan/Iraq hasn't done anything in that regard. Egypt has no oil. And no one has ever really cared about countries with black folks in it anyway so they kill each other and have been doing for over 50 years now and who cares(?!). Libya is just a bunch of tough-talking at the moment but unless they have a strategic advantage of some kind no one really WANTS to fight there. It offers precious little; which is why Gaddafi has been allowed to do what he's been doing for the past gods-knows-how-many-years.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, since the royal wedding hasn't managed to distract people enough from all the horrible stuff the government is trying to push through as quickly as possible, I guess chattering about another war might help!
I despair. I've been avoiding news and stuff for the past week and it was certainly a lot calmer!
so how's your crush on Camoron going? Still think he's a good misunderstood guy?
ReplyDeleteWhy Libya and not some other dictator?
ReplyDeleteFor the very good practical reason that we have an opportunity to get rid of this dictator. There is actually a relatively stable opposition seeking to push the bastard out who might succeed with our help. Of course it would have been even more likely to succeed if we weighed in two weeks ago when it look like Gaddaffi might just be swept out of power.
Also, this dictator is right on our doorstep and this dictator has a known history of supporting terrorism. There is a basket-load of good reasons why this dictator and not others.
Of course, I would like to get rid of all dictators, but that is practically impossible. This is a good example of being able to do what we can, when we can.
Libya ranks 4 in the world for stocks of Oil. Zimbabwe has em......................none.
ReplyDeleteI opposed Iraq, signed the petitions and protested. I oppose this war as well. Violence leads to violence. Sometime we HAVE to break the cycle.
soopermouse - On the whole I don't mind being confused with Bendy Girl from Benefit Scrounging Scum - it's an easy mistake to make, but the fact she has a crush on Cameron makes me vomit a little bit in my mouth.
ReplyDeleteStephen. Tell me hand on heart. Absolutely hand on heart honestly. Would you say all of that if Labour were still in power? If Blair was still in charge and about to go into ANOTHER country's affairs?
To quote Insp Gadget:
ReplyDelete"Am I the only one wondering how we can suddenly afford to get involved in yet another conflict in the middle-east, when we have been told over and over again that there is no money for public services here at home?"
http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/2011/03/19/no-fly-zone-over-libya/
Yes, I can. I supported (and still support) intervention in Afghanistan, and I supported and still support the Invasion of Iraq.
ReplyDeleteI oppose the way the occupation of Iraq was obviously so terribly botched, and I would have made a straight case for regime change rather than twisting and exaggerating the evidence around WMD, but fundamentally, yes, I can say that.
Though there is a proviso to that. I only support Libya because we are now out of Iraq. I doubt we'd have the capacity for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya at the same time.
The uk will go to war with anyone irrespective who it may be and who gets hurt wont matter we have seen this in the way the sick and disabled are treated this country will treat anyone it doesn't like in the same manor be it with a gun or bomb or take your money away and leave you poor
ReplyDelete