William Hague - What the hell are you thinking?!!!

[Mortimer Firewood]

Like it Pat reminds me of The Green Mile, we're all John Coffey, Tony is Tom Hanks, the benevolent prison guard

 

 

On a lighter note green mile top film im off to watch it now.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”

I remember the heartache of the guys, certainly the Dutch, in the UN mission during the Yugoslavia conflict. Held back by the rules of the UN whilst atrocities were performed.

The UN is a toothless old lion, hamstrung by those within it with their own political agendas.

So who steps up to the plate? And who amongst us condones the slaughter of innocents? Not Muslim, not Christian, but human beings.

I have spent many, many hours of my life circling over Baghdad, Basra, Helmand. Looking down on these poor people scratching an existence out in such poor conditions. Wanting to live a peaceful life.

If only their worst fear was a tree that threatened to knock over their garden wall, or block out their light.

 

Sometimes the help can't be just handing out food and bandages, but wielding a big fist.

 

Unfortunately Jim, you seem to be missing the bigger picture. You quote Charles Frederic Aked and refer to having spent many hours flying over these "poor people." I have a very different view having been on the ground in an advisory training team, living eating and sleeping (not in the social sense) with "these people." Yes, they are human, some are decent, honest, virtuous individuals but relax for 1 minute and you end up shot in the back. They are hard wired differently. You want an example of enduring gratitude, study Operation Market Garden then visit Arnhem on Airborne weekend. That's national gratitude for you. There'll be no thanks, no gratitude, no commemoration from these FSN's. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and potentially now Syria are fools errands which, in the immediate term, pointlessly waste priceless lives of our service men and women, and in the longer term will encourage nothing more than more "home grown" extremists and further destabilise the Middle East.

 

This can only be a UN delivered mandate implemented by Arab state military forces. It just ain't our business as a nation state. Do you really think throwing in a wave of cruise and drone strikes will solve this? Seriously??

 

And what do you think Russia, China and, worse of all Iran, will do?

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Unfortunately Jim, you seem to be missing the bigger picture. You quote Charles Frederic Aked and refer to having spent many hours flying over these "poor people." I have a very different view having been on the ground in an advisory training team, living eating and sleeping (not in the social sense) with "these people." Yes, they are human, some are decent, honest, virtuous individuals but relax for 1 minute and you end up shot in the back. They are hard wired differently. You want an example of enduring gratitude, study Operation Market Garden then visit Arnhem on Airborne weekend. That's national gratitude for you. There'll be no thanks, no gratitude, no commemoration from these FSN's. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and potentially now Syria are fools errands which, in the immediate term, pointlessly waste priceless lives of our service men and women, and in the longer term will encourage nothing more than more "home grown" extremists and further destabilise the Middle East.

 

This can only be a UN delivered mandate implemented by Arab state military forces. It just ain't our business as a nation state. Do you really think throwing in a wave of cruise and drone strikes will solve this? Seriously??

 

And what do you think Russia, China and, worse of all Iran, will do?

 

Bang on

[MattyF]

Good post ...

[Mark Bolam]

I think we should tell Russia and China that Syria have been calling them puffs behind their backs.

[treequip]

I think we should tell Russia and China that Syria have been calling them puffs behind their backs.

 

At last, a bit of sense in this piss poor conspiracy theory ridden thread.

 

Bolam you are a breath of fresh air, help yourself to a Stella on my tab:thumbup1:

[Mortimer Firewood]

At last, a bit of sense in this piss poor conspiracy theory ridden thread.

 

Bolam you are a breath of fresh air, help yourself to a Stella on my tab:thumbup1:

 

:lol:

Edited August 29, 2013 by Mortimer Firewood
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[Amelanchier]

Like it Pat reminds me of The Green Mile, we're all John Coffey, Tony is Tom Hanks, the benevolent prison guard

 

Interesting that you see the membership (and therefore yourself) as an allegorical christ figure Tim - although I do appreciate the related symbolism of me being a potentially cursed man with a job to do, however distasteful it might be...

 

In the same vein, and without any intention of further de-railing the original thought provoking and well balanced diatribe, I would liken my role more to that of Mr Miyagi in the 1984 spectacular 'The Karate Kid'. You guys are Daniel-san and through my obtuse and apparently punitive teaching methods you will develop an ingrained response to do the right thing in any given situation.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMCsXl9SGgY]Wax On, Wax Off - The Karate Kid (2/8) Movie CLIP (1984) HD - YouTube[/ame]

[Pat Ferrett]

Interesting that you see the membership (and therefore yourself) as an allegorical christ figure Tim - although I do appreciate the related symbolism of me being a potentially cursed man with a job to do, however distasteful it might be...

 

In the same vein, and without any intention of further de-railing the original thought provoking and well balanced diatribe, I would liken my role more to that of Mr Miyagi in the 1984 spectacular 'The Karate Kid'. You guys are Daniel-san and through my obtuse and apparently punitive teaching methods you will develop an ingrained response to do the right thing in any given situation.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMCsXl9SGgY]Wax On, Wax Off - The Karate Kid (2/8) Movie CLIP (1984) HD - YouTube[/ame]

 

You talk to much to be Mr Miyagi

[JimM]

No, Kevin. Not missed the point. I know full well what they are like to deal with. And I completely agree with you on the lack of thanks we would get, followed by the political about turn to make us the bigger enemy than the dictator before.

 

What saddens me is the that human beings get needlessly slaughtered whilst the UN's toothless teams get the runaround and nobody wants to stand up and help. Apart from groups like MSF etc, who get a hard enough time too.

 

I can't see surgical strikes having much effect, unless they go for regime change targets, and get lucky.