Not With A Bang

[poliphilo]

David Cameron proposes a no fly zone over Libya. Getting into his stride he suggests he may even send troops. His allies tell him not to be so silly.

At the same time we learn that soldiers on active duty in Afghanistan are going to be handed their redundancy notices as soon as they get home. 

Britain no longer has the chops to be the bully it used to be. 
 
I'm sorry it comes at the price of humiliation and betrayal, but this is a moment I've been waiting for most of my life.

Comments

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

I feel much the same about my bully country.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think we're living at a time of accelerated change in world politics.

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I want us out of that game. It's over, go home and stay there.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

Why would they send troops to Lybia anyhow? That would likely undermine the resistance.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That seems to be what the rebels in Libya are saying. The last thing they want is the damn crusaders muscling in on their act.

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

The issue with foreign support for resistance is that nationalism is strong worldwide. When a foreign power steps in, it implicates the resistance as agents of that power. Reasonably, it should cause people to be wary: the resistance, should it succeed, owes a debt to foreigners whose interests might not be so amenable.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The man who seems to have emerged as the leader of the rebels in Benghazi was asking for an air strike on Gaddafi's HQ today. I must say I was surprised.

[(Anonymous)]

I can remember a time, what seems like a century ago, when so-called conservatives were always the serious people and the voice of reason. Yesterday, I saw two of our own sadly predictable assclowns, McCain and Lieberman, on the television begging for a military escalation in Libya as well.

I know that it's gauche to admit such a thing publicly, but I am pleased with Obama's performance as the sensible adult. I was generally impressed with his handling of Egypt, too.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

That was me, by the way.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's been a long time since conservatives had any interest in conserving things. These days they all about tearing things up and change for the sake of change.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

A strange state of affairs, to be sure. I remember, when I was quite young, my father raging against the supposed nihilistic politics of my generation, kids who were eager to tear down institutions and customs, while offering nothing to replace them.

The roles are more-or-less reversed now, except that he really is the nihilist today that he accused me of being all those years ago. All he wants to do is destroy, the only actions that he supports are destructive, and the only political candidates for whom he has any respect are violently and virulently ignorant, with a constitutional predisposition toward destructive behavior.

[ron-broxted.livejournal.com]

Not really a matter of al salibim (crusaders). I recall Reagan and the "line of death" in the Gulf of Sirte. With the UK it is more of a Roman empire analogy - the legions are in Parthia (Afghanistan) and to all intents and purposes Britain is an American satrapcy.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

"Britain is an American satrapcy"

Which is something that shames us all.

[ron-broxted.livejournal.com]

Not for long. My prediction is that the UK will withdraw from Iraq and have the army patrol inner city Britain.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say I thought your prediction was far-fetched.

But can the government count on the loyalty of the army- or the police force- when it's treating them with such disrespect?

[ron-broxted.livejournal.com]

It will be the police as the main target, look at what happened (is happening) in the Arab world. Lots of folks have lots of scores to settle. Army loyalty? I think initially squaddies will do as told but armies become radicalised (Portugal early 1970s). Re-run of Russia, 1917.