mjw47 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 On page 19 of Saturdays Times Mathew Parris has written an Opinion peace on 'The idiots guide to our Middle East policy.' As a tribute to the late John Fortune he did it in the form of a Bird & Fortune sketch. It is both hilarious and enlightening at the same time. It provides backing for the view that we really shouldn't have got involved in the first place. The situation has reached the point of being totally ludicrous and virtually unsolvable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 On page 19 of Saturdays Times Mathew Parris has written an Opinion peace' "Peace"? If only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw47 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 "Peace"? If only. Freudian slip Yes, if only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think a lesson has been learned. Stay out of it..... but already baying voices can be heard worldwide decrying " American lack of direction and leadership" so what is it? Damned if they do?.. damned if they dont? Then there's the never ending Israeli-Palestinian problem with John Kerry, the latest in a long line of American politicians trying to get those two intractable entities to agree on something... anything... but we know it wont happen. America's present involvement all started after WW2. Britiain declared itself no longer financially able to keep an army in Greece to help combat communist insurgents and more or less informed the US that it was now it's problem. Same in Palestine. Attlee's government just decided to pull out from the Mandate and told the United Nations it was their problem. The UN did Sweet F.A however and a war between European Jews flooding into the place and Palestinians broke out. Churchill was convinced that Stalin intended to take over the rest of Europe which wasnt really true since it's now known that what he wanted were eastern European buffer states between Russia and western Europe. Having been twice invaded in 50 years including by the British and American armies fighting on the side of the White Russians following the revolution his paranoia was well founded perhaps. Winston convinced President Truman to keep American troops in Europe as a result and seeds of the cold war were sown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw47 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think a lesson has been learned. Stay out of it..... but already baying voices can be heard worldwide decrying " American lack of direction and leadership" so what is it? Damned if they do?.. damned if they dont? Then there's the never ending Israeli-Palestinian problem with John Kerry, the latest in a long line of American politicians trying to get those two intractable entities to agree on something... anything... but we know it wont happen. America's present involvement all started after WW2. Britiain declared itself no longer financially able to keep an army in Greece to help combat communist insurgents and more or less informed the US that it was now it's problem. Same in Palestine. Attlee's government just decided to pull out from the Mandate and told the United Nations it was their problem. The UN did Sweet F.A however and a war between European Jews flooding into the place and Palestinians broke out. Churchill was convinced that Stalin intended to take over the rest of Europe which wasnt really true since it's now known that what he wanted were eastern European buffer states between Russia and western Europe. Having been twice invaded in 50 years including by the British and American armies fighting on the side of the White Russians following the revolution his paranoia was well founded perhaps. Winston convinced President Truman to keep American troops in Europe as a result and seeds of the cold war were sown Heard that before regarding Stalins intentions. In fairness as you say - despite the fact he was a murdering lunatic - in that particular case his intentions were understandable. Which of course means that all of that bloodshed, hatred and ongoing mayhem comes down to a simple misunderstanding of intentions! Bloody brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Heard that before regarding Stalins intentions. In fairness as you say - despite the fact he was a murdering lunatic - in that particular case his intentions were understandable. Which of course means that all of that bloodshed, hatred and ongoing mayhem comes down to a simple misunderstanding of intentions! Bloody brilliant! That about sums it up. There was a mutual feeling of threat each from the other which started off the arms race Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw47 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 That about sums it up. There was a mutual feeling of threat each from the other which started off the arms race Remind me again, what it is we pay these politicians to do for us? You keeping OK Harleyman? Not getting too much sunshine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Remind me again, what it is we pay these politicians to do for us? You keeping OK Harleyman? Not getting too much sunshine? Not pay them to indulge in partisan warfare with each other which seems to be the way they carry on in D.C far too often. It's never admitted but there is still an undercurrent of racism is existence over having a black President. I'm keeping fine mjw47. Getting in quite a bit golf but we need rain... rain and more rain Hope all goes well with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw47 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Not pay them to indulge in partisan warfare with each other which seems to be the way they carry on in D.C far too often. It's never admitted but there is still an undercurrent of racism is existence over having a black President. I'm keeping fine mjw47. Getting in quite a bit golf but we need rain... rain and more rain Hope all goes well with you. It does, and we can let you have plenty of rain. How much do you want? It's been throwing it down for days here, we have floods in the south . Snowed a bit in Sheffield today, not too seriously though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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