The hard left nowadays hates revolutions whether they are in Iran, Venezuela, France or Britain. The hard left hated the revolution in Ukraine and the rebels in Syria (they were right about Syria, which the liberals got and get very badly wrong). Meanwhile the soft left have gone from opposing American intervention abroad to opposing Donald Trump when he advocates, for example, leaving Syria. Once German left disliked American interventions, but were appalled when Trump the candidate said (truly) that Nato is obsolete.
Conservatives, real ones, are now the peace party, as they were in Dr Johnson's time in England and in Herbert Hoover's in the USA. Fear and loathing of Communism had made comservatives adopt the liberal idea that foreign policy, and therefore wars, should be about values.
Conservatives, real ones, are now the peace party
ReplyDeleteHow many real conservatives are there? There don't seem to be any at all in the Conservative Party. Or in any other "conservative" parties in the Anglosphere. Where do these real conservatives hang out?
A good question. Sir Christopher Chope. Sir Edward Leigh. Lord Salisbury. No frontbenchers qualify. Paul Gottfried and Pat Buchanan in the USA, both pretty old. Tony Abbott?
DeleteI suppose I was thinking of Trump supporters and the mass of conservative opinion in England both of which are now anti-war.
DeleteI suppose I was thinking of Trump supporters and the mass of conservative opinion in England both of which are now anti-war.
DeleteDo you think Trump voters are anti-war? Maybe some are. I'm sceptical.
IMO, UK should withdraw from NATO and cease foreign adventures, etc. Build stronger navy and air-force, maintain small, well equipped, well-trained, professional army. These forces should concentrate on defence of the UK and its territorial waters. Deploying abroad only in defense of British interests, e.g. keeping sea-lanes open, anti-piracy.
ReplyDeleteCarry big stick and talk quietly.
I think I agree with that. We could have used it as a bargaining ploy in Brexit talks.
DeleteIMO, UK should withdraw from NATO and cease foreign adventures, etc. Build stronger navy and air-force, maintain small, well equipped, well-trained, professional army. These forces should concentrate on defence of the UK and its territorial waters.
DeleteWhy would you need a stronger navy to defend the UK and territorial waters? If the UK ceased foreign adventures it would only need very small armed forces. If you build a stronger Navy you'll be tempted into foolish overseas adventures.
Against whom exactly does Britain need defending?
Deploying abroad only in defence of British interests, e.g. keeping sea-lanes open, anti-piracy.
There's the problem. You'll find that idiot politicians (and hysterical media scum) will define British interests so broadly that you'll be back to indulging in the same foreign adventures. The only policy that makes sense is no deployments abroad, ever. Which means getting rid of useless colonial encumbrances like Gibraltar.