We are always being told by those who oppose war against Ba’athist Socialism in Iraq of the downside… and although on balance I still support the armed overthrow of Saddam Hussain’s regime, on some of those issues I am all too aware that there is some truth to the fact this open ended ‘war on terrorism’ is also being used as an open ended ‘war on domestic civil liberties’.
However, let us also ponder the potential upside:
- Enough Americans will finally realizes that not only is the UN a body which allows blood soaked tyrants to stand up with impunity and take money from taxpayers in the USA, and this will push the US political establishment into seeing that the UN no longer serves any positive role… leading to US withdrawal and the UN’s financial collapse. Excellent!
- War results in the overthrow of a mass murdering tyrant who has waged wars against three nations in the region, and the Iraqi people end up almost immeasurably better off. Excellent!
- Tony Blair stands steadfast with the USA and the Anglosphere is once again shown to be the true repository of resisting tyranny across the world… Excellent!
- …and at the same time is fatally weakened politically by virtue of the fact the gulf between him and the grass roots of the socialist Labour Party have now been so starkly illuminated that it can no longer be finessed by spin doctors. Excellent!
- NATO is shown to be the anachronism it is and is restructured… and a new looser alliance of willing partners in Europe and North American emerges to take its place, without France and Germany… Excellent!
- … which also derails the terrifying prospect of a pan-European military alliance centred on the EU. Excellent!
- And speaking of the EU, now that France has broken cover with its remarks to Eastern Europe to ‘shut up’, I think the future seeds of the EU’s disintegration have been well and truly planted. Very excellent!
Always curious to know what US politicos are thinking about these turbulent times, I had dinner with Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) last night and made many of these points to him. Whilst I would not say he was happily endorsing my views, I did not see any grimaces or rolling of eyes from the urbane Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. Although he did not make me a convert to the joys of the ‘Patriot Act’, I was surprised to see the number of issues we did indeed agree on.
Of course I am well aware things can always shake out very differently as war and politics have a ways of springing surprises on even the canniest of customers, but sometimes things also have a way of turning out better than expected. Face it, nobody really knows what will happen.
Liberty Belle has alerted me to an interesting possibility.
Can anybody on this list cite examples, evidence or circumstantial suggestions of UNO corruption? It’s easy enough to guess that varioust Security Council Member interests are able to lean on some UN officials, but does anyone know of any incidents that look more straightforwardly cash-related?
What I mean is that, as a journalist, I would be interested in following up any suggested leads anyone has on UN corruption – the money type.
I agree withalot of what you have said, particularly below, Perry…
“And speaking of the EU, now that France has broken cover with its remarks to Eastern Europe to ‘shut up’, I think the future seeds of the EU’s disintegration have been well and truly planted. Very excellent!”
If Americans think the Patriot Act curtails their freedom. They haven’t seen anything if the U.S. succumbs to world governance and surrenders some of our sovreignty to the U.N., the E.U., and international treaties. The Bill of Rights would be gutted and international income taxes would be implemented. Better to be isolationists and free than under the boot of socialist, elitist bureaucrats.
Perry, Very excellent indeed. Let’s grab this ball and run with it!
I’ve learned to be suspicious of “war” on anything that hasn’t got borders and an army. War on poverty. War on drugs. If there’s nobody who can surrender and sign a treaty, how do you know when you’re all done?
As for the EU, though, it’s always been a matter of timing. I’ve just been praying that something like the German banking crisis would come to a head before the pound goes away.
If the Iraq brouhaha serves to shorten the life of the EU, that’s worth the price of admission all by itself.
Downsides:
Blair is fatally wounded and is replaced by a more left-wing government, that drives further integration into the EU. Say Cook rather than Brown as the Prime Minister.
The War on Iraq has led to perceptions in the Convention that the ‘common foreign and security policy’ cannot be as binding as the draft of Giscard D’Estaing desired, with its emphasis on “solidarity”. OTOH, Blair is still promoting military integration with France and other continental countries through concrete measures. That needs to be watched very carefully.
All-in-all, it’s a mixed bag, and the inertia inbuilt to the EU’s processes probably outweighs any momentary geopolitical stresses caused by the Iraqi crisis.
From this one must conclude that Perry is a dynamic optimist. He sounds almost extropian.
Sniff..
I live in Canada and we’ll soon be under the boots of elite socialists.
Why, why. why did we choose the french?!!
Mathew