My fellows Britons, it is time to get off the nuclear carousel!
11 March 2007
- 200 years ago, in 1807, Britain abolished the slave trade. Before that,
- some argued that Britain would be left out of the world economy, that our actions would not matter as others would just take our place, that it would lead to the end of Britain and the British way of life. William Wilberforce did not care about that, he instead made an "Appeal to the Religion, Justice and Humanity of the Inhabitants of the British Empire". Wilberforce was confident in Britain and Britain's influence over the world. Through our example and our rule of the waves, Britain ended the world slave trade within a few decades.
Now I have been listening on the radio about our country buying a new generation of Trident nuclear submarines. Compared to William Wilberforce, Tony Blair is such a grovelling weaselly wet piece of human mould. He could not lead his way out of a paper bag. His snivelling cronies such as Des Browne are even worse. Their arguments are that Britain will not be respected or listened to in the world without nuclear bombs, that we would committing national suicide. Well Britain has already lost its respect and global voice already by Tony's devoted worship of George Bush and our willingness to follow him into a new Vietnam.
What would William Wilberforce do? He would say nonsense! He would say that our faith, justice and humanity demand that we give up these bombs regardless of the consequences. Instead of spending £25 Billion pounds on a new generation of weapons of mass-destruction. Britain could lead the world with a unilateral act of disarmament. We could again show our faith, justice and humanity, and again be respected in the world.
The Soviet Union is gone, now integrated into the capitalist system. If Russia wanted to get us then it could just turn off the gas, however they will not because people need to eat in Russia too, we need each other. Realising that we need each other is what gives us world peace, not the ability to kill millions of civilians at the push of a button.
Tony Blair, hypocrite and the devil's prime minister on earth that he is, signed Britain up for nuclear disarmament in the 'Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty'. Now he forces through spending tens of billions of pounds of tax- payers money, our money, on these new submarines, money that could have gone on development of poor countries, on breast cancer drugs, paying our nurses properly or on proper gun ships that we would actually use. No doubt that the political parties will be rewarded with campaign contributions, jobs for retired MPs and so on.
According to a poll in the Guardian newspaper last week, 72% of the British public are against replacing Trident. But our upside down political system means that the political class do not care. The Tories have gone for the same naïve gung-ho approach that lead them to unquestionably support the war in Iraq, David Cameron is just a face, they have not learnt anything and not changed at all. The Lib Dems couldn't find a policy if it dropped onto their heads. Geriatric waffler Ming Campbell wants to put off the decision for a decade or two, until he himself is safely dead already.
Will no-one oppose this expensive madness?
1 Chris Harcourt says...
I'll stand to oppose this madness. Anarchy in the UK!
Seriously though, I wholeheartedly agree with you. It is (imho) obscene that people can consider acquiring more advanced ways of killing millions when there are millions of people who need help. Saving people is more important, and therefore more worthy of our taxes, than killing people.
Is this the kind of thing a referendum could be called for?
Posted at 3:51 p.m. on March 11, 2007
2 Joe Bloggs says...
I'm not so sure about the case for breast cancer drugs. It seems that for years, silly money has been sent getting ALL women in the country screened, with mobile units, etc., and yet not one penny on screening for testicular cancer. It's a national disgrace. Nuclear weapons and "policy" matters are merely ancillary to the obscene anti-male, anti-father attitude that prevails over here.
Posted at 1:50 p.m. on March 12, 2007
3 Texican says...
You're worried about Trident subs? I don't think it matters much. In 50 years Britain will be at the periphery of pan-Mediterranean Islamic Empire. Me thinks it may be wise to hang on to those subs for a little while longer.
Posted at 2:26 p.m. on March 12, 2007
4 Joe Bloggs says...
I dunno whether that guy's serious but suddenly I find myself agreeing with Zeth. Decommission the nuclear subs before America thinks of someone to use them on.
Posted at 11:13 p.m. on March 12, 2007
5 Al says...
Considering the power of nuclear weapons, there certainly isn't a need for the number we have (Currently estimated at about 200, by the glorious Wikipedia), and there should be a degree of disarmament, losing half our stockpiles would still allow us to wield power should we need it, but also show that we are willing to make a change. Complete disarmament would be a very dangerous thing. The precedence it would set may work for us, but I think it would only lead to us being walked over even more. We've all seen what happens to countries that fall foul of the world powers when they have no sufficient deterrent. Unfortunately, I think that possession of a nuclear arsenal is a country's safety net and guarantees that they will be included with the big boys when world decisions are made.
I do however, whole-heartedly agree with your ideas on our repulsive, spineless Prime Minister. I cannot wait for him to step down, but dread the carbon copy that is going to be put in place. Cameron and the Tories need to realise that people don't want another waste of space government like the current one, and if they had the balls to put out different policies and stand up for running the country differently people would vote for them, purely just for the change. By being in Labour's shadow they just make people think they're more of the same. The electorate don't want this, they want someone who will make a difference for them, of course, once it power they will waste our cash in the same way.
I think I'll stop now to save my blood pressure, but this all begs the big question of who to vote for next time round?
Posted at 12:17 a.m. on March 13, 2007
6 Joe Bloggs says...
Few people believe in parliamentary democracy, and this is reflected in the voting turnout. The issue of nuclear weaponry is a bit more serious than keeping up the pretense of fair-play by simply voting for a new puppy automaton. While the illusion of parliamentary democracy, constitutional law and the separation of powers are harmless pastimes for old men and equally harmless redundant doctrine for undergrads, a nuclear arsenal is anything but harmless, ESPECIALLY when in the hands of an outdated and irrelevant political machine. Unfortunately, few people have the time and inclination to study the theory of war. War is an instrument of policy, and consists of disarming the enemy so that military occupation of his land is possible.
This is important, because the UK is a nation very much involved in international politics. One might even say, that the UK is a war machine. The people who work and pay tax and live here don't have a great life, but they have a productive one, from the point of view of the funding for military and political adventures. We live in a covertly socialist military-industrial complex. The parliamentary democracy is a lie. You can't even stand in Hyde Park Corner and speak your mind. You can't gather in groups in any public place. If you do any kind of peaceful protest it will finish in a bruising and battering for you, with plenty of your own blood spilled by the thugs you paid for, Same if you try to film the violent quashing of any protest. You will be battered and your name will go on a list. You may even disappear.
As for freedom of thought, where do you think your thoughts come from? You were institutionalised for over 15 years in a state-run or state-supervised school, which carefully uniformalised your behaviour. That was important conditioning when you were most vulnerable. When you entered the world of work (for people who had capital) you became a factor of production. At home, at night and on weekends your thoughts are directed away from subversion, by the state-owned and sponsored mass media (all radio, TV and newspapers). If you're in danger of becoming slightly malcontent, you have access to plenty of cheap strong booze but no ganja. So, if you're a clever person your brain gets used for the military-industrial complex and nothing else.
Who directs and is in charge of this almost-perfect military machine? The coders. They are coders of human beings. The formula was perfected long ago. The history you think you know, 99% is nothing but a lie.
Posted at 12:49 a.m. on March 13, 2007
7 Joe Bloggs says...
..And that includes the history about abolishing the slave trade.. This is a country run by an elite who are completely different intellect-wise from the common man. It is they who went to India and started the Opium Wars with China, not the average Joe Bloggs.. They will have Joe Bloggs resting his pot-belly and drinking Stella in front of the History Channel after work, believing he once ruled the world, when he was instead just a much put-upon serf in those days...
Posted at 1:06 a.m. on March 13, 2007
8 Texican says...
Pacifism is a wonderful theory. It assumes however a view of the world that is simply mad. True, at one point in adolescence it is comforting to think that it is possible for all mankind to hold hands and walk into the sunset together.
As one grows, travels, and speaks with others one gains a palpable sense of the fallneness of this world -- that dangers are real, that democracy and human rights are held in distain by many who would as soon cut off your head as look at you.
True, we do not always implement the valiues of democract and human rights -- but to the degree that we strive for them, they serve as a ruler to remind us how far off course we have gone (as in the case of the slave trade, for example).
The call of the minaret echoes in the distance as an invitation to a dangerous age of superstition, violence, intolerance, and lust. The death cult to end all death cults is spreading its lies. Don't believe the hype.
Posted at 3:55 p.m. on March 13, 2007
9 Joe Bloggs says...
You appear to be advocating religious genocide. Fuck off, fascist asshole.
Posted at 4:07 p.m. on March 13, 2007
10 Texican says...
Obviously you are a rude boor who cannot read.
Posted at 10:27 p.m. on March 13, 2007