JUST SAY STOP

I am sorry but I have no good news. Today, whilst listening to the Today program and The World at One on the BBC, I am, as usual, left baffled by the inability of Great Britain to understand its own history. They, the educated middle and upper classes, constantly refer to Americans as being naive, lacking a sense of irony and sophistication; yet, when it comes to the current political chaos that is overwhelming the start of the new year, they appear to be rendered deaf, dumb and blind. Have they absolutely no sense of the past? Have they lost their sense of perspective?

The western democracies, mainly the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, were slow to recognise the threat of Hitler, despite evidence of past historical dictators and the emergence of General Franco in Spain. After all, Spain and Germany were part of western European democratic states, so what could go wrong? For some reason, however, they have always been suspicious of the Russians. Indeed, in an article titled The Genesis of Russophobia in Great Britain: A Study of the Interaction of Policy and Opinion  written by John Howes Gleason in 1950 a précis notes:

So “beware of the Russians” clearly has some history. So why does suspicion of autocracy escape the British when it comes to recognising it amongst its supposed allies? How is it European Governments and in Particular the United Kingdom can fail to see what Mr Trump is doing, not only in South and North America, but all over the world? Note his Homeland Security Agency, that is nothing more than a Gestapo. Note the Justice Department that uses threat of indictment against critics of the administration. Note the wholesale breaking down of the rule of law by the President and the various Secretaries of his administration. Note his claims of control over Venezuela, his ambitions over Greenland and his invitation to Putin to sit on a peace committee over Gaza. Note his war ships all over the oceans of the world. What more does Mr Starmer need to say enough is enough?

How is it the BBC can interview the likes of Peter Mandelson to endorse Mr Starmer’s pacifist diplomacy stance. Firm but conciliatory? The whole of Europe needs to say STOP.  Why does the BBC give voice to Mandelson at all? As to Mr Trump, he is not  the American President on whom the west can rely. John Kennedy, made mistakes, but he stood up to Khrushchev, and stood by Western Europe. Ronald Reagan, the great communicator, exclaimed  “Take down this wall”, and stood by Western Europe. The fact that the United States could be relied on the ‘stand to’ is clearly no longer the case. Trump is not a man on whom anyone can rely except by the likes of Putin, Orban, Netanyahu and other narcissistic power mad authoritarians. It is a grave mistake to think reason and diplomatic gestures can deal with the man who claims to be ‘the art of the deal’. 

There are a great many domestic problems to deal with in the UK, but if the world goes up in flames because of the idiocy that the American voter has foisted  on us, it will be down to basic survival. It may even have actually come to that, what with the chaos that keeps getting more tumultuous by the day.

So I find it difficult to concentrate. I find it difficult to be at ease, I feel anxiety ever present. All of this is stupid at my age. There are plenty of events and things to look forward to and be happy about. Were it not for Celia I think I would end up in an institution. Perhaps it’s just down to the pills I’m taking. The levetiracetam is particularly difficult.  Friends have also been helpful although I know many of them feel the same. Thank you all for listening.