What wars has Britain been in that you can justify?

[Johnny Canuck3]

And AFAIK the push eastwards was aiming no further than the Baku oilfields, but if you can show me any evidence of plans to go further I'd be interested .

In 1941, Italy's ally, Germany, began to interest herself in Iraq and French-held Syria. On April 3, a pro-German politician, Rashid 'Ali al-Gailani, brought off a successful coup d'etat in Iraq. At the same time, reports reached General Wavell that German cadres of officers and technicians were arriving in Syria in French aircraft.

Meanwhile, in July, there were reports of German intrigues in Iran, and on August 17, a joint Anglo-Soviet note was sent to the Iranian government. British forces from India entered the country on August 25.

http://gi.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_8.html

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

that's debateable, especially the bit about Britain.

The existence of Operation Sealion shows his intentions toward Britain.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

In that they wanted an empire which afforded protected markets, expanses of farmland, space to settle emigrants in, cheap labour, access to oil and other raw materials - in all this the Germans only wanted what the British and French empires had.

But the idea of Lebensraum isn't really about the acquisition of markets. It's about the depopulating of large regions or countries, so that Germans can move in.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

In that they wanted an empire which afforded protected markets, expanses of farmland, space to settle emigrants in, cheap labour, access to oil and other raw materials - in all this the Germans only wanted what the British and French empires had.

But the idea of Lebensraum isn't really about the aquistion of markets. It's about the depopulating of large regions or countries, so that Germans can move in.

The British weren't looking for areas to move emigrants into: there were barely enough Britons to run the Empire in the first place.

 

[MikeMcc]

I was impressed with the Morning Star today (in fact I think they do a great job every day) - running this front page:


And this is what its all about for me. Following this most recent invasion of Iraq, USUK forces are responsible for likely over a 1,000,000 deaths - that doesn't even begin to consider how many are maimed or psychologically traumatised. Although I didnt vote for any of the parties that launched this war, or even party whose members voted for it in the chamber, this sickens me, and I feel personally responsible that my tax money has paid for the military forces to carry this out, and a sense of failure for not having done more to act to stop the war. Pictures like these http://www.coia.org.uk feel like my responsibility.

And in general I would have a lot more respect for the armed forces if there were more people like Lance Corporal Joe Glenton prepared to take their responsibility, as people whose job is it is to kill others, seriously and say no to unjustifiable/illegal/immoral wars launched by what ever bunch of cunts has pushed their way into office that day.

The guy is an absolute cunt. He fucked off without trying to deal with any of the 'issues', he then got fucked off by the aussies and then comes up with this bullshit as his defense. He will be screwed by the army in just ther same way as the others that have done the same thing. By dropping out and disappearing, it caused disruption for his mates and his post had to be filled by some other poor sap. At least the RAF doctor and the SAS guy who resigned had a lot more honesty than this idiot. If he's your poster boy then you are on a loser.

 

[DotCommunist]

TA aintcher?

Lol. You tell em mr Manwairing

 

[MikeMcc]

TA aintcher?

Lol. You tell em mr Manwairing

Yes, but I'm not quite that old!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

If thats a justification then you will be hard pressed to find a war that is unjustified.

You know you don't have to invade countries to be able to buy their natural resources - you can always treat them with respect, build diplomatic/trade relationships, and share in a mutual support network. I take it you never saw the Sesame Street episode about co-operation - not too late:

So US & European economic policy should be shaped by Sesame Street?

 

[Spion]

Yeah but that is a bullshit argument that says whatever someone similar to you once did is forever legitimised. Your great grandad shot a tiger so if Mr Patel from the corner shop wants to strangle your cat then all's fair.

That reads like a response to a different argument that you've wheeled out inappropriately. I'm not trying to 'legitimise' anything. I'm expressly characterising Hitler's aims as being to create a mainland European empire in a historical context in which having an empire was seen as necessary for an industrially powerful European state. To those alive at the time this was not controversial and was explicitly stated by those involved. This is something I'll return to as I've got a bunch of books lined up and will bring that evidence to the discussion. Sit tight, grasshopper.

 

[ymu]

In percentage terms an awful lot more people died in Ireland in the potato famine. - Even the lowest estimates have over 10% of the population dead and that is generally accepted as underestimating the death toll.

He said "white empire country". Ireland was a British colony which happened to have a population with white skin. Ireland was subject to the same barbarity as non-white colonies.


Not that I'm supporting Spion's position on this thread.
/disclaimer

 

[Spion]

But the idea of Lebensraum isn't really about the aquistion of markets. It's about the depopulating of large regions or countries, so that Germans can move in

And what do you get when that has happened? A territorially expanded German market with a supply of cheap 'racially inferior' labour.

Anyway, let's see what Hitler himself thought lebensraum was about . . .

"England did not acquire India in a lawful and legitimate manner, but without regard to the natives' wishes, views, or declarations of rights; and she maintained this rule, if necessary, with the most brutal ruthlessness . . . The settlement of the north American continent was similarly a consequence not of any higher claim in a democratic or international sense, but rather of the consciousness of what is right which had its sole roots in the conviction of the superiority and thus the right of the white race . . . it was because the white race was of the conviction that it had the right to organize the rest of the world."

"There's only one duty: to Germanise this country by immigration of Germans, and to look upon the natives as Redskins."