WhatsappIs the UK government willing to stand up to Hamas?
@mariacaulfield today during F.O questions asking whether UK will vote in favour of US res. in UNGA condemning Hamas on Thursday.
No firm commitment from @AlistairBurtUK!
However, if @UKUN_NewYork does not vote with the U.S on this, what will it say about this government? pic.twitter.com/AC4NZIACIx
— SussexFriendsIsrael (@SussexFriends) December 4, 2018
Tough or Weak?
Where does the leadership of the UK stand on terror? This is not a new issue. In general, the UK governments over the last century have had a checkered record on this. On the one hand the UK government during World War I and World War II were at the lead in standing up towards aggression. On the other hand, on the eve of World War II, it was the UK leadership under Neville Chamberlain who was weak in the face of Nazi threats. When Chamberlain waved a peace of paper signed by Adolf Hitler to the world and declared that there would be peace in our time, some people were encouraged. But any realist realized that the paper was worthless.
Is the UK government willing to stand up to Hamas?
Persian Gulf War
In 1990, Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq invaded Kuwait and threatened Saudi Arabia. This placed Saddam Hussein dangerously close to taking over more than 30-40% of the world’s oil production. That was clearly a major worldwide economic threat. Under the leadership of George H. W. Bush, the US built up a coalition against Saddam Hussein. The USA took the lead to stop the threat. However, Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister of the UK had a central role as a leading partner in the buildup till the war. She understood firsthand that aggression must be stood up to. It turned out to be one of the most one-sided wars in the history of mankind. The threat was ended in a matter of 3 months.
Post 9/11
After 9-11, George W. Bush and Tony Blair worked together against Al Qaeda based on the previous model. There are more threats today. But, as in the past, when the world stands up to aggression, the world becomes safer. When the world backs down, it gets more dangerous.
