John Ramwell

The more I read the more it appears we have America to thank for much of the world's troubles. Their obsession with democracy and xenophobic distaste for all that represents socialism helps, in my view, to create situations as we have today. Should we have gone into Iraq? NO ,Should we have deposed Gaddafi? NO , but we did, creating the immigration problems we have today. At the same time we in the West stood back and watched Assad (Syria) use chemical warfare against his own people. Now Trump believes he can stop the war in Ukraine, how does that work without Ukraine at the negotiating table? Putin is playing the West and Trump like a fiddle. Until we have some one who is willing to put their head above the parapet and avoid the bullets, i.e. a strong leader, the world will continue to a precipice. Oh and if just to make fools of us, Starmer believes he has stabilised the economy. His definition of stabilised and mine are polar opposite.

My response…

As a starter I can’t but agree with you. I’ve been a fan of You Tube for a while. It regales me with a variety of videos from the history of WW1 & railway journeys to the Meidas Touch. (I’m a subscriber.) I was watching a video recently about Winston Churchill. He was clear about the shortfalls of democracy. He was certainly not anti-democratic, but he was a complex figure, part romantic constitutionalist, part pragmatic imperialist. His legacy on democracy is best understood as a blend of genuine belief in representative government and a cautious, often elitist approach to its expansion and application. He was definitely a pragmatist. For example his stance on democracy, while often celebrated, has also drawn notable criticism, especially when viewed through the lens of his actions and attitudes across different phases of his career. I loved the part in the film when he dodged his security guard and dropped on to the London Underground where he engaged an initially surprised group of travellers in order to ascertain their take on the war. He soon discovered that they were all enthusiastic supporters. But the quote that really resonates with me is the one below.

The Americans must be wondering what the hell happened as the majority of them didn’t expect that Trump would really make it. But make it he did, much to everyone’s embarrassment… well almost, as there remains a MAGA hard core of fanatics. Hey Ho! If this idiot doesn’t take us into a nuclear war…!!

JOHN RAMWELL

Editors note: Some historians dispute that this quote is attributable to Winston Churchill. However, he is known to have said that democracy is the worst form of government, save for all the other options.