Monday 3 March 2014

Keeping a straight face

Comics, of course, are experts at it.  Jokes delivered dead-pan mean that the observer can never be entirely sure when the punch line is coming.  Some politicians are quite good at it, as well, but in their case, it’s usually to cover their dishonesty.  They must know they’re doing it, surely, and I wonder if they have a good laugh at home later thinking about what they think they’ve got away with.
It’s hard to find anything to laugh at as the tragedy in Ukraine continues to unfold, but the UK Foreign Secretary and former Governor General of Wales, William Hague, managed an absolute classic yesterday.
He gravely announced to the world “We have to recognise the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine has been violated and this cannot be the way to conduct international affairs”.  No flicker nor hint of any suggestion that this might be, at the very least, a trifle ironic coming from the government of a country with centuries of experience of violating other people’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Threatening one of the world’s most heavily armed countries with dire consequences for daring to “do as I do rather than as I say” is not only disingenuous, it’s potentially downright dangerous.  If history teaches us anything it is that people uttering bellicose words often find themselves following it up with bellicose action.
The odd thing is that, in essence, he’s right – “this cannot be the way to conduct international affairs”.  If only he was serious…

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha, and this coming from a guy who belongs to a party that can't even agree upon its policy for nuclear power.

Laughable indeed!

John Dixon said...

Do try and keep up! I'm not a member of any party, and haven't been for three years...

David Walters said...

Neither Hague nor the government are responsible for "centuries... of violating other people's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Governments are entitled to change tack, either in respect of the actions of previous governments or indeed their own actions.

This is the sort of attitude that ends up with Tony Blair apologising for the Irish potato famine.

As for Anon's pop at Plaid's nuclear policy, different people in the party have different opinions - it's allowed.

John Dixon said...

David,

In principle, I agree with you on "Neither Hague nor the government are responsible for "centuries... of violating other people's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Governments are entitled to change tack, either in respect of the actions of previous governments or indeed their own actions.".

But firstly, what I said actually was that Hague is a member of "the government of a country with centuries of experience...", and secondly, the current government has shown itself more than willing to follow that long-standing tradition. It hasn't shown any inclination to, as you put it, "change tack".

This isn't the place for a discussion on nuclear energy, but there is a general point here that holding different views on any issue may well be something that a party chooses to allow; but it shouldn't then try and tell the electorate that it has a clear and consistent policy on the same issue.

G Horton-Jones said...

John
Have the similarities between the position of England and its current relationship with Scotland and Wales with events in Russia and the Ukraine inc Crimea been missed.

Can we expect Alex Salmond to be assasinated on the eve of the poll on the basis that the naval base at Faslane must remain in Englands control as it is the only one from which they can use nuclear submarine capability

Is there a contingency plan to formally occupy Scotland and Wales
by overt military methods in the event of a Yes vote

We now live in the world of the drones.

Nothing and nowhere on the globe s surface can escape surveillance and attack


Pete said...

What concerns me is the insanity being displayed by some prominent politicians in the United States that are being repeated by politicians in the UK. I wish I could laugh at it but I can't.
With North Korea and Iran rattling their sabers, with the economy stretched beyond it's limits supporting military adventures, we now have the insanity of talk about going to war with a powerful nation that has not been successfully invaded since the Mongols of the 13th Century.
I believe it was McGovern who said that he was sick and tired of old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.
I can't laugh.