miltiades wrote:Tim Drayton wrote:miltiades wrote:Tim Drayton wrote:I view the prospect with trepidation. We are witnessing a new type of populist politician who appears able to speak to the average, poorly educated person in their own terms and play on their fears and prejudices, and succeed politically through this. There is widespread disillusionment with the political class and disengagement from conventional politics which is feeding this trend. We already see it in the likes of Erdoğan and Putin, and with less success so far in Farage in the UK. The National Front got about a third of the vote in recent local elections in France. I fear that we are returning to the 1930's with its Hitlers, Stalins, Francos and Mussolinis. The world was in economic crisis then, too, and I believe that this is also ultimately a reaction to the mess the world is in.
A very good analysis Tim.
Thanks. I probably come at things further from the left than you do. I respect everyone's opinion, though, as long as they are not condoning atrocities.
"Centre" views, occasionaly more to the right. I staunchly support the Western world on occasions though I do not allow myself to blindly follow a policy that I consider naive and unrealistic such as the insistence of the West, including Turkey, that Assad must go.
I ask my self in this case the following.
Everyone must agree that the ultimate goal is to bring about peace and stability in Syria for the sake of the Syrians and Europe also that is having to take in many thousands of refugees fleeing the war torn country. I ask my self this, who will replace Assad, a democrat, a benovelent dictator or an absolute ruler / dictator such as Assad.
The answer I come up with is more likely a ruthless dictator, with various waring fractions jostling for power and in the process creating many more victims and refugees.
I support the Russian position thus far as the more likely scenario for an end to the war and not that of either Turkey or the West that, in my opinion, will lead to further extension of the conflict.
Oeace and stability for the sake of Syrians you say. Yes we all want that.
But peace and stability you won't get with Assad and all the Sunnis out in the cold like before, not to mention Kurds, Assyrians, Turkmen and Christians.
And the West is unable to cooperate with Pootin because there is too much bad blood between us. We have already been bitten in Ukraine, and we don't see eye to eye because Pootin is bombing ALL opposition forces. He has bombed DAESH the least of all of them.
