David Cameron has announced the results of his 'strategic defence and security review.' This is a misnomer. It should have been called his 'shoot first, talk later' review.
Because Westminster just took £178 billion of your money, and poured it into guns, bombs, tanks and drones. None of these are to be used for 'defence.' These are weapons of attack.
The attack is in both directions. It is an attack on a region of the world that is reeling under years of war, war sparked off by messrs Bush and Blair and then fed with firepower manufactured by Europe's 'leading defence suppliers', in the anodyne expression used to describe them. Britain has continued to export arms to the Middle East right through this conflict.
And it is an attack on the poor. Because where else will Osbameron get the £178 billion than by raiding funds that could have gone to health, housing, education and care for older people? It is the poor who will suffer as Osbameron tries - as fruitlessly as all his predecessors - to bomb the Middle East into submission.
Worse, he is handing two victories to Daesh. His military strategy will mean more martyrs to the cause across the Levant (and, naturally, 'collateral' deaths among the region's women and children.) And the grinding domestic poverty in the backstreets of Britain will manufacture more young men and women who believe that death is better than hope.
How stupid are our politicians? On these measures, about £178 billion stupid. Imagine the social good you could do with £178 billion! That is one and a half times the whole NHS budget! Twice the education budget!
Bairns, not bombs, Mr Cameron.
Because Westminster just took £178 billion of your money, and poured it into guns, bombs, tanks and drones. None of these are to be used for 'defence.' These are weapons of attack.
The attack is in both directions. It is an attack on a region of the world that is reeling under years of war, war sparked off by messrs Bush and Blair and then fed with firepower manufactured by Europe's 'leading defence suppliers', in the anodyne expression used to describe them. Britain has continued to export arms to the Middle East right through this conflict.
And it is an attack on the poor. Because where else will Osbameron get the £178 billion than by raiding funds that could have gone to health, housing, education and care for older people? It is the poor who will suffer as Osbameron tries - as fruitlessly as all his predecessors - to bomb the Middle East into submission.
Worse, he is handing two victories to Daesh. His military strategy will mean more martyrs to the cause across the Levant (and, naturally, 'collateral' deaths among the region's women and children.) And the grinding domestic poverty in the backstreets of Britain will manufacture more young men and women who believe that death is better than hope.
How stupid are our politicians? On these measures, about £178 billion stupid. Imagine the social good you could do with £178 billion! That is one and a half times the whole NHS budget! Twice the education budget!
Bairns, not bombs, Mr Cameron.
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