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Give the British Credit

The war drums are being rolled out once more in Israel and sections of Washington as military elites from both countries attempt to convince their population that Iran and not Iraq, or Saudi Arabia is the real danger in the region that needs to be subdued. Seems like only yesterday that the dreaded Sadam Hussain was being flushed out of a foxhole, his statue hauled down unceremoniously from Baghdad and the US President flash his now characteristically famous grin, while he proclaimed victory. With this control of the second largest oil reserve in the world, no one could have anticipated skyrocketing price of oil that exist today, and the almost Vietnam scenario that is prevailing in Iraq and the reverberation throughout the region as a whole.[1]
For those of you reluctant or too lazy to look beyond CNN, Fox, and a few other ideological pseudo Intellectuals, here is the real deal. Blame everything on the crafty British. Unfortunately those folks do not get enough credit, especially for some of the chaos that is occurring across the globe. Every debate places blame on the Cold War, UN,tribalism and a whole host of unrelated issues. For once I would like to see some credit given to where it due. Ever heard about divide and rule? Who do you believed invented that the French, Greeks or the British? If you choose the last, then you obviously have a high IQ, therefore kudos to you for being so astute.

Let me, an objective voice of reason, break it down finally for you folks. The British were also some of the craftiest people on earth and have led the way towards what is today often referred to as globalization in a very cost effective way. We all know what occurred in North America, Australia, Africa and important parts of Asia as it’s well documented. If I am not mistaken, the USA was acquired for about Two hundred dollars because they skillfully pit the Indian tribes against each other. Presently Indians in both Canada and America are mere afterthoughts as they ponder the real benefits of assimilations outside of alcoholic stupors and casinos rip-offs, and lost cultures.
Australia and Africa were just as easy, the former still have the Queen as head of state and the latter are such perfect students,that they have fervently continued the divisive practices even up to present time against their own people with such relish and pride. Africa today has the distinction of probably being the richest and most neglected continent with some of the most barbaric leaders the world has ever seen, ironically, they are not ungrateful, in that they forever give credit to Mother Britain. You perhaps want to indicate that Rwanda and Congo were French; all I would say in response the French, Belgians and other European colonizers were quick learners, as the Brits were the standard bearers. Need I say Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Liberia? They are some are borderline failed states, while others are real tragedies, all because of the wonderful British legacy of divide and rule.

China and India today are lauded as excellent emerging powers, with savvy business acumen, educated elites, and a few nukes thrown in for good measure. Can you imagine what China would be had it not been for the dreaded nationalist Mao who preached togetherness via his rural peoples social revolution? Those crafty British did such a number on China especially during the Opium wars that it took superhuman efforts and much purging to eradicate that type of deep-rooted social ill. China could have well become the Africa of Asia had it not been for Mao followed by Simi – capitalist Chairman Deng Xiaoping in later years. I know some want to give credit to Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon, but I caution some restraint on that score. Then what about India, immediately after independence they began a Hindu and Muslim war that some feel can still lead to WW111 as both countries of Pakistan and India continue to flaunt their nuclear arsenal while millions live in abject poverty within their respective countries. In a 2004 UNDP Human Development Report, India and Pakistan are ranked 127th and 142nd respectively, out of 177 countries in a human development survey. [2] Give the British credit for that, as they helped control that country during colonial rule by dividing the people religiously and economically. Political elites, military elites, religious elites, the concept was created by the British especially for the Indians in the subcontinent.

It was the Middle East however that the British were able to exert their most devastating influence and test the divide and rule concept to the hilt. Let me indicate immediately that the Arabs, Turks or Persian tribes in the Middle East did not invent suicide bombing, the Hindu Tamil Tigers of India/ Sri Lanka did. The British had a role in creating the friction in Sri Lanka, for just like in India they divided the tribes. In the case of Sri Lanka they foisted educated Tamil elites to have dominion over the native Buddhist Sinhalese people before independence. It created resentments between both groups and has found a useful outlet through violence ever since. As with all useful system, it was exported to the Middle East, where it found fertile ground. We should give the British credit therefore for indirectly helping to spread suicide bombing in the Middle East.

Without the British, the madness that exists today in the Middle East involving the Israel and the scattered Palestinians might not have occurred. The British has always played a conniving role between the early Turkish rulers, Palestinians peasants, and early Zionist settlers that is felt even today. Because the territorial issue was never fully resolved when the British escaped, Palestinians remained without a state, and their problem has become a symbolic and convenient rallying cause for the divided Arabs and other ethnic groups.
It was the British under Winston Churchill’s nudging that encouraged the first CIA orchestrated coup to oust Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. This was in retaliation for Iran’s parliamentary decision to nationalize the property of Anglo – Iranian Oil Company, Britain’s most profitable business in the world at the time.[3] The oil rich country has continually sunk to the bottom of the democratic abyss since the ouster and demise of this former Times Man of the Year leader. The fall out has seen the dictator Shah, theocratic Ayatollah, and now the feared President Mr. Ahmadinejad. So presently, the Turks hate the Arabs, the Persians hate the Arabs and Persians Shiites hate every Sunni Moslem in the world. They all hate the Jews and most of her allies for the humiliations they have undergone after countless wars.
The Jewish people are scared and feel threatened. As such, this country the size of New Jersey, has the third largest military in the world as well as not-so -secret nuclear weapons that it cannot openly use but feels obligated to prevent anyone else of acquiring such weapons in the region. The people that started it-the British, stands on the side with a polite smile and feign concern as others steal the limelight. For this is how clever they are.
You can observe Bob Gildoff who started live aid to feed starving Ethiopians, to ex Prime Minister Blair who is now the Middle East Peace Guru after kicking President Carter to the curb. Pay attention to the recent fortunes of poor Mr. Carter, as he is now relegated to , and labeled as an anti Semite and possible pro terrorist because of his recent stance on war, peace and security and justice for everyone in the region- a policy any one beyond the age of 10, with a week of high school education and reading ability is aware of. My advice, pay some attention to the British as the war drums rolls.
The Iranian I know was once a great people and I would like to see them return to that level. I cannot imaging another war in the region , and the possibility of the nation following the lead of first Afghanistan and now Iraq by allowing itself to be bombed and demolished almost to the Stone Age threshold . For selfish reasons also, I am concerned as the likelihood of paying 20:00 $ per gallon for gas or waiting for one of Al Gore Hybrids in 2021 is difficult to also contemplate. Let peace reign, and may the Brits save us soon. I have faith after Libya spitfire turn around, and so should you.

For the few in the English speaking Caribbean that enjoy heaping praise on the Brits for passing on such excellent educational ,political , judicial ,and other administrative systems , you have just proved my point. It is simply an indication of the cleverness of the British to make you believe that you have done so well unlike other countries across the globe with similar histories. I guess you should give credit to the Brits since Caricom is moving along so fine that it might soon rival the EU.While we are at it race relations in Trinidad and Guyana ,excellent don’t you think? If these two countries keep up the overt and covert racial devisiveness and actions ,pretty soon Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe , Sudan or Fiji won’t have anything on them. Intrestingly enough, the Brits had something to do with everyone of these countries.

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[1] Michael Klare, Blood and Oil, pg 19, Metro Books NY, 2004
[2] Indo-Asian News Service, India ranks 127th in UN human development survey. http://human-development-news.newslib.com/story/1697-420532/
[3] Wayne C. McWilliams & Harry Piotrowski, The World Since 1945: A History of International Relations, Lynne Rienner, Boulder Colorado, 2005, Ch.4, Pg. 97.

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