By their meaningless words shall you know them!

Over at http://stroppyblog.blogspot.com/, a site run by, er, "stroppy bird" - her description, the hostess with the most-ess invites us to partake of a demonstration in favour of John McDonnell.  Yes, quite - John who?  He is apparently seeking the job of deputy prime minister, an ambition that automatically excludes him from sane society and would have led to his immediate incarceration if their Lordships had not shot down in flames the government's rather sensible policy of locking up lunatics.  You might think I am being overly harsh to this no doubt well-meaning if dim member of parliament but his 'chanteuse', the ineffable 'Stroppy Bird', insists that he is a man for all seasons, a veritable statesman pour nos jours. To prove it she lists some of the policies he favours:

"Withdrawal of British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan" and "A full independent enquiry into the Iraq war".

Well, they're not entirely daft although one should remember that the Afghanistan campaign is providing our soldiers with the best live-firing exercise and training they will ever get and whole battalions will become battle-hardened in a way they would never achieve on Salisbury Plain.  (What's that you cry, some of them are being killed - of course they are but if you take the Queen's shilling and "go for a soldier" that's what you must expect!)  Of course, anyone who thinks that any governmental enquiry is going to be "independent" needs their bumps felt, but still, if it helps keep a few impoverished lawyers happy, then who can complain.

However, the next imperative from this latter-day Talleyrand is interesting for what it doesn't say rather than what it does:

"Support for a free and independent Palestine"

Ah, yes, what a wide wealth of unsaid, unqualified, unspecified, unspecific generalities that piece of political sloganeering contains - "I mean, like, yeah, man, whatever" is about the only sensible response.

Then comes:

"No £25bn renewal of Trident"

Well, I think that there are some good arguments to support that policy (and its opposite) but somehow I just get that feeling that neither Mr. McDonnell, the new Bismark, or his sales manageress, Ms. 'Stroppy Bird', are likely to produce well-honed insights into the current geo-political and grand strategic debate concerning this weapon system.

Finally, we reach the last two pillars of wisdom from this Churchillian colossus;

"Creation of a Ministry for Peace" and "A British foreign policy based on peace and conflict resolution"

I, um, well, you know, I mean ... well, words fail me.  What can one say in the face of such ignorant, pathetic, Disney-land, Mom-and-apple-pie idiocy? Words offered, I would remind you, in a world in which militant Islam is on the rampage, nuclear Russia is resurgent under the rule of a cabal of gangsters, nuclear China has just succeeded in hitting a satellite in space with an ICBM and the lunatic asylum that is Iran and in which the lunatics have taken control is about to develop its own nuclears - and this astute political scientist, Mr. John McDonnell, says we should have a 'Ministry of Peace'! 

There is only one response, "Don't go, Mr. Prescott, all is forgiven!"

Comments

[stroppybird]

A few points on accuracy.

First off the demonstration is not about John. Its the anti war one on saturday . The John4leader campaign http://www.john4leader.org.uk/
will have a stall and will be leafleting. The bit on my blog is from his team , a sort of press release as to his policies.
There may be many thousands on the demo but even stroppyblog will not claim it as a demo for John (im not in the SWP :-) )

Also John is standing for leader not deputy.

A little potter round some of the left blogs will show there are other 'salespeople' for John other then me.

But thank you for popping by stroppyblog and im sure you will add your wit and wisdom there again :-)

[David Duff]

I stand corrected, 'Stroppy', and I'm grateful for the correction, but my opinion of Mr. McDonnell is not increased by the knowledge that he is standing for leader not deputy leader. It seems to me, using a military metaphor to be a cross between the charge of the Light Brigade and the advance across the Somme. One can only paraphrase badly in French, 'Quelle courage, c'est magnifique mais ce n'est-pas la politique!'

Anyway, good to see you venturing bravely into Neanderthal-land!

[stroppybird]

"Anyway, good to see you venturing bravely into Neanderthal-land!"

hmmm, did I say that? My usual insult is fuckwit , Will is my role model :-)

[David Duff]

Do you know, try as hard as I can, I just don't see Will as a role model for anyone other than beer-swilling, hard-swearing lovers of socialist gobbledegook ... oh, I see what you mean!

(Actually, for an incomprehensible, Geordie Marxist, he's not a bad lad.)

[stroppybird]

I hope you not implying I swill beer, hate the stuff. Much prefer Jack Daniels or champagne.

And I won't have a word said against Will :-)

[N.I.B.]

Commissar Duff, apologies in advance for this naive and politically impure enquiry, but as a tax payer I would like to know: How much use is an expensively trained, cast-iron pensioned battle hardened but dead soldier?

Also, is not the point of all that activity on Salisbury Plain that, should the shit hit the fan somewhere else in the world, the troops can just go there and Salisbury Plain will pretty much look after itself?

Of course, I'm no military expert, unlike your good self. I'm just relying on what I saw in a dictionary next to the word 'exercise'.

[David Duff]

"Of course, I'm no military expert"

"'Nuff said" is, I believe, the correct street argot to use in reply to your contribution, 'NIB'!

[N.I.B.]

Thanks for answering my questions, it is all so clear now you have explained The Truth.

[David Duff]

Sorry, I always thought that rhetorical questions did not require an answer.

[N.I.B.]

Ah, I bow down to the wisdom of Commissar Duff. I now understand that one should not question His wisdom, for everything He says is definitely correct, therefore such questions will automatically be rhetorical!

Have you ever thought of collecting all your most important thoughts in a small book and handing it out to your followers?

[Andy M]

This McDonnell sounds like a great feller. Once we have a Ministry for Peace, I assume we will also get a Ministry of Plenty, a Ministry of Truth and a Ministry of Love. The next step will be to make it impossible for people to express politically incorrect thoughts by remodelling the language.

Oh, I forgot - that's already happening.

Still, I'll vote for the guy as long as he promises not to shove any rats in my face.

[N.I.B.]

Well, I'm voting for the Ministry of Duff - he won't stick rats in your face, just so long as you agree with everything he says.

[Hank_F_M]

NIB

While it is certainly preferred that exercises be limited to Salisbury Plain and similar locations however it is known combat is still the most effective training exercise should one live to applly the lessons.

On this side of the pond I still tee shirts that say something like

Participant
Southeast Asia Military Exercises
1960-1975
Second Place

[Hank_F_M]

David/Stropy

"A British foreign policy based on peace and conflict resolution"

???????????

I thought the purpose of Her Majesties Armed forces was to resolve conflicts on terms satisfactory to Her Majesties government. Did I miss something??

[Larry Teabag]

I'm not sure which is more ridiculous: Stroppy's argument for a "Ministry for Peace", or Duff's argument that the War in Afghanistan is a Good Thing because at least our soldiers are out there at colossal tax-payers' expense getting killed for no good reason.

Actually yes I am. Well done David, you picked a fist-fight with a limbless gnat, and you lost.

[David Duff]

Larry, I do wish you would read me more closely. I know that is painful for you but your admiring public does expect a little of the same exactitude that you expend on doing your sums. (Or at least, I trust you are not as careless with your 'fractional decimals', or whatever, as you are with reading my immortal words!)

I did *not* say that "the War in Afghanistan is a Good Thing", indeed, I described the argument in favour of pulling out as being "not entirely daft". My reason being that we have absolutely no chance of altering the long-term future of Afghanistan, nor, I might add, would I wish to even if we could. However, as wars go it is very low-key which means very low casualty rates. Thus, it becomes exceedingly useful as a battle-training area for our troops and the expense in blood is well worth it if what you require from your servicemen is a high degree of expertise in fighting, as opposed, say, to Trooping the Colour on Horse Guards Parade! Equally, the expense of treasure can surely be borne by a nation that is about to blow zillions on the Olympic Games and actually cheers the prospect!

Now, who's the "limbless gnat", you or 'Stroppy'?

[N.I.B.]

"Larry, I do wish you would read me more closely."

Oh blah, blah, blah, where have we heard that before?

Ah yes, it's the trademark Commissar Duff "I didn't mean precisely that, so I'll repeat the same idiotic idea, worded slightly differently, quick change the subject, nickname in 'quotes' exclamation mark!" escape clause.

And Larry, remember who you are and know your place! All of our great leader Commissar Duff's pronouncements are correct and true! Impure thought will be punished!