So the inspiration for this post comes from David Cameron’s recent lil treck round the Middle East *I know I know.. I am so early with these posts you’re questioning if I’m actually an Arab after all*. There was controversy surrounding his trip, but before I get into those details how about we pander to the whims of the current government and describe what they would like you to think happened:
After the brave Egyptians followed the example of the Tunisian people and overthrew their corrupt dictator Mr Cameron decided to valiantly ride his metaphorical white horse and head straight to the Middle East to congratulate the recent success of the Egyptians in Tahrir Square. Being the big-hearted man that he is he didn’t restrict his visit just to Egypt, no, he made the effort to spread the love around in the region and show his support, goodwill and solidarity with the Arab people who had fought so tirelessly for justice, democracy and freedom. Also by being the first western leader to grace the shores of the Middle East since the revolutionary atmosphere had first begun, Mr. Cameron was honorably setting a high-standard precedent for other less courageous leaders to hopefully follow in his graceful footsteps.
Oh that Cameron, such a strong-willed charismatic and moral leader. *swoon*
Well…unfortunately we don’t live in the world of make-believe and fairytale. Instead we have to deal with the crass and cumbersome harsh light of reality.
In actual fact this trip to the Middle East was planned ages ago and had nothing to do initially with the revolutions we see sweeping across the Middle East. Instead it had more to do with an important Arms trade fair that was going to be occurring in Abu Dhabi…yes…girls we aren’t the only ones who are susceptible to the shopping frenzy…our grown-ass male leaders seem to have a soft spot for it to. Mr Cameron being the ‘great’ leader had planned to go to this fair and use this all-round trip to generally hawk off British arms to the so called ‘leaders’ of the Middle East with the help of his delegation of arms manufacturers.
To be honest, I just think Mr Cameron has probably watched Sex and the City 2 and seen how Carrie and the girls flew off to this exotic middle eastern region in Abu Dubai and thought ‘I want me some of that’. But of course to save face he had to bring in some ‘macho’ into the equation and so instead of the sex and the city girls of ‘Miranda, Charlotte & Samantha’ he brought along the British arms dealers. And with them in tow he could set off for the joys of sun, sand and selling-arms-to-corrupt-undemocratic-repressive-arab-leaders-to-make-a-quick-buck in the Middle East.
But on a serious note, what an utter affront and disrespect to the many brave souls who have lost their lives and are STILL loosing their lives fighting in these revolutions. The LEAST he could have done was at least to suspend and postpone the arm selling aspect of his trip considering the circumstances. Especially when you are selling them to current undemocratic dictators ….just WTH …the nerve of him to stand in Tahrir square and extoll the notions of democracy, freedom, human rights etc. and praise the virtues of the revolutionary uprising and then to simply hop-skip it to nearby dictatorship countries and sell some more arms beggars belief.
No words can rightfully completely justify and excuse their actions..…but with them being in the profession of politics you can ALWAYS rely on them to try and give excuses to legitimate their sorry actions. So here are a few I have heard/read:
Cameron actually cancelled his appearance at the actual Arms fair: oh yes .. thank you for that Cameron…that’s really what matters…not the fact that your arm’s dealer BFF’s have been flown in with you and are STILL selling their wares and arms .. It was the idea of you being their personal Pin-Up model at the fare that really grinded our gears. A publicity stunt at the arms fair like you are some hired Paris Hilton totty at a club we can’t stomach….the actual issue of the arms still being sold by the people you have flown in as part of your delegation is dismissible.
Only a quarter of the people who flew out with him where part of the arms group: Stop the PRESS! ONLY a quarter? My bad, My bad, and here was I thinking it was a THIRD of your delegation. If that’s the case that’s just A-OK…but it best be EXACTLY a quarter…anything above that is asking for trouble. Has no one told you that anything-above-of-a-quarter –of-whatever-delegation-you-are-taking is a crowd? Too-many-people-over-a-quarter-of-your-delegation spoil the broth? Don’t worry you haven’t heard these age old-sayings because now you are in the know.
If we don’t sell arms to them then other countries will: Wow…Really? Would you allow this choice of phrase or excuse in any other circumstance? I.e. Hey don’t get your panties in a twist, if WE didn’t sell Iran/Al-Qaeda/Syria/Every-Tom-Dick-and-Harry-that’s-on-the-wests-axis-of-evil-list nuclear weapons then someone else would have … *shucks*…you KNOW it’s all about the profit margin ay?
The leaders won’t actually use most of the weapons sold on their people as they are more warfare than internal repression arms: Yes so maybe for example, Saudi Arabia won’t use F-16 bombers on their people. That will mainly be because of the fact that even if they wanted to they probably can’t. .. many of the arms that are sold to the gulf states and other states in the region are to high-tech and advanced for the countries to actually operate or even maintain or sustain in workable conditions without help from the west. So why do these leaders buy these weapons? It’s mainly because the ‘politicians’ who buy these weapons for their country usually skim off or get some commission from the transaction. This therefore means the countries MONEY is being wasted in corrupt ways to benefit the pockets of the few over the mass of the countries people.
So in conclusion, Mr. Cameron is not simply a TYPICAL political git …. Cameron ‘luv’, please leave the blatant and insulting two-faced aspect of your current approach to politics to THEEEE experts…by experts I mean dam COINS and Tony Freaking lar-di-dar- Blair. Put to rest the cheap knock-off tribute act to your apparent idol Tony Blair. It’ll be not only for our own good, but yours. There is only so much ‘bastardisation’ one can handle in the world, and the quota is currently full to the brim.
Till Next Time,
P.S I didn’t make this picture myself, stumbled upon it and thought it fitted the post perfectly 
Here is link if your interested:
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news760.php
