I'm more than a little bemused, first we have multiple wars with Islamic nutjobs in Mesopotamia (Iraq) and in the old British Raj (Pakistan & Afghanistan particularly), but we also have trouble with the coastal strip of Africa and pirates, war in the Sudan and now Islamic rebels in Timbuktu and Khartoum (http://), coupled with difficulties within the old Turkish empire (ie. with the Kurds and Syria).
What the hell is going on? Firstly, we have the French growing a set (no small matter), but the British delivering their APC's and heavy weapons by air (suggesting a strongly British logistic tail), and the Queen of England eclipsing the record held by her forebear (who ruled through the last period when this shit all happened before).
Am I somehow out of it? Are we not seeing a repeat of the "small wars" of the late 19th century? Yes the islamic nutjobs of this Century are much better armed than their forebears, but their European opponents are armed significantly better again. The "relief of Khartoum" in this instance should be a more straightforward process at least (although, the relief of Kut would be problematic, so maybe not).
What really bothers me is that we are fully engaged in a replay of the Colonial wars of the late 19th Century, ex-Colonial masters are being called upon to save their former colonies, so we are seeing a form of neo-colonialism (not necessarily in the best interest or at the wish of either party), but colonialism all the same. As these neo-colonial powers all have their very own, homegrown islamic nutters, what price peace in the near future?
C'est la guerre
What the hell is going on? Firstly, we have the French growing a set (no small matter), but the British delivering their APC's and heavy weapons by air (suggesting a strongly British logistic tail), and the Queen of England eclipsing the record held by her forebear (who ruled through the last period when this shit all happened before).
Am I somehow out of it? Are we not seeing a repeat of the "small wars" of the late 19th century? Yes the islamic nutjobs of this Century are much better armed than their forebears, but their European opponents are armed significantly better again. The "relief of Khartoum" in this instance should be a more straightforward process at least (although, the relief of Kut would be problematic, so maybe not).
What really bothers me is that we are fully engaged in a replay of the Colonial wars of the late 19th Century, ex-Colonial masters are being called upon to save their former colonies, so we are seeing a form of neo-colonialism (not necessarily in the best interest or at the wish of either party), but colonialism all the same. As these neo-colonial powers all have their very own, homegrown islamic nutters, what price peace in the near future?
C'est la guerre