The knee-jerk fool - by Richard... Thursday, August 11, 2011

The knee-jerk fool - by Richard... Thursday, August 11, 2011

"David Cameron announced new police powers, offered millions of pounds to help riot victims and declared war on gang culture today as he insisted Britain would recover from the street violence that has swept its major cities. And the Army could yet play a role in helping to beef up the frontline police presence".

That was the "take" of The Times - that failed conveyor of its own jaded opinion - recording the mouthings of a fool who has not the first idea of what he is doing, much less how to achieve it.

By any measure, when it comes to increased lawlessness on the street, the police are part of the problem. Therefore, it can hardly be sound to propose more powers for a system which is already incapable of using effectively the powers it already has.

As for using the Army – in any role at all – is this from the man who is planning to cut down the armed forces to a barely sustainable size? And he proposes that it should have a role in domestic policing?

Then to resort to bellicose language in a situation where sensibilities are already inflamed, egos bruised and antagonisms festering, is to resort to the language of a fool. Only a fool would resort totired, hackneyed clichés: " ... we have taken decisive action to help ensure more robust and more effective policing".

Only a fool could utter the empty, vapid words: "we will address our broken society and restore a sense of stronger morality and responsibility in every town, in every street and in every estate", and keep a straight face. Only a fool would entertain something that cannot be done, and should not be done even if it was possible.

But then Cameron is a fool. A wise man would have bought time, to find out what is really going on – what the real causes of the disturbances were, not just the proximate causes. He would then have taken counsel as to how to develop an integrated package that addressed the real causes, and come out with a draft plan for consultation.

Instead, we get knee-jerk politics – the knee-jerk fool. And when it goes belly-up again, what will the fool do then?

More looting in London - by Richard...

Even while the man pretending to be our prime minister speaks, it goes on - while the police stand idly by and do nothing. But let's beat up the children and put them in prison – that will solve the problem.

A nation scared of its own children? - by Richard...

Call out the Army, give 'em guns and shoot down these looters. Bring on the tear gas, the water cannon, the plastic bullets, more plods, armoured cars, more money. Lock 'em up and throw away the key, build more prisons, stick it up 'em - teach 'em some respect. That'll really solve all our problems.

A small voice then says: " ... cheer on the introduction of plastic bullets and water cannon to our streets, a terrible admission of defeat and a further step down the dark staircase to the strong state and the end of liberty". This is Peter Hitchens.

Is this is a nation running so scared of its own children, that the only solution many can offer is to give more power to the state that caused the problems in the first place, and then mobilise the Army against them? Is this what it has come to ... a nation that forged and ruled the largest Empire in the the history of mankind, the nation that defeated Hitler?

Perhaps, to paraphrase Churchill, the only things more stupid than politicians are the people who vote for them.