Are there any real threats?

History tells us that there have been some disasterous regimes, and disasterous responses to regimes. Europe had its head in the sand while the Nazis grew. People must have wondered why they were developing such a powerful army, and also questioned the ideiologies. But they did nothing.

In Communist Russia Stalin removed a staggering 30 million (including those lost in the war). Not that there was anything anyone else could do. Mao some 20 million in famines and disasterous policies. Khmer Rouge some 6 million in Pol Pot's well intended but gradually more and more insane dictates. Around the world today there are countries in the grip of absurd dictatorships too. Bhurma the most notable example.

So it would seem that we have every reason to have a huge army and to protect ourselves and our way of life from the evil that has consumed other countries. The "Team America" logic.

Well there is no doubt that being prepared is essential. But prepared for what? How many regimes do we know who have the desire to absorb England by force into their empire? A Roman Empire who we should protect ourselves from. There were the Nazis and some said the USSR. An aware Britain may have noticed the changes in the 30s and sort some agreement from Germany to reduce its military. Much as America is doing with nuclear weapons today. Failure to do so and an overt expression of hostile intent thereby would force the rest of the world to begin military armament in response like the American/USSR arms race. So the suprise and advantage of Nazi Germany would have been thwarted. No war. It didn't happen because the elite of Britain had too many thumbs in Germany's pies to want to upset the economic apple cart. Typical short term thinking. The same logic works again and again.

If it was needed the arms race with the USSR avoided war. However a diplomatic agreement to stop arms development on both sides would have been an obvious choice saving both countries a lot of expense. Ah! except that was it - America's master stroke at bankrupting the USSR. It also seems that America was more the aggressor than USSR. USSR was keeping up the race because it feared attack from USA despite its economic weakness and the Cuban crisis illustrated how ruthless America was prepared to be. It was USSR who backed down!

So arms race is quite sufficient to deter any aggressive nation - but it is only needed in the event that two countries decide to go head to head. No country will attack if it knows it will lose - what gain is there in that?

So what about the modern world? Are there any threats to Britain or America? Only China that I can think of. And why would it seek to attack Britain or America? For what gain? I believe diplomats know perfectly well what their respective countries want and as long as they give each other that then no hostility.

So it then comes to "Muslim Extremism". A shady bunch of mad men with no military capability and vague association with some "official" countries which have limited military capability also. Even if Iran did get a nuclear weapon what use is that? Maybe they would secretly feed it to their extremist friends who could plant it in Britain or America and hold us to ransom. But what ransom what would they gain? what do they want? I'm quite sure they will gain nothing solely by the destruction of an Western city. It has some other interest or purpose. What?

They can't possibly simply want to govern us like Hollywood madman. How would just one bomb achieve that? They seek to gain something for their own countries and homes. What? Maybe a ridiculous request like a trillion pounds from some cheap Hollywood crooks. Maybe a more reasonable political request.

Either way we should not give into them. That is a simple issue. But preventing such a situation ever arising is more important. Diplomatic knowledge of the country's, or groups' interests, and seeking reasonable negotiations. That way everyone can get a fair deal, everyone wins.

The problem however is that some parties don't want to compromise. "We are the most powerful country in the world. We can do what we want." was the justification for the Iraq war from some American spokesman. This man is certainly not going to sit at a table with people he believes he can kill with impunity.

Certainly there are times when a state may be forced to show its willingness to fight as a deterent for war. In the worst case war may occur. But this is extremely unlikely. War never gains people much, it is destructuve for all sides concerned. Discussion and negotiation of respective wants - that gains much more. Cooperation if possible gains the most.

The problems only arise when one side won't listen. It is either ideologically fixed or is greedy and wants to steal from the other side - as is the case in empires.

The West claims that terrorists are ideologically fixed on destroying the West. It is hard to see the argument. Hitler produced his arguments for persecuting the Jews - it is something we can read and decide for ourselves. What argument for destroying the West? That we are decadent and stand for Satan and against Allah. In fact that is in part true and even the vast majority of Muslims can see that it is only part true. The few extremists are very odd indeed if they wish to battle against the views of their own people. There are many other countries in the world who come under the same description however and they are not singled out. There is part truth is this point of view.

Looking at the other point of view the particular relationship between America and Islam is more clear. America is greedy and uncompromising. For half a century it has manipulated world affairs for its own gain. Firstly against the Russians and now directly for itself through willing advocates like Britain and Israel. The "war on terror" has been a bad filter on this old ambitions. Iraq never had anything to do with terrorism, that is American greed at its most blatant. And it is this America will to dominate and be one sided that has gained so many enemies.

A little humility and diplomacy would have averted all the current problems. Analogies to Nazis and dictators and defence and threats are pale. America does not want peace it wants all or nothing at any cost. And as the American bull dozer blunders along, it is piling up more and more of the human tragedies and arguments from the other side ahead of it for the future.