Murdoch War Demand Stinks

Politicians have limits on the amount of chest-thumping and generally bellicose behaviour in which they can engage: their electorates easily tire of the cost, in taxes and more importantly in lives, and the inescapable fact that many conflicts are less than totally successful. No such constraint affects the press, something which Rupert Murdoch figured out to his advantage many years ago.

That's what I bladdy think of youse not bladdy wanting to go to bladdy war whenever I bladdy well tell you, ya cowardly Pommie drongoes!

So it is that his downmarket warriors at the Super Soaraway Currant Bun have decided to browbeat MPs into ordering a pointless bombing of Syria, on the grounds that, instead of the 2013 proposal which would have seen us on the same side as ISIS, or whatever they’re called this week, we would be on the same side as the murderous dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has reduced much of his country to ruins.

All that bombing, shelling, rocketing and the rest has resulted in one of the world’s worst refugee crises, as more than seven million have been forced out of their homes, and indeed out of their country. That does not faze Rupe, who proclaims “ISIS, Putin, Iran free to run amok while all western nations continue to wind down defense abilities … Big military brings peace through strength”. As opposed to strength through joy, then.

2003 ... that went well, then

That means his papers have been ordered to agitate for war, so the Sun, having established its credentials over many years, for example splashing “HE’S GOT ‘EM … LET’S GET HIM” at the time of the Iraq adventure (he turned out not to have ‘em, of course), yesterday proclaimed “52% SAY BOMB SYRIA NOW”. But, compassionately, this would be done “For Aylan”. Yes, the Murdoch press is using a dead toddler as cover.

Won't they think of the children?

So much, so puke-making, but that was a mere taster for today’s assault, with Sun readers told “BLITZ ‘EM TO HELL … Cameron is urged to set date for air strikes … Smashing terror state best way to aid refugees”. And to that I call bullshit. Aylan Kurdi’s family fled the town of Kobane, where ISIS were indeed “blitzed” and the town kept out of their hands. In the process, it was reduced to a pile of uninhabitable rubble.

Kobane ... the result of all that helpful bombing

Could the obedient Murdoch doggies, on Rebekah Brooks’ first day back as CEO, sink any lower? You betcha, says Sarah: today’s Sun has gone in with both feet on the Labour Party, for the crime of being insufficiently bellicose. “Exclusive: Labour bottles it … COWARDS … Leadership rivals won’t back raids on IS to end migrants [sic] crisis”. That may be because what the Sun would like will not end the refugee crisis.

You want war, Rupe, you can pay for it

And if we’re talking of who are the real cowards, that would be Rupert Murdoch and his hacks, who would retain their comfortable lifestyles while others went off to die - killing even more civilians, and creating even more refugees, in the process. If Rupert Murdoch is so keen on starting a war, he should open his bloated wallet and stump up for it himself. He could even volunteer the most gung-ho Sun hacks as front line troops.

This country’s foreign policy is not in the gift of an economic migrant who doesn’t even have the vote in this country. Butt out and belt up, Rupe. It’s none of your business.