Jeremy Corbyn has lived down to the media stereotype of the Labour-lefty fellow-traveller with his failure to confirm that he would honour the NATO pledge to defend another treaty member. It was a Labour prime minister, Clement Attlee, who promoted the treaty organisation and defended it against attacks from Moscow. Successive Labour leaders have stood by the pledge, and quite rightly, too.
From 1949's USSR until today's Russia, Moscow has proved very willing to proclaim its willingness to sign up to peace agreements while deviously pursuing its own interests regardless of its public stance. There are current examples in the Ukraine and Syria. It is nibbling away at Georgia and stands ready to regain control of the Baltic states if we forgo our readiness to defend them. If Mr Corbyn seriously believes we can rely on diplomacy alone to constrain Russia's expansionism, then he is as useful an idiot as Donald Trump.
Owen Smith has shown himself equally credulous when it comes to Daesh. It is clear that the UK would not be safe in the hands of either of these men. Can Labour produce another candidate for leader, please?
1 comment:
I think you're being a bit hard on JC there, although I admit to bias. As I understand it any decision to take the country into armed conflict with any foe is a matter for Parliament. It is not the gift of the Prime Minister though of course their views would be of major importance. I think Corbyn is hampered in any debate about potential future conflicts because of his long held pacifist views but I don't believe his comments at the hustings meant he wouldn't fulfil our NATO obligations if it came to it. Let's hope it never does.
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