Revolutions

Revolutions occur when the majority are pissed off with living without basic freedoms and in poverty while the minority elite live in luxury.

They are generally started by young people who feel that they have nothing to lose and who see their lives going nowhere and decide that they want to do better than their parents and grand-parents. Youth exudes idealism and has a self-belief that it can change the world. That is why the world changes: youth will enquire and question and act.

We in Europe have experienced revolution. The bloody one in France in the 18^th Century, the subtler social revolution in Britain during the Victorian times, the Russian revolution (although all that succeeded in doing was to replace aristocratic despots with despots from a more common background) and, more recently, the falling of the Iron Curtain with the destruction of the infamous Berlin Wall. All of these social upheavals were spearheaded by young, enthusiastic idealists.

This need for change has now hit the Middle East and North Africa. Young people want nothing more than a future; want to be able to start their own businesses without having to bribe wealthy government officials who obtained their positions via nepotism and corruption. They want a say in how their country is run. The Internet has fuelled their resolve; they can see how their European counterparts have education and choices.

Egypt, Tunisia and some of the Gulf States are bowing to the pressures of the people. Libya is going through harsher transition. While our spoilt generation are taking to the streets ‘cos they want the tax payer to subsidise their worthless degrees, the young of the Middle East are risking their lives for freedom

The last thing that these countries need right now is interference. Assistance, yes. Interference, no.

With respect to any American readers, it does gall me when I see American statesmen, pontificating as to what should be done, when for the last 30 or 40 years they have supported most of these corrupted governments. They didn’t give much of a shit to the lot of the ordinary person then, so why start now. Don’t get me wrong; Britain, France and other European countries are also guilty of this crass hypocrisy and no amount of hand-wringing will wash the fact that despots remained in power for the sake of political expediency and the sale of weapons.

The thing is, whenever there is talk of any military involvement, the USA seem to think that they are the only ones who can do the job, despite the fact that historically it is clear that they cannot.

If, God forbid, military action is required, then use the African Union troops. What we don’t need is the Lone Ranger and Tonto pilling in.

If the West holds back and just offer humanitarian aid and assist when asked then we would gain allies. If the West interferes, then resentment will ensure...