Benbradley, I agree with the first two points in that post.
But that does not change the recent impact the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have had throughout the Middle East. The region was indeed a powder keg and with it massive oil reserves, of great strategic importance to the global economy so that the stakes were very high; culturally and economically.
But whereas the response to the desperate plight Europe found itself in after WW1 and WW2 was a very postivie one; the response of turning a blind eye, deaf eye and dumb decision on overseas aid to the Middle East's humanitarian crisis are stunning for their lack of compassion and the embedded xenophobia.
'Stopping the boats' does nothing about resolving the complex and explosive issues which now characterise politics throughout the Middle East and the Indian Sub-continent.
