LT42 Hmmmmm… as the US isn’t quite a full dictatorship yet, and their elections seem to be genuine, I’m gonna say, yes, it does matter. But I reserve the right to change my mind on this one. Depends on the size of my current tinfoil hat.

      Amps I don’t think the Israeli or Yank Govts give 2 fucks about what people think or what the public opinion is in general. There’s more than enough evidence to suggest so, despite them having quasi-democratic elections.

        LT42

        Amps

        One of the key things in matters such as this though, is for various strategic and PR related reasons a government is simply not able to be open and transparent with the public as to the what and why of their exact involvement in certain wars.

        If the benefits of such an involvement were to be clearly explained (eg cost-benefit calculation of access to resources, destabilisation of a hostile regime etc.) then voters would be better informed and perhaps more would subsequently support the decisions more - but it would also clearly inform their enemies as to their plans and generate further animosity and backlash from those hostile to them.

        You might claim this to be “undemocratic” but it’s unavoidable - countries will have classified information which requires being kept from the public.

              Oh to live in a democracy where our Governments realised that they work for us and not the other way around

                Old-Dutch Oh to live in a democracy where our Governments realised that they work for us and not the other way around

                The average person is a thicket though.

                Just look at the Brexit vote if you want an insight in to what would happen if the government had to follow the majority “democratic” view on every major issue…

                  Yeah, the problem with democracy is that there’s too much democracy

                    hugopal One of the key things in matters such as this though, is for various strategic and PR related reasons a government is simply not able to be open and transparent with the public as to the what and why of their exact involvement in certain wars.

                    This one of the things that surprises me.

                    The other thing about this is: have you ever tried bringing it up with someone in the military? Like an officer / lieutenant or squaddie level. Their narrative is totally different / many would leave if they believed what we are often are found to have really been doing. They believe it’s all always honourable at the time.

                    The whole Iraq thing was shameful. Attacking a country that has done nothing to us (and wasn’t going to)

                    • Amps replied to this.

                        Smallman1 just checking if you’re being serious / don’t know the whole story yet, or if you’re cracking a joke that I’m too tired to pick up on?

                          Smallman1 They were going to attack our allies in US with weapons of mass destruction

                          Your bantzzz over a megaphone?

                              What’s interesting about the Iraq invasion is Saddam’s role in it i.e. that he didn’t think it possible that the CIA was unaware that he didn’t have WMD and didn’t comply with inspections because he thought it was a ruse to invade. Steve Coll (author of Ghost Wars) wrote about it recently.

                              Not to mention how it reverberates to recent years from ISIS to Iranian proxies.

                                Saddam should never have tried to de-dollarise petrol. Or Gadaffi. This was their crime

                                What’s going to happen now the BRICS have given the USA and dollar the biggest fuck you in history remains to be seen.

                                Mad_Cyril Halliburton, Raytheon, Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed, BAE Systems, Northrup Grumman, RTX Corp and Kimber have 20 years worth of receipts they’d like to shove up your arse, MC!