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Re: [LUG] OT: Couple of items in the news: Swine Flu and the Gurkhas

 

On Wed, 2009-04-29 at 18:35 +0100, Steph Foster wrote:
> Henry Bremridge wrote:
> > 1/ Some one in Paignton Community College has swine flu.
> >     http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8024690.stm
> >
> >     The school is closed and apparently there will be a general advertising
> >     campaign launched tomorrow. 
> >
> > 2/ The House of Commons has passed a non legally binding motion
> > condeming the governments treatment of Gurhas.
> >
> > The vote is not legally binding, but opposition leaders insisted that ministers 
> > must now abandon new rules on admitting Gurkhas and their families introduced 
> > last week.               
> >
> > http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/gordon-brown/5244587/MPs-vote-to-give-Gurkhas-right-to-live-in-Britain-in-defeat-for-Gordon-Brown.html
> >
> >
> >   
> Damn right they should !
> 
> You dont go to war to defend another country only to get a slap in the 
> face when you demob !
> 
> I'd far rather being fighting with the Gurkhas than against them.
> 
> They are frighteningly good at what they do !
> 
> Steph
> 
> 
I'm happy for as many Gurkha who want to live in the UK to move here, so
that's not my objection. But I don't see that there's a moral principle
that says that any hired gun has the automatic right to move here.

These guys are mercenaries! They don't join the Commonwealth armed
forces out of a love for the UK and our wonderful democratic values, way
of life, self deprecating sense of humour, ironic TV commercials etc..
etc. blah blah.

They take the Queen's shilling (Euro or whatever it happens to be these
days) because they're of a martial disposition and the money, by local
standards, is good.

If the Russians, French, North Koreans, Americans, Senegalese etc.
offered the same deal they'd probably take it.

Like I said I've no objection to have as many Gurkhas that want to move
here move here. I'd personally be delighted to have a couple of hundred
Gurkha families move into this village. But all this pious "willing to
die for England, so have right to live here" stuff is just that, STUFF!

If the USA was offering Brits £850 a day (or whatever a .NET contractor
earns these days) to fight the wicked wicked Iranians, North Koreans,
Cubans, Venezuelans, Canadians etc., I'd think of joining up. But I
wouldn't be fighting for apple pie, Jesus, democracy, bagels and cream
cheese, Creationism and the war on terror/drugs/communism/black
helicopters et al, I'd be fighting for money (and maybe because I liked
fighting?)!

OK. Rant over.

bye
   Simon


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