Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Thesouphead · 12-12-2003, 07:14 AM

(Insult deleted -- Rob aka Mediancat) [He] does have a good point. The US and the UK do have some things is common.

The following proclamation was issued to the inhabitants of Baghdad on March 19, 1917, by Lieut. General Sir Stanley Maude, shortly after the occupation of the city by British forces.

Quote:

To the People of Baghdad Vilayet:

In the name of my King, and in the name of the peoples over whom he rules, I address you as follow:-

Our military operations have as their object the defeat of the enemy, and the driving of him from these territories. In order to complete this task, I am charged with absolute and supreme control of all regions in which British troops operate; but our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. Since the days of Halaka your city and your lands have been subject to the tyranny of strangers, your palaces have fallen into ruins, your gardens have sunk in desolation, and your forefathers and yourselves have groaned in bondage. Your sons have been carried off to wars not of your seeking, your wealth has been stripped from you by unjust men and squandered in distant places.

Since the days of Midhat, the Turks have talked of reforms, yet do not the ruins and wastes of today testify the vanity of those promises?

It is the wish not only of my King and his peoples, but it is also the wish of the great nations with whom he is in alliance, that you should prosper even as in the past, when your lands were fertile, when your ancestors gave to the world literature, science, and art, and when Baghdad city was one of the wonders of the world.

Between your people and the dominions of my King there has been a close bond of interest. For 200 years have the merchants of Baghdad and Great Britain traded together in mutual profit and friendship. On the other hand, the Germans and the Turks, who have despoiled you and yours, have for 20 years made Baghdad a centre of power from which to assail the power of the British and the Allies of the British in Persia and Arabia. Therefore the British Government cannot remain indifferent as to what takes place in your country now or in the future, for in duty to the interests of the British people and their Allies, the British Government cannot risk that being done in Baghdad again which has been done by the Turks and Germans during the war.

But you people of Baghdad, whose commercial prosperity and whose safety from oppression and invasion must ever be a matter of the closest concern to the British Government, are not to understand that it is the wish of the British Government to impose upon you alien institutions. It is the hope of the British Government that the aspirations of your philosophers and writers shall be realised and that once again the people of Baghdad shall flourish, enjoying their wealth and substance under institutions which are in consonance with their sacred laws and their racial ideals. In Hedjaz the Arabs have expelled the Turks and Germans who oppressed them and proclaimed the Sherif Hussein as their King, and his Lordship rules in independence and freedom, and is the ally of the nations who are fighting against the power of Turkey and Germany; so indeed are the noble Arabs, the Lords of Koweyt, Nejd, and Asir.

Many noble Arabs have perished in the cause of Arab freedom, at the hands of those alien rulers, the Turks, who oppressed them. It is the determination of the Government of Great Britain and the great Powers allied to Great Britain that these noble Arabs shall not have suffered in vain. It is the hope and desire of the British people and the nations in alliance with them that the Arab race may rise once more to greatness and renown among the peoples of the earth, and that it shall bind itself together to this end in unity and concord.

O people of Baghdad remember that for 26 generations you have suffered under strange tyrants who have ever endeavoured to set on Arab house against another in order that they might profit by your dissensions. This policy is abhorrent to Great Britain and her Allies, for there can be neither peace nor prosperity where there is enmity and misgovernment. Therefore I am commanded to invite you, through your nobles and elders and representatives, to participate in the management of your civil affairs in collaboration with the political representatives of Great Britain who accompany the British Army, so that you may be united with your kinsmen in North, East, South, and West in realising the aspirations of your race.

Mediancat · 12-12-2003, 07:16 AM

Off to ~Elsewhere~.

Rob aka Mediancat

wdog · 12-12-2003, 08:39 AM

Quote:

On the other hand, America could go back to the old days and submit it to British rule once again. I'm all for it!

well hey, that should include you too artic. or maybe australia should all the way and make itself a penal colony once again

actually most of america wasn't british, just the original 13.

andy_d · 12-12-2003, 09:16 AM

Good point, maybe Spain should join with America too, since they have so much in common. Don't forget Ireland, there's heaps of those in the US. Lots of Russians emigrated too, they shouldn't be left out.

Er, hang on, I think I see a problem developing here...

boneyard bill · 12-12-2003, 03:04 PM

I don't see why a die-hard Bush supporter like Mr. Super Hands would want to admit over 50 million people to this country when 2/3 of them vote for either the Labor Party of the liberal Alliance. I don't think Bush or the Repbublicans would get many votes from our 51st state.

Come to think of it, the Conservatives in Britain are mostly a bunch of socialists too.

Amen-Moses · 12-12-2003, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wdog
actually most of america wasn't british, just the original 13.

The rest being mainly French, Spanish, Russian or Dutch?

Hmm maybe the US is closer to Europe than to the UK.

OLD Europe maybe?

Amen-Moses

BigBlue2 · 12-12-2003, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amen-Moses
Or the US could just apologise and ask to join the commonwealth.

Amen-Moses

Nah, we don't want 'em. They would win too many medals at the Commonwealth Games.

BB2

Weltall · 12-12-2003, 09:39 PM

Now why would a bunch of nice and sensible people like the British want to do that Mr Super Pwn? Got any rationale, or are you just trolling again?

NZAmoeba · 12-13-2003, 04:40 PM

Yeah, and what with a vast majority of the british citizens opposing the war.....

I wonder if you're an intentional troll, or if you really are just this stupid?

Gawdawful · 12-14-2003, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wdog
actually most of america wasn't british, just the original 13.

Yeah, but I'd go along with the UK taking back the original 13 colonies as long as they take Bush and Washington too.

Warren

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12-12-2003, 07:16 AM	#12
Mediancat Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Baltimore County, MD Posts: 19,644	Off to ~Elsewhere~. Rob aka Mediancat

12-12-2003, 09:16 AM	#14
andy_d Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: umop apisbn Posts: 568	Good point, maybe Spain should join with America too, since they have so much in common. Don't forget Ireland, there's heaps of those in the US. Lots of Russians emigrated too, they shouldn't be left out. Er, hang on, I think I see a problem developing here...

12-12-2003, 03:04 PM	#15
boneyard bill Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 15,796	I don't see why a die-hard Bush supporter like Mr. Super Hands would want to admit over 50 million people to this country when 2/3 of them vote for either the Labor Party of the liberal Alliance. I don't think Bush or the Repbublicans would get many votes from our 51st state. Come to think of it, the Conservatives in Britain are mostly a bunch of socialists too.

12-12-2003, 09:39 PM	#18
Weltall Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 3,283	Now why would a bunch of nice and sensible people like the British want to do that Mr Super Pwn? Got any rationale, or are you just trolling again?

12-13-2003, 04:40 PM	#19
NZAmoeba Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 478	Yeah, and what with a vast majority of the british citizens opposing the war..... I wonder if you're an intentional troll, or if you really are just this stupid?

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