A Collection of Writings
So there we go! War! But not as we know it. War means an all out assault on an enemy so that it can be ended in the shortest possible time, with the least number of friendly casualties. A point of view imposed, the Victors go on to enjoy the spoils. This breeds casualties, of course, but so does ‘limited war’. Especially for those doing the attacking as they pussy-foot around trying to limit civilian casualties. Why go potty about a small thing like that? We’ve gone to war against a state which has made no overt aggressive move towards us - so why suddenly get an attack of conscience? Could it possibly be that our democratic leaders are having a schism of avowed purpose? They want to be able to clutch a flag, go misty eyed and claim that they are doing it for the poor, mistreated Iraqis - and it will take as long as it takes? How long did Vietnam last?
Trouble with that argument is that the Iraqis aren’t exactly falling weeping at the feet of the conquerors and promising to have their babies. And what does it do to the ‘Coalition’? And when did we shift from being ‘Allies’? Was it when the first ‘blue on blue friendly fire’ incident happened? I’ve always had a wonderful relationship with Americans and I admire their Country. But what is our relationship going to become as the War rolls on? Inevitably War brings out the worst in people - and people make a Nation. I remember there was a lot of talk about a ‘smoking gun’. Here we are, weeks into the War and hardly a glimpse of artillery let alone smoke in the context in which the phrase was used . It is now being said that the advent of Suicide Bombers proves a link with terrorism. The opposite could be argued. The ‘terrorists’ are ardent Muslim Nationalists who prefer to die than let the barbarians breech the gates. The Coalition has bred ‘terrorists’.
When pink was the predominant colour on a wall map there was no problem about finding an excuse. The British decided what was to be done and went in and did it. Only in the late twentieth century when the entrails are spread out and examined by experts with little or no comprehension of world politics of the time has the course of events taken on a new meaning. They judge what was done by modern standards and decide that the British were some sort of amorphous International monster. Fine! Now it is the Americans' turn to police the world. They have one big lesson to learn. A lesson that their hand-wringing attitude to placate the growing unpopularity of their role brings their motives into doubt. Are they colonising the world by stealth? Can the morality of bombing Third World countries, for their own good, really be sold to the other nations who now create the second class? Although the writing is obviously on the wall for the Untied Nations could it be an initiative for a closer more bonded Europe that would fill the gap left by the demise of the USSR? So many questions - so few answers. The ratio of answers to questions diminishes hourly.
Having got that out of my system let me tell you about this year’s Fan Club Reunion and Birthday Bash. It will be on the 22nd November at the Polish Centre in Hammersmith. I’m telling you this so you have a long time to think about it and it won’t come as a surprise. Plans for the Transylvanian Tour have been put on hold - mainly because it is difficult to pin a Rumanian down long enough to get some answers. As a country it is still labouring under the idea that the Russkis are coming back and they don’t want to commit themselves to anything which might be bad for their health. Hopefully this will change and before long they will be admitted into that Super European Nation that I was extolling earlier.
The latest news about the boxed set of Countess Dracula and Vampire Lovers is that they will be available in August. I mistakenly said they would be out in January but I have been corrected by Anchor Bay’s man in London Jonathan Sothcott. August is also the time for Henry Cook’s extravaganza in Glasgow, Memorabilia 2003 at the SECC. I missed out last year when I went down with a fever the night before I was due to get there. I’m determined to be there this year - come what may.
Sorry about the diatribe but it had to share it. See you at the NEC in Birmingham next Saturday, 6th April.
Luv, Ingrid