The words lebensraum and Anschluss probably have little significance for today’s world. They were clearly announced in Hitler’s book Mein Kampff.
In the 1930’s the militarisation of the Rhineland occupation of the Ruhr, occupation of Sudetenland, Bohemia and Moravia, annexation of Austria and invasion of Poland were justified by the desire to unite German speaking people, a need for resources, a desire to expand or gain back former land, and extreme nationalism.
They were unilateral incursions by superior military forces driven by ruthless politicians
90 years later, with MAGA we have seen:
- the unilateral renaming of the Gulf of Mexico
- Kristalnacht scenes of the apprehension, removal and incarceration of people within US cities by jackbooted troops;
- the bombing of Iran
- the obliteration of boats in international waters
- the kidnapping of a Head of State and his wife and
- the capture of an oil tanker under a Russian flag.
- Threats of further action against Iran, Cuba, Colombia and Greenland have been made with impunity.
In fact, these acts have been owned with pride and self righteousness.
The two images that loom in my head are a schoolyard bully and Adolph Hitler.
These actions by the supposed leader of Western civilisation can only be seen as ‘legitimising‘ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and lending justification to China’s invasion of Taiwan.
Guess who doesn’t give a toss?
Congress won’t check him; a few judges may rule his actions illegal in the dim and distant future…ho, hum!
Again Caligula comes to mind … initially welcomed, he reversed treason trials and brought back exiles but descended into despotism, executing rivals, squandering funds, and demanding worship, leading to his assassination by his own guards.
What next? Domestic acclaim and a stunned silence from allies and neighbours (cowed by threats of invasion?) could lead to increasingly brazen and rash acts.
Greenland to be the new 51st state, Canada to be the 52nd ….. why not Mexico as the 54th? Heyy!! Why not all of the Americas…??
Oh yeah, the other one who comes to mind is Kim Jong Un, and Vladimir of course
sillysocksonfriday 