By: MARGARET BROWN
Margaret Brown is one of The Resident’s longest standing contributors and has lived in the Algarve for more than 20 years. As well as Point of View, she also writes Country Matters twice a month.
COLD SHIVERS of déja vu recall that after Neville Chamberlain met Hitler at Bad Godesberg in September 1938 to discuss the Führer’s intended invasion of Czechoslovakia, following his annexation of Sudetenland, the British Prime Minister concluded “It was not a great issue, just a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing”.
Had The League of Nations, formed in 1919AD, acted immediately, toothless as it was, perhaps the German leader might not have invaded Poland or triggered World War II.
On August 7 this year, Georgia invaded Ossetia, intending to repossess the southern half and its population of 70,000. Northern Ossetia being part of the Russian Federation under President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Putin has deployed the might of its armour against the tiny defences of Georgia, which has overt support from the USA.
Hostilities coincided with the opening of the Olympic Games, a crafty and calculated move while most of the world had its eyes on China. There is the possibility of an escalating war in the Caucasus where quasi-states are not recognised by United Nations, and a danger that present troubles may be considered… “just a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing.”
At the outbreak of the 1939-46 war, Church attendance blossomed and the more dangerous the times, the bigger the congregations. God was dusted down and given His proper place as often happens when ordinary people are powerless and afraid. Regrettably, in the face of today’s unruly British youth, old fogies like me have been heard to say “What we need is a good war to bring people to their senses”. Truly, Lord, I am sorry! What we need is to pray — “Hear the prayers of all your people that a peaceful solution may be found and soon, before the fire takes hold and spreads”.
