tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post223989279905244132..comments2024-03-20T12:03:26.126+00:00Comments on Thin Pinstriped Line: The not politically correct Angel of Mons? Sandhurst and renaming of buildings...Sir Humphreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-66430240825559575992014-12-10T05:54:25.757+00:002014-12-10T05:54:25.757+00:00Visit this great blog for online taxi booking
tu...Visit this great blog for online taxi booking <br /><a href="http://www.twblackcars.com" rel="nofollow"> tunbridge wells taxi<br /></a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02314058703045663530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-14471817219189226942013-02-27T14:39:52.996+00:002013-02-27T14:39:52.996+00:00I think if someone pays out a lot of money to help...I think if someone pays out a lot of money to help restore and upgrade a historic and working building, it is only polite to somehow acknowledge this. It is something that is quite common. What is of a far more outrageous nature, is the fact that we are naming a building in honour of a man who is currently imprisoning young girls for writing poems critical of his autocratic rule.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-11654025608224830192013-02-27T01:21:50.961+00:002013-02-27T01:21:50.961+00:00In the Arrse thread on the subject it seemed very ...In the Arrse thread on the subject it seemed very few, if anyone, actually remembered the building being called Mons anyway! Some even speculated that it was named after the Mons Officer Cadet School (where the Bahraini king was trained coincidentally) just as Woolwich Hall was named after the original RMA Woolwich.<br /><br />Rather telling isn't it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-12645971343240470122013-02-25T09:32:58.705+00:002013-02-25T09:32:58.705+00:00Hi Ipsiwch, thanks for your comments and for feedb...Hi Ipsiwch, thanks for your comments and for feedback on the site. <br /><br />In terms of your points, I'd note firstly there is no doubt Bahrain is having a challenging time of it right now. But, my instinct is that this is no worse than we've seen in many other countries, and perhaps the Bahrainis are getting an unduly heavy response. I'm not in any way defending what went on there, but it is not the only country to have seen a Shia uprising.<br /><br />More broadly, I think these acts do carry some weight. Knowing the region relatively well, I've found that small actions which Western culture would seem as almost trivial carry great weight there. To the Bahrainis, the naming of a hall means that the UK is still willing to talk with them, that by accepting their gift we are prepared to do business with them, and that they are still welcome in the UK. This may sound trivial, but in a region where great stock is set by personal relationships, and how even the shortest official call can be scrutinised for subtle meanings and intent, this is a useful sign of acceptance.<br />More broadly, by accepting it, the UK is sending a signal to Bahrain that it is prepared to continue working with them on wider matters - this will not be forgotten in the long term that we stood by an ally at a difficult point. That doesnt mean we're not having frank conversations, but that its much easier to have them when your friend is talking to you. <br /><br />As for broader influence, its not that training should be seen as a sole major driver of influence, but that it is a highly useful building block. Influence is achieved through a variety of means, but training people at a critical point of their life, then hosting them well and treating them with respect helps bring about a certain level of disposition which in turn is helpful for wider goals. <br />I've seen first hand that dealing with foreign Sandhurst educated officers, one sees them act in a much warmer and positive manner to the UK, because they feel they have a shared link with us. <br />Of course not every foreign officer is going to be the next Regent or Prime Minister, but by gently building links, and helping reinforce UK values, we can use sites like Sandhurst to send a positive message about the UK. Sir Humphreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-50644732496597504012013-02-25T04:16:29.118+00:002013-02-25T04:16:29.118+00:00Sir Humphrey,
I've been following your though...Sir Humphrey,<br /><br />I've been following your thoughtful blog for some time. Thanks for your informative takes on defence matters. <br /><br />I think in assessing this, there are a few more things to consider: <br /><br />First, I think, there is legitimate unease about naming such a building after a monarch, just when memories of his country's uprising and its controversial suppression are still fresh in most people's minds. <br /><br />Secondly, I suppose there's always a limit to how much this sort of soft-power enhancement can buy influence. If the realist theory of international relations indeed is generally accepted, these acts, at the end of the day, will hold little sway when more fundamental matters of geopolitical or economic weight are calculated. Therefore, in weighing the costs and benefits of training other countries' officers in a fine military academy, the assumed benefits must less substantial than normally viewed. Ipswichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02293981957129375095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-26544980546546850642013-02-23T22:42:33.422+00:002013-02-23T22:42:33.422+00:00Adding on to the soft power TrT commented on, its ...Adding on to the soft power TrT commented on, its also happening aviation wise... our helicopter school trains a good proportion of foreign pilots, and 208(R) sqn has a stay of disbandment as it now trains a large proportion of froeign (Saudi) pilots... I also imagine the RN has its good share too of foreign students.<br /><br />My view is that since there has long been a tradition of naming buildings after benefactors, adding to TrT's reasoning, then there should be no issue... especially after an ally of the UK's. Seems to me to be a bit of 'old school' stubbornness the officer class can have.mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-33075844425356170352013-02-23T11:55:54.348+00:002013-02-23T11:55:54.348+00:00Personally, I think if we want soft power, we shou...Personally, I think if we want soft power, we should be shooting for training entire armed forces, or the officer corps at least.TrThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07316335177828136131noreply@blogger.com