"Daniel Titley" wrote in message
news:752c221c-0470-469c-9108-e12e141dd34d@q21g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
On 3 Mar, 17:07, stu wrote:
> On 3 Mar, 17:01, Daniel Titley wrote:
>
>
> Given that many people in the UK have relatives in NZ, that this is
> France we are talking about, that Thatcher is in power...Do you really
> think the UK would stand idly by and watch France trash the NZ Navy?
Yes!
The UK is not going to go to war with France in 1985. As long as the
French don't attack civilian targets, the British (and Australian and
US) government will confine themselves to diplomatic pressure.
Obviously they'll be public protests outside the French embassy in
London and boycotts of French products, but not military intervention.
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I can't see how Britain wouldn't become involved in some way other than
diplomatic. There would I imagine be massive clamour for some kind of action
from the general public and politicians alike and if the Queen's government
in New Zealand openly asked the Queen's government in Britain for help I
can't see how any government could stand by and then survive the public
disapproval. France would surely know that they risked not just facing up to
a couple of Kiwi gunboats in the southern hemisphere but also possibly the
Royal Navy off the French coast itself. I think you maybe underestimate the
fact that British people do still have an attachment to their Commonealth
(well let's be truthfull their white Commonwealth) cousins plus France (and
I speak as someone actively involved in town twinning) is hardly going to
win any popularity polls in Britain.
Allan
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