Apr 26
18DS video on arms trade
A low point in their otherwise quality short video/adverts releases. This one is pretty dire it has to be said and continues in a rather “white man’s guilt” attitude towards the region.
Surely this is just a wee bit patronising to Africans? If the nice white man does not help them they are too stupid not buy small arms and kill each other.
The trick to stopping these wars is not to limit the legitimate arms trade (because the illigitimate one will just fill the gap) but to try to get these people to stop wanting to kill each other.
This video comes across as yet another patronising elitist bit of preaching.
As you may or may not already be aware, members of the Watcher’s Council hold a vote every week on what they consider to be the most link-worthy pieces of writing around… per the Watcher’s instructions, I am submitting one of my own posts for consideration in the upcoming nominations process.
Here is the most recent winning council post, here is the most recent winning non-council post, here is the list of results for the latest vote, and here is the initial posting of all the nominees that were voted on.
1 Comment so far
The way I saw it the video, and the studio conversation, drew a pretty careful line between the illegitimate arms trade (bad) and the legitimate arms trade (OK).
I didn’t see that the idea of “unsavoury” regimes would be limited to Africa - regimes which would be generally against UK interests were specified.
Rgds
Matt