Amazing Grace

Slumped in front of the goggle box having wondered what was going on in the world the Army arrived, or rather a programme about the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards once the Royal Scots Greys and the 3rd Carabiniers. There was instant recognition, firstly the barracks at Fallingbostel and then the Desert Rat flash on the uniform.

It was a long time ago. A phrase that was common then when describing a major foul up or series of errors was “The biggest shambles since Mons.” Since I have learned that whilst a very difficult retreat in 1914 the Army did manage to stop the Germans and prevent their Master Plan succeeding.

The Kaiser may have called them “a contemptible little army” but his soldiers did not as the casualties mounted and it became clear that their firepower and discipline was remarkable. The consequence, however, was years of trench warfare and at the end of it the Kaiser had gone and the map of Europe was utterly changed.

The Royal Scots Greys were there as they had been at Waterloo seeing off the Emperor Napoleon and French pretensions to be the masters of Europe. It put the posturing of President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel into perspective.

It seems they have a Master Plan and they jointly plan to dictate to Europe what it should be doing in the great war against global finance. Except it is not a war more of an abject surrender where we give up the prosperity of future generations to pay the bills that are falling due.

Like the Emperor and the Kaiser they think they know the answer. It is the one being peddled this time not by ambitious generals but by implacable traders and bankers. The answer they think is to fling more money at the problem rather as the generals of the past flung more men into the front line.

Some of us do not agree and have thought for a time now that the problem is debt and not money. In yesterday’s “Guardian”, George Monbiot, claims at last to have seen the light on this. He joins an embattled minority trying to stop the tide of money overwhelming what is left of our defences.

We have little to offer unluckily, perhaps only a long period of financial entrenchment in what may become an increasingly embittered and impoverished world. But if this is not done then everything might be lost by the sheer destructive power of inflation and the quickening pace of the collapse of governments and civil society.

Even more unlucky it will take a lot more than a cavalry charge by the Greys to stop it. Put “Amazing Grace Royal Scots Greys” into Youtube for some soothing music.

A miracle might happen.