Peter Reynolds

Our so called leaders don’t listen to us.  They’ve abandoned any pretence of democracy by imposing a new European regime and president on us.  They don’t even listen to their expert advisors.  Instead they prolong an idiotic and discredited drugs strategy that brings violent crime to the streets of every town in the country and funds international terrorism.

Perhaps they will hear the crunch of Gulbeddin’s bullets as they smash into British flesh and bone?

Please listen!  Too many heroes have died or been cruelly maimed.  This foreign land is not worth it and the idea that this strategy is protecting us at home is nonsense.

Now is the time to abandon Afghanistan.  Leave behind the disgusting and corrupt Karzai for, sure enough, whatever we do, he is doomed to suffer a grisly and horrific fate.  Leave behind the Taliban for they are medieval evil but with no interest outside their own borders.  Leave behind the Afghan people because much as we may deplore their treatment of women and of each other that is their problem, not ours.  Bring our boys home!

As for Al Qaeda and the threat of a renegade nuclear Pakistan, let us install a small but powerful contingent of our most heavily armed troops, garrisoned in impregnable fortresses.  In conjunction with our allies they should be equipped with the very best that we have.  Mostly they can observe and use pilotless drones to interdict where necessary.  All movements should be done by helicopter because we have no real interest in “hearts and minds”.  When necessary, overwhelming, unrelenting and merciless  force must be used against our enemies and yes, let our men have battlefield nuclear weapons too.  We need to blast these evil Islamists off the face of the earth.  There is no more time for patience or consideration or concern.

The Lisbon Treaty has been ratified.

I am Welsh.  I am British.  I am a citizen of the United Kingdom and loyal to The Queen. I have neither been asked nor consulted so I will not be subject to any “European” government.  I will defend my nationality with my life.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran

I am more than a little concerned about this pre-planned walkout in response to President Ahmadinejad’s speech at the United Nations anti-racism conference.  I am no friend of his xenophobic, oppressive government and there is no doubt that his speech was inflammatory but there was a deal of truth in it too.  This walkout was not in the spirit of  “We will offer the hand of friendship if you will unclench your fist”.

There is no doubt that Israel is a racist government and a repressive and cruel one.  These are matters of fact which were dramatically proved in the recent invasion of Gaza and which continue every day.

The boycott of this conference by many western countries and this petulant display by the British and the French do nothing to advance the cause against racism.

So Nicole Cooke, carrying the Welsh Dragon high, cycles to a gold medal and sets the standard for the British Olympic team.

Meanwhile, at home, far too many people are adopting a cynical, world weary attitude.  Shame on you!

Barbara Ellen, sexy new columnist at The Observer says “Call off 2012, Beijing Is Boring”.  Well, she may be appreciable eye candy (useful for all those soirees columnists just have to attend) but she is resorting to the oldest trick in the journo’s book – if you can’t say something sensible then slag it off.

More disturbing is the pub talk, the man on the Clapham omnibus who also claims to be bored.

Listen killjoys, cynics, non-Welsh Brits, in a fortnight’s time there will be a tear welling up in your eye.  You’ll want to and, undeservingly, will, feel part of it.  Your patriotic spirit will be reborn and you’ll be screaming as the next British runner, cyclist or egg and spooner takes gold.

The Olympics are a wonderful, inspiring celebration of mankind.  I remember them throughout my childhood and I am cheering for our boys and girls from the very beginning.  The rest of you are welcome to the party however late you arrive.

Peter Reynolds is a writer, communications advisor and proud Welshman. He lives in a small town called Emsworth, between Portsmouth and Chichester on the south coast of England. After “dropping out” from life as a hippy musician, Peter experimented with direct sales and the motor trade before training as a copywriter and eventually making it to the top of his profession as a creative director with Saatchi & Saatchi. Along the way he developed special expertise in technology and healthcare working with clients such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, GSK and the Department of Health. He also worked as a freelance journalist writing for just about every PC magazine then on the market and had a weekly column in The Independent based on the simple idea of riding a bike but ranging across subjects such as politics, sport, technology and the media. Since the 1990s he has worked as a consultant to organisations such as Nokia, the British Army and Pinewood Studios. In 2004 he established Leading Edge Personal Technology as “the magazine for technology enthusiasts”. He continues to write on a wide range of subjects.