George Canning Quotes
Menace not intended is an engine which Great Britain could never condescend to employ.
George Canning, 1770-1827, British Prime Minister (Tory), Statement to the British Ambassador to France
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
The Dutch Monarch William V, Prince of Orange, was in a very precarious position and might be deposed. Officially Harris and the British were supporting him and Harris was giving him money to firm up his regime, but their great fear was that the French would support and control the Patriot Revolutionary movement, then quite active or even intervene militarily to aid the Patriots.
The French had arrived there first an “claimed” the area with a tiny military contingent under Lieutenant Marchand. However, the British arrived afterward with a much larger military force. London and Paris decided that the French should withdraw in favor of the British. Delcasse had been right. Another case of “might makes right.”
Shariatmadari sometimes serves as a spokesman for major Religious officials of the Iranian theocracy. This quotation is particularly interesting as it illustrates a particular world view of some Iranian leaders that makes it almost impossible to cope with problems through diplomatic means. The argument is that if Iran negotiates with America on any issue, Iran would be a poor example to other Islamic nations because they would conclude that Iran and all Muslim countries had no choice but get along with America. The idea that negotiating with a nation means that a country is “getting along” with the other country is of course the absurdity. But it is believed by many in the Muslim world. Ironically that same view is held by “hard liners” in America and most other countries in addition to Iran. There are Americans who do not believe that we should negotiate with Iran at all because the negotiations gives them a status that they do not deserve. And it connotes a level of approval by America of Iran just to talk with them.
The Barbary Pirates had an incredible extortion racket going in the Mediterranean. If nations would pay them an annual sum each year, they would not attack and seize merchant ships of that country and sell the ships and goods while holding the sailors for ransom. President Jefferson had first dispatched American warships and authorized a major land operation which were very effective. Finally, a treaty was negotiated but Decatur reminded the Navy of what brought the Algerians to the negotiating table.
The “fool” was Neville Chamberlain, 1869-1940, the British Prime Minister who refused to stand up to Hitler and instead negotiated a peace pact, returned home declaring that he had preserved peace. (See {585941}.) Then Hitler invaded more of Europe and WWII was begun. Ford was a Hitler admirer and pro-German (Hitler supported him for the American Presidency--{586988}—and awarded him a medal) but he thought that England had bungled the negotiations by sending someone who was very weak. In this sense his views were the same as most who were anti-Hitler.
George Canning FRS was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from April to August 1827. He occupied various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, finally becoming Prime Minister for the last 118 days of his life.
