Warships shelter in Malta

Roderick Camilleri

Feb 26th 2011, 19:11

By giving refuge to western warships and fighter planes, we are giving a clear message to the arab world on which side we are on. Even after democarcies are formed in the arab world, we will not have any guarantee of a safer world. Democracy is about the will of citizens, and we all know what is the feeling of the arabs : ANTI-WESTERN to say the least.
Just a quick word about big countries defending us, Poland had the assurance of Uk one week before world war 2 started, that if Germans attacked it, english would interve.... Poland spent 4 years under Nazi rule and no englishmen have ever arrived. If history repeats itself......

DGalea

Feb 25th 2011, 14:27

Dak int tghidu.

Forsi int qatt ma rajt il-appa tal mediterran u innutajt it-tip ta girien li ghandna.

Min hu daqshekk mignun li joqod jiggieled mal girien , specjalment jekk huma kabar minnu , ghandhom aktar risorsi u ghandu bzonnhom ghal energija meta jigi biex jixghel il computer halli juza id-dritt divin tieghu biex jikteb il hmerjiet li jrid?

M Aguis

Feb 25th 2011, 14:01

Well said !

Stephen Zammit

Feb 24th 2011, 17:01

Anthony Farrugia we should be deleting those foreigners lackeys who want to eliminate the neutrality clause to serve their foreign masters and not the neutrality clause Farrugia. If you want to invite danger go to those countries who are usually trigger-happy because we don;t want to serve as a foreign military base or be involves in military action.

John Cefai

Feb 24th 2011, 21:11

Mr. Zammit, what makes you think that our "neutrality" is a guarantee against aggression? Or that it is even respected by would-be aggressors? Your/our idealism might not be shared by everyone.

Peter Korsten

Feb 24th 2011, 23:22

Neutrality doesn't buy you security. My native country, the Netherlands, declared itself neutral during WW1. In the run-up to WW2, it declared itself neutral again, and even had defensive works against a hypothetical British invasion. The result was a German invasion and a brutal, five year occupation. Thinking that declaring neutrality is in any way a safeguard for peace is very naive indeed.
On the other hand, with its minute investment in defence, Malta could never join NATO. There are certain expectations to NATO members, including investing a certain percentage of the GDP in defence, and Malta doesn't reach that by a very wide margin.

Corinne Vella

Feb 24th 2011, 15:58

A truly independent country is one that is mature enough to face up to its responsibilities.

Mark Jones

Feb 24th 2011, 20:01

Is that the copybook that includes assisting the Lockerbie bombing?
Maybe someone needs to remind you that France and Italy are founder members of the club Malta joined in 2004. And the fact the ships are sheltering might have something to do with the gales and heavy seas. Or would you prefer a ship to sink just to preserve your precious neutrality?

R.E. Saliba

Feb 24th 2011, 19:50

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

M.Bartolo

Feb 25th 2011, 12:08

@Carmel Gatt

Din hi l-ghajununa li sibna:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110225/local/five-member-states-oppose-burden-sharing

Fenech MD

Feb 24th 2011, 14:58

X'jigifieri ma nsemmux in-Newtralita?

Dik imnaqqxa fil-kostituzzjoni Mr Haut. Jew issa naghmlu li rridu u ma jimpurtaniex mill-kostituzzjoni?

Li kieku kien ghadu Mintoff fil-poter kont titkellem hekk? Ara kemm kont tghid li l-Libjani ser jinvaduna u Mintoff m hu ser jaghmel xejn? jew tal habbaziz insejtha?

Il-kostituzzjoni hi l-ghola ligi fil-pajjiz u biex in-Newtralita dahlet bhala ligi ghaddiet b 2/3 tal-voti tal-parlament.

U mbaghad tigi int u ggib fix-xejn il-kostituzzjoni! Sewwa nghid li il-blue eyed boys jaghmlu li jridu f'dal-pajjiz.

Thaddeus M Sholto

Feb 24th 2011, 15:34

Well dictionary.com says the word harbour comes from -

Old English herebeorg, from here troop, army + beorg shelter; related to Old High German heriberga hostelry, Old Norse herbergi

I don't know what the argument is really about but that should say it all.

m vella

Feb 24th 2011, 16:02

@Fenech MD,Neutrality my left foot,neutrality does not exist,just look what happened to holland and Belgium during the last war, they were neutral, Hitler just kept on going to occupy France,so much for neutrality ha ha.

Joe Spiteri

Feb 24th 2011, 17:03

m vella he never invaded Switzerland did he?

m vella

Feb 24th 2011, 17:12

@Joe Spiteri ,He didn't need to invade Switzerland, for all of Germany's riches were there,but he did invade the other neutral countries, so neutrality is just a piece of paper.

James Hamilton

Feb 24th 2011, 14:28

Dr Portelli,
Good point, I would also have expected some support from the Arab League, or at least have someone to come out and say something about this tragedy....but their silence is also deafening…….All that they seem to be good at is holding an annual meeting with the usual handshakes and back patting but very little else of substance. It somehow reminds me of that old saying
"A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done".
However does this neutrality nonsense mean that we frown upon ships entering harbour because of inclement weather?
I'm surprised that Graffiti movement hasn't been down to the harbour to unfurl their banner saying that these ships are not welcome here.

Rita Spiteri

Feb 24th 2011, 14:43

Joe Mifsud NO Joe, we want TOURIST SHIPS not warships. Warships attract attacks. This is a special situation which has got absolutely nothing to do with neutrality. Those who want to make Malta again a public convenience and a have of prostitution to the foreign naves sailors forget it. Maybe you would like to send your relatives to do that job.

Joe Mifsud

Feb 24th 2011, 15:35

@Rita Spiteri ,Malta was always a military base since before Christ , Island Fortress.Malta in its glorious days of military might,soon very soon.

John Frendo

Feb 24th 2011, 17:04

Joe Mifsud let you or any foreign power try it Mifsud. Just try it foreign lackeys.

l aquilina

Feb 24th 2011, 14:43

True enough, however they may just be on hand to safely escort evacuees, so let's not jump the gun.

Denise Felici

Feb 24th 2011, 12:49

Hahaha. True! Kultant jamluwa bil-kbir wisq.

Wallace Cassar

Feb 24th 2011, 14:44

RMangion jippoteguna minn min, mill-fantasiji li ghandek f'mohhok jew?

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 24th 2011, 12:55

Napoleon had more then just two frigates ;) and his intentions where well known by the Knights of St.John. If there is some sort of attack on Libya (which I hope will not happen) then it is only natural that Malta and Lampedusa could offer some sort of save heaven for any military operations. This is where history could be repeating itself.

Wilfred L Camilleri

Feb 24th 2011, 12:56

Don't be proposterous!

Mariella Galea

Feb 24th 2011, 13:23

that was 200 years ago when no travel by air existed. In this case we just happen to be nearest to the problem at the moment otherwise we are all alone in the middle of nowhere... wait till the Immigrants start to arrive by the thousands and you'll see how alone we really are. LOL!! x'jaghmlu bina, it taljani jehillsu mill imbarazz iridu u mhux jitwikkew b'iktar

Tony Pace

Feb 24th 2011, 14:47

Joseph Aquilina those who are longing for military operations being conducted from Malta should pack their bags and leave to the other military countries because I do not have the slightest doubt that the vast majority of Maltese citizens do not want to be embroiled in other countries wars and military operations. Min jilghab man-nar jinharaq.

Bernard Cachia Zammit

Feb 25th 2011, 07:40

Don't be ridiculous. When Napoleon took over Malta, he did so as Malta served as a naval base of the Order and also, the Revolution had aimed at removing such religious Orders. Do you seriously think that an Italian frigate would even try at conquering Malta?

R.E. Saliba

Mar 3rd 2011, 22:21

@ Bernard Cachia Zammit
"Ridiculous" is better-suited to a response stemming from complete misapprehension of the initial comment. A response such as yours.

For your edification, I was referring to the entire EU rather than to the Italian Navy. Malta is the perfect geographical base for Med military ops... which also makes us the perfect target.

You're welcome to say "wow" now.

Henry Spiteri

Feb 24th 2011, 12:45

@ N. Borg: Neutral from whom?

Wilfred L Camilleri

Feb 24th 2011, 12:55

Neutrality? This is not possible in today's world. And do you think that if Malta was neutral it would refuse shelter to friendly ships?

T.Scerri

Feb 24th 2011, 13:13

@N.Borg
Are you living in the same planet as the rest of us? Do you honestly believe that if we were not in the EU, we would have been spared? This is a tragedy in the making and not an armchair petty political tiff which you seem to think it is.

N. Borg

Feb 24th 2011, 13:22

Henry, WE as an Island since securing Independence in 1964 & Freedom in 1979from Britain, Malta became neutral without being an ally to NO ONE. Respecting International treaties and being peaceful.

By letting these warships to enter our Grand Harbour we're explicitly depicting that we're aligned to a side. Therefore not neutral.

SHAME ON THE Maltese Govt.

Andrea Demarco

Feb 24th 2011, 13:29

The only shameful thing here is that whilst the world is united in neutrality against a criminal leader, you are here wasting time with your comments as to what neutrality really means.

Shame on you.

C Buttigieg

Feb 24th 2011, 13:43

Neutralitiy is a double edged sword. You can be neutral by not accepting anyone but you can also be neutral by accepting everyone.

J.Debono

Feb 24th 2011, 14:06

@ N Borg
Ahh yes neutrality.......and if the King of Rationality Gaddafi launches a couple of scud missiles in a fit of rage and utter desperation, we shall start waving our Neutrality flags from our roof tops and the missiles will boomerang back to Libya! Ha!

r curmi

Feb 24th 2011, 14:36

does the fact that we are EU members ring any bells to you mr N Borg??? Guess not as you seem to have just woke up and still think its 10 years ago.

Get real Malta stopped being neutral since we jioned the EU. We can be friendly to anyone but EU today are family thus 1st and formost we side with them

Neville Mifsud

Feb 24th 2011, 14:51

First of all when Malta got its Independence, Borg Olivier also wanted to get Malta into the Commonwealth, which he did. This meant that Malta was practically an ally of the west at the time where the Cold War tensions were very high (1964, 2 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis). Being a pro Western country therefore, Malta became also a Military base for the NATO. If there was someone who wanted neutrality was Mintoff at that time and later on Alfred Sant with his "Svizzera fil-Mediterran" Campaign. Mind you, Switzerland has been neutral since the Middle Ages. Malta was NEVER neutral, so forget about neutrality!

Victor Vella

Feb 24th 2011, 14:59

@N.Borg
Whaatfreedom, are you one who believe that gimmick brought up by Mintoff?He extended the hire of the British base in Malta by 5 years back in 1972 , the lease agreement was supposed to end on 31 st March 1874 .Had there been a Nationalist Goverment then they would have left in 1974 and we would have started industry, imma Leeeeeee you call it freedom.

Damian Agius

Feb 24th 2011, 15:03

I am sorry but did we refuse entry to someone else? If not than we treated everyone equally and are neutral.

Either way our neutrality does not seem to be helping much, the defecting Libyans are still coming here and according to this article:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110224/local/libyans-want-to-arrest-criminal-pilot-at-malta-hotel

we are being threatened now. Quote: "adding that such things would not be forgotten." I don't like these comments, they echo the rant I heard on the BBC by a Libyan living in London, he was blaming the West as usual and getting VERY, VERY angry at us Europeans together with the Americans.

Maybe the Italians should go and petrol the water between Malta and Sicily and let us be; whether we need them or not. I bet you that if they did that we'd soon hear comments along the lines of "... we are a small country and need help and they abandoned us how shameful." What ever the powers known as the West do, they lose: they either don't care or want to police the world.

Vincent Sammut

Feb 24th 2011, 15:24

Victor Vella Mintoff extended the agreement at much better terms than they gave to BOrg Olivier so that we could do without prostituting Malta to any foreign power because the PN Governments under BOrg Olivier had left Malta BANKRUPT. There was not even money to pay the government employees and it had to be Gaddafi who gave an open cheque to Mintoff. It is always like this. When someone is on top everyone praises him but when he is down they trample him. ow many big European countries had contracts worth billions with Gaddafi? Didn't they know what was happening in Libya? Didn't they know what was happening in Tunisia and Egypt and other countries? Yes, but their own countries interest were first and foremost and they didn't care a hoot about the peoples sufferings as long as the dictators were friendly to them. So why didn't and don't criticize THEM Vella?

Robert Azzopardi

Feb 24th 2011, 16:32

Neutrality in the sense that you seem to understand it is not applicable to today's context. Cold war is over mate and has been for the last 22 years

Wilfred Camilleri

Feb 24th 2011, 18:52

@N. Borg What rubbish! Are you for real? By letting these warships to enter our Grand Harbour we're aligned on the side of democracy and human compassion for those who are being oppressed and murdered by a ruthless dictator. If neutrality actually meant what you said, you can have it. Malta is part of Europe, part of the global economy, and part of the world that cares about their neighbours.

SHAME ON YOU for being so crass in such a sad situation!!!

axuereb

Feb 24th 2011, 19:33

@ Andrea Demarco: What do you want us to do? Take up arms and go to Libya to protest? Be realistic, we are already doing all that is possible to do within our means. Overnight Malta has been transformed into a hub for aircrafts wanting to land in Tripoli, a safe haven for people fleeing the country. You probably have no idea what is going on behind the scenes, how hard people are working to make sure those fleeing are retruned safely to their native country. It is easy to criticise from the comfort of an armchair.

j grech

Feb 24th 2011, 14:09

weather permitting or not these people are NOT illegal immigrants they are asylum seekers fleeing violence and certain death i personally dont like gaddafi never have but i dont extend that dislike to normal libyan people, i also dont like either of the major ruling parties here in malta but have many freinds of both voters as again i do not push my opinions on them and respect their opinions, you do not ask a person their religeous or political veiws when they are facing death you show them love and dignity