ALTERNATE HISTORY WITH A MODERN MORAL

Liz and I have been discussing what would have happened if the liberal-democratic states in the world acted in WWII the way they are acting now (with specific reference to Darfur but there are countless places on earth where you can make the comparison, for this exercise the example will be Darfur) http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1107873877528_103283077/?hub=CanadaAM there are also no shortage of academic or in depth journalistic references on this subject so I'll let you google that on your own time.

This example will take place after Chamberlain’s disastrous Munich conference and after the election of Churchill.

….. 1939 Germany invades Poland
….. In lieu of declaring war PM Churchill uses firery rhetoric to lambaste Hitler but stresses the importance of growing trade links with a ‘growing germany’.
….. Germany invades Holland, denmark, Belgium and france.
…. In lieu of military intervention PM Churchill uses more firery rhetoric to lambaste Hitlers’ ‘evil conquests’ and refers the matter to the League of Nations.
….. 1942 first reports of ‘disturbing’ stories of ethnic cleansing and systemic murder of Jews and other ‘undesirables’
….. 1945 – After years of growing academic work on the situation in Europe and the loud protests from emigrants and expatriates for ‘action’ to reclaim the independence of their countries and to protect the Jewish minority, The league of nations calls for an immediate Summit with world leaders to talk through recent events.
…. Death toll is now 7 million Jews alone.
….. Germany agrees to host talks in Paris.
…. In order to reduce sensitivities to the recent events parties agree to meet at the League of Nations palace in Geneva. The governments in exile of Poland, France, Belgium, Denmark and Holland are not invited as this might cause a diplomatic rift damaging the chance of a successful outcome from the talks.
…. Hitler agrees not to systemically persecute any of his citizens or European subjects.
…. Churchill and Truman consider the result of the talks ‘uplifting’
…. League of Nations to monitor the situation in Europe closely.
… 1947 – Hitler has increased efforts to systemically cleans Europe of jews and other undesirables. By the end of the year it is estimated that all European jews will have been exterminated. Other undesirables by 1950.
…. League of Nations sounds alarm bells.
…. Truman and Churchill stress the urgency of the situation and condemn Hitler.
…. League of nations asks Hitler if a league police force would be acceptable to him to help monitor the reduction of systemic abuse.
…. Hitler agrees provided the League’s force is unarmed and located in Andorra, Scicily, and Corsica.
…. League grudgingly accepts even though monitoring the situation will be difficult from these locations nowhere near where the problem is.
…. 1948, academics, religious groups and the league of nations sounds alarm bells, Few European jews remaining are on the run. League asks other countries to help accept jews as refugees.
…. Churchill and Truman decry the current situation and suggest ‘surgical’ military force might be needed. They make no promises to accept any more refugees especially not European jews that might hinder the trade relationship with Germanic Europe.
…1949 no jews left in Europe.
… 1950. only select political undesirables are left.
…. 1951 League of Nations convenes Summit on global stability. During the summit Hitler Truman and Churchill craft a joint statement. Germany will end its systemic programs of abuse against Jews and undesirables in order to forge greater political and economic ties with the United States and Great Britain.
…. Truman and Churchill declare victory.

Now replace Truman and Chruchill with Bush and Blair (you can add in Stephen Harper as 3rd). Replace Hitler with omar el-bashir the president of sudan and replace the league of nations with United Nations. Finally replace jews with ‘Sudanese citizens of darfur’ and the countries of Europe with sections of Darfur.

Had we acted this way 60 years ago Hitler would have won and prospered.

Something has to be done, we championed the right to protect doctrine and now we are abdicating our responsibilities under that doctrine. An African life is worth as much as any victim of hitler’s. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada_un/ottawa/policy/r2p_non_paper-en.asp

Cheers,

Patrick

PS This was fairly off the cuff. I didn't really have the time to research a full and probably more accurate alternate history account but please just take the above in the spirit in which it was meant.