Douglas Hurd
Douglas Hurd
Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell CH CBE PCis a British Conservative politician who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1979 to 1995...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth8 March 1930
flatter human indeed knowledge themselves whether
Indeed it is a characteristic of most human beings, whether politicians or not, to flatter themselves on their knowledge of history.
divided europe superpower
The tragedy of 9/11 galvanised the American superpower into action, leaving us in Europe divided in its wake.
admire arab indeed iraqi islamic neither nor reason saddam trust
Neither the Iraqi people, nor other Arab governments nor indeed Islamic fundamentalists have any reason to admire or trust Saddam Hussein.
ahead efforts hard remains starting work
While hard work remains ahead of us, our efforts are starting to show results.
bound cannot deployed troops war
But it cannot follow that because weapons and troops are now being deployed we are bound to go to war.
bound cannot deployed troops war
But it cannot follow that because weapons and troops are now being deployed we are bound to go to war.
arrogant business false german technical
There is nothing false or arrogant about German pride in German technical and business skills.
defence self war
It was essentially for self defence that we went to war in Afghanistan and would go to war in Iraq.
drew heath margaret ministers prime ted war whom
The first two Prime Ministers whom I served, Ted Heath and Margaret Thatcher drew strikingly different lessons from the Second World War.
labelled people politics
People are very interested in politics, they just don't like it labelled politics.
forces general government modern needs orders putting support war wrong
I may be wrong in that, but not I think in putting the questions. In our modern democracy the government needs not a unanimous but a general support for war before it orders our forces to fight.
favour politician should
We should be wary of politicians who profess to follow history while only noticing those signposts of history that point in the direction which they themselves already favour.
spiritual people kind
People know they are lacking something, they are constantly wanting some kind of spiritual guidance.
gossip silence sin
Silence is regarded as a sort of sin now, and it has to be filled with a lot of gossip and soundbites.