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The News Blackout on the questioning of Blair last Friday reportedly tested the leaks(also to prevent Lord Levi knowing?they say). No 10 has proved the leaks are not coming out of that hallowed establisment.. BUT does it not also prove the leaks were not coming from Police sources.So where is the seepage..a rumoured mole perhaps! Whatever, sources suggest that Lord Levi may walk the plank on behalf of his master... thats true fiendship(sic).
Allegedly the others must feel very vulnerable!! altogether now ...ahh!

What a week and its only Thursday. One thing after another - events dear boy events, how true ! Get the feeling something big is round the corner. Blair has conspired to prevent the course of honesty to the UK public for too long. His biggest crime being his own weapons of mass delusion.

Today's story is that the PM wsa questioned again for possibly perverting the course of justice, arising from an enquiry that may or may not find that honours were being sold for donations and loans. There is a sense amongst the media that they are onto something, and this could well be the tip required to force Mr Blair from office.

Shame if this is indeed the straw that broke the camel's back. Mr Blair deserves to see out the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is his concrete positive achievement. However, he should alknowledge that the war in Iraq represented his moment of test, and he failed it.

Thousands travelling today are being mugged for Gorgon Brown's extra green airport tax, which is illegal, as that part of the finance bill containing it has not been passed by parliament as yet. That is an issue on which Mr Blair has failed to act. Though the Home Office daily digest of errors and failings are dumped on the lap of Reid, where was the PM to lead the country out of the mess?

Tony, take a few weeks, finsh what you started in Northern Ireland, and go quietly into the night. Let Brown and the other power hungry messengers take over. Let them become fully accountable for once.

After watching Hazel Blears tonight I have to confess that I shall dealy miss the comedy of seeing cabinet ministers pretend they know what 'the public' want -----better than even the public know themselves!! I laugh my socks off now as they come out in denial about how they have dragged politics in this country to the lowest gutter level of all time, and yet sit in their interview seats, wriggling and squirming with carved smirk, whilst rattling off some pre rehearsed Blarney that only a true Blairite would ever believe to be credible.
Hazel, I am a member of a huge amount of public opinion that, contrary to your ridiculous assertion and mal assumption, the arrest of Blair is more important than anything else you imagine you are doing with politics or government, and adds to our disgust that you and your party still pretend you have the confidence of the voting public. The interviewer was far too nice to you and failed to elicit the answer to the question 'when did you first learn of the police questioning of Blair'
I wanted to know and probably so did the rest of the country.

I've just watched tonight's programme, and the misguided loyalty, to the Prime Minister, by Hazel Blears,(chairman of the Labour Party) Is unbelievable and immoral. This woman simply cannot give a straight answer to one single question. She, and others like her in the Party are very deluded if they think this type of behaviour will go down with the British people any longer. We have all become very 'accustomed to Labours particular type of spin!'

Just to say:(got the message about Lord Levy and the slippery thing on his head).

Regarding your report on Afghanistan;
What laughable propoganda! I expect soviet TV broadcast such rubbish
during their similarly doomed occupation;What made their intervention bad and ours so good?
Because you the media say so!Thats all!
At least the soviets attempted to offer genuine infrastructual improvements instead of building shopping malls for western occupiers while large areas of the country are still rubble;The final scene of your report,with your "Hero" general being awarded a medal by US Puppet
"president" Karzai made me laugh out loud;
10 years from now,the taliban will be back in power and the succesors to Bush and Blair will be signing pipe line deals with them and shaking hands.This war is purely about securing western energy /geopolitical interests,certainly not human rights,except the "right" of US imerialism to rape and pillage the globe.
You are such a group of establishment flunkies;Yet in your own deluded minds you probably believe you are offering Genuinely
unbiased reporting;Bet you won't print this;Informed dissent is too dangerous after all.........

Regarding your report on Afghanistan;
What laughable propoganda! I expect soviet TV broadcast such rubbish
during their similarly doomed occupation;What made their intervention bad and ours so good?
Because you the media say so!Thats all!
At least the soviets attempted to offer genuine infrastructual improvements instead of building shopping malls for western occupiers while large areas of the country are still rubble;The final scene of your report,with your "Hero" general being awarded a medal by US Puppet
"president" Karzai made me laugh out loud;
10 years from now,the taliban will be back in power and the succesors to Bush and Blair will be signing pipe line deals with them and shaking hands.This war is purely about securing western energy /geopolitical interests,certainly not human rights,except the "right" of US imerialism to rape and pillage the globe.
You are such a group of establishment flunkies;Yet in your own deluded minds you probably believe you are offering Genuinely
unbiased reporting;Bet you won't print this;Informed dissent is too dangerous after all.........

Regarding your report on Afghanistan;
What laughable propoganda! I expect soviet TV broadcast such rubbish
during their similarly doomed occupation;What made their intervention bad and ours so good?
Because you the media say so!Thats all!
At least the soviets attempted to offer genuine infrastructual improvements instead of building shopping malls for western occupiers while large areas of the country are still rubble;The final scene of your report,with your "Hero" general being awarded a medal by US Puppet
"president" Karzai made me laugh out loud;
10 years from now,the taliban will be back in power and the succesors to Bush and Blair will be signing pipe line deals with them and shaking hands.This war is purely about securing western energy /geopolitical interests,certainly not human rights,except the "right" of US imerialism to rape and pillage the globe.
You are such a group of establishment flunkies;Yet in your own deluded minds you probably believe you are offering Genuinely
unbiased reporting;Bet you won't print this;Informed dissent is too dangerous after all.........

Your report on Afghanistan was laughable propoganda;No doubt Soviet TV broadcast such rubbish during their similarly futile occupation, (at least they didn't build shopping malls in kabul full of Gucci and similar expensive consumer trash whilst the rest of the country was rubble)
Whats the difference between the soviet"Bad" Invasion and our western "Good" Invasion? The fact that the right wing corporate media say so!
Ten years from now the Taliban will be back in power and the succesor to Bush will be shaking hands with them over a pipeline deal.

Hazel Blears,always the minister who is put into the front line when the government has to deflect difficult questions.Her ability to waffle and not answer a direct question is becoming almost entertaining for the viewer.Hazel Blears reminds me of the typical deputy headmistress of a small primary school,not smart enough to gain the headmistress position but loyal enough to take the flak.She seems willing to do the unpleasant tasks for her boss,but stupid enough not to know thats she is being used as a buffer.Her slow but steady rise to prominence in govt has clearly gone to her head,and seems willing to take bullets.Hazel is so well practiced at this,she is getting quite good and has took prevarication to a level i have not yet witnessed before. One must ask the question though,how is it mediocre hacks thrive and prosper in high office such as in the running of a country?,hazel is living proof that you can be a no talent dufus and still get on. A bit like that Michael portillo (political pundit of no particular significance) and Diane "i am a hypocrite" abbott (send your kids to state schools,unless of course,your a labour MP and can pay for private education for yor child) and get paid by the beeb rather handsomely ..to talk nonsense.I for some reason watch this with bemusement.
Newsnight...Question time....This week..its a busy nights viewing on Thursdays.

Ref Duncan 3 same posts:

#8. At 01:50 AM on 02 Feb 2007, Duncan wrote:

#9. At 01:53 AM on 02 Feb 2007, Duncan wrote:

#10. At 01:55 AM on 02 Feb 2007, Duncan wrote:

Patience dear lefty.

This is not Guardian Unlimited Talk Board, where posts get published there & then [1]

Its takes a while for posts to be reviewed before they are published on NN threads, hence your 3 posts back to back within 5 mins

Made similar initial basic error in posting myself.

That said ….

- Duncan "Regarding your report on Afghanistan; What laughable propoganda! I expect soviet TV broadcast such rubbish
during their similarly doomed occupation;What made their intervention bad and ours so good? …."

… history old chap

General Richards [2] is a rather competent British General who led a very effective NATO campagin, esp given limited resources & a determined enemy.

Don't let your hate & bias blind you too actual accomplishments ….. when they do happen :)

'Green Light On' ….Every Man An Emperor [3]

Live & Learn [4]

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

Vikingar - on the 31st I mentioned that the timing of the terror raids was used as a distraction from the cash-for-cronies debacle and whaddya know the very same evening (or perhaps the next morning) the news blackout is lifted on that story!

If we are capable of being misled into war due to manipulated "intelligence" I don't how see how it won't occasionally be used for other purposes too.

And for those who cry "conspiracy theorist", I guess that makes Scotland Yard the same seeing as they are investigating a "a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice".

David Mercer - very good post, except please note that Saddam Hussein was a secular socialist not an islamist.

If the general was so good, why isn't he allowed to stay, especially if each nine-month tenure brings different methods. Does NATO always operate like that, or is it special for the Afghans?

Perhaps Michael Crick is being misled by his chatty contacts in the Palace of Westminster. When he reports that they say nothng is being done, nothing is happening, a precious opportunity to rule as Labour is being wasted, he shouldn't be taking them literally. There is a great deal the government is doing that he, or some other political reporter should be reporting, watchng, investigating. Instead Newsnight recently concentrates on nothing but the infighting, back-stabbing, and gossip-mongering.

Ref David Mercer #21

Ref my #13 .... 'its history'

.... I like aspects of your expanded version of 'history' in your #21

MISSING ELEMENT:

Something perhaps missing.

In ousting the Soviets, the mujahadeen DID NOT do it all by themselves & Arab Islamists did certainly DID NOT do it.

The mujahadeen had the support of a Global Super Power (US) & a regional power (Pakistan)

Therefore, the current breed of Islamic Terrorist e.g. Taliban, Al Quaeda can only succeed if they have sufficient support of state/s (super or otherwise) behind them.

Hence the importance too both sides of Pakistan (geographic position, demographic make-up, politics, military forces, nuke weapons, motivations)

As far as we know, 'state support' consists of mainly of rogue/unofficial/covert support from elements within Pakistan, Iran, … anywhere else?

Overt & official state support from like … Sudan (Islamic Courts until recently)... anywhere else?

Also individual Muslims responding as a clarion call too Islamic Terrorist Franchise (local level) & also to those who travel out to main conflict areas. As well as fiscal, logistical & basic support networks emanating from Muslim communities elsewhere in the world.

SUMMARY:

Previously, foreign forces in Afghanistan have been defeated by (broad summary):

- Pre 19th Century, local/national? Afghan forces
- Post 19th Century, mujahadeen + overt states support (a super power + local power)

Now, can the myriad of support, from various low level sources, in total match the above?

The issue will centre around tenacity & staying power & ultimately there is no moral equivalence.

Scenario [1] as long as NATO, UN etc in for the long haul (10+ years) very good opportunity for success / 'victory'

Scenario [2] the myriad of support is colourful & more passionate (ideology) but has the capacity to run out of puff, esp given they way they use volunteers *

* crucially, unlike the soviet invasion, there is not the moral/political international support for these Islamic Terrorists - there is no moral equivalence.

vikingar

From Saturday's Guardian:

"Police investigating the alleged plot to abduct and behead a Muslim soldier expressed growing anger yesterday at a series of leaks and briefings which they say are hampering their inquiry.

Whitehall officials briefed journalists early on Wednesday before all of the suspects had been found, with the result that lurid details of the alleged plot were broadcast while one suspect remained at large. At least one tabloid newspaper had even been tipped off the night before the dawn raids, and its reporters put on standby to race to Birmingham.

Police sources in the West Midlands said yesterday they suspected the anonymous briefings may have been intended to deflect attention from the prisons crisis and the cash for honours inquiry, while counter-terrorism officials in London told the Guardian there was concern that the speculation generated is interfering with the investigation by the newly formed Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit."

I rest my case.

Well, Vikingar, if we really are in "wartime" (and not simply occupying other countries) then let's get the country on a war footing - tighten our belts, perhaps bring in conscription and if you are young enough and healthy I suggest you get hold of some enrolment papers and head off to your nearest army recruiting office. I always respect someone who acts on their principles.