Gordon Brown will possible be aware by now of the headline in the Independent this morning - 'Generals go to war over Iraq inquiry.'
Military and intelligence officer have condemned Gordon Brown's decision to hold the Iraq war inquiry in secret, warning that it looks like a cover-up. Military leaders, who have lost 179 personnel in Iraq, want their actions judged by the public and intelligence officials say that politicians' manipulation of intelligence should be thoroughly examined.
General Sir Mike Jackson, head of the Army during the Iraq invasion, said, "I would have no problems at all in giving my evidence in public. I do not see why it could not have gone for a halfway house with sessions in public and having private hearings when it comes to intelligence. And they do have to look at the intelligence that Blair used in the run-up to the war... which in the end turned out to be fool's gold".
Air Marshall Sit John Walker, the former head of Defence Intelligence said, "There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government. There are 179 reasons why the military want the truth to be out on what happened over Iraq."
These respected men haven't minced their words. They know 179 families need some form of closure and to allocate blame. The families, plus those of the injured deserve nothing less and it's good to see their superiors putting up a strong fight for transparency and openness.
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22 comments:
Don't you find it annoying when you are in the middle of typing a post and a similar one turns up? I am about to start throwing mobile phones!
Morning SR,
As well as it being a bad day for the PM a certain Tony Blair and an ex attorney general can not be too chuffed with this development.
Wonder if TP does not nip over to the US. Gets himself some American type citizenship and when the truth finally outs we need to extradite the lying b*****d to get him back.
And we all know what a non starter that is.
Yep agree another government ass protecting cover up.
SR,
Morning Madame, Kim Sengupta is a great journalist, he was in the hotel in Baghdad when the 2 van bombs went off and the roof came down on him, he was saved by his bed and a wardrobe, I felt the blasts at BIAP. So he knows what he's talking and writing about...
Loved the comments at the end of the article. Brown, Bliar et al are War Criminals and me being a chilled person Karma will catch them up in this life or the next and they will be served their just rewards, of that I am certain.
Nothing Brown can do will ever make him electable as PM (having never been in the first place - Laws of Parliament or not), Labour are finished, Tory's ain't any better, Lib Dems are unco-ordinated despite some of them having talent.
Scotland deserves better and I still believe that we are heading with increased speed towards running our whole country seperate from Westmidden.
I feel for the family on Mull that have just lost their son in Afghanistan, history repeats itself, what did he die for? Certainly not for Scotland's interests - NO FOR DELUDED WARMONGERING UNIONIST MPs in FUCKIN WESTMIDDEN.
The publics' anger increases and at a point it can and will boil over, many I can read are incensed at this event, yet another amongst many.
I predict a riot, it's comin for a that!
Saor Alba
Aye I do Howard lol. I apologise but suggest you post it all the same. We have many different readers I think.
My problem here is that the Scottish blog scene is much smaller than yours, so posting on a similar subject to another blogger looks like plagiarism, even though you perhaps drafted it hours before and were waiting for your memory to remind of of a specific link. That happens to me so often.
Good morning LotF. I never thought of that but it's certainly not out of the question - in fact it's a distinct possibility don't you think.
Morning CD, what a horrible morning it is here too.
I too liked the comments at the end - but didn't put them in the post because I decided to check if anyone reads the links! 10/10 for you CD :)
Yes another tragedy and words can't express how angry the waste of any life makes me.
Yer predictions may come true one of these days CD, you just never know.
Broon's still the London Establishment placeman in the snake-pit. Labour's vote rigging machine is still fully operational (see Unison)and will be the main obstacle to the Independence prize.
The SNP are still debate-limiting which is another ponderable.
Events dear boy, events said...
Don't you find it annoying when you are in the middle of typing a post and a similar one turns up? I am about to start throwing mobile phones!
.............
I ken how you feel, i posted summit on bondage the other day and guess what ? Subrosa did the same..
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Moving on.. Well this is a great article and slaps Gordon on the face. Mind he said for Nat security reasons he had to hols the inquiry behind closed doors. well that has been smashed now.
As we all know, this is about saving face for him and his Gov. Labour before the intrests of the country, as always with Gordon.
Lions led by dung beetles.
`Morning Free Thinker. I'm a bit lost about your comment regarding the SNP.If you mean they should have far more debate then I agree. The independence question isn't something which can only be debated in small bursts, it need to be something which is at the forefront of our media day in and day out.
Now now Spook, careful, or I'll tell folks just how much you like these flogging sessions :)
Aye he's really had his lies uncovered this morning. More to come if I can find the time.
Oh Jim, don't you think that's rather insulting to dung beetles? After all, they do a good job and it's honest, open and transparent.
Subrosa,
I have no quarrel with the honest dung beetle. But when they awaken from uneasy dreams to find themselves transformed into human politicians they lose my respect.
One reason why the unelected Brown does not want an open transparent enquiry is that his tenure in No11 will see him exposed as one of the main reasons that troops were deprived of very basic equipment taken for granted by other armies, such as proper robust vehicles and not ex NI snatch landrovers, good modern body armour and most important good air cover and medivac facilities. His restraints put on Whitehall at the time were the main reason for these disgracefull failures.
Grieving mothers like Rosie Gentle who's son Gordon died for want of electronic counter measures, which was being held back in a bloody store somewhere, instead of being issued.
This is how Rosie found out:
"Fusileer Gentle was travelling with a convoy of Snatch Land Rovers as it left Basra Palace at 8.30 on the morning of Monday 28 June. Fusileer Sean Gill, next to him, told the inquest he was dazzled by a huge flash as the bomb exploded. "I was disorientated for a few seconds. He was lying on his back with his eyes open."
Shrapnel had pierced Gordon's upper back, cutting an artery and stopping the flow of blood to his brain. A camera crew with the convoy filmed the efforts of his colleagues to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Within hours, a censored version of the footage appeared on the breakfast news – and was seen by Rose Gentle as she drank a morning coffee. "I thought, 'God, some poor mammy's going to see her son lying on the ground.'" She did think for one awful moment that she recognised Gordon, but thought, "It can't be, I would have been told."
Three hours later, two soldiers came to the shop where she worked. They asked her to sit in their car, and then they told her. "All I can remember is running out the car, screaming.'"
Her husband, George, a construction ground worker, collapsed from the shock when she rang to tell him. "I just says, 'The wee man's been killed.'" George has not worked since. He supports his wife's campaigning, but plays no public part in it. While we talk, he stays out of the way in Gordon's room, on the computer."
And this is how the bastards respond:
http://tinyurl.com/ns4hyy
On his very first test on his much trumpeted transparency and accountability, Brown is exposed as the lying demagog he is and always will be who puts his and his morraly bankrupt party before all.
Well Gordon Brown you are finished so why don't you just piss of and take your rag bag of scum sucking crooks with you.
Thanks for reading, I feel a blog post coming on.
Ah Jim, I understand your analogy now. Apologies for being a little slow earlier.
Thanks for such a moving post KBW and you do one of your own because you express the feelings of most military families and the disgraceful behaviour of Brown when he was chancellor.
I've supported Rosie and still feel so angry that justice in this country let her and Gordon, down. All because she didn't know the right people of course, because the MOD can only be fought by the elite and not the likes of Rosie or myself. I didn't know her husband has been caused so much pain along with ill-health. Hopefully in years to come, the pain will become bearable as it never will diminish.
Is Mandelson acting as some self-serving double-agent to deliberately feed the (let's face it) psychologically unstable Brown a series of initiatives bound to blow up in his face? Thus Mandy further undermines an already blatantly incompetent PM but in effect increases the chance of his inevitable phoenix to arise, with Mandy's blessing to rebuild the Labour Party?
It appears that Mandelson is in a win/win situation - hand Brown as much rope as he can while grooming the successor? Alan Milburn's gone quiet recently - lying-in-wait? Postman Pat Johnston is only a diversion.
I know the SNP are a little quiet - but following Napoleon "Never interupt the enemy when he is making mistakes" seems to be working for now and making the case for Independence all the more robust.
Afternoon Clarinda. Didn't quite a few people say Mandy's return to government would backfire on Brown? Also that Mandy does nothing without his own interests firmly at heart? He has this obsession to go into history as the man who saved the labour party I think and he may well get his wish.
Yes as an SNP supporter I understand your reasoning, but tory friends notice the lack of debate from the SNP. It's these people we need to convince hence the reason constant public debate is essential.
If the enquiry/whitewash is held in the open David Kelly's murderers will have to be held to justice, and I cannot see Brown/Blair allowing that. I mean I can't see Mandyscum allowing them to allow that. JD.
Hi JD, of course they won't allow it. The labour backbenchers are very quiet on this one. Nobody saying it should be a public inquiry is there. Strange things going on or all they all brainless parasites.
Hi Subrosa - rain here in Perth is easing up!
It's a tricky balance - descend to the swamp of giving air-time to Calman with the off chance of bestowing upon it the veneer of being a replacement for Independence - remember a number of Scots still think anything from Labour and other unionists has integrity based on the tradition of voting without engaging neurones first.
Our difficulty as noted by another comment here, is the lack of a suitable medium or platform to indulge in proper debate to promote Independence. I agree our express momentum has become reticent - but then we are subject to media control and censure. Hopefully we are still waiting to see the whites of unionist eyes before a concerted advance?
Alan Keechrane makes a couple of interesting points today for once in the DT.
For that excuse of a PM to use the suggestion that a secret inquiry would avoid the need to pay solicitors to promote the valid case of witnesses is beyond contempt. He, and that heinous little creep Blair, should probably look for a good one in the future - I hope.
Hi Clarinda, yes it is, thank goodness. It was really miserable this morning and I got soaked because I was too smart, thinking I wouldn't need a brolly.
Oh I must have a read of Dundee's most fervent unionist's ramblings. Love your nickname for same.
Yes it is difficult to debate with the lack of any support from the media. One friend did say a couple of months ago that she would have thought the SNP would have sent out a publication stating their position and what most seem to want is to know about the finances for independence. It seems any labour or lib dem figures would be ignored or disbelieved and the case would be between the tories and the SNP for trusting their numbers.
Of course, the number I discuss such matters with isn't large, around 8 usually :)
There's to be a debate in Westminster next week on the fact that the inquiry is to be held in private. As yet I haven't read a thing about how it will go.
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