Ainsworth Tries His Best to Support His Boss

I see Bob Ainsworth has been wheeled out to defend his boss today. Firstly, with regard to Gordon Brown's comments at the Iraq Inquiry last Friday, he wonders what axe Lord Guthrie has to grind with the PM, implying Lord Guthrie is a teller of untruths; then he continues by saying, "Gordon Brown didn't know how the money was spent."

Oh dearie me Bob, foot in mouth springs to mind. A poor effort.

Surely, when he was Chancellor, Gordon Brown didn't just hand out our money to the military without knowing what it was to be used for. Not even responsible parents hand out money to their offspring without asking why it's needed.

If Gordon Brown did not keep a detailed record of expenditure then he's more incompetent that I thought. Do the Treasury books just have 'MoD' next to every item? Sounds rather like it from Bob Ainsworth's words on Radio 4 a short time ago. There will be many senior civil servants bristling in the Treasury.

Brown and Ainsworth must think we're all rather simple minded and labour supporters to swallow such obvious nonsense.

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"The Right Decisions for the Right Reasons"

Yesterday morning I braced myself to watch Gordon Brown's performance at the Iraq Inquiry. After half an hour not even a tasty bacon and tomato roll added interest to the non-event. When the lunch break was declared my relief was indescribable.

Mr Brown will possibly be very sad to know that I declined to watch his afternoon stage show. Tidying up the shed held far more appeal.

Anyone with the slightest interest in military matters or the Iraq and Afghanistan wars knows that Gordon Brown greatly resents the Army, but today they were 'wonderful' and his well-rehearsed tributes I saw only as attempt to buy himself some votes. He'll receive none from the military no matter how much he says he's sad about the deaths in which he was firmly involved.

"Every request for money was met," he stated. What the military wanted they got. Just like that. Yet, when asked if he was aware that the military chiefs had threatened to resign over the 2004 budget he said, "I can't remember all the conversations we had." How very convenient.

He was determined we were made aware that he was 'in the loop' of decision making and yet, for the man who was the second most important person in government at the time, it was clear he had not been party to all the facts. Maybe that was Tony Blair's decision or it could be Gordon Brown had no interest. Somehow I suspect the latter.

The military top brass are hitting back today. Brown blamed them for not using his handouts efficiently - "It's not for me to make the military decisions."

Early yesterday morning John Redwood published a post 'Time to ask about wars'. I doubt if he is satisfied with Gordon Brown's answers either, but he will be aware "The right decisions for the right reasons," was the soundbite of the day.

Mr Brown stuck with the script. I suppose he deserves some credit for that.

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Today's Iraq Inquiry Witness

Today Gordon Brown will appear before the Chilcott inquiry at 10.ooam.

A former chief of the defence staff, General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, said that soldiers lives were lost in Iraq and Afghanistan because Gordon Brown failed to fund the Army properly when he was Chancellor.

"Not fully funding the Army in the way they had asked... undoubtedly cost the lives of soldiers. He should be asked why he was so unsympathetic towards defence and so sympathetic to other departments," said Lord Guthrie.

The Chilcot inquiry has heard that defence chiefs threatened to resign after Mr Brown ordered defence cuts six years ago while troops were fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

For the first time the Ministry of Defence allowed a photographer into the C17 transport plane as the bodies of four British servicemen were brought home from Afghanistan. The above coffin contains the body of Sergeant Paul Fox who was repatriated to RAF Lyneham this week. I wonder how many politicians feel uncomfortable looking at photographs such as these. They managed to deter our dead being repatriated with dignity from Iraq giving various excuses. Let me say there was no dignity for our dead from the Iraq war coming home. Our political leaders wanted the whole issue to be swept under the floorboards of all media outlets. Fortunately, with pressure from many, at least our dead are now given a solemn and honourable return home.

We fight, according to our political leaders, to protect the security of these islands, but so few of us believe this because we know the reasons are nothing to do with securing the safety of the people of these islands.

Gordon Brown has been central to the mire we have found ourselves in and has used our armed forces for his own ends, not for ours. I will be watching this morning.

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A Busy Week in London Town

While the Westminster government is struggling to explain its reasons for raising the UK's terror threat level to 'severe', this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be challenging days for the London police service and the British media. Gordon Brown is hosting his two summits and Tony Blair is attending the Iraq Inquiry.

Our Prime Minister loves calling summits doesn't he? It is my understanding David Miliband will sub-host the conference about Yemen which, he insists, poses a threat to the region and the UK. Repeatedly on the news last week it was reported Gordon Brown had called a halt to all flights to UK from Yemen. Did you know there are only two a week and both fly via Cairo? Why stop two flights a week?

Yesterday, another soldier was killed near Sangin in Helmand Province. The soldier was from A Company 3 Rifles and he was killed in the Green Zone area to the south of Sangin District Centre, an area where until recently insurgents had held sway. His death takes the toll to 251.

Of course the death of another soldier won't affect the Prime Minister or any politician who voted for the country to go to war. On Thursday the long-awaited conference on the future of Afghanistan will take place. The Afghanistan conference will of course include the President Karzai, the leader of the corrupt Afghan government who will possibly spend his time requesting more of our money to further grease the palms of his countrymen. Looks like the outcome of the conference has already been decided and our troops will be in Afghanistan for at least another 5 years.

Can you believe it is two months since Gordon Brown called this meeting? Two months when our military have been left without any political leadership and therefore without any fixed objectives. While Brown dithers the people who volunteer to protect us are being killed.

The German government wants to have its own new strategy on Afghanistan instead of simply sending more troops. It has set up a special cabinet committee to do it. Earlier this month the German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said, "Military means alone cannot make a stable future for Afghanistan. We will focus our concentration on civilian reconstruction efforts so that Afghanistan can begin to establish its security forces and determine its own future." Germany will make public its new strategy at Thursday's conference.

Gordon Brown would do well to read what the Daily Referendum has to say although, like his predecessor, he will ignore public opinion if it doesn't suit his plan for the New World Order.

Friday brings the other individual with a fondness for war back into the public arena where those who were against the Iraq war will be waiting to show their contempt . It's alleged Tony Blair has been spending 15 hours a day preparing for his day before Chilcott. My advice to him is to finish sharpish because Alistair and Jack won't have time to cross check. Syncronisation is key.

Aye London will be busy this week. The raised threat level wouldn't have anything to do with an attempt to scare off some who intend to protest on Friday would it? Surely not.

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Gordon Brown is to Appear at Iraq Inquiry Before Election

Gordon Brown is to appear before the Iraq Inquiry before the general election the Scotsman report's today. Senior sources at Number 10 are expecting an announcement to be made today at 10am.

Sir John Chilcot, head of the inquiry, had previously ruled the Prime Minister's evidence should be delayed until after the election in order to keep party politics out of the proceedings.

Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster, who raised the issue at PMQs on Wednesday said: "The net is closing on in Gordon Brown. Despite all his efforts to force the Iraq Inquiry behind closed doors, the case for the man who bankrolled the illegal war in Iraq to give full evidence in public is overwhelming - and now even he has acknowledged that.

"Tony Blair led us into the worst foreign policy disaster in modern times and, as senior figures involved in the run-up to the conflict have already told the Chilcot inquiry, Gordon Brown was right beside him all the way."

Tony Blair is due to appear before the Inquiry a week today.

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Update 3.05am The Times now has the story on their site and say an exact date for the PM's appearance is yet to be set. Sources said that members of the inquiry were absolutely furious that the information was released by No 10 before its planned announcement today. They complain that Downing Street is turning the invitation, which was ectended by the inquiry in a letter last night, into a political issue. What did they expect from Gordon Brown?

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This May Be of Use to Weekend Decorators

Two sites which are following the Iraq Inquiry are here and here. I'm sure there are other good blogs/sites so if you know of one please put the link in the comments for others. My thanks.

Graphic courtesy of TheLastoftheFew

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Two Brave Women

I thought it necessary to record my admiration for two women who were prominent in the media yesterday. Firstly Debbie Purdy who finally achieved victory in her long running legal battle to have the law on assisted suicide clarified. Her elation showed in every interview and although she looked exhausted, her smile was still there late last night when she appeared on Newsnight. We all know MS is an incurable disease and one which affects each sufferer differently. To undertake a battle with the legal system is ordeal enough for those who are physically fit - to do so as an MS sufferer shows extraordinary determination and strength of will.

The second woman I wish to applaud is Rose Gentle, the mother of Gordon Gentle who was killed in Iraq. Rose fought extremely hard to have an inquest held into Gordon's death and it resulted in the coroner stating the army's failure to fit an electronic device to his Landrover would have prevented the bomb detonating. She brings a palable passion to her campaign against the Iraq war and now the Afghanistan war. I heard her on Radio Scotland yesterday explaining her intention to accept Lord Chilcott's invitation go to London and personally discuss with him the questions military families of the fallen needed answered by the newly formed Iraq Inquiry. She will ensure Lord Chilcott is left in no doubt about the families' wish list.

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