Rose Gentle Meets PM

Yesterday, on a day when two more of our soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, Rose Gentle met Gordon Brown at an undisclosed location in Fife.

Mrs Gentle's son Gordon was killed in Basra, Iraq in June 2004.

She helped set up the campaign group Military Families Against the War and stood unsuccessfully against Adam Ingram, the former armed forces minister in the 2005 general election.

After Friday's meeting Mrs Gentle said, "My anger is still with Tony Blair who refused to have a meeting with me when he was Prime Minister.

"My feelings about going into Iraq and how my son was killed have not changed. I know Mr Brown was partly responsible for them going there as he held the purse strings, but I thought there was no point in raising voices during the meeting as I wouldn't be able to get answers to the questions.

Why hasn't Gordon Brown met Mrs Gentle before this? He's had plenty opportunity when he's been at his home in Fife. Surely his sudden interest in Mrs Gentle and her cause can't be due to the Iraq War Inquiry now officially being underway. Of course not, our Prime Minister wouldn't behave in such a manner would he?

Source: STV

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Iraq War Inquiry

IRAQ WAR INQUIRY

The Iraq War Inquiry begins today. Earlier I noticed Jess the Dog has set up a Not the Iraq War Inquiry blog specifically for the purpose of following the Iraq War Inquiry in some depth. With his background as a retired RAF Officer, it should be a very worthwhile read for those of you who have an interest in such matters.

The young man in the depths of Aberdeenshire, has posted a link to this morning's Today programme on Radio 4, on which you can hear the evasive and desperately-trying-to-convey-he-is-not-as-incompetent-as-we-think Bob Ainsworth explain his early return from holiday. This updates my earlier post about the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

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Not a Good Morning for the Prime Minister

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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The 4th Iraq War Inquiry

Gordon Brown announced the 4th inquiry into the Iraq War this afternoon. The last three didn't give the public much information and because this one is to be held behind closed doors and within the confines of Westminster, there is little hope that it will be different.

He says it will cover the period between the start of the war in 2001 and 2009. I think it should cover the year prior to the start of the war, when it was muted that Tony Blair and George Bush planned the war during a visit by Tony Blair to Camp David.

Also it must be held in public. To use the excuse of confidentiality is not acceptable. It would be simple to hold parts of the inquiry in private if they were deemed to be a risk to national security, but to deny the families and friends of the fallen transparency is, without question, contemptible.

The proposal to stretch the inquiry until after the general election is one which will seriously backfire on Gordon Brown and the labour party. Our Prime Minister has forgotten the millions who protested on our streets and worldwide about this war and they, along with those who have military connections, will ensure labour are kept out of power for many years.

Gordon Brown only wants 'lessons to be learned' and no blame attributed. I want the culprits blamed and shamed. Why should anyone escape from accepting responsibility for their actions?

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