Veterinary Nursing and Life - Fire!
Mark Wadsworth - More VAT Fun
Cold Steel Rain - Remember the Fallen
The Cynical Tendency - Social Mobility
Not A Sheep - Where are the documents to do with Gordon Brown selling our gold reserves?
Monday, 3 May 2010
The Power of Purdah
Yesterday one of our soldiers was killed in Afghanistan - the first since 7 April, according to the Ministry of Defence. How many have been seriously injured since 7 April will not become clear for some time.
One of my friends asked if I thought there had been a ceasefire agreement with the Taliban. In the three months from 1 January to 7 April this year we lost 37 of our armed forces, yet from 8 April to date we have lost one soldier. It does make you wonder what has been going on under the cloak of purdah. But it also shows me that this war is nothing to do with security and everything to do with politics. Anyone who has ever doubted that government does not control our armed services and the military top brasses are in charge, must surely realise the truth.
Since the election was called reporting restrictions were put on all government department websites, including the MoD. Finding any information online has been virtually impossible which shows just how effective purdah has been, particularly concerning the war in Afghanistan. Is purdah relevant for a country at war? I think not.
The word itself is problematic, having old colonial overtones and relating to the controversial practice of women concealing their bodies with veils. A few years ago the Welsh assembly outlawed the term in favour of the less exotic 'pre-election period'.
During this campaign the responses from the three 'main' parties to questions about this war have been patronising to say the very least. Gordon Brown hasn't mentioned the fact that British troops could be the last to leave Afghanistan. None has mentioned a troop withdrawal timetable, with the exception of Alex Salmond in the Scotland debate yesterday. The soundbite of, "We shall stay until the job's done," echoes from John o' Groats to Lands End, but no one explains the job in detail, because they know the public are fully aware once troops are withdrawn from the country it will quickly revert to its natural power base.
Unfortunately, none of the parties has been questioned about the pension freeze for military veterans, who the government insist upon treating as ordinary civil servants. I say unfortunately because if the public were more aware of this treatment of our veterans, then they may realise Gordon Brown is certainly not doing everything possibly for our armed forces. I would much rather see my tax going to our war veterans than going overseas to countries like China and India to help them with their carbon emission projects.
NATO's Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan said recently that the foreign forces in Afghanistan could face another four years of hard combat. Mark Sedwell, a former UK ambassador to Afghanistan, also said that NATO and British soldiers could be expected to stay in Afghanistan for at least another decade.
Come next Friday reporting restrictions will be lifted. Will the 'new' government be more open and transparent with us about this war? No. They too will treat us as fools.
Sunday, 2 May 2010
The BBC and Its Climate Change Interests
Earlier today I wrote about climate change and in the past week the BBC has been much discussed in the Scottish (and English) blogosphere, mainly because of the SNP's attempt to show the BBC bias given to London based political parties.
It's seldom I promote individual blog posts, but my attention was grabbed today by fellow blogger Anna Raccoon, who has been honing her detective skills once again. Her post makes essential reading for those of us who pay a TV licence fee. For those who don't - then read it and gloat.
Afghanistan
It was announced today by the MoD that one of our soldiers has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan.
He was with the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment, serving with 40 Commando Royal Marines Battle Group and was killed this morning.
He was providing protection to his fellow soldiers who were returning from a patrol when tragically he was killed in an explosion near PB Waterloo, in Sangin, Helmand Province. The death toll is now 282.
Another tragic and unnecessary death. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
From A La Mode to Outmode in Six Months
Although I've been listening and watching reasonably carefully to election news I have yet to hear the words 'climate change' or 'global warming' pass the lips of any of the three men the media are insisting should be the next prime minister.
It's only six months since hundreds of believers poured over the North Sea to Copenhagen with the intention of ensuring the world's politicians signed up to the great carbon offset scam. They believed the evidence put before them.
Some will say climate change belongs to the Green party and they haven't had a national platform. I would disagree. Climate change is not only promoted by the Greens but by all political parties. All have promised to spend millions, maybe billions, of our money on climate change 'projects'.
As I've said before I agree with some of the Green party's policies; some are plain common sense but there are too many people who are sceptical of the claims of the massive climate change lobby and yet, during this election, the subject hasn't been mentioned.
Is the complete blackout on the subject of climate change because people may begin to investigate the carbon credits scam more thoroughly and realise how foolish we are to believe it?
It would certainly seem the three begging for the keys to No 10 have come to an agreement not to mention it at all. Rest assured, once Thursday is over, the subject will rear its head with voracity. Our political masters must keep that 'special relationship' with the Al Gores of this world.
By coincidence EUReferendum has a post related to carbon credits.
It is reported elsewhere that Germany, Australia and the US have shelved their plans for signing any agreements for the time being.
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