Bye Bye Blair

[Cambon]

So he's off to be a mediator in the Middle East?

 

Isn't that a bit like Myra Hindley giving advice on childcare in a childrens home, or Albert Spiers being a gas consultant in Jerusalem?

 

Edited for completeness

[Chinahand]

So he's off to be a mediator in the Middle East?

 

Isn't that a bit like Myra Hindley giving advice on childcare in a childrens home, or Albert Spiers being a gas consultant in Jerusalem?

 

Edited for completeness

Think this is a little harsh! Also his role is mainly building up Palestinian institutions and the economy, work previously done by the last Quartet representative, the former World Bank head John Wolfensohn.

 

I noted Iain Pasley's remarks wishing Blair luck and giving Blair credit for getting him to work together with McGuiness. Don't knock that achievement!

 

Also the situation is more complicated in the Middle East than the cliched situation of poodle Blair being too pro Israeli and hated by the Palestinians.

 

Yes the Kashbar hates him - but the Kashbar has little influence other than feeding, and been fed upon by, the extremists. These people do have power - the sort that lies in the barrel of a gun, or in a suicide belt, but that is only a negative power to attempt to wreck agreements.

 

The governments of the region and the PLO mainly support Blair's appointment (Guardian Article)- they understand he has some influence over Bush and is likely to work well with his successor. Plus Blair's fully committed to a "viable" Palestinian state and those who hold the positive power to make agreements see him as being helpful in bringing the parties together.

 

I'll wait and see, but I'm not condeming him for wanting to try, and the idea that he will only exaserbate the situation doesn't hold water for me. Getting both sides to accept realistic positions is vital - whether its getting the Israeli's to back down on settlers and barriers, or the Palestians to stop dreaming of whipping Israel off the map. He can contribute, but whether that will overcome the huge obstacles is doubtful; but I genuinely wish him luck trying.

[P.K.]

Any of the wonderful achievments of the last ten years of Blair pale into insignificance when measured aginst the catastrophic failure of the Iraq war.

 

That power mad god-bothering twat jumped into bed with the corrupt regime of Bush and helped in the slaughter of thousands of innocent people.

The war was NOT a catastrophic failure, it was actually a complete success as it achieved it's aims, or did that one somehow pass you by? The peace, however, is not going so well. Typically gung-ho leaders like Bush and Thatcher go all out getting the military to achieve "politics by other means" (Liebig?) and when the military have done their fighting bit they then go to the politicians "OK, over to you" and the politicians go "Oooerrr, any ideas anyone?". I was absolutely disgusted by seeing Thatcher revelling in the Falklands "celebrations" i.e. a war her disastrous policies and deliberate aggression made happen. Revolting woman.

 

I stand by what I said: Blood on your hands Blair

Well, you'll have to include the UN as well and then there's all those Iraqi and other Arab insurgents killing their own kind. Or did that one pass you by as well?

 

There's also the way the "power mad" NEVER relinquish power. Errrr, don't tell me that one passed you by too! Dear me....

 

Brown is at the helm, could it be Balls to the Treasury? The red tops are going to have a field day if it is...

[Albert Tatlock]

[i was absolutely disgusted by seeing Thatcher revelling in the Falklands "celebrations" i.e. a war her disastrous policies and deliberate aggression made happen. Revolting woman.

Independent 18 June 2007

 

"But 300 Falklands veterans were missing from the ceremonies yesterday - men who had returned home after the victorious campaign and then taken their own lives, often alone in their last days, receiving little or no official help to cope with their distress and despair.

 

The number of suicides of those who fought in the south Atlantic is now 45 more than those who were actually killed in combat, a still unfolding and disturbing toll largely unnoticed by a society which, their comrades say, seems not to comprehend or care about the scars left by the war on the lives of soldiers."

 

I think if they were going to send a brit - they should have nominated Paddy Ashdown for this role. Unlike Thatcher, I get the feeling Blair seems racked with guilt and is desperate for forgiveness. I'll give him 9 months before he is back home with his tail between his legs and little achieved - that said, I hope I'm wrong.

[P.K.]

So you think Blair is "racked with guilt". Well, that would only happen if he understood the responsibility that goes with sending services personnel to their deaths i.e. it means something to him. Unlike Thatcher who just viewed them as a means to an end, basically winning the next election for her when, in fact, for helping to cause the conflict she should have been booted out!

[Albert Tatlock]

The future bodes well. We now have a 41 year old foreign secretary who's never had a proper job and probably can't even spell 'Afghanistan'.

[P.K.]

"But 300 Falklands veterans were missing from the ceremonies yesterday - men who had returned home after the victorious campaign and then taken their own lives, often alone in their last days, receiving little or no official help to cope with their distress and despair."

Someone else missing from the "Thatcher revelling in the conflict she caused farrago" was one Julian Thompson. He was the Brigadier in charge of the assault force that re-took the islands. If anyone should have been feted on the day it should have been him. But he would never, ever have gone anywhere near Thatcher et al after the conflict. Basically they disgusted him. For all the best military reasons the commander on the ground should always have the last say. Thatcher and her acolytes told him to attack Goose Green so they could have a victory to crow about. He refused because militarily it was a waste of men and resources and had no tactical value whatsoever i.e. attacking it was pointless. In a break from SOP they overruled him and ordered him to do it. The military obey their political masters so he said he would do it but also "I will win the islands back for them and then I will leave the service". He made the attack as ordered and a lot of men died for nothing, not that Thatcher cared of course. The waste of men and material made the rest of the campaign really touch and go but they achieved it. Julian Thompson promptly resigned and Thatcher and her brown-noses pretended his going was not relevant to the campaign and more importantly to them.

 

A man of integrity worth admiring.

[tucker]

I think if they were going to send a brit - they should have nominated Paddy Ashdown for this role. Unlike Thatcher, I get the feeling Blair seems racked with guilt and is desperate for forgiveness. I'll give him 9 months before he is back home with his tail between his legs and little achieved - that said, I hope I'm wrong.

 

Tail between legs or head under arm ?

[Amadeus]

ze Heimatland is rather skeptical about it all:

 

The Blair Switch Project

[Albert Tatlock]

ze Heimatland is rather skeptical about it all:

 

The Blair Switch Project

I'd prefer the 'ditch Blair project'.