President Bush strongly urged Turkey to withdraw its forces from northern Iraq and end an offensive against Kurdish rebels there "as quickly as possible."
He said he agreed with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, "who said the incursion should be limited and should be temporary in nature."
"The Turks need to move quickly, achieve their objective and then get out ... as quickly as possible," said Bush.
Source AFP
Does Bush not see the irony of his advice?
Maybe this will help:
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Chemical Ali To Be Executed
The protracted wait for confirmation of the death sentence on Chemical Ali is now over, Iraq has approved the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid for ordering gas attacks on Iraqi Kurds in the 1980s.
An Iraqi official issued the following statement:
"The presidency has approved Chemical Ali's execution."
Under Iraqi law, Ali should have been executed by October 4, 30 days after his sentence was upheld by the Iraq Supreme Court.
No date has been set for the execution.
An Iraqi official issued the following statement:
"The presidency has approved Chemical Ali's execution."
Under Iraqi law, Ali should have been executed by October 4, 30 days after his sentence was upheld by the Iraq Supreme Court.
No date has been set for the execution.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Mystery of The Disappearing Cigar Case
In a plot totally unlike the complexity or interest of an Agatha Christie plot, Boris Johnson (candidate for London's mayor) has found himself under police investigation for "stealing" the red cigar case of Tariq Aziz in May 2003.
Scotland Yard wrote to Mr Johnson demanding that return the red leather case, which he took from the bombed out home of Tariq Aziz in May 2003 (Aziz had surrendered to the US military days earlier).
Read the letter here.
Mr Johnson has now agreed to give back the case. However, he was somewhat surprised to find himself the subject of an investigation; given that he has never attempted to conceal the fact that he took the case. Indeed, he even wrote about it in The Daily Telegraph in 2003.
Mr Johnson's campaign team suspects dirty tricks by his opponents in May's mayoral election.
Scotland Yard now admit, privately, that they have handled the whole affair very badly.
A senior source is quoted in The Telegraph as saying:
"It is fair to say that the issue should have been handled differently. It should have been referred higher up. More senior officers should have been involved. It has not come out the way we would have wanted it to."
A complete waste of time and money!
Scotland Yard wrote to Mr Johnson demanding that return the red leather case, which he took from the bombed out home of Tariq Aziz in May 2003 (Aziz had surrendered to the US military days earlier).
Read the letter here.
Mr Johnson has now agreed to give back the case. However, he was somewhat surprised to find himself the subject of an investigation; given that he has never attempted to conceal the fact that he took the case. Indeed, he even wrote about it in The Daily Telegraph in 2003.
Mr Johnson's campaign team suspects dirty tricks by his opponents in May's mayoral election.
Scotland Yard now admit, privately, that they have handled the whole affair very badly.
A senior source is quoted in The Telegraph as saying:
"It is fair to say that the issue should have been handled differently. It should have been referred higher up. More senior officers should have been involved. It has not come out the way we would have wanted it to."
A complete waste of time and money!
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Cost of The War
In case anyone is wondering what the cost of the Iraq war has been to the USA, aside from the lives lost, they can read about it in The Times.
The current estimate gives a cost of around $3 Trillion.
This bill will be hanging around the taxpayers' necks for decades.
Mission accomplished!
The current estimate gives a cost of around $3 Trillion.
This bill will be hanging around the taxpayers' necks for decades.
Mission accomplished!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Secrets Begat Secrets and Lies
It seems that the release earlier this week of the first draft of the "dodgy dossier", which was used by Blair to take Britain to war in Iraq, was not quite as full and frank as some may have believed.
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Office successfully fought to keep secret any mention of Israel in the release this week. The Foreign Office succeeded before a tribunal in having a handwritten mention of Israel kept secret.
What was on that handwritten note?
A reference to Israel's nuclear arsenal, and an inference that Israel had flouted the United Nations' authority in a manner similar to that of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
Unfortunately for the Foreign Office, their meddling has been made public and their attempt to suppress the note has failed.
The question now arises as to what else is being withheld from the British public?
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Office successfully fought to keep secret any mention of Israel in the release this week. The Foreign Office succeeded before a tribunal in having a handwritten mention of Israel kept secret.
What was on that handwritten note?
A reference to Israel's nuclear arsenal, and an inference that Israel had flouted the United Nations' authority in a manner similar to that of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
Unfortunately for the Foreign Office, their meddling has been made public and their attempt to suppress the note has failed.
The question now arises as to what else is being withheld from the British public?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Ownership of Yacht Disputed
The ownership of the 269-foot Ocean Breeze, built for Saddam Hussein and docked on the French Riviera, which is up for sale is currently under dispute.
Iraq claims that it belongs to a member of Saddam's entourage, as such it is now the property of the government of Iraq.
A court hearing will be held in March to determine ownership.
The Ocean Breeze was made for a 35-member crew and has 10 rooms, several salons with large-screen TVs, pools, saunas, gold plumbing fixtures, a prayer room and a portable helicopter pad.
It also has special fittings eg; bulletproof windows, a missile-launching system and a secret passage leading to a mini-submarine.
Iraq claims that it belongs to a member of Saddam's entourage, as such it is now the property of the government of Iraq.
A court hearing will be held in March to determine ownership.
The Ocean Breeze was made for a 35-member crew and has 10 rooms, several salons with large-screen TVs, pools, saunas, gold plumbing fixtures, a prayer room and a portable helicopter pad.
It also has special fittings eg; bulletproof windows, a missile-launching system and a secret passage leading to a mini-submarine.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Dodgy Dossier - First Draft
After many years of ministerial obfuscation and evasion, the British people have been finally allowed to read the text of the first draft of the so called "dodgy dossier" that took them war in Iraq on a false premise - namely that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD.
The first draft made a series of claims about the extent and danger of the Iraqi president's weapons arsenal. However, by the time the final version (the basis for war) was released in September 2002, those had been "sexed up".
In other words, in order to justify the war, Blair and his acolytes adjusted the facts.
The first draft was written by John Williams, the former director of communications at the Foreign Office (ie a spin doctor, not a security expert). He warned that Saddam had come to power by "torture, rape and execution" and concluded that Iraq presented a "uniquely dangerous threat to the world".
There was no mention of Saddam's capability (now disproved) of launching WMD in 45 minutes.
The final dossier, allegedly written by John Scarlett, who was then the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, stated:
"Iraq's military forces are able to use chemical and biological weapons, with command, control and logistical arrangements in place. The Iraqi military are able to deploy these weapons within 45 minutes of a decision to do so."
Last night, Mr Williams told BBC Radio 4's PM programme:
"The 45-minutes claim was absolutely nothing whatever to do with me. It was news to me."
Opposition parties have renewed their calls for a public inquiry into the build-up to the war.
I doubt that Tony Blair cares much one way or another, given that in a supreme twist of sick irony he is now the so called Middle East peace envoy.
The first draft made a series of claims about the extent and danger of the Iraqi president's weapons arsenal. However, by the time the final version (the basis for war) was released in September 2002, those had been "sexed up".
In other words, in order to justify the war, Blair and his acolytes adjusted the facts.
The first draft was written by John Williams, the former director of communications at the Foreign Office (ie a spin doctor, not a security expert). He warned that Saddam had come to power by "torture, rape and execution" and concluded that Iraq presented a "uniquely dangerous threat to the world".
There was no mention of Saddam's capability (now disproved) of launching WMD in 45 minutes.
The final dossier, allegedly written by John Scarlett, who was then the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, stated:
"Iraq's military forces are able to use chemical and biological weapons, with command, control and logistical arrangements in place. The Iraqi military are able to deploy these weapons within 45 minutes of a decision to do so."
Last night, Mr Williams told BBC Radio 4's PM programme:
"The 45-minutes claim was absolutely nothing whatever to do with me. It was news to me."
Opposition parties have renewed their calls for a public inquiry into the build-up to the war.
I doubt that Tony Blair cares much one way or another, given that in a supreme twist of sick irony he is now the so called Middle East peace envoy.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Rubbish
Graham Hudson, a contemporary British sculpture, is feeling somewhat humiliated after a piece of his work that is meant to depict Saddam Hussein's wife (Sajida Talfah) has been mistaken for rubbish.
Hudson managed to convince the local council to pay £2K for a collage of oil drum, cable wheels, cardboard boxes, paint and adhesive tape and to erect it in Holland Park.
Passers by are of the opinion that it is a pile of rubbish.
Money and time well spent!
Hudson managed to convince the local council to pay £2K for a collage of oil drum, cable wheels, cardboard boxes, paint and adhesive tape and to erect it in Holland Park.
Passers by are of the opinion that it is a pile of rubbish.
Money and time well spent!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Flying The Flag
A new Iraqi flag, sans the three green stars of Saddam Hussein's Baath party, was hoisted over the Iraqi Cabinet building yesterday.
However, don't become too attached to it, it has only a one year life span, before it is altered again.
However, don't become too attached to it, it has only a one year life span, before it is altered again.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Prince Rebukes US
Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, waded into the Iraq fiasco in an interview with the International Herald Tribune. He criticised the US administration for failing to listen to advice from Britain on how to avoid problems following the war in Iraq.
He said that the war had led to a "healthy scepticism" in Britain towards what was said in Washington, noting that the US should have learned lessons from British colonial history.
Doubtless that will go down like a lead balloon in Washington!
Quote:
"..occasions when people in the UK would wish that those in responsible positions in the US might listen and learn from our experiences.
If you are looking at colonialism, if you are looking at operations on an international scale, if you are looking at understanding each other's culture, understanding how to operate in a military insurgency campaign - we have been through them all.
We've won some, lost some, drawn some. The fact is there is quite a lot of experience over here which is valid and should be listened to."
American government officials refused to comment. An insider wisely told the Telegraph that it was not an area they would "want to touch with a bargepole".
The Prince is of course correct.
However, he is assuming that we really pushed our case hard at the time with Washington. After all, we only have Bliar's word for it that we made serious overtures about the post invasion strategy.
He said that the war had led to a "healthy scepticism" in Britain towards what was said in Washington, noting that the US should have learned lessons from British colonial history.
Doubtless that will go down like a lead balloon in Washington!
Quote:
"..occasions when people in the UK would wish that those in responsible positions in the US might listen and learn from our experiences.
If you are looking at colonialism, if you are looking at operations on an international scale, if you are looking at understanding each other's culture, understanding how to operate in a military insurgency campaign - we have been through them all.
We've won some, lost some, drawn some. The fact is there is quite a lot of experience over here which is valid and should be listened to."
American government officials refused to comment. An insider wisely told the Telegraph that it was not an area they would "want to touch with a bargepole".
The Prince is of course correct.
However, he is assuming that we really pushed our case hard at the time with Washington. After all, we only have Bliar's word for it that we made serious overtures about the post invasion strategy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)