The Hill: Reports that US Intelligence Agencies are on alert for a revenge attack by Al Qaeda after the death of OBL. One can postulate that the real threat is to Pakistan, with the recent attacks it can be argued that the US might have weakened the Pakistan Government, the Government from internal Pakistan eyes will be seen as weak and corrupt, the US didn’t trust Pakistan and didn’t tell them that they had OBL as a target. The very fact that OBL was in Army town raises questions about competence or truthfulness of the Pakistan ISI, either way bad for the Government of Pakistan. Thus the Government of Pakistan has a mortal enemy in the Taliban of Pakistan and Al Qaeda. Always remember folks that Pakistan is a nuclear armed power, NUCLEAR ARMED!
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Middle East takes another SCALP = George Mitchell
The New York Times: Reports that former Senator and Obama's Middle East Envoy George Mitchell has thrown in the towel. This blog has a lot of time for Senator Mitchell, he helped bring peace to Northern Ireland but the Middle East was a big ask by President Obama. In Northern Ireland the Parties had reached the end of the battle, they wanted peace, in the Middle East they have been fighting each other since the dawn of time, and they are not going to give up any time soon. Also Middle East politics plays in to internal US politics, the Israeli Lobby is one of the most powerful pressure groups in the US, also there a lot of Jewish voters in Florida, a big electoral college State. Thus in practice US Presidents tend to get involved in the Middle East in there second terms when they are not running for Office. Obama cant walk on water and he needs Florida in 2012, thus in pure political terms one can see Obama throwing the Middle East Peace Process in to the long grass, that would be wise and political move.
Colonel Gaddafi wounded ? = Libyan Front
Daily Mail: Reports on remarks by the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini that he thinks that Colonel Gaddafi has been wounded by NATO air strikes and has left the Tripoli. The remarks would fit with the evidence, although Colonel Gaddafi has been seen in a meeting, there have been none of his usual odd appearances in public, just staged PR by the Libyan Government. It would be good news for the Libyans and the West if Gaddafi did fall off his perch, the death of OBL followed by Gaddafi really would make it a good year for the World.
Pro Cuts Rally in London = Saturday
Guardian: Reports on Saturday that there will be a pro cuts rally in London, the anti cuts lobby will also turn up. This is good news folks, the elite press have given to much time to the Labour argument that the cuts should be slower and shallow. The Coalition Government of the Conservatives and the Lib Dems faced going over the economic cliff last year if they didn’t form a Coalition Government, the Government has introduced drastic cuts to get the UK out of the red. The Labour Party has given nothing to the debate, one gets the impression that the Labour Party under Ed Miliband would like the UK to go the way of the PIGS of the EU. This recalls the mess of Labour’s economic policy in the 1970s. The only time Labour has told the truth was after the 2010 UK General Election, when it told the new Government and there was no more money, after that the Labour Party has been in denial. That is why the 2011 elections in Scotland and Southern England was a washout for Labour, people can smell denial, people can tell when politicians are being economical with the truth.
Labour After David Laws = Coalition Front
Telegraph: Reports that Thomas Docherty a Labour MP has asked the Police to have a look at the expenses of David Laws. This on the whole seems quite petty by the Labour Party, one can postulate that since they have a few ex MPs in the big house they want to send a Lib Dem to jail. On the other hand Mr Laws did break the rules of the House of Commons and ex Labour MPs have been thrown in jail, so Labour is out for payback. But Labour has to be careful, Mr Laws stated that he hid his gay relationship as his family didn’t know, Labour can not afford the impression that is has a problem with gays, they vote also, liked everyone else, and they can make a lot of noise if they think that its their relationship status that is coming under question, not the main issue in the Laws Case, that being fiddling expenses.
The Question of War - Iraq War
BBC News: Reports that evidence given by Tony Blair’s Chief Spin Doctor, Alastair Campbell concerning the UK’s dossier on the threat from Iraq has been challenged by an Intelligence Chief. In the view of Mr Campbell the 2002 dossier was seen as the UK’s concern about the threat from Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, the new evidence states that the dossier was a case for War. Lets be blunt someone is not telling the truth, its either or, so it will be up to the Iraq Inquiry to tell the voter who is being economic with the truth. Lets hope the Iraq Inquiry has the spine to say who has lied to the Parliament and the voter.
Wednesday Post - No Links
Misrata Airport = Libyan Front
Reports that Rebels in Misrata have taken over the Misrata Airport from Gaddafi Security Forces. This is some good news out of the Libyan Front, the rebels can now bring in reinforcements by sea and air. As noted a few days ago the Gaddafi Forces had destroyed the petrol supply of Misrata, with the help of NATO the rebels can now make sure that Misrata has enough supplies to keep on the fight. The interesting question that has been noted by journalists is Where is Colonel Gaddafi, is the old mad dog really grieving for his lost family members or has he been injured or killed in the NATO bombing. The lack of him on the news could be the regime deciding who should take over if he is dead. Lets hope NATO had a lucky shot, with Gaddafi gone this War could be over in days.
David Laws OUT of House = 7 Days!
Reports that former Liberal Democrat Cabinet Minister David Laws will be suspended from the House of Commons for seven days and made to make an apology to the House for breaching the expenses rules. Folks this is a slap on the wrist, a light slap at that, if it was you or me folks and this was welfare we would be up in Court, it would even mean prison time. But in the House of Commons if you fiddle your expenses you get thrown out for seven days, big punishment, both David Cameron and Nick Clegg have stated that they want Laws back in the Cabinet, this would be a big mistake, perhaps in a few yeas but not NOW, and not next year, this mild slap will not go down well with the voter.
Greeks Protests over Austerity
Has a picture article on the protests in Greece over the Austerity measures that the Greek Government have been forced to introduce to get money out of the EU. The political elites in Athens have to tell the TRUTH to the Greek people, if Greece does not want the pain of austerity it has get out of the Euro, the Euro is killing Greece. The Greek and Irish Government should return to their original currencies, default on the their Sovereign Debt and start afresh. The misery to get Euro to work for Athens and Dublin is to much of a price to keep the political elites happy, the politicians are looking to towards a lifeboat of job with the EU, while the people suffer, well the EU should be told to take running jump over a cliff, time to finish the Euro and return common sense to the markets, throwing good money after bad debt is a big mistake. Time for peaceful protest folks, PEACEFUL or the riot police are right to break up violet crowds, this is about preserving Democracy folks.
On the Bookshelf
At the moment folks having a great time reading, A View from the Foothills, The Diaries of Chris Mullin ( paperback ), they really take you in to the heart that was the political monster that was New Labour. What makes it interesting is that Mr Mullin is self aware, by his own ambition and how that can be the reverse of his political principals, how much he is a fan of Tony Blair, but considered from the left of the Party. Also for those interested in political history it is interesting to see how Labour MPs dealt with the Iraq War, how unreality of the House of Commons was not matched by the protests outside. On whole if your travelling in public transport and this blog does you can read the Diaries with a smile on your face, and thank God you didn’t vote for New Labour, even in 1997, could never quite understand why Labour and the UK become obsessed by Blair, to this blog he was always a small c Conservative but in Labour clothes, how that it left wing is beyond this blog. Well as the new Labour Leader has stated, the Party is now beyond New Labour, is beyond Old! Tony Blair must be glad he is in Israel.
Reports that Rebels in Misrata have taken over the Misrata Airport from Gaddafi Security Forces. This is some good news out of the Libyan Front, the rebels can now bring in reinforcements by sea and air. As noted a few days ago the Gaddafi Forces had destroyed the petrol supply of Misrata, with the help of NATO the rebels can now make sure that Misrata has enough supplies to keep on the fight. The interesting question that has been noted by journalists is Where is Colonel Gaddafi, is the old mad dog really grieving for his lost family members or has he been injured or killed in the NATO bombing. The lack of him on the news could be the regime deciding who should take over if he is dead. Lets hope NATO had a lucky shot, with Gaddafi gone this War could be over in days.
David Laws OUT of House = 7 Days!
Reports that former Liberal Democrat Cabinet Minister David Laws will be suspended from the House of Commons for seven days and made to make an apology to the House for breaching the expenses rules. Folks this is a slap on the wrist, a light slap at that, if it was you or me folks and this was welfare we would be up in Court, it would even mean prison time. But in the House of Commons if you fiddle your expenses you get thrown out for seven days, big punishment, both David Cameron and Nick Clegg have stated that they want Laws back in the Cabinet, this would be a big mistake, perhaps in a few yeas but not NOW, and not next year, this mild slap will not go down well with the voter.
Greeks Protests over Austerity
Has a picture article on the protests in Greece over the Austerity measures that the Greek Government have been forced to introduce to get money out of the EU. The political elites in Athens have to tell the TRUTH to the Greek people, if Greece does not want the pain of austerity it has get out of the Euro, the Euro is killing Greece. The Greek and Irish Government should return to their original currencies, default on the their Sovereign Debt and start afresh. The misery to get Euro to work for Athens and Dublin is to much of a price to keep the political elites happy, the politicians are looking to towards a lifeboat of job with the EU, while the people suffer, well the EU should be told to take running jump over a cliff, time to finish the Euro and return common sense to the markets, throwing good money after bad debt is a big mistake. Time for peaceful protest folks, PEACEFUL or the riot police are right to break up violet crowds, this is about preserving Democracy folks.
On the Bookshelf
At the moment folks having a great time reading, A View from the Foothills, The Diaries of Chris Mullin ( paperback ), they really take you in to the heart that was the political monster that was New Labour. What makes it interesting is that Mr Mullin is self aware, by his own ambition and how that can be the reverse of his political principals, how much he is a fan of Tony Blair, but considered from the left of the Party. Also for those interested in political history it is interesting to see how Labour MPs dealt with the Iraq War, how unreality of the House of Commons was not matched by the protests outside. On whole if your travelling in public transport and this blog does you can read the Diaries with a smile on your face, and thank God you didn’t vote for New Labour, even in 1997, could never quite understand why Labour and the UK become obsessed by Blair, to this blog he was always a small c Conservative but in Labour clothes, how that it left wing is beyond this blog. Well as the new Labour Leader has stated, the Party is now beyond New Labour, is beyond Old! Tony Blair must be glad he is in Israel.
Where are my Wednesday Posts = Blogger
Well Blogger is back folks, but all my blog posts from Wednesday are gone, this is not on, lucky I have a back up, so will print them again without the links. If this happens again this blog is off to another blog site. As this blog deals with current events it cant wait for Google to fix the problem. Thus Blogger is notice from this blog.
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