No, I wouldn't dream of wasting money on the Blair autobio (it looks about as exciting as Ricky Ponting's annual Captain's Diary). I'm reading a much more enjoyable book at present: Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader - North Korea and the Kim Dynasty. And a Jughead Double Digest I found in a bin.
You can not send a country to war based on your requirement to lick a Foreign governments arse, debt & a ridiculous profound thought that we owe them a war.
My son is a soldier & I support him & the armed forces rigorously & without prejudice.
I have every right to my views on anything. My view on the Afghanistan war is different. We were told a load of bollox. We were on a need to know basis & for war this is not acceptable. I live in Britain not America. I do not want to be part of a country that feels we owe so much to America that we must walk forever with our noses up its arse & our hands in our pockets. Our troops deserve the truth of the war in which they fight & the British Citizens deserve the right to truth & integrity.
In a nutshell we would never have gone to war if we knew what we do now. That is a fact.
Do you honestly believe that the government only went to war to lick arse??
No of course not but it was probably a small factor.
We went to war for America. We lied to be on side with them.
Anyway it is done. F**k it I can not be arsed to argue it out. Not without wine & swords anyhoo. 
Quote: Will Cam @ September 7 2010, 2:59 PM BSTI am hardly ever serious but...
We have the greatest democracy in the world (sorry Dabutt, that includes the USA).
In a democracy the government is voted into power by the people
The elected government make decisions on behalf of the people (without having to carry out a straw poll each time)
The Blair Government decided to go to war
24hr news channels have 24hours of TV space to fill
As it was such a one-sided war, the media, unlike previous wars, had to fill the remaining 23hours 55 minutes with something else to appease the advertisers
Anti-coalition media coverage is easier to report on as democratic countries readily accede to requests from the media for information that can be readily used against them
The negative publicity of these 'self-inflicted' criticisms feeds further anti-British sentiment both home and abroad which is exploited by our detractors abroad and our detractors and misinformed within
While our armed forces bravely fight on behalf of us (elected Government - decisions on our behalf - so it is for us) we should fully support them. If that means keeping our collective traps shut until we can elect another government on an anti-war ticket, maybe we should just do that. If we can't vote an anti-war government into power it is because the majority of the population support action when it is needed. If you happen to be in the minority - tough titty. That's how a democracy works.
Calls for Tony Blair to be indicted for war crimes are ridiculous (for the record I am blue not red).
Ok this is just silly. Democracies are not elected dictatorship, when they work they are vibrant cocktails of; the courts, diferent bodies of elected leaders, a titular head and sometimes a monarch (in cases like France or Israel) essentially an elected one. This only works when the press (not called the 4th estate for nothing) tells people what they think is going on.
Voting in governments is absolutely the smallest and most recent part of government.(And in effect little more than a veto applied to the departing administration).
Boycotts, protest and plain old throwing lumps of shit at people is way, way older. The idea that some smug professional gets the keys to the kingdom and then can do what he likes sickens me.
The war was a shameful, stupid waste of time. You can see it's ripples in how in Iran democratic protestors were viewed with terror by all sides of society. Or how an ever increasing amount of Pakistan is turning into an Islamic version of Mad Max.
I think it is beyond cynical to expect the army to revolt or criticise a government they have sworn an oath to uphold. But it is our duty as engaged citizens to yell bollocks very, very loudly.
Well Sootyj , we will all have our own opinions about what a democracy is and what it should deliver. The politically apathetic amongst us probably have an easier time letting the elected government get on with it.
I am in the apathetic elite so have an easy ride.
Charley - I hope your son stays safe.
I think I will just drag my apathetic carcass back to the lighter threads where I belong.
Can I join you Will? Let's make unfounded claims about each other. It's a bit too intelligent for me in here.
Can I join you Will? Let's make unfounded claims about each other. It's a bit too intelligent for me in here.
nat has a stutter
Quote: Will Cam @ September 7 2010, 10:43 PM BSTCharley - I hope your son stays safe.
Fankoo my lovely.
Quote: Will Cam @ September 7 2010, 3:25 PM BSTDo you honestly believe that the government only went to war to lick arse??
The Australian government backed/joined the 'invade Iraq war' seemingly for the sake of licking America's arse - as Australia wants to know it can rely on military help from Uncle Sam in the highly unlikely event that some uppity Asian countries ever decide to invade Australia.
Check out waht happened to Georgia, they sent over a fairly substantial force.
Then Russia invaded. US did naff all and they shuffled off back home to unsuccesfully fight the Bear.
So much for supporting friends. I will advise the Australian government to avoid involvement in future American wars.
when you see them down the pub tonight?
Quote: sootyj @ September 9 2010, 12:12 PM BSTwhen you see them down the pub tonight?
Yes, they're still celebrating a quasi re-election.