Showing posts with label Blair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blair. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Shabby Politics and the Appeasing of a Monster

MAIL ONLINE: With Col Muammar Gaddafi’s troops turning their guns on their own people, reportedly causing hundreds of fatalities, it is clear that the Libyan dictator is nastier and more ruthless than any other Arab despot in the region. That is saying something.

Gaddafi has long been in a class of his own, once rivalled only by the now deceased Saddam Hussein of Iraq, whom it took a war to remove. Among many atrocities for which the Libyan leader has been responsible was the alleged massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners at Abu Salim prison in Tripoli in a single month in 1996.

The man is a monster, and mad and corrupt as well. Yet, starting in 2004, Labour set out to appease him and make deals with him. There was socialising with Gaddafi’s bizarre son, Saif al-Islam. Most serious of all, the last government worked to secure the early release of the ‘Lockerbie bomber’, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who had been convicted of murdering 270 people in 1988.

How on earth did this happen? How was it that a government which preached an ‘ethical foreign policy’ in 1997 – and which went to war against Saddam under the banner of democracy – ended up not just doing business with this tyrant but cutting sordid deals with him, and selling him water cannons and armoured cars which he is using against his own people? Read on and comment >>> Stephen Glover | Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Libyan Ultimatum

THE SUNDAY TIMES: Despite denials, talk persists of pressure and plots behind the freeing of the Lockerbie bomber

They are expecting a magnificent party in Tripoli a week on Tuesday when Libya marks the 40th year in power of Muammar Gadaffi and pays tribute to the deft diplomatic footwork of Saif al-Islam, his son.

The only man convicted for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 is finally home; and the suave, shaven-headed Saif, whose name means “sword of Islam”, is credited with a key role in making it happen.

An agreement struck long ago between Tony Blair and Gadaffi had threatened to fall apart with potentially catastrophic consequences for Britain: it has emerged that Libya threatened to freeze diplomatic relations if Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, said to be suffering from cancer, was not released under a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya.

In the end, he was freed by Scotland on “compassionate” grounds and escorted home to Tripoli by Saif, who thrust Megrahi’s hand into the air as they came down the steps of Gadaffi’s airliner to a hero’s welcome that has outraged the families of Lockerbie’s victims.

Yesterday the protests were undimmed, but the official responses were evasive — unsurprisingly, because behind Megrahi’s release lie weeks of intrigue between Westminster, Tripoli, Edinburgh and Washington.

Apart from the unfortunate Lockerbie families, everyone seems to have got what they wanted. Gadaffi and his son have their man. Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish justice secretary, who signed the release order, has burnished his humanitarian credentials. Gordon Brown has preserved Britain’s politically and economically valuable new relationship with Libya while avoiding any blame for the release. And American politicians have been able to bluster in protest while exercising none of their considerable clout to stop it happening.

The whole exercise reeks of realpolitik and moral evasion.

The reality is that Megrahi’s freedom is a product of the effort to bring Libya out of dangerous isolation. This is as much to America’s advantage as Britain’s, but Washington has too much baggage to be openly involved; it bombed Libya in 1986 in punishment for supporting terrorism, and Gadaffi remains a bogeyman to many Americans. So Britain takes the lead — except when it can devolve the dirty work onto a Scottish politician. >>> Matthew Campbell | Sunday, August 23, 2009

Friday, May 30, 2008

First It Was Blair, the Prime Minister, Doing Politics; Now It’s Blair, the ‘Man of Faith’, ‘Doing God’

Photobucket
Photo of Blair courtesy of the BBC

TIME: Blair, 'the Preacher', in Interview >>>

TIME:
Tony’s Leap of Faith >>> By Michael Elliott in Bethlehem | May 28, 2008

BBC:
Blair 'to Devote Life to Faith' >>> | May 29, 2008 [Hat tip to Pierre from Québec]

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback - UK)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardback - UK)

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Thursday, June 28, 2007

”Blair n'a ni indépendance, ni influence morale auprès des Arabes”

LE FIGARO: Son appui à la guerre américaine en Irak a plombé la réputation du nouvel envoyé spécial du Quartette.

« UN VA-T-EN GUERRE en Irak pour construire la paix israélo-palestinienne, c'est plutôt cocasse ! », réagissait hier un diplomate arabe, à l'annonce de la nomination de Tony Blair comme envoyé spécial du Quartette au Proche-Orient. Retardée par un mouvement d'humeur des Russes, la nomination de l'ex-premier ministre britannique a été confirmée hier par les États-Unis, la Russie, l'Europe et l'ONU. Sa mission consistera à aider le président palestinien Mahmoud Abbas à édifier les institutions indispensables à un futur État. Le monde arabe réservé sur la mission de Tony Blair au Proche-Orient (suivant) Par Georges Malbrunot

Mark Alexander

Friday, June 22, 2007

Blair outmanoeuvred

THE TELEGRAPH: European leaders were this evening close to agreement on a revamped constitution after France won a symbolic watering down of the EU's 50 year commitment to a free market economy.

Tony Blair, attending his last EU summit as Prime Minister, was forced into an embarrassing u-turn after being outmanoeuvred by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the removal of a commitment to "free and undistorted" competition in a list of the EU's defining objectives. Blair outmanoeuvred by Sarkozy on treaty (more) By Bruno Waterfield and George Jones in Brussels

Mark Alexander

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Tony Blair to Sign Britain Up to EU Human Rights Charter

THE SUNDAY TIMES: Tony Blair is preparing to cave in to pressure to sign up Britain to a sweeping new human rights charter.

The prime minister is ready to do a deal over the European charter of fundamental rights this week amid fears that plans for a treaty to replace the failed European Union constitution will collapse if he refuses to compromise.

However Downing Street is pessimistic about the general prospect of a successful outcome to the EU summit, starting in Brussels on Thursday.

The charter sets out a series of rights and privileges in areas from the workplace to benefits. As well as enshrining the right to strike, it allows all employees to limit their weekly working hours, a law that does not apply in Britain at present. Blair to do deal over EU charter (more) By Isabel Oakeshott and Nicola Smith

Mark Alexander

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Business Leaders Criticise Blair for Voicing Concerns Over Putin’s Russia

FINANCIAL TIMES: British business leaders have criticised the UK prime minister for expressing concerns over the investment climate in Russia even as Moscow steps up moves to take control of energy assets belonging to foreign companies.

At an investment forum in St Petersburg over the weekend, where dozens of global chief executives paid homage to Russia’s growing economic might, Hans Jörg Rudloff, the chairman of Barclays Capital, said the British government was mistaken when it expressed public concern last week over the growing risks of investing in Russia.

“Their approach looks unbalanced,” Mr Rudloff said. “Russia’s transition to a market economy has been successful and cannot be undone.” Blair criticised for voicing Russia fears (more) By Catherine Belton and Neil Buckley

Mark Alexander
Blair Attacks the ‘Feral’ Media

THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair hinted today at new restrictions to curb an increasing sensationalist media, while admitting that New Labour's obsession with "spin" had fuelled press cynicism.

In a farewell lecture on public life, he said the British media behaved like a "feral beast, just tearing people and reputations to bits".

He said senior figures in public life had become "totally demoralised" by the completely unbalanced nature of reporting.

The outgoing Prime Minister said relations had always been fraught, but now threatened politicians' "capacity to take the right decisions for the country''. Blair launches attack on UK media 'beast' By George Jones

Full text of Blair’s speech on politics and the media

Mark Alexander

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Blair to Make ‘Highly Significant’ Trip to Vatican Before Leaving Office

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: Tony Blair has discussed becoming a Roman Catholic deacon when he quits office.

The revelation comes as he prepares to meet the Pope amid speculation that he will use the audience in the Vatican to announce his conversion.

In his last foreign engagement, just days before he leaves Downing Street for the final time, the Prime Minister will visit Pope Benedict XVI in what officials say will be a "highly significant" personal mission. Blair ‘may become a Catholic deacon’ (more) By Jonathan Oliver and Martin Delgado

Mark Alexander
“Mr Blair's last act of dictatorial hubris”

TELEGRAPH LEADER: For the past two elections, Labour's manifesto has been admirably clear on the issue of a constitution for the European Union: "We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign whole-heartedly for a Yes vote."

Tony Blair's final act as Prime Minister is likely to be to break that commitment. As we report today, he will sign the new European constitution just before he leaves 10 Downing Street. There will be no referendum. His signature alone will be enough to bind the United Kingdom in perpetuity to the constitution's strictures.

Mr Blair will justify this blatant perfidy by claiming that the document is not a constitution: it is just a "treaty". This is utterly false, as he and his Cabinet know very well. Britain must vote on this 'treaty' (more)

Mark Alexander

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Icy Times Ahead with Russia

TIMESONLINE: Tony Blair told Vladimir Putin yesterday that the world was becoming more and more afraid of Russia’s behaviour at home and abroad.

And as he left his last G8 summit in Germany Mr Blair predicted a lengthy period of deep freeze in relations between Russia and the West.

The two men, who have been sparring with each other from a distance for weeks, had a tense, hour-long encounter in the Caroline Room at the Kempinski Grand Hotel. Mr Blair emerged alone, a fixed smile on his face.

But when he spoke to reporters later at Rostock airport shortly before flying home he did not attempt to disguise that it had been a hard encounter or that he had been frustrated by the outcome. Blair talks of ‘deep freeze’ after tense encounter with Putin (more) By Philip Webster and David Charter

THE GUARDIAN:
West ‘fearful’ of Russia, says exasperated Blair

THE DAILY MAIL:
'We fear your slide into dictatorship', Blair warns Putin

Mark Alexander

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The Spectre of a New Cold War

THE DAILY MAIL: Leader - Less than 20 years after the Berlin Wall came down, the menacing spectre of the Cold War looms once again over Europe.

At the start of an eight-day European tour, a swaggering George Bush talks up his plans to build a futuristic anti-missile defence shield in Russia's backyard.

Meanwhile, an intransigent Vladimir Putin warns he may take 'retaliatory steps', including aiming Russian nuclear weapons at targets in the West. Is this the start of a new Cold War (more)

DAILY MAIL:
A blundering Bush, Tsar Putin, and the question: will we, in this century, have to fight Russia? By Max Hastings

Mark Alexander

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Carter “disappointed” by Blair’s Failure to Use His Influence with Bush More Wisely

BBC: Former US President Jimmy Carter has criticised outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his "blind" support of the war in Iraq. Carter attacks Blair’s Iraq role (more)

BBC:
Blair makes surprise Iraq visit

Mark Alexander

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Endemic Corruption at the Top in Business and Politics, and the Unfairness of the System

Never in the history of the world has so much been earned by so few; and never in the history of the world has there been so much corruption.

Nowadays, we hear about corruption at the top all the time; indeed, almost on a daily basis, we hear some new titbit about the goings on of this CEO or that, or this politician or that. Political appointments are handed out based on nepotism and cronyism. Fat salaries are paid to people who have little experience, and sometimes even little understanding, of the positions to which they have been appointed.

We hear about this sort of thing all the time: one day it’s the slush fund that BAE is alleged to have set up, the next, it’s the enormous salary raise awarded to one’s fancy woman, yet another, we hear about the extraordinarily extravagant lifestyle of the gay head of Head of British Petroleum (BP), Lord John Browne, the socialist peer, who, it has been alleged, ran that oil company as though it had been his private enterprise, and who financed an extravagant gay lifestyle beyond any normal person’s wildest dreams: private jets to take the gay couple to the place or country of their whim and choosing; three-thousand-pound bottles of claret for lunches; trips to the Salzburg festivals; and so on and so forth. All, of course, on company expenses. Lord John Browne took the term ’gay lifestyle’ and gave it its full meaning! Pity he didn’t think of giving the term its full meaning out of his own pocket. Indeed, so gay was his lifestyle that his gay French-Canadian lover, Jeff Chevalier, couldn’t keep up with Lord Browne and is said to have had to go into therapy!

The evidence coming to light about the goings on at the World Bank apropos of the shenanigans of Paul Wolfowitz paints a depressing picture of corruption at the very top, in places one would hope would be corruption-free. Fat salary increases to one’s bed partner should surely be left to one's colleagues to decide; further, where such vested interests lie, they should be handed out by those other people on the basis of merit, and merit alone.

Then we have all those millions which are said to have been laundered in Switzerland to pay members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia in return for contracts and extensions of contracts pertaining to the Al-Yamamah contract which Mrs Thatcher initiated many years ago. It was a very large contract even then; now it is colossal. Funny that the name of the contract - Al-Yamamah- has such a whiter than white name; for in Arabic, the name means ‘the dove’. Doves, as we all know, have such a pure, often white, connotation. There seems to be little white and pure about the goings on behind the scenes between BAE and the Saudi government. Anyone would think that those already fabulously wealthy Saudi princes needed even more money!

The funny thing is that there are hundreds and hundreds (maybe even thousands and thousands) of ex-employees of BAE who have been treated shabbily. BAE is famous for its bad treatment of any employee who happens to fall foul of their autocratic management style. How many innocent ex-employees of BAE have had their careers washed up because of BAE, I wonder? How many lives has BAE destroyed? How many sacrificial lambs have there been since the inception of this so-called Al-Yamamah contract? One can only hazard a guess.

Then we have the Bush-Saudi connection. The relationship between these two parties seems most unhealthy to me and to many I know. Bush keeps harping on about terrorism and the need to win the war against it. Have you noticed, though, that he avoids calling that same terrorism by its proper name: Islamic terrorism? One can only wonder why.

The sad thing about the ‘war on terror’ is that Bush is all for beating it on the one hand, but on the other is allowing the Saudis to pump untold millions, nay billions, into the US to finance the propagation of Wahhabi Islam, known to be the most pernicious brand of Islam around. On this score, Bush speaks with bifurcated tongue. So Islam-friendly have his policies been over the time he has been in office that Islam has grown in the States like never before. Doesn’t the president realise that Islam is out to destroy the US constitution? Does he not realise that Islam and democracy are totally and utterly incompatible? Does he not realise that Islam is as much a political system as it is a religious one? Can Mr Bush really be that naïve? Or is there something else going on behind the scenes which we, the ordinary people, just don’t get to hear about?

Then we have the vast inequalities of wealth created here in the United Kingdom by no less than a so-called socialist government under Tony Blair’s watch. It has recently been reported that the top echelons of society have seen their riches increase threefold in the past decade! And they call that socialism! That’s ‘Champagne socialism’ if ever I saw it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am no friend of socialism. Socialism is one of the worst forms of government ever dreamed up by any political thinkers. But nor am I in favour of a form of unbridled capitalism which treats people unfairly. It cannot be right for foreigners to be allowed to come to this country and not be taxed on their earnings from abroad, when ordinary people, you the voters, have to be taxed on any small amount of money you might be able to earn from that self-same source.

In London, there are many who have to slave away for a full week for as little as £400, and often less, whereas there are the fat cats who earn upwards of £46,000 in that very same week!

If the corruption I have referred to is allowed to continue, then we should not be surprised if one of these days the people will turn on the people who govern them. Nor should we be surprised if the pendulum will swing in the favour of socialism in the years to come. Even the very best of parties come to an end, sometime. Our politicians should be aware that people’s tolerance is not infinite. It used to be said that poverty was the breeding ground of communism. In those days, they were speaking of absolute poverty, of course. But I should like to add that relative poverty could also one day become the breeding ground of communism. We should all be aware that this is a distinct possibility. Fairness still counts for something. No sensible person wants to live in a political system that treats the rich differently from the poor. Any country that legislates so much in favour of the rich at the expense of the poor is heading for political turmoil. Those odious systems of government – socialism and communism – are not dead; they are simply lying dormant. And in some countries, most notably in Venezuela, we can see extreme socialism beginning to raise its ugly head even as I write this.

Capitalism is by far the best political system around; though it is far from perfect. The greatest weakness in capitalism is that it plays to man’s greedy nature. In years gone by, this wasn’t such a problem, since in years gone by, the influence of the Church and Christianity were far greater: they acted as a counterbalance to man’s greed, and checked people’s lack of principle, thereby keeping corruption, nepotism, and cronyism in check. Alas, in today’s increasingly secular world, there are few such checks and balances. The Western capitalist world has become a ‘free for all’: you take what you can, when you can.

Corruption, nepotism, cronyism, unbridled greed – these are the sad realities of life in the twenty-first century.

©Mark Alexander