Friday, May 05, 2006

Tony no longer in awe of Straw
The key to the demotion of Jack Straw from foreign secretary is Iran. Mr Straw for more than a year, in his favourite outlet the BBC Today programme or at various press conferences, said repeatedly a military strike on Iran was inconceivable.

Politicians always try to avoid boxing themselves in, but Straw did on this issue: if a military strike had become a serious option, he would have been forced to resign. Iran is the key to Jack Straw's demotion
Mark Alexander

11 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Could this have anything to do with an upcoming strike on Iran? I know that I'm just asking you for a guess or a hunch.

Porter Goss, head of the CIA, is on his way out. I have no idea as to why. But it seems to be a sudden and unexpected move.

Mark said...

Always:

Could this have anything to do with an upcoming strike on Iran?

Well, of course, it could. But I think it more likely that he spoke out of turn on a most sensitive subject. Tony Blair - rightly in this instance - didn't want his hands to be tied. And in any case, Straw was pretty darn stupid to rule out the military option up front. That's like playing cards and telling your opponents that you have not been dealt any aces! How stupid would that be?

cybercrusader said...

It is such a relief to have Jack Straw out of the Blair cabinet. Let's hope we don't get someone worse!

Mark said...

US Iconoclastic Patriot:

We already know who his successor is: Margaret Beckett, the hitherto Environment Secretary.

She is, by the way, the first female Foreign Secretary.

I'm not holding out too many hopes. Some say she hasn't been too successful even as Environment Secretary!

Mark said...

For those who would like to read a good article in French, this from Le Figaro, Douche froide pour Tony Blair (Cold Shower for Tony Blair)

Always On Watch said...

Mark,
Thanks for clarifying that point. I confess my ignorance as to the politics of the UK.

Mark said...

Always:

You're always welcome! :-)

Political activity is often difficult to see through. British politics is no different in this regard from politics everywhere else.

I can only say what I believe to be true, and what I have read. I am not privy to anything else.

Mark said...

By the way, Always, one has to think quite hard sometimes, especially with Tony Blair at the helm, since he has employed so many 'spin doctors' to cover up for him.

Mark said...

Yes, Emily, Bld always makes very useful and insightful points; and is not afraid to speak his mind which, of course, is wonderfully refreshing in today's PC, multi-culti world.

I always enjoy reading Bld's comments.

Mark said...

Mussolini:

Iran isn't going to be leaned on. They'll develop what they consider the Super-Allah-Winner-Bomb no matter how many of their own people they lose in the process.

I'm afraid your dead right on that. We could call it a SAWB then! You've come up with something good, there, Mussolini.

It's a matter of faith for them, not reason.

You're right on that one, too. What's going to happen to the world, I wonder?

You know we used to worry about the Russians during 'The Cold War'. But we needn't have worried so much because the Russians are very cerebral people: cool and rational and intellectual.

This could be called 'The Emotional War', since we are dealing with irrational, hot-blooded, hot-headed people - people for whom the emotions reign supreme.

PS: You heard that (i.e. the term 'The Emotional War') first HERE! :-)

Mark said...

Bld:

Don't worry about your "mixed metaphors"; just keep posting your insights! It's always good to read your comments, even if they are replete with mixed metaphors. Those are your words, by the way, not mine! :-)