Foreign Office Fury Over Settlement of Guantánamo Uighurs in Bermuda
The tropical island of Bermuda is Britain's oldest remaining dependency. Photo courtesy of TimesOnline
TIMES ONLINE: The British Government responded with ill-disguised fury tonight to the news that four Chinese Uighurs freed from Guantanamo Bay had been flown for resettlement on the Atlantic tourist paradise of Bermuda.

The four arrived on Bermuda in the early hours, celebrating the end of seven years of detention after learning that they were to be accepted as guest workers.

But it appears that the Government of Bermuda failed to consult with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the decision to take in the Uighurs – whose return is demanded by Beijing – and it could now be forced to send them back to Cuba or risk a grave diplomatic crisis.

Bermuda, Britain's oldest remaining dependency, is one of 14 overseas territories that come under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, which retains direct responsibility for such matters as foreign policy and security.

"We've underlined to the Bermuda Government that they should have consulted with the United Kingdom as to whether this falls within their competence or is a security issue, for which the Bermuda Government do not have delegated responsibility," an FCO spokesman said. >>> Philippe Naughton | Thursday, June 11, 2009

Iraq War, the Crusades and the Damage to Britain, by David Miliband
David Miliband says the US-led invasion of Iraq has left a feeling of bitterness and resentment towards the West in the Muslim world. Photo courtesy of MailOnline
MAIL Online: David Miliband last night offered the most senior Government denouncement so far of the Iraq war.

In a strikingly self-critical speech, the Foreign Secretary admitted the invasion had damaged Britain's standing by leaving a legacy of 'bitterness, distrust and resentment' across the Muslim world.

Although he did not apologise for supporting the invasion of Iraq, he said that for centuries relations between Europe and the Islamic world had been characterised by 'conquest, conflict, and colonialism'.

Speaking to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, he said: 'Decisions taken many years ago in King Charles Street [the Foreign Office] are still felt on the landscape of the Middle East and South Asia.

'Ruined crusader castles remain as poignant monuments to the religious violence of the Middle Ages. Lines drawn on maps by colonial powers were succeeded, amongst other things, by the failure -it has to be said not just ours - to establish two states in Palestine.

'More recently, the invasion of Iraq, and its aftermath, aroused a sense of bitterness, distrust and resentment. When people hear about Britain, too often they think of these things.'

Mr Miliband stressed the importance of the UK seeking out common ground with Islamic countries, and called for 'more political activism and more diplomatic engagement' to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. >>> By Ian Drury | Friday, May 22, 2009

A Seemingly Less Than Happy Monarch: A Visit to a 15th Century Turkish Mosque
Photo of the Queen in Bursa, Turkey, visiting a mosque. The Islamic headscarf is most unbecoming for the Queen. She should stick to her pretty hats. Photo courtesy of the Daily Mail
One has to ask why the British government and Foreign Office have to subject Her Majesty to this indignity. On this trip, the Queen has had to sit through quranic recitations, the lot. Do we make members of the Turkish government sit through a Christian service in St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey when they come on a state visit to Britain? I think we all know the answer to that! - ©Mark

Watch video: The Queen Visits 15th Century Turkish Mosque >>>
BBC:
In Pictures: The Queen’s Visit to Turkey >>>

BBC:
The Queen as Puppet to the Foreign Office! The Foreign Office Wants Turkey in Europe; but the People Don’t! Where Do We Go from Here? >>>

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