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View Full Version : Extremists v Chatter v Spin


MaroonMan4
18th Jan 2006, 07:40
How very clever indeed! I do take my hat off to the Prime Ministers Spin Doctors/PR team.

I went to bed last night with Radio 4 headlines of US NATO Sec declaring that Britain would have to put more emphasis on Counter Terrorism in Afghanistan as the Dutch were 'wobbling'. The report backed up the claims in the Daily Telegraph that the Dutch were 'wobbling' due to the threat to their troops.

It was an anticipated that 4000 troops would have to be deployed to under take the ISAF task that will be taken over by the UK led ARRC in May.

4000 (increase of 1000 on initial press reports in Nov/Dec 05) troops being deployed on Ops in Afghanistan, how many in Iraq? How many left. And both are not Operationally benign theatres.

That was at 2300 last night - something I thought that the British public would be interested in and possibly concerned about as yet again Her Majesties' forces are deployed from UK shores that may see numerous body bags return to Brize Norton (I think some experts are equating to a possible Falklands size death toll).

But oh no - at 0600, Radio 4 eports that the police have uncovered 'chattering' in an 'extemist faction' of fathers4justice with a 'desire' to kidnap the Prime Ministers 5 year old son.

Please, please do not get me wrong - the kidnap of anybody, let alone a child is wrong, but without Govt or Police coment on the SUN report this has conviently stolen the limelight away from the potential deployment of 4000 UK troops into an area of Afghanistan that has not seen any coalition activity in at all, but is one of the major Afghan poppy growing areas of the world.

So this one will just again slip under the publics awareness or 'give a sh1t ometer until the first body bag does come back to UK, then it will be too late as they will already be there (just as in Iraq today) and Britain will be 'fighting' on 2 fronts.

But then again, I may be wrong and perhaps a possible 'chatter' about a 'unconfirmed' plan to kidnap the Prime Ministers 5 yr old son is more news worthy than the potential deployment of 4000 UK troops?

pr00ne
18th Jan 2006, 10:09
MaroonMan4,

"But then again, I may be wrong and perhaps a possible 'chatter' about a 'unconfirmed' plan to kidnap the Prime Ministers 5 yr old son is more news worthy than the potential deployment of 4000 UK troops?"

Well OF course it is! Imagine you are the Editor or News Editor of a UK newspaper, now, which headline do YOU think will persuade more punters to buy your rag?

1. Possible deployment of 4000 UK troops to Afghanistan. (A story that has been running for months anyway)

or

2. Plot to kidnap Prime Ministers son.

Come on! it's not excactly rocket science is it?????????????????????

sooms
18th Jan 2006, 11:59
Blatantly obvious which story they'll go for I would say. I don't really think the British public really care much any more about either Iraq or Afganistan, unless of course there's a family involvement.
Slightly off thread- Our AT fleet is struggling to support our existing deployment. How on earth are we going to deploy and sustain 4000 extra troops another 1000 miles further than Iraq?

FrogPrince
18th Jan 2006, 12:16
But sure, Dr John et al are already away with the pixies, presumably asking CAS Pixie Air Force if we can make use of their AT and SH assets.... it's a good job that PIRA, INLA, UVF, LVF etc. have all packed in and are now doing charitable work, otherwise we'd be completely up the creek.

P.S. As I'm among friends, I wonder if I could tell you my hush hush plans to kidnap No.10's moggy. Oh no, I can hear the blues and twos already !

huge forkbender
18th Jan 2006, 12:36
I wonder if I could tell you my hush hush plans to kidnap No.10's moggy

Now you leave Cherie's pussy alone!!

charliegolf
18th Jan 2006, 12:39
Liam Fox on PM yesterday "every serviceman I speak to tells me that they are overstretched " etc; and when will the Govt do something etc.

Can't wait for the Tory plan to get us back up to a real strength. Opposition talk is cheap- what do prooners think they'll do if elected?

CG
(Hater of all politicians, without exception)

(Having reflected on the above, and conceding that hate is a strong emotion, I still hate 'em)