Gordon Brown likens troops in Afghanistan to "Olympic winners"

[NutLoose]

According to sky news.....What a prat...... Suprised they didn't do the Country a big favour after hearing him speak.

[spheroid]

"This week we are celebrating the Olympics where we have had great success,"
he said.
"But this week also I believe that our Olympic athletes and everybody else in our country will remember that you have showed exactly the same courage, professionalism and dedication.
"You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year. You are truly the heroes of our country."



Sounds pretty good to me. Thanks Gordon, your comments are very much appreciated.

[knowitall]

"But this week also I believe that our Olympic athletes and everybody else in our country will remember that you have showed exactly the same courage, professionalism and dedication."

yes Gordon so how about like with the Athletes you now stump up the cash required to do the job properly

[pma 32dd]

Perhaps PR09 decisions could be financed with a lottery scratchcard

:)

[asiaseen]

WTF is courageous about taking part in the Olympics?

[NutLoose]

Precisely......:mad:

[asiaseen]

The more I think about Brown's remarks the more I consider them a gratuitous insult to the military. War - oh, it's just another track & field event!

[maxburner]

I'm sure Gordon meant well, but he really should keep his mouth shut: every time he opens his mouth he sticks his foot in it.:hmm:

[Archimedes]

Agreed - it's amazing how he blunders from one c*ck up to another with such ease these days. I'm no fan of the PM, but I think, on this occasion, his sentiment was probably well-meant, with the:

"You are truly the heroes the heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today"

actually being his main point, and an attempt to suggest that the application of the epithet 'hero' to the Olympics sportsmen and women from certain quarters of the press is wrong (i.e. 'you, the forces, are the real heroes, not our athletes'). However, having got into this analogy, he didn't want to appear dismissive of the Olympic athletes, so made his 'same levels' comparison, thus appearing dismissive of the efforts in Afghanistan (and Iraq, for that matter).

All he needed was something along the lines of 'while our superb Olympics team have been called heroic by some in the media, I would ask people to remember that you, our troops, are the true heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today', but no...

[brakedwell]

The prat only visited Afghanistan to bolster his own image.

[Oggin Aviator]

I'm sure Gordon meant well, but he really should keep his mouth shut: every time he opens his mouth he sticks his foot in it.
Does he secretly have a very bendy leg then :O ......

But agree - mistimed quote, yet again.

I actually heard they were going to channel some of the billions set aside for London 2012 into the Defence Budget ............ or was it the other way round :ugh:

[Utrinque Apparatus]

The Taliban think he's too dour. If anything gives succour to the enemy, it's actually seeing our illustrious "leader" in inaction.

After the Ariana hijacker fiasco and immigration cockups maybe his cunning plan is to make them all British citizens though, is that it Gordon ?

He's going to get on with the job and win the next election though. Wonder which one is his priority ? Leering, useless Tw@t that he is.

[Wensleydale]

The PM needs to follow the example of the most successful part of Team GB. Its about time he got on his bike....

[charliegolf]

Had it been:

"Brown pledges £10 billion more for defence next year."

Most of you would still call him a ******. Whatever his failings, he just went and said well done and thanks. Wankers not allowed to these days?

CG

[airborne_artist]

The PM needs to follow the example of the most successful part of Team GB. Its about time he got on his bike....

or he could emulate the second most successful team, and sail off into the sunset. :ok:

[dessert_flyer]

words are cheap, how about stumping up some cash for decent equipment to enable the guys and gals to get in and out of theatre on time?? NO, I didnt think so

[brakedwell]

words are cheap, how about stumping up some cash for decent equipment to enable the guys and gals to get in and out of theatre on time?? NO, I didnt think so

Brooon has squandered all the money. The coffers are empty. The country is broke.

[advocatusDIABOLI]

I'm sure it was all well intentioned, but the fact is: This government has done more to unite the armed forces than most in recent history.

Although, it's worth mentioning, that we are almost 'to a man' united by a common enemy! :rolleyes:

Makes them great leaders, doesn't it?......... now where's that coat? (or 'Jacket' for our Welsh friends)

Regards,

Advo

[mymatetcm]

with a k at his disposal and a j spare sat on the pan just in case, great use of assetts, why couldnt the looser get on the airbridge like everyone else.

[reynoldsno1]

.... and not a ripple of even polite appause from his spellbound audience, apparently - the silence must have been deafening....:ok:

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

"with a k at his disposal and a j spare sat on the pan just in case"

Guess he was not in a rush then.............:E

[CirrusF]

.... and not a ripple of even polite appause from his spellbound audience, apparently - the silence must have been deafening....http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


And he was probably thinking to himself that he wished his audience was back home too, with their families, so they would not be getting needlessly killed and maimed and so that the money wasted on yet more killing could be spent on higher priorities not only in UK but in the development of Afghanistan. Remember he inherited from his predecessor one entirely contrived war in Iraq, and another war against the Taliban in Afghanistan largely fuelled by justified bitterness in the Islamic world at the reckless disdain for the plight of Palestinians for the last seventy odd years.

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

"And he was probably thinking to himself that he wished his audience was back home too, with their families, so they would not be getting needlessly killed and maimed and so that the money wasted on yet more killing could be spent on higher priorities not only in UK but in the development of Afghanistan. Remember he inherited from his predecessor one entirely contrived war in Iraq, and another war against the Taliban in Afghanistan largely fuelled by justified bitterness in the Islamic world at the reckless disdain for the plight of Palestinians for the last seventy odd years."

Did I miss something over the last few years but was not "Broon" Bliars chancellor and right hand man.......................:confused:

[CirrusF]

Did I miss something over the last few years but was not "Broon" Bliars chancellor and right hand man.......................http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/confused.gif


Yes, he was his Chancellor but no henchman. He was probably nearest we had to a leader of the opposition over Iraq debacle. I don't think Brown ever privately supported the Iraq invasion or the Afghanistan invasion. He was closer to the late Robin Cooke on foreign policy, believing that the key to the ME instabilty was to urge Israel to accept peace terms. I suspect if Brown had won the leadership in 94 we would have had neither Telic or Herrick, because he would have been obstinate enough to stand up to the neo-cons, and without us giving them a figleaf to legality, the US probably would not have dared go it alone.

[Wensleydale]

If Brown was so anti Blair's foreign policy then why didn't he resign? Or does it have something to do with personal ambition hanging onto Tony's coat tails? Either way, the man is indefensible and should he have a scrap of honour left then he should know the correct thing to do.

[nigegilb]

Cirrus, Brown was shouting about withdrawing from Iraq just a few weeks ago, then a quick visit from POTUS and he screws the nut, like a good little poodle MK2. The day before war broke out in Georgia, there was an attempted vote at UNSC, the vote would have called for a ceasefire between Georgia and Russian peacekeepers. Guess what? US and UK made it clear that they would use their right of veto and as a result the vote never happened and war broke out between Russia and Georgia the next day. The minutes remained confidential last time I checked but what does it say about our moral authority in the world? And were we just going along with America's flawed view of the situation?

If you think Brown is not US poodle MK2 you are sadly mistaken. Politicians like Brown and spineless Milliband preferred to play games and as a result many people are now dead.

[Gordon Brown]

It's not for me to comment...

[brakedwell]

It's not for me to comment...

Stop sulking Mr Broooon

[Archimedes]

The irony, of course, is that had Brown (not our correspondent above, of course) resigned in 2003 and said that he considered the Iraq war to be dangerous/unprinicipled/immoral/amoral/wrong/all of the above, he could very well have ended up as PM by January 2004.

There was significant opposition to Blair in the party (from those who had never reconciled themselves to the concept of New Labour, those who were Brownites anyway and those opposed to the idea of war in Iraq) who would have created a considerable tranche of would-be Brown voters in a leadership election.

The mere threat from Brown of 'go to war and I go' would have created serious difficulties for Blair, which might well have led to him taking a very different direction - there would have been an alternative leadership in waiting with Brown and Cook, and if Blair went against the will of the majority, small though that majority may have been of his party, then we'd have had no talk of Brown potentially being a PM who'd never won an election (or things would have gone just as wrong for him as they have now, and horribly quickly - so we'd have Michael Howard in No.10!)

[Avitor]

Politics apart, the bloke has the personality of a garden slug.

[Doctor Cruces]

What a complete :mad: this bloke is.

I don't recall anyone actually shooting at our cyclists to make them peddle faster. Neither do I recall anyone actually planting IEDs by the side of the running track to encourage our sprinters.

So, next time one of my family goes to 'stan, does that mean Gordo will present them with a gold medal on return? I thought not.

It beggars belief....well actually it doesn't which is more worrying.

Outrageous.:ugh::ugh::ugh::mad::mad:

Doc C

[airborne_artist]

So, next time one of my family goes to 'stan, does that mean Gordo will present them with a gold medal on return?

Nor will they get an open-topped bus tour of London followed by tea and cake with Betty.

[brakedwell]

Nor will they get an open-topped bus tour of London followed by tea and cake with Betty.

Followed by an MBE/OBE/CBE. (Tick appropriate box)

[Roland Pulfrew]

Chaps, chaps,

Can we not just revel in the fact that our Olympians are (currently) beating the Aussies in the medals table (Golds AND total numbers :ok:) rather than beating ourselves up over whether or not Brooon and Brooone have any morals. Actually we are also beating the Germans, Russians and, most importantly, the French. ;)

As for Broon in the 'Stan, did his PR people not tell him he was going to look a bit stupid in a tie, in 40 degree heat and that black suit trousers and white shirt in the desert might make him look a little........ well out of place. Or was that the idea:E

[brakedwell]

As for Broon in the 'Stan, did his PR people not tell him he was going to look a bit stupid in a tie, in 40 degree heat and that black suit trousers and white shirt in the desert might make him look a little........ well out of place. Or was that the idea

Or like a prat?

[airborne_artist]

PS Brown has spent the money on schools, hospitals and a shed load of other good things, so stick that upCorrection - Brown has spent a lot of our money, and some of it has gone on schools and hospitals, but by no means all of it.

Much has been wasted on hiring huge numbers of civil servants who do nothing to add value to the economy, and whose pensions will be paid for by our children.

Despite massive increases in budgets, true academic results plateaued some time ago, and still the NHS is in a state of chaos, with pretty poor outcomes for many patients compared to similar countries.

At the same time, and particularly while Chancellor, Brown has a shown a thinly disguised abhorrence of Defence, and ensured some very tight budget rounds. It's one thing to be tough on your defence spending in peacetime, but we've had war on at least one front for the last seven years, and the lack of expenditure in some key areas has almost certainly cost lives.

[nigegilb]

My favourite Gordon Brown phrase, "the end of boom and bust". Nice one....

[engineer(retard)]

Was it not a pound spent on boom is a pound wasted, or have I got that wrong?

[foldingwings]

You sure he didn't drop off there as part of his 2-centre holiday with his wife en route to China this weekend? Perhaps this was the only way he could get her there without the taxpayer having to pay for her trip!

Bollocks! I promised myself I would stop being a cynic when I retired!

Foldy

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

"NB to anyone who gives a toss -most offended Ive ever been by a politos comment was when the then PM described our mineworkers as "the enemy within". That still offends me now,24 years later."

Not sure why it offends as it was spot on. When you look back at what Scargill and the like tried to do to this country, well I for one think we are well shot :p

[Wensleydale]

Where has the money gone? The results speak for themselves....

Educashun, Educashun, Educashun.

[TiffyFGR4]

If Gordon praises our country, armed forces & athletes etc, he's a prat. If he doesn't praise our country, armed forces & athletes etc, he's a prat. Yes, he is a prat, (Well I'd say he's more of a C*nt, like alot of people are, but there you go) and yes of course he could do things better, but c'mon, give the guy some slack FFS! At least he got off his arse & visited them & praised them. Like me, you probably voted the guy in to be our prime minister, and like me, you've probably got yourselves to blame becuase he's in power. Think about it. Really, try it, it's not that hard, but I suppose some people aren't happy with anything.

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

"Like me, you probably voted the guy in to be our prime minister, and like me, you've probably got yourselves to blame becuase he's in power. Think about it. Really, try it, it's not that hard, but I suppose some people aren't happy with anything."

Who the **** voted him in and secondly know your audience you gargler of man fluid :rolleyes:

[Strobin Purple]

Tiffy

Please don't judge all here by your own poor electoral choices.

That any (UK contributors) on here, a military aviation site, could possibly support this corrupt, amoral, culpably negligent (remember that phrase Gents?) Govt, let alone the 2 x Broones, staggers me and reminds me of the phrase that we deserve our politicians.

This Govt has been so keen to press the crusade of 'Corporate Manslaughter' for CEOs of large companies (fat cats the Marxists call them), I wait with bated breath to do the same for our incompetent and morally bankrupt 'leaders'. I would happily, and heftily, donate to a class action against the Govt, on behalf of some of the families of our honoured war dead, needlessly sacrificed to the altar of gordon's (sorry, I just can't capitalise his name) prejudice and supposed 'prudence', just to see the hideous, incompetent, lying, weak, worthless, stupid, incompetent, power-grabbing, hypocritical idiot be impeached and made to answer some awkward questions over his funding calls made as Chancellor up until 07. And then, like all traitors, hung by the neck near Marble Arch for crimes against humanity with Bliar and Browne swinging gently next to him...ooh and Mandelson. Harman, Blears, Buffoon, Prescott (obviously), Galloway (gallows, geddit?), Hewitt, Balls(****), his mrs, that Glaswegian Speaker of the House, the cabinet, Blunkett, dig up the dead ex Home Sec ginger gnome and do him, ....you get my drift.

God I hate them....

[Archimedes]

I take it you won't be voting Labour at the next election, then, Strobin?

Tiffy - unless you are a member of the Labour party with voting rights, you won't have voted for Brown as PM. Even taking the view that the PM's words were well-intentioned, you have to admit that the inference that the delightful Rebecca Adlington displayed the same heroism as someone riding top cover on a route prone to IED attacks was crass.

Had the PM said something to the effect that people needed to remember that the word 'hero' was over-used and not made some populist attempt to link with the Olympics, the response, even on here would have been somewhat less hostile. However, Brown's observations in years gone by have created an understandable suspicion that his words of praise are hollow.

[TiffyFGR4]

Strobin Purple,

Don't worry, I'm not judging 'Everyone' on here. Should've explained a little better, didn't mean to p*ss anyone off.

[ORAC]

If British Soldiers are Like "Olympic Heroes", Why Doesn't Brown Meet them When they Return Home? (http://www.order-order.com/2008/08/if-british-soldiers-are-like-olympic.html)

[Wensleydale]

Allegedly, Brown greeted every Olympic winning athlete to personally advise them of the amount of duty they needed to pay to HMC and R once inside the terminal. I imagine that the import rate for precious and semi-precious metals (the total weight of our medals was reportedly 45lbs) is quite significant. This explains his cheesy smile during the whole arrival event.

The PM does not have this option for returning soldiers and therefore he doesn't turn up at Brize......

QED.

[cazatou]

Wensleydale

That was a crass and ill informed slur on our Prime Minister.

Mr Brown will know to the last ounce what members of HM Forces are allowed to bring into the Country when returning from Active Service. Apart from formulating new rules for returning Personnel (coupled with reductions in remuneration) so as to reduce the amount of "lost" revenue; he will doubtless insist that the Armed Forces should no longer be exempt from "Air Passenger Duty" and the Armed Forces should be liable for VAT on Fuel etc.

Moreover, those Personnel whose Families are resident in Publicly Owned Accommodation are obviously not fulfilling their duties in respect of maintaining their Accommodation to a suitable standard whilst absent on Active Service and should, therefore, be liable ( because of their absence) to a surcharge of some 50% (plus VAT).

Whilst aviation fuel may be supplied at Public expense for operational purposes - Air Passenger Duty will be payable in respect of all those carried on board HM Aircraft irrespective of duties they may be required (for safety or other reasons) to perform.

In addition, although Service Personnel pay National Insurance, it would be unreasonable for them to expect HMG to bear the cost of medical treatment and repatriation in the event of injury in the course of their "employment" overseas. HMG will, therefore, sponser an insurance scheme (which will be mandatory for all personnel) which will cover all exigencies for a mere 25% of basic Salary(before tax and NI).

I'm sure I have forgotten something here - any further suggestions?

[NutLoose]

Brown always reminds me of the colour of the odious, obnoxious item I have stept in once in a while and I have never seen any reason to differentiate between either of them.

Indeed this reminds me of him in so many ways..... a bag of wind dressed up as a t*rd running amok.

See link

Odd News: Inflatable dog poo sculpture wreaks havoc (http://msnsearchhotlist.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!9E60BA237167C666!1250.entry?62411970)

[teeteringhead]

Allegedly, Brown greeted every Olympic winning athlete to personally advise them of the amount of duty they needed to pay to HMC and R once inside the terminal. I imagine that the import rate for precious and semi-precious metals (the total weight of our medals was reportedly 45lbs) is quite significant. This explains his cheesy smile during the whole arrival event.... but he would be pleased to see the gold coming into this country ....

..... NEVER EVER forget that this economic genius, wonderful chancellor, architect of market recovery etc etc sold off when chancellor 400 tons of our gold reserves between 1999 and 2002 (being more than half the total then), at an average price of $275 per troy oz ....

..... the price today? A mere $828.97 per troy oz!!!

..... as our cousins would say: "You do the math!" :ugh:

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Don't think our favourite prime minister will be able to dig himself out of his "hole du jour" by virtue of the Olympic medal haul. The term "gold" refers only to the colour, and not the metallic content (the medals may contain as little as 6 grams of gold).
It'll be fun watching him try though..:E
sv

[S78]

Folks,

Came to this thread late so apologies for going over old ground.........

A few posts seemed to suggest that Broon was anti-Iraq war, I distinctly remember a press conference in the lead up to the last election where Bliar was on the rack over the absence of WMD etc. Broon stated that if he had been in charge with the same intel he would have taken the country to war - this provoked a round of applause from the Labourites present.:rolleyes:

2 options: He's anti-war, in which case he sells his principles to keep Labour in power and get the top job.

or

He's pro-war but hides his principles until he has no other choice but to speak up.


Maybe I'm being cynical, but I get the impression that the only part of the war Broon (as Chancellor) objected to was the cost:ugh:. Now he's PM he's reaping what he sowed.



S78

[brakedwell]

The Broon
Don't think our favourite prime minister will be able to dig himself out of his "hole du jour" by virtue of the Olympic medal haul. The term "gold" refers only to the colour, and not the metallic content (the medals may contain as little as 6 grams of gold).
It'll be fun watching him try though..
sv

Two faced Broon can't wait to get his hands on the tax generated by the lucrative sponsorships deals being showered on heroic gold medalistas!