View Full Version : Where's Blair???
Just a thought:
With all the troops deploying to Macedonia at short notice, possible off to another Kosovo/Bosnia scenario, what has Mr Blair said about it?? I have seen most of the news over the last week, and regularly read BBC News Online. I do not recall seeing the PM publicly saying anything about Op Essential Harvest. :confused:
A good time to show support for the troops? (and a PR opportunity missed?)
MATZ
sangiovese
24th Aug 2001, 19:30
Good to see the British were the first to arrive since the French and German contingent couldn't get their airlift sorted out.
Why do I sense a European military would be headed by our continental partners, but we'd do all the work?
misterploppy
24th Aug 2001, 20:53
The bold (?) Mr Bliar's spin-doctors have probably warned him off associating himself publicly with the mission until they are absolutely sure it's not going to be a goat-**** disaster. At the moment it's still up in the air!
BEagle
24th Aug 2001, 21:47
Look - this isn't fair, I mean, honestly, you can trust me. New Labour and new lies, sorry, edit that bit, I mean promises. The simple fact is, I mean, that whereas under the Tories this wouldn't have been policy, New Labour is all about commitment. And not just my diamonds, because they're in Sierra Leone. Not Macedonia. Nor Zimbabwe. I mean, look at the Tories' record. Thatcher sent our troops to the Falklands and we're still there. And the Gulf and we're still there. And Turkey...Bosnia....Kosovo...or was that one down to me? But trust me, this time it'll all be over by Christmas. Errr, sorry, slip of the tongue, I mean in 30 days' time. Honestly. Because we can't afford to stay any longer as I need to go and suck Omani bottom fairly soon and I don't want anything to stop that. Now thank you for your questions....and go away or I'll set Biffer Prescott on you!!
ol_benkenobi
25th Aug 2001, 01:40
Nice to joke about this stuff but soon the buck, pound or euro will have to stop. The greatest MOD investment since the old King died will have to be shown in anger and that is going to be much sooner than most of us would like to see. The need of this Govt to get involved and Blairs need to large it with the US is going to soon drop us in the *****.
Charlie Luncher
25th Aug 2001, 02:29
One fine glass of naive juice for my young friend.
Do you really think he cares?
Oxford says - foolishly credulous or simple
Why should we doubt the sincerity of Preseident Self-Elect and Commander in Thief Tony B Liar? After all, with such an important decision to make as sending troops to a conflict area, he must have agonised long and hard over sending the chaps in. Oh, no, wait a minuite, the reason he hasn't said anything is because he is in a Tuscan villa somewhere freeloading off some crony or other. Silly me, I actually thought that he cares as much as he claims to. (Armed) Forces of Conservatism to be destroyed eh Tony?
MrBernoulli
25th Aug 2001, 12:10
BEagle has pretty much said it in a nutshell.
We dash into Macedonia in a hurry but there hasn't been a squeak about helping those who are currently the victims of an ethnic cleansing campaign in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is still a Commonwealth country but Jack Straw seems determined NOT to upset Mugabe by condeming him. He seems to think that the other African Commonwealth countries should be condeming the Zimbabwe dictatorship - you have got to be joking! They're all as vicious as eachother.
I'm sorry folks but I cannot understand the UK's foreign policy at all.
maniac55
25th Aug 2001, 12:27
We would have to have a foreign policy first.
Unless you count, pitch up for the high profile PR policing jobs but try and stay away from the one's that need doing. :rolleyes:
BEagle
27th Aug 2001, 11:36
BBC World is reporting that a British sapper was killed last night after the clearly-marked military vehicle in which he was driving to Skopje was attacked by a group of youths.
British PM, Tony Blair, maintained his silence over the whole question of UK involvement in Macedonia...............
Is there anybody in charge here whilst Trust-me-Tone is off on his hols?? The Sunday Times reports that Biffer 2 Jags has been told to keep quiet whilst B Liar is away....
[ 27 August 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]
Doctor Cruces
27th Aug 2001, 17:24
Why isn't President Blair organising people to rush round and collect weapons a bit closer to home?
Because he doesn't want to upset his "New" (Labour) frinds the Republican
terrorists! :mad:
(edited coz I ain't got the hang of UBB yet)
[ 27 August 2001: Message edited by: kbf1 ]
Let us do that, let us do that!!! :D
Gash Handlin
27th Aug 2001, 23:33
From BBC Online
Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the youths who stoned an Army vehicle in Macedonia, killing a British soldier, must be brought to justice.
Mr Blair held a 15-minute phone conversation with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski on Monday, who apologised personally and promised a full investigation.
I'm ever so glad that his highness only had to take 15 minutes out of his holiday due to this inconsiderate sapper getting killed on a PR exercise.
RIP Spr Collins.
Makes my pay monthly deduction to the widows and childrens fund seem a bit insignificant really.
GH :mad:
[ 27 August 2001: Message edited by: Gash Handlin ]
maniac55
27th Aug 2001, 23:38
Could be worse, we could have let out all the terrorists & murderers before disarmament. Oops!
Still at least the're not travelling the world training other would be terrorists. Oops Again. :rolleyes:
TicketyBoo
29th Aug 2001, 01:38
Just seen the Rt Hon Jack Straw, former conchie and now assistant to The Greatest Military Leader Of All Time, on ITV News re Spr Collins:
"This is an assessment that ministers must make, and a risk that members of the armed forces must take."
Seems fair enough as the problem is obviously being spread 50/50.
TicketyBoo.
only1leftmate!
29th Aug 2001, 02:00
Oh come on guys!
if el Presidento couldn't send us off to the un-touristy bits with the restless natives then the AFPRB would be able to prove that we were little more than M&S shop managers and scrap the ENORMOUS X-factor.
My condolences to the berieved family.
Kiting for Boys
29th Aug 2001, 11:47
Jack Straw (Home Secretary for England and Wales....not even a UK Minister) has written the definitive article explaining the reasoning behind the operation:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,248-2001300347,00.html
Jump Johnny Jump !
29th Aug 2001, 12:59
Firstly Spr Ian Collins, may he rest in peace and Condolences to his family. The operation is apparently a "success" (some Nato non-entity obviously)...One of ours gone and it isn't a success! Risks are relative to reasons.
Secondly, according to most reports - the weapons collected are so old that they're probably useless anyway, all the most effective kit is nowhere to be seen by all accounts. Just to note that the Macedonian goverment are also taking things seriously I quote:
"Antonio Milososki, the Macedonian government spokesman, joked on Tuesday that Nato's Essential Harvest operation should be renamed "Museum Harvest", as the rebels were only giving up their oldest weapons". http://news.bbc.co.uk
So for the Macedonian's we can say "yeah -ha ha great joke, We'll send you boys to do our nasty work - shall we, shame we weren't such good freinds during the (worse) troubles in N.I - we could have a laugh at your expense as well"
Well, we can all rest easy that our boys are safe - Lord Robertson is visiting Macedonia today, hopefully as some sort of fat cat human shield for all our guys!
Well that's still not off my chest....... :mad:
[ 29 August 2001: Message edited by: Jump Johnny Jump ]
King George IVth was a waster, scrounger, debtor, and was envious of of Napoleon. Apart from his womanising and drinking, he took every freebie on offer, and married his cousin in order to persuade parliament to forgive his debts with public money. During his reign he modelled himself on Napoleon and made himself a general, often wearing a general's uniform. He laid claim to being the inspiration behind the victory at Waterloo, without having the courage to even stand on the battlefield. Later in life he became so dilusional with grandeour that he claimed to have led the charge in the victorious battle.
I have to wonder..how long before Tony B Liar, the free holiday taking, grinning substance free waster in the same vein as George IVth becomes so dillusional with his own military grandeur that he lays claim to being the saviour of the world, standing on the battlefields of Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia while bottling out of the fights that shuold be fought in NI and Zimbabwe. no wonder I detest the man.
Kiting for Boys
30th Aug 2001, 10:24
Woops, sorry The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP was appointed HM's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 8 June 2001.
I'm surprised how recent 83 days seems in retrospect.
R Slicker
9th Sep 2001, 23:37
Seems to me that this ultra-right claptrap is on the wrong forum. Go to www.bnp.com (http://www.bnp.com) and spread your venom there.
Count the number of our colleagues that lost their lives (and some parts) under Thatcher and Major against the losses under the present govt. Come to that compare it against the losses of our friends to accidents and friendly(!) fire in the last decade.
If you want to have a go at Tony Blair and other New Labour folk, do it in the right place - at the ballot box.
TicketyBoo
9th Sep 2001, 23:47
R.S.
Just been there, but Business News Publishing weren't interested in listening!!!
TicketyBoo
Letsby Avenue
10th Sep 2001, 00:36
I think our commie pinko friend meant www.bnp.org.uk (http://www.bnp.org.uk) :cool:
TicketyBoo
10th Sep 2001, 01:28
You're quite right, Letsby. This lot have obviously put a lot of thought into their political programme, but I was very disappointed in their coverage of business news.
There must be an awful lot of confused businessmen and baffled skinheads wandering around!!
TicketyBoo.
A and C
10th Sep 2001, 12:13
It must be hard for all of you who get your political education from the daily express/mail to find a party to vote for now that queen maggi has been deposed and they are all daggers drawn over europe and about to vote in IDS a political no hope if ever i saw one.
Why cant this lot wake up and smell the coffee ? we need an effective opositon to question and probe the actions of the goverment but can you lot see the consevatve party do this at the moment ,i think not.
I see lots of right wing claptrap above but very little constructive comment so untill you can offer that go back to swallowing whole every word that is writen in the middle class ladys comics.
[ 10 September 2001: Message edited by: A and C ]