Iraq War Probe (Merged)
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
Not at all. Simply because the Government is calling on a senior career civil servant to chair an inquiry that will be held in cameraand has been instructed not to deliver its "findings" until after the General Election should not be grounds for cynicism or any doubt about its intended purpose. In fact its intended purpose should now be obvious to all.
It comes as no surprise unfortunately. The Sooner we kick these bunch of fraudsters and charlatans out the better - they are an absolute disgrace, and quite frankly exceedingly embarrassing.
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Seems to me that Cyclops is having a rare moment of lucidity. Along the lines of "well, I can't be any more unpopular so let us do this 'inquiry' the way we want to. Hell, it's not like we had a chance in the next election anyway".
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ROG
What you suggest is beyond impossible surely? Not even a population whose favoured TV programme is Eastenders and favourite 'newspaper' is The Sun could be so galactically stupid as to give this bunch a second chance, could it?
What you suggest is beyond impossible surely? Not even a population whose favoured TV programme is Eastenders and favourite 'newspaper' is The Sun could be so galactically stupid as to give this bunch a second chance, could it?
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Ainsworth confirms whitewash.
From the PM interview with Mr Ainsworth this evening:
Interviewer: "So here we have an enquiry behind closed doors, no-one will be blamed, there will be no compunction on people to appear, and no legal obligation to tell the truth; it's going to be a really searching enquiry isn't it Mr Ainsworth?"
Ainsworth: "I think this is - when you take the kind of cynicism that's dripping from you away from this for a moment - is probably the best way that we will have in anything like a reasonable timescale of of learning the lessons that I think we really need to learn from our involvement in Iraq."
Interviewer: "You've accused me of cynicism was anything I said factually incorrect?"
Ainsworth: "No, it was your tone of voice."
So there we have it - a searching and valuable inquiry into why this country went to war with Iraq - NOT.
Interviewer: "So here we have an enquiry behind closed doors, no-one will be blamed, there will be no compunction on people to appear, and no legal obligation to tell the truth; it's going to be a really searching enquiry isn't it Mr Ainsworth?"
Ainsworth: "I think this is - when you take the kind of cynicism that's dripping from you away from this for a moment - is probably the best way that we will have in anything like a reasonable timescale of of learning the lessons that I think we really need to learn from our involvement in Iraq."
Interviewer: "You've accused me of cynicism was anything I said factually incorrect?"
Ainsworth: "No, it was your tone of voice."
So there we have it - a searching and valuable inquiry into why this country went to war with Iraq - NOT.
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Air Marshal Sir John Walker, a former chief of defence intelligence, said: "There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government.
A posible U-turn from PM Brown in the offing?
Daily Telegraph report
By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent, and Alastair Jamieson
Published: 10:49AM BST 18 Jun 2009
The former cabinet secretary, Lord Butler Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND
The former cabinet secretary, who is the author of the last official report into the Iraq war, will accuse the government of "putting its political interests ahead of the national interest", the BBC said.
Political Editor Nick Robinson said the former cabinet secretary will argue in the Lords that there should be a public element to the latest inquiry, which is to be chaired by one of those who sat on his own inquiry - senior civil servant Sir John Chilcot.
Related Articles
The Prime Minister has come under attack for saying the inquiry into the war, which killed 179 British service personnel, will take evidence in secret.
Ed Balls added to that pressure in an interview with ITV's This Morning programme, where he appeared to back calls for greater transparency in the inquiry process.
The Prime Minister's spokesman insisted that closed hearings were the right approach for the inquiry.
He said: "The objective of the inquiry is to get to the truth. It can only do that where the people involved can speak freely and frankly, and people can be questioned on sensitive aspects of national security."
No 10 later insisted that Mr Balls had been referring to the possibility of members of the public being able to participate in the inquiry process.
How that could be achieved would be a matter for Sir John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman, Mr Brown's spokesman said.
The BBC said Lord Butler will criticise ministers for failing to get the agreement of the opposition parties and approval of Parliament for the membership, remit and format of the Inquiry contrasting their approach with that taken by Margaret Thatcher when she set up the Franks Inquiry into the Falklands War.
Senior military figures have put pressure on the Prime Minister to make the inquiry more open.
General Sir Mike Jackson, a former Chief of the General Staff Army, said the inquiry could take some evidence in public.
"I do not see why it could not have gone for a halfway house with sessions in public and then having private hearings when it comes to intelligence," he said.
Air Marshal Sir John Walker, a former chief of defence intelligence, said: "There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government.
A posible U-turn from PM Brown in the offing?
Daily Telegraph report
Former cabinet secretary Lord Butler to criticise Gordon Brown's Iraq inquiry
Pressure for the Iraq War inquiry to sit in public is mounting amid reports that Lord Butler, who headed the last official inquiry, is critical of the decision to hold the hearings behind closed doors.
Pressure for the Iraq War inquiry to sit in public is mounting amid reports that Lord Butler, who headed the last official inquiry, is critical of the decision to hold the hearings behind closed doors.
Published: 10:49AM BST 18 Jun 2009
The former cabinet secretary, Lord Butler Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND The former cabinet secretary, who is the author of the last official report into the Iraq war, will accuse the government of "putting its political interests ahead of the national interest", the BBC said.
Political Editor Nick Robinson said the former cabinet secretary will argue in the Lords that there should be a public element to the latest inquiry, which is to be chaired by one of those who sat on his own inquiry - senior civil servant Sir John Chilcot.
Related Articles
- <LI sizset="48" sizcache="21">Army chief criticises PM's Iraq inquiry decision
<LI sizset="51" sizcache="21">Gordon Brown is right to reject a public inquiry into Iraq
<LI sizset="52" sizcache="21">Gordon Brown announces Iraq war inquiry - Gordon Brown to announce Iraq war inquiry
The Prime Minister has come under attack for saying the inquiry into the war, which killed 179 British service personnel, will take evidence in secret.
Ed Balls added to that pressure in an interview with ITV's This Morning programme, where he appeared to back calls for greater transparency in the inquiry process.
The Prime Minister's spokesman insisted that closed hearings were the right approach for the inquiry.
He said: "The objective of the inquiry is to get to the truth. It can only do that where the people involved can speak freely and frankly, and people can be questioned on sensitive aspects of national security."
No 10 later insisted that Mr Balls had been referring to the possibility of members of the public being able to participate in the inquiry process.
How that could be achieved would be a matter for Sir John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman, Mr Brown's spokesman said.
The BBC said Lord Butler will criticise ministers for failing to get the agreement of the opposition parties and approval of Parliament for the membership, remit and format of the Inquiry contrasting their approach with that taken by Margaret Thatcher when she set up the Franks Inquiry into the Falklands War.
Senior military figures have put pressure on the Prime Minister to make the inquiry more open.
General Sir Mike Jackson, a former Chief of the General Staff Army, said the inquiry could take some evidence in public.
"I do not see why it could not have gone for a halfway house with sessions in public and then having private hearings when it comes to intelligence," he said.
Air Marshal Sir John Walker, a former chief of defence intelligence, said: "There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government.
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""There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government. "
And to ensure that those involved retire with their reputations undamaged and their pensions secure
And to ensure that those involved retire with their reputations undamaged and their pensions secure
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Blair pressures Brown to hold Iraq Enquiry in Secret
According to the Grauniad at any rate, which probably has a better idea than most:
Tony Blair pushed Gordon Brown to hold Iraq war inquiry in private | Politics | The Observer
Again, I defer to Gen Sir Richard Danatt (sp?) - all that can be open, should be open, Gordon. And the more Rt Hon Anthony Lynton Blair PC dislikes this, the more I am in favour of it!
S41
Tony Blair pushed Gordon Brown to hold Iraq war inquiry in private | Politics | The Observer
Again, I defer to Gen Sir Richard Danatt (sp?) - all that can be open, should be open, Gordon. And the more Rt Hon Anthony Lynton Blair PC dislikes this, the more I am in favour of it!
S41
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Blair wants to become the first European President. It is rather sickening and tiresome to see his endless fawning appearances on late night political shows here in France, pontificitating in his appalling schoolboy French and trying to portray himself as a wise elder Euro-statesman. He knows an open Iraq enquiry in the UK will end his ambitions.
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Bliar also wouldn't want subpoenas, oaths etc and certainly nothing like a Royal Commission.
It mght bugger up his anointment as EU El Presidente
It mght bugger up his anointment as EU El Presidente
And I thought that TB was drawing down a huge salary from all of us global tax-payers, supposedly as the UN special envoy to the Middle East due to his "deep understanding of the socio-economic and political forces at work region".
Shouldn't he be out there just now, trying to demonstrate these skills by bringing post-election peace to Iran, getting the Palestinians and Israelis to sit down and agree what they're going to do about Jerusalem & generally calming down Iraq?
Oh, now wait a minute, that's a bit unreasonable of me, asking a politician to do what he was actually put into a job to do. It might also involve him showing face in the area without hiding behind Hilary Clinton's secret service detail, and I suppose that he did slightly upset soem of the local residents over some things that he assured us were poised to go bang, but didn't actually exist when it came down to it.
Maybe he's a bit embarrased that we would be reminded about this if the enquiry were in public.
Shouldn't he be out there just now, trying to demonstrate these skills by bringing post-election peace to Iran, getting the Palestinians and Israelis to sit down and agree what they're going to do about Jerusalem & generally calming down Iraq?
Oh, now wait a minute, that's a bit unreasonable of me, asking a politician to do what he was actually put into a job to do. It might also involve him showing face in the area without hiding behind Hilary Clinton's secret service detail, and I suppose that he did slightly upset soem of the local residents over some things that he assured us were poised to go bang, but didn't actually exist when it came down to it.
Maybe he's a bit embarrased that we would be reminded about this if the enquiry were in public.
How suprising that the simpering little poodle Bliar should try to have the inquiry held in secret......
"So, Mr Bliar, why did you commit the UK to war?"
"Errm, well, actually it was because darling Dubya told me to..."
"When was this?"
"Summer 2002"
"So, despite the concern of your cabinet colleagues in the following months and the lack of any credible intelligence, you were hell bent on this military adventurism?"
"Now, you don't know the full story...."
"Which is?"
"Because darling Dubya told me it would all be fine"
"So, Mr Bliar, why did you commit the UK to war?"
"Errm, well, actually it was because darling Dubya told me to..."
"When was this?"
"Summer 2002"
"So, despite the concern of your cabinet colleagues in the following months and the lack of any credible intelligence, you were hell bent on this military adventurism?"
"Now, you don't know the full story...."
"Which is?"
"Because darling Dubya told me it would all be fine"
