A military must-see...

[FJ2ME]

A number of you will already have seen this, but this week's Question Time came from Wootton Bassett and hosted a lively debate on the future of the British Forces in Afghanistan. A well-picked panel, including Gen Sir Richard Dannatt and Lord Paddy Ashdown, debated some excellent issues, and Bill Rammell Defence Minister, was made to squirm quite a bit which is always nice to see!

Unfortunately that publicity wh@re Piers Morgan was also present, trumpeting the cause of our down-trodden Tommies... Presumably this is some kind of late penitence for the deceitful article he published in The Mirror that got him sacked about our troops abusing Iraqi detainees...

Salma Yaqoob and Rt Hon William Hague were the remainder of the panel, with Dimbleby providing the usual biased, self-agrandising but occasionally humourous chairmanship. Good viewing, but may make you throw something at your expensive TV every now and again....particularly when Rammell opens his over-expensed gob!

The episode is available on the BBC iplayer:

BBC iPlayer - Question Time: 10/12/2009

[vecvechookattack]

Thanks for the link. I didn't see the prog but it just feels wrong to choose to have a TV / Political debate in Wootton Bassett.

I thought that the village steered away from Political sniping....

[Gainesy]

They invited the Mayor of WB to participate but he declined more politely than would I.

[Hammer Head Too]

Whilst I enjoy Question Time I'm not sure I agree with who ever took the decision to use Wootton Bassett. The good people who honour our war dead should not be dragged into a political circus, however well intentioned IMHO.

HH2

[DADDY-OH!]

I agree, it was compulsive viewing with Salma Yacoub & Rammell both barracking & trying to talk over people who held a differant viewpoint & Piers Moron trying to exploit his 'perception' of the public mood.

As for Wootton Basset, I think it's right that the local people got a chance to grill Rammell. I thought Sir Richard Dannatt made a great display of showing 'amateurs' how to conduct themselves.

I also think Wootton Basset should be granted 'Royal' status for it's unswerving compassion & devotion to respect our returning fallen heroes.

[Widger]

I actually thought that Dannatt was very poor and looked embarrassed to be there. He behaved like a CDS, not a politician, which he now is. He will need to snap out of that mindset pretty quick. He had a great opportunity, now he is free of the shackles of "The Queen's Shilling", as Paddy Pantsdown put it, and should have been lambasting Labour for the lack of investment in Defence over the last decade. He let Broon and Co. off the hook. Maybe he kept quiet, because as a Conservative, he realises that Defence will be no better off. The only person who spoke with any clarity, grit and knowledge was Paddy and it is just a shame that he is a Liberal Democrat.

I expected much more of the good General, with all respect to his distingushed service.

[vecvechookattack]

I have to agree. It was clear that he is now a politician and a politicians lapdog at that. He appeared out of his depth, subservient and essentially a lost boy in a mans world.

[DADDY-OH!]

Dannatt isn't a politician!! Neither is he a Civil Servant anymore.

I wasn't aware Dannatt had been elected to Parliament so I assume he is a 'Governmental Advisor' (albeit to a 'Government-in-waiting). As such he will probably be bound by protocols & codes of ethics, not to mention, oodles of stuff that the Minions of Whitehall will have deemed worthy of coverage by the OSA.

He was dignified, professional & probably wanted to grab Rammell by the bollocks & rip his throat out but he has a new Master now & he'll be playing his cards very close to his chest, in case his new Master can't deliver what is needed either.

Anyway wasn't Rammell just a 'Minion'? I would have thought Bungling Bob Aimslow & Hoon the Bufoon were the ones Dannatt had in his sights as well as GB?

[Widger]

Daddy oh,

Fair point but I expected some stronger words and he looked very out of place and uncomfortable.

[Torque Tonight]

If that despicable little turd, Piers Moron, had an ounce of decency he would steer well clear of any military topics, military personnel and their supporters. He may have been born semi-retarded but those of us mentally competent enough to have joined the armed forces have memories that stretch back long enough to recall his offensive, dishonest and treacherous behaviour. Any 'support' he now declares for the troops is little more than self-serving, sycophantic bullsh1t to try to maximize his camera time and personal income. There are not many people I detest more intensely than this arrogant, grubby little hack. Does Wooton Bassett still have a set of stocks in it's marketplace?

[vecvechookattack]

Dannatt isn't a politician!! Neither is he a Civil Servant anymore.

Yes he is a politician. You don't need to be elected to parliament to be a politician. I'm not sure that he ever was a civil servant.



Whilst I would agree in some parts to what Torque Tonight has to say, you have to remember that although Piers Morgan was rightly sacked for the hoax photograph he printed.....you only need to remember Corporal Donald Payne. No smoke without fire.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I'm pleased to be able to agree with vecvechookattack, on this occasion. Gen Dannatt has most certainly never been a Civil Servant. He has always behaved and spoken as a professional soldier. Please do not read that as a compliment. Arguably, he has recently become a politician. I think Paddy A made a valid point about him doing the Military a diservice but only in the way that he allowed it to happen. Apart from those criticisms, for what they are, the debate was the richer for his contribution.

Yer girl Yacoub made some valid points and posed some clever questions but I have deep concerns over her true motives. I felt similar about that odious twonk Morgan. Sound the part then capture the audience. I thought Paddy A was, as ever, forthright and believable. What a pity he's of that political persuasion.

What can one say about Rammell? He made the Party faithful noises while half accepting that he may have learned something?

Anyway, Wooton B was a bad choice of venue. I also wish, while sympathising with her personal views, that the Navy wife could have remained silent.