This entry was posted on
Thursday, October 12th, 2006 at
9:28 am and is filed
under Tony ‘King Blair.

1. A cash bonus for troops and troops-arriving-safely-home-to-media-event bracketing Our Glorious Leader’s return to the Commons? Let’s just say that it raised an eyebrow.

2. More cack on the floor… Blair’s Blue Peter stunt happily happened to coincide with the launch of a new Downing Street website for young people. Just how long does he plan on staying?

3. Bastard. He’s only gone and nicked my email specifications. Again.

4. Independent – 655,000: The toll of war in Iraq: The human cost of the war in Iraq could be far higher than previously thought. A new survey says more than 650,000 Iraqis have lost their lives as a consequence of the invasion by the United States and Britain, with an estimated 200,000 violent deaths directly attributable to Allied forces. The new figure is much larger than all previous estimates – more than 20 times higher than President George Bush claimed 11 months ago – and will add considerable weight to the calls of those seeking a withdrawal of troops.

“I don’t consider it a credible report…” says George W. Bush, who would have a hell of a lot more credibility himself if he weren’t keeping his own figures under wraps.

5. Another case of someone being the wrong colour…?

Antagonist – Shhh! Police score anti-terror raid success: It looks like police have undertaken their first successful anti-terror raid of recent times and there’s not a Mosque or a Muslim in sight… The chemicals were found at the home of an apparently lapsed British National Party member, as opposed to the home of a Muslim, so no front page national newspaper headlines for the discovery of the largest haul of chemicals ever found in this country. It could be argued that the chemicals found might be used for a number of purposes other than manufacturing explosives but this wouldn’t explain the press and media silence about the rocket launcher or the NBC suit that were also found in the raids.

Indeed. Especially after Forest Gate when all the tabloids had left to run with was some cash under the floor-boards, and still they ran and ran and ran with that. More here.

6. September 11. It’s why we’re in Iraq. And why you should vote Republican. And you can trust me, because I’m a grieving father of a national hero. (Wheee! Look at ’em go!)

7. Blair Watch – MEPs criticise ‘unhelpful and evasive’ Geoff Hoon in rendition inquiry: Mr Fava also said that Hoon’s replies were as unhelpful as those the MEPs had received previously from the United States… The investigation is continuing however and it seems that certain people are getting worried at what might be uncovered. Claudio Fava and others involved in the inquiry have been getting death threats.

Nice. But let’s get back to that helpful Mr Hoon…

swissinfo – Germany denies secret prison allegations: Members criticised Britain’s minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, for giving “evasive” answers to their questions about numerous landings in Britain by planes operated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. “The government has not been very cooperative,” Italian MEP Claudio Fava said, adding Hoon’s replies were as unhelpful as those the MEPs had received previously from the United States. Britain says it has no evidence that the United States has transported terrorist suspects via British airports.

Evasive? Us? Never!

Also, we have every reason to trust the Americans and we certainly haven’t seen any evidence.

Finally, this…

8. While those who leaked the Al Jazeera memo are held on double-secret probation, David Blunkett has admitted that he urged Tony Blair to break international law and bomb al-Jazeera’s Baghdad TV transmitter during the Iraq war and swung in with a tasty justification for the act. Curious, no?