1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Off Topic Chilcot Report on the Iraq War

Discussion in 'Horse Racing' started by Bustino74, Jul 6, 2016.

  1. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    We ought to have a thread for this.

    Quite possibly one of the most shameful events in this country's history, and I hope this is not a whitewash
     
    #1
    SwanHills and rudebwoy like this.
  2. OddDog

    OddDog Mild mannered janitor
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2011
    Messages:
    28,577
    Likes Received:
    10,380
    They reckon it would take 9 days to read it ........................ so I'm not sure how it can be debated in Parliament tomorrow? Probably teams standing by to speed read it for the MPs and then summarise.
     
    #2
  3. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2011
    Messages:
    9,613
    Likes Received:
    3,185
    Massive report but the early indications from the sound bytes are that it might not go Much further than criticising individuals. We will see and I hope the absolute truth comes out.

    I then hope America follows suit, but I'm not holding much hope.
     
    #3
  4. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    In Blair's infamous address to Congress he quoted his son saying to him ' "You know, Lord North, Dad, he was the British prime minister who lost us America. So just think, however many mistakes you'll make, you'll never make one that bad."

    Well he did.
     
    #4
    SwanHills and bayernkenny like this.
  5. Cyclonic

    Cyclonic Well Hung Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Messages:
    15,320
    Likes Received:
    3,434
    We too were servile toadies to the great US war machine. :(
     
    #5
  6. SwanHills

    SwanHills Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2011
    Messages:
    10,753
    Likes Received:
    5,276
    I realise that I am way out of line (again) in saying this, and am probably quite wrong, but having worked in the Middle East too, including a couple of years in Iran before the revolution, I have always felt that our own MI6 were very much to blame for not forcibly advising Blair before he made his ghastly decision to go with the USA on invading Iraq. What I am trying to get at is MI6 have been out in the Middle East for donkeys years and surely know a hell of a lot more than the CIA and others on this region? MI6 failed miserably to realise that Saddam Hussein had no WMD, none whatsoever. Had they done their job properly, and advised Blair accordingly, there was surely a chance that he would have taken the correct stance?
     
    #6
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2016
    bayernkenny likes this.
  7. smokethedeadbadger

    smokethedeadbadger Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2011
    Messages:
    7,972
    Likes Received:
    4,169
    I think I might be the only one by the sound of how this thread has started that has no objection to the Iraq war. I'm not really bothered if Tony Blair used the WMD 'lie' as an excuse for going in. Countries like Iraq and Afghanistan are very difficult to bring peace to no matter what is done. The Rebels, terrorists or whatever you want to call them don't fight by the same rules of engagement that we are bound by so these kinds of wars are nearly impossible to 'win'. One thing I do know is that the world is a better place without Saddam Hussain and his 'friends' in it.
     
    #7
  8. bayernkenny

    bayernkenny Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2011
    Messages:
    4,358
    Likes Received:
    1,947
    Listening to a 'phone in' show on LBC which is currently broadcasting a speech by David Cameron on this matter. It seems from earlier in the current programme that it has been reported by Chilcot that Blair informed Bush that he would back him "whatever" the outcome of reports/information provided by the UK security services. How forceful MI6 would have to have been and what steps they were willing to take to direct Blair down the 'correct' path we will never know.
     
    #8
  9. SwanHills

    SwanHills Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2011
    Messages:
    10,753
    Likes Received:
    5,276
    Well, Smokey, I'm not sure, one would have to ask the Iraqis that? It was pretty savage at times under Hussein, especially for the majority Shia, that is true, but, good grief, look at it now. Detest him or not, this carnage would not have happened under his Ba'ath Party rule. Just an opinion, of course.
     
    #9
  10. justme

    justme New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    1
    Eh........no, it isn't, not by a long shot
     
    #10

  11. smokethedeadbadger

    smokethedeadbadger Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2011
    Messages:
    7,972
    Likes Received:
    4,169
    Thats all we can give are opinions Swanny. This carnage might not have happened under his rule, he'd have just gassed or poisoned his people himself. Its like saying immigration wouldn't be a problem in Germany if Hitler was still around.
     
    #11
  12. SwanHills

    SwanHills Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2011
    Messages:
    10,753
    Likes Received:
    5,276
    That is very interesting, didn't know that. Who do MI6 report to directly, the Foreign Minister?
     
    #12
  13. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    please log in to view this image


    The ultimate job of any Prime Minister is to protect your country from harm. Blair failed totally as a Prime Minister.
     
    #13
    rudebwoy likes this.
  14. Cyclonic

    Cyclonic Well Hung Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Messages:
    15,320
    Likes Received:
    3,434
    I sort of get the feeling that Bush, Blair et el, probably knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction. Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency stated before the United Nations Security Council on January 27 2003, that as far as they were concerned, no prohibited nuclear activities had been identified during inspections. The much trumpeted claim that Iraq attempted procurement of high strength aluminium tubes for the purpose of converting them to nuclear centrifuges, could not be verified by the IAEA. In fact, ElBaradei said that Iraq's stated claim that the aluminium tubes related to a programme to reverse engineer conventional rockets, were consistent with IAEA investigations.

    I don't for a moment believe that the USA, UK, Australia etc were not fully aware of what what was actually going on in Iraq. I'll leave it to others to explain why the USA was hell bent on taking the place. But I don't think I was alone in being pissed off big time when action was finally taken. I can well remember feeling sick to my stomach watching all the patriotic excitement of the American media, as the war was launched. I was ashamed of my government for being pulled into this fiasco. And as angry as ****.

    There have been all kinds of reasons as to why the CIA, MI6 etc wouldn't force their point of view. But I don't believe that Blair and Bush were not informed of what was probably happening on the ground in Iraq. They had an issue to pursue, and they twisted what was presented before them, to suit themselves.
     
    #14
    rudebwoy and Bustino74 like this.
  15. bayernkenny

    bayernkenny Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2011
    Messages:
    4,358
    Likes Received:
    1,947
    What beats me is that, whatever you think of Tony Blair, he was not a stupid man. How could he not see that George W. Bush was the 'boss' of a regime which, although using God as their judge, had the morals and humanity of some shady department within the Third Reich. Each member creating his own empire and plotting against each other; does this sound familiar. Finally, when things went arse up, blaming each other for the failures.

    Not to mention the wealth the Iraq invasion created for certain members of the Bush cabinet and regime.

    F.....n' good ol' USA; land of the brave, home of the free my candyass!
     
    #15
    rudebwoy likes this.
  16. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Power, hubris and ego
     
    #16
  17. Cyclonic

    Cyclonic Well Hung Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Messages:
    15,320
    Likes Received:
    3,434
    The IAEA's conclusion as presented before the United Nations Security Council.

    To conclude: We have to date found no evidence that Iraq has revived its nuclear weapons programme since the elimination of the programme in the 1990s. However, our work is steadily progressing and should be allowed to run its natural course. With our verification system now in place, barring exceptional circumstances, and provided there is sustained proactive cooperation by Iraq, we should be able within the next few months to provide credible assurance that Iraq has no nuclear weapons programme. These few months would be a valuable investment in peace because they could help us avoid a war. We trust that we will continue to have your support as we make every effort to verify Iraq’s nuclear disarmament through peaceful means, and to demonstrate that the inspection process can and does work, as a central feature of the international nuclear arms control regime.
     
    #17
  18. bayernkenny

    bayernkenny Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2011
    Messages:
    4,358
    Likes Received:
    1,947
    A 'power' trio in the mode of 'Beck Bogert and Appice' or a prog. rock super group a la 'Emerson, Lake and Palmer'?
     
    #18
  19. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Blair says he accepts responsibility. So what does that mean? He believes that's it? Or he believes he should stand trial? It's all so facile. With a few words of saying 'he accepts responsibility' he washes his hands in a style that make Pontius Pilate look a committed governor.
     
    #19
  20. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Was that Eno? Vince Power, Hugh Bris and Eno... what a group! So more in the mode of ELP.
     
    #20

Share This Page