Great news! Apparently somebody called Ed Miliband has been going out of his way to stop the Government shooting things at the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad. And they do far worse things than eating hedgehogs. So we reckon he might be up for defending us, too!
“I don’t think so,” says our publicist. “In fact, I think he only ended up defending Assad by mistake, because he doesn’t want people to dislike him.” We know the feeling, we say. Did it work? Too early to tell,” says the publicist, “but probably not.”
Then he tells us that the real problem is that Labour just isn’t twerking. Well they should try, we say. Because they can’t be any worse at it than us. I actually said ‘working’ that time,” says the publicist. “But soon they probably will.”
Why are people suggesting that the UK and US governments have been "rushed" into the current Syrian situation? Do they really think that no contingency plans existed for a "red-line" event.
People are also playing "arm-chair generals" by claiming we are going to be putting 'troops on the ground' (populated by divisions of the Durham Miners' Gala): Poppycock! What we will would be doing is deploying assets from afar; taking-out GBAD and C4 facilities and - generally - being a nasty bully to the junior son of some Marxist fool. Such is real-politik but there is no better solution available....
Yes we are now just like the yanks , big shots killing people innocent or not from thousands of miles away. Pathetic Playstation army is about all we are now, save the Empire using games consoles, pathetic cretins. All the stray missiles hitting innocent people is just collateral damage , no big deal just necessity of being big shots.
Is it true that MPs have longer holidays than even teachers?
Well, they have more time away from Parliament than teachers do. Good MPs will spend time away in their respective constituencies working on local matters.
LOL, that is nearly as good as teachers marking papers till midnight every day.
Is it true that MPs have longer holidays than even teachers?
Well, they have more time away from Parliament than teachers do. Good MPs will spend time away in their respective constituencies working on local matters.
LOL, that is nearly as good as teachers marking papers till midnight every day.
To be fair we have documentary evidence of MPs working (or at least attending) until midnight. The same can definitely not be said for teachers.
Is it true that MPs have longer holidays than even teachers?
Well, they have more time away from Parliament than teachers do. Good MPs will spend time away in their respective constituencies working on local matters.
LOL, that is nearly as good as teachers marking papers till midnight every day.
To be fair we have documentary evidence of MPs working (or at least attending) until
I think it's safe to say that some of them merely attending, and engaging in some 'extracurricular activities', (shall we say) will be praying that isn't the case. ;-)
I'm right on Cameron, this week proves if it was needed that he's a dire combination of arrogance and incompetence.
And Miliband is a cockroach, scuttling under the fridge of "UN inspection".
Your positions on foreign policy are legendary for being spontaneous, and hourly.
You are probably right. I am bipolar. But occasionally, perhaps relatedly, I sense a national mood change before it happens. I remember the night I intuited the English Riots were about to erupt across the country: before this happened - and I said so on pb.
Not hard to sum up the public mood on this, surely? 1) what happened on Thursday in the HoC was mismanagement and some game-playing with unanticipated consequences. 2) we feel very sorry for the suffering innocents in Syria. 3) we don't trust our side to be able to sort it out.
State TV has got the patriotic music on. There is a clear feeling that once the UN inspectors left that was it, the next time of darkness would see a strike. The last of those inspectors reportedly left in the early hours.
To give you an indication of the delay, the original timetable looked at Wednesday/Thursday.
If all we've got are 5 tomahawks to deliver, Britains armed forces are in a very bad way.
Common mis-perception:
A T-Boat has five tubes so that is the maximum it can fire in one salvo. Each vessel can carry thirty weapons (made up of Spearfish and Tomahawk). The most recent figure I have seen is that the UK has purchased 365 TLAMs, though how many still exist in the inventory is unknown.
If all we've got are 5 tomahawks to deliver, Britains armed forces are in a very bad way.
Common mis-perception:
A T-Boat has five tubes so that is the maximum it can fire in one salvo. Each vessel can carry thirty weapons (made up of Spearfish and Tomahawk). The most recent figure I have seen is that the UK has purchased 365 TLAMs, though how many still exist in the inventory is unknown.
I thought there was a mistake somewhere and that we've an iventory of several hundred, at least.
But the stench of moral hypocrisy on the part of those who voted against but now want to blame someone else for the result is sickening. MPs are supposed to be adults. One in particular aspires to be the next PM of this country. He must accept the consequences of his decision, the good and the bad. The damage to our relationship with the US, the reduction in the UK's standing in the world, our lack of influence on future developments since it has been decided we are not a player in the game. These are all real consequences of the votes that were cast.
Spot on. You can tell Milliband is worried that he's made the wrong decision, because the Labour machine is busy shouting that it's someone else's fault that the way they voted. They were not in control of their own voting decision, it's Cameron's fault for calling the vote too early, for getting Clegg to sum it up, and for not treating poor Ed more nicely.
If Labour were certain they'd made the right choice they'd be shouting from the roof-tops how proud they are that the sunk the motion, not whinging about how sad it is that there wasnt consensus.
If all we've got are 5 tomahawks to deliver, Britains armed forces are in a very bad way.
Common mis-perception:
A T-Boat has five tubes so that is the maximum it can fire in one salvo. Each vessel can carry thirty weapons (made up of Spearfish and Tomahawk). The most recent figure I have seen is that the UK has purchased 365 TLAMs, though how many still exist in the inventory is unknown.
Is it true that MPs have longer holidays than even teachers?
Well, they have more time away from Parliament than teachers do. Good MPs will spend time away in their respective constituencies working on local matters.
LOL, that is nearly as good as teachers marking papers till midnight every day.
To be fair we have documentary evidence of MPs working (or at least attending) until midnight. The same can definitely not be said for teachers.
They may be there till midnight , however as we have seen most of the time is spent in subsidised bars and restaurants
If all we've got are 5 tomahawks to deliver, Britains armed forces are in a very bad way.
Common mis-perception:
A T-Boat has five tubes so that is the maximum it can fire in one salvo. Each vessel can carry thirty weapons (made up of Spearfish and Tomahawk). The most recent figure I have seen is that the UK has purchased 365 TLAMs, though how many still exist in the inventory is unknown.
So that five number was drawn from someones arse.
They were half right , just missed the "at a time" bit of the end after the 5
"Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting."
Someone emailed me a sort of questionnaire from a Labour MP to a constituent but I think it was bespoke. It set out the Labour position and asked what the constituent would do. it was quite impressive. Of a higher standard than most of the arguments on here (another Richard and Richard Tyndall excepted)
f all we've got are 5 tomahawks to deliver, Britains armed forces are in a very bad way.
You cannot reduce the Light Brigade from 600 to 450, and then tell them to charge the guns.
Cameron hasn't earned the right to mobilise Britain's armed forces.
60. We bought 60 Tomahawks in 2011.
People think these things have a long shelf life - they don't. If you don't use them within a period of time they have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be reconditioned. This costs almost as much as buying a new one. Much better for the military industrial complex for you to use them...
The only real benefit I can see from targeted strikes is to bring the war directly to Assad and co. so far it seems they (including their families etc) have been fairly insulated from the direct effects of the war. I am sure that their living conditions are pretty good with plenty of food and safe beds to sleep in at night etc. if you target the presidential palaces and ministries and destroy them then that feeling of distance and safety is gone and it will perhaps focus minds on whether it is better to try and find a peaceful solution or to continue wondering whether your home will be blown up one day and maybe you and your family in it.
They might start to sympathise more with the plight of the ordinary Syrian if they suddenly have to try and find safe and substandard places to sleep and possibly even have to move every night for safety - I imagine that this is not only difficult but psychologically draining and might instil a desire to end it.
I can imagine if Mrs Assad's extensive collection of designer shoes and clothes is disintegrated then any handbag she has left might find its way round her husband's head.....
Very good point. Obama has given enough notice that if the Assad family are in any of his normal palaces when the attack comes Assad is stupid. Remember Obama is not allowed to attempt to kill the head of state of another country. But having your nice palace reduced to rubble is certainly an object lesson - psychological as well as physical...
Is it true that MPs have longer holidays than even teachers?
Well, they have more time away from Parliament than teachers do. Good MPs will spend time away in their respective constituencies working on local matters.
LOL, that is nearly as good as teachers marking papers till midnight every day.
To be fair we have documentary evidence of MPs working (or at least attending) until midnight. The same can definitely not be said for teachers.
As I understand it Assad doesn't live in a palace and never has. He wanted from the beginning to live like a normal citizen. Another reason to hate him. He's a quasi socialist
Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting.
I thought there was a mistake somewhere and that we've an iventory of several hundred, at least.
To be honest I don't think our TLAM inventory is that large. We maintain a set number, replacing as necessary.* If we need more missiles in a rush we have first-dibs on USN stocks.
Where we do have "several hundred" cruise missiles is within the RAF inventory. We ordered 1000 StormShadows and I would guess that the majority of that stock is still in-hand.
* Osborne ordered four more some months back as replacement stock and to keep the TacTom IV line open at Lockheed.
Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting.
What constituency are you in?
Kemptown. Simon Kirby. I assume it's something all sides are ( or should be) doing.
I thought there was a mistake somewhere and that we've an iventory of several hundred, at least.
To be honest I don't think our TLAM inventory is that large. We maintain a set number, replacing as necessary.* If we need more missiles in a rush we have first-dibs on USN stocks.
Where we do have "several hundred" cruise missiles is within the RAF inventory. We ordered 1000 StormShadows and I would guess that the majority of that stock is still in-hand.
* Osborne ordered four more some months back as replacement stock and to keep the TacTom IV line open at Lockheed.
How long does it take to manufacture one of these? It sounds like we'd run out pretty quickly if we were ever in a proper shooting war.
'The party that wants us to have proper armed forces could reap an electoral dividend.
UKIP want spending boosted by 40%. '
But UKIP's latest policy is not to get involved in any foreign interventions,surely a case for cutting not increasing spending.
UKIP doesn't want to engage in foreign adventures that reap no benefit to Britain and may do actual harm. However, UKIP still wants an army, navy and airforce capable of defending our shores if need be. It also know that this country has treaty arrangements, (NATO being one) that will better carried out if our armed forces were in a much better shape than now.
Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting.
What constituency are you in?
Kemptown. Simon Kirby. I assume it's something all sides are ( or should be) doing.
There was some talk of the Conservatives having a 40 targets, 40 defences strategy, and putting most of their resources into those.
How long does it take to manufacture one of these? It sounds like we'd run out pretty quickly if we were ever in a proper shooting war.
It is not the time to make the missile but the orders to keep the line open. If Lockheed do shut down the TacTom IV line - which has limited orders - other lines will still be in production until the US finalise a product to replace them with. Worst case scenario: We borrow US end-dated stock...
I thought there was a mistake somewhere and that we've an iventory of several hundred, at least.
To be honest I don't think our TLAM inventory is that large. We maintain a set number, replacing as necessary.* If we need more missiles in a rush we have first-dibs on USN stocks.
Where we do have "several hundred" cruise missiles is within the RAF inventory. We ordered 1000 StormShadows and I would guess that the majority of that stock is still in-hand.
* Osborne ordered four more some months back as replacement stock and to keep the TacTom IV line open at Lockheed.
How long does it take to manufacture one of these? It sounds like we'd run out pretty quickly if we were ever in a proper shooting war.
That will be on eof our least worries if we are ever in a real
So no UK involvement in Bosnia,Kosovo,Sierra Leone Afghanistan,Iraq,Libya & Syria but we still need a 40% increase in spending?
Any clue as to how UKIP would pay for a 40% increase?
I'd imagine it involves lots of EU-related techniques, like replacing EU farm subsidies with Schrodinger's Farm Subsidies, which simultaneously still get paid to the farmers but no longer get paid for by the tax payers.
Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting.
What constituency are you in?
Kemptown. Simon Kirby. I assume it's something all sides are ( or should be) doing.
There was some talk of the Conservatives having a 40 targets, 40 defences strategy, and putting most of their resources into those.
Ah, that chimes. Funny thing is some of the qs in the survey relate to the things I've been emailing him about/telling him he should be concentrating on (why I'm giving free advice to a Tory I don't know - I guess it's the frustration of someone who's meant to be representing my 'local' views/interests - which seem to be common issues for many - not seeing the bleeding obvious...).
If he wants to climb the greasy pole I've suggested he takes on a local issue that resonates nationally. The biggies in Brighton seem to be parking/roads and refuse. For example I'm fed up of the tediously ongoing local recycling debate when bugger all is done to force retailers to cut down on packaging (as far as I can tell). That might be one.
"Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting."
Someone emailed me a sort of questionnaire from a Labour MP to a constituent but I think it was bespoke. It set out the Labour position and asked what the constituent would do. it was quite impressive. Of a higher standard than most of the arguments on here (another Richard and Richard Tyndall excepted)
I had one from Philip Dunne last year - and I can't see Ludlow as anything but safe Tory while he's incumbent. If the boundary changes had come about we would have been in a new seat which might have been more marginal, so maybe they were interested from that perspective.
SP The Monarchy don't claim to be Quasi Socialists.. and your parents were happy to come to a Monarchy ..you seem to have a problem with it. Have you discussed this with your mother?
As I understand it Assad doesn't live in a palace and never has. He wanted from the beginning to live like a normal citizen. Another reason to hate him. He's a quasi socialist
Is that the normal Syria house with the badminton courts and swimming pool?
SP The Monarchy don't claim to be Quasi Socialists.. you seem to have a problem with it.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
Not a lot of crowing from the shamefaced Lefties on here today after their astounding victory on Thursday. Has reality finally caught up with them or should that be the other way round?.
As I understand it Assad doesn't live in a palace and never has. He wanted from the beginning to live like a normal citizen. Another reason to hate him. He's a quasi socialist
I'm happy to stand corrected but I mean wherever he lives - palace or not, even the most brutal dictator needs a place to lay his head down he can call home. And the US will know where that is can lase it and can have something nasty coming down the chimney that only resembles santa claus in the respect that it is a surprise.
Yokel .. Thats normal for Woger.. he thinks we all live like that.Remeber him whining that his daughter found it difficult to get by on her 50k pa allowance
Not a lot of crowing from the shamefaced Lefties on here today after their astounding victory on Thursday. Has reality finally caught up with them or should that be the other way round?.
Is it true there's a lot in common (eg. social attitudes) between the right-wing Tory "Turnip Taliban" and their middle-east namesakes? Is that why they are so eager for Syria to fall to AQ and its allies?
Sunny.. You claim to support the Monarchy because it is quasi socialist..hmm you seem to have a little problen son. Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form. That is essentially why they are called Monarchs..they rule..in theory.. ask your mum
Sunny.. You claim to support the Monarchy because it is quasi socialist..hmm you seem to have a little problen son. Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
So no UK involvement in Bosnia,Kosovo,Sierra Leone Afghanistan,Iraq,Libya & Syria but we still need a 40% increase in spending?
Any clue as to how UKIP would pay for a 40% increase?
I'd imagine it involves lots of EU-related techniques, like replacing EU farm subsidies with Schrodinger's Farm Subsidies, which simultaneously still get paid to the farmers but no longer get paid for by the tax payers.
Wodger .. Assad certainly is a Quasi Socialist.. went straight into the top job when daddy died.. not a vote cast..figures
You are wrong ! He received 99.8% of the votes. The other 0.2% are sadly not here to tell why they did not vote for him.
However, he fights Al-Qaeda. I don't understand why we hate this dictator now but were happy to render him our AQ suspects to torture but have no problem with an Egyptian General who mows down a 1000 or so peaceful protesters.
We also like to business with Saudi kings. OK, I see the difference. They only behead them.
Sunny.. I still think a session with mummy would help you, maybe after your Horlicks.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
So no UK involvement in Bosnia,Kosovo,Sierra Leone Afghanistan,Iraq,Libya & Syria but we still need a 40% increase in spending?
Any clue as to how UKIP would pay for a 40% increase?
I'd imagine it involves lots of EU-related techniques, like replacing EU farm subsidies with Schrodinger's Farm Subsidies, which simultaneously still get paid to the farmers but no longer get paid for by the tax payers.
Sunny.. You claim to support the Monarchy because it is quasi socialist..hmm you seem to have a little problen son. Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
See? Monarchy is Socialist through and through!
4) Gold-plated pension 5) Free Private Health Care
According to wikipedia a single Trafalgar class submarine can host 30 cruise missiles.
Can our defence budget afford 30 missiles ? I am going by Iraq, Bosnia etc. How many missiles did we launch compared to the Americans ? 1 - 5%
MOD are quite happy to fire things off because the treasury pays for them out of the contingency reserve - war is one of the things it is for. Getting out of Afghanistan will be very expensive for MOD budget because the treasury will no longer be paying for things like transporting vehicles around - things that need to happen anyway for training purposes but MOD can currently get treasury funding for...
Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting.
What constituency are you in?
Kemptown. Simon Kirby. I assume it's something all sides are ( or should be) doing.
There was some talk of the Conservatives having a 40 targets, 40 defences strategy, and putting most of their resources into those.
Sunny.. You claim to support the Monarchy because it is quasi socialist..hmm you seem to have a little problen son. Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
See? Monarchy is Socialist through and through!
4) Gold-plated pension 5) Free Private Health Care
If the public sector pension is as generous as the pb Tories make out, how come the Queen cannot afford to retire?
Sunny.. Russia and China, plus a few other sorry states are Socialist... are you saying every citizen enjoys those rights You have got it the wrong way round lad.. The leaders of those so called Socialist States are all trying to become Monarchs..Geddit..
According to wikipedia a single Trafalgar class submarine can host 30 cruise missiles.
Can our defence budget afford 30 missiles ? I am going by Iraq, Bosnia etc. How many missiles did we launch compared to the Americans ? 1 - 5%
MOD are quite happy to fire things off because the treasury pays for them out of the contingency reserve - war is one of the things it is for. Getting out of Afghanistan will be very expensive for MOD budget because the treasury will no longer be paying for things like transporting vehicles around - things that need to happen anyway for training purposes but MOD can currently get treasury funding for...
Afghanistan = buying American cruise missiles at £1 million a pop to fire at American-selected targets. Quite a racket for Uncle Sam.
Sunny.. You claim to support the Monarchy because it is quasi socialist..hmm you seem to have a little problen son. Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form.
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
See? Monarchy is Socialist through and through!
4) Gold-plated pension 5) Free Private Health Care
If the public sector pension is as generous as the pb Tories make out, how come the Queen cannot afford to retire?
Sunny.. Russia and China, plus a few other sorry states are Socialist... are you saying every citizen enjoys those rights You have got it the wrong way round lad.. The leaders of those so called Socialist States are all trying to become Monarchs..Geddit..
No, you got it all wrong, Doddy! I whole-heartedly support the Monarchy, precisely because of its Quasi-socialist trappings:
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
Sunny.. you might not have noticed but you keep repeating yourself.. please have a little chat with mummy, she'll make it better.
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!) 2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis) 3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
Americans don't want a full-scale with Russia and Iran either. Only the madmen who control the world's media, armed forces and politicians want WW3 to break out. They've been trying for years to light he spark. Looks like they've failed once more.
But why do you think this Dale Gavlak, who apparently normally writes for the AP, instead decided to break this not particularly trivial story with somebody called "Mint Press News"?
Well, I think we can all agree that it hasn't been the absolute catastrophe for Dave that everyone was predicting Thursday night. In fact Ed's 'position' on Syria is more under the spotlight. Ed seriously misjudged the public mood. He thought he'd get 'played a blinder' headlines; instead Britain's retreat into neutralism, the new Atlantic axis of France-USA, a sense of a nation diminished have all come into play. Whatever becomes of Dave, Thursday's events won't haunt him till the day he dies.
Where were you when we needed you Tapestry? As Avery points out great to have some solid evidence at last. I remember 9/11 when I foolishly thought some comandeered jets were flown into the World Trade Centres until you showed us the light.
@DPJHodges: Rory Stewart MP, Syria. "The reason I did not vote yesterday was that I was at my sister’s wedding in North West Devon". Unbelievable.
Etonians and Baronets playing at being in Govt.
You shouldn't have to skip your sister's wedding to vote on something. If the Commons are too stuck in their ways to let MPs vote online they should at least be able to sort out some kind of pairing arrangement for times like this.
LOL. Swithch on radio 4 and listen to Any Questions. He certainly misjudged the public mood. I bet he can't have imagined for one minute that the Tory on the panel would be booed every time he opened his mouth!!.
I see the Labour line is now 'we're in favour of intervention but it's the government whips' fault for cocking it up'. Sorry but that's not good enough. Dave bent over backwards - practically allowing Ed to draft the government proposal - in order to unite the House under the banner of consensus. Instead Ed went for his 'played a blinder' headlines. Well, he didn't get them and the focus is now on Labour's moral responsibility. Good.
I see The Times has pretty much the same version of the Downing Street clusterf*** that the Telegraph does.
"Despite the huffing from Downing Street, many Tory MPs are amazed that there was not more sensitivity to Labour's position, and care taken to ensure Mr Miliband - a leader defined by his opposition to Iraq - was onside. Yet again the tone was wrong."
Page 6 of today's Times under the headline "Alarm bells were ignored as No 10 raced headlong to an historic defeat"
If it emerges that the rebels did the gassing,will Obama bomb the rebels?
I wouldn't get too excited about dear old Tapestry - a long-time PB certified nut. No, Ed played his hand and killed off intervention to thwart the monstrous Assad. You're just going to have to live with that I'm afraid.
LOL. Swithch on radio 4 and listen to Any Questions. He certainly misjudged the public mood. I bet he can't have imagined for one minute that the Tory on the panel would be booed every time he opened his mouth!!.
Roger , you have your finger on the French pulse , how long are they going to put up with this yanky running lap dog poodle , Hollande ?
I see The Times has pretty much the same version of the Downing Street clusterf*** that the Telegraph does.
"Despite the huffing from Downing Street, many Tory MPs are amazed that there was not more sensitivity to Labour's position, and care taken to ensure Mr Miliband - a leader defined by his opposition to Iraq - was onside. Yet again the tone was wrong."
Page 6 of today's Times under the headline "Alarm bells were ignored as No 10 raced headlong to an historic defeat"
Downing Street bent over backwards to accommodate all of Miliband's "sensitivities". The government motion was repeatedly revised to include his requirements.
But Miliband dithered his way to disaster.
At least the country has now been warned.
Put Miliband in office and the 21st century Nero will fiddle as London burns.
He must be the only person other than Tony Blair who believes his conclusion:
"While the debate gave everyone the chance to repeat what they already thought about Blair, mostly in a simplified and bilious form, I think he had nothing to do with the reluctance of the Commons to support military action."
If it emerges that the rebels did the gassing,will Obama bomb the rebels?
That is like asking whether Clinton should have bombed Japan in response to the sarin attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995.
Avery, you do know that there's an actual civil war going on in Syria where both sides hold territory, don't you? It's not just a few thousand nutjobs with some buildings near Mount Fuji.
If the US were serious about the justification for this, bombing the rebels is exactly what they'd do if it turned out the rebels were responsible. Obviously they wouldn't do that, because it's not mainly about chemical weapons.
"The other breached the trust of Crown and Nation"
You've caught 'PB syndrome'. The well known malady where posters think they're 18th century parliamentarians. I was just starting to get used to '....and the good news just keeps on coming'
Comments
"Friday
Great news! Apparently somebody called Ed Miliband has been going out of his way to stop the Government shooting things at the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad. And they do far worse things than eating hedgehogs. So we reckon he might be up for defending us, too!
“I don’t think so,” says our publicist. “In fact, I think he only ended up defending Assad by mistake, because he doesn’t want people to dislike him.” We know the feeling, we say. Did it work? Too early to tell,” says the publicist, “but probably not.”
Then he tells us that the real problem is that Labour just isn’t twerking. Well they should try, we say. Because they can’t be any worse at it than us. I actually said ‘working’ that time,” says the publicist. “But soon they probably will.”
And it will be David "on the side of Al Qaeda" Cameron the next time a Syrian Christian gets beheaded.
State TV has got the patriotic music on. There is a clear feeling that once the UN inspectors left that was it, the next time of darkness would see a strike. The last of those inspectors reportedly left in the early hours.
To give you an indication of the delay, the original timetable looked at Wednesday/Thursday.
A T-Boat has five tubes so that is the maximum it can fire in one salvo. Each vessel can carry thirty weapons (made up of Spearfish and Tomahawk). The most recent figure I have seen is that the UK has purchased 365 TLAMs, though how many still exist in the inventory is unknown.
If Labour were certain they'd made the right choice they'd be shouting from the roof-tops how proud they are that the sunk the motion, not whinging about how sad it is that there wasnt consensus.
"Off topic but I've been contacted with a detailed questionnaire by my Tory MP. Anyone else? Wonder if it's a local or national thing. If the latter, that and stuff like the 'pay more tax under Labour' stunt that was out a few days ago suggests they're stepping up the voter detail harvesting."
Someone emailed me a sort of questionnaire from a Labour MP to a constituent but I think it was bespoke. It set out the Labour position and asked what the constituent would do. it was quite impressive. Of a higher standard than most of the arguments on here (another Richard and Richard Tyndall excepted)
'The most read item on the BBC website right now:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23909554
As I said: blowback.
Ed should take up Doctor Rola's offer.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed US claims that Syria's regime used chemical weapons, describing them as "utter nonsense".
Mr Putin challenged Washington to present the evidence behind its claims to the United Nations Security Council.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10068/gordon_brown/kirkcaldy_and_cowdenbeath
As I understand it Assad doesn't live in a palace and never has. He wanted from the beginning to live like a normal citizen. Another reason to hate him. He's a quasi socialist
Where we do have "several hundred" cruise missiles is within the RAF inventory. We ordered 1000 StormShadows and I would guess that the majority of that stock is still in-hand.
* Osborne ordered four more some months back as replacement stock and to keep the TacTom IV line open at Lockheed.
'The party that wants us to have proper armed forces could reap an electoral dividend.
UKIP want spending boosted by 40%. '
But UKIP's latest policy is not to get involved in any foreign interventions,surely a case for cutting not increasing spending.
However, UKIP still wants an army, navy and airforce capable of defending our shores if need be. It also know that this country has treaty arrangements, (NATO being one) that will better carried out if our armed forces were in a much better shape than now.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/majority_conservatism/2012/10/conservative-hq-briefs-tory-members-on-its-battleground-strategy.html
I guess Kemptown is one of the chosen! :-)
So no UK involvement in Bosnia,Kosovo,Sierra Leone Afghanistan,Iraq,Libya & Syria but we still need a 40% increase in spending?
Any clue as to how UKIP would pay for a 40% increase?
If he wants to climb the greasy pole I've suggested he takes on a local issue that resonates nationally. The biggies in Brighton seem to be parking/roads and refuse. For example I'm fed up of the tediously ongoing local recycling debate when bugger all is done to force retailers to cut down on packaging (as far as I can tell). That might be one.
'Duh.. leave the EU. Do you know how much we spend per month to be in that thing? ;-)'
I hadn't realized we were paying £18 billion a year for our EU membership.
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!)
2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis)
3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
Has reality finally caught up with them or should that be the other way round?.
Monarchs are not socialists in any way shape or form.
That is essentially why they are called Monarchs..they rule..in theory.. ask your mum
So Obama should be reconsidering bombing Syria based on the UK's position.
http://youtu.be/QdT0drUghio
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!)
2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis)
3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
See? Monarchy is Socialist through and through!
You are wrong ! He received 99.8% of the votes. The other 0.2% are sadly not here to tell why they did not vote for him.
However, he fights Al-Qaeda. I don't understand why we hate this dictator now but were happy to render him our AQ suspects to torture but have no problem with an Egyptian General who mows down a 1000 or so peaceful protesters.
We also like to business with Saudi kings. OK, I see the difference. They only behead them.
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!)
2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis)
3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
5) Free Private Health Care
"A disaster? No, it's high time Britain stopped being Uncle Sam's poodle.."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2407552/Syria-vote-A-disaster-No-high-time-Britain-stopped-Uncle-Sams-poodle.html
Two sentences caught my eye:
•The Conservative Party now feels it has a better ground operation than Labour.
[ chortle ! ]
I was told during the week that the ground operation in Eastleigh was already "at top speed".
[ say no more ]
You have got it the wrong way round lad..
The leaders of those so called Socialist States are all trying to become Monarchs..Geddit..
1) the Jobs for Life angle (how socialist can you get?!)
2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis)
3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2008/08/obama-ce.jpg
2) the Hereditary Principle (cf. The Benns, The Kims, The Gandhis)
3) the North Korean style pomp and circumstance (parades, pageantry, etc.)
See? Socialist through and through!
But why do you think this Dale Gavlak, who apparently normally writes for the AP, instead decided to break this not particularly trivial story with somebody called "Mint Press News"?
See here: http://bit.ly/1e0jnQy
Farage and Abbott really scoring.
Even everyone's aunt Shirley isn't getting on too well
And to see some solid factual evidence after reading all the psychiatrist couch fantasies of tim, Roger and the Warwickshire Warrior.
And not forgetting of course the burly Surby.
A Syripoo! But I'm traditional when it comes to dogs. Nothing like a French Poodle being cuddled by an American President.
(Nick Boles is HOPELESS. Where did they find him. A real pantomime villain)
He was sharing a latte with man from Cleethorpes.
"Ed seriously misjudged the public mood"
LOL. Swithch on radio 4 and listen to Any Questions. He certainly misjudged the public mood. I bet he can't have imagined for one minute that the Tory on the panel would be booed every time he opened his mouth!!.
One failed to manage his party.
The other breached the trust of Crown and Nation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Stewart
"Despite the huffing from Downing Street, many Tory MPs are amazed that there was not more sensitivity to Labour's position, and care taken to ensure Mr Miliband - a leader defined by his opposition to Iraq - was onside. Yet again the tone was wrong."
Page 6 of today's Times under the headline "Alarm bells were ignored as No 10 raced headlong to an historic defeat"
But Miliband dithered his way to disaster.
At least the country has now been warned.
Put Miliband in office and the 21st century Nero will fiddle as London burns.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/08/31/the-ghost-of-tony-blair/
He must be the only person other than Tony Blair who believes his conclusion:
"While the debate gave everyone the chance to repeat what they already thought about Blair, mostly in a simplified and bilious form, I think he had nothing to do with the reluctance of the Commons to support military action."
If the US were serious about the justification for this, bombing the rebels is exactly what they'd do if it turned out the rebels were responsible. Obviously they wouldn't do that, because it's not mainly about chemical weapons.
"The other breached the trust of Crown and Nation"
You've caught 'PB syndrome'. The well known malady where posters think they're 18th century parliamentarians. I was just starting to get used to '....and the good news just keeps on coming'