posted
You can't just dismiss anything a politician says just because he obviously wants the top job. ALL politicians say all sorts of things when they're after the top job. Some of Governor Bush's ruminations on foreign policy, back when he was just a guy who wanted to be President, are rather amusing in the light of recent events. Cook's a little creep, but right now he seems to be doing half the job of the Opposition, who don't seem to be able to reconcile having to support the war while opposing anything the Government does.
quote:LONDON, July 9 � Britain on Wednesday defended its allegations that Saddam Hussein had sought uranium from Niger for a nuclear weapons programme, saying its evidence was separate from forged information used by Washington to make the same case.
quote:''I don't know where the Americans got their information from. Our information comes from good, reliable sources -- not British sources, which is why we were never at liberty to pass anything to the Americans,'' a British official, who declined to be named, told Reuters. He declined to say exactly who had provided the information used by Britain. He said Britain continued to believe that intelligence pointing to Iraq's ''intent to obtain uranium from Africa...is valid and accurate.''
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Uh-huh. Must be the same intelligence that said that Iraq could deploy WMD in 45 minutes. Face it. Saddam did not try to buy uranium from Africa.
posted
Well, we could all sit down and try to list all the countries that have either tried or are trying to obtain fissionable materials, but I for one don't have a week to spare. Trying to obtain uranium does not equal proof of possession of WMDs and the serious intent to use them.
posted
The opinions of a BBC political offic- erm, editor are a strange substitute for facts in the UK...
Since when have editorials been considered newsworthy in and of themselves... the BBC's feud with the Blair government notwithstanding?
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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posted
Aha! Very clever! You see what he did there? He implied that a BBC journalist is a political officer, which everyone knows is sort-of commie sounding and bad, a nasty tool of the government. This means that the source can be ignored. Never mind that in the very next paragraph he actually mentions that the BBC has a feud going with the government, which means that Marr can't very well be a political officer then, can he?
And, opinions? Opinions = Andrew Marr says he reckons WMDs will never be found. All Marr has done is report what government officials' opinions are.
Which, granted, is a bit dubious given the basis of the feud between Blair, Campbell et al and the BBC - which is by no means just the BBC's fault - is that Campbell has tried to make it appear that certain sources and the information they provided are not what the BBC has made them out to be. This is a tough thing for the BBC to refute, since no honest journalist would ever reveal a source.
quote:Originally posted by Lee: This is a tough thing for the BBC to refute, since no honest journalist would ever reveal a source.
Except when they do. I think you mean that they wouldn't reveal a source which had asked to remain confidential -- although that request usually ends up in the story somewhere, as it makes for good press - the heroic 'deep throat' getting the word out at greak risk, and all that rot.
quote:Aha! Very clever! You see what he did there? He implied that a BBC journalist is a political officer, which everyone knows is sort-of commie sounding and bad, a nasty tool of the government. This means that the source can be ignored. Never mind that in the very next paragraph he actually mentions that the BBC has a feud going with the government, which means that Marr can't very well be a political officer then, can he?
Only if you accept the limited definition of "political officer" as someone who works for the government, and not as an officer of any particular organization. Actually, many organizations and corporations have 'political officers,' although they don't always call them that. They're the people that see to it that 'company policy' is maintained internally.
Although given the directions the BBC has taken lately, identification with a particular political ideology can be left to the beholder.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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quote: Although given the directions the BBC has taken lately, identification with a particular political ideology can be left to the beholder.
What the hell do you mean, lately? The BBC has always had a slight leftish inclination, but it really isn't that bad and most of the time they are fairly impartial. Which is more can be said for most Amereican news broardcasters.
Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:Although given the directions the BBC has taken lately, identification with a particular political ideology can be left to the beholder.
The Cold War's long over, but they still see Reds under the bed. . . I remember when they broadcast the Mandela benefit concert back in 1988, and the second one after he was released: a senior Conservative politician said that the mere fact they did broadcast it meant the BBC was full of Communists.
The fact is, Rob doesn't know a thing about 'the directions the BBC has taken lately;' all he knows is that they have chosen to take issue with some of the spin being imparted by the Prime Minister (and HIS political officer, Alastair Campbell) who is the foremost international supporter of the US' War on Terror. In other words, the enemy of his friends is also his enemy.
posted
Oh come on. The BBC is nothing like the complete and utter patriotic propagande bullshit poured out by FOX and friends. It makes my skin crawl to see those 'journalists' almost having an orgasm as yet another bomb is dropped.
Just saw an interview with Mr. Perle (some Defense guy). He said the 'victory' was 'an historic event', and that the Americans 'liberated' 25 million people and that it doesn't really matter anymore that there are no WMDs....
I don't know what to say about it all. I'm frustrated with it. How can this government be so completely self-obsessed? America just does whatever the fuck it wants, and there's no-one that can do ANYthing about it. I can only be glad that I don't LIVE in America. Land of the free.
Ick. This really gets under my skin. I should stop now.
That used to be the group that didn't want the US to conduct and further investigations... of the previous President.
Methinks they're not exactly nonpartisan.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
True.
But if Clinton can get impeached for lying about Lewinsky, I think Bush Jr. should go through the same. Besides, lying about world affairs for something that could qualify as personal gain is far more serious than lying about trysts.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
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