Category: Iraqi War

The French ambassador to the United States gives three reasons as to why France is so reluctant about war

War must remain the very last option

Agreed.

Robert Fisk writes another scathing attack on the US and the UK. In a passionate piece of writing he rubbishes the claims of the US concerning Iraqi non-compliance – and talks about the real reason for war – oil and power.

In the end, I think we are just tired of being lied to. Tired of being talked down to, of being bombarded with Second World War jingoism and scare stories and false information and student essays dressed up as “intelligence”. We are sick of being insulted by little men, by Tony Blair and Jack Straw and the likes of George Bush and his cabal of neo-conservative henchmen who have plotted for years to change the map of the Middle East to their advantage

I have similar feelings.

I would recommend anybody interested in politics to watch this Flash movie on Idleworm.com – its hilarious. The Reg covers the story here.

Just to update (and correct) my previous posts – not intending to be sensationalist – I will just report what I have been hearing. Friend in Amman tells me that there are ‘loads’ of UK and US troops there. The British Embassy have *advised* all *dependents* to leave the country. The date they have been to leave the country by is Febrauary 21st.

All US citizens are leaving the country by Saturday the 15th of Feb.
The rationale behind this is that Jordan becomes a no-fly zone once a war starts. All exits thereafter are overland via Syria or Lebanon.

The US did issue an advisory and a series of travel warnings on February 7 alerting Americans ‘to increased security concerns’ in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

My own reading of it is that war starts next week.

I have learned in the last few hours that all British citizens have been told to leave Jordan. I have a friend living in Amman and she has been told to leave the country within the next week – as of the 12 February. This has not appeared on any news sites or channels – I read most of them. Nor does it appear on the Foreign Ofiice’s site, or the British Embassy’s websitefrom Jordan.

So according to my information all British citizens, and families have been asked to leave Jordan.

I will attempt to gain more details in the next few hours – her email said that the terrorist threat has become too much – and that the ‘military’ presence has increased dramatically – I believe that refers to Jordanian troops though I am uncertain about that.

I could speculate that it also about the impending invasion – which is likely to happen next week. But that’s just speculation.

The US has issued an advisory and a series of travel warnings on February 7 alerting Americans ‘to increased security concerns’ in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

Interesting if it as serious a warning as I suspect it is.

Polly Toynbee writes about the galvanising of European public opinion against a war in Iraq. She argues that that opposition has united Europe like little else. Except of course for Britain. She goes on to say that without the UN a war is illegitimate:

Without a UN resolution, the rightness of the cause is clear cut. Only the UN confers legitimacy on any invasion and afterwards the UN will be essential during a long and difficult occupation.

If only the UN were a fair and unbiased body – then we might have progress, rather than the main powers using it as a puppet for their policies.

Tony argues the case, in favour of global justice etc. etc. If only I believed him.

Here we have it, the decision has definately been made. All rhetoric from now on can be ignored. War will happen within the month. I remember reading an article about what to look out for, indications that war was imminent. It has come, the US has deployed the F117 Stealth bombers from their bases in New Mexico, these are only deployed where action is almost certain. Along with that Kuwait is closing its borders with Iraq from February 15.