It is ten years since I ended my FCO career by going on the Today programme and blowing the whistle on CIA/MI6 complicity in torture. It was on my 46th birthday, and I was in my second year as an Ambassador and my seventh as a top Whitehall civil servant, a member of the Senior Civil Service.
Looking back now, what is most striking are the blatant lies by the FCO that they were not obtaining intelligence from torture. As the BBC reported:
In one he claimed MI6 had used information passed on to it by the CIA but originally obtained in Uzbek torture cells – something strongly denied by the Foreign Office.
I do not think there is a single person in public life or social media nowadays who would not accept that the FCO were simply lying. Jack Straw was blatantly to lie about it to parliament. But ten years ago the public and media knew much less than they know now. Nobody outside secret circles had ever heard the words extraordinary rendition. It was a year later – May 2005 – before the New York Times revealed the CIA was sending people to Uzbekistan to be tortured, precisely as I had stated.
It sounds incredible, but in October 2004 many people believed it was Craig Murray who was a liar, not Jack Straw. Again I do not think there is a single individual today who does not understand that Jack Straw was lying through his teeth. But back in 2004 life was hard for me.
After going on the Today programme I went on the run, in fear for my life. I am not paranoid, remember David Kelly. I first stayed with my old friend Andy Myles in Edinburgh, then I think Chief Executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He was phoned the next morning by the FCO. When he denied knowledge of my whereabouts, they not only said they knew I was staying with him, they said which bedroom I was sleeping in. Ten years ago today I was hiding in Aviemore in the house of my old friend Dominic.
That was the start of a decade as a dissident where I have devoted my life to exposing, and trying to counter, the evil of the neo-conservative policy pursued by our political class at the behest of the corporations who fund them. I have suffered a huge loss in money, status and most of the other normal aspirations. But what I have gained is invaluable. I have respect and love, while Blair and Straw will forever be despised.
Thanks too John.
I try not to! Engage with the trolls that is.
http://www.thewrap.com/study-finds-online-trolls-bad-people-offline/
From Mary’s Mail on Sunday link:
“This newspaper was warned it would be reported to the new press complaints watchdog for simply arranging an interview with another panel member who could shed light on the controversy.
The threat was made by James Saville, a spokesman for Sharon Evans, a third person on the abuse inquiry. She runs a charity which includes Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff and Tony Blair’s daughter Kathryn among its trustees.”
Young people not voting in parts of Ukraine? Russell Brand’s influence getting far beyond these shores, lol…
Russel Brand at 12ish
If it really really was you – the real Russel Brand, I say this because you can never be absolutely sure of anything these days and sometimes some people here have been known not to be whom they say they are, then you are very welcome. The UK might be run by a ‘custard faced android’ and home secretary might still have her job despite what she said wearing a tartan jacket standing in front of a union jack patterned map of the UK but you I can tell from your post (if it really really really was you) are well qualified to start the revolution!!!
ooooops typo
)that you are well…..
Its all coming out now, Ed Miliband forced Labour in Scotland to stay quiet over Bedroom Tax.
_______________________________
Pressure has increased on the Labour Party after a national newspaper revealed that its UK leadership actively prevented the Scottish party from criticising the Bedroom Tax for a full year.
According to the Guardian newspaper, Ed Miliband barred Johann Lamont from speaking out against the Bedroom Tax while he pondered what Labour’s policy on it should be.
http://www.newsnetscotland.scot/index.php/scottish-politics/9826-labour-imposed-bedroom-tax-gagging-order-in-scotland
Are the British finished in Afghanistan?What were they doing there actually? What was there mission?job done?UK safe again?The process is all so theatrical but makes no real sense.There is still a war going on.Or am I alone in believing this?
Node
“Be very afraid. George Dubya was installed purely to enable 911 and the aftermath. They used him because being a sockpuppet was just about within the limit of his abilities.”
__________________
Do you really believe that junk, Node, or are you just trying to provoke?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the edification of readers, could you just explain briefly how and why you think this “enabling” took place?
*********************
Habbabkuk wonders: is there a full moon tonight?
RepublicOfKneejerkReactions
“According to the Guardian newspaper, Ed Miliband barred Johann Lamont from speaking out against the Bedroom Tax while he pondered what Labour’s policy on it should be.”
_____________________
Are you against people thinking before they speak?
If only various people on here would do so….sigh….
Node 5.01pm Kathryn Blair features on the Dot Com Children’s Foundation as a member of the board.
http://dotcomcf.org/about-us/kathryn-blair/
Daddy Tony gets his photo in too! What’s he there for?
http://dotcomcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_3082.jpg
Strong emphasis on Strictly Come Dancing. As well as Kristina, one of the dancers, we also have the son of Len Goodman, one of the judges.
It is a charity but ‘newly registered’ but not that ‘newly’….. June/December 2013. Apart from a contact address and a list of trustees, there is no information, financial or otherwise and no accounts.
???? All seems irregular.
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1154994&SubsidiaryNumber=0
@Mats: It was all about being the US’s special ally. No other explanation. Blair and Reid loved to fulfil that role.
And Mummy Blair too pulling one of her faces.
http://dotcomcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8304.jpg
“Node 5.01pm Kathryn Blair features on the Dot Com Children’s Foundation as a member of the board.”
and
“And Mummy Blair too pulling one of her faces.”
___________________
Even the Nazis usually left the families of their victims alone (but the Soviets didn’t)!
“It is a charity but ‘newly registered’ but not that ‘newly’….. June/December 2013. Apart from a contact address and a list of trustees, there is no information, financial or otherwise and no accounts.”
____________________
Sound a little like that hoary old favorite of our crazies, aka “globalresearch.org” – except that the latter doesn’t even give a contact address and the members of the management and editorial boards.
@Mary: she looks like her mum!
In this case, I’m inclined to say “leave the poor girl alone”. She’s started a business and good luck to her… oops it’s a charity, but it it’ll probably pay a few salaries. The fact that daddy probably gave her a bit of help is dubious but she won’t be the first…
Comments on Medialens ref BBC and Afghanistan!
More blatant BBC propaganda: “Afghanistan: The Lion’s Last Roar?”
Posted by Ed on October 26, 2014, 7:47 pm
British troops were/are in Afghanistan to keep the peace and rebuild it but there has been confusion and misplaced hopes and 453 of them have “given their lives” for it.
Awww, poor us, always trying to do good and coming off the worse for it!
Quote:
Episode 1
Afghanistan: The Lion’s Last Roar?
Eight years ago the British Army arrived in Helmand in Afghanistan confident they could keep the peace, defeat the Taliban and rebuild the impoverished province. Now Britain’s troops are leaving – 453 have given their lives. This two-part series tells the story of the conflict in Afghanistan and asks what has been achieved and whether, after such a bruising experience, the British have the will to fight in distant lands again.
Part one examines the build up to the conflict and reveals a story of misplaced hope and confused aims that quickly led to the very real threat of a catastrophic defeat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nd3rq
~~~
Posted by Rhisiart Gwilym on October 26, 2014
A beeb ‘news’ bulletinette this AM said that they’d ‘defeated the Taliban’. Wonder if anyone’s told the Taliban. They’re not acting very defeated.
.
@Mary: the second wave was all John Reid’s work, and I remember the newly-in-post John Donnatt expressing doubt, if not disbelief. Somehow, he seems to have extricated himself from blame for the many deaths and woundings. Maybe the documentary will tell us otherwise.
Peacewisher. It is not Kathryn Blair’s business or charity. She is a trustee. Sharon Evans is the person. She is on this thing that May has set up under Wolff to investigate historic child abuse.
blockquote>Woolf’s role was given only qualified backing by Sharon Evans, a journalist, campaigner and victim of child abuse, who is on the inquiry’s panel of experts.
She said she understood the anger of victims but was “confident” the panel would properly investigate the allegations.
“There has been so much focus on Fiona Woolf, which I understand, but she is just the head of the panel. There are nine people with an enormous background and expertise in this field,” Evans told Today.
“The whole panel are aware that we have got off to a very difficult start, but … we are satisfied that Fiona Woolf has the skills of a solicitor … We do need balance … I would like people to be reassured that there are victims on this panel.”
Evans added: “We are determined to get to the bottom of this … I will give you my pledge as a journalist and victim that I will not let anybody get away with things that I think are being covered up.”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/22/child-abuse-inquiry-fiona-woolf-dinner-parties-lord-brittan
Another Theresa May muddle.
We’re pulling out of Afghanistan and Cameron is so proud of keeping his promise to pull out and so proud of our troops, etc. Michael Fallon tells Andrew Marr mistakes were made “But don’t let’s ignore what has been achieved.” What’s that then? What was achieved in this response to the US killing thousands of its citizens to start this and other crazy wars in the Middle East, as well as death, and all the money waste that could have been spent on our NHS to prevent it falling into thieving capitalist hands?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29776544
And what was achieved in Iraq? Don’t these puppets of the Zionist world order have any conscience? Rhetorical. We all know the answer.
Republicofscotland – What kind of coward would keep quiet for a year over something like that just because someone else tells them too? Politics is supposed to be about justice and decency and standing up and being counted – not expediency and going along with being told to keep quiet.
Mary
If Fiona Woolf and Sharon Evans are your targets, why the f**k are you getting in an underhand little dig against Kathryn Blair??
Hilde Benjamin comes to mind yet again.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/yaalon-said-to-effectively-separate-jewish-arab-bus-riders-in-wb/
And still there are some who would still argue Israel is not an Apartheid State .
Mr Goss (re Irak))
“And what was achieved in Iraq? Don’t these puppets of the Zionist world order have any conscience? Rhetorical. We all know the answer.”
It’s not often we have anything to thank you for, but your post at 19h36 is a rare exception.
Of course! Irak was all a Zionist conspiracy….
As were the Bolshevik revolution 5Mr Schiff funded it!) the Holocaust (the Nazis and Zionists were working hand in glove!), globalisation (the Rothschilds and Bilderbergers!) 9/11 (five Israelis observed high-fiving!), Ukraine (Nazis and Zionusts again! and so on and so on.
Various of your posts refer.
“Don’t these puppets of the Zionist world order have any conscience?”
Probably more than the person making such a remark – let us remember all the others in history who have made similar remarks.
A billion bucks for a new military hospital in Germany? They may be pulling out of Afghanistan, but they obviously have casualties from alternate war zones in their plans. $16 million for landscaping and animal relocation shows their softer side.
http://www.stripes.com/news/officials-break-ground-on-hospital-to-replace-landstuhl-1.310376
An exhibition I went to in Bethnal Green a year or two back. May Ayres’ stunning ceramics were very memorable.
http://www.mayayres.com/may-ayres-gods-wars-exhibition11.html Fallujah
http://www.mayayres.com/aggression_proconsul.html Negroponte
http://www.mayayres.com/may-ayres-gods-wars-exhibition3.html BLiar – His image was shown standing on a plinth made of the faces of babies. He was shown with two faces.
and a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81FYdPnZXgw
Ben
They have probably just discovered that they will need to take in sailors as well.
Pro-war parties topping the bill in Ukraine elections:
http://rt.com/news/199476-ukraine-parliamentary-elections-results/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3G4LA-QwR4
As the Government deploy poor sophistry to explain the debacle of our Afghanistan ‘ adventure ‘, it is worth watching this interview from Al Jazeera from the Oxford Union , with General Mike Jackson who lead British Forces in Iraq .
It makes you cringe if this is the quality or ‘ intellectual level ‘ at the top of the British military hierarchy . I doubt much has changed since .
So far, I think the silent treatment is working. I love the smell of desperation in the evening.