Weasel Words 723

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The Independent have Jack Straw well and truly cornered:

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Craig Murray, who was sacked as UK ambassador to Uzbekistan in 2004 after alleging that Britain used intelligence obtained by the CIA under torture, said he attended a meeting at the Foreign Office where he was told that “it was not illegal for us to use intelligence from torture as long as we did not carry out the torture ourselves” and claimed this policy came directly from Mr Straw.

The former Foreign Secretary said: “At all times I was scrupulous in seeking to carry out my duties in accordance with the law. I hope to be able to say more about this at an appropriate stage in the future.”

I hope so too, and I hope that the appropriate time is either at the Old Bailey or The Hague.

Straw has climbed down a bit from his days of power and glory, when he told the House of Commons, immediately after sacking me, that there was no such thing as the CIA extraordinary rendition programme and its existence was “Mr Murray’s opinion.” He no longer claims it did not exist and he no longer claims I am a fantasist. He now merely claims he was not breaking the law.

His claim of respect for the law is a bit dubious in the light of Sir Michael Wood’s evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry. Wood said that as Foreign Office Legal Adviser, he and his elite team of in-house FCO international lawyers unanimously advised Straw the invasion of Iraq would be an illegal war of aggression. Straw’s response? He wrote to the Attorney General requesting that Sir Michael be dismissed and replaced. And forced Goldsmith to troop out to Washington and get alternative advice from Bush’s nutjob Republican neo-con lawyers.

Jack Straw did not have any desire to act legally. He had a desire to be able to mount a legal defence of his illegal actions. That is a different thing.

Should any of us live to see the publication of the Chilcot Report, this will doubtless be clear, though probably as a footnote to page 862 of Annex VII. That is how the Westminster establishment works.

The SNP has weighed in on the side of the angels:

Revelations by the former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan of the UK’s knowledge and acceptance of torture must see those involved answer questions on what happened.

In an article in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Murray reveals that he attended a meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he was told that “it was not illegal for us to use intelligence from torture as long as we did not carry out the torture ourselves” and revealed that this policy came directly from Jack Straw.

Mr Murray also reveals that “there was a deliberate policy of not writing down anything… because there should not be evidence of the policy.”

Craig Murray also states that “for the past year the British Ambassador in Washington and his staff have regularly been lobbying the US authorities not to reveal facts about the UK’s involvement in the CIA torture programme” and claims that is one of the reasons the full Senate report has not been published.

The SNP has called for a full judicial inquiry to be set up as a matter of urgency to get to get to the truth of who knew what and when.

Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP said:

“Mr Murray’s revelation of the attitude taken by then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw only adds to the urgency with which we need a full judicial inquiry.

“Craig Murray’s article lifts the lid on the UK’s role in the human rights abuses that the US Senate has reported on and there can be no more attempts to avoid answering the tough questions that have been posed.

“Clearly answers are needed just as much from the politicians who led us at the time as from those directly involved in what was going on. The need for an independent judicial inquiry is now clear for all to see.

“It is also long past time that the findings of the Chilcot inquiry were published and there can be no more delays to that report being made public.

“There needs to be a full judicial inquiry to get to the bottom of the UK’s involvement in rendition flights that passed through UK territory and the UK’s wider knowledge of the abuses that the Senate has revealed.”

Craig Murray’s revelations can be viewed on page 25 of today’s Mail on Sunday

But with Malcolm Rifkind being promoted everywhere by the BBC to push his cover-up, it remains an uphill struggle.

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723 thoughts on “Weasel Words”

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  • doug scorgie

    Mary
    18 Dec, 2014 – 3:43 am

    “General Houghton says the world is “more dangerous” than 12 months ago and he “worries” about Britain’s role.”
    ………………………………………………………………………………….

    As ever Mary the military top brass (and our political “leaders”) can’t see/won’t see Britain’s role in making the world more dangerous in the first place; they are infatuated with playing never-ending war games.

  • doug scorgie

    Mary
    18 Dec, 2014 – 4:06 am

    “I see Blair has been scuttling around in this piece of theatre.”
    …………………………………………………………………

    Don’t forget Mary, he’s after that Nobel Peace prize.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30418405

    “These methods which are repulsive, which I do not accept, which are not justifiable, did not bring anything good. And that is the real catastrophe of the US, that is the real catastrophe of the CIA, that is the real catastrophe of George Bush.”

    Note: Poland stopped this. We won’t even admit that it happened.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    “I see Blair has been scuttling around in this piece of theatre.”

    He’s a fucking actor. It’s his natural habitat. Anyway, Obama’s pulled Kerry off solving the MidEast and put him on restoring relations with Cuba. O. knows one of the significant achievements of his term has not been bringing harmony to the ME, so Cuba is a desperate attempt to go out on a high note. Poor old Kerry. A good man, I think, badly let down by the US gov’t whose idiot policies he has to endorse.

  • Mark Golding

    Courage. What a nice word. It even sounds nice. Yet it is not the ‘courage’ that General Houghton expresses. It is spirit, life, warmness and morality.

    Courage contributes a sustained love between neighbors. A great example is the strong geopolitical and regional alliance between Russia and China. The Sino-Russian relations.

    Even before Peter the Great, despite lack of knowledge, a language barrier and unrefined protocol, trade routes with China were established and Treaties signed. Territorial skirmishes between China and Russia ended for a while when the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with the Republic of China before World War II.

    A further Treaty of Friendship and Alliance 中蘇友好同盟條約 was signed by the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China and Soviet Union on 14 August 1945. Sadly despite a common Marxist-Leninist ideology, border disputes once again increased tension engineered covertly in some part by the US who then when on to exploit the split with overtures that lead to the 1972 Nixon visit to China. Nonetheless since 1991 Russia and China have built a marriage.

    Despite James Miller’s musings copied here, NOT Crawford, it is the barbarian US economic war against a proud Russia that does not admit it is hurting the Russian peoples; even basic commodities such as sugar and butter are affected by the Ruble slid. Ordinary Russians are bruised and punished.

    http://www.interpretermag.com/its-not-just-oil-and-sanctions-killing-russias-economy-its-putin/

    Writing to Xi I have asked for courage… to act against the uncouth, vulgar, vicious and inferior United States of America. China can shock neo-liberal warmongering America back into savoir-faire. China with respect must play that card now with gratitude and love towards Russia, her partner, ally and comrade.

  • doug scorgie

    Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)
    18 Dec, 2014 – 8:35 am

    “I should be interested to see if anyone on here (other than yourself) will be able to bring himself to express what you consider to be the general opinion on Tibet/China. I have my doubts, because that would involve criticising China…”
    ……………………………………………………………………………..

    I have no objection to criticising China – it has the highest execution rate in the world for example and I certainly support independence for Tibet and Taiwan.

    However, it is instructive that you Habbabkuk and your team members cannot muster any criticism of western governments and their brutal, dictatorial allies around the world.

    You also never criticise western backed coups that bring down, or attempt to bring down, legitimate democratic governments.

    Syria 1949
    Iran 1953
    Guatemala 1954
    Iraq 1960
    Congo 1960
    And more recently Chile and Venezuela .

    I could go on as you know Habbabkuk but I can’t be arsed.

    Oh I nearly forgot Israel – no criticism from you of that country eh?

  • YouKnowMyName

    the good EU news from the European Parliament (where CIA Torture was debated yesterday afternoon with result expected next year) is that the cost to EU Farmers of the first stage of sanctions blowback from Russia has been found in the CAP budget, so the EUR 273,6 million of emergency measures is covered without (yet) dipping into crisis reserves. EParliament also voted/wrote yesterday:

    EU has repeatedly confirmed its support for the two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states with the secure State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine … Supports in principle recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two state solution, and believes these should go hand in hand with the development of peace talks … underlines that settlements are illegal under international law; calls on both parties to refrain from any action which may undermine the viability and the prospects of the two-state solution … Underlines the need for a comprehensive peace, ending all claims and fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of both parties, including those of Israelis for security and those of Palestinians for statehood; stresses that the only possible solution to the conflict is the coexistence of two States, Israel and Palestine

    more at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/home.html in whatever language you choose

  • YouKnowMyName

    More EU good-news is that the secretly long-awaited pan-EU ‘lawful-interception’ (= only spies) of remote computers across national boundaries seems to be happening (at last)
    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/surveillance-by-a-government-sponsored-secret-system-1.2033443
    This is wonderful news as it will means that really many criminals will be captured, and brought to trial, instantly, I should imagine.

    I presume the spies, sorry ‘police’, are following the developments at https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=2268589
    specifically “The rule of law on the Internet and in the wider digital world… published by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights”
    who annoyingly write

    On national security activities
    18. The ECHR and Convention No. 108 must be applied to all activities of the states
    that are party to these conventions, including states’ national security and intelligence
    activities.

    19. Specifically, in order to achieve respect for the rule of law on the Internet and in
    the wider digital environment:
    states should only be allowed to invoke national security as a reason to
    interfere with human rights in relation to matters that threaten the very
    fabric and basic institutions of the nation;
    states that want to impose interferences with fundamental rights on the
    basis of an alleged threat to national security must demonstrate that the
    threat cannot be met by means of ordinary criminal law, compatible with
    international standards relating to criminal law and procedure;
    the above also applies to actions of states that relate to the Internet and
    e-communications.

    20. Member states should bring the activities of national security and intelligence
    agencies within an overarching legal framework. Until there is increased transparency
    on the rules under which these services operate – domestically, extraterritorially
    and/or in co-operation with each other – their activities cannot be assumed to be
    in accordance with the rule of law.

    21. Member states should also ensure that effective democratic oversight over
    national security services is in place. For effective democratic oversight, a culture
    of respect for human rights and the rule of law should be promoted, in particular
    among security service officers

  • fred

    “Am i wrong in thinking that these grants and subsidies are not devolved at present?”

    Energy is reserved, planning isn’t.

    The SNP are aiming for 100% renewable by the end of the decade.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    YKMN – Bibi’s furious! So’s the ADL.

    http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Netanyahu-Too-many-in-Europe-have-learned-nothing-from-the-slaughter-of-6-million-Jews-384952

    http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Abraham-HFoxman-Mahmoud-Abbas-Palestinians-statehood/2014/12/17/id/613673/

    Cue ‘six million Jews’ and ‘holocaust’. In a rational world, you don’t attract support by equating those who disagree with you with Nazis, of course. Are these bastards even rational?

    Hysteria, pure and simple.

  • nevermind

    Thanks for that youknowmyname, para. 20 and 21 made me smile as there is no way I can see the control freaks giving up their hobbies, its a bit like finding a more interesting blog for our poster boy here, impossible, its like the proverbial sticking to a blanket.

    Europe is moving towards a centralised structure, but still with an unaccountable appointed top echelon, our commissioners.
    I’d like to see them elected, because any election will bring up the horrendous OTT lobbying and the exposure they have to endure and which are determining what they present to our MEP’s for their hand wringing.

  • Macky

    Mark Golding; “It was Russia that defeated Nazi Germany”

    Indeed, and also defeated Japan in WW2

    (Thanks for making it a triple feature Ba, al !)

  • nevermind

    Mark G. If that globalresearch news is true, it would explain the last weeks excessive overhead manoeuvre’s by our boys in blue.

    It would also tear Cameron’s backside out of the electoral fire, he can just postpone it.

    Will HMQ be going to Sandringham this xmas or hold their festivities in the Brecon beacons?, just in case…..we’ll soon know. usually by the 20/12 the papers are full of pictures and festive missives to all the sheeple.

  • YouKnowMyName

    Oh and for the privacy/security nerds the EU court of justice has just ruled that the draft agreement of the application of the European Union itself to join the 3rd September 1953 convention for the protection of human rights & fundamental freedoms is not compatible with EU law; quick we need more lawyers!

    The “honest we’re not a honeypot” security website Cryptome has the UK parliament declaration of members’ interests 2014 online here http://cryptome.org/2014/12/uk-mps-interests-open-knowledge-14-1217.pdf (2MB)

    A quick summary, funding/associated:
    USA 34 mentions, Russia 1 mention (Gorgeous!)
    Palestine 3 mentions, Israel just 98

  • YouKnowMyName

    Slightly more controversial than even Giulietto Chiesa is this:
    WORLD EXCLUSIVE to http://www.watoday.com.au/world/drone-strikes-counterproductive-says-secret-cia-report-20141218-129ynq.html

    Drone strikes and other “targeted killings” of terrorist and insurgent leaders favoured by the US and supported by Australia can strengthen extremist groups and be counterproductive, according to a secret CIA report published by WikiLeaks.

    According to a leaked document by the CIA’s Directorate of Intelligence, “high value targeting” (HVT) involving air strikes and special forces operations against insurgent leaders can be effective, but can also have negative effects including increasing violence and greater popular support for extremist groups.

    The leaked document is classified secret and “NoForn” (meaning not to be distributed to non-US nationals) and reviews attacks by the United States and other countries engaged in counter-insurgency operations over the past 50 years.</blockquote

    you’ll have to find this no-shit Sherlock report yourself

    it might be sensitive in the UK given that it alleges that we ‘took-out’ (to lunch?) some terrorists to bolster some IRA leaders or something like that

    Other strategic objectives of targeted killings include “fragmenting or splitting the insurgent group”.

    In the case of Northern Ireland, the CIA suggests that British tactics deliberately strengthened the position of moderates within the Irish Republican Army, notably Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, who eventually engaged in negotiations that lead to a non-violent settlement of conflict.

    “The British saw an interest in protecting [Adams] and members of his faction … Acting on intelligence gained through penetrations, the British eliminated some radical IRA members who could have obstructed the peace process or challenged the Adams faction for leadership of the group.”

  • YouKnowMyName

    @MarkG Well that image of the BUK312 only appears around 186 times on the internet, indicating that it’s a story in the early phases of “churnalism” blog-based claims.

    A random handful of these blog sites geolocate to UA, NL, USA. using FlagFox, even tho they claim dot RU TLD

  • Reluctant Observer

    Macky wrote –

    @———–
    Reluctant Observer; “perhaps you would be kind enough to define a “troll” ”

    Very simple actually; somebody unwilling or unable to engage in rational debate; in the first case it’s a case of not being here in good faith, the second case, being of poor mental faculties.

    ————@

    I wonder to whom this might apply ?

    Possibly someone who posts a lot, likes to place down large cut-and-paste extracts, refers to others in insulting terms, but never ever engages in actual conversation with them. Even when they politely ask follow-up questions on points that poster has made.

    You are talking about the imperious Mary – correct ?

  • Ben the Inquisitor

    American responses to the Sony movie being pulled from theaters is odd. Sony is a Japanese co and they’re wondering why they are responding to a NK threat?

    It’s not rocket science. Oh wait. It’s rocket science.

  • Ben the Inquisitor

    Saker has nothing on this revelation about MH17. It may be disinfo. But hasn’t there been a lot of anecdotal evidence it’s true?

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