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.
Twenty EU-financed airports in Estonia, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain have misspent large sums of EU taxpayers’ money for well over a decade.
An empty waiting hall at Vigo airport in Spain, probed by EU auditors (Photo: Vigo airport)
A report out Tuesday (16 December) by the European Court of Auditors found that €255 million – more than half of the EU funds audited – went into unnecessary expansion projects.
“This is an important finding,” Luc T`Joen, the report’s lead auditor, told journalists in Brussels.
Vanity projects in small regional airports, shoddy oversight by the European Commission, no local quality control checks, and overoptimistic passenger number forecasts are among the list of problems to have helped sap public coffers dry in times of economic crisis.
[this comment has been released from the spam filter]
@Ben, although anything is possible on the internet, once you use the open tools like infosniper.net it’s possible to trace the now 170 websites hosting this MH17 news story and its unique photo. Checking the hosting of another handful of these blogs, gets me 2 more Ukrainian IP sites and finally 2 in Russia, except, Cisco WHOIS record for ‘Russian’ nabat.pro website shows it was registered in Poltova UA36002 on Dec 2nd. It looks like a half-arsed intel community public service announcement of some sort, do try harder chaps!
Carry on with your sniping RO. I know where you are coming from.
For the record, what name did you use prior to your current one?
“anecdotal evidence” of truth does not match the fact that the uk blogs running it are based in US, others are based in anywhere except Russia and the limited number of Russian websites that do have this new story with its unique photo were just registered last week by a nice lady in Poltava in Central Ukraine, at least in the case of nabat.pro , does whiff strongly of intelligence community public service announcement!
http://Whois.domaintools.com/nabat.pro
Good advice for Abbott and co here from Malcolm Fraser.
The USA: Australia’s Dangerous Ally
Australia should not embrace America, writes its former prime minister, but preserve itself from Washington’s reckless overreach.
By Malcolm Fraser
December 17, 2014 “ICH” – “NI” – IT IS time for Australia to end its strategic dependence on the United States. The relationship with America, which has long been regarded as beneficial, has now become dangerous to Australia’s future. We have effectively ceded to America the ability to decide when Australia goes to war. Even if America were the most perfect and benign power, this posture would still be incompatible with the integrity of Australia as a sovereign nation. It entails not simply deference but submission to Washington, an intolerable state of affairs for a country whose power and prosperity are increasing and whose national interests dictate that it enjoy amicable, not hostile, relations with its neighbors, including China.
/..
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40506.htm
Reluctant Observer; “I wonder to whom this might apply ?”
Well no, it certainly doesn’t apply to Mary; I’m sure she is very capable of engaging in rational debate, but she’s perceptive & wise enough not to respond to malicious loaded questions which directed at her deliberately & solely to bait her; moreover she posts here in good faith, unlike certain others whose presence on this blog is not to shed light but to distract & indulge in vain ego trips.
I sure you must know the sort I mean, the type that posts countless contrarian “questions”, yet, unless persistently pressed, never seems to be forthcoming in providing answers, the type that engages in constant sniping, the type that makes a ridiculous song & dance about grammatical or typo errors, the type that likes to show off by issuing lots of poor taste smart-arse quips & put-downs, the type that is full of empty bluster which is revealed whenever somebody does them the courtesy of taking them seriously, the type that couldn’t string a coherent argument together without exposing themselves as intellectual frauds, etc,
Hopefully now, that’s enough even for you to realise which Posters this exactly applies to.
I remember the BUK evidence earlier in the year, promulgated by a single web-site tied to PR firm known for disinfo. She always got the photos before anyone else, ‘confirming’ rebel acquisitions and use.
5-eyes sat data never came through for her. I wonder why?
Mr Scorgie
“I certainly support independence for Tibet and Taiwan.”
__________________
Excellent.
May I take it, as a collorary, that you would also consider that the Chinese take-over of Tibet should be condemned as aggression and a violation of international law, that and the efforts of the US and the West to help Taiwan maintain its independence were/are to be welcomed?
Would any other of the more vociferous regulars like to take a position on Tibet/China, as requested?
Mary
“Carry on with your sniping RO. I know where you are coming from.
For the record, what name did you use prior to your current one?”
______________
D’you know,n Mary, that’s EXACTLY the same question I’ve asked “Republicofscotland” a couple of times.
But answer came there none…..
“D’you know,n Mary, that’s EXACTLY the same question I’ve asked “Republicofscotland” a couple of times.”
“But answer came there none…..”
_________________________________
Speak of the devil, and he pops up with a comment mentioning my username, I suppose if the devils talking about me he’s leaving someone else alone. Ah well, that’s life.
Macky – if you recall, you were kind enough to define a troll as “somebody unwilling or unable to engage in rational debate”. Concise enough, “very simple” as you said.
Does Mary engage in rational debate, or does she simply start calling people names when polite questions are asked – if she deigns to respond at all ? Or are you forced to “clarify” your definition to allow for this behaviour in She Who Must Not Be Questioned.
I daresay it would be convenient for a slippery poster, unable to admit their mistake, to change the definition after the fact – once they realise their stupidity.
Meanwhile, the mighty SNP have demanded that sir John Chilcot, get his finger out and publish his well over due report, of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The delay has been totally unacceptable, it has been a full 5 years since Sir John Chilcot, opened his enquiry into the farcical invasion of Iraq, a war/slaughter the SNP strongly opposed.
Its a scandal that we’re still waiting answers on, delay after delay has been thrown up, to allow the government and Whitehall to produce excuses galore. Extracts from the report are circulating in Whitehall and are said to have sent shockwaves through the establishment.
The new leader of the Scottish Labour branch Jim Murphy, was an ardent supporter of the war in Iraq, and as a Labour MP Mr Murphy voted on 11 separate occasions, AGAINST an investigation, into the conflict.
No doubt the Chilcot report will be heavily screened, and released during the busiest period in the run up to the 2015 GE, in order that its somehow put on the backburner, to the election campaign, then forgotten about.
RepublicOfChangingHandles
“Speak of the devil, and he pops up with a comment mentioning my username, I suppose if the devils talking about me he’s leaving someone else alone. Ah well, that’s life.”
________________
Well side-stepped, Sir!
What was your previous moniker on CM?
Scotland’s fishing fleet face a major dilemma, after EU negotiations created an anomaly. Starting from 2015 fishing boats must land EVERYTHING they catch,irrespective of breed or size.
But existing EU regulation state that certain breeds and sizes of fish, must not be kept, failing to return small or rare breeds of fish will see Scottish fishermen fined.
This what you get when you send an inexperienced buffoon from the House of Lords to barter with EU on Scottish fishing rights.
Republicofscotland
You’re one of the more vociferous posters with an opinion on almost everything.
So would you like to follow Mr Scorgie’s lead (example) and take a position on Tibet/China, as requested?
If Mr Scorgie can do it, I’m sure you can.
Can’t you?
“Well side-stepped, Sir!”
_________________________
I know how do do the Military two-step, or even the foxtrot, and possibly the cha-cha.
But tell me how does the “Side-Step” go, is it ballroom?
Reluctant Observer; “Macky – if you recall, you were kind enough to define a troll as “somebody unwilling or unable to engage in rational debate”. Concise enough, “very simple” as you said”
Funny how you only half quoted my comment, leaving out the important qualifier which followed the semi-colon, “in the first case it’s a case of not being here in good faith, the second case, being of poor mental faculties.”
Mary certainly posts here in good faith, & with those she chooses to, she certainly can engage in rational debate; further she is valued by many her for her informative posts that shed helpful light on many of the issues discussed here.
Reluctant Observer;“I daresay it would be convenient for a slippery poster, unable to admit their mistake, to change the definition after the fact – once they realise their stupidity.”
The slippery poster here appears to be you, as you obviously not really concerned with troll definitions, but only with attacking Mary; I gave you ample clues as to who the chief troll here is, but it clearly doesn’t suit or even interest you to acknowledge that.
The USA and Cuba yes Cuba,have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations, and open up economic and travel ties. Its the most significant change in US policy towards Cuba in decades, no doubt Obama fears another “Bay of Pigs” event, when the new Cold War with Russia he’s pushing, really kicks in.
Pope Francis played a major part in getting Castro and Obama together over the phone.
Macky, you are clearly one of those tiresome creatures who can never admit their mistakes. Run along now, I believe Mary has a biscuit for you.
@ Habbabkuk
‘What was your previous moniker on CM?’
In the beginning of posts from the above troll in November 2011, the name was Habbakuk. LOL
IDF terror patrol abduct two very young Palestinian children.
Israeli troops forcibly abduct two crying 10-year old children [video]
author Thursday December 18, 2014 – IMEMC News Report post
The Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron videotaped an incident on Wednesday morning in which two small children are grabbed and held by soldiers. As the boys begin to cry and shake, multiple relatives attempt to intervene, but the soldiers end up abducting the children in an unmarked van.
/..
http://www.imemc.org/article/70038
A disturbing report of how the defunct Royals have shot and killed just about every animal that’s walked swam or flew on planet earth, yet somehow Prince William is the head of a campaign to end illegal hunting of wildlife.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2878309/As-Prince-William-campaigns-save-endangered-species-relatives-different-approach.html
………………………
Its an utter farce to put a Royal as the head of wildlife preservation, its a bit like putting the fox, in charge of the hen house, you get the picture.
Reluctant Observer; “Macky, you are clearly one of those tiresome creatures who can never admit their mistakes. Run along now, I believe Mary has a biscuit for you”
Don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back, or even a sherbet lemon if you prefer, for this pathetic snide attempt to get at Mary.
Right on schedule, following a high profile terrorist attack, the government of Australia is now “investigating new security laws” and other methods that can be used to gut the civil liberties, privacy, and general way of life of Australian citizens.
Only a day after the Sydney Siege, Australian “lawmakers,” intelligence agencies, legal branches, and other government officials sprung into action in order to discuss the possibility of passing yet another law allowing the collection and housing of telecommunication and Internet data of Australian citizens.
On December 16, the Australian Parliament was hearing testimony by Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin who “warned of ‘grave implications’ for terrorism investigations if telecommunications companies are not forced to keep phone and internet data.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-17/counterterrorism-hearing-in-canberra/5972360
………………………..
Tony Abbots beginning to turn the screw, and the Aussie public, can’t see what’s coming, in the long run.
So even the guy that the U.S. and UK replaced Gough Whitlam with, Malcolm Fraser, now wants Australia to be more independent from the U.S. Meanwhile, current politicians like Prime Minister Abbott and recent Labor prime minister Julia Gillard are quite happy to be dependent.;
Israel reacted furiously on Wednesday to the European Court of Justice’s decision to take Hamas off the EU’s list of terrorist organization, rejecting explanations that this was just a technical step that will be overturned before it is implemented.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before a meeting with Joni Ernst, the newly elected Republican senator from Iowa, called it one example of “staggering” European “hypocrisy.”
Hamas, Netanyahu said, “has committed countless war crimes and countless terror acts. It seems that too many in Europe, on whose soil six million Jews were slaughtered, have learned nothing. But we in Israel, we’ve learned. We’ll continue to defend our people and our state against the forces of terror and tyranny and hypocrisy.
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Netanyahu-We-expect-the-EU-to-put-Hamas-back-on-the-terror-blacklist-immediately-384926?utm_source=Newsletter+12-17-2014&utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email
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Netanyahu using the word hypocrisy, is a bit like China using the words human rights.
They don’t belong together.
Nazi Germany also claimed to be fighting terrorists. Allied airmen were “terror fliers” (Terrorflieger) in Goebbels’s propaganda. According to German and Vichy propaganda, the French Resistance was made up of terrorists.
David Cameron attacking Labour, because they’re not Pro-Israeli enough for his liking.
…………………………….
British Prime Minister David Cameron has criticized the Labour Party for its policy on Israel, saying the party’s leadership had shown its “true colors” by supporting Palestinian statehood.
Cameron made the remarks while speaking to the Conservative Friends of Israel, a pro-Israeli parliamentary group inside the Commons, at a Westminster lunch session on Tuesday.
The British prime minister added that his Conservative Party would always support Israel and “will always defend your (Tel Aviv’s) right to defend yourself.”
In addition, Cameron criticized Labour’s support for boycott attempts against Israel. He said “together we will defeat” the boycotts.
Elsewhere in his speech, Cameron claimed that the Jewish community share Tory values and urged British Jews to back him in next y ear’s general elections.
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/12/17/390624/cameron-attacks-labour-over-israel/
An attempt to scrap the controversial bedroom tax has been foiled after Liberal Democrat MPs failed to vote against the policy. The Government defeated a Labour motion to abolish what Iain Duncan Smith prefers to call the “spare room subsidy” by a reduced majority of 32, winning the vote 298 to 266.
The Liberal Democrats were accused of betraying their members after pledging earlier this year to abolish the policy which penalises housing benefit recipients seen to have a spare bedroom. Campaigners say the welfare reform has pushed many families into poverty, often because there is no smaller property for them to move to.
In a debate over the motion, Labour’s Geraint Davies accused the Tories of “ripping food out of the mouths of the poorest” and forcing people to rely on food banks.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liberal-democrats-scotch-bid-to-vote-down-bedroom-tax-9931679.html
……………………………….
What a bunch of useless t*ssers the Lib/Dems are.
” existing EU regulation state that certain breeds and sizes of fish, must not be kept, ”
Errm, well the existing regulations will be scrapped in favour of the new ones which are applicable to all EU fishing fleets. The rules have been changed as the result of a lot of campaigning to stop discards. That is throwing dead fish back into the sea. It’s taken the EU a couple of decades to realise that his is not a valid conservation strategy.
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/fishing_rules/discards/index_en.htm