Total of British Soldiers killed in Afghanistan = 392
There is q quickening of the pulses among the political Neo-Con zealots.. Where will the next war be? Iran, Somalia, Falklands? Liam Fox bigged up the tension with Iran backed by his Neo-Con funded chum Adam Werritty. Somalia and the Falklands are both 'doable' as new military adventures for the glory-seeking admirals and generals.
Parliament will not meet again until the 4th January. We could swiftly drift into war. We know that to Thatcher and Blair war was an exhilarating viagra. Nothing has changed. Cameron would rejoice in an escape route from the wreckage of his ruined Big Society and his crumbling NHS plans. Posturing as a war leader would appeal to him.
Today's carnage in Iraq should give Cameron a pause for thought. Does he recall his enthusiasm in 2003 to back Blair's disastrous deception and send 179 British troops to die in Bush's war? Does he recall his silence in 2006 when the Helmand incursion hoped that 'not a shot would be fired." That was 385 British deaths ago.
History will judge that our involvement in Iraq and Helmand replaced rotten Governments with other rotten Governments at a tragic cost in blood and treasure.
We must not stumble into another war with unimaginable consequences.
Councillor Les Knight 1930 -2011
Les had been a councillor in Newport for 42 years. Kind and courteous he was a devoted servant to his constituents in Allt-yr-yn and the rest of the City of Newport.
He was one of the few surviving councillors who were serving on the old Newport Borough Council when I was elected in 1972. I had been elected in a by-election in Malpas after I had been soundly beaten
in Allt-yr-yn by the Tories - probably Les. For a politician he was a spare communicator. So rarely did he speak at council, he became known as 'silent knight'. But he was not inactive. He was constantly but quietly involved in the micro-surgery of the thousands of acts of service that make up a councillor's life.
I recall meeting him in 1981 on Newport Bridge in surreal circumastances. He was the mayor and we watched in amazemant at the hugh ice and frozen snow masses that flowed down the Usk in that dreadful winter. A vast fall of snow had kept me in London for two days because snow had blocked the main railwayline.
His special interests on the Council included promoting Newport's stately home of Tredegar House. He was energetically working there until recently to ensure that a new generation appreciated this treasure in the same way that he did.
Few others have devoted so many years of loving service to the people of Newport. Les deserves to be remembered with pride and gratitude.
To some the thinking is that if the capability is there it is just a matter of when the time is right. I think you are right Paul that small time players could bring us closer to the next war. Hopefully those with the ear of govt. will not be those with their own egotistical agendas. Its all too easy to easy to open the gates of carnage because of one man's petty grievances or selfish ambition. Hopefully those with better sense can put out these fires.
Posted by: Ad | December 23, 2011 at 12:48 AM
Thank you Paul for continuing to fight the good fight against powerful and vested interests, especially over the last few days while most of us have been preoccupied with Christmas. Yeour blogs are sobering reading matter
Posted by: DG | December 24, 2011 at 02:29 AM
It's the vivid memories of the two worst moments of my 25 years in parliament - 2nd Iraq war and Helmand. It could easily happen again. Mysterious explosions, murder of scientists and cyber war now happening in Iran. Was Liam Fox plotting with US Far Right?
Posted by: Paul Flynn | December 24, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Thanks very much Ad and DG.
It's some reassurance that Obama is president. But he could well be swept along by the dark Neo-con forces that propelled Bush into the Iraq war with our parliament being dragged in by carefully crafted fiction.
Meanwhile the news concentrates on other matters.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | December 24, 2011 at 03:23 PM
can i send Jan and my best wishes for a happy Christmas and a successful new year to Sam and your family ?
i am most appreciative of your steadfast opposition this govts Afghan adventure
Posted by: beetee | December 24, 2011 at 07:57 PM