Craig Murray former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan and author of the outstanding Murder In Samarkand gave crucial evidence earlier today to Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights about the UK Government's complicity in torture. The interview appears here on the parliamentary video. If it has disappeared from the parliamentary slot go instead to You Tube here, where it appears in seven parts. It is not to be missed. His question and answer session lasts for almost an hour. Then click into Craig Murray's website here and then into my link below.
UPDATE 29 APRIL - See here also.
Showing posts with label Craig Murray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craig Murray. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Final Straw
Craig Murray (left) has posted a key item today. It starts as below and needs to be pursued."Justice Secretary Jack Straw to be Accused on Torture in Parliamentary Inquiry
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights has agreed to hear my evidence on torture on Tuesday 28 April at 1.45pm. Many thanks to everyone who helped lobby for this.
I am delighted, as I have been trying for over four years to lay the truth about British torture policy before Parliament. I will testify that as British Ambassador I was told there is a very definite policy to accept intelligence from torture abroad, and that the policy was instituted and approved by Jack Straw when Foreign Secretary. I will tell them that as Ambassador I protested formally three times in writing to Jack Straw, and that the Foreign Office told me in reply to my protests that this was perfectly legal.
I will prove my evidence with documentation.
Here is the written evidence I will speak to" - click here
Craig Murray's evidence needs to be seen in relation to his compelling book "Murder in Samarkand" which I reviewed here and which I list amongst my favourites.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Spicing Up Craig Murray
For those who haven't yet read Craig Murray's fine book "Murder in Samarkand" , there is a taster here which reproduces seven or so pages from the start of his book - you may need to register. It is taken from a New York Times' "Sunday Book Review" following the publication of his book in America under the title "Dirty Diplomacy" .
Sometimes books don't live up to the promise of their early pages. This isn't, however, the case with Craig Murray's book which I have already praised here.
The New York Times have now produced a curmudgeonly review of Craig's book as the reviewer doesn't like Craig's confessions about his sex life. Yet it is exactly Craig's ability to mix details about his personal life with the horrors of the Uzbekistan regime, which carries the reader along.
Confessions can also be informative about the wider picture. He explains that it was because he had discovered a convenient place to piss up against a wall, that he knew the way to get Claire Short and her high power delegation out of a building when the Uzbek authorities attempted to block them in. It gave Claire as Minister for Overseas Development her only brief opportunity to find out for herself what life was like in the country - away from the controls and manipulations of the regime.
I suspect that the New York Times' reviewer was reacting against the publisher's presentation of Craig's book as being about "the rough-and-tumble adventures of a scotch-drinking, skirt-chasing, dictator-busting and unrepentant Ambassador stuck on the front line against terror." The British edition refers more soberly and accurately to "a British Ambassador's controversial defiance of tyranny in the war on terror". Overall, it is a much more accurate description - plus the odd bits of spice.
Craig's book is both good for one's soul and an entertaining read. Those qualities don't often go together.
Sometimes books don't live up to the promise of their early pages. This isn't, however, the case with Craig Murray's book which I have already praised here.
The New York Times have now produced a curmudgeonly review of Craig's book as the reviewer doesn't like Craig's confessions about his sex life. Yet it is exactly Craig's ability to mix details about his personal life with the horrors of the Uzbekistan regime, which carries the reader along.
Confessions can also be informative about the wider picture. He explains that it was because he had discovered a convenient place to piss up against a wall, that he knew the way to get Claire Short and her high power delegation out of a building when the Uzbek authorities attempted to block them in. It gave Claire as Minister for Overseas Development her only brief opportunity to find out for herself what life was like in the country - away from the controls and manipulations of the regime.
I suspect that the New York Times' reviewer was reacting against the publisher's presentation of Craig's book as being about "the rough-and-tumble adventures of a scotch-drinking, skirt-chasing, dictator-busting and unrepentant Ambassador stuck on the front line against terror." The British edition refers more soberly and accurately to "a British Ambassador's controversial defiance of tyranny in the war on terror". Overall, it is a much more accurate description - plus the odd bits of spice.
Craig's book is both good for one's soul and an entertaining read. Those qualities don't often go together.
Monday, December 03, 2007
On Craig Murray
I reviewed Craig Murray's book "Murder in Samarkand" - here.
Below I give the response from his weblog -
Harry Barnes' Critique
Certainly one of the most interesting and thoughtful critiques of Murder in Samarkand has been posted by Harry Barnes on his blog. For those who don't know, Harry is a recently retired, long-serving Labour MP. He represents strongly the origins of that party as an organisation dedicated to improving the lot of working people, both in the UK and worldwide. His perspective casts new light across several aspects of the book, including this extract:
"In particular, I found Craig's description of Claire Short's visit to Tashkent when she went to Chair a conference of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to be highly revealing.
Claire did a fine job in standing up for human rights against the Uzbek regime. As soon as she returned home she resigned her post as Secretary of State of Overseas Development over the Government's involvement in the invasion of Iraq.
I had been amongst those who criticized Claire for not resigning earlier when Robin Cook went. Yet what she stood out for in Uzbekistan was of great importance and is a justification in itself for the delayed resignation. Her period at Overseas Development was also one of the limited avenues of achievement of the Blair Government."
http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2007/11/undiplomatic-diplomat.html
A comment on a couple of Harry's points. yes, of course I oppose political violence by state and other terrorists. I am not a closet al-Qaida supporter, or even al-Qaida denier.
Secondly, I am indeed no socialist. But I am only "the strongest possible advocate of privatisation" in the context of Uzbekistan, where state ownership of pretty well everything is a device used ruthlessly by the elite to exploit an enslaved population. In a developed economy like ours, I believe that natural monopolies should be in public hands, as should essential services like health and education.
Direct observation has convinced me that public services are best delivered by public organisations. The so-called efficiencies of privatised provision of public services are a myth, with any beneficial effect more than outweighed by the removal of public resources as private profit, and the skimping and shoddiness on the service designed to increase those profits.
In developing economies, I am completely opposed, for example, to IFI pressure to privatise and charge for water and other essential human needs. But I think purely commercial activity is best conducted by individuals and companies in market conditions, and there should be plenty of space for it.
Posted by craig on November 30, 2007 9:08 AM
My Response To Craig
I have been unable to find my way into Craig's comment box, but just wished to add that I am more than happy to accept his above two points which take away my only two feeble attempts to find some means of providing semi-criticisms of his book. There is, of course, a distinction between us in that I am a democratic socialist and he isn't. But I can't just criticise material because it doesn't come fully from out of my own political perspective - for I would then probably end up only enjoying my own efforts!
Below I give the response from his weblog -
Harry Barnes' Critique
Certainly one of the most interesting and thoughtful critiques of Murder in Samarkand has been posted by Harry Barnes on his blog. For those who don't know, Harry is a recently retired, long-serving Labour MP. He represents strongly the origins of that party as an organisation dedicated to improving the lot of working people, both in the UK and worldwide. His perspective casts new light across several aspects of the book, including this extract:
"In particular, I found Craig's description of Claire Short's visit to Tashkent when she went to Chair a conference of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to be highly revealing.
Claire did a fine job in standing up for human rights against the Uzbek regime. As soon as she returned home she resigned her post as Secretary of State of Overseas Development over the Government's involvement in the invasion of Iraq.
I had been amongst those who criticized Claire for not resigning earlier when Robin Cook went. Yet what she stood out for in Uzbekistan was of great importance and is a justification in itself for the delayed resignation. Her period at Overseas Development was also one of the limited avenues of achievement of the Blair Government."
http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2007/11/undiplomatic-diplomat.html
A comment on a couple of Harry's points. yes, of course I oppose political violence by state and other terrorists. I am not a closet al-Qaida supporter, or even al-Qaida denier.
Secondly, I am indeed no socialist. But I am only "the strongest possible advocate of privatisation" in the context of Uzbekistan, where state ownership of pretty well everything is a device used ruthlessly by the elite to exploit an enslaved population. In a developed economy like ours, I believe that natural monopolies should be in public hands, as should essential services like health and education.
Direct observation has convinced me that public services are best delivered by public organisations. The so-called efficiencies of privatised provision of public services are a myth, with any beneficial effect more than outweighed by the removal of public resources as private profit, and the skimping and shoddiness on the service designed to increase those profits.
In developing economies, I am completely opposed, for example, to IFI pressure to privatise and charge for water and other essential human needs. But I think purely commercial activity is best conducted by individuals and companies in market conditions, and there should be plenty of space for it.
Posted by craig on November 30, 2007 9:08 AM
My Response To Craig
I have been unable to find my way into Craig's comment box, but just wished to add that I am more than happy to accept his above two points which take away my only two feeble attempts to find some means of providing semi-criticisms of his book. There is, of course, a distinction between us in that I am a democratic socialist and he isn't. But I can't just criticise material because it doesn't come fully from out of my own political perspective - for I would then probably end up only enjoying my own efforts!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Undiplomatic Diplomat
Craig Murray's Cocktail
Craig Murray's book "Murder In Samarkand" is a compelling read because it is such a heady cocktail.
In part it is a fascinating travel book about Uzbekistan. Whilst this takes the reader into the harsh downside of life in this much blighted nation, we are also given telling descriptions of the splendours of Samarkand and the humanity of many Uzbeks; especially of those who bravely stand out against the tyranny of the ruling elite.
Elsewhere, it is a book of confessions. Craig openly deals with his love of women, alcohol and the good life. Yet he firmly puts down Foreign Office allegations which claimed that he had abused his position as Ambassador in Tashkent to gratify such desires. The claim that he traded visas for sexual favours is seen as the deepest insult by a man who obviously feels that its is his personality, charm and the propensity to wear a kilt which sweeps women off their feet.
Another part of the book is a heart-rending horror story, detailing systematic abuses of human rights by top level and minor officialdom. Hideous beatings, sadistic murders, regular rapes and the disgusting and widespread exploitation of child labour are all fully detailed.
On top of all this, there is intrigue in the diplomatic service and manipulations by Western Governments. It all has the grip of a top John Buchan adventure story, yet we are dealing with cruel facts and not fiction.
Craig, Jack And Claire
The book also holds a wide range of personal fascinations for me.
To start with, my wife Ann and I met Craig in Ghana in 1999. He was British Deputy High Commissioner in Accra and was standing in for the High Commissioner who was out of the country. We were with a Commonwealth Parliamentary delegation.
He organised a first rate visit, participating in a whole host of our activities and ensuring we gained the maximum benefit and understanding from our visit.
He also openly displayed that side of his character which was later twisted by his diplomatic and political bosses over his human rights work in Uzbekistan. After a key visit to the gold mines at Obuasi in the middle of a crisis about world gold prices, most of our group were ready for an early night when we finally reached the mining compound. But Craig was up until the early hours drinking and chatting with engineers and managers, who were astonished to see him leaving the following morning in a Land Rover flying the Diplomat's Union Jack from its bonnet.
He delivered a top flight reception at the Ambassador's residence when we returned to Accra. It was his typical blend of seriousness and enjoyment.
A second fascination for me is that he writes about a world I have peeped into. It is filled with Diplomats, high ranking Civil Servants, Government Ministers and fellow politicians. Jack Straw comes in for fairly justified hammering. Yet I also know something of the other side of Jack's character. He is the person who helped to progress one of my proposals to improve electoral registration and is the only Minister I ever came across who pushed to get invitations to address Socialist Campaign Group Meetings - so he could confront the flack. I am, however, disappointed about Craig's revelations about Jack's human rights failings; especially as I was always impressed that Jack had a well thumbed copy of John Keane's "Tom Paine" in his room in the Commons.
In particular, I found Craig's description of Claire Short's visit to Tashkent when she went to Chair a conference of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to be highly revealing.
Claire did a fine job in standing up for human rights against the Uzbek regime. As soon as she returned home she resigned her post as Secretary of State of Overseas Development over the Government's involvement in the invasion of Iraq.
I had been amongst those who criticized Claire for not resigning earlier when Robin Cook went. Yet what she stood out for in Uzbekistan was of great importance and is a justification in itself for the delayed resignation. Her period at Overseas Development was also one of the limited avenues of achievement of the Blair Government.
I have two final minor links with what Craig has to say. First, I feel I can come up with a good shot at the name he deletes from Simon Butt's pathetic letter which he reproduces on page 252. Then when he is rushed into St. Thomas's hospital which is opposite the Commons, he seems to have been placed on the same floor and in a similar room to the one I occupied 5 years earlier when I had a stroke.
The Politics Of Diplomacy
Whilst it might add to a good read when you can put some known faces to places, it isn't essential. I have never been to Uzbekistan, but I was pleased to been taken there via Craig's writings.
The final fascinations about Craig's book are his peculiarities. He is a most undiplomatic diplomat. Not only does he never hide his interests in wine (or whisky), women and song; but in Uzbekistan he behaved overtly in an open political fashion and did not limit himself to the hidden form of politics which is the diplomats forte. No matter how he gets there, he even ends up addressing a meeting set up to establish a united opposition made up of varying dissident groups.
He is a man with considerable abilities (and sees no reason to be modest about these). He moves with speed and outrage when he sees an injustice. This is fine when he sees a specific injustice, but there are times on the wider canvas when he seems to be guilty of resorting to what Nye Bevan termed "an emotional spasm". The only question here is whether such an approach undermined his overall effectiveness for the values he adhered to. Although many of us would have remained in ignorance about Uzbekistan but for his actions and his book.
A Sociable Non-Socialist
In being bounced out of the diplomatic game, Craig became a hero of the Hard Left. But he fits this role oddly.
In no way is he a socialist. Some of his most effective work in Uzbekistan was on behalf of British Companies seeking to operate in that alien climate. He is the strongest possible advocate of privatisation.
His eye for women. his passing comments to and about them and his attempts to have his wife act as a female version of a cuckold, will upset many feminists.
It is his human rights stance that appeals to the Hard Left and what makes him their friend is his related opposition to Bush and (at the time of his book) Blair.
I suspect, however, that if Craig was pushed into meeting terror from terrorists on a daily basis that he would try to undermine their actions just as he did with State terrorism in Uzbekistan.
A Human Rights stance is one that in logic and emotion is opposed to both Imperial aggression and Terror Group tactics. Perhaps there is enough on Craig's Web-Site to show that he has a foot in both Human Rights' Camps. If not, we still need to accept that he did more for the cause of human rights in a couple of years in Uzbekistan than the rest of us achieve in a lifetime.
Craig Murray's book "Murder In Samarkand" is a compelling read because it is such a heady cocktail.
In part it is a fascinating travel book about Uzbekistan. Whilst this takes the reader into the harsh downside of life in this much blighted nation, we are also given telling descriptions of the splendours of Samarkand and the humanity of many Uzbeks; especially of those who bravely stand out against the tyranny of the ruling elite.
Elsewhere, it is a book of confessions. Craig openly deals with his love of women, alcohol and the good life. Yet he firmly puts down Foreign Office allegations which claimed that he had abused his position as Ambassador in Tashkent to gratify such desires. The claim that he traded visas for sexual favours is seen as the deepest insult by a man who obviously feels that its is his personality, charm and the propensity to wear a kilt which sweeps women off their feet.
Another part of the book is a heart-rending horror story, detailing systematic abuses of human rights by top level and minor officialdom. Hideous beatings, sadistic murders, regular rapes and the disgusting and widespread exploitation of child labour are all fully detailed.
On top of all this, there is intrigue in the diplomatic service and manipulations by Western Governments. It all has the grip of a top John Buchan adventure story, yet we are dealing with cruel facts and not fiction.
Craig, Jack And Claire
The book also holds a wide range of personal fascinations for me.
To start with, my wife Ann and I met Craig in Ghana in 1999. He was British Deputy High Commissioner in Accra and was standing in for the High Commissioner who was out of the country. We were with a Commonwealth Parliamentary delegation.
He organised a first rate visit, participating in a whole host of our activities and ensuring we gained the maximum benefit and understanding from our visit.
He also openly displayed that side of his character which was later twisted by his diplomatic and political bosses over his human rights work in Uzbekistan. After a key visit to the gold mines at Obuasi in the middle of a crisis about world gold prices, most of our group were ready for an early night when we finally reached the mining compound. But Craig was up until the early hours drinking and chatting with engineers and managers, who were astonished to see him leaving the following morning in a Land Rover flying the Diplomat's Union Jack from its bonnet.
He delivered a top flight reception at the Ambassador's residence when we returned to Accra. It was his typical blend of seriousness and enjoyment.
A second fascination for me is that he writes about a world I have peeped into. It is filled with Diplomats, high ranking Civil Servants, Government Ministers and fellow politicians. Jack Straw comes in for fairly justified hammering. Yet I also know something of the other side of Jack's character. He is the person who helped to progress one of my proposals to improve electoral registration and is the only Minister I ever came across who pushed to get invitations to address Socialist Campaign Group Meetings - so he could confront the flack. I am, however, disappointed about Craig's revelations about Jack's human rights failings; especially as I was always impressed that Jack had a well thumbed copy of John Keane's "Tom Paine" in his room in the Commons.
In particular, I found Craig's description of Claire Short's visit to Tashkent when she went to Chair a conference of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to be highly revealing.
Claire did a fine job in standing up for human rights against the Uzbek regime. As soon as she returned home she resigned her post as Secretary of State of Overseas Development over the Government's involvement in the invasion of Iraq.
I had been amongst those who criticized Claire for not resigning earlier when Robin Cook went. Yet what she stood out for in Uzbekistan was of great importance and is a justification in itself for the delayed resignation. Her period at Overseas Development was also one of the limited avenues of achievement of the Blair Government.
I have two final minor links with what Craig has to say. First, I feel I can come up with a good shot at the name he deletes from Simon Butt's pathetic letter which he reproduces on page 252. Then when he is rushed into St. Thomas's hospital which is opposite the Commons, he seems to have been placed on the same floor and in a similar room to the one I occupied 5 years earlier when I had a stroke.
The Politics Of Diplomacy
Whilst it might add to a good read when you can put some known faces to places, it isn't essential. I have never been to Uzbekistan, but I was pleased to been taken there via Craig's writings.
The final fascinations about Craig's book are his peculiarities. He is a most undiplomatic diplomat. Not only does he never hide his interests in wine (or whisky), women and song; but in Uzbekistan he behaved overtly in an open political fashion and did not limit himself to the hidden form of politics which is the diplomats forte. No matter how he gets there, he even ends up addressing a meeting set up to establish a united opposition made up of varying dissident groups.
He is a man with considerable abilities (and sees no reason to be modest about these). He moves with speed and outrage when he sees an injustice. This is fine when he sees a specific injustice, but there are times on the wider canvas when he seems to be guilty of resorting to what Nye Bevan termed "an emotional spasm". The only question here is whether such an approach undermined his overall effectiveness for the values he adhered to. Although many of us would have remained in ignorance about Uzbekistan but for his actions and his book.
A Sociable Non-Socialist
In being bounced out of the diplomatic game, Craig became a hero of the Hard Left. But he fits this role oddly.
In no way is he a socialist. Some of his most effective work in Uzbekistan was on behalf of British Companies seeking to operate in that alien climate. He is the strongest possible advocate of privatisation.
His eye for women. his passing comments to and about them and his attempts to have his wife act as a female version of a cuckold, will upset many feminists.
It is his human rights stance that appeals to the Hard Left and what makes him their friend is his related opposition to Bush and (at the time of his book) Blair.
I suspect, however, that if Craig was pushed into meeting terror from terrorists on a daily basis that he would try to undermine their actions just as he did with State terrorism in Uzbekistan.
A Human Rights stance is one that in logic and emotion is opposed to both Imperial aggression and Terror Group tactics. Perhaps there is enough on Craig's Web-Site to show that he has a foot in both Human Rights' Camps. If not, we still need to accept that he did more for the cause of human rights in a couple of years in Uzbekistan than the rest of us achieve in a lifetime.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Our Pipe Line Is Back
Good News. Bob Piper's Blog is up and running again. He had been caught up in the obnoxious legal threat issued on behalf of Usmanov (the would-be owner of Arsenal) which stopped the the operation of the sites run by Craig Murray and Tim Ireland. Unfortunately, Craig and Tim's sites are still down.
Bob provides an invaluable list of links in the first item he posted upon his return. Given the ending of Grant's site "Political Opinions", Bob's links are well worth keeping.
The return of Bob, plus his list means that the Blogging Desert which I referred to earlier shows signs of containing an oasis. There is an old Persian saying which comes to mind - "as long as the roots of the plant are in the water there is still hope." Welcome back, Bob.
UPDATE
Bob tells me his list comes from the site entitled Chicken Yoghurt, which provides a great service by even facilitating PC illiterates like myself to reproduce the following -
Curious Hamster, Pickled Politics, Harry’s Place, Tim Worstall, Dizzy, Iain Dale, Ten Percent, Blairwatch, Davide Simonetti, Earthquake Cove, Turbulent Cleric (who suggests dropping a line to the FA about Mr Usmanov), Mike Power, Jailhouse Lawyer, Suesam, Devil’s Kitchen, The Cartoonist, Falco, Casualty Monitor, Forever Expat, Arseblog, Drink-soaked Trots (and another), Pitch Invasion, Wonko’s World, Roll A Monkey, Caroline Hunt, Westminster Wisdom, Chris K, Anorak, Mediawatchwatch, Norfolk Blogger, Chris Paul, Indymedia (with a list of Craig Murray’s articles that are currently unavailable), Obsolete, Tom Watson, Cynical Chatter, Reactionary Snob, Mr Eugenides, Matthew Sinclair, The Select Society, Liberal England, Davblog, Peter Gasston Pitch Perfect, Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe, Lunartalks, Tygerland, The Crossed Pond, Our Kingdom, Big Daddy Merk, Daily Mail Watch, Graeme’s, Random Thoughts, Nosemonkey, Matt Wardman, Politics in the Zeros, Love and Garbage, The Huntsman, Conservative Party Reptile, Ellee Seymour, Sabretache, Not A Sheep, Bartholomew’s Notes on Religion, The People’s Republic Of Newport, Life, the Universe & Everything, Arsenal Transfer Rumour Mill, The Green Ribbon, Blood & Treasure, The Last Ditch, Areopagitica, Football in Finland, An Englishman’s Castle, Freeborn John, Eursoc, The Back Four, Rebellion Suck!, Ministry of Truth, ModernityBlog, Beau Bo D’Or, Scots and Independent, The Splund, Bill Cameron, Podnosh, Dodgeblogium, Moving Target, Serious Golmal, Goonerholic, The Spine, Zero Point Nine, Lenin’s Tomb, The Durruti Column, The Bristol Blogger, ArseNews, David Lindsay, Quaequam Blog!, On A Quiet Day…, Kathz’s Blog, England Expects, Theo Spark, Duncan Borrowman, Senn’s Blog, Katykins, Jewcy, Kevin Maguire, Stumbling and Mumbling, Famous for 15 megapixels, Ordovicius, Tom Morris, AOL Fanhouse, Doctor Vee, The Curmudgeonly, The Poor Mouth, 1820, Hangbitch, Crooked Timber, ArseNole, Identity Unknown, Liberty Alone, Amused Cynicism, Clairwil, The Lone Voice, Tampon Teabag, Unoriginalname38, Special/Blown It, The Remittance Man, 18 Doughty Street, Laban Tall, Martin Bright, Spy Blog The Exile, poons, Jangliss, Who Knows Where Thoughts Come From?, Imagined Community, A Pint of Unionist Lite, Poldraw, Disillusioned And Bored, Error Gorilla, Indigo Jo, Swiss Metablog, Kate Garnwen Truemors, Asn14, D-Notice, The Judge, Political Penguin, Miserable Old Fart, Jottings, fridgemagnet, Blah Blah Flowers, J. Arthur MacNumpty, Tony Hatfield, Grendel, Charlie Whitaker, Matt Buck, The Waendel Journal, Marginalized Action Dinosaur, SoccerLens, Toblog, John Brissenden East Lower, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Peter Black AM, Boing Boing, BLTP, Gunnerblog, LFB UK, Liberal Revolution, Wombles, Focus on Sodbury…, Follow The Money, Freedom and Whisky, Melting Man, PoliticalHackUK, Simon Says…, Daily EM, From The Barrel of a Gun, The Fourth Place, The Armchair News Blog, Journalist und Optimist, Bristol Indymedia, Dave Weeden, Up North John, Gizmonaut, Spin and Spinners, Marginalia, Arnique, Heather Yaxley, The Whiskey Priest, On The Beat, Paul Canning, Martin Stabe, Mat Bowles, Pigdogfucker, Rachel North, B3TA board, Naqniq, Yorkshire Ranter, The Home Of Football, UFO Breakfast Recipients, Moninski , Kerching, e-clectig, Mediocracy, Sicily Scene, Samizdata, I blog, they blog, weblog, Colcam, Some Random Thoughts, Bel is thinking, Vino S, Simply Jews, Atlantic Free Press, Registan, Filasteen, Britblog Roundup #136, Scientific Misconduct Blog, Adam Bowie, Duncan at Abcol, Camera Anguish, A Very British Dude, Whatever, Central News, Green Gathering, Leighton Cooke (224).
Bob provides an invaluable list of links in the first item he posted upon his return. Given the ending of Grant's site "Political Opinions", Bob's links are well worth keeping.
The return of Bob, plus his list means that the Blogging Desert which I referred to earlier shows signs of containing an oasis. There is an old Persian saying which comes to mind - "as long as the roots of the plant are in the water there is still hope." Welcome back, Bob.
UPDATE
Bob tells me his list comes from the site entitled Chicken Yoghurt, which provides a great service by even facilitating PC illiterates like myself to reproduce the following -
Curious Hamster, Pickled Politics, Harry’s Place, Tim Worstall, Dizzy, Iain Dale, Ten Percent, Blairwatch, Davide Simonetti, Earthquake Cove, Turbulent Cleric (who suggests dropping a line to the FA about Mr Usmanov), Mike Power, Jailhouse Lawyer, Suesam, Devil’s Kitchen, The Cartoonist, Falco, Casualty Monitor, Forever Expat, Arseblog, Drink-soaked Trots (and another), Pitch Invasion, Wonko’s World, Roll A Monkey, Caroline Hunt, Westminster Wisdom, Chris K, Anorak, Mediawatchwatch, Norfolk Blogger, Chris Paul, Indymedia (with a list of Craig Murray’s articles that are currently unavailable), Obsolete, Tom Watson, Cynical Chatter, Reactionary Snob, Mr Eugenides, Matthew Sinclair, The Select Society, Liberal England, Davblog, Peter Gasston Pitch Perfect, Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe, Lunartalks, Tygerland, The Crossed Pond, Our Kingdom, Big Daddy Merk, Daily Mail Watch, Graeme’s, Random Thoughts, Nosemonkey, Matt Wardman, Politics in the Zeros, Love and Garbage, The Huntsman, Conservative Party Reptile, Ellee Seymour, Sabretache, Not A Sheep, Bartholomew’s Notes on Religion, The People’s Republic Of Newport, Life, the Universe & Everything, Arsenal Transfer Rumour Mill, The Green Ribbon, Blood & Treasure, The Last Ditch, Areopagitica, Football in Finland, An Englishman’s Castle, Freeborn John, Eursoc, The Back Four, Rebellion Suck!, Ministry of Truth, ModernityBlog, Beau Bo D’Or, Scots and Independent, The Splund, Bill Cameron, Podnosh, Dodgeblogium, Moving Target, Serious Golmal, Goonerholic, The Spine, Zero Point Nine, Lenin’s Tomb, The Durruti Column, The Bristol Blogger, ArseNews, David Lindsay, Quaequam Blog!, On A Quiet Day…, Kathz’s Blog, England Expects, Theo Spark, Duncan Borrowman, Senn’s Blog, Katykins, Jewcy, Kevin Maguire, Stumbling and Mumbling, Famous for 15 megapixels, Ordovicius, Tom Morris, AOL Fanhouse, Doctor Vee, The Curmudgeonly, The Poor Mouth, 1820, Hangbitch, Crooked Timber, ArseNole, Identity Unknown, Liberty Alone, Amused Cynicism, Clairwil, The Lone Voice, Tampon Teabag, Unoriginalname38, Special/Blown It, The Remittance Man, 18 Doughty Street, Laban Tall, Martin Bright, Spy Blog The Exile, poons, Jangliss, Who Knows Where Thoughts Come From?, Imagined Community, A Pint of Unionist Lite, Poldraw, Disillusioned And Bored, Error Gorilla, Indigo Jo, Swiss Metablog, Kate Garnwen Truemors, Asn14, D-Notice, The Judge, Political Penguin, Miserable Old Fart, Jottings, fridgemagnet, Blah Blah Flowers, J. Arthur MacNumpty, Tony Hatfield, Grendel, Charlie Whitaker, Matt Buck, The Waendel Journal, Marginalized Action Dinosaur, SoccerLens, Toblog, John Brissenden East Lower, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Peter Black AM, Boing Boing, BLTP, Gunnerblog, LFB UK, Liberal Revolution, Wombles, Focus on Sodbury…, Follow The Money, Freedom and Whisky, Melting Man, PoliticalHackUK, Simon Says…, Daily EM, From The Barrel of a Gun, The Fourth Place, The Armchair News Blog, Journalist und Optimist, Bristol Indymedia, Dave Weeden, Up North John, Gizmonaut, Spin and Spinners, Marginalia, Arnique, Heather Yaxley, The Whiskey Priest, On The Beat, Paul Canning, Martin Stabe, Mat Bowles, Pigdogfucker, Rachel North, B3TA board, Naqniq, Yorkshire Ranter, The Home Of Football, UFO Breakfast Recipients, Moninski , Kerching, e-clectig, Mediocracy, Sicily Scene, Samizdata, I blog, they blog, weblog, Colcam, Some Random Thoughts, Bel is thinking, Vino S, Simply Jews, Atlantic Free Press, Registan, Filasteen, Britblog Roundup #136, Scientific Misconduct Blog, Adam Bowie, Duncan at Abcol, Camera Anguish, A Very British Dude, Whatever, Central News, Green Gathering, Leighton Cooke (224).
Friday, September 21, 2007
A Blogging Desert
Legal Threats
I had links to the important blogs operated by Bob Piper and Craig Murray. When I click into these now I am told "This page cannot be displayed".
What has occured is that Craig Murray posted an item in which he criticised Alisher Usmanov the Russian/Uzbekh billionaire who is trying to take control of Arsenal Football Club and currently holds 21% of its shares.
Schillings, a leading London law firm issued a legal threat on behalf of Usmanov to Fastnet Internet Limited who then pulled the plug on Craig Murray's blog (and on that of Tim Ireland who had acted in a similar way to Craig in criticising Usmanov).
Bob Piper's blog (and that of others including Boris Johnson) also went down, merely because they also use Fastnet as their host.
The disturbing nature of all this is spelt out in a fine item on Ian Dale's Blog, where a full debate is taking place in the comment box of this particular thread.
End Of A Free Service
I also have a link to what was a first rate service for political bloggers by Grant of "Political Opinions". Unfortunately, Grant has called it at day, for the reasons he explains here.
His service had provided introductions to hundreds of political blog items shortly after they were posted. A reader just had to click in to what caught the eye, to follow an item in full. There were also links to the past archives of each of the bloggers he covered.
Unfortunately, all I am able to get from what remains of this site is the following list of the blog titles which Grant covered. I will have to Google for those I select to discover who I can link to. In time (if Grant's site does not disappear completely), I will add what category each blogger falls into - for instance; Labour, Lib Dem or Conservative. The frustrating thing is that without Grant's site being in full operation, I can't discover whether someone else with proper computer skills has already done all this - or more. PLEASE LET ME KNOW VIA MY COMMENT BOX IF ANOTHER BLOGGER HAS COVERED WHAT I AM AFTER.
For Political Bloggers, Things Aint What They Used To Be
1169 and Counting
4glengate.net
A Conservative's Blog
A Councillor Writes
A Far Fetched Resolution
A Liberal Dose
A News and Politics Blog ...
A Petrosexual's Tuppence
A Place To Stand
A Very British Dude
Aberystwyth CF
Abolish the GMC
About Whose News
Action-without-theory
Adam Boulton
Adam Haigh
Adam Smith Institute
Adele Reynolds
Adrian Monck
Adrian Yalland
Aidan Maconachy
Alan Beddow
Alan Muhammed
Alex Fisher
Alex Wilcock
Ali Miraj
All About Nothing
All Saints Gazette
Allan Andrews
Alun Cairns AM
Alun Pugh AM
Amusingly Shaped Turnips
An Englishman's Castle
And Then He Said
Anders Hanson
Andrea Leadsom
Andrew Allison
Andrew Brown
Andrew Garner
Andrew Milton
Andrew Percy
Andrew Woodman
Andy D'Agorne
Andy Mayer
Andy Reed MP
Ann's Sedgley Blog
Anne Snelgrove MP
Anthony McEweon
Antoine Clarke's Election Watch
Antonia's Blog
Antony Little
Anyone But Ken
Arsembly
Arwen Folkes
As a Dodo
Austin Mitchell MP
Average guy on the street
Backing Blair
Baggage Reclaim
Bailey Blog
Bala Fr/a>
Ballots Balls & Bikes
Barry's Beef
Bart Ricketts
BBC News
Beau Bo D'Or
Bedworth Liberal Democrats
Bel is Thinking
Benedict Brogan
Bernard Wooley
Best News First
Big Stick & Small Carrot
Bill's Comment Page
Birmingham University Labour Students
BirminghamiNS
Bishop Hill
Black Country Boy
Black Triangle
Blair's Britain
BlairSupporter
Blairwatch
blamerbell
Blazing Cat Fur
Bloggerheads
Bloggers 4 Labour
Blogging 4 Merton
Blognor Regis
Blogzilla
Blue Shark TV
Blunt & Disorderly
Bob From Brockley
Bob Piper
Boris Johnson MP
Bread and Circuses
Brentwood, Essex, England
Brian Barder
Bristling Badger
Burning Our Money
Campaign for an English Parliament
Campaign for an English Parliament
Cardiff Respect
Caroline Hunt
Cassilis
Chameleons on Bicycles
Charles Anglin
Charlie Marks
Chicken Yoghurt
Choice Cuts
Chris & Glynis Abbott
Chris Doidge
Chris Paul: Labour of Love
Chris Rossdale
Chris Whiteside
Christian Political Forum
Ciara Leeming
Cicero's Songs
Civitas
Claire Palmer
Clive Davis
Cllr Paul Hopfensperger
Cllr Philip Booth
Cllr Sue Luxton
Colin Ross
Conservative Future TV
Conservative History
Conservative Home
Conservative Party Reptile
Contra Tory
Corruption is a Crime
Councillor Steve Wakefield
Coventry Conservatives
Craig Murray
Cranmer
Croydon Against The Arena
Croydon Greens
Croydonian
Cunning Title
Curly's Corner Shop
Cynical Chatter
Daily Pundit
Daily Referendum
Dan Hassett
Daniel Finkelstein
Daniel Hayward
Danvers Baillieu
Darlington Councillor
Dave Hill
Dave's Part
David Aaronovitch
David Davies MP
David Heathfield
David Miliband MP
David Nikel
David Rennie
David Smith
David Walker
DavidP
Dear Julie Morgan MP
Deirdre Alden
Despatch Blog
Devil's Kitchen
Dirty Leftie
Disillusioned and Bored
Dizzy Thinks
Don Paskini
Don't trip up
Donal Blaney
Dont Mention the Gravy Train
Double Negative
Drinking from Home
Duncan Borrowman
Dunderheadedness
Eaten by Missionaries
Ed Vaizey
Educational Conscription
EIP News
Ellee Seymour
Elliott Joseph
Emily Thornberry MP
Eric Avebury
Eric Lee
Esther McVey
EU Referendum
Europhobia
EURSOC
Fair Deal Phil
FibDems
Fiona Colley
Fisking Central
Flip Chart Fairy Tales
Flock Together
Fora
Forceful & Moderate
Frank Chalk
Fraser Macpherson
Freedom & Whiskey
Freemania
From Socialite to Socialist
From the Right Side
Garden Grabbing in Wales
Gareth Griffiths
Gavin Ayling
General Theory of Rubbish
Ghandi's Steakhouse
Global Dashboard
Global Warming Hysteria
Godfrey Lazarus
Golden Strawberry
Gordon Labour News
Grant Thoms
Guido Fawkes
Guildford Lib Dems - halve truths and lies
GUTHRUM
Guy Burton
Gweirdo
Harriet Harman MP
Harrowgate Hill Blog
Harry Barnes
Harry's Place
Havering On
Hengis
Henry North London
Hidden Ireland
Hilary Benn MP
Hilton Global Initiative
Holyrood Chronicles
Home Office Watch
Hot Ginger & Dynamite
House of Dumb
Hug A Hoodie
Hunter and Shooter
Iain Dale
Iain Lindley
Iain Rubie Dale
iBlog
Inconsiderate Parking
Inner West
Islington Conservatives
Istanbul Tory
J Arthur Macnumpty
Jacob Peas Murgatroid
Jageet Singh-Sohal
jailhouselawyer
James Cleverly
Jane Griffiths
Jane's Blog
Jeff Peel
Jeffrey Archer
Jim Bliss
Jo Christie-Smith
Jo Salmon
Jock Coats
Joe Mooney
Joe Otten
John Hemming MP
John McDonnell MP
John Moorcraft
John Redwood's Diary
John Tyrrell
John Wilkes
John's Labour blog
Jon Cruddas
Jon Worth Euroblog
Jonathan Bishop
Jonathan Wallace
Joyce Goes to London
Julie Morgan MP
Justified Spinner
Keep Tony Blair For PM
Ken Frost
Ken Taylor
Kerron Cross
Kevin Davis
Kevin Foster
Kezia Dugdale
Kirklees Unity
Kop Lob Pob a Job
Laban Tall
Labour Home
Labour Humanist
Labour Watch
Lancaster UAF
Lee Gregory
Leighton Andrews AM
Leila Kiersch
Lenin's Tomb
Let’s Be Sensible
LibDem Blogs
Liberal (Not so) Alone
Liberal Action
Liberal Burblings
Liberal Bureaucracy
Liberal Democrat Voice
Liberal Drinks
Liberal England
Liberal Legend
Liberal Leslie
Liberal Review
Liberty and Law Journal
Linguanaut.co.uk - Damon Lord's Blog
Lisa Chambers
Lobster Blogster
Lochore LibDem
Londonspot
Lord Garden
Lord Hanningfield
Lord Lucas
Lord of the Blog (Clive Soley)
Louise Baldock
Lucy Allan
Luke Akehurst
Luke Young
Lynne Featherstone
Mad Musings of Me
Make Socialism History
Maltheus's Musings
Man in a Shed
Marcus Wood
Mark Clarke
Mark Crail
Mark Young
Marlyn Glen MSP
Mars Hill
Martin Bright
Martin Eaglestone
Martine Martin
Mary Reid
Matt Buck's Hack Cartoons
Matt Davies
Matt Marks
Matt Palmer
Matt Withers
Matthew Dean
MAXINE
MayorWatch
Mediocracy
Melanie Philips
Michael Joslin
Michael Meacher
Michelle Wiseman
MicroShaft
Mike Cartwright
Mike Cunningham
Mike Ion
Mikey's Tent of Reality
Militant Moderate
Millennium Dome Elephant
Mind Robber
Ming Campbell
Ministry of Agitation & Propaganda
Ministry of Truth
Miranda Grell
Miscellany Symposium
Miserable Old Fart
MKNE Political Information
Mohammed Shafiq
Monkey with a blue rosette
Moonlight over Essex
Morag the Mindbender
Mr Eugenides
muckspReading
Musings Of A Disheartened Doctor
My tale of me
My tale of me
Nadine Dorries MP
NatWatch
Neil Harding
Neil Woolcott
Neocon Express
Nether-world
New Jerusalem
New Model Democracy
Newer Labour
NHS Blog Doctor
Nick Barlow
Nick Cohen
Nick Colbourne
Nick King
Nick King
Nick Robinson
Nigel Ashton
Nigel Fletcher
Nighthawk
Nightowl
Niles's Blog
No Geek Is An Island
No Incinerator in Cardiff Bay
Noelinho
Norfolk Blogger
Normblog
Not Saussure
Notes from a Bedsit Room
Notes from a Small Bedroom
Notes from the Panopticon
Nuke Labour
Obsolete
Old Dead Presidents
Oliver Kamm
Oliver's Battery & Badger Farm
Olly Onions
Olly's Onions
On Liberty Online
Open Secrets
Opinionated Voice
Organized Rage
Our Kingdom team
Out From Under
Outside Story
Parburypolitica
Parliamentary Questions
Patriccus
Paul Anderson (Gauche)
Paul Crossley
Paul Evans
Paul Johnston
Paul Kingsnorth
Paul Leake
Paul Linford
Paul Massey
Paul Pritchard
Paul Uppal
Paula Keaveney
Pensions Reform
People's Republic Of Newport
Perfect.co.uk
Pete
Pete
Peter Black
Peter C Glover
Peter C Glover's Wires
Peter Hitchens
Peter Porcupine
Peter Risdon
Peter Sanderson
Picking Losers...
Pickled Politics
Pigeon Post
Pink Dog
PJC Journal
Plague of Opinion
plooptionary
Policeman's Blog
Politaholic
Political Betting
Political Crossroads
Political Doodle Sketch
Political Hack UK
Political Ice Cream
Political Opinions
Politics for Beginners
Polly Toynbee Fact Checker
Pommygranate
Pootergeek
Popular Alliance
Prague Tory
Progressive Politics
Progressive UK
Pub Philosopher
Public Interest
Punch
Quaequam
Quentin Langley
Rachel from north London
Raw Carrott
Rayleen Kelly
Reactionary Snob
Real Labour Blogger
Recess Monkey
Red Anorak
Red Squirrel's Lair
Remember Stalingrad!
Remittance Man
Republic of Hyde Park
Resurgent Liberal
Revolts
Rhod on Public Affairs
Rhondda Today
Richard Allan
Richard Berry
Richard Corbett MEP
Richard Thomas
Rick's St Mary's Diary
Ridiculous Politics
Right Thinking
RISE LIKE LIONS
Riverside Views
Road to EU Serfdom
Rob Fenwick
Rob Newman
Rob Shorrock
Robert Wright
Romsey Redhead
Ryan Cullen
S J Howard
Sabretache
Sadiq Khan MP
Sajjad Karim MEP
Sandals are Off
Sandwell Labour Students
School and Family Learning
Scots and Independent
Scotswahey!
Scottish Ranter
SELECT Privacy
Sepoy Agent
Shaphan
Shaun Woodward MP
Simon Jeram
Simon Wilson
Skipper
Skuds' Sister's Brother
Slugger O'Toole
Sneds
Snowflake 5
Social Affairs Unit
Social Europe Blog
Softy Lefty Catchy Monkey
Some Random Thoughts...
South Belfast Diary
SouthpawPunch
Splintered Sunrise
Splintered Sunrise
Spy Blog
Stephen Manion
Stephen Newton's Diary of Sorts
Stephen Pollard
Stephen Tall
Stephen's Linlithgow Journal
Steve Hanlon
Steve Horgan
Stodge
Stuart Bruce
Stumbling & Mumbling
Sutton Greens
Suz Blog
Talking Hoarsly
Tangled Web
Tax Cutter
Tejus Ramakrishnan
TEMPUS UNIVERSALIS
Terry Watch
That Little Blue Home
The 3 P's
The Antagonist
The Battle for West Lancashire
The Blog of Kev
The Conservative Spaldonian
The Cowan Report
The Daily
The Daily
The Dissentators
The England Project
The Green Room
The Heretic
The Huntsman
The Jag
The Last Ditch
The Letterkenyan
The Liberal
The Liberal Republican
The Living Wage page
The Man Who Would Be King
The Nameless One
The New Culture Forum
The Opinionist
The Poor Mouth
The Psychiatrist
The Regalis Blog
The Smith Blog
the smith blog
The smoking ban is shit
The Spine
The Stirrer
The Tap
The Thimble
The UK Today
The View From Fly Over Country
The Voice of Europe
The Waendel Journal
The Wilted Rose
Theo Blackwell
Theo Spark
thetindrummer
This Scepter'd Isle
Thunder Dragon
Thurrock Tory
Tim Roll Pickering
Tim Worstall
time-4-change
To the Point
Tom Anderson
Tom Griffin
Tom Harris MP
Tom Miller
Tom Papworth
Tom Watson MP
Tommy G
Toque
Torbay Today
Tory in the Wilderness
Tory Radio
Tory Watch
Tracey Crouch
Trevor Ivory
Trevor Ivory
Tribune Cartoons
Trust People
Tygerland
UK Autism News
UK COT LIFE SOCIETY
UK Daily Pundit
UK Polling Report
UKIP@HOME
Unenlightened Commentary
Union Futures
Voice of Reason
Vote Franco
Vox Polis
Waffle Tree
Waking Hereward
Walcot Ward
Wall of Speech
webcameron: David's Blog
Welfare Reform
Welfare State We're In
Well Really
Welsh Womens Voice
West Brom Blog
West Minster Village
What Comes to Pass
What's New Pussycat?
Whiskey Priest
Wondrous World of Hevva
Wonko's World
Wordy Lefty
Wycombe Liberal Democrats
Wyken Conservatives
Yellow Peril
Yoosk:news interplay
York Press | James Alexander
Young Britons' Foundation
Young Conservative's Viewpoint
Young Wing - Michael Shilliday editor
Zanderlibra
I had links to the important blogs operated by Bob Piper and Craig Murray. When I click into these now I am told "This page cannot be displayed".
What has occured is that Craig Murray posted an item in which he criticised Alisher Usmanov the Russian/Uzbekh billionaire who is trying to take control of Arsenal Football Club and currently holds 21% of its shares.
Schillings, a leading London law firm issued a legal threat on behalf of Usmanov to Fastnet Internet Limited who then pulled the plug on Craig Murray's blog (and on that of Tim Ireland who had acted in a similar way to Craig in criticising Usmanov).
Bob Piper's blog (and that of others including Boris Johnson) also went down, merely because they also use Fastnet as their host.
The disturbing nature of all this is spelt out in a fine item on Ian Dale's Blog, where a full debate is taking place in the comment box of this particular thread.
End Of A Free Service
I also have a link to what was a first rate service for political bloggers by Grant of "Political Opinions". Unfortunately, Grant has called it at day, for the reasons he explains here.
His service had provided introductions to hundreds of political blog items shortly after they were posted. A reader just had to click in to what caught the eye, to follow an item in full. There were also links to the past archives of each of the bloggers he covered.
Unfortunately, all I am able to get from what remains of this site is the following list of the blog titles which Grant covered. I will have to Google for those I select to discover who I can link to. In time (if Grant's site does not disappear completely), I will add what category each blogger falls into - for instance; Labour, Lib Dem or Conservative. The frustrating thing is that without Grant's site being in full operation, I can't discover whether someone else with proper computer skills has already done all this - or more. PLEASE LET ME KNOW VIA MY COMMENT BOX IF ANOTHER BLOGGER HAS COVERED WHAT I AM AFTER.
For Political Bloggers, Things Aint What They Used To Be
1169 and Counting
4glengate.net
A Conservative's Blog
A Councillor Writes
A Far Fetched Resolution
A Liberal Dose
A News and Politics Blog ...
A Petrosexual's Tuppence
A Place To Stand
A Very British Dude
Aberystwyth CF
Abolish the GMC
About Whose News
Action-without-theory
Adam Boulton
Adam Haigh
Adam Smith Institute
Adele Reynolds
Adrian Monck
Adrian Yalland
Aidan Maconachy
Alan Beddow
Alan Muhammed
Alex Fisher
Alex Wilcock
Ali Miraj
All About Nothing
All Saints Gazette
Allan Andrews
Alun Cairns AM
Alun Pugh AM
Amusingly Shaped Turnips
An Englishman's Castle
And Then He Said
Anders Hanson
Andrea Leadsom
Andrew Allison
Andrew Brown
Andrew Garner
Andrew Milton
Andrew Percy
Andrew Woodman
Andy D'Agorne
Andy Mayer
Andy Reed MP
Ann's Sedgley Blog
Anne Snelgrove MP
Anthony McEweon
Antoine Clarke's Election Watch
Antonia's Blog
Antony Little
Anyone But Ken
Arsembly
Arwen Folkes
As a Dodo
Austin Mitchell MP
Average guy on the street
Backing Blair
Baggage Reclaim
Bailey Blog
Bala Fr/a>
Ballots Balls & Bikes
Barry's Beef
Bart Ricketts
BBC News
Beau Bo D'Or
Bedworth Liberal Democrats
Bel is Thinking
Benedict Brogan
Bernard Wooley
Best News First
Big Stick & Small Carrot
Bill's Comment Page
Birmingham University Labour Students
BirminghamiNS
Bishop Hill
Black Country Boy
Black Triangle
Blair's Britain
BlairSupporter
Blairwatch
blamerbell
Blazing Cat Fur
Bloggerheads
Bloggers 4 Labour
Blogging 4 Merton
Blognor Regis
Blogzilla
Blue Shark TV
Blunt & Disorderly
Bob From Brockley
Bob Piper
Boris Johnson MP
Bread and Circuses
Brentwood, Essex, England
Brian Barder
Bristling Badger
Burning Our Money
Campaign for an English Parliament
Campaign for an English Parliament
Cardiff Respect
Caroline Hunt
Cassilis
Chameleons on Bicycles
Charles Anglin
Charlie Marks
Chicken Yoghurt
Choice Cuts
Chris & Glynis Abbott
Chris Doidge
Chris Paul: Labour of Love
Chris Rossdale
Chris Whiteside
Christian Political Forum
Ciara Leeming
Cicero's Songs
Civitas
Claire Palmer
Clive Davis
Cllr Paul Hopfensperger
Cllr Philip Booth
Cllr Sue Luxton
Colin Ross
Conservative Future TV
Conservative History
Conservative Home
Conservative Party Reptile
Contra Tory
Corruption is a Crime
Councillor Steve Wakefield
Coventry Conservatives
Craig Murray
Cranmer
Croydon Against The Arena
Croydon Greens
Croydonian
Cunning Title
Curly's Corner Shop
Cynical Chatter
Daily Pundit
Daily Referendum
Dan Hassett
Daniel Finkelstein
Daniel Hayward
Danvers Baillieu
Darlington Councillor
Dave Hill
Dave's Part
David Aaronovitch
David Davies MP
David Heathfield
David Miliband MP
David Nikel
David Rennie
David Smith
David Walker
DavidP
Dear Julie Morgan MP
Deirdre Alden
Despatch Blog
Devil's Kitchen
Dirty Leftie
Disillusioned and Bored
Dizzy Thinks
Don Paskini
Don't trip up
Donal Blaney
Dont Mention the Gravy Train
Double Negative
Drinking from Home
Duncan Borrowman
Dunderheadedness
Eaten by Missionaries
Ed Vaizey
Educational Conscription
EIP News
Ellee Seymour
Elliott Joseph
Emily Thornberry MP
Eric Avebury
Eric Lee
Esther McVey
EU Referendum
Europhobia
EURSOC
Fair Deal Phil
FibDems
Fiona Colley
Fisking Central
Flip Chart Fairy Tales
Flock Together
Fora
Forceful & Moderate
Frank Chalk
Fraser Macpherson
Freedom & Whiskey
Freemania
From Socialite to Socialist
From the Right Side
Garden Grabbing in Wales
Gareth Griffiths
Gavin Ayling
General Theory of Rubbish
Ghandi's Steakhouse
Global Dashboard
Global Warming Hysteria
Godfrey Lazarus
Golden Strawberry
Gordon Labour News
Grant Thoms
Guido Fawkes
Guildford Lib Dems - halve truths and lies
GUTHRUM
Guy Burton
Gweirdo
Harriet Harman MP
Harrowgate Hill Blog
Harry Barnes
Harry's Place
Havering On
Hengis
Henry North London
Hidden Ireland
Hilary Benn MP
Hilton Global Initiative
Holyrood Chronicles
Home Office Watch
Hot Ginger & Dynamite
House of Dumb
Hug A Hoodie
Hunter and Shooter
Iain Dale
Iain Lindley
Iain Rubie Dale
iBlog
Inconsiderate Parking
Inner West
Islington Conservatives
Istanbul Tory
J Arthur Macnumpty
Jacob Peas Murgatroid
Jageet Singh-Sohal
jailhouselawyer
James Cleverly
Jane Griffiths
Jane's Blog
Jeff Peel
Jeffrey Archer
Jim Bliss
Jo Christie-Smith
Jo Salmon
Jock Coats
Joe Mooney
Joe Otten
John Hemming MP
John McDonnell MP
John Moorcraft
John Redwood's Diary
John Tyrrell
John Wilkes
John's Labour blog
Jon Cruddas
Jon Worth Euroblog
Jonathan Bishop
Jonathan Wallace
Joyce Goes to London
Julie Morgan MP
Justified Spinner
Keep Tony Blair For PM
Ken Frost
Ken Taylor
Kerron Cross
Kevin Davis
Kevin Foster
Kezia Dugdale
Kirklees Unity
Kop Lob Pob a Job
Laban Tall
Labour Home
Labour Humanist
Labour Watch
Lancaster UAF
Lee Gregory
Leighton Andrews AM
Leila Kiersch
Lenin's Tomb
Let’s Be Sensible
LibDem Blogs
Liberal (Not so) Alone
Liberal Action
Liberal Burblings
Liberal Bureaucracy
Liberal Democrat Voice
Liberal Drinks
Liberal England
Liberal Legend
Liberal Leslie
Liberal Review
Liberty and Law Journal
Linguanaut.co.uk - Damon Lord's Blog
Lisa Chambers
Lobster Blogster
Lochore LibDem
Londonspot
Lord Garden
Lord Hanningfield
Lord Lucas
Lord of the Blog (Clive Soley)
Louise Baldock
Lucy Allan
Luke Akehurst
Luke Young
Lynne Featherstone
Mad Musings of Me
Make Socialism History
Maltheus's Musings
Man in a Shed
Marcus Wood
Mark Clarke
Mark Crail
Mark Young
Marlyn Glen MSP
Mars Hill
Martin Bright
Martin Eaglestone
Martine Martin
Mary Reid
Matt Buck's Hack Cartoons
Matt Davies
Matt Marks
Matt Palmer
Matt Withers
Matthew Dean
MAXINE
MayorWatch
Mediocracy
Melanie Philips
Michael Joslin
Michael Meacher
Michelle Wiseman
MicroShaft
Mike Cartwright
Mike Cunningham
Mike Ion
Mikey's Tent of Reality
Militant Moderate
Millennium Dome Elephant
Mind Robber
Ming Campbell
Ministry of Agitation & Propaganda
Ministry of Truth
Miranda Grell
Miscellany Symposium
Miserable Old Fart
MKNE Political Information
Mohammed Shafiq
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Monday, August 06, 2007
How Can We Leave Iraq?
A debate at Harry's Place has arisen around an article I posted on 4 July about Trade Unions in Iraq.
Although contributors discuss Trade Union issues, the discussion moves on to the question of how US troops (in particular) can be withdrawn from Iraq. The main dialectics of this aspect of the debate take place between TheIrie and myself. But significant contributions and questions are raised on the issue by numbers of people including Alec McPherson, Modernity and Craig Murray. The latter was an excellent host for my wife, myself and others on a visit we made to Ghana a number of years ago when he was still a prominent figure in the diplomatic service. Luckily for blogging and writing purposes, diplomacy and Craig have since parted company with one another.
Although contributors discuss Trade Union issues, the discussion moves on to the question of how US troops (in particular) can be withdrawn from Iraq. The main dialectics of this aspect of the debate take place between TheIrie and myself. But significant contributions and questions are raised on the issue by numbers of people including Alec McPherson, Modernity and Craig Murray. The latter was an excellent host for my wife, myself and others on a visit we made to Ghana a number of years ago when he was still a prominent figure in the diplomatic service. Luckily for blogging and writing purposes, diplomacy and Craig have since parted company with one another.
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