New Address
18/05/07 16:00 |
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Hello dear
reader.....
I have moved the blog to a new address for no other reason than it is easier to maintain and quicker to post.
The address is:
http://westerly21.livejournal.com
You don't get the pics but then it is the words that count anyway!!
Hope you continue to join me!!
I have moved the blog to a new address for no other reason than it is easier to maintain and quicker to post.
The address is:
http://westerly21.livejournal.com
You don't get the pics but then it is the words that count anyway!!
Hope you continue to join me!!
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Iraq-US Battle for Hearts and Minds
According to a
Pentagon poll of US troops in Iraq, more than a third
condone the use of torture 'if it saves a comrade's
life', while ten per cent admit to having kicked,
slapped or punched Iraqis. The report concludes that
tours of duty should be shorter than six months, as
those troops posted in Iraq for longer periods are more
likely to suffer mental-health problems.
It seems that at least a third have already been there far too long!
It seems that at least a third have already been there far too long!
Local Elections 2007
However, if I did, I would not be able to live with my guilt at betraying the people who fought so hard to gain me the vote and, more importantly, I would disqualify myself from moaning about the winners in the years to come. So, I was faced with a dilemma; I could not bring myself to vote for the two main parties but I did not want to waste my right to vote.
It was tempting to use the excuse that these are not 'real' elections anyway and the people standing are not 'real' politicians, but in some ways the elections for a local authority are more important and the effects more closely felt.
The answer to my problem appeared to come through my letterbox this morning. I live on The Isle of Sheppey in Kent and have been here for about nine years. It's a place where the scenery mirrors the population, in that it can be extremely attractive, or just plain ugly. As an 'islander' we tend to look a bit inwards from the rest of 'civilisation' and with the government spending 100 million pounds on a new bridge, we are suspicious of the desire to develop large swathes of the countryside.
The election leaflet of the independent party 'Sheppey First!' seemed to be very appealing, especially as it was fighting against the changes to the local schools, unrestricted new building, being treated as a poor relation to the mainland wards and the most eye catching of all, the claim that “Sheppey has suffered for years because more money has been taken from the island than is spent here.”
It seemed I had found a party I could support, until I looked at the bottom of the page to read the leaflet had been printed by a firm that was not on the island and not even in Kent, but in that great county across the estuary, Essex!!
It seems that 'Sheppey First!' have shot themselves in the foot and I am now back to square one.
My house is seeming to be very cosy at the moment!!
Blair's Legacy
Members of Parliament used to represent their constituents first and their party second. It was quite common to see them arguing against their party if they did not agree with what was being attempted. Since Blair's regime took over the reigns, those MP's have been effectively neutered and are actively encouraged to follow the party line at all times. They must be constantly “on message” and not do anything unless it has been cleared by the party PR machine first.
Decisions that used to be made by the collective Cabinet now appear to be made by an unelected group at the inner circle of power. The Cabinet appears to have become just a rubber stamp to the decisions being made.
The news media are now closely managed and announcements from government are made when it is convenient, rather than when they should be due. Protesters are now barred from demonstrating within the earshot of Parliament - unless they have been officially approved - so MP's are now isolated from the discontent of the very people they represent. Monitoring of the individual's every action has increased almost exponentially, so that wherever you go nowadays, you are leaving a trail that can be followed and recorded for future use. Accountability for any mistakes made while in office is no longer accepted by the people who should be accepting it. The list goes on and on........
But, the real legacy of Mr Blair is the fact he has weakened the respect the public once had for politicians and made them almost figures of contempt.
What is worrying is that what follows him - whatever the colour of the party - is going to be no better!!
Sting in the Bush
The cost has been massive. So far, more than 3,350 of his own countrymen have been killed. The financial cost has already exceeded 400 billion dollars. Things are not improving - last month rated as the sixth deadliest month for US fatalities since the conflict started in 2003.
President Bush had sold the conflict to the world as being a war on global terror but according to figures released by the US State Department, terrorist attacks worldwide have increased by 25% and the number of fatalities caused by terrorism in the last 12 months has risen by 40 per cent.
Even a child knows that it is a dangerous thing to kick a sleeping hornet's nest; when they are disturbed, they fight back, and you get badly stung!!