1. March, 2003:
Crusaders attack Iraq.
The US-led coalition declared war on Iraq. "Coalition" is a rather grand term
for the US, plus a little place called the United States of Kingdom (?), a few
other countries which were right behind them...and might even turn up, a Ukrainian
dance troupe, a guy in a bar and a poodle called Tony (oh, I already mentioned him).
2. April, 2003:
A poke in the Eye-raq.
On Saturday 5th April, 2003 the US army darted into Baghdad, shouted through
Saddam's letterbox and ran off. The next day, when they realised no-one was
home, they came back and sat around smoking cigars in his palace. There was a
perfectly reasonable explanation - it was a poke in the eye for Saddam.
3. May, 2003:
The natives are revolting.
From the day that self-rule talks began (15th April, 2003) many thousands of Iraqis
took part in demonstrations against lawlessness. The coalition
seemed to have no strategy beyond achieving military victory. US
Lt Gen Jay Garner suggested Iranian
influence, because the marches were "well-organised".
4. January, 2004:
McBliar - "Out damn spot!"
On the eve of the long-awaited Hutton Inquiry (27th January, 2004) speculation
was at fever pitch. But the inquiry was an almost irrelevant distraction.
Its subject, Dr Kelly's suicide, was just one sad episode in a larger tragedy -
like Banquo's ghost, haunting MacBeth during his trail of homicidal mayhem.
5. February, 2004:
Hutton - a poodle's poodle!
Lord Hutton delivers his verdict to stunned disbelief from the media. Even in his
wildest dreams Blair couldn't have imagined a more sycophantic result for the UK
Government - and a more crushing blow for the BBC. Whitewashes don't get much
whiter. And smokescreens don't get much more transparent.
6. February, 2004:
WMD! Where? There!
Blair must have wished Hutton had found some small bone of contention to throw to
the media. Their collective disgust redoubled their resolve to revive
thornier issues. Like those Weapons of Mass Distraction, of which Blair had
solid proof...now a fading mirage, but as heavy as an albatross round his neck.
7. March, 2004:
Clare's Short shrift.
Clare Short lost a lot of credibility by sticking by her man when he marched to
war, but boy did she turn. Kofi Annan was none too pleased to hear that "friendly" spooks
had been bugging him. But it was all a bit "boy cries wolf" and the powers-that-be
affected an air of "So what?" Maybe it was just too little too late, Clare.
8. November, 2004:
Dubya MD - the moral choice.
To the horror of half the USA and most of the rest of the planet - but to the
delight of arms dealers, neocons, armageddonists and jihadists - Bush is re-elected in
yet another disputed cliffhanger. The reason? Morality. No, really! What a mandate:
Rambo meets the Old Testament. Forget WMD; this is Dubya MD, in your face.
9. May, 2005:
Mirror, mirror, on the wall...
It is Blair's turn to face the polls, just days after media leaks
expose the Attorney General's secret pre-war advice doubting
the legality of invading Iraq. Michael Howard openly calls the PM
a liar. Blair dismisses the "smoking gun" as a "DAMP SQUIB"!
Anthony Eden's ghost hovers amid sleazy echoes of Suez.
10. December, 2005:
Extraordinary Rendition
It was the military euphemism to die for - literally in many cases.
From the team that brought us collateral damage and friendly
fire, here was a corker just in time for Christmas - extraordinary
rendition. This was the means whereby the US, signed up to the
Geneva Convention, off-shored torture to less sensitive regimes.
11. June, 2007:
Heartless
Before leaving office Blair had only this to say about Iraq: “Hand
on heart, I did what I thought was right for the country.” An
illegal unprovoked war, lies to parliament, ignored intelligence,
and approximately a million dead. That will be his enduring legacy.
The real bleeding heart is that of his sacrificial victim.
12. July, 2007:
Taking Liberties
Before his US visit, Brown said that liberty was our first value, but
security the government’s first duty (meaning,“I’ll protect the
liberty of the majority by curtailing the liberty of evildoers.”)
Hurrah(!)...depending on your nationality, skin colour, religion or
surname. Brazilian electricians might be a bit nervous too.
13. January 11th, 2008:
Camp Delta - 6 Today!
While we in Britain, rightly, agonise over extension of the length
of detention without charge from 28 days, spare a thought for the
inmates of Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay "celebrating" their sixth
year without charge as "enemy combatants" whose incarceration
seems to have no purpose beyond misdirected revenge.
14. March, 2008:
Sketches of the nightmare
Sami Al-Haj ticked all the right boxes when the US military
captured him in Pakistan 2001: Arab, Muslim, Sudanese, en route
to Afghanistan and, best of all, he worked for Al Jazeera TV. You
know, that subversive network that employs David Frost & Rageh
Omaar. Not 42 days, nearly 6 years in Guantanamo without trial.
