More stupidity - this time on Afghanistan

Ina letter in The Independent on Friday (http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/letters/letters-perspectives-on-highspeed-rail-2057165.html and scroll down the page) a Steve Gay writes this:

"Only a fool thinks the Taliban are defeated and the mullahs are gone. These lunatic Muslim fanatics have only one aim: to get their hands on the Pakistani nuclear arsenal and use it in jihad against the West.

Only the courageous men and women of Britain and the US stand in their way."

The first sentence may be accurate, and agreed that the Taliban are lunatic Muslim fanatics, but the rest is complete garbage: the Taliban are interested in one thing, and that is getting the invaders out of their country. Perhaps Gay means Al Qaida rather than the Taliban, but they are no longer in Afghanistan and haven't been for many years.

Scuttling out of Iraq with their tails between their legs

A fine example of stupidity has reached a new stage: the idiotic (and criminal) occupation of Iraq has gone on to a new stage with the departure of the last US combat units. What a mess they've made - and yet the display of bravado was breathtaking.

For example, one soldier shouted to the camera on the BBC News (on 19 August) "We've won!!" If this was victory on the say after 60 or more Iraqis were killed by a suicide bomber, what would defeat look like?

Even worse was a statement by a Lt-Col Lawrence of the 4th Stryker Brigade in a report in The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/19/us-combat-troops-exit-iraq]: "I think we came here at the right time and for the right reasons," he said. "Saddam was a bad man and he is no longer with us. This country has turned the corner. There are systems in place and institutions and the removal of Saddam was a good thing for the region." Is he stupid or simply misled? The latest election was 7 months ago and still the pathetic stooge politicians haven't managed to form a government! What a wonderful success this whole episode has been!

Pathetic whining over Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi

Oh dear, so much pathetic whining over Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi, the man found guilty in very dubious proceedings, for the Lockerbie bombing! Arrogant, self-regarding fools like Senator Robert Menendez in the US have called on Britain and Scotland to answer a number of "outstanding questions" over the case. I hope they tell him to take a long walk on a short pier: the man has terminal cancer and was released entirely properly in a decent action by the Scottish government, and that should be the end of it. But no, these malignant searchers after revenge are after their pound of flesh, and woe betide anyone who dares to get in their way.

But quite apart form the highly dubious nature of al-Megrahi's conviction - and remember that he was persuaded to apply for compassionate release when he was on the point of appealing his conviction, an appeal that stood a very high chance of succeeding, there is the matter of Iran Air flight IR655, which was shot down by missiles from the supposedly hightech guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children, on 3 July 1988. After the event there was no apology from the US government, only the most grudging settlement of compensation 8 years later, and the United States has never admitted responsibility nor apologized to Iran. Worse, the men of the Vincennes were all awardedCombat Action Ribbons for completion of their tours in a combat zone. Lustig, the air-warfare coordinator, received the Navy Commendation Medal. Worse4, Captain Rogers was awarded the Legion of Meritt "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as commanding officer ... from April 1987 to May 1989. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655


So before these US whingers go on any more about Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi, perhaps they'd care to remember the parable of the mote and the beam.....