British General calls for Blair's impeachment.

international | crime and justice | other press

Tuesday January 10, 2006 12:43

by iosaf - "wheel out the soldier boys"

General Sir Michael Rose (1940–) is a British soldier born in what was then British India. Rose was educated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and the Sorbonne. He joined the Coldstream Guards later serving with the Parachute Regiment. He was Commander of 22 SAS in 1980 and took control of the operation to free the hostages during the Iranian Embassy Siege. After returning to the regular army, his best-known appointment was as Commander UNPROFOR Bosnia 1994-95 during the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars.

On January 9, 2006, Rose called for Tony Blair to be impeached over the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, saying on BBC Radio 4's Today programme "To go to war on what turns out to be false grounds is something that no one should be allowed to walk away from."

He then followed up the BBC radio 4 interview with an opinion piece in The Guardian:-
___________________________________

You may read all of Rose's article here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1682807,00.html
You may read reaction to the call for impeachment from British media here.-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/10/nirq10.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/01/10/ixportal.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1682958,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article337612.ece
http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=38872006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4594216.stm

________________________________________

The article makes interesting reading, & I have to take this opportunity to remind all,
that normally in mature democratic societies we do not expect to hear or read high ranking military officer's opinions on politics.
Indeed, this last week has seen a general placed under house arrest in Spain (he is in his fourth day) for breaching that most important rule. But it did make it clear to me at least (& perhaps the Spanish defence minister José Bono) that when Generals speak, they do _seem to get attention_.
So it is important to remember that General Rose is _no longer_ a serving officer. He is not covered by the veil of civilisation which prohibits a military man speaking his mind.

I would also like to point out the tone of the article, this member of the British Armed forces has served in many of the units most reviled by Irish people, but also has headed the most difficult military operations undertaken by the nascent military co-operation missions of Europe. Missions in which members of Ireland' security forces (gardaí) have played their part in the Balkans.

Yes indeed, Lets hear more from the generals to "safeguard" our democracy.--

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Comments (3 of 3)

the banner on the "impeach Blair" site

by hawkeye

Tue Jan 10, 2006 13:54

shows left to right :- Union Jack, head of Blair, St. George's Cross, flag of Wales, Irish Tricolour and Scottish Saltire.

Like Hello???
Do we get in "irish tricolour" land get a look-in on impeaching Blair???
Isn't it a bit odd that a former director of SAS is calling for impeachment supporting this site with a flag which is still the cause of improperly resolved conflict on our island???

I'm very upset. I'm going to write a letter.

The Guardian

by M Cotton

Tue Jan 10, 2006 14:25

Interesting to see how the Guardian leader takes a swipe at Michael Rose and his military record rather than evaluating the facts. The Guardian itself has a case to answer for its unswerving support for Blair throughout this murderous war - more of which is evident in the link given above - particularly in the attempt to depict Blair as having faced an unusually difficult dilemma when in fact he did not. The decision to invade had already been taken - one among many points that Blair apologists refuse to confront. At least we can take heart from the fact that The Guardian has lost many readers because of its editorial policy on the Iraq issue.

Ah, I disagree with that Miriam.

by iosaf ipsiphi

Tue Jan 10, 2006 19:16

Many members of the Stop War Coalition are currently employed by The Guardian & were so previously as well. Perhaps one of the most prominent is Steve Bell the cartoonist. & I am very endeared to Steve for many of his cartoons.
The Guardian has engaged others of obvious anti-War bias recently perhaps most noteworthy the Iraqi bloggist "salam pax", and on many occasions has pushed its power to the limits of D notice to continue as much as is possible "fair and objective reporting" on the so-called "War on Terror".
In fact, "The Guardian" is right up there with "Liberation" as the two single commercial news organisations I am still happy to link to. I have stopped supporting Italy's "Unita" in the same timespan.
Though I have had problems with both "guardian" & "liberation" in 2005, I thought to link those problems as reflective of greater and wider issues on Media control & at a time of _considerable threat & crises_ Liberation "kept an eye" on The Guardian which *mainstreamed* material published on indymedia networks.
C/F
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71169
and re Liberation
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67833

In short I've enjoyed a certain relationship with "Farringdon Road" for many years now, certainly as far back if not further than the RTS! events of the late 90s, and almost accepted a job w/ 'em in 2004 but it would have meant going to live in Lahndin. So I understandably said "I refuse to work for a rag which consistently displayed anti-Oirsh prejudice in the 70s and 80s". But that alas, is another axe to grind, and not the one I believe you Miriam are brandishing.
:-) After all : You have to remember "the G" was chosen by both Rose to mirror his Radio4 interview & not the Telegraph which is the traditional paper of the British military.

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British General calls for Blair's impeachment.

Comments (3 of 3)