´óÏó´«Ã½

30 YEARS OF THE STRAW MAN - WESTMINSTER PERSONIFIED

Westminster draws its own, and repels the very people we need if this country is ever to draw back from the abyss. 30-year Jack says it all.

SPOILPARTYGAMES

Sorry to here Jack Straw is standing down, wish he would change his mind. He is one of the most respected public figure in Blackburn, and England.

Michael:

Thanks, for keeping us in the loop in regards to Jack Straw and, I wish him the best for his next endevour in live!

(d)

...and there was much rejoicing!

I'm sorry this isn't related to this subject. But wasn't it unfortunate
for Kirsty Wark that, when talking about the incorrect use of words, she referred to the naturalist/naturist Sir David Attenborough as his brother, Sir Richard!

this man must have a heavy conscience, he, more than anybody could have averted the Iraq invasion, he was a key figure in it's promotion as he supported Blair's initiatives when in the position he held he must have been privy to what was going on especially with the Attorney Generals doubts. His testimony at the Chilcot enquiry almost bears this out and his departure from a leftist student union leader to an apologist for Blair's mad adventures will see him historically as a weak man when he could have accomplished so much...sad man...

THE STRAW MAN TO WRITE HIS MEMOIRS (#6)

Agreed stevie.

He says he will betray no confidences. There goes the truth - again.

6. At 8:16pm on 06 Aug 2010, stevie wrote:
this man must have a heavy conscience, he, more than anybody could have averted the Iraq invasion, he was a key figure in it's promotion as he supported Blair's initiatives when in the position he held he must have been privy to what was going on especially with the Attorney Generals doubts. His testimony at the Chilcot enquiry almost bears this out and his departure from a leftist student union leader to an apologist for Blair's mad adventures will see him historically as a weak man when he could have accomplished so much...sad man...
////////////////////////////
I think it shows a man who made a difficult decision when faced with the need to do so. There are many critics now who at the time were silent.

There is a need in government to have a sufficient number of people who are willing to take difficult decsisions when needed rather than bottle it. It reality it does not matter if they made the wrong decision. Thatcher made the wrong decison in 1982 but at least she was prepared to do so, Straw is in my view a principled man who did his best to do what was right when the decison was not easy to make. Intelligence is by its nature difficult to interpret and its oh so easy for the uninformed to criticise what is done in good faith... those that do are quite sad as well.

FOOL OR KNAVE (#8)

Did Straw not realise just how deluded and dangerous Blair was? Many of us disempowered 'ordinary' folk knew, but were in no position to influence events. (We tried.) Or did Jack make the judgement that there was more in it for his ambition if he went along?

Did YOU not read Blair correctly Max? Do you have the measure of him now - as a Devout World Sage rolling in opulence and preaching the impossible?

Jack Straw to write his memoirs.
No doubt the book won't all centre around his life outside politics, so I wonder what Sir Jeremy Greenstock will be thinking since it was Jack Straw who put the block on his book coming out...
What will @~5$$3!*76%% be in mandarin?
I would have liked to read Sir Jeremy's book.

Straw, in football terms is a destroyer rather than a creator....

9. At 00:09am on 07 Aug 2010, barriesingleton wrote:
FOOL OR KNAVE (#8)
Did YOU not read Blair correctly Max? Do you have the measure of him now - as a Devout World Sage rolling in opulence and preaching the impossible?
///////////////////////////

I think Blair was a visionary leader who genuinely believed there was an issue with terrorism and WMD, and that there was some evidence Iraq was a threat to the stability of the area. Whether he was right to support Bush in Iraq is more difficult. At the time I thought that it needed world leaders to stand up to Saddam. Had more done so under the UN umbrella, he would have backed down, but not enough did. Saddam pretended to have WMD to the end even though none were found. I think all concerned did what they thought was right and those with hindsight can say what they will.

Good bye and good riddance, all the good work he ever did was undone by allowing the adoption of the European Arrest Warrant. Now any bent cop anywhere in Europe can fit up a Brit on any charge he likes and good ole Jack will deport him forthwith to some hellhole foreign jail to rot indefinitely. Well done, a peerage perhaps?
Regards, etc.