Tuesday 16 June 2009

Who Could It Be?

Any Iraq war inquiry must be focused on two objectives: the causes; and the conduct. Blair is the centre of attention for the causes. Brown is the centre of attention for the conduct (and the ignominious withdrawal).

It doesn't matter that it is held in secret. Secrets are made to become known. What matters is getting the pair of them pinned down hard with as much information as can be elicited under 'secrecy' assurances as possible - which is certainly more than would come out in any 'public' inquiry without quite savage powers of interrogation and capacity to require witnesses. Something on the lines of the French or Italian or Spanish interrogating magistrates powers would be needed for an effective public inquiry.

So Brown sets up an inquiry, that inter alia maximises the elicitation of information under conditions of 'secrecy', which he sees as pinning down his problem and adult life spoiler. And the inquiry blithely covers too the conduct of a war in which our troops had their capacity and efficiency blighted by denial of equipment and premature reduction in numbers, which he doesn't see fingers him as even worse than Blair in responsibility for long term damage to our country and its institutions. Meanwhile he is busy elsewhere facilitating UK entry into the Euro, Blair downed by the inquiry and the Saviour of the World stepping up to the European presidential plate.

Two down. Who is left as candidate for the European Presidency from the UK? It has to be a politician of prime ministerial status, communautaire, extensively known within the Union, able in diplomatic and subtle negotiation, committed wholly to world trade and the development of global governance institutions yet Europeanist rather than Atlanticist in outlook, with recognised connection to Russia and its interests.

8 comments:

Sackerson said...

You have someone in mind?

Sue said...

You don´t mean Baron Mandelgit of Foy in the county of Herefordshire and Hartlepool in the county of Durham, Lord President of The Privy Council,First Minister of State, Destroyer of Worlds and Prince of All He Surveys? (Guthrum :)

He needs a much longer title really.

I can´t see the enquiry going ahead really. Not in the sense that it´s going to actually tell the truth. Blair, Brown and a few others would have to be tried for starting an illegal war surely? It´s a waste of time.

The whole thing will be a complete fabrication!

Bill Quango MP said...

He is the most able of them all by far.
One day he will become weary of playing the urbane sergeant Wilson to Brown's posturing captain Mainwarring.
Perhaps then he will take over the chair of Europe.

Raedwald said...

Haha! HG, you mischievous minx!

Mandelson as Euro President? The coronation would be very .... Versace. Napoleon's throne, perhaps, set up in the Hall of Mirrors. A small palace in Brussels. A summer palace in Tuscany. A revival of the Almanach de Gotha with the revival of Euro 'honours', in a democratic and mildly socialistic way, of course.

The prospect of the endless amusement that this would bring almost seduces me from my anti-federalism...

lilith said...

ooooh HG. What a scary thought, that it might be any of them at all.

dearieme said...

The slithery one, you mean?

Nomad said...

You can't surely be alluding to the hush puppy wearing cigar smoker? You specified no particular allegiance to right or left.

I wonder who would triumph in a straight (unfixed) election between him and a somewhat slithery noble lord of the realm.

Anonymous said...

No doubt Mandelson sees himself as the man of the moment.

God only knows what concessions he has screwed out of Broon in return for his support. I dread to think.

But why should the EU president come from the UK? Sounds to me like the last thing the "colleagues" would want.

Can we not just leave? Please?