As many of the athletes headed for Heathrow and home on Monday morning after a weekend of celebrations or sorrows drowning some of Britain returned to mid summer normality and headed back to their offices for the two and a half weeks until the Paralympics. More though also headed to Heathrow and airports around the country to head off on their hols, leaving those at home to enjoy August peace.
The three dear political leaders (OK Nick , we will give you the benefit of the doubt and Ed we know you like to be called that)headed off to Eurozone disaster area. Nick went to the outlaws in Spain and Dave went somewhere not far away though there seems to be some doubt whether he will be asked over for Sunday lunch. With those two in Spain, Ed headed for basket case Greece to feel their pain and hopefully give generously help their financial problems. All very nice and chillaxing but why not try something different, somewhere buzzing and away from Eurozone woes. The typhoons in Hong Kong may not have gone down too well with the ladies but the opportunity to stroll around any of the major 24 hours a day Go-for-It cities of Asia could have given them just the adrenaline or caffeine boosted feelings they need to get them into a positive frame of mind to bring back to their day jobs. All British MPs could do with walking ,-without minders, advisors , hangers on,-the streets of Hong Kong,Shanghai, Singapore or even Bangkok if they could avoid the obvious nocturnal pitfalls. The daytime hyperactivity ,the night markets, the constant hearing of the word "Dollar" in streets, buses, cafes, restaurants, undergrounds, lifts , materialistic though it might sound would give them a clue that it's time to get the good old home country up and on its feet and actually doing things. The same goes for Euro MPs but maybe that's a hope too far.
Back at the ranch William Hague has been left holding all the babies and waiting to field any unseasonal curved balls. Unfortunately for him there have been some. The harsh threat to invade the Ecuadorian embassy was uncharacteristic and a mistake. It also added to a feeling of unease that all is far from transparent in the Assange saga and that the USA is pulling strings in persuit of their objective of getting their hands on him and that somewhere in the mix the UK is playing its unreciprocated supine role. There looks like being a lot more to this saga than meets the eye and there is more to come on this one.
Meanwhile the Afghanistan adventure looks more and more doomed by the day. For all the billions spent on trying to stabalise the country, and assign the Taliban to history ,there is little other than an ever mounting pile of corpses to show for it. The fiction that it has been a battle worth fighting is maintained by all UK political parties as Labour (Blair) started it and the coalition , to avoid also embarrassing the US and themselves at home ,have failed to get out of the country and accept that ultimately only Afghans will solve Afghanistan. Once the western occupying forces have left the country the Afghans will be able to turn their attention to dealing with the little loved Taliban and the heartily disliked foreign jihadists . Until then the presence of the westerners acts as the only thing which unites their opponents.
Syria doesn't look at all good either and again the role of the west is not helpful. The Arab Spring was all heady stuff and destined to succeed in some places and, for the time being at least, fail in others as the situations and ingredients in each of the countries are all different. Libya was relatively straightforward with clear options and one side identifiable as baddies (Gaddafi) and the other as at least relative, if disparate , goodies (all the rest). Syria though is a myriad of different factions and interests, some local and some foreign. The Soviets are determined to hang on to their only Mediterranean port, the Iranians see it as an opportunity to meddle, cause confusion and mayhem and ultimately to advance the cause of Persian domination over the otherwise Arab region, using religion as its justifier, the foreign jihadists have their own agenda and Assad doesn't fancy losing power. None is talking democracy or of relatively polite MPs representing orderly constituencies sitting in neat rows and talking through "Mr Speaker sir". Meanwhile in the alleged interests of promoting enforced democracy, foreigners of all kinds , including the UK ,are flocking to aid anyone falling under the loose definition of "rebels" as if these were indeed honourable, altruistic and democratic groups. In Iraq Saddam brutally dealt with any opposition but his removal has involved hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian deaths, far more than even decades more of his rule would have achieved. Under his iron fist Iraq at least functioned as a country in which most citizens could live in safety and things basically worked . Baghdad was a functiong city. The country was also a secular state in which all religions and branches thereof were tolerated, albeit some more than others. Now it isn't. The same is happening in Syria . The viable state, towns and villages in which most people were safe most of the time are now being reduced to rubble, much of it again falling on innocent civilians . To them getting on with everyday life is worth more than an uncertain democracy designed by foreigners. Worst of all, just as in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation, the regime topplers are flooding the place with arms and ammunition which guarantee instablity, fighting and more deaths for years to come. Mr Hague has just thrown in another £5 million for "communications equipment". So much for his (European) summer.
Putin's Russia can seldom resist the chance to machinegun its own feet when its leader's blood pressure is pushed up by any sign of protest particularly if it involves any kind of disrespect, humour or fresh new and young public appeal. Pussy Riot has got right up his nose and induced extreme sense of humour failure, not that there's a lot that's funny in Russia in the first place. It is little wonder its citizens, in public at least ,are not given to oubursts of great hilarity unless of course the vodka has taken hold. Aided and abetted by that other bastion of Russian repression and the "Know your place and don't question anything " philosophy and illiberatism, the Russian Orthodox Church, one of whose leaders has described Putin's regime as a wonderful miracle, the Pussys are to enjoy two years in the slammer. That's not good for anybody's health and does nothing for anybody's wellbeing and certainly not Russia's or Putin's. Always fear those without humour. They are very dangerous anywhere.
Across the Channel the Euro goes staggering on. As almost all European politicians are away for most of August it isn't getting all the attention it needs and the Euro supertanker sails on ever closer to the rocks while the Captains, other ironically than Mrs Merkells, pretend they see none. More alarmingly some even continue to believe there actually aren't any and that if there really turn out to be some the German lifeboat will sail out to rescue them . They can't have noticed the steely look in Mrs Merkells' eye. Foolish. She is very clear about her agenda.
The domestic political scene is seasonally and thankfully quiet certainly as far as Labour and the Lib Dems are concerned. It's not quiet enough though for the Tory machine to avoid stumbling into its own PR bear traps. Inconsistency is a big problem for them in trying to avoid the "nasty party" image. It is a mistake while calling for one Olympic legacy to be more sport in schools (though how many potential Olympians will be deterred for ever by good old fashioned compulsory school sports is another matter) for Michael Gove to quietly slip out relaxations to the rules governing the sale of school sports fields. Whether intended or not, this looks too much like wicked Tories helping out old mates in the property development business. This is something which the otherwise highly intelligent Mr Gove should have understood, foreseen and avoided. Tim Yeo, Chairman of the the Commons Environmental Audit Committee and a member of The Commons Energy and Climate Change Committe having paid roles with the green industry isn't too bright an idea by the Party either. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency is essential for a coherent, honest and credible political party. Time for a crack of the Whip Mr Cameron.
Have a good and warm weekend. Spend any Euros in your pocket while the going's good.
The three dear political leaders (OK Nick , we will give you the benefit of the doubt and Ed we know you like to be called that)headed off to Eurozone disaster area. Nick went to the outlaws in Spain and Dave went somewhere not far away though there seems to be some doubt whether he will be asked over for Sunday lunch. With those two in Spain, Ed headed for basket case Greece to feel their pain and hopefully give generously help their financial problems. All very nice and chillaxing but why not try something different, somewhere buzzing and away from Eurozone woes. The typhoons in Hong Kong may not have gone down too well with the ladies but the opportunity to stroll around any of the major 24 hours a day Go-for-It cities of Asia could have given them just the adrenaline or caffeine boosted feelings they need to get them into a positive frame of mind to bring back to their day jobs. All British MPs could do with walking ,-without minders, advisors , hangers on,-the streets of Hong Kong,Shanghai, Singapore or even Bangkok if they could avoid the obvious nocturnal pitfalls. The daytime hyperactivity ,the night markets, the constant hearing of the word "Dollar" in streets, buses, cafes, restaurants, undergrounds, lifts , materialistic though it might sound would give them a clue that it's time to get the good old home country up and on its feet and actually doing things. The same goes for Euro MPs but maybe that's a hope too far.
Back at the ranch William Hague has been left holding all the babies and waiting to field any unseasonal curved balls. Unfortunately for him there have been some. The harsh threat to invade the Ecuadorian embassy was uncharacteristic and a mistake. It also added to a feeling of unease that all is far from transparent in the Assange saga and that the USA is pulling strings in persuit of their objective of getting their hands on him and that somewhere in the mix the UK is playing its unreciprocated supine role. There looks like being a lot more to this saga than meets the eye and there is more to come on this one.
Meanwhile the Afghanistan adventure looks more and more doomed by the day. For all the billions spent on trying to stabalise the country, and assign the Taliban to history ,there is little other than an ever mounting pile of corpses to show for it. The fiction that it has been a battle worth fighting is maintained by all UK political parties as Labour (Blair) started it and the coalition , to avoid also embarrassing the US and themselves at home ,have failed to get out of the country and accept that ultimately only Afghans will solve Afghanistan. Once the western occupying forces have left the country the Afghans will be able to turn their attention to dealing with the little loved Taliban and the heartily disliked foreign jihadists . Until then the presence of the westerners acts as the only thing which unites their opponents.
Syria doesn't look at all good either and again the role of the west is not helpful. The Arab Spring was all heady stuff and destined to succeed in some places and, for the time being at least, fail in others as the situations and ingredients in each of the countries are all different. Libya was relatively straightforward with clear options and one side identifiable as baddies (Gaddafi) and the other as at least relative, if disparate , goodies (all the rest). Syria though is a myriad of different factions and interests, some local and some foreign. The Soviets are determined to hang on to their only Mediterranean port, the Iranians see it as an opportunity to meddle, cause confusion and mayhem and ultimately to advance the cause of Persian domination over the otherwise Arab region, using religion as its justifier, the foreign jihadists have their own agenda and Assad doesn't fancy losing power. None is talking democracy or of relatively polite MPs representing orderly constituencies sitting in neat rows and talking through "Mr Speaker sir". Meanwhile in the alleged interests of promoting enforced democracy, foreigners of all kinds , including the UK ,are flocking to aid anyone falling under the loose definition of "rebels" as if these were indeed honourable, altruistic and democratic groups. In Iraq Saddam brutally dealt with any opposition but his removal has involved hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian deaths, far more than even decades more of his rule would have achieved. Under his iron fist Iraq at least functioned as a country in which most citizens could live in safety and things basically worked . Baghdad was a functiong city. The country was also a secular state in which all religions and branches thereof were tolerated, albeit some more than others. Now it isn't. The same is happening in Syria . The viable state, towns and villages in which most people were safe most of the time are now being reduced to rubble, much of it again falling on innocent civilians . To them getting on with everyday life is worth more than an uncertain democracy designed by foreigners. Worst of all, just as in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation, the regime topplers are flooding the place with arms and ammunition which guarantee instablity, fighting and more deaths for years to come. Mr Hague has just thrown in another £5 million for "communications equipment". So much for his (European) summer.
Putin's Russia can seldom resist the chance to machinegun its own feet when its leader's blood pressure is pushed up by any sign of protest particularly if it involves any kind of disrespect, humour or fresh new and young public appeal. Pussy Riot has got right up his nose and induced extreme sense of humour failure, not that there's a lot that's funny in Russia in the first place. It is little wonder its citizens, in public at least ,are not given to oubursts of great hilarity unless of course the vodka has taken hold. Aided and abetted by that other bastion of Russian repression and the "Know your place and don't question anything " philosophy and illiberatism, the Russian Orthodox Church, one of whose leaders has described Putin's regime as a wonderful miracle, the Pussys are to enjoy two years in the slammer. That's not good for anybody's health and does nothing for anybody's wellbeing and certainly not Russia's or Putin's. Always fear those without humour. They are very dangerous anywhere.
Across the Channel the Euro goes staggering on. As almost all European politicians are away for most of August it isn't getting all the attention it needs and the Euro supertanker sails on ever closer to the rocks while the Captains, other ironically than Mrs Merkells, pretend they see none. More alarmingly some even continue to believe there actually aren't any and that if there really turn out to be some the German lifeboat will sail out to rescue them . They can't have noticed the steely look in Mrs Merkells' eye. Foolish. She is very clear about her agenda.
The domestic political scene is seasonally and thankfully quiet certainly as far as Labour and the Lib Dems are concerned. It's not quiet enough though for the Tory machine to avoid stumbling into its own PR bear traps. Inconsistency is a big problem for them in trying to avoid the "nasty party" image. It is a mistake while calling for one Olympic legacy to be more sport in schools (though how many potential Olympians will be deterred for ever by good old fashioned compulsory school sports is another matter) for Michael Gove to quietly slip out relaxations to the rules governing the sale of school sports fields. Whether intended or not, this looks too much like wicked Tories helping out old mates in the property development business. This is something which the otherwise highly intelligent Mr Gove should have understood, foreseen and avoided. Tim Yeo, Chairman of the the Commons Environmental Audit Committee and a member of The Commons Energy and Climate Change Committe having paid roles with the green industry isn't too bright an idea by the Party either. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency is essential for a coherent, honest and credible political party. Time for a crack of the Whip Mr Cameron.
Have a good and warm weekend. Spend any Euros in your pocket while the going's good.
