SEND MORE TROOPS OR RISK FAILURE, BLAIR TOLD--New WMW

[Gloria]

WORLD MEDIA WATCH For September 5, 2003

Full excerpts, links up NOW at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


1//Foreign Policy in Focus, US—COMMENTARY: QUAQMIRE? WHAT QUAGMIRE?(In the months leading up to the recent war in Iraq and in its aftermath, Bush administration officials were forced to continually change their rationale for launching the attack to topple Saddam Hussein. Where they have not wavered, and where they have received consistent support from top Pentagon military commanders, is in their insistence that Iraq is not another Vietnam, not a quagmire. The further the U.S. and the world move from the fall of Baghdad on April 9th, the more it seems that the administration is correct: Iraq is not a quagmire. It is really a black hole.)

2//The Telegraph, UK--SEND MORE TROOPS OR RISK FAILURE, BLAIR TOLD (Jack Straw has issued a grim warning to Tony Blair that Britain and America risk "strategic failure" in Iraq unless they send more troops to improve security and speed up moves towards self-government. The Foreign Secretary's deep concerns about the "deteriorating" situation in Iraq are spelt out in notes drawn up for a meeting between him and the Prime Minister at No 10. The notes, marked "Confidential" and compiled by civil servants in several Whitehall departments, have been seen by The Telegraph…Mr Straw stresses that there must be "visible improvements" by the start of Ramadan (Oct 27)…He says that if, without the despatch of further troops, British soldiers face "another spectacular (eg against a British barracks) we and the US could otherwise find ourselves entirely alone".)



3//The Independent, UK--BLAIR LOOKS TO WHITE HOUSE TV BRIEFINGS TO COUNTER SPIN (Mr Blair has previously ruled out US-style daily briefings but is now said to have an "open mind". They are seen by some advisers as a way of ensuring the Government's message reaches the public without going through the filter of the media…The committee, chaired by Bob Phillis, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, says there has been a "three-way breakdown in trust between Government and politicians, the media and general public". The committee adds: "The response of the media to a rigorous and pro-active government news management strategy has been to match claim with counter claim in a challenging and adversarial way.")



4//The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippines--GOV’T SAYS COUP PLOTTERS IDENTIFIED, ‘HODGEPODGE’ (The Government has identified the "destabilizing elements" plotting to topple it, Interior Secretary Jose Lina said Thursday, and belittled their capability to rally popular support. "There will be some mass actions here and there, but based on our assessment, they will not be able to mobilize a large number of people because they don't have the popular cause," Lina said in a media briefing after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's first command conference as acting defense secretary.)

RELATED: DESTABILIZATION PLOT LINKED TO BUSH VISIT – SENATE HEAD(EFFORTS to destabilize the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may be intended to influence the US government's relations with the Philippines, especially as US President George Bush is scheduled to visit Manila next month, Senate President Franklin Drilon said.)



5//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--QANTAS RESISTS COSTLY MISSILE SHIELD SYSTEM (The airline's CEO, Geoff Dixon, rejected suggestions that it deploy expensive decoy systems against surface-to-air missiles, saying these would cost nearly $700 million to protect the international fleet alone…His comments came after the Prime Minister, John Howard, revealed that the airlines were in talks with the Federal Government over the possibility of deploying anti-missile systems.)



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[cliss]

1. My question is:

why does Blair's UK have to contribute troops? The rest of Europe is sitting on its hands, prefering to sit on the sidelines, munching their popcorn, to see what happens next.

The UK is under no obligation to provide troops. That sounds like the "deadline trap" to me -- do something, or we'll fail for sure!!!

I've heard it before. The best thing the UK can do, along with the rest of Europe is...... just wait.

There's a term for it, and it comes from AA. It's called NOT ENABLING.

[alcuno]

2. Except for the fact that the UK is up to its eyeballs in this.

Why does the UK have to contribute troops? Because like the Americans, they broke it. It's their mess to fix.

[Donna Zen]

3. Why?

Okay...let me see:

Pretend you are a French parent and now bushco wants you to send your child into an unstable, ill prepared situation. Oh_and your French tax dollars will have to pay for this. Of course for the past 9 months the people and the leaders of America have been making fun of you and your country including saying some very hateful things.

Now put that together with how your government will have very little to say about the running of this operation where your child stands a very good chance of being killed. If your child is wounded, not one Christian who poured scorn and wine will have to take care of that child or in anyway share the burden you will assume.

If you now have your mind around that, remember that the US has not included any carrots in their latest package. Cheney gets to keep all the oil and the contracts for his donnors who will not be putting any of their children in harms way.

So_what's your vote...? Because I wonder if anyone is dumb enough to say "oui."

[WillyT]

5. Yo Donna... Right Freakin On !!! --- Perfect !!!

:bounce::hi::bounce:

[lumpy]

6. My question is "

Didn't you know that the UK's Blair is Bush's partner in the Iraq disaster.

[goforit]

4. You mean "HIS" failure!!!!...........

Toni Blair is actually saying......

"""Send more men to die in my name so that I won't fail!!!"


I spell Tony ....Ton"i" because the "i" represents his
narcissistic self-centered greed.

The whole world his all about him in his eyes!!!