My Mistake... *UPDATED*

Yesterday I posted about Margaret Beckett's comments on the shipment of 5000lb 'Bunker Busters', destination downtown Beruit via Prestwick Airport.

It has become increasingly obvious over the last 24 hours that Margaret Beckett's outrage[sic] was nothing more than hot air, and political posturing in response to a rather inconvenient article in the telegraph.

I would like to apologise for inadvertently giving the impression that there might indeed be a spine in the FCO, and those in King Charles Street responsible for British Foreign Policy might actually have something to do with British Foreign Policy.

As I posted yesterday I mistakenly tried to suspend my cynicism for a moment, and was also guilty of having an optimistic moment, but in my defence, I did say:

Obviously, what incensed our Foreign Secretary so much was not the fact we are being used as a Unites States Aircraft Carrier [The USS Little Britain] but the fact the correct procedures might not have been followed in transit...

So Normal service is hereby resumed. The Lebanese people can be assured that that the next 'Bunker Busters' heading their way via Prestwick Airport will have passed through Britain with all the appropriate paperwork, and all correct Health and Safety procedures will have been observed and implemented.

Meanwhile, our Foreign Secretary will be running British Foreign Policy from a top secret mobile location this summer...

UPDATE:

According to C4 News tonight the plane concerned was a 747 chartered from Kalita Air, that flew from San Antonio Texas to Tel Aviv with a stopover at Prestwick en route. They also report s recent increase in Israeli 'cargo' flights, one last Sunday in particular.

For more, especially the edited transcript of Beckett's statement that appears on the FCO website check out Well Really.

For the real lowdown on what is going on however, you should read The Spirit of the Time's take:

Britain Forwards Crucial Aid To Israel

Also see The UK Today.