Iraqi Interpreters - A Change of Tune from Downing Street *UPDATED*
First it was the request for the five British residents held in the Guantanamo gulag to be returned home, now Gordon Brown might be about to reverse another of Tony Blair's ill-considered decisions.
Gordon Brown has ordered an urgent review into the plight of 91 Iraqi translators abandoned by Britain to persecution and death as a political campaign in favour of granting them asylum gathered pace.
The Prime Minister has demanded an explanation for a decision to deny them any special favours, which aides insist that he knew nothing about.
He will now consider whether to overturn Tony Blair’s decision, amid growing demands from leading military figures and politicians from all parties that the Government should meet a moral obligation to Iraqis who have served Britain.
It's too early to say for sure but it's looking like the campaign to get the Government to face up to at least some of its moral obligations might be starting to bear fruit. The decision to abandon the Iraqi interpreters working for the British armed forces to a tragic fate has seriously pissed off senior officers which isn't a clever thing to do in a war. And the campaign by bloggers to write to their MPs over the issue is adding to the pressure. So this could perhaps be a small victory. All the same, after ten years of Blair's duplicity we should know better than to ease up the pressure until we know for sure what kind of deal (if any) these Iraqi workers will be offered. If you haven't already, please write to your MP and sign the petition.
*UPDATE*
From the BBC:
As Justin says, this isn't good enough. It's worth having a look at what is being posted on ARRSE to get an idea of the anger being felt in the armed forces (via Blood & Treasure).
Entirely agree with
Entirely agree with you.
Does this mean the Gurkhas have your support too?
Its good to see that Gordon
Its good to see that Gordon Brown has started to see the error of Blair's ways. Are we likely to see some more reversals if so can I suggest a few.
1. Shut down the CPS and give the powers back to the ploice to make prosecution decisions.
2. Ensure that all future inquiries and their brief are conducted by an indepndant person appointed by the judiciary not by parties with a vested interest. Lord Hutton and the joke of an Iraq inquiry as a case in point.
3. Severe all links whether financial or off the record briefings between the press an politcal parties. Again Blair, Murdoch and Iraq as a case in point.
4. Stiffen up our borders and immigration policies to such an extent that anyone wishing to work/live here must prove that they can earn a living and pay their way or return to their country of origin. Eurozone or not. Great Britain is NOT a registered charity and should not be treated as such. The government under Blair/Livingstone managed to see that the capital could not continue to accept more and more vehicles so they put in place control and financial measures to restrict the numbers. So it can be done!
Also I would like to see Alistair Darling begin to reverse some of the punitive measures put in place by the last chancellor.
1. The raid on pensions.
2. The grossly unfair community charge.
3. Restore the link to earnings for pensioners.
4. Reinstate the 10p in the pound tax band which will hit the lower paid.
5. Remove the outrageous tax benifits to the enormously rich parasites.
These are just a few and I am sure that there are many more to be addressed.
Actually if you look at this rationally it begins to look like an excellent manifesto for the conservatives so Mr Cameron what about it?
Brown is just a less
Brown is just a less photogenic Blair, who has no intention of actually making much of a change, and is simply implying he may. Gitmo is closing anyway, so whether Brown wants these UK residents to come home or not, that is what is happening. He's only putting the best spin for him on it.
And the spin is dog-whistle politics of the Left: caring and sharing, human rights etc, trying to get those who left Labour because of Blair to return. What he doesn't get is that it was the policies of Blair that disgusted many, not the man. All of which Brown supported.
In reality, the man couldn't give less of a fuck about Gitmo detainees or Iraqi translators if he tried.
Since when did BW fall for such obvious bollocks?
Interesting analysis of
Interesting analysis of British failures in Basra and the *real* (un-spun) situation on the ground in Iraq by International Crisis Group can be found here.