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opportunism

Posted by leewin on Wednesday, 01 November 2006 17:58:47

Since you became leader David, you have impressed me with your attitude and your vision so much that after a lifetime (I know I’m 25) and family history of Labour/New Labour voters, I have joined the Conservative Party and I’m due to have meetings regarding running for councillor in my area. But I must strongly disagree with your stance last night in the House of Commons.

I totally agree that there should be an inquiry into the Iraq war, and what has happened since, but I believe that this should happen after we have left the area, not now where violence is high and our troops are serving us all, making us very proud and continuing to prove that our troops are the best in the world. I believe that your stance last night was the worst form of political opportunism I have ever seen, and I hope that you don’t go down the road of cheap political point scoring like this.

I admire you David, so much I even joined your party, but please don’t go down the road of opportunism like this again.

Iraq, opportunism

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Posted by AndrewFarnden on Wednesday, 01 November 2006 19:27:57

Yesterday was a painfull to watch, and neither side came out of it well. it certainly came across like a bit of the old party. As it happened the labour party were playing a a far dirtier game and got off scott free. They obviously had an internal message to help secure their vote and had a different message for the house.
The truth is an inquiry under Blair would be really damaging yet an inquiry under Brown would be a chance to sweep clean and be like the equivelent of Bank of England independance as a gesture. They may be getting old and tierd but they're not out for the count yet these Labour politicians.

Posted by andyst on Wednesday, 01 November 2006 20:27:44

I am afraid I completely disagree. Labour lost about 5% of their vote in the 2005 General Election. Did we gain most of it? NO. The Lib Dems did. Why? Iraq. I am not aware if Cameron voted for the war initially, but so what if he did? The war is a complete disaster. And if Cameron does not have the sense to backtrack HE will be a complete disaster. He is the leader of the opposition for a reason, he is here to oppose. And you seem to forget that if it wasn't for Labour's mishandling of the war, there would be no need for an inquiry. Cameron had the sense to oppose Labour and push Labour into a corner, meaning they has their majority slashed and put pressure on the government. I don't care when we have the inquiry as long as we have it, and (thanks to Cameron's pressure) has now basically been promised by Beckett and Browne.

Even if he was wrong, it is a minor thing, which I would not attach too much significance too, even you admit that you aren't rejoining Labour just because of political oppurtunism by David Cameron. It is his political oppurtunism that has put us so far ahead in the polls and put us a step ahead of our opponents on so many issues. We need to show people that supporting the initial invasion does NOT mean that we support the war as it is, and I think we was completely right to oppose the government, since that is his job. If you wish to continue to debate this, sure, but I disagree with you. It is his job to oppose Blair and put pressure on Blair, and that is exactly what he did, correctly, while at the same time distancing the Tories from Iraq, correctly.

Posted by Flavious on Thursday, 02 November 2006 09:59:12

Lee, if you truly are considering a step into politics. I would suggest that you at least pay attention to what is actually going on.

The conservatives wanted an enquiry that followed a similar path to the Falkland Islands (Franks Enquiry), which happened after the successful conclusion and our soldiers were back in blighty. They said right the way through that unless the government would acknowledge the need for one and give assurances that one would happen "sometime" in the future after control had been handed back to the Iraq Gov. Then they would vote against the government, which they did.

Imho this is hardly political opportunism, rather it is doing the the correct job of HM opposition and holding the government of the day to account. It seems to me that you have bought the same line as the enraged Labour Members who were persuaded that it was little more than opportunism, simply so they would not vote against the government. When in fact it was nothing of the sort. With a simple assurance that an enquiry would happen after the fact the Conservatives would have voted with government.

Posted by coiaorguk on Thursday, 02 November 2006 22:33:29

I hate the word ‘opportunism’ when applied to Iraq. You need to study what is going on in Iraq Leewin. This is NOT ‘cheap political scoring’; the British public:-

1. Do not trust Blair because he has lied to them.
2. Are incensed our foreign policy is dictated by America.
3. Are acutely embarrassed our International status has ‘gone down the drain’.
4. Are apprehensive about more terrorist attacks in our country.

Regardless of political leaning or opinion of the war in Iraq, most people are eager to see the conflict end.

Opportunism in Iraq has become extremely ugly. A massive humanitarian operation is urgently required in many areas in Iraq. With increasing repetition Iraqi homes are stormed by US forces killing women and children (see ‘MidEastWire Daily Iraq Monitor’); yet we see corporations have positioned themselves to amass Hugh profits out of death.

We have the largest private army in Iraq carrying out mercenary operations. These non-military personnel are contracted to kill and are immune from prosecution. I personally know two ex SBS ‘bodyguards’ stationed in Dubai and travelling to Iraq for Control Risk Group. As mercenaries they can earn £200,000 pounds in one year.
At the earliest opportunity I would ask Blair whether this private army is his exit strategy?

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