Politics OnLine UK

As reported in the Guardian, reported by Vikram Dodd and Tania Branigan, Wednesday August 4, 2004, the three UK citizens, the "Tipton Three", have put together a 115-page dossier of alleged torture committed against them throughout their ordeal whilst held suspected of being terrorists, not for acts of terrorism, note. They have been now been released without charge.

That they were held as long as they were, and that there were no mandatory independent observers of the whole process, is abuse in itself, but the platitudes and denials have started. Perhaps government ministers and spokes people might spend their time on a more valuable venture; that of ensuring that such complete injustices and unmonitored incarcerations never occur again, and, indeed, ensure that such is written into the Geneva Conventions. Though as we have seen that is scant protection against the predations of Super Powers.

However the daily rhetoric continues of the threat of terrorism. When I wrote to Hazel Blears asking her to share any credible information that she has with us, I was not holding my breath. Just as well, I still have not heard back. I note at this time that the rhetoric in the USA has hit new heights. http://www.alternet.org/rights/19449/

Terrorism is not a global threat. That is the biggest lie. Certainly a determined group could hit strategic targets, just as the IRA could (remember them?). People could die. But no terrorist or terrorist group is capable of destabilizing this or any other major power. In a word, it's all 'bullshit'.

However, the question must be asked, why are we being subjected to these daily diatribes of the threat of terrorism? Given the proliferation of CCTV, the soon to be introduced Identity Cards, ever greater incursions on our ability to live free of government restrictions and interference, it can only be that it we who are being softened up to accept these incursions. A fearful people is a malleable people.

May I remind readers that this is the same country that survived the blitz. This is the same country which, with the help of our allies, won WWII. So can we have a bit of grit back, please? All of this is being treated as something more than WWII. It is not. It does not even come within an intercontinental ballistic missile of being close.

Meanwhile I note that six decades after Hiroshima, it is now the forgotten threat made real. Only Pakistan and Russia attended the coming together of those who insist that we should remember. The only nuclear bombs ever to be dropped in anger were dropped by the United States of America, and they didn't bother showing up. Perhaps President bush was too worried about the threat of terrorism. But not enough to prevent this - 'As reported on the Bloomberg newswire, Laura Bush and the daughters Barbara and Jenna Bush held a photo-op at the Citigroup Center in New York City on Monday, the first day of Ridge's new Orange alert. This was one of the target buildings, according to Ridge. George W. Bush sent his entire family to the very place that was supposedly about to be blown to smithereens?' See link above. Yes, the USA is on orange alert.

Well, we, in the UK, don't have an orange alert, or if we do we haven't been told, other than to stock up with more baked beans, sorry, tinned food. http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1264121,00.html

Actually, I have just got back from a trip to the supermarket and did buy a couple of cans of tinned tomatoes (chopped with herbs), So I'm alright.

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