Once again, Rumsfeld fails to engage his brain before putting his mouth into gear.US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sparked diplomatic confusion by suggesting that America would be prepared to take military action against Iraq without Britain.

Telephones between Number 10 and Washington were ringing "red hot" after Mr Rumsfeld told a press briefing that the US had alternative plans if the UK decided not to go to war with Iraq. (Full text here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2838593.stm))After all, we've got Bulgaria with us - let's roll!

And no one should be surprised by this. As Rod Liddle wrote in The Guardian last month, about the "special relationship":They (Bush, Rumsfeld, etc) think we're an irrelevance, and useless, and antiquated and decadent. And what's more, no matter how loyal we strive to be, they would not so much as bother to cross the road to piss on us were we suddenly to catch fire. This has been the signal lesson of the past 20 years of international politics. (Full text here (http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,893757,00.html)):m: Peace.

The Guardian again,this is an extremest news paper.
Its like saying Debka gives a good view about the Palestinian situation.
Its all lefties.
:(

is it a given that blair's govt is gonna go along with him? perhaps rumsfeld is planning for the worst.

I vote we send in the Bulgarians first, so that they can prove to be worthy allies... Just give some airsupport from a save distance, dropping some MOABs

you would probably end up droping them on central comand by mestake:p

And a little later, as Britain incurred a good deal of wrath for sticking its head above the parapet to support, unequivocally, financially and with our own servicemen, America's War Against Terror and immediate adventure in Afghanistan, the US whacked illegal tariffs on our steel exports, desperately injuring a beleaguered British industry.

why does this sound familar?

oh yea it hurt us too, but little johnny decided not to take it to the world court

But it is rather less selfish and small-minded than that pursued by the US, a country for which the concept "ally" works only, it would appear, in one direction.

johnny did you sleep through the US saying they would send us no aid to help out with temor?

hell the irish sent us 5 solders

Ally is a meaningless word to the US administration.
They only see people as "Can be used", "Can't be used".
The former often becomes the latter within the space of a single incident as we have seen again and again and again and yet here we go again...*sighs*

Originally posted by spookz
is it a given that blair's govt is gonna go along with him?

Not at all! - We have members of Blairs cabinet thretening to resign if he goes to war without a second UN resolution.

There is trouble in the ranks at Downing Street. (Yep nothing new there i hear you cry!)

Once upon a time Britain said that they will not move a finger unless there is a UN second resolution while already sending military support to US. To that the US indicated that there’s no need for a second resolution that 1441 is all they wanted. The rest of the civilized world basically said, let’s 1441 work to its extend, and if not will see what can be done next, but if UN required several months, let’s give it to them. US said “no way” and persuade the “willing” suckers to produce a document that basically indicates that a second resolution will be nice for US and a must for Britain. So those that didn’t want it, now the push for it, and those that did want it from the beginning, (Britain) are now saying, …Well it isn’t really necessary, the 1441 already spells military action in the form of “Severe repercussions”

What they are all conveniently forgetting, is that 1441 establishes the UN as the only and single authority to determine if and when 1441 is useless.

On the other hand, Britain for presenting to the UN false evidences against Iraq, and US for falsifying documents, equally presented to the UN as evidence against Iraq. Should be criminally charge!! :rolleyes:

The British out of all people in the world should have taken a back seat in all of this. As been the ex-colonial power to Iraq, and for having stolen (with the excuse of restoration) so many relics and antiquities from Babylon and many other archeological sites during their occupation.:rolleyes:
Britain has a history of piracy and asskissing as proven by their ever swelling growth of homos!
:D :p :o

Tbh the reputation and respectablility of the USA, UK, even Australia and to a lesser extent Canada are taking big blows (The UN of course as well).
After all this in your face lying, expecting us to suspend all ability to think for ourselves and except these lies that fly in the face of common sense to justify this illegal war, they will have no respect left from anyone least of all me.
It is going to take major changes and years upon years to rebuild any semblence of respectability for any of these nations.