Speaking Truth to Power

That is what newspapers and the media are supposed to do in a democracy. Yet listening to the familiar whine from the MOD and the Pentagon, that is the last thing that should happen. Heaven forfend. The people might find out that their military get up to all kinds of illegal acts. And the people may rise up and say unto their leaders, "Piss right off. Up with this we will not put." And that would not do, would it? Think of all the arms sales lost because we actually realised that we were doing more harm than good. And think of all those politicians (of all parties) with very little willies, who get their rocks off making VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS which we, the common herd would not understand. And think of all the oil we would be unable to make our millions from....

It is not as though the latest Wikileaks disclosures are a surprise. Throughout our recent history our leaders have always suppressed the truth whenever military action occurs. 

From the carnage of the First World War - with its reportage of 'great victories' when nothing of the kind was taking place (which lead inevitably to even more carnage); through the second world war fiascos of Slapton Sands, the uselessness of the RAF in the early years of the war (including an RAF Wellington bombing  one of our own airfields…true, see Max Hastings book 'Bomber Command'); the Korean War and General McCarthur wanting to use the atomic bomb on the North Koreans and the Chinese; many many Cold War incidents; Vietnam: Mai Lai; Iraq and now Afghanistan. Throughout, there is an underlying theme of saying nothing. 

First - cover it up. Second - blame the messenger. Third - launch an enquiry with a vague remit and kick the problem well into the long grass. Fourth - launch another enquiry (or in the case of the Iraq War, launch several, that way they can then disagree with each other- brilliant). Fifth - many, many years later - an approximation of the truth may emerge. By this time most of the villains of the piece will have been long dead. 

This process does not apply to third and some second world countries hence the appearance of certain leaders and ex-leaders at the War Crimes Court in the Hague. Unless and until Tony Blair and his ilk appear in said dock, the court will not be truly International - nor fair.

And this Ladies and Gentlemen is democracy in action (or democracy inaction). It's  sick bucket time again.