Menwith Hill

Simon Jenkins writes an article in todays Guardian contrasting the reaction in the US and here over the revelations that the NSA are electronically snooping at everyone’s data. In the US there is outrage with over half polled stating they believe Snowden has done them a favour exposing what has been going on. Here we have the MOD issuing D-Notices and Hague trotting out the Stasi line ‘if you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear,’ to a supine Commons and a media obsessed with celebrity spats, prats and twats.

One other aspect of this sorry affair is the way the yanks have used a part of Yorkshire to conduct their nefarious activities. On the Guardian ‘Comment is Free’ online section, a contributor calling himself ‘mikemunroe’ had this to say.

“Amazingly, Her Majesties Government does not appear to give a damn what the US does on her turf. Right there in the West Riding we have the world’s largest and most sophisticated NSA spying facility and they do just what they want, answerable to no one and indemnified against UK law by a firewall of secrecy and duplicity.

A multi billion dollar expansion is underway and has been for many years. Plans are for even further expansion up to and beyond 2020. Not one UK company has been invited to bid for the contracts.

And the NSA still, to this day does just what the hell it wants with nary a sniff from the British peoples elected representatives.

These plans confirm the fears of the British public that bases such as Menwith Hill are ultimately inimical to British interests. And American thugs such as Howard Teicher, the former US National Security Council director, refused, I’ll say that again, refused, a decade ago, to offer assurances that the 'special relationship' will make Britain inviolable so far as US commercial or economic intelligence gathering is concerned. Right there in the West Riding in full view of Yorkminster! The irony!

This gobshite said publically…

'At the end of the day, national interests are national interests,' he said. 'And as close as the US and the UK are, sometimes our interests diverge. So never say never - especially in this business.'

In other words, if it’s in the interests of the US we will screw you over ten ways to Sunday and we don’t give a shit whether you like it or not. Even if we do live in your little country.

And our MP’s, save one, say nothing.

"No-one concerned about civil liberties can ignore Menwith Hill. Despite many attempts to get answers to questions, it is quite clear that Menwith Hill is not accountable to MPs and therefore not accountable to the British people."

Alice Mahon MP.
Who resigned in disgust from the labour party.”

CIF 19/6/13

Let us make a start by demanding the removal of this obscenity from our shores - and while we are at it, how about claiming the Diego Garcia airbase and rendition stronghold back too? 

And returning the land to the Chagos Islanders.

What do you think of that Mr Straw?