Mississippi Lobster Screams at Scottish Salmond and British Petroleum

OK, I’ll accept that with mid-term elections just around the corner, US politicians on Capital Hill were always going to scream at BP and outgoing CEO Tony Haywood in particular. I’ll accept that for the first time in 12 years since their rebranding, the Americans have suddenly started referring to BP as British Petroleum. I’ll accept that that BP and Haywood – unjustly in my opinion – will probably end up shouldering all of the blame for the devastating Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico – even though US companies and US workers sat on and worked the well (Transocean operated the rig, Cameron built the blowout preventer that failed to shut down the well and Halliburton cemented the oil drill into place underwater). However, what I find really hard to accept is the sudden posturing from Senator Robert Menendez and the congressional inquiry into the release of the Lockerbie bomber – and the dragging of BP into the fray.

While I personally felt uncomfortable about the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi in August 2009, the sudden cacophony of noise coming from Capital Hill is irritating to say the least.

The UK Government and the Scottish Parliament are not answerable to the US Government for any actions taken within the UK and under UK jurisdiction. I agree with Jack Straw and Kenny MacAskill (former UK Justice Secretary and Scottish Justice Secretary respectively) for refusing to give evidence to a committee hearing of any foreign legislature not just the US.

And who can blame Tony Haywood for declining his invitation after the last committee grilling from previously anonymous senators falling over one another - rabid like - to score cheap political points.

This hearing would have been minor news at best had it not been for the GoM disaster. Instead, the US Senate has decided to once again hound BP even though there is no evidence that al-Megrahi’s release is linked to BP in Libya.

However, within our own country, questions should be asked about this sorry affair - not least of which is; why did Mr MacAskill make a personal visit to al-Megrahi in his cell? Shortly after this visit, the Libyan dropped his call for an appeal and consequently his release was assured.

Finally, one image will always remain with me from 20th August 2009 – when the convicted terrorist al-Megrahi landed in Tripoli, TV pictures showed Libyans waiving Scottish flags.

Are you proud Mr Salmond?

Ecrivain Man

Heard the one about the American, the Israeli and the Pakistani....

I’ve been observing the media response to Cameron’s various comments while he’s ‘on tour’. Most notable was his admission that we are very much the junior partner in our Special Relationship with the USA, his liking Gaza to a prison camp and yesterday his rather surprising (yet refreshing) remarks concerning Pakistan’s double dealing over terrorism. While I do not have the time nor desire to comb through all media outlets, I’ve found a lot of negative sentiment towards Cameron’s forthright views and am not sure why this would be the case.

· Can anyone seriously argue that we are anything other than the junior partner in our so called ‘Special Relationship’ with the United States?
· The deplorable conditions in which Palestinians exist in Gaza go beyond that of a prison camp so why should he worry about upsetting the Israelis or a small number of neo-cons within his own Conservative party by admitting that this is the case?
· There is a long held belief that – in spite of denials by Lt Gen Hamid Gul – Pakistan and the ISI in particular, are not only sympathetic towards al-Qaeda and the Taliban but offer direct tactical and strategic backing (a belief held long before posts from the nauseating Julian Assange and his Wikileaks released their documents).

Maybe in the modern political world of soundbites and spin it comes as a surprise when we hear a straight talking and – even more rare within the Palace of Westminster and other seats of government around the world – an honest(ish) politician.

Ecrivain Man

Ahem....Won't the real Ecrivain Man please stand up...

Well, here I go. This is going to be the first of many entires for 'The Pen or the Sword?'. I intend writing various posts about international and current affairs, security, human rights and also some of the subjects I'll be coverning on my new course - an MA in War in the Modern World at Kings College, London. All topics are related and I aim to move seamlessly from one to another - mmm, we'll see.

I hope to get plenty of feedback from you and don’t be shy in letting me know your thoughts…I’m a big boy.

I intend to start another two blogs on different subjects a little later. More about that when it happens though.

Anyway, keep checking the site and spread the word.

Talk soon
Ecrivain Man