[Mb-civic] George Galloway 4 - my thoughts

[Alexander Harper]

I think that we can assume that George Galloway (GG) was receiving money one way or another from the Baathist regime, as their leading UK apologist and at the same time he was briefing the British security services. A some point in the late 1990s I remember having lunch in London with a friend, who had spook connections and because GG was in the news at the time I asked my friend what he thought of him. “ Ah, George” he said “George is a money man. We like them; we know where we are with them.” So what? GG has at least been  consistent in his support of Iraq whereas for our governments Saadam suddenly, in the space of a few months in 1990-1(invasion of Q8 and who put him up to that?) went from being our trusty ally in the struggle against the ravening mullahs to the epitomy of evil, Hitler and Stalin, Judas Iscariot etc. Those may well all be fair comparisons but it plumbs the depths of hypocrisy to saddle some one with them, who only a year before was an alright guy, a bit robust in his treatment of dissidents perhaps, to whom one could sell guns and gas.

GG in common with other people (more disinterested than him) who went to Iraq just prior to the 2003 invasion was quite clear that there was negligible evidence of any WMD (what had Hans Blix et al been doing for the previous 12 years?) and that the weakest members of Iraqi society were suffering atrociously as a result of the sanctions, radioactive dust (Gulf War Syndrome) from the all the depleted uranium ordinance, malnutrition and that the excuses for going to war simply did not hold water. He was quite right, whatever his motivation, and – for whatever motivation - continues to be right. Just because the messenger may be flawed does not necessarily make the message false. In a similar fashion Oskar Schindler, who was a shady businessman, a drunk and a serial adulterer found himself in a position where starting out from a position of self-interest he ended up doing something of the greatest good and nobility. Good took him over for a season. What GG is doing is no way comparable  either in relative or in absolute terms to what Schindler did so please spare me your outrage at the implied comparison but I sort of see a bit of an analogy there. “God moves in a mysterious way
”

GG is an old style, heavy, Tammany Hall (Glaswegian style) politician, great on a soapbox or in a rowdy debate, none too fastidious, only too happy to kick a man when he’s down and we have to admit it was fun to see him beating the crap out of those suits on Capitol Hill. I don't suppose it will have any lasting effect though. America doesn't want to hear what he is saying.

Al Baraka


-- 
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm