Don't report , its a secret

**Tribesman** · 11-23-2005, 08:33

Shame the other topic on alledged documents about alledged Bush/Blair and Al-Jazeera issues is locked .
Britain is locking the media on the story , its an official secret

**Devastatin Dave** · 11-23-2005, 15:06

The official Backroom Tin Foil hats are on back order, I'm sure when they are delivered, soly will unlock that thread...

**ichi** · 11-23-2005, 21:08

Seems to me that the first thread was locked when it degenerated from a political discussion to some bickering and name-calling.

This is an interesting topic, since Blair has been Bush's biggest supporter, and now he's starting to feel the heat for that support.

ichi

**Hurin_Rules** · 11-23-2005, 21:12

Indeed. One question we might ask is if this conversation never took place, and Bush never said what he is reported to have said, then why is there a court case about this proceeding in Britain?

Again, several independent sources have reported that such a conversation took place.

**Tribesman** · 11-23-2005, 21:25

several independent sources have reported that such a conversation took place.
Yes but where they got their information from is covered by the secrecy act so they cannot report it , Britain warned all its media this morning that they can face charges for following the story .
Nice things gagging orders .
They come in very handy when embarrasing stories surface .
Things like selling explosives to terrorists , breaking arms embargoes against brutal dictators , operating death squads . Shhhh its an embarrasing secret don't tell the public .
Though in this case the issue seems to be the context in which the alledged statements were made . I doubt that even a muppet like Bush would seriously consider pissing off the State that houses the regional headquarters by bombing it . Then again maybe he is that stupid .

**Redleg** · 11-23-2005, 23:50

Its probably going to turn out to be a big uproar over nothing. Just like Reagan's statement about bombing Russia.

To bad the Government in England decided to put a clamp on it - it give credance to the theory that something is up.

Edit: By the way I understand the stock for Reynolds is climbing again.

**Papewaio** · 11-24-2005, 00:14

I thought the secrecy act could not be used if it was for criminal actions?

For instance you can use the secrecy act to coverup a war crime, paedophillia or a preference for pepsi.

**Hurin_Rules** · 11-24-2005, 00:31

Apparently not:

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government has warned news organizations against publishing details of a secret memo which one London tabloid newspaper said recounted discussions between Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush about bombing the headquarters of the Arabic news network Al-Jazeera.

The Daily Mirror reported Tuesday that Blair talked Bush out of launching an air strike against Al-Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar -- a U.S. ally -- during a 2004 meeting at the White House.

The White House called the report "outlandish," but Al-Jazeera urged the British government to either confirm or deny the report.

The Arabic-language network has been a frequent target of U.S. criticism, and its facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq have been hit by U.S. bombs.

If true, the Mirror report "would cast serious doubts" on U.S. statements that those strikes were accidental, the network said.

Downing Street spokesman Ian Gleeson said Tuesday that Blair's office would have no comment, because the memo the Daily Mirror cited was the subject of court action.

Two men face trial under Britain's Official Secrets Act in connection with release of the memo, and the attorney general's office warned news organizations that the case against them should proceed "without prejudice."

The Mirror reported that Bush was angered by Al-Jazeera's coverage of the April 2004 uprising in the western Iraqi city of Falluja, where U.S. Marines were dispatched to restore order after four American security guards had been killed and mutilated by insurgents.

Blair talked him out of the idea of bombing the network's headquarters, the newspaper reported.

A White House official told CNN, "We are not going to dignify something so outlandish with a response." And a Pentagon official called the Daily Mirror report "absolutely absurd."

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu...era/index.html

I wonder if this is just as 'absurd' as Rove and Libby being involved in the leak of Plame's identity. Remember that the White House press secretary also called that allegation 'absurd'. I wonder if 'absurd' is becoming the new Bush euphemism for 'true, but something we can't admit'.

**Just A Girl** · 11-24-2005, 00:35

Originally Posted by Papewaio

I thought the secrecy act could not be used if it was for criminal actions?

For instance you can use the secrecy act to coverup a war crime, paedophillia or a preference for pepsi.

Dunno... they still wont tell us who jack the ripper was.

**Tribesman** · 11-24-2005, 01:04

I thought the secrecy act could not be used if it was for criminal actions?

Nope , they used to have a public interest get out clause , but Thatcher done away with that when someone at GCHQ went public (in the public interest

)about the British governments arms shipments to the IRA .

**Papewaio** · 11-24-2005, 01:27

I think the public have a right to know in a true democracy or republic who their leaders are defining as enemies.

It is a bit harsh to not know when you have been definied as an enemy of the state.

If the memo is true then it shows that the US has been purposely targeting journalists. The question then becomes why do something of that magnitude unless they have something to coverup?

If the memo does not exist why charge people?

**Adrian II** · 11-28-2005, 11:20

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Shame the other topic on alledged documents about alledged Bush/Blair and Al-Jazeera issues is locked .
Britain is locking the media on the story , its an official secret

Now that it has been declared an official secret we can be sure that it will be all over the papers soon.

This morning The Telegraph reports that it is probably not the 'joke' about bombing Al-Jazeera that makes the five page transcript so damning, but the Bush/Blair discussion of the Fallujah battle itself. According to sources quoted in the paper, their discussion was about the 'full-scale levelling' of the town and Blair again failed to exert any moderating influence on the overseas cousins.