20 July 2003

The BBC on the Kelly tragedy: Two recent posts on the BBC web site provide some perspective on the story, including this statement: If one thing is certain in the wake of the tragic death of David Kelly it is that politics in Britain has changed for ever. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that the BBC itself is under considerable pressure and that it as well may be changed forever. 7:50:15 PM    comment []

Background article from OpionJournal providing explanation of the now-tragic spat between the British government and the BBC, pointing out the ludicrous fact that the BBC is sustained by a license-fee tax, and that privatising the BBC and abolishing the tax is the right way to go.  I think I agree - and the same would go for the abysmal SABC. 7:20:17 PM    comment []

A Spectator piece which indicates why conservatives will miss Tony Blair.  Elegantly puts into perspective the true state of the Labour Party, and Blair's alienation from so many Labourites.  If he really is on his way out, the question has to be:  why can't the Tories provide a good alternative? 7:16:18 PM    comment []

Happy Birthday Madiba Amid a mountain of coverage, this editorial from the Jo'burg Sunday Times expresses briefly and eloquently the extent of Nelson Mandela's contribution to SA and the world. 7:13:01 PM    comment []

A wonderful opinion piece by Matthew Parris from The Times.  Obviously spurred by the Kelly tragedy, but this is not apparent until the final two paragraphs.  Until then, universal truth, real tears, and lots of food for thought: Shame. It's nothing to be ashamed of this morning   6:42:27 PM    comment []

Mark Steyn, as usual, is dazzling, eloquent, and devastatingly authoritative in demolishing anti-war activists' attempts to elevate the Niger-uranium issue into Watergate, and also in demolishing the Democratic hopefuls chances in the 2004 election by following the same strategy.  Always worth reading, and the same piece has been referenced all over the place. The Spectator also has a link to a piece describing the USA intelligence that existed on the Niger-uranium issue - I can't understand why there is such a fuss about it  - GWB was clearly NOT lying, and the CIA has nothing to apologise for. 6:29:44 PM    comment []

Springbok Disaster Clinton van der Berg of the Sunday Times says it is time to panic.  Perhaps it is, although I doubt what good that would do.  Having watched the match on Sky Sports, I thought the Boks were hopelessly outclassed, particularly at the back, and that NZ are looking very good for the TriNations, and confirmed as my favourites for the World Cup. Why, oh why do they pick a second-rate flyhalf, just because he is a reliable goalkicker - the pivot of the side must be the best man for the position, and we should have two or three guys who can kick for goal.  That backline will never click like the All Blacks with Louis Koen as flyhalf, and, by the way, isn't Carlos Spencer playing sensationally these days?  Even if he missed five kicks at goal, he sparked the outside backs into a superb show of hard, straight running and slick passing. Andre Snyman was hopelesss, Stefan Terblanche not much better.  Come back soon, Breyten!  Poor Brent Russell, who could do no wrong as a substitute, had a shocker.   Percy Montgomery's ban is even more of a disaster - the Boks could do with his experience, flair and reliability.  Finally, Joost van der Westhuizen's career must have come to an end.  Why have they persisted with him when there are three better scrumhalves around (Davidson, De Kock and Conradie)? They had better come good on the away leg, or that match in Perth in October will be an embarrassing fiasco! Gavin Rich on Supersport agrees with many of my observations, while there is no rugby on the front page of IOL, I'll have to dig for it.  Maybe ignoring the whole thing is the best thing to do?  Oh yes, there are the headlines:  "Dark Day for the Boks", "Blackwashed on all fronts", "Sad exit for Joost".   The money quote: "The All Blacks prized open all the Springbok wounds coach Rudolf Straeuli believed his team had patched up in last week's stirring win at Newlands. Those wounds are gaping and they may already be septic." And just to complete the gloomy picture, after 9 holes of the final round, it appears Ernie's chances of a second British Open have faded, unless the Tiger and Bjorn blow up spectacularly. 4:57:10 PM    comment []

BBC says Kelly was weapons source. The BBC reveals that Dr David Kelly was the principal source for its controversial report that an Iraq weapons dossier was "sexed up". [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition] There are probably any number of links on this issue today - this happens to be the first one I have read.  Nobody involved with this issue comes out of it well, and the repercussions could be severe.  There was a savage beating for Blair, Campbell and Hoon in the Saturday Daily Mail, which I bought yesterday, but I think the BBC are equally culpable, and Andrew Gilligan and his boss Sambrook are complete pricks (Tom Baldwin in The Times agrees with me in graphic terms).  Dr Kelly is now revealed as the sole source  of the BBC's attack on the government, however there is no way he could have told them about the "45 minutes" centrepiece of their case, in fact he denied it in front of the parliamentary committee. The Archbishop of Birmingham had some wise words in a sermon today: The archbishop said that both the media and politicians should reflect on the "grave responsibilities" to the truth that they should uphold. He told his congregation: "It distresses me deeply to think that there are people in positions of eminent public responsibility who know the answer to the questions Dr Kelly was being asked. "Yet they remain silent, believing that the confidentiality of their sources is more important. More important than one man's life? I think not. " The BBC also has a roundup of British press comment, not all of it complimentary to the BBC.  This article in The Observer is characteristic. Let's see how it plays out, and what further disclosures there are.  A very unfortunate, tragic sideshow which could, and should have been avoided. LATER:  last word (for today) from this Sunday Times editorial: The vehemence of Downing Street, the arrogance of the BBC, the ruthlessness of the media and the pomposity of Parliament have all had a role to play in this tragic affair. A judicial inquiry is merited and welcome. But it must be hoped that proceedings are conducted with a dignity and restraint that have been conspicuously missing so far.   4:47:34 PM    comment []