Galloway update
A post about the UK for change, just to be multi-cultural. Galloway won a seat from Blair.
The Guardian;
London and the south-east delivered the heaviest blows to Labour, heightening the party's fears that it has been seriously damaged by the Iraq war and signs of its vote being eroded by the Tories and Lib Dems.Ok just to quit fooling around - Galloway is an ex-Labour MP who was tossed out by Blair for his stance on peace.
The most extraordinary result was secured by the maverick former Labour MP George Galloway, who defeated the Blairite MP Oona King, the culmination of a bad tempered campaign in Bethnal Green and Bow.
In a seat with a large Muslim population, Mr Galloway's party, the Respect Coalition, contrasted his opposition to the war with Ms King's decision to support the government.more.
Can't say I know a lot about Galloway, but I guess, someone who is prepared to speak out against his own party's line even when it means being ex-communicated has principals. The guy sounds stubborn as. If he wasn't a politician he'd probly have ended up a blogger, I mean, the man named his new party "Respect".
Well anyway with
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The "Baghdad blogger" was at the event to make a film for Newsnight, and he managed to snatch a brief interview with Mr Galloway before the Respect candidate dashed off to his meeting with the lawyers.
"I know who you are," said Mr Galloway, warily eyeing Mr Pax, whose weblog gave the world an insight into the lives of ordinary Iraqis in the run-up to the US-led invasion.
Mr Pax wanted to know why Mr Galloway wanted the immediate withdrawal of occupying troops from Iraq.
"I really don't think we are going to agree on this. You supported the war and I opposed it," said Mr Galloway.
"You welcomed the invasion of foreign armies into your country. I opposed it. So we are not going to agree on this, which is why I didn't think it would be productive to have a discussion with you and I do have to go now."
'Illegal war'
But Mr Pax - whose real name has never been revealed - pressed the point.
Galloway: "I just want to be honest with you. You can not demand that our armed forces occupy your country - that's a matter for us.
"It's not a matter for you - it's a matter for us. Now I think there are millions of people in this country who think the war was illegal, was wrong shouldn't have happened and should be immediately withdrawn from. We are entitled to that point of view and we are."
Mr Pax "shouldn't have supported" the war in the first place, added Mr Galloway.
But Mr Pax countered that would be tantamount to supporting the continuation of a regime like Saddam's.
Galloway: "We are not going to agree on this. You are a supporter of the war. You are a supporter of the occupation and I am an opponent. Your family joined the puppet government."
Pax: "We are helping to build the new Iraq."
Galloway: "That's your point of view, it's not our point of view and you are entitled to your opinion, and I welcome you to London, and I am entitled to mine - and let's see what the British people think."
When George met Salam
Oops! I see this was covered in an earlier post.
Yes Charles, it was covered in a previous post. Chiefly for weirdness value, seeing as Salam has been actively pro-peace ever since he hit the net.
I think Galloway and possibly the "witness" reporting this (minor) event got their wires crossed, which is a shame because it could have been an interesting conversation.
On the one hand, Galloway (or his reported comment) has a point - he is technically representing UK citizens, and agreeing with some upstart journalist just because they are Iraqi could be construed as patronising.
On the other hand, Salam has a point - globally all our actions affect each other. Our borders are blurring, people care about stuff going on in other countries as well as their own.
Myself ~ this is one of the reasons I dislike war so intensely, all the propaganda that surrounds it and the constant bickering and the misconceptions people make.
Outside of war, a journalist bailing up a politician is no big deal. Happens every day. But during war an occasion like this is "loaded with significance" by lurking jekylls and egg throwers.
emigre, nobody has ever cared about the aussie elections. what are you talking about?
Believe it or not Anon, even Australia had Bush weighing in "with a good word" for John Howard before the last Aus election. It was scandalous at the time, quite a few Australians were outraged by unpresidented (lol) international interference in domestic Aus politics. I think I just sort of rolled my eyes and prepared for the worst (quite pragmatic down-under).
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