British General Who Called for Iraq Pullout Wins Support of Papers, Public

[DeepModem Mom]

Editor&Publisher/AP: British General Who Called for Iraq Pullout Wins Support of Papers -- and the Public
Published: October 15, 2006

LONDON -- A poll published Sunday said 74 percent of Britons agree with a controversial comment by their country's army chief that British troops should leave Iraq "sometime soon." He also won the support of several top newspapers.

Gen. Richard Dannatt created a furor last week by saying that British troops should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems."...

***

In the ICM poll for the Sunday Express, 71 percent said Dannatt was right to issue his warning and that he should not be fired, and 57 percent shared his fear that Muslim extremists were exploiting a "moral and spiritual vacuum" in Britain. Forty-four percent said they want to see a greater role for the British army in combating Islamic terrorism in Britain....

***

On Sunday, editorials in several major British newspapers praised Dannatt's assessment of the situation in Iraq.

The general "has broken the spell of Tony Blair's make-believe," The Independent said. "British troops should not have been in Iraq in the first place. Their presence is now making the situation worse."...

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003254919

[RandomKoolzip]

1. If 74% agree w/ a statement, it can't be all THAT "controversial," can it?

I suppose the only controversy is among those w/ a financial stake in the war, and among some die-hard pathetic conservative fringe groups whose ranks are drained by the hour.

[sce56]

2. Controversial in that it is contrary to the PM, Bliar's, point of view

http://web.archive.org/web/20030602211200/
Got Fascism Yet?

[Kagemusha]

3. The controversy is if the guy was right to say it, right or wrong

That 71% say that this is not an attack on democracy and freedom by the uniformed military in the face of the deep uneasiness by many at the top shows that normal people just don't care because they don't see choosing Blair over the general as an intelligent or satisfying option.

That's big.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Wolf Blitzer was slamming Gen. Dannatt on CNN

Wolf was saying that Dannatt's comments were demoralizing to the troops, British and American alike. I think the good general struck a nerve!

[CJCRANE]

5. Stupid Wolfie.

I bet being stuck in a de facto civil war with no exit sign thousands of miles away from home is much more moralizing.

[anotherdrew]

6. hasn't BLAIR said he agrees with Dannatt too? n/t

[oblivious]

7. Blair: "I have read the transcript and I agree with every word of it"

But he added: "I've read his transcript of his interview on the radio this morning, and I agree with every word of it."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6049126.stm?ls

Aside: "Fire the bastard."

Whispering campaign against General who spoke up against Blair
Britain's top General was the subject of a vicious Whitehall whispering campaign yesterday as Labour ministers furious at his devastating outburst over Iraq called for him to be sacked.

Despite Tony Blair being forced to back General Sir Richard Dannatt publicly on Friday over his blunt assessment of Britain's mission in Iraq, there were growing fears that the head of the Army could yet fall victim to a political backlash.

In behind-the-scenes briefings yesterday senior ministers claimed the General should be dismissed. They condemned his explosive public statements as a 'mistake' which must not be allowed to happen again.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23370887-details/Whispering+campaign+against+General+who+spoke+up+against+Blair/article.do

[IndianaGreen]

8. These are the same Labour ministers that have back Blair's destruction

of the Labour Party, his peculiar friendship with Bush, and the disastrous military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan.