Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

I'd love to hear the person who disagrees with Richard Dannat. Who on earth thinks a private soldier should be paid less than a traffic warden?

In fact as our guys are expected to leap in and help whenever the binmen or firefighters go on strike some parity with firefighter pay is in order. If your in Afghanistan or Iraq you're working 24/7 not sleeping in a firestation for 40 hours a week.

Peter I feel your critism of firefighters could be taken very much the wrong way as after all they do on a regular basis risk their lives, however I do agree with the sentiment that there should be some parity especially when our guys and GIRLS (you forgot them) are in action zones, the simple answer in an ideal world would be to pay them minimum wage when in action but before this is poo pooed out of hand remember when in action zones they are in danger 168 hours a week, so pay them minimum wage for every last minute of that, not going to happen of course but would be nice to see all people in action getting best part of a grand a week.

The Iranian head of state, Khameini, says that no rational person wants to use nuclear weapons (csmonitor).

Israel reports that Olmert's visit to Bush is to call for an attack on Iran before Bush leaves office. (dpa)

An Iranian correspondent reports that the public in Tehran favors the USA rather than the mullahs.

No interest?
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OLMERT-BUSH TALKING POINT FOR 5 JUNE

dpa reports that the Israeli newspaper Jediot Achronot says Olmert's visit to Washington is urgently press for attack on Iran while the latter's nuclear arsenal is still very small and that the attack should take place before Bush leaves office.

An Iranian correspondent who lived long in Tehran has an article in the Christian Science Monitor (csmonitor.com) claiming that the Iranians again like the USA.

It is time for the West to look at the map and at history. Iran has a strategic position adjoining Russia, athwart the Middle East and at the entrance to Asia. It has oil. The urban population is well-educated.

(Half the population is under the age of 25. They are much more receptive to popular American culture than to the restrictions of the mullahs. Consumer goods and television are eagerly sought,
while the religious police are trying to tear down the satellite dishes.

The Iranian President has sought talks with America and has been rudely rebuffed.

Shall we lLet intelligence guide us, rather than the propaganda of Israel?

Re-#1.
Totally agree on pay for the Armed Forces, if they were deployed safely at home with their families, securing our borders and making the streets safe, rather than providing targets for the Taleban, making enemies to bomb our children and grandchildren, and doing Blair and Bush's dirty work.

Be relevant to TaTa Nano. It looks like a salted sore on our auto industry. We used to have a resplendent auto age in the past. However, at present we don't have auto company in the true sense of the word.
Auston Martin, Landrover, Rolls-royce, Bentley... all are belonged to foreign companies. In this case we have only British" Soul" , not " Body" in those premium brands. Where are our policy makers? where are our Managers?

UNIQUE OCCUPATION

I have a feeling that to compare warfare with other activities yields questionable conclusions. Surely the fact that dying is an accepted part of the job speaks volumes? Do military personnel sign up to make money? Would it be moral to raise the pay so high that individuals of a 'non military' disposition would enlist and dilute the warrior ethos?
I rather suspect that warfare sits less and less comfortably with 21st century life, and the pay rate argument is just a symptom.

By the way - does anyone know how to contact a Peoples Peer? They seem distant!

Peace and harmony regarding paying the Armed Forces more. I agree with the idea of an Armed Forces day. Perhaps they should also get more help with post traumatic stress disorder even if they are not technically ill, change of culture etc. Better housing.

On the RFK thing has the Newnight culture changed. I remember years ago Paxo (normally Captain Sensible) bashing an ex US intelligence Major over a JFK convention. I met him there and he was gutted. In fairness there are a lot of bloodsucking bastards trying to make coin from the pain of the Kennedys (hope Teddy gets better soon).

I have a fairly open mind. The cynical part of me thinks that some CIA agents plant these stories just for fun and to wind up the lefties.

But if I recall my facts right nobody has questioned that Sirhan Sirhan was in front of Kennedy - and the autopsy shoes he was shot in the back. Quite clever really.

How about following up on Pepper and the Martin Luther King issues one day? Personally I think his intentions are good but he may have gone down a cul de sac.

Perhaps an opportune moment to stress the need to secure Obama for his sake and the long term health of the US democratic process. I don't think disillusioned would cover it if he was gunned down.

Sure they will do a good job.

Vroom vroom MI5.

#7 Forgot to say: sounds as though the money we spent on the Chinooks to sit in a hangar would have gone a fair way to a modest pay rise for the soldiers.

Hello Simon,

This is the first time I have contributed to any of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ blogs, so I hope that it works all right.

The Halifax announced its latest figures for the UK housing market, suggesting that we are UK house prices are now in freefall, whilst the Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged at 5%.

Could we have some more economic comment, although not necessarily tonight.

Thanks!

c.

I know nothing about whether the new planning commission is another fancy quango. But is it worth reflecting in this latter part of the Labour administration on the state of quangos? Has the number risen as astronomically as I fear? Cronyism?

More Labour check lists, cost and bureaucracy to insulate them from political damage whilst allowing them to claim credit in the next breath for successes?

There is a story in today's Christian Science Monitor about phony four year-old reports being urged by the USA as "proof" of Iran's nuclear arms intent.

Speeches before the IPAC lobby in Washington also call for an attack against Iran.

Sound familiar? Will we go along with the ploy again?

In answer to some of barriesingleton questions:

Surely the fact that dying is an accepted part of the job speaks volumes?

-Dying is a RISK of the job, hopefully not part of it.

Do military personnel sign up to make money?

-Yes. Thats why anyone does a job. The only other motivation to join the army would be to kill people and they try to avoid that sort of recruit.

Would it be moral to raise the pay so high that individuals of a 'non military' disposition would enlist and dilute the warrior ethos?

-I'm not sure what a 'military' disposition is. I served for 3 years and have a Genetics degree. If you want recruits with brains you need to offer them enough stability and rewards to keep them. That isn't always money, but respect and better housing can't hurt.

Xie_Ming are you really suggesting that there is a possibility that a democratic government might lie to the population in order to gain control of a resource rich area of land even if that means many many many deaths of other nations civilians and its own nationals whom have signed up for military service and have them stay in those nations long after 1st projected purely to guard the oil or what ever natual resource is located there ? I mean if that were the case then wouldn't we have troops fighting in oil rich countries like Iraq and Afghanistan whilst completely ignoring the plight of the people in poor countries like Zimbabwe.

Oh wait a minute !!!

IN SUPPORT OF #10

The whole quango ethos would indeed be an interesting study. Not only for the reasons the gangofone raises, but also because it throws light on a dodgy aspect of purported democracy. I seem to remember that there is a pool of 'availables' who seem to sit on a variety of these bodies. It might be illuminating to set Paxo on some of the more 'prolific' recipients of quango income and enquire into their rate of pay and any measurable outcomes.

Most quangos are riddled with Common Purpose "graduates".

But there is also lots of other news. Richard Dannatt wants more pay for privates in the army.

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How are we going to finance it?

Gordon Brown wants more kids with knives in court.


I thought the courts systems are already over burdened with real criminals!?