James Blunt and His Part in Stopping World War 3
The story isn’t quite as dramatic as that, but it shows the different in attitude between US and UK forces, when it comes to dealing with a little local difficulty over Pristina airfield in Kosovo with the Russians.
In the end the view of General Mike Jackson prevailed over that of his commander, the US general, Wesley Clark. So Blunt and his troops, encircled the Russians and when the Russians food and water ran out, the Russians felt it prudent to co-operate and share the airfield.
But even so, Blunt admitted that he wouldn’t have fought the Russians, as he didn’t want to be the man who started World War 3, even if he had been court-martialed later.
Colonel Tim Collins Shoots From The Hip
Colonel Tim Collins, was the army officer who gave the inspirational speech to his troops before the last Iraq War.
He’s just been on Kate Silverton’s program on Radio 5, being as forthright as anybody I’ve heard in the last few months.
A few points.
- He said that Tony Blair had surrounded himself with obsequious advisers who weren’t up to the job.
- He wished that the second Iraq war had been more like the first, with a coalition of sixty countries.
- On Northern Ireland he said that Yesterday’s men are still trying to get the war going. But the real problem is lack of jobs and especially for young people in the province.
- He was very scathing about Defence Procurement, saying that they squandered all the money.
- Asked about the defence cuts, he said something like if Virgin could do the long-range troop deployments, the Navy the strike and the battlefield helicopters were under the Army, then what is there for the Air Force to do.
- As Colonel Tim is a proud Irishman, I was surprised he would want to have dinner with Oliver Cromwell. But then he said he wanted to get to know the man.
It was an amazing interview full of common sense and humanity.
Is the Cambridge Busway Britain’s Worst Transport Project?
It may not be Britain’s as the Edinburgh Tram will take a lot of beating. But it is certainly England’s, especially if you read this report in the Hunts Post.
Here’s a flavour of the report.
Building the St Ives-Cambridge guided busway is now expected to cost nearly two-thirds more than the target price – an overrun of well over £50million.
Cambridgeshire County Council, which is promoting the scheme, expects construction to have cost £142m.
When the cost of land, the county council’s own costs and those of its engineering consultants Atkins are added, the total cost of the project looks set to reach £170m before the High Court decides who pays the final bills.
When originally proposed in the early 2000s, the scheme was costed at £56m. After a few modifications, a lengthy public inquiry and Government approval, the bill had risen to £116.7m. The Government promised to chip in £92.5m, with the balance coming from developers who would benefit from the project.
As with many of these fiascos, it’ll be the lawyers who make the real money.
Don’t Go to Hull!
That was the big message I got yesterday at Ipswich. They weren’t very good and to pay more to see them at Hull, is definitely not on!
Designer Spirits from Suffolk
I suppose if you’re going to launch a new product in the midst of a recession, gin, vodka and whiskey might be a place to start.
But these are not cheap products, but top of the range ones from Adnams.
When I started drinking in the 1960s. the brewery from Southwold had only a dozen or so pubs. Now over forty years later, Adnams has cemented its place in drinking fokelore as probably the best pint in the civilised world. I just hope that in the next few years, they try to create the first gluten-free real ale. If anybody could do it, then they probably can, as they are a company that when it has an idea, does it in style with the best technology available.
Drinks at the Horse and Groom
I read yesterday in the East Anglian Daily Times, that the Horse and Groom pub in Melton is to be turned into three houses.
I’ve never drunk in the pub, but I suspect some of the locals will miss the hostelry.
I remember though a story about this pub that was told to me at a dinner party in the mid-1970’s.
One of the guests was involved in a project with the Borstal at Hollesley Bay, where on a Saturday or Sunday, they took a group of young offenders and got them to do up the homes of elderly pople in Ipswich. He told how after the work, he usually took them into the Horse and Groom, as it was a very quiet pub, to give them half of shandy or a soft drink, to show his appreciation, before returning the youngsters to the Borstal at seven. I have a feeling that the Govenor knew what he was doing, but I can’t be sure.
Anyway one night the landlord says that someone wanted to see him out the back of the pub. He was greeted by the local police Sergeant, who asked if he’d got lads from the Borstal with him. He said yes and the sergeant said that they’d been a complaint. The sergeant then asked what time, the boys would be leaving and the story-teller said they’d definitely be gone by seven. The sergeant then said they’d better be as they were raiding the pub just after the hour.
Of course the complaintent got their satisfaction that something was being done, but the quiet drinks were able to continue.
I just wonder where those kids ended up in life. Did treating them like real adult human beings help? I certainly hope so!
The Anonymous Widower 