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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Baroness Thatcher has issued a rallying call to British troops in war zones in a message to mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Falklands.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6748125.stm

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I think she will go down in history as one of the all time greats.

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

gfloyd · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Baroness Thatcher

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Churchill and Atlee I agree but Thatcher, no

gfloyd · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject:

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

And everything Andrew Marr says is gospel is it? Laughing

he's entitled to his opinion but I'm sorry, I don't agree with him.

firewirefred · Guest

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

I never liked Margaret Thatcher but agree that her impact on the country was immense--for good or ill.

Ian.

firewirefred · Guest

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:02 pm Post subject:

I know I'll be in bother for this, but here goes

Today we give thanks for "Thatcher's War" - an futile waste of British, Argentine and Falkland Islanders' lives.
_________________
Geddon

You simply mustn't blame yourself -- the days were perfect
And so were exactly what I was born to spoil
For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

gfloyd · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

Ernie:

1. incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.

The case in which I use it is this:

The Falklands "conflict" was a mixture of cock-up and opportunism.
The cock-up was the announced scrapping of the RFA ship and the British Antarctic Survey which gave the impression that the UK was divesting itself of everything South of Ascension Island. The opportunism was that of the Argentinian "Scrap metal merchants" on South Georgia.

The ONLY person from that Government to come out of that debacle with any shred of honour left was Lord Carrington who realised his mistakes and resigned.

I also remember at the time being 'instructed' by the then PM to 'Rejoice' at the death of the Belgrano crew.

Having basked in the glory of British soldiers' Deaths, she called a general election to bolster her position while she planned her next attack - on the british Workmen.

(Rant Over)
_________________
Geddon

You simply mustn't blame yourself -- the days were perfect
And so were exactly what I was born to spoil
For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

gfloyd · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:52 pm Post subject:

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

Am currently re-reading Simon Weston's account of his role in the Falklands War, where he sustained terrible burns and was in agony beyond the imagination of most of us.

He says that, if he'd had a gun on him as he writhed in the inferno, he'd have shot himself to end his agony.

He also implies that several others did just that.

Dulce et decorum est??

Don't know whether Baroness Thatcher has ever read this. Perhaps she should be forced to do so.

Ian.

gfloyd · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject:

One wonders what the point of having an army is if it is not to be used under any circumstances.
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His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west.....

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

That's not what I said, of course. But was this a cause that was worth incurring so much agony? And why did nobody other than Lord Carrington carry the can?

Ian.

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:59 am Post subject:

Ernie Wrote:

Just wanted to correct a factual inaccuracy in your post. The comments

"Just rejoice at that news and congratulate our forces and the marines"

were made about the recapture of South Georgia. Your memory is a little clouded I suspect.[/quote]

I stand corrected as to the context, but I still object to being instructed to rejoice by the person who instigated the whole thing.
_________________
Geddon

You simply mustn't blame yourself -- the days were perfect
And so were exactly what I was born to spoil
For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

gfloyd · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:00 am Post subject:

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:05 am Post subject:

Galtieri was only the opportunist who made use of the signals comg from HMG the we were no longer interested in the South Atlantic. He saw an opportunity to improve his domestic standing by invading, as MT did when the Government realised it's mistake and had to send men, planes and ships to retake the islands.
_________________
Geddon

You simply mustn't blame yourself -- the days were perfect
And so were exactly what I was born to spoil
For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

gfloyd · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:34 am Post subject:

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:49 am Post subject:

The removal of the Navy ship, and hence the removal of the British Naval Presence from the South Atlantic URGED The Argentine military to ease there domestic problems by giving the country a common enemy to fight and hence take their focus of the dire state of their economy.

The invasion was facilitated by the Thatcher Government.
_________________
Geddon

You simply mustn't blame yourself -- the days were perfect
And so were exactly what I was born to spoil
For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

Highlander · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 348 Location: Scotland