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Margaret Thatcher dies of a stroke.


Milfner

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Chlorine .. as in chlorine used to purify water .. you do know Iraq depends on specialized equipment and chemicals to purify its water supply don't you ?

 

 no of course it must have been for mustard gas  ... I bet Tefal are shitting themselves about now that the US govt are about to declare war on them

OK, I've posted the important bits again, highlighted to make it easier.

 

A chemical plant which the US says is a key component in Iraq's chemical warfare arsenal was secretly built by Britain in 1985 behind the backs of the Americans, the Guardian can disclose.

Documents show British ministers knew at the time that the £14m plant, called Falluja 2, was likely to be used for mustard and nerve gas production.

Senior officials recorded in writing that Saddam Hussein was actively gassing his opponents and that there was a "strong possibility" that the chlorine plant was intended by the Iraqis to make mustard gas. At the time, Saddam was known to be gassing Iranian troops in their thousands in the Iran-Iraq war.

But ministers in the then Thatcher government none the less secretly gave financial backing to the British company involved, Uhde Ltd, through insurance guarantees.

Paul Channon, then trade minister, concealed the existence of the chlorine plant contract from the US administration, which was pressing for controls on such exports.

He also instructed the export credit guarantee department (ECGD) to keep details of the deal secret from the public.

The papers show that Mr Channon rejected a strong plea from a Foreign Office minister, Richard Luce, that the deal would ruin Britain's image in the world if news got out: "I consider it essential everything possible be done to oppose the proposed sale and to deny the company concerned ECGD cover".

The Ministry of Defence also weighed in, warning that it could be used to make chemical weapons.

But Mr Channon, in line with Mrs Thatcher's policy of propping up the dictator, said: "A ban would do our other trade prospects in Iraq no good".

The British taxpayer was even forced to write a compensation cheque for £300,000 to the German-owned company after final checks on the plant, completed in May 1990, were interrupted by the outbreak of the Gulf war.

The Falluja 2 chlorine plant, 50 miles outside Baghdad, near the Habbaniya airbase, has been pinpointed by the US as an example of a factory rebuilt by Saddam to regain his chemical warfare capability.

Last month it featured in Colin Powell's dossier of reasons why the world should go to war against Iraq, which was presented to the UN security council.

Spy satellite pictures of Falluja 2 identifying it as a chemical weapons site were earlier published by the CIA, and a report by Britain's joint intelligence committee, published with Tony Blair's imprimatur last September, also focused on Falluja 2 as a rebuilt plant "formerly associated with the chemical warfare programme".

UN weapons inspectors toured the Falluja 2 plant last December and Hans Blix, the chief inspector, reported to the security council that the chemical equipment there might have to be destroyed.

But until now, the secret of Britain's knowing role in Falluja's construction has remained hidden.

Last night, Uhde Ltd's parent company in Dortmund, Germany, issued a statement confirming that their then UK subsidiary had built Falluja 2 for Iraq's chemical weapons procurement agency, the State Enterprise for Pesticide Production.

A company spokesman said: "This was a normal plant for the production of chlorine and caustic soda. It could not produce other products".

The British government's intelligence at the time, as shown in the documents, was that Iraq, which was having increasing difficulty in obtaining precursor chemicals on the legitimate market, intended to use the chlorine as a feedstock to manufacture such chemicals as epichlorohydrin and phosphorous trichloride. These in turn were used to make mustard gas and nerve agents.

 

 

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Chlorine .. as in chlorine used to purify water .. you do know Iraq depends on specialized equipment and chemicals to purify its water supply don't you ?

 

 no of course it must have been for mustard gas  ... I bet Tefal are shitting themselves about now that the US govt are about to declare war on them

OK, I've posted the important bits again, highlighted to make it easier.

 

A chemical plant which the US says is a key component in Iraq's chemical warfare arsenal was secretly built by Britain in 1985 behind the backs of the Americans, the Guardian can disclose.

Documents show British ministers knew at the time that the £14m plant, called Falluja 2, was likely to be used for mustard and nerve gas production.

Senior officials recorded in writing that Saddam Hussein was actively gassing his opponents and that there was a "strong possibility" that the chlorine plant was intended by the Iraqis to make mustard gas. At the time, Saddam was known to be gassing Iranian troops in their thousands in the Iran-Iraq war.

But ministers in the then Thatcher government none the less secretly gave financial backing to the British company involved, Uhde Ltd, through insurance guarantees.

Paul Channon, then trade minister, concealed the existence of the chlorine plant contract from the US administration, which was pressing for controls on such exports.

He also instructed the export credit guarantee department (ECGD) to keep details of the deal secret from the public.

The papers show that Mr Channon rejected a strong plea from a Foreign Office minister, Richard Luce, that the deal would ruin Britain's image in the world if news got out: "I consider it essential everything possible be done to oppose the proposed sale and to deny the company concerned ECGD cover".

The Ministry of Defence also weighed in, warning that it could be used to make chemical weapons.

But Mr Channon, in line with Mrs Thatcher's policy of propping up the dictator, said: "A ban would do our other trade prospects in Iraq no good".

The British taxpayer was even forced to write a compensation cheque for £300,000 to the German-owned company after final checks on the plant, completed in May 1990, were interrupted by the outbreak of the Gulf war.

The Falluja 2 chlorine plant, 50 miles outside Baghdad, near the Habbaniya airbase, has been pinpointed by the US as an example of a factory rebuilt by Saddam to regain his chemical warfare capability.

Last month it featured in Colin Powell's dossier of reasons why the world should go to war against Iraq, which was presented to the UN security council.

Spy satellite pictures of Falluja 2 identifying it as a chemical weapons site were earlier published by the CIA, and a report by Britain's joint intelligence committee, published with Tony Blair's imprimatur last September, also focused on Falluja 2 as a rebuilt plant "formerly associated with the chemical warfare programme".

UN weapons inspectors toured the Falluja 2 plant last December and Hans Blix, the chief inspector, reported to the security council that the chemical equipment there might have to be destroyed.

But until now, the secret of Britain's knowing role in Falluja's construction has remained hidden.

Last night, Uhde Ltd's parent company in Dortmund, Germany, issued a statement confirming that their then UK subsidiary had built Falluja 2 for Iraq's chemical weapons procurement agency, the State Enterprise for Pesticide Production.

A company spokesman said: "This was a normal plant for the production of chlorine and caustic soda. It could not produce other products".

The British government's intelligence at the time, as shown in the documents, was that Iraq, which was having increasing difficulty in obtaining precursor chemicals on the legitimate market, intended to use the chlorine as a feedstock to manufacture such chemicals as epichlorohydrin and phosphorous trichloride. These in turn were used to make mustard gas and nerve agents.

 

 

you are Tony Blair and an Invasion is imminent

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Now people are comparing Thatcher's premiership to the Holocaust? Jesus **** Christ.

Indeed. To demean genocide in such a way is utterly pathetic and offensive - but sadly predictable, particularly on this thread.

 

 

Sorry, I disagree...

 

The holocaust has been grabbed out of this, when that was not his point.

 

His point was that just because you are young and were not directly involved in something that happened, it does not mean it does not offend you or that it does not cause you upset.

 

His point is not about the holocaust, but about how the past affects the future.

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I see they've let an airline stewardess in.  That's nice.  She seems pleased to be there.

 HappyCam_zpscfe45520.jpg

Does anyone else find this picture quite disturbing
Gideon looks like he's wet himself, and the woman to his left looks really cross to be standing in a puddle.
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The unusual silence of the Taxdodgers' Alliance: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rjpt23

"The stuffing of William Hague’s snake". My word, what a curious bunch they are!

 

You don't regularly have your snake stuffed? Peter I think it is you that is curious, this is a very normal and everyday occurrence in, pretty much, every plebs day.

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You don't regularly have your snake stuffed? Peter I think it is you that is curious, this is a very normal and everyday occurrence in, pretty much, every plebs day.

I adder different type of upbringing to the likes of billy "ten pints" Hague, obviously.
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I see they've let an airline stewardess in.  That's nice.  She seems pleased to be there.

 HappyCam_zpscfe45520.jpg

Does anyone else find this picture quite disturbing

Gideon looks like he's wet himself, and the woman to his left looks really cross to be standing in a puddle.

Nah Gideon is having a back in the dorm moment. He's playing hide the sausage AKA Up Cameron. The PM is trying to remain calm in the public eye but is seething underneath, even if he is enjoying it really. His missus is pleased because she won't have to do anything for him tonight but the woman behind her is disgusted as old Gideon hasn't washed it since the last time he played the game

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You don't regularly have your snake stuffed? Peter I think it is you that is curious, this is a very normal and everyday occurrence in, pretty much, every plebs day.

I adder different type of upbringing to the likes of billy "ten pints" Hague, obviously.

 

 

You're a mamba of a different club altogether.

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You don't regularly have your snake stuffed? Peter I think it is you that is curious, this is a very normal and everyday occurrence in, pretty much, every plebs day.

I adder different type of upbringing to the likes of billy "ten pints" Hague, obviously.

 

 

So did I it seems, by 1136.52297 millilitres

Edited by 8pints
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You don't regularly have your snake stuffed? Peter I think it is you that is curious, this is a very normal and everyday occurrence in, pretty much, every plebs day.

I adder different type of upbringing to the likes of billy "ten pints" Hague, obviously.

 

 

You're a mamba of a different club altogether.

 

Lets not rattle on about this but does that club involve climbing ladders?

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Peter, I think we get the message

Sorry... :)

Don't be, clearly you were the official photographer at the event. I just hope you got paid.
Dont think he'll be getting paid As he seems to have gone to the wrong place as charing cross was packed just now on the news footage Edited by tonyh29
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'We are all Thatcherites now..'

 

Well, if that means we are de unionised and scared for our jobs then yes. If that means we've learnt the price of everything and forgotten the value of community then yes. If that means we are now cowed by a need to pay a mortgage in a world of once easy credit due to a disastrous piece of banking deregulation, then yes. If that means we are finding ourselves divided rather than seeking consensus, then yes. If that means we now value personal gain and the acquisition of things over a presumption that society and the common good will prevail, then yes. If that means we live in fear of being outsourced, undercut and opened to competition whilst happily, naively buying chinese bikes and romanian beef, then yes. If that means we've somehow managed to pay for the state funeral of someone that didn't feel the state should provide for the living, then yes.if that means we've come to accept over 2,000,000  unemployed could get a job if they really wanted one, then yes.

 

But look on the bright side, we all have far more material shit around us than ever before. You might not know the names of your neighbours anymore, but no matter, you can buy a korean tablet on credit. We must be happier, look how many dvd's and tv channels we've got.

 

Anyway, onwards and upwards, a fun distraction for all for a few days, especially the Whitehouse brigade, scouring the interweb seeking things to be offended by. I'll have to come up with a new name for the 2014 deadpool. I'll probs go with Scargill. Not sure we'll see him bagging a free state funeral.

You aren’t railing against Thatcherism. You are railing against globalism and the price we are paying for it.

 

But don’t worry about Arthur. He screwed over his own union for hundreds of thousands for his nice flat in the Barbican, so I am sure he can carry on fleecing them for some more. Oh no he can’t as he sued them and lost the case. Maybe he can ask Moscow to pay, but then again the regime has changed so they might not either.

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Thought this was interesting , anyone want to comment / counter argue

Claim :She destroyed the Unions' power to protect workers

Counter claim :Her reforms empowered union members rather than union leaders. Previous Conservative and Labour governments had tried and failed to bring unions under the law. The UK's strike record, the worst in Europe, did not help workers. The Thatcher reforms gave union members the right to vote for their leaders in secret postal ballots, and gave them the right to be balloted ahead of possible strike action. These resulted in more moderate union leadership and greatly reduced industrial unrest.

Edited by tonyh29
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