Latest news with #Hussein
The National
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Iraq made Blair a pariah – Starmer risks the same with Iran
Then, as now, America was acting as virtually a rogue nation giving no thought to the different opinions of its allies. Then, as now, the American president had a skewed vision of the situation in that part of the world and no clear idea of the forces which would be unleashed by his actions and how to restore peace. Then, as now, Labour were in power and had demonstrated they were willing to support America in any course of action they decided upon no matter what the consequences might be. Today those consequences look even more terrifying than they appeared when America, with support from Britain's armed forces, invaded Iraq in 2003. This time the threat of nuclear annihilation hangs more heavily in the air. READ MORE: Casual threats of annihilation from Trump are not reality TV stunts And this time America's president is even more unpredictable and reckless than George W Bush, even more unlikely to apply logic to any decision as to his future course of action. Bush's justification for taking action against Iraq had nothing directly to do with the terrorist atrocity of 9/11. There was no suggestion, far less evidence, that Iraq was in any way linked to the plane hijackings which led to the demolition of the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York. America was so desperate to take action – any action – in what it had dubbed the 'global war against terror' in the aftermath of 9/11 that it alighted on the claim that Iraq had in its armoury weapons of mass destruction that posed a potential threat to the US and its allies. There was, in fact, no evidence to back up that claim. Most of the Western world regarded Bush's claim with justified scepticism. However, Britain pledged its support. It's important to remember that in Bush's State of the Union address in 2002, in which the president started to put together the case for action to remove Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, he railed against the so-called 'axis of evil' which included Iran as well as Iraq. The US grudge against Iran has deep roots so it's no surprise that it could one day lead to the possibility of military action. Americans have been easily persuaded by presidential warmongering even without any compelling evidence it was needed. Even before that State of the Union address, a survey suggested that 73% favoured military action to oust Hussein. The government was not willing to let the small matter of there being no evidence of the existence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction deter it from waging war. Then national security adviser Condoleezza Rice told CNN: 'The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he [Hussein] can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.' The British people were less easily fooled, but, alas, the same cannot be said for their government at Westminster. Its Prime Minister Tony Blair ignored the millions in his country marching against the invasion of Iraq and ploughed on regardless. There was some opposition within his own party. Robin Cook, then the leader of the Commons and a former foreign secretary, resigned from Blair's government in March 2003 over Iraq. He said at the time: 'I can't accept collective responsibility for the decision to commit Britain now to military action in Iraq without international agreement or domestic support.' However, Blair brushed off the resignation and most of his ministers and Labour MPs watched in acquiescence as the invasion proceeded. At the time, the Prime Minister was fond of telling us that if we could see the evidence that was on his desk proving that Iraq did indeed have weapons of mass destruction then we too would back his decision. Some time after Hussein was deposed and executed, when the weapons of mass destruction theory had been well and truly dismissed, I watched Blair tell a private meeting of Scottish editors that there was at that time no further evidence of the existence of those weapons but he still supported the invasion anyway. Today I'm still not clear what motivated Blair. READ MORE: The facts are clear. So why won't the BBC report on Israel's nuclear weapons? Did he really believe Iraq posed a threat to the rest of the world, despite all the evidence to the contrary? Or did he support Bush in a bid to cement the relationship between his government and Bush's Republican regime? A Guardian column by Steve Richards queried this interpretation. He suggested that both Blair's support for the invasion and David Cameron's decision to call the Brexit referendum were the result of a lack of prime ministerial depth and experience. Whatever the answer, history will judge. The big question now is whether Keir Starmer will duplicate Blair's blind allegiance to a US president's decision, no matter how crazy. And secondly, will anyone in his government have the guts to advocate standing up to Donald Trump and tell him that joining Israel's bombing of Iran is not only immoral but will move the world closer to nuclear destruction? The answer to that first question looks dangerously close to Starmer hitching his future of Trump's insistence on supporting Israel in all matters, from the unrelentingly inhumane genocide in Gaza to buying into the president's paranoia about Iran's alleged closeness to developing nuclear weapons. That claim has already led to a split between Trump and his director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified in March that Iran was not building a nuclear bomb. The president's annoyance was clear in his dismissal of her opinion this week, when he snapped 'I don't care what she said.' Starmer said on Tuesday that Trump has said nothing to indicate he would direct US missile strikes on Iran. Nothing that is apart from confirming on Wednesday that he has approved a plan to do just that. He told CBS that he has not yet made a decision on whether to enact that plan. The truth is that no one, probably including the president himself, knows what Trump will do next. Things don't look good. According to a 'senior intelligence source', the president has held off from strikes to see how Iran responds to his demands for 'unconditional surrender', which seems to translate as an abandonment of its nuclear programme. The heat was turned up even further yesterday when Israel's defence minister said Iran's supreme leader 'can no longer be allowed to exist' after an Iranian missile attack hit a hospital. It's hard to overestimate the damage done to Israel's claims of moral superiority in this conflict by the damage caused by its missiles hitting hospitals in Gaza. What is clear is that Israel and Iran are nowhere near a solution to their dispute and the pressure is mounting on Trump to make a decision. Starmer has admittedly advocated further negotiations rather than American bombs but if Trump goes ahead with military action it looks more likely that Britain will support him, at the very least by allowing him to use the Diego Garcia UK military base in the Indian Ocean. The record of Labour MPs – and particularly Labour MSPs in the Scottish Parliament – of standing up to their Prime Minister's folly on other matters is poor. READ MORE: David Lammy heads to US as Donald Trump considers whether to strike Iran The party's leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, has urged Starmer to do more for Scotland after its by-election win in Hamilton but any criticism of his performance after major U-turns on election promises has been either missing or heavily coded. That's not going to change if he moves to back Trump's action. Blair's support for Bush moved many former Labour supporters to ditch the party and embrace the SNP and independence because of the urgent need for Scotland to develop its own foreign policy. That urgency has increased rather than faded. John Swinney really has to capture that renewed urgency with real passage and focus, together with an indication of a route to independence, at the SNP's national council meeting tomorrow.
Iraqi News
a day ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq calls for urgent Arab meeting to address Israel-Iran war
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, asked on Wednesday for an urgent meeting of Arab foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) upcoming meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, scheduled for early next week. Hussein's remarks took place during his phone conversation with the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdel-Atty, in which the two ministers discussed the latest developments in the region, particularly the changes in the course of the war against Iran and their implications for regional security and stability, according to a statement cited by the state news agency (INA). Hussein's request seeks to consolidate Arab positions on the region's rapid developments and address current challenges in a collective and responsible manner. Earlier on Wednesday, Hussein and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, emphasized during a phone discussion the need to promote diplomatic collaboration to maintain regional peace. Hussein and Fidan addressed the latest developments of the conflict between Iran and Israel, including changes in the positions of some countries. The two sides reviewed current arrangements for the OIC meeting, which will be held in Istanbul early next week.
Iraqi News
a day ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq proposes urgent Arab foreign ministers meeting
Baghdad ( – Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has called for an urgent meeting of Arab foreign ministers to be held alongside the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul. The proposed gathering aims to address escalating conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing Israel-Iran tensions. The 51st session of the OIC's Council of Foreign Ministers is scheduled to take place this Saturday and Sunday in Istanbul, Turkey. According to a statement from Iraq's Foreign Ministry, Hussein discussed the proposal during a phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The two ministers exchanged views on recent developments and highlighted the urgent need for regional coordination to safeguard security and stability in light of the growing crisis.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Family of woman killed by mental health patient say they feel 'forgotten'
By Sam Sherwood of RNZ A man whose wife was murdered by a forensic mental health patient three years ago has not heard from authorities for more than a year and says his family feels "forgotten". The Minister of Mental Health says the level of contact is unacceptable, and has reinforced his expectations that the family would be regularly updated and provided support by Health New Zealand. Zakariye Mohamed Hussein stabbed Laisa Waka Tunidau to death as she walked home from work on 25 June 2022. Hussein was on community leave at the time of the killing. Two reviews were ordered, one into Hussein's care, and another looking at Canterbury District Mental Health Services. The mother-of-four's husband Nemani Tunidau met with staff from Hillmorton Hospital in early 2024. He says it was the first and last time he has heard from them. He told RNZ his family felt "forgotten". "It just makes me angry and feel that they don't want to blame themselves for what has happened to my wife. "We are suffering from loneliness, especially the children." He wants compensation for HNZ's "carelessness that caused the death of my beloved wife". In October last year another mental health patient Elliot Cameron murdered pensioner Faye Phelps at her Christchurch home. It has since been revealed that Cameron killed his brother in 1975. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and ordered to be a special patient. Correspondence released to RNZ under the Official Information Act revealed that on 24 April, a principal advisor at the Ministry of Health emailed the manager of media relations at the Ministry of Health and the Director of Mental Health Dr John Crawshaw about the report into Canterbury District Mental Health Services and media coverage of family experience. The email included a link to an article written by this journalist while at the New Zealand Herald. The article from January 2024 was an interview with Tunidau, who said he had not heard from authorities since his wife's death 18 months earlier. Dr Crawshaw replied saying: "This reinforces the need to discuss how the contact with the family will be managed." The principal advisor agreed and said it had to be a "key priority" for the next fortnight's conversations with Health New Zealand and with ministers. "No one should be exposed on this - including the families affected by both incidents. "It's partly why I think an approach to the coroner's office is useful, too. Given the patchy family engagement, I think we should be leading the best practice - the coronial file will have a case manager who should be in regular contact with the family. That case manager would appreciate a heads-up of the report publication and surrounding media coverage." Phelps' daughter Karen Phelps said she and her brother had a meeting at Hillmorton on 18 December. Since then, they had received one email that had been forwarded on by police from Canterbury Specialist Mental Health Services general manager Vicki Dent on 14 March. Dent said the independent review into Cameron's care was "progressing well". "The panel were onsite at the end of February (a little later than originally planned) and have completed much of their information gathering. They are now working through the analysis, findings and recommendations. "This is taking a little longer than we had originally hoped, but it is important that this is completed thoroughly." Dent was unable to give a "definitive timeframe" for when the review would be completed, but said she would keep the family updated. Dent said she was stepping away from the general manager role, and said the director of nursing would be the point of contact going forward. Phelps told RNZ it was "extremely disappointing" that Health NZ had "not been keeping our family better informed". "The fact we have had to take the lead on seeking information obviously just adds to our trauma and stress. "I fear their independent internal investigation is taking the same track as the Laisa Waka Tunidau investigation that many years later has still not been finalised or the details released. In my view that cannot be seen as anything other than a blatant disregard for the families and a complete reluctance to release findings to the public." She said the longer it took for reports to be completed "the longer the public is at risk". "The fact we feel we have to fight to try to get the findings of the report released in a timely manner is shameful. "For me it is also a stark indication of Hillmorton's generally incompetent processes, which have resulted in these unnecessary deaths in the first place." In response to questions from RNZ, Minister of Mental Health Matt Doocey said the level of contact Tunidau received was unacceptable. "After any family has sadly gone through the tragedy such as what the Tunidau family have sadly experienced, I would expect Health New Zealand would be regularly updating the family and providing the needed support. "I have reinforced this expectation to Health NZ that they will get in touch with the family to ask how they can better support them going forward and have reinforced I do not find the level of contact described as acceptable." Health New Zealand spokesperson Phil Grady said in a statement to RNZ that HNZ always made contact with families following "serious events" to help provide answers where they could. "We have done this in both cases, however we recognise there is always room for improvement in our communication with families." In some cases, families choose to communicate with HNZ through their lawyer or the police. "Following serious events such as these we undertake a review and this process can be lengthy. During the review process we are often limited in what we can share with families without compromising the independence of the review. During this period we do offer family liaison support where appropriate. "We are making contact with the families' preferred representative to offer an update and a further opportunity to meet." HNZ was also refreshing national guidelines to support improved communication with families following serious incidents. "We are always available and encourage families to reach out to us if it is helpful to them." A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the ministry recognised the importance of keeping families informed in these circumstances. "The ministry plans to soon be in contact with both the Tunidau family and the Phelps family as part of the arrangements involved in finalising a report into systemic issues within local mental health services, including forensic services, which was sparked in part by the tragic death of Laisa Waka Tunidau." Director of Mental Health Dr John Crawshaw said he acknowledged both families' concerns and he intended to meet with both families face to face once the report was complete - should they wish for this to happen.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's FM urges emergency Arab League meeting over Iran-Israel conflict
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers amid escalating regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. According to a statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hussein made the call during a phone conversation with Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty. The two diplomats discussed the latest regional developments, 'particularly the recent shifts in the ongoing war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its implications for regional security and stability,' the statement said. Hussein, who currently presides over the Arab League summit cycle, proposed holding the emergency meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), set to take place in Istanbul early next week. The minister stressed that the purpose of the meeting is to 'coordinate Arab positions in light of accelerating events and face the current challenges in a spirit of collective and responsible engagement.' نائب رئيس الوزراء ووزير الخارجية فؤاد حسين يبحث مع نظيره المصري تطورات الأوضاع الإقليمية ويدعو إلى اجتماع طارئ لوزراء الخارجية العرب – وزارة الخارجية العراقية — وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) June 18, 2025
