Just a comment on the Algerian hostage crisis. Leaving aside the operational situation unfolding in the real world in the desert, which has clearly been dangerous and, for some, fatal, I can't help but wonder at our politicians.
Poshboy Cameron and Puffing Billy Hague seemed genuinely bemused that the Algerians ignored their offers of UK Government "help", "advice", "guidance" and "technical assistance". I think this might have been because the Algerians probably know a lot more about how to deal with large bunches of heavily-armed, crazed jihadist killers than UKG people do. Also they probably don't like being patronised by two Western politicians who wouldn't know one end of a gun from another.
Next up, The Gruesome Twosome were outraged that the Algerians had had the sheer nerve to go ahead with their clean-up operation "without consultation". Bearing in mind that this was happening in Algeria, and involved (principally) Algerian attackers & defenders, why would the Algerians consult? If this was happening in the UK, would Cameron expect to get some sort of green light from the head of state of every nationality involved, before giving the orders to attack? And also bearing in mind that a whole rainbow of nations' citizens were (potentially) involved, how long did Cameron think they should hold off for these "consultations" to take place?
That the jihadists were seeking to escape, the Algerians didn't have a lot of time or a lot of choice. They had to act quickly, or it could have got a lot worse.
BTW - I expect the Algerian "Mission Statement" had something to do with "killing terrorists". The paragraph about rescuing hostages safely was probably quite a long way down in the small print.
It's not that I agree with what the Algerians did, particularly. It's just that they had the situation on their patch, and they had to deal with it as they saw fit. Cameron & Hague just don't seem to get it. They behave as if their position, their view, their approach was somehow better or more important than the Algerians. They need to get over themselves.
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