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BLAIR AIDES DENOUNCE U.S. 'BLUNDERING' IN AFGHAN WAR
Drudge Report ^ | June 29, 2002 | Matt Drudge

Posted on 06/30/2002 7:15:47 PM PDT by Conservative Chicagoan





BLAIR AIDES DENOUNCE U.S. 'BLUNDERING' IN AFGHAN WAR
Sat Jun 29 2002 19:20:06 ET

Senior officials in British Prime Minister Tony Blair's office have launched an astonishing attack on America's handling of the hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda fugitives.

But Downing Street late Saturday played down reports that Number 10 officials have attacked the United States' anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan.

Blair's senior aides accused US troops of "blundering" about during house-to-house searches for Islamic fighters, according to the SUNDAY TELEGRAPH.

MORE

"The Americans think they and the Pakistanis can just march in shooting," one told the paper.

Americans did not understand the "sensitivities" involved in such tribal areas, where Britain has experience of operating, they said.

"Using force will just backfire and increase sympathy for al Qaida," the source added.

But a Downing Street spokesman said: "Any suggestion of any split between us and the US in the fight against terrorism is completely wrong.

"The whole campaign in Afghanistan has been characterised by us standing together. That is not going to change."

Developing...

END


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
It seems to me that Blair is now on our list of enemies. Once again Drudge has broken an important story.
1 posted on 06/30/2002 7:15:47 PM PDT by Conservative Chicagoan
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
Deja view...
2 posted on 06/30/2002 7:17:59 PM PDT by Keith in Iowa
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
It seems to me that Blair is now on our list of enemies. Once again Drudge has broken an important story.

I'll wait to hear this confirmed from another source.

Drudge is so unreliable as to be almost worthless as a source.

3 posted on 06/30/2002 7:20:06 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
It seems to me that Blair is now on our list of enemies. Once again Drudge has broken an important story.

I'll wait to hear this confirmed from another source.

Drudge is so unreliable as to be almost worthless as a source.

4 posted on 06/30/2002 7:21:22 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
Ah, the naysayers and armchair commandos. Every parlor general could have done a better job, and hundreds of college professors could have outfought Wellington. Just ask 'em.

On the other hand, I didn't notice any towel-wrapped terrorists careening into the Westminster Clock Tower, Mr. Blair.

5 posted on 06/30/2002 7:26:59 PM PDT by IronJack
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
"Using force will just backfire and increase sympathy for al Qaida," the source added.

Right. We heard this at the beginning of the war to. The Arab street would rise up if we dared use military force against al Qaida, and there would be a huge backlash.
Guess these wimps would prefer we go after the terrorists with poodles on pink leashes.

6 posted on 06/30/2002 7:36:01 PM PDT by Jorge
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
'"Using force will just backfire and increase sympathy for al Qaida," the source added.'

Maybe in England which has had a rapid growth of Islamics in the past few years.

7 posted on 06/30/2002 10:00:54 PM PDT by truth_session
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
It seems to me that Blair is now on our list of enemies. Once again Drudge has broken an important story.

Do you also believe in the tooth fairy?

8 posted on 06/30/2002 10:02:19 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: cinFLA
No but I do believe in self-defense against one's enemies which you apparently don't.
9 posted on 07/01/2002 12:45:09 PM PDT by Conservative Chicagoan
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To: sinkspur
The source is the Sunday Telegraph. Drudge didn't break anything. Brit newspapers are pretty dismal as far as checking stories goes, but the Telegraph is the best of a bad lot.

10 posted on 07/01/2002 12:48:02 PM PDT by Right Wing Professor
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
No but I do believe in self-defense against one's enemies which you apparently don't

And you apparently do not understand how the liberal media will try to divide.

11 posted on 07/01/2002 1:40:05 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
Once again Drudge has broken an important story.

Are you a shill for Drudge?

12 posted on 07/01/2002 1:40:52 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Conservative Chicagoan
Once again Drudge has broken an important story.

How can Drudge break a story when his source is a newspaper?????

13 posted on 07/01/2002 1:42:33 PM PDT by cinFLA
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