Blah Blah Flowers

Who's responsible for the torture in Iraqi jails? Take your pick, we've got gays, feminism, pornography, popular culture, women, academics, hostile journalists... Feel free to demand that any or all of those carry the can for this, just don't expect the men who directed these soldiers to be there to do it. That would be extremely unfair and counter-productive to The War Against Terror after all. However, psychologists say 'The type of mistreatment Iraqi prisoners have suffered at the hands of US soldiers is unlikely to have occurred without the knowledge of higher authorities'.

Meanwhile, there'll be few tears shed at a massive loss to British journalism, Piers Morgan gets sacked over false abuse photos. The Daily Mirror can whine about being a victim of a massive hoax, expect Conspiracy Theorists to write tomorrow how Tony Blair and Alistair Campbell mocked up those photos themselves in order to 'destroy' the paper that, like the BBC, was 'standing up' to the Government over the lies they were telling about the War in Iraq. But this needen't have happened if not driven by Morgan's sudden monomania and desperation to be right. Maybe the tabloid fight is so fierce that Morgan felt that to admit to uncertainties over the pictures earlier in the week would have lost him face with the other newspapers, but if he'd accepted the pies in the face earlier in the week he would have been able to survive the calls for his resignation, much as he did in that insider trading scandal a few years back. But instead he not only stood his ground but also dug himself deeper (or is that an impossibility?) so it became not 'if' but 'when' he would go.

Minister Nick Raynsford said there was no need for alarm but "sensible precautions" had to be taken so any area of London could be evacuated. If I should die, promise me you'll finish my work and ensure I take Blair and Bush with me...

Looking for a way to fool the ID Card scheme? Simple, just give a false ID.