Tony Blair to be thrown out as special envoy

[rebellin]

There are moves to have Tony Blair (finally) thrown out as Quartet envoy, by the Palestinians, who say he actually functions as agent for Israel.

[rebellin]

More on Tony Blair

First the independent reports that a few days ago Blair wes declared persona non grata at the Labor Party conference. Now the Palestinians want him removed as the envoy for the Quartet on the Middle East peacemakers, charging that he is biased towards Israel.
Palestinian youth wings of the main political parties have already informally declared Blair persona non grata in the occupied West Bank and would not meet him there, a Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) official is citing have said by the Independent. If, as expected, the youth wings make a formal declaration about Mr Blair, it is likely to be adopted by senior politicians.
Citing diplomatic sources, the Al-Quds newspaper reported that the Quartet intended to appoint a new peace envoy to the Middle East following a Palestinian request for his dismissal, according to the political blogger Guido Fawkes, who posted a translated excerpt on his website.
A PLO official would not confirm the report but said there was discontent over his stance. "Does the Palestinian Authority trust Tony Blair? The answer is no. Does anyone in the Palestinian leadership support Tony Blair? The answer is no," the PLO official said. "He is closer to an Israeli diplomat than a neutral negotiator."

[C. Flower]

What is "Quartet" ?

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

United Nations, European Union, US, Russia I think?

'The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and international and supranational entities involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet are the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia. The group was established in Madrid in 2002, recalling Madrid Conference of 1991, as a result of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Tony Blair is the Quartet's current Special Envoy.' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartet_on_the_Middle_East

[rebellin]

Captain's rundown is right. The other salient fact is how Tony Blair got to be special envoy. As soon as Blair resigned as Prime Minister, George Bush named him special envoy and the parties ended up going along with it. He's been a big problem all along .

[TotalMayhem]

Though he was Special Envoy for JP Morgan Chase?

[Skrimshander]

Though he was Special Envoy for JP Morgan Chase?

thats hitting the nail on the head, i read recently somewhere although cant remember at the moment that he has amassed a fortune dealing for jp morgan... he truly is an absolute scumbag and i hope he dies screaming

[rebellin]

thats hitting the nail on the head, i read recently somewhere although cant remember at the moment that he has amassed a fortune dealing for jp morgan... he truly is an absolute scumbag and i hope he dies screaming

Tony Blair was hired on as part time adviser to JP Morgan for $2million a year in January 2008

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011003761.html

He paid visits to Libya to get business for JP Morgan
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...JP-Morgan.html

[Skrimshander]

Tony Blair was hired on as part time adviser to JP Morgan for $2million a year in January 2008

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011003761.html

He paid visits to Libya to get business for JP Morgan
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...JP-Morgan.html

thanks for the links rebellin

[Sam Lord]

Not only an agent of Israel but he has abused his Middle East position to put millions of dollars into his bank account. His position as a "peace envoy" for the quartet is apparently just an introduction for his real work as a frontperson for a myriad of western business interests:

One of the first letters arranging Tony Blair’s 2008 visit to Colonel Gaddafi, the now deposed Libyan despot, was written on the notepaper of the “Office of the Quartet Representative” – the formal title of the former British prime minister, reflecting his role as Middle East peace envoy.

Mr Blair flew into Tripoli in a jet arranged by the Libyan government, and was met by British diplomats. Yet a well-placed source has told The Daily Telegraph that his visits were little to do with Middle East peace, saying instead that the “visits were lobby visits for banking deals with JP Morgan” – the US investment bank that pays Mr Blair a consultancy fee of a reported £2 million a year.

Let’s take the example of Mr Blair’s visit to the Emir of Kuwait, part of a wider Middle Eastern tour, made on January 26, 2009. He was introduced to the Emir – who is said to feel a profound sense of gratitude to the former British prime minister because of his role in deposing Kuwait’s greatest enemy, Saddam Hussein – in his capacity of Quartet Representative. And, indeed, Blair is charged by the Quartet with raising Middle Eastern funds to plough into Palestinian projects.

Yet, puzzlingly, by his side was a figure who has nothing to do with the Quartet whatever: Jonathan Powell. Mr Powell, who used to be Downing Street Chief of Staff when Mr Blair was prime minister, today has a new role as senior adviser to Tony Blair Associates, the vehicle through which Mr Blair channels many of his money-earning interests. Mr Powell was perched on a sofa during the meeting.

Shortly afterwards, the Emir handed Tony Blair Associates a lucrative consultancy deal to provide advice on the future of the Kuwaiti economy. Nobody knows how much this deal – which was kept secret for two years – is worth. Because the TBA contract was handled by the Emir’s personal office, it is exempt from scrutiny by Kuwait’s normally rigorous financial regulatory body.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...-millions.html

Mr Blair’s organisation, a Byzantine web of highly specialised limited partnerships and parallel companies, is baffling in its structure.

He has a commercial consultancy, Tony Blair Associates, and jobs advising JP Morgan, the US bank, and Zurich Financial Services, the Swiss insurer. He has set up two major international charities, the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

Much of Mr Blair’s income has been funnelled through a structure called Windrush Ventures, which also runs and pays for the Office of Tony Blair in Grosvenor Square, London.

From here, Mr Blair and his staff coordinate his commercial activities, reputedly bringing in £7 million a year. The organisation lets Mr Blair’s roles overlap. A role fostering good governance in Africa, designed to combat corruption, also establishes excellent contacts with local leaders with the power to award contracts.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ive-deals.html

[rebellin]

Response to Sam Lord's documentation: EXACTLY

[Iolo]

Bliar, of course, is a total scoundrel, and his appointment was an indication of the contempt the AIPAC-dominated American Government feel for all decent people, especially the Palestinians. Their imperial power is rotting a bit: time to PUSH!

[Fermoy]

It is way past time that the Quartet goes the way of Blair

[morticia]

Bliar, of course, is a total scoundrel, and his appointment was an indication of the contempt the AIPAC-dominated American Government feel for all decent people, especially the Palestinians. Their imperial power is rotting a bit: time to PUSH!

+100.

That man is the only one who could make da Bert and Haughey look cleaner than Kim and Aggie.

How many deaths in the Iraq war, now?? Well over 100K?

The Troubles, eat your heart out out.....

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

He had his Pee Flynn moment a couple of years back when he said in an interview he needs £5million a year just to pay salaries.

Presumably singing the Red Flag all the way to the bank.