RIP Tam Dalyell

commandlinegamer

Philosopher
commandlinegamer
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Backbench MP for several decades, at times a thorn in the side of both his own and opposing parties, though highly respected by many of different political persuasions.

Poser of the West Lothan Question (on what rôle Scots MPs ought to have following devolution), tenacious in demanding answers about the sinking of the Argentinian ship General Belgrano during the Falklands War, and about who really carried out the Lockerbie bombing, amongst other things. Contributed to New Scientist magazine for over thirty years in the form of its Westminster Diary column.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38764220

(pron. DAY-ell)
 
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I don't know whether to mourn the loss of a long-time member of Justice for Megrahi or regard with equanimity the demise of a black-hearted anti-Scot unionist!
 
I'm sorry, but the Belgrano affair led me to decide that Tam was indeed a fool - whether well educated and spoken or otherwise.

The free operation of enemy vessels outside of an arbitrary exclusion zone would permit them, with relative impunity to carry out pincer actions or denial of theatre. Navies being mobile beasts, this is relatively easily achieved, and therefore no combatant could sensibly afford to preclude action should circumstances so merit.

In the case of the Belgrano, the UK government had already advised the Argentinian/Argentine administration of that position. The latter nevertheless retained a major (if arguably outdated) naval asset within striking range of British forces.

Had the UK been the beligerent then it might be proposed that the use of armed force was inappropriate a priori, but what Mr. Dalyell - who consistently adopted an anti-war stance throughout his career - seems to overlook was Argentina had acted illegally in seizing British territory by force. A peaceful political solution was on the table but being ignored by the Argentine Junta. Whilst I am therefore sympathetic to the families of the 300-odd dead sailors, as I am for all the casualties of war, I will not shed a tear for the sinking of that ship - or for Tam.
 
Architect said:
The free operation of enemy vessels outside of an arbitrary exclusion zone would permit them, with relative impunity to carry out pincer actions or denial of theatre. Navies being mobile beasts, this is relatively easily achieved, and therefore no combatant could sensibly afford to preclude action should circumstances so merit.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I've heard the same sentiments expressed by commanders in the Argentine navy.
 
Watched today an early episode of Channel 4's gameshow Treasure Hunt, set in Lothian and which featured Big Tam's ancestral seat House of the Binns. Sadly, the man himself was either absent, or had gotten lost again among the bookcases.
 
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