The BBC has been disappointing on the issue of God and George. Very much under the influence of the David Kelly affair it has forgotten its duty of care to the Goon show... by letting the political goons rule its show...

In today’s (18/10/05) SMH, Paul McGeough paints a gloomy picture in Iraq despite the Americans having achieved their objective of the various odd-bod groups agreeing to put a constitution to a vote. Great turn out of voters it seems... reports quoted 10 millions casting ballots... In a country where a large portion of the population is children. Victory is the Yankee’s... My hat to you Mr Boosh, you’ve fooled us with your bumbling idiot routine. Victory is yours.... It reminds me of a place in Africa where a despot was 200 per cent reelected.

Sure I won’t worry about the many strange divisive factors in the constitution where laws are now tentatively ingrained in religious fanaticism more than ever before. Even under Saddam, inequalities were only cultivated along rough ethnicity not with gender nor beliefs, nor laws. But who cares, the price of petrol has stabilised just above the speck of gold bullion...

Part of this nice wobbly agreement indicates that the existing oil fields will be exploited nationally while the new ones will be regionally (ethnically) managed... This is a nice tidy overture to close down the existing pumps and install new ones, sideways... This is also a recipe to entrench division... Brilliant! But we shall see...

So amongst all this regional arm twisting and compromised stand-off where everybody might envy everybody else, I believe that everything is going perfectly according to the perfect plan for the US administration despite a few skirmishes and body bags flown back home with a bodily function regularity.

What better a gift than a divided Iraq disguised as a united country constantly in need of “protection

The BBC has apologised to Band Aid over reports claiming millions of pounds raised by the charity for famine relief in Ethiopia had been used to buy arms.

A report on World Service's Assignment in March claimed large sums of charity money had been diverted by rebels.

Although the report did not directly link Band Aid, other BBC outlets suggested its money had been involved.

The corporation said it apologised unreservedly for the "misleading and unfair impression" which was created.

The original investigation by the BBC's Africa editor, Martin Plaut, included claims that substantial amounts of aid from Western government and charities went into rebel-held areas of Tigray province in 1985 and was used to buy weapons.

In a complaint to the BBC, The Band Aid Trust said the programme and subsequent coverage by other outlets including Radio 4, BBC News and the BBC News website gave the impression most of the money raised by the charity had been diverted.

'Unusual lapse in standards'

After an investigation by the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit, the corporation concluded there was no evidence relating to money raised by Band Aid or Live Aid, and statements alluding to the fact should not have been broadcast.

The BBC also apologised to Band Aid Trustee Bob Geldof for implying he declined to be interviewed "because he thought the subject too sensitive to be discussed openly".

In response, Mr Geldof said: "This was an unusual lapse in standards by the broadcaster and, most critically, the World Service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11688535