The Spectator

Last night, The Spectator and Intelligence Squared hosted a debate on whether it would be better to bomb Iran than let it develop nuclear weapons. The speakers for the motion included the former CIA Middle East specialist Reuel Marc Gerecht and the political scientists Emanuele Ottolenghi and Bruno Tertrais. Sir Richard Dalton, the former British ambassador to Iran, Ali Ansari, a leading academic expert on Iran and Simon Jenkins, the columnist and former editor, opposed the motion. You can listen to the whole debate here.

Too cosy with the KGB Sir: Denis MacShane (‘Welcome to the Vlad and Dave show’, 12 January) is right to imply that the attitude of the Conservative party to the Russian KGB state is reminiscent of the attitude of the same party to Germany in 1938. Only about a year ago the Russian services brought illegally a forceful radioactive material to this country, and then killed a British citizen. I can’t remember the Conservative party actively protesting against it in the European and other international bodies, particularly in the Nato. With such foreign policy, that party will never shine on the international arena.

Forgotten Army Syndrome Sir: Boris Johnson is to be praised for his intention to honour the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan (‘How, as mayor, I would help our brave troops’, 15–29 December). Unfortunately, I believe he is up against Forgotten Army Syndrome. Burma, during the second world war, was an undeserved victim of this syndrome as well. It took 50 years before at last a fitting tribute was paid to the 14th Army Burma Veterans: at the VJ Day parade at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Park on Saturday 19 August 1995. It was tremendous and moving for the veterans, most of whom were by then in their seventies and eighties, to at last march past the Queen and great crowds of cheering, clapping people, including many children, all shouting, ‘Well done!

For the answers to the Impossible Quiz, click here.

As in Iowa, you can’t help but notice the enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats. This morning Obama drew 3,000 people and no one seemed to mind the event starting an hour late or that a large chunk of the audience had to be located in an overflow room. The majority of the crowd were families with young kids: political pay dirt.  There were only 600 people at McCain’s event. Admittedly it was in a much smaller town and there were more people waiting outside, but unlike at Obama’s most of McCain’s attendees were older voters—the average age must have been comfortably over fifty. If you're a Republican you have to worry about how fired up the Democratic voters are and just how many independents Obama is bringing to the party.

Analysis coming up.

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