Sun Drone Strike Bloodlust Busted

While the Super Soaraway Currant Bun’s front page dutifully tugs its corporate forelock and very humbly begs Her Majesty to accept its sincere and heartfelt praise at the length of her reign over us, on inside pages the warmongering has been ratcheted up as readers are told that, more or less, we should forget questions over the legality of execution by drone strike, and instead glory in the violent explosiveness of it all.

Indeed, the Sun’s non-bullying political editor Tom Newton Dunn has taken to Twitter to tell “Revealed - PM ordered drone strike on British jihadis in May after they targeted ANZAC Day and VE Day … David Cameron signed off ‘kill’ orders for five more Brit jihadis in Syria - but wants Jihadi John alive”. Yeah, there’s going to be more bombing! More death! More Zap! More Kerpow! More blood! More guts! And more sales!

The Sun has carried a two page spread spelling out what readers are intended to think: “Poll shows massive support for RAF blitz … JIHAD IT COMING [Geddit?!?!?] … Dad of IS Brits backs drone strike … PM signs off ‘4 more kill orders’”. And don’t forget, readers, it’s all being done “For Aylan”. Like a three-year-old toddler would have endorsed the execution of others. But something is not right about this.

While the Sun is ranting and frothing about those dissenting from their gung-ho line, jeering about “Human Rights”, shouting “look over there” at what ISIS, or whatever they’re called this week, do to others, and mockingly asking whether Young Dave should have sent them a “stern letter” instead, it does not address the point that there were no attacks on Anzac Day, V E Day, Armed Forces Day, or indeed V J Day.

Why would Cameron sign off a “kill order” after there were no attacks on Anzac Day (in April), or V E Day (in May)? Why did the Sun claim there was a plot to attack Armed Forces Day (in June) but no other paper picked up on their story? How can anyone know that someone in Syria is “plotting” anything other than the kinds of rubbish routinely dreamt up by witless fantasists if there is no activity in the UK?

Had there been any kind of viable plot, there would have to be a UK end to the operation. Where was it? Where were the Police reports of suspects being detained, houses and business premises searched, vehicles impounded, and, more importantly, suspects being charged and almost certainly remanded in custody pending trial? There weren’t any. Yet the Sun expects its readers to take its unsupported drivel on trust.

The Sun's problem - the Mail is sceptical

And, as for the “massive support”, one poll taken just after the event may not be the public’s last word, not if all the papers sounding a note of caution are anything to go by. Even the Mail is less than enthusiastic, perhaps remembering the Iraq adventure and the similarly enthusiastic tone of the Sun. The Government’s refusal to make the legal advice public will only serve to undermine that support, whatever the Sun says.

The Sun’s argument does not stand a few minutes’ analysis. No change there, then.