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Original poster

To ask if you think ben wallace has done a bad job?

730 replies

Needapoodle · 27/08/2021 08:41

Loads of people on social media calling for Ben's (defence secretary) resignation over pen farthing and his operation ark.

I think ben and his department have suddenly been thrust into a highly volatile and constantly changing dangerous situation in which he has to make decisions for the good of the most amount of people possible. I also think that the insistence on evacuating hundreds of animals will undoubtedly have taken resources away from getting people out of Afghanistan and prevented human lives from being saved. I don't think that calling for ben's resignation over some animals not being able to be evacuated is reasonable at all. Or have i missed something?

OP posts:
DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 22:40

Nobody blocked him getting out, as a UK passport holder he could have left at any time. The UK govt have been advising UK citizens to leave for months. Unlike the Afghan people who couldn't leave he could have gone at any time. In fact per his own twitter he travelled to the US to deliver a couple of dogs only a month ago.

Wallace blocked the staff and animals! He was told to sort it by Boris, which led to the tweet at 1.30am Wednesday finally giving permission.

Potatwoah · 28/08/2021 22:40

I squarely blame the government for those left behind, but that doesn't mean agree with the way he went about it or that he is a scapegoat, both views can be held in tandem.

SueSaid · 28/08/2021 22:44

Wallace didn't block them he just didn't prioritise them and why should he.

You get the feeling Farthing's ex marine status has opened doors before for him but sadly with 14000 desperate people the MOD couldn't just wave him through as and and he demanded it.

I mean really, Mon was full of 'we need a call sign NOW ffs' on twitter by Dyer and Co. Who tf do they think they are?

DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 22:44

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SueSaid · 28/08/2021 22:46

Dogs, I probably read exactly the same news sources as you do this is all verified information.

notimagain · 28/08/2021 22:48

@DogsAreImpawtant

”Wallace was blocking him getting out”….”a man trying to stop him getting out.

That’s more than a highly simplistic take on it…the highly simplistic answer is that as a British citizen Mr Farthing was free to leave, as Mr Wallace made clear several times.

Potatwoah · 28/08/2021 22:54

'I've done my 22 years' so have many others. An aggy boot neck though, who'd have thunk it.

DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 22:54

Dogs, I probably read exactly the same news sources as you do this is all verified information.

No. People proved you wrong on the last thread. I wish it would be open again as I really can’t be arsed to repeat it all.

The government have made lots of mistakes and are now looking to make Pen a scape goat. I think most people will see that Pen isn’t responsible for all this, how could he be, he isn’t in power. That will be Johnson, Raab, Wallace and co.

DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 22:56

That’s more than a highly simplistic take on it…the highly simplistic answer is that as a British citizen Mr Farthing was free to leave, as Mr Wallace made clear several times.

Wallace would no doubt have ran and saved himself at the first opportunity. Maybe you would to? Pen chose to stay will his staff. I know who I’d like to have on my side.

notimagain · 28/08/2021 22:59

Pen chose to stay will his staff

Ultimately, when push came to shove he didn’t though did he?

fenellathornton · 28/08/2021 22:59

@Potatwoah

His staff wouldn't have been top of the pile for processing, he at least got them their papers, but rightly so they weren't unfairly prioritised- why should they be? Blocking isn't the same as not pushing them to the front, private plane or not, it still took resource and other things to get stuff in order. Thousands of others, many who directly supported the military were the priority of the MoD for obvious reasons, because the affiliation with our government makes them the highest of targets; something he should well understand with his military experience. I really genuinely wish they had managed to get out, but I'm not sure why because he used social media as a platform to encourage people to scream and shout people are outraged he didn't get prioritised. If people support someone encouraging abuse to someone during probably the most stressful week of their careers (and the guy he was on about has spent plenty of time in afghan, he hasn't just been behind his computer his whole career), then that's pretty sad. I really hope his staff get out, as he has elevated them to be even higher value targets, and they are still plastered over his social media. At least he got back safely and his animals hey.
Completely agree. I took a cat home with me through Nowzad and was a huge supporter of their work and whilst yes, I wanted them to all get back I think He went about it badly with all his SM rants and drumming up his supporters to harass. I do hope his staff get out safe though, I imagine if they weren't on the talibans radar before they certainly are now.
Tootsey11 · 28/08/2021 23:00

I'm glad he got the animals out. He done what he had to to ensure their safety. And he filled every seat in that plane with ordinary Afghans. There are more flights available anyway, its already being reported. And listening to earlier reports yesterday how flights this week had left Afghanistan only half full, I can't really see what the issue is with getting these dogs and cats out.

SueSaid · 28/08/2021 23:01

'No. People proved you wrong on the last thread'

They really didn't, some just kept making personal attacks as they were losing the argument so we had lots of deletions (not my posts 😇) so the thread was deleted. Nothing to do with my 'lies'.

Anyway, let's hope he isn't on telly all next week with Dyer playing martyrs. I hope he shows some sensitivity for those that left with a small bag of belongings not 200 odd crates.

That is excellent news @notimagain

XenoBitch · 28/08/2021 23:03

@notimagain

Pen chose to stay will his staff

Ultimately, when push came to shove he didn’t though did he?

His departure was discussed with his staff as a team. They told him to leave with as many animals as he could take. The fact they are not allowed to leave is not his fault... and him staying would put them in more danger.
TooOldandTired · 28/08/2021 23:03

@Tootsey11

I'm glad he got the animals out. He done what he had to to ensure their safety. And he filled every seat in that plane with ordinary Afghans. There are more flights available anyway, its already being reported. And listening to earlier reports yesterday how flights this week had left Afghanistan only half full, I can't really see what the issue is with getting these dogs and cats out.
Where is your source for him filling his plane with Afghans?
ThreeB · 28/08/2021 23:05

@DogsAreImpawtant

That’s more than a highly simplistic take on it…the highly simplistic answer is that as a British citizen Mr Farthing was free to leave, as Mr Wallace made clear several times.

Wallace would no doubt have ran and saved himself at the first opportunity. Maybe you would to? Pen chose to stay will his staff. I know who I’d like to have on my side.

You do realise that Ben Wallace served in the military himself?

So many bad takes here from people who haven't the faintest idea.

TooOldandTired · 28/08/2021 23:05

@DogsAreImpawtant

That’s more than a highly simplistic take on it…the highly simplistic answer is that as a British citizen Mr Farthing was free to leave, as Mr Wallace made clear several times.

Wallace would no doubt have ran and saved himself at the first opportunity. Maybe you would to? Pen chose to stay will his staff. I know who I’d like to have on my side.

No he left them ultimately so basically all the harassment and abuse and time wasting was for nothing - oh no it wasn't as he got the animals out and that was basically what it was all about.
DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 23:08

You do realise that Ben Wallace served in the military himself?

Yes. Which is why he would have known that Pen would not leave his staff whilst there was still a chance of getting them out.

DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 23:10

They really didn't, some just kept making personal attacks as they were losing the argument so we had lots of deletions (not my posts 😇) so the thread was deleted. Nothing to do with my 'lies'.

Yes, Highly suspicious that you were spreading misinformation and not being deleted. I wonder why that could be. 🤔

TooOldandTired · 28/08/2021 23:11

@DogsAreImpawtant

They really didn't, some just kept making personal attacks as they were losing the argument so we had lots of deletions (not my posts 😇) so the thread was deleted. Nothing to do with my 'lies'.

Yes, Highly suspicious that you were spreading misinformation and not being deleted. I wonder why that could be. 🤔

Maybe because it wasn't misinformation. It was just facts you didn't agree with.
DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 23:13

Anyway, let's hope he isn't on telly all next week

I think you better unplug your TV. I shall be watching and supporting like I gave fine for years.

Check out Wallace’s voting record.... a really caring man.... NOT!

SueSaid · 28/08/2021 23:15

'Yes, Highly suspicious that you were spreading misinformation and not being deleted. I wonder why that could be'

Dogs. A different opinion isn't misinformation, I'm deletd if I attack another poster I just manage not to usually. This is a divisive issue as we've all seen the non stop harrowing footage from Kabul, the derail about cats and dogs is highly inappropriate that is all.

I love animals we have dogs but I wouldn't be transporting 200 of them when people can't even take belongings and they are leaving homes behind, it all seems such an utterly misjudged thing to have done.

DogsAreImpawtant · 28/08/2021 23:17

Maybe because it wasn't misinformation. It was just facts you didn't agree with.

People provided info that showed your lies. I think we can see what you are to mumsnet.

I’ll probably be deleted for saying that though.

This thread is going the same way as the other one. The public aren’t stupid and will see what the Tories are doing. The Tories are just making themselves look worse... Who would have thought that was possible.
They really are ‘In the Thick of it’

Potatwoah · 28/08/2021 23:17

It would be interesting to know how many of the animals he transported back, instead of his staff who could have left a few days earlier without them on a military flight as they had their papers and the rules hadn't changed then, were ones directly involved in active duty. As I understood it, the charity removed suitable animals back to families as soon as they could, have some really been there for many years at this point?

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