Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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:
Doodlebug71 · 31/08/2021 11:43

@notimagain: “ But real anger and frustration have been reported in military circles, not only with Farthing but with some of his vocal band of British supporters, who bombarded ministers and MPs with angry tweets and emails demanding that something be done for the animals at a time when every second counted."

Are you really suggesting that a group of alleged professionals couldn't ignore angry tweets and emails?

"For veterans struggling to come to terms with a defeat that reopens deep mental wounds, it hurts to feel that some of the public will lobby harder for cats and dogs than for the people they served alongside. ”

It wasn't a binary choice.

"Because that is certainly appeared to be the case with some posters here and it’s been unsettling TBH to see the continuing unswerving, and almost unquestioning belief that Mr Farthing’s version of events is the only true one and that only the other side is capable or guilty of spin…"

I prefer to base my approach on facts and evidence. It's a shame Wallace appears to have deleted the tweets he sent whilst Farthing and his team were waiting to be let into the airport. Those tweets show Wallace for what he is: he reneged on his word and risked the lives of those people in doing so.

That smear campaign only works on those who didn't see what happened, or don't care. Which are you?

Saucery · 31/08/2021 12:15

If I believed the moon was made of green cheese and repeated it over and over, started threads on it…….still wouldn’t make it true.

Same with the ‘animals jumped the queue’ thing. Not true, never happened.

notimagain · 31/08/2021 12:49

I prefer to base my approach on facts and evidence.

..On the facts and evidence that suit your argument…you do seem seem to regard anything tweeted by “Pen’ and his team as being facts and evidence, and pretty much anything else as spin.

That smear campaign only works on those who didn't see what happened, or don't care. Which are you

Sorry, who put you in charge of the thread?

Just because people don’t unquestioningly fall into line with your version events does not mean they have fallen for a smear campaign or that they don’t care.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 12:49

But real anger and frustration have been reported in military circles, not only with Farthing but with some of his vocal band of British supporters, who bombarded ministers and MPs with angry tweets and emails demanding that something be done for the animals at a time when every second counted."*

Opinion will be divided in military circles as it is elsewhere. Many soldiers and their families support what Pen did and are big supporters of Nowzad.

The animals jumped the queue stuff is getting tiresome.

The lies being allowed to stand on this thread are shocking. I must go back and check if the personal attacks on Pen are still here when I get chance.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 12:54

Was it on this thread or another one that someone called Pen a tosser? Hopefully it got deleted as it certainly seems not in the spirit.

Bloodypunkrockers · 31/08/2021 13:16

Just heard Mr Farthing (I'm not on first name terms like some on here )on radio 2 and they played his voicemail

He apparently can't remember making that call

Wrongsideofhistorymyarse · 31/08/2021 13:25

@VeganVeg

Was it on this thread or another one that someone called Pen a tosser? Hopefully it got deleted as it certainly seems not in the spirit.
If you think 'tosser' is bad, you should see what the posters on Arrse (military forum) think of him.
VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:00

If you think 'tosser' is bad, you should see what the posters on Arrse (military forum) think of him.

Nothing to be proud of. The same people that are moaning about Pens voicemail. 🙄 The lack of consistency is embarrassing.
Plenty of military are sticking up for him.

But I’m talking about mumsnet, not a military forum.

Bryonyshcmyony · 31/08/2021 14:01

@VeganVeg

If you think 'tosser' is bad, you should see what the posters on Arrse (military forum) think of him.

Nothing to be proud of. The same people that are moaning about Pens voicemail. 🙄 The lack of consistency is embarrassing.
Plenty of military are sticking up for him.

But I’m talking about mumsnet, not a military forum.

Which military are sticking up for him?
Bryonyshcmyony · 31/08/2021 14:03

His voicemail proved that military had to be involved in getting him out, therefore taking time away from people
I don't see how anyone can think loading 300 animals on a plane wouldn't have taken up military time

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:04

I think something will be released soon to divert attention from this.....something terrible Meghan has done maybe to get people all worked up and take attention off the fuck up that is this government.

bluewanda · 31/08/2021 14:04

I really don't understand the vitriol towards Pen Farthing - the man is an absolute hero in my book.

People should be directing their anger towards the Biden administration for triggering this whole catastrophe in the first place.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:07

Which military are sticking up for him?

My in laws are a military family and are. And they tell me that most of their contacts are. It’s the government and Biden they have an issue with....and I don’t blame them.
I also have friends in the US with sons in the military. Again, it’s Biden and previous presidents that they are angry with.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:14

I’m pretty sure the family of Conrad, the US serviceman killed many years ago are backing Pen too. They have nothing but praise for him and Dom Dyer.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:16

People should be directing their anger towards the Biden administration for triggering this whole catastrophe in the first place.

And to the UK governments failings. Many people are, there’s just this small campaign by a few people that are trying to blame Pen for everything. They’re doing their best but failing miserably.

bluewanda · 31/08/2021 14:36

@VeganVeg as much as I'm not a fan of the UK government, the US has to shoulder most of the blame here.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 14:53

Now footage of dogs in and around Kabul airport looking very lost. Charlotte is apparently hoping to go and get them. Bless that woman and her team.

SueSaid · 31/08/2021 15:00

@VeganVeg

Now footage of dogs in and around Kabul airport looking very lost. Charlotte is apparently hoping to go and get them. Bless that woman and her team.
She will get abducted or worse surely if she goes out looking for stray dogs, which will then risk lives of special forces who will rescue her.

I absolutely cannot fathom why she wasn't let on to a military flight with one puppy once the other animals had been released.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 15:10

Hopefully the Taliban can be bribed and will let her take the dogs.
It’s disgusting these dogs were just released. Reports of Taliban cutting off dogs noses which they’ve done in the past.
I hope Charlotte and her team are successful and remain safe.

SueSaid · 31/08/2021 15:13

@VeganVeg

Hopefully the Taliban can be bribed and will let her take the dogs. It’s disgusting these dogs were just released. Reports of Taliban cutting off dogs noses which they’ve done in the past. I hope Charlotte and her team are successful and remain safe.
Yes hopefully. It is awful that they were just released in an unfamiliar area for them, better to have euthanised them at the compound. It is heartbreaking to think of terrified dogs running about at risk of mutilation by the taliban.
Bryonyshcmyony · 31/08/2021 15:17

@VeganVeg

Hopefully the Taliban can be bribed and will let her take the dogs. It’s disgusting these dogs were just released. Reports of Taliban cutting off dogs noses which they’ve done in the past. I hope Charlotte and her team are successful and remain safe.
Where are these reports as I can't see anything on Google about this. Plenty of reports about then cutting women's faces though Sad
KeflavikAirport · 31/08/2021 15:23

Yes I would like to see a source for that claim too.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 15:29

I saw reports from Afghan people on twitter. There was a photo but I don’t know the source of it. It’s horrifying.
Those poor people, the women. It just seems so much worse now the West have left them to it, they must feel so hopeless. I feel so distressed, I don’t know how the people living there must be feeling. Absolutely terrified I imagine. I just hope some can escape via the borders or that they are allowed to leave when the airport reopens.

VeganVeg · 31/08/2021 15:43

Apparently Pen thinks the Taliban stabbed one of his dogs as they went through a checkpoint.
And I read the Taliban shot one of his friends dogs after entering his friends property after the friend had flown out and left dogs with others to be looked after.
I hope Charlotte can retrieve her dogs and remain safe. She’s definitely a brave woman.

Rhannion · 31/08/2021 22:14

@Bloodypunkrockers

Just heard Mr Farthing (I'm not on first name terms like some on here )on radio 2 and they played his voicemail

He apparently can't remember making that call

Aren’t you lucky to be calm under pressure...!
Swipe left for the next trending thread