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

[Needapoodle]

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?

@PicsInRed

focusing attention on 'Operation Ark' because a white western man wants to get animals out.

Oh, I don't know, if you scratch the surface of a lot of the "concerns" around Farthings attempts, you'll find there is actually a lot of resistance to refugees, human refugees. All those Afghan people, including women and children, Farthing was trying to get out.

They say "people over animals", but scratch the surface and they'll start to talk about Farthing having the chance to leave by himself. That's what they really wanted to happen.

Scratch just a little and there it is.

👏 👏 👏

Exactly.

When Farthing and his team arrived, Wallace refused to let them in

That’s one of the inconsistencies which undermines a lot of other claims made by some of the acolytes and are it’s really unhelpful.

Yesterday and this AM claims were being made he couldn’t get in due “to Biden”..and a change in paperwork required by the US..which means he was at an American controlled checkpoint and Mr Wallace has zero control or say say over who US Forces will allow through.

If he was actually at a Brit controlled point and it was the Brits/Wallace wouldn’t let him in then the “it’s Biden” claims and grumbles about US paperwork don’t stand up….

So which claim do people want to stick with because both cannot be true.

(Seems the reality was he was a a US controlled gate…)..

Almost 13,000 People evacuated by the British in the last week and a half with the Taliban in control of the city/country??
I would say he’s done a great job under the circumstances. Not letting one man queue jump with his low risk staffers and 200 odd animals is hardly something to be calling for blood over.

notimagain

No. Pen was waiting outside the airport for hours, not being let in like Walllace had said he would be. Biden hadn’t yet changed the rules.

Not letting one man queue jump with his low risk staffers and 200 odd animals is hardly something to be calling for blood over.

Your compassionate side is shining through there. Low risk? Really? These educated unmarried women are certainly not low risk.

'Oh, I don't know, if you scratch the surface of a lot of the "concerns" around Farthings attempts, you'll find there is actually a lot of resistance to refugees, human refugees. All those Afghan people, including women and children'

It's getting a bit desperate now isn't it, not one person debating this has any 'resistance to refugees'. Quite the opposite. The whole point is to get as many out as possible. This 'scratch the surface' nonsense you're peddling is wrong and offensive.

They wasted time focusing on animal transport and I think Farthing and his supporters will one day recognise that, accept it and regret it.

@IAmSuperman

notimagain

No. Pen was waiting outside the airport for hours, not being let in like Walllace had said he would be. Biden hadn’t yet changed the rules.

So you are saying he was waiting at a US controlled checkpoint expecting US Forces to let him in on the basis of instructions from London?

JaniieJones

People are unlikely to say ‘I’m a racist cunt’ to be fair. Covert racism is an issue on this site. Look at posting histories of people on certain threads and is becomes quite obvious what is going on for some posters. I know some family and school mums on here, covert racists on here, openly racist when they’re surrounded by likeminded people. They don’t like Pen and are pro Wallace.

‘ Your compassionate side is shining through there. Low risk? Really? These educated unmarried women are certainly not low risk.’

Animal shelter workers are much lower risk than anyone who worked with or for the western governments or their military. That’s just a fact. Which is why those people were
Prioritised for evacuation while the shelter people weren’t on any list at all.

So you are saying he was waiting at a US controlled checkpoint expecting US Forces to let him in on the basis of instructions from London?

I’m saying Wallace didn’t keep to what he had said. If he couldn’t deliver, he shouldn’t have said it. So on answer to the thread title, not doing what he said he would, or saying stuff he couldn’t deliver on, the way he refers to Afghan people, being patronising and petty as well as swearing in interviews etc, I think Wallace has done a very bad job.

But your argument doesn't stack up at all @iamsuperman. Why would most of use who are saying he has wasted time trying to get animals out when he should have got Afghans out quickly and quietly be racist?

I understand it is a distressing situation of course you're angry, we all are. We all of course feel for the people on the ground dealing with this and living with it but the social media focus should never have been about this man and his animals.

Animal shelter workers are much lower risk than anyone who worked with or for the western governments or their military. That’s just a fact. Which is why those people were Prioritised for evacuation while the shelter people weren’t on any list at all.

You are the media’s dream. Do you believe the Taliban too? I despair.

But your argument doesn't stack up at all @iamsuperman. Why would most of use who are saying he has wasted time trying to get animals out when he should have got Afghans out quickly and quietly be racist?

Think about it.

I have to go into a meeting again now but will be back later. I’m saying this because I know if you don’t answer quickly on mumsnet, you get jumped on.

'Almost 13,000 People evacuated by the British in the last week and a half with the Taliban in control of the city/country??I would say he’s done a great job under the circumstances'

Exactly. Dominic Dyer and his twitter mob have tried to derail the whole focus of this rescue and evacuation.

Iamsuperman you don't need to keep telling people you're off to work or going to meetings. Calm down and take some deep breaths perhaps.

The situation changed, the reason he couldn't reach the airport gates was because a terrorist threat meant the US changed the entry criteria due to the threat to life for everyone there, it was not personal.

It is a humanitarian crisis, and the people running it felt they had to get the most people out they could as quickly as possible, and they have said scheduling in the private plane to land, and processing the animals, would have held up others in need. We should listen to them, they have saved thousands of lives, and are doing their best. I feel angry because I think Pen's afghan staff would have stood a better chance if they had agreed to leave on a the military evacuation flight offered, waiting for a private flight in that situation was a risky strategy, one that ultimately was overtaken by the crisis at the airport.

@IAmSuperman

So you are saying he was waiting at a US controlled checkpoint expecting US Forces to let him in on the basis of instructions from London?

I’m saying Wallace didn’t keep to what he had said. If he couldn’t deliver, he shouldn’t have said it. So on answer to the thread title, not doing what he said he would, or saying stuff he couldn’t deliver on, the way he refers to Afghan people, being patronising and petty as well as swearing in interviews etc, I think Wallace has done a very bad job.

It’s looks like it’s been close to a war out in Kabul, US Forces have their own command and comms, It’s quite possible Wallace tried to deliver but any authorization didn’t get through as far as the Americans on the gate.

“ Hey Hank we’ve got this note from London…..”

I’m not going to blame Mr Wallace unless/until we get the full story and TBH Pen Farthing as an ex RM will have known that the USMC don’t jump to UK goes demands..

Genuine question do we know why Farthing went to a US controlled gate in the first place?

Oh, and given the attitude of some throughout all this I personally don’t blame Mr Wallace for swearing..

James Heappy has also seemed to have worked like a Trojan and done everything possible under the circumstances to get as many eligible U.K. nationals and allies out of Kabul.

I'm a big supporter of Pen Farthing because I thought he did the best he possibly could for his team and the animals in his care. Plus his story did humanise the catastrophe that affected so many, who had to leave everything and that may put pressure on the government to keep trying to help those left behind.

I don't think Ben Wallace did an amazing job but he was hugely hampered by the actions of others in government and the Americans. He was right not to prioritise animals over people in that situation. The point is that with more warning everyone could have got out including the animals and people's valued possessions. As it is people have had to leave everything and thousands of people have been left behind.

you don't need to keep telling people you're off to work or going to meetings. Calm down and take some deep breaths perhaps.

Oh but I do. Only last week I got accused of running away on a thread because I didn’t post a reply to someone for 2 hours! 2 hours! .....you can’t win here can you. Perfectly calm here. I actually teach mindfulness meditation 10 hours a week so your comment is quite funny. I think it’s others that need to take some deep breaths. 🧘‍♀️

‘ actually teach mindfulness meditation 10 hours a week’

It just all fucking shit, sad and horrible. It's a tragedy that he had to walk away from his staff and animals to save himself and I doubt he'll ever get over it. Does Ben Wallace staying or going make any difference? Not in my opinion. It's just a shit situation all round with everyone trying to save those they love.

@Tele12345

The situation changed, the reason he couldn't reach the airport gates was because a terrorist threat meant the US changed the entry criteria due to the threat to life for everyone there, it was not personal.

It is a humanitarian crisis, and the people running it felt they had to get the most people out they could as quickly as possible, and they have said scheduling in the private plane to land, and processing the animals, would have held up others in need. We should listen to them, they have saved thousands of lives, and are doing their best. I feel angry because I think Pen's afghan staff would have stood a better chance if they had agreed to leave on a the military evacuation flight offered, waiting for a private flight in that situation was a risky strategy, one that ultimately was overtaken by the crisis at the airport.

Sadly, this.

The situation changed, the reason he couldn't reach the airport gates was because a terrorist threat meant the US changed the entry criteria due to the threat to life for everyone there, it was not personal.

They were waiting outside for hours before this entry criteria changed.