Greek military sackings highten fears

In an extraordinary developement the heads of all three of Greece's armed services have been sacked and replaced with figures seen to be more sympathetic with George Papendreou's regime.

General Ioannis Giagkos, chief of the Greek National Defence General Staff, to be replaced by Lieutenant General Michalis Kostarakos

Lieutenant General Fragkos Fragkoulis, chief of the Greek Army General Staff, to be replaced by lieutenant general Konstantinos Zazias

Lieutenant General Vasilios Klokozas, chief of the Greek Air Force, to be replaced by air marshal Antonis Tsantirakis

Vice-Admiral Dimitrios Elefsiniotis, chief of the Greek Navy General Staff, to be replaced by Rear-Admiral Kosmas Christidis

Like the anouncement of the referendum yesterday this seems to have been done with the utmost of speed and secrecy.

The opposition are furious and point out, not without reason that with a vote of confidence to be passed next week this is a rather precipitous act.

“Under no circumstances will these changes be accepted, at a time when the government is collapsing and has not even secured a vote of confidence,”

Is it just me or has the tyemperature round here just dropped a couple of degrees?