"I think Galileo is a stupid idea that primarily serves French interests,"

The above quote sounds like the sort of thing that might be said by Gerard Batten the UKIP MEP who has been attacking the egregious waste that is the EU's satellite system for years. But in this case it is not he. It is not even the shade of Gwyneth Dunwoody who while Chairman of the Commons Transport Committee famously described the system as,

"not one pig flying in orbit, this is a herd of pigs with gold trotters, platinum tails and diamond eyes",

Nope this is the comment from the head of German satellite firm OHB Technology, Berry Smutny. According to Wikileaks he told an American diplomat,

the project was "a waste of EU taxpayers' money championed by French interests," according to the cable.


"He claimed the EU desire to develop a redundant but alternative to GPS was spearheaded by the French after an incident during the Kosovo conflict when the US military 'manipulated' GPS to support military operations," the cable said.

"Since this time, he said France has aggressively corralled EU support to invest in Galileo development -- something Smutny said France wants to ensure their missile guidance systems are free of any GPS reliance. Smutny added, the irony for German investment in Galileo is that some of France's nuclear missiles are aimed at Berlin," it said.

He should know, his firm was jointly awarded a 566 million euro ($742 million) contract to develop 14 satellites for the system.

Jonathan Hunt asks some serious questions about the Guardian's involement in Wikileaks

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The question is, will any future investigation into the Wikileaks affair look closely at the activities of the Guardian? Jonathan Hunt, who has crossed swords with the Guardian's methods before shows clearly the way in which the paper has manipulated the whole affair to continue its campaign of vilification against the United States.

HT Jonathan Hunt, and Autonomous Mind.

Did Prince Andrew do his job?

I have just had a dispute with somebody whose opinion I respect highly about the Wikileak revelations about the Duke of York,

I think it would be more beneficial if the UK was represented by someone who is a) democratically elected, therefore accountable b) intelligent c) culturally sensitive and d) doesn't come across as an arrogant bore.

This is a trade envoy, not a minister. Should we elect all our trade envoys? Who would be the electorate? Expats who might get embarrassed by their behaviour?
b) Never met a thick helicopter pilot, maybe there are some, but not in my experience. No he isn't the greatest academic, never was, but not thick.
c) He was with a group of British businessmen. That is culturally sensitive to them. When with the Kyrgyz types he is culturally sensitive to them.
d) Well fine, there you have me, but again I would say he was with an audience that appreciated it. Except the US ambassador who seems to have responded like a junior Jean Brodie.

I wouldn't worry, if he was representing the UK in that matter at the Cultural olympiad I would have thought it rather inappropriate, but here there should be no real problems.

The big question is, did British business pick any good contracts on the trip? If not then he failed, if so then he didn't.