An apology is due

The demands for apologies (and reparation) for slavery rise daily. These worthy and windy homilies are pointless and have no utility , as they refer to events , as the law has it, "beyond human memory" - and certainly beyond the experience of the apologist.

Yesterday the ever-excellent "Womans Hour" had an interview with an elderly Dutch lady who, as a teenger had been forced to act as a "comfort" woman for the Japanese military. She explained in excruciating and vivid toe curling detail her personal experience. Evidently moved, a representative from the Japanese Government explained th system by which a fund would pay £15,000 to victims which were accompanied by a letter from the Government. Which ,whilst it does not meet the expectations of everyone is some ofocial and tangible form of apology.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if some form of apology might be made say by Jonathan Evans who takes over from Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller who is retiring as head of MI 5 to spend more time with her corsets? .. whilst events in the murky war in Northern Ireland are still within human memory ?

It was he (known as "Bob") who as the Sunday Times recently explained was tipped off about the intended attack leading to the murder of Protestant RUC officer Colleen McMurray (pic) in Merchants Quay, Newry , whose family will poignantly recall was almost exactly 15 years agolate at night on March 27th 1992 , by Kevin Fulton, a former British agent in the IRA who worked for Force Research Unit, a covert branch of the Intelligence Corps set up to infiltrate paramilitary groups.

In the attack on Mc Murray (using technology acquired with the help of MI5) her colleague Paul Slaine lost both his legs in the attack and he was later awarded the George Cross for his bravery (BBC).... unlike PC Stephen Oake.

Wouldn't it be good for the US nation to apologise to the individuals they treated so appallingly as liberators at Abu Ghraib... they know who they are, they know who tortured or killed them.

Wouldn't it be good for the the politicians , Ministers and PR pimps, in the UK who supported our ally in this despicable treatment apologise, Blair, Goldsmith, Hoon, Straw,Clarke, Reid, Meacher, Beckett, Hewitt, Amos, Campbell et.al, liars all ,who plunged us all into the shameful military adventure.

Such apologies would carry weight and meaning.

They would be a welcome surprise.