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May 8, 2009
Swatting A Fly
Charles Crawford's continued efforts to get someone to pay attention to his dull blog continue to centre on me. He wishes to challenge me to a public debate on diplomacy and ethics.
http://charlescrawford.biz/blog.php?single=940&articleid=940
If you search YouTube you can find some 40 videos of me speaking at various places. Not one of the videos of me was posted by me. I have more invitations to speak than I can accept, and have regularly sold out some big venues like the Edinburgh Book Festival. I can't see any videos of Charles on YouTube.
Charles' repeated challenge is a bit like Sheringham FC challenging Manchester United to a match, and then complaining they won't take them on.
Anyway, I suppose I had better humour the poor old chap. One should always respect one's elders. We had better do it soon before he drops off the perch. But it is less simple than it sounds. "Diplomacy and Ethics" is, as he suggests, a fascinating theme, but any debate needs a defined subject which crystallises the area of disagreement so as to allow for clear choices, and reduce the chances of a dull dance around definitions. A debate between just two people also offers difficulties of format to make sure they really interact.
You also need a venue and an organisation. We have one kind offer, but the venue is somewhat small.
Maybe we should go for the room at the RGS where the Burton/Speke debate was arranged. Or - and this might be fun - the Locarno room at the FCO!
Posted by craig on May 8, 2009 3:24 PM in the category The Book
Comments
Maybe do it outdoors somewhere? BBQ afterwards with refreshments or something? We all the vote the winner of the debate and the loser foots the bar bill. :-)
Posted by: Jaded at May 8, 2009 3:58 PM
Craig - I did some investigative work on the case, and wish to present the evidence as at 8th May, 2009:-
1. Yours is the only reply by way of "comment" to Charles;and
2. I have a suspicion that I am the only one who has bothered to visit the guy's blog - but will have to investigate further to obtain additional evidence.
See below for evidence in hand to date:-
" 7th May 2009
Craig Murray has married his partner Nadira .
My warm congratulations (and I mean it).
Once the honeymoon is over, I invite Craig to think about setting up that debate at long last on Diplomacy and Ethics or something along those lines?
One venue has already been kindly offered.
But a debate on this subject having only myself there without Craig would be rather one-sided?
link to this post
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8th May 2009
Craig Murray
Thanks Charles! Replied on my blog."
Posted by: Courtenay Barnett at May 8, 2009 4:24 PM
I have also visited said blog but found it insufferably pompous in tone.
Posted by: MerkinOnParis at May 8, 2009 4:52 PM
"But a debate on this subject having only myself there without Craig would be rather one-sided?"
How about...Murray and Galloway v Crawford and Dale.
As for a venue?,George Galloway`s radio show?.
Posted by: George Dutton at May 8, 2009 6:00 PM
Which of you will be Darwin's Bulldog Huxley and which Soapy Sam Wilberforce?
Posted by: anticant at May 8, 2009 6:01 PM
Craig,
You have my contact details from my offer last weekend of a debate venue should you wish to contact me regarding the possible format and logistics of the debate.
Posted by: David W at May 8, 2009 7:15 PM
Yes, thanks David
Posted by: Craig at May 8, 2009 7:18 PM
Much as I like Galloway he doesn't play fair on his radio show. Shutting off the mike on one's opponent is not fair and doing it on the spot, partly to wrongfoot him, is particularly not cricket.
What about a monster Skype conference call? < Only Joking. >
Posted by: Póló at May 8, 2009 7:40 PM
Incidentally, and slightly off topic, one of your commenters drew attention to the difficulty of entering html, or pseudo-html, tags in comments.
I took up the cudgel and have posted the recipe here:
http://www.photopol.com/tagging_craig/tag_craig.html
<Enjoy>
Posted by: Póló at May 9, 2009 12:42 PM
For the record, Charles does have a YouTube presence, owing to his cameo role in The Love-In On Big War Island:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En2KsyuhcN0
Perhaps a stadium venue would be better this time? Or you could rope in a washed-up hack to chair the ding-dong at the Frontline Club. I'd be delighted to oblige.
Posted by: Daniel Simpson at May 10, 2009 12:35 PM
Craig,
More like Glenn Hoddle (me: great player who never quite fulfilled his potential, pity about the zany ideas) challenging Paul Gascoigne (you: great player who also fizzled out, pity about the wild tackles and excessive partying) to a 'juggle your balls' contest?
Or even two fading West End luvvies wildly swinging their handbags at each other?
The Locarno Room at the FCO would be iconic, apart from the risk of it being torn to pieces by the hordes of jaded FCO people fighting to get in. How might we allocate tickets to the public?
As you know, we have had a proposal of a 'moderated discussion' rather than a set-piece debate. That is maybe a wise idea as it allows arguments to be framed in a more cogent and systematic way.
Anyway, I think that the occasion would be instructive, so thanks for accepting.
Charles
Posted by: Charles Crawford at May 10, 2009 1:15 PM