1903 Hamlet, MP's Expenses and Sport

I begin with the Opera Hamlet, and then the sporting events of Sunday and other TV viewing, then give an update on the opening of the County Cricket season with Durham playing a relatively unknown MCC side in Abu Dhabi where the use of a pink ball is being tested in this day night match, having also listened to the announcement of how expenses are to be controlled in the next Parliament.

For some reason I assumed that Hamlet is a modern opera similar to work such as Peter Grimes and Salome. It was quickly evident that this was music in the grand opera style and at the interval I learnt that the previous performance in New York had been a century ago. It was not until using the Internet did I discover that the work was created nearly 150 years ago by the French composer Ambroise Thomas, with a libretto by Michel Carre and Jules Barber based on a French adaptation of Shakespeare’s play by Alexandre Dumas.

The Opera is long, three hours, with five acts and one interval of half an hour between acts two and three. My first reaction was of excitement as about 100 chorus lined up as the court of Queen Gertrude of Denmark being crowned again as the new wife of Claudius, the new King following the death of his brother and with Hamlet noticeably absent. The King and Queen leave to prepare for the wedding banquet and Hamlet and Orphelie sings a love duet and then her brother Laerte entrusts the care of his sister to Hamlet while he is away in Norway. They go to the banquet but he declines. His friends Horatio and Marcellus tell soldiers they have seen the ghost of dead King and they look for Hamlet to recount their experience direct.

Hamlet is advised of the appearance of his father on the ramparts who then appears to Hamlet and tells his son he was poisoned by his brother. He seeks vengeance but asks that his widow be spared. Hamlet swears to carry out his father’s wishes.

My initial excitement that this was not a modern opera but one in grand style with the kind of powerful chorus expected from the Met and its full orchestra. However at the opera developed I was reminded of my reaction to Simon Boccanegra which had all the trappings of grand opera including some sumptuous sets but lacked the Wow factor. I have decided that for me there has to be power and moving solos and interactions which engage as in other forms of theatre and in through film. This is a powerful work and the introductions to each act merit at much attention as the singing. For me I have to admit there was something lacking.

The major difference between the Shakespeare play and the Opera is the role allocated to Orphelie. In the second Act she expresses concern at the sudden indifference of Hamlet towards her and his mother presses the young woman be patient and not leave the court. The mother believes she can help although she and her husband subsequently conclude that Hamlet has become disturbed and not himself. Hamlet engages some players to perform a creation of his devising in which the King in murdered by poisoning so the brother can gain the crown. The play has the desired effect with the King angry, especially when Hamlet takes the Crown from him Before the assembled court..

The Third Act commences with Hamlet musing, to be or not to be, and catches the King seeking death from remorse about what he has done, believing he will be condemned to hell. Hamlet is shocked to find that his father’s adviser, who is also Orphelie’s father, was in on the plot and this further affects Hamlet’s attitude towards his betrothed. He tells Orphelie to get herself to the nunnery and accuses his mother of the crime. As she cannot set the ghost she believes her son has become mad and he honouring what his father has said does not attempt to harm her.

The fourth act is devoted to Orphelie’s growing disturbance before she kills herself. In the last act, which commences with the two grave diggers Hamlet is confronted by the brother of Orphelie when unaware she has killed herself. When he realises what has happened he blames the King and the girl’s father rather than himself and kills the King, then dying from his wounds after fighting with Laerte.

Simon Keenlyside is a very intense and introspective actor appropriate for the part but lacks the ability to engage the audience and gain their sympathy for his predicament. He behaves outrageously towards Orphelie only he is responsible for her death and is just as bad a person, as the man who murdered his father. Marlis Petersen who plays Orphelie was only advised she was taking the role, and not as understudy a couple of days before the performance and she continued to complete her then current production until two days before opening, coached about the role at a distance and limited opportunity to get to know the other principles, to rehearse with them and to find her way around the Opera House. She was impressive as is James Morris as Claudius.

I was impressed but did not come away with a memorable experience alongside those of Butterfly, Carmen, Aida, Il Travatore and La Traviata, or the Met Productions of La Boheme and Pagliacci seen and heard on the Met Player. There was a club like atmosphere with the auditorium with people talking to each other. There was a discussion about Cineworld disappointment and the recent commencement of showings from Convent Garden and Glynebourne. I advised about the Odeon development and someone mentioned that the full list of showings for next season ahd been announced with 11 productions and these were mentioned during the interval. The Film Theatre has also confirmed taking a contract. The new season opens with Wagner’s Das Rheingold October 9th and I shall also look forward to Verdi’s Don Carlo in December Il Travatore in April with Delora Zikick a year in April and Wagner’s Die Walkure in May. I have an open mind about Placido Domingo in Gluck’s Iphigenie en Tauride which I will want to find out more and also Puccini’s La Fancuilla Del West. I must sort out what is happening at Cineworld and Odeon’s over the rest of this year.

Today the chairman and interim chief executive of the new independent unit for the payment of MP salaries and their expenses announced their decisions, laid before Parliament with immediate effect for the new Parliament. The only media criticism appeared to be the decision to allow one connected person, not just relatives, to be employed and paid for from public funds. The approach seemed to be reasonable and the individual and combined other changes likely to discourage some good people from seeking election as well as discouraging those who had previously exploited the system. The big change is that there is no payment of allowances, only payment of expenses following submission of receipts. Everything will then be published on line with immediate effect. The new body will nor authorise new leaving Parliament resettlement grants which will have be sorted along with pay and pensions and for which the new body is responsible for setting. There also remains the issue of a compliance office which at the moment the Commons appears to be against because it would remove the present role of their present committee to a significant extent.

The main sporting event on Saturday and Sunday was the second Formula 1 race in Australia and what I saw it proved a much better race than the first although the main issue was when to pit to change from the practice tyres.

It was the decision of Jenson Button, who had started 4th , to pit when he did, and change to dry weather slick tyres despite the threat of rain which made his car faster than competitors and when Vettel for the second race in succession had to retire from his pole and leading position this let Jenson into the lead which he then did not look likely to lose. His team mate and former World Champion did not do as well and appeared put out by the success of his newly appointed team mate. He had started only in 11th and moved through the field well but when challenging Alonso for fourth he was involved with a collision with Red Bull Mark Webber and finished 6th. He blamed the team tactics. After two races Button is third and Hamilton fourth in the diver’s championship. Their team are now second in the constructors championship with Ferrari already showing the way with their two cars occupying the first two places in the race.

I enjoyed Lark Rise to Candleford more this Sunday than last where Laura had become preoccupied with the competing intentions of her former beau who has returned to the area, and her educated reporter fiancée. This week the future of teh post office was under threat but the community rallied around and the post mistress used her knowledge and connection to thwart the threat.

I have decided that there are three good performers and one outstanding in America has got talent this year, the outstanding is Crystal Bowersox who reminds strongly of Janice Joplin. She is a single mother and has a twin brother via her father who has been seen on camera but not in the audience so there is something of a backstory yet to be disclosed.

The greater part of Monday was spent listening to BBC Radio Wear’s commentary from Abu Dhabi where they were meeting an MCC team in a four day championship style event with teh twist of a afternoon and evening game under floodlights using the new pink ball considered better to see and better wearing that the white. The pitch was described as flat and the heat intense so whoever won the toss would have the chance of batting long and wearing out the fielding team. Durham won this important toss and ended the day 329 for three wickets with the magnificent Di Venuto starting when he left off last season and making 131 before being stumped. Coetzer who knows he will have to fight to keep his place in championship games was cautious but ended the day not out 123. Blenkenstein had looked promising bowled when 41 and Ian Blackwell started well with 13 when the day ended.

There were several ways to tune into commentary via the BBC sports, the ESPN Cricket information site and the Durham Club who also have a live comment chat line in operation for the first time. There were also long and interesting chats during the day with the Chairman of MCC, the Chairman of Durham, Geoff Boycott and Durham bowlers Mathew Claydon and Steve Harmison. It was disclosed that Abe Morkel the South African is to return for the 20 20 and hopefully redeem his first involvement two years ago. New Zealand big hitting batsman is likely to be the second overseas player but this has not been confirmed.

Sunderland, as expected failed miserably at Anfield where they have not scored a goal in the Premiership and usually lose. The result was 3.0 to home side. The gap between Sunderland and the third relegation spot is only 8 points with Hull having a game in hand so two losses and two wins to Hull could see the positions reversed. Newcastle tonight appeared determined to move towards guaranteeing their Premiership status next season before the end of Easter. Notts Forest in third place battle hard but their poor away form continued although they remain in third position. Notts Forest have to win all their remaining six games to finish with 88 points. Two wins from Newcastle’s remaining seven games and Notts Forest cannot catch them. Cardiff would have to win all seven games and Newcastle lose all their to end the season with the same number of points, but given even if this happened Newcastle would have lose their goal difference advantage of 29 to be forced into the playoffs. In fact the next home game on Easter Monday could see Newcastle’s return to the premiership, although if they win away on Saturday and Notts Forest lose, also away, they would become certainties with 86 points achieved and Forest only a possible 85. Monday’s game is also being televised.

1895 A sporting weekend and the Pentagon Papers

The first big sporting weekend of the year proved to be disappointing, although I suspect my reaction is not justified by the events themselves. The unexpected event of the weekend was the film, the Pentagon Papers

Friday saw the start of the third Indian premier League competition in which eight teams play in each other in 20 20 games several times before large and noisy crowds, made up of domestic and International players who are not required for their country or who are retired from international competition. I have seen two matches, the opener and one on Saturday with games being shown on ITV 4 and live on the Internet every morning and afternoon for the greater part of a month. Among the stars on show are Ravi Bopara, the Essex Cricketer who did well for the Kings XI from the Punjab and with OA Shah who plays for Middlesex and for the Kolkata Knight Riders in this competition along with the Sri Lankan Angelo Matthews. Other well known players are Abe Morkel from South Africa, Matthew Haydon former Australian test cricket with Mike Hussey who all play with the Chennai Super Kings and with Andree Symonds dismissed from the Australia Nation team playing for the Deccan Charges. The Bangalore Royal Charges who play their first match on Sunday morning have Kumble, India’s best bowler and Rahul Dravid, the starring batsman along with South Africa Van der Merwe.

These games are in competition with England’s tour of Bangladesh where the first test is being shown from 3.30 in the morning although an early rising means one can catch the end of the afternoon session followed by the whole of the evening. Amazingly having won the toss on a good and high scoring wicket, Bangladesh asked England to bat first. England sized the opportunity and with some poor fielding decided to declare at 599 for the loss of six wickets in the afternoon of the second day. In his first game as Captain Alistair Cooke made 173 and Durham’s Paul Collingwood 145, Kevin Pietersen was one short of his century and Ian Bell 84.

After the first three Bangladesh wickets fell for 54 there was a partnership approaching 100 runs and another of over 100 runs for the 7th. The home side were all dismissed for 296 runs over 100 short of requiring England to bat again. However much to everyone’s surprise Cook decide not to enforce the follow on and by the end of day three, all five openers were back in the pavilion for 131 runs albeit over 400 runs ahead, a total which Bangladesh have no hope of achieving even if they dismiss the remaining wickets cheaply. One reason for the decision to bat again is the knowledge that on this wicket while a high first innings score is common there is a marked deterioration with the third and a further deterioration with the fourth. More likely the captain was under instructions to ensure that the visiting Brits on their expensive packages have their monies worth. The stadium appeared to be empty with only a small gathering of local supporters, in contrast with the full stadiums for the Indian premier league.

England started the fourth day intent on more batting practice and over 500 runs ahead they declared in mid over with the loss of Swann bringing to an end a partnership of 64 runs, suggesting they would have continued on had the wicket not fallen. After another poor start losing two wickets for 45 there was something of a rally as the total doubled before there was further calamity as the afternoon session drew to its close with the loss of three wickets within 11 runs and at 110 for 5 it looked as the game would be over before the close of stumps. However there was a resolute and defiant stand by Siddique who made 106 and Rahim 95, putting on 167 runs fort he sixth wicket and taking the match not just to the fifth morning but into the afternoon session. Eventually it was Swann, he first British spin bowler to take five wickets in each innings of a Test match on the sub continent who ended the innings with Bangladesh reaching a creditable second innings total of 331 runs. England therefore won the first Test by 181.

It is only a month before the start of the domestic championship with two back to back home games at the Riverside. On Saturday I decided to use an Amazon Christmas present voucher to order this year’s Wisden’s and Playfair cricket annuals. The Wisden is a luxury but justified because it will chronicle Durham’s overwhelming win in the championship. I look forward to the new season without expectation that it will mirror the last. I have arranged trips to watch Durham at Headingley, Nottingham and Lancashire and may also go to Chelmsford in September for the game against Essex. Durham’s game against newcomers Kent is to be shown on Sky as may the last gamer, which is against Somerset, if the championship is still an option. I plan to attend to all nine home games as well as the majority of the new one day 40 over competition. I am increasingly unlikely to take out the eight game 20 20 match subscription despite the considerable discount with one match on TV and a conflict of interest with another Carmen on relay at Bolden.

I also looked forward in anticipation to the new Formula one season which will continue every two weeks with a couple of breaks until November. The most interesting aspect was the decision of current world champion Jensen Button to join the previous Champion Lewis Hamilton as part of an all British team. Both will want to win the championship for a second a time or be the highest placed driver. How will this work in practice? The second issue is the return of the greatest driver of all time Michael Shumacher after an absence of three years. He never likes to loose and yet aged 41 how will be fare and cope if he does not regain his position at the top. The third is the position oft he Ferrari team usually front runners but who had a poor season by their standards in 2009. This time they had twice former champion Fernando Alonso with Filipe Massa recovered from his horrendous accident last year. The number of teams has increased this year with 24 driver representing the teams and including the son of Ayrton Senna, Bruno.

The race rules have been hanged with first the cars having to be fuelled for the whole race. The consequences of this is that speeds are slower than before in previous years and with cars increased in length to accommodate the great fuel there is additional strain which means that mechanical failure is the most likely cause of changes tot he initial race order. The car will have to make at least one return to pits for a change in tyre as both types of tyre have been used in dry weather and the possibility of a third stop if wet. The cars have to start the race with the tyres used for the practice sessions which govern the order on the starting grid.

There is also a change to scoring system with the first ten receiving points instead of seven and a change in number of points with the race winner getting 25 instead of 10 and, 18 for second instead of 7 and 15 for third instead of 4 and 4th place getting 12 and 5th 10. The circuit for the first had also been increased in length with a new extension within the original creating eight additional bends which slowed this part of the race to an extent which the drivers expressed misgivings.

So what happened? First in practice all their main drivers reached the top ten final practice session with Sebastian Vettel taking first position, a position which he held until the latter stages when a problem with his exhaust meant a loss of power and the inability to stop the two Ferrari drivers and Lewis Hamilton overtaking. Ferraries were first and second with Lewis third and Jensen seventh so Ferrai took a commanding lead in the constructors championship with 43 and McClaren Mercedes second 1with 18 closely followed by Mercedes GP and Red Bull.

Michael Schmacher gave an accurate assessment that the new rules result in a return to a procession after the first lap with overtaking only possible because of mechanical problems. The trace organisers argue that a cautious response was adopted by the teams who wanted to see how each other performed in the substantially new situation. The BBC provided a brilliant introductory programme this morning and I enjoyed the two hour programme incorporating the practice session more than the actual race. The winner of the first race has won the driver’s championship in each of the last four years!

On Saturday I caught the final moments of England’s good draw with Scotland at Murrayfield, the first for two decades. The game was surprising with Scotland the weakest of the six nations this season putting up a strong fight had dominating England for good parts of the game, going into the interval 9 points to 6 at the interval. Both teams had opportunity to win the game in the last moments and one suspects that the early injury of Johnny Wilkinson made the difference when it came to snatching a drop goal win and the match ended. France with 4 out of 4 wins now look as if they will take the title unless England can stop them in Paris next weekend. Ireland would then take the title as the likely winners against Scotland who never the less will be expected to want to try and avoid the wooden spoon.

I also looked forward to the televising of Sunderland’s home game with Man City. Two weeks ago I enjoyed the way Man City beat Chelsea at home and rejoiced that Sunderland had their first win for months last weekend. I anticipated that Sunderland would give Man City a good game as a consequence but Man City was the likely winner. When Sunderland scored early on from an excellent cross and leaping header from Kenwyn Jones it looked as if the critics including myself would be dumbfounded, especially as Man City failed to respond and Sunderland made up for their lack of world class skills with constant endeavour. The second half was very different with Sunderland continually overwhelmed as Man City demonstrated that they are serious top four spot contenders. However they could not score and as the match ended it looked as if once Sunderland would not lose two valuable points in the last seconds, something they have done four times previously this season. It took a former Sunderland, and Durham man. Andy Johnson, who Sunderland have tried hard to sign, to score a brilliant goal, looping over the heads of everyone into the top corner furthest away from the goalkeeper, who otherwise made four or five outstanding saves. Everyone agreed the result was fair and Sunderland had gained a valuable point keeping them out of the immediate relegation struggle, but they still need two wins from the remaining games to avoid a repeat of last seasons last game decider.

Earlier in the day Wayne Rooney continued to show that he is at present the best striker in the world with another two as Manchester United demolished a good Fulham performance and who had the opportunity to level the scores at one apiece at one moment. There us much talk, generated by the Manager that Rooney could eclipse the 42 goals scored by Renaldo last season now that he has reached 32 scoring at least one goal a game in the last 20. Wayne said he was snot interested, only playing the game he loved and playing his part for the tam. As has been said if after such a game Wayne spotted a kick about on his way home, he is likely to join in such is his enthusiasm and commitment. The only concern is that he keeps fits for the world cup. David Beckham’s Dreams came to an end with an injury in his latest game, although several commentators have been suggesting he might not make the cut of the final score of players to make the final squad.

The event of the weekend was not sport however, but a showing oft he film the Pentagon Papers which is an accurate biopic of Daniel Ellsberg, the man responsible for bringing into the public domain the truth story of USA involvement in Vietnam and the early assessment that it was a war that could not be won. The only reason why over 50000 American lives were lost an estimated two million Vietnamese casualties was the unacceptability of a withdrawal to the governing political parties.

Although I opposed the USA intervention I was also opposed to the violence which the opposition brought to the streets of London although knowing he way the USA and British intelligence and police can work at times, how far this was provoked by the demonstrators and how far by agents provocateurs, including those from the far left and anarchist groups is unlikely to be known. The Television series, Tour of Duty, which is having another run on the FX channel, chronicles the reality of the war from the perspective of a USA platoon, some of the worst features as well as the heroic and the impact of the return home.

Daniel Ellsberg commenced life not just as a conventional American citizen but a fundamental patriot, military and government servant of the highest calibre. Everything went well until his 15th year when his mother and sister died after his father went asleep at the wheel. It is said, according Wikipedia, that this created in him concern that people could make mistakes, not because they were bad but because they could be inattentive. I would put this differently. First there are people who are incapable from and because of their childhood of separate right from wrong in terms of the need for personal gratification and without any regard for the consequences of their action and behaviour on anyone else. Prison, punishment, psychiatry and social work will have no effect, only containment or someone living with the individual and ensuring that they make better choices. This point was brought home to me in my third year as a qualified child care officer, by the psychiatrist husband of the Children’s Officer who in his own time and expense one evening accompanied me on a home visit at the other end of Oxfordshire to where he lived to assess the domestic situation and prospects for a young man appearing at the assizes for an offence likely to get him sent to a young offender’s penal institution. The young man failed to keep the appointment and in apologizing to the psychiatrist he said he was impressed because the indication were the boy and the family knew I could not be manipulated. He still thought I should recommend the making of a care order as a means of putting off the young man’s entry into the prison system where he would quickly learn how to become a better criminal. I followed the advice as it was established departmental policy against my better instincts and was duly ridiculed by the judge for my conclusion which appeared at odds with the rest of the home circumstances report.

However for the majority of those who enter the prison system and become members of the underclass, usually for life, and for the majority who make a mess of their lives in other ways, the problem is not an inherent badness, or inattention but the nature of every day living whether in paid occupational work or relationships. Most adults find being an adult overwhelming, and young people today find the situation even more difficult because of media attention given to the lives of the minority with wealth, power and some from of media activity or interest. This is why when adult go out of their way to harm children and young people their crime is so great because of its devastating, and often lasting impact, whether they realise what they are doing or not. What is also inexcusable is when those who have the knowledge and the power and who can act differently put the lives and wealthy of others in immediate danger. This is the crime of those politicians and administrators who knew the truth of the Vietnam war and chose to do nothing. They were the traitors to their country, guilty of treason and genocide.

The immediate effect of the death of his mother and sister was that Daniel stopped playing the piano, something which his father believed could become his career. His drive for personal achievement took a different direction as he worked his way to Harvard and achieve a PhD working out a paradox in decision theory which still bears his name. The year was 1962 and I was in my second year at Ruskin about to switch from politics and economics to public and social administration which included psychology and criminology. Ellensburg then joined the Marines as an officer topping his class year of some 1100 lieutenants. After his national service he joined the RAND corporation.

The RAND Corporation is one oft he most important and powerful organisations in the World, with some 30 Noble Prize winners among its associates over the past sixty years. It recruits the best creative brains in the USA and from around the world, some 1600 individual at any one time located mainly in the USA but also Cambridge, England, Brussels, Belgium and the Qatar Institute at Doha. In 1964 Ellsberg was seconded by RAND to the Pentagon and briefed Senator of Defence, Robert McNamara the Gulf of Tonkin incident. He also advised General Lansdale for two years in Vietnam Although he returned to work directly for RAND in 1967 he was asked to participate in an in-depth review of all available classified documents regarding the conduct of the war, completed in 1968 and where he was one of the few individuals with access to the completed work, There a lack of published information on the extent of the documentation but the analysis according to the film was contained in 43 volume, some 4000 pages with 7000 to 10000 pages mentioned during the film as I presume the total of analysis and documentation. During the time that he worked on the papers in was in a relationship with someone who according to film believed the war was wrong while Daniel wanted to ensure that the war was won. According to the film he then married and had two children, but separated and was divorced following his decision to try and bring the papers tot he attention of the public, returning to a relationship with his former girlfriend who assisted him in what became a crusade. The study covered the period 1945 to 1967 and the leak with excerpts published in the New York Times in 1971. From his study of the classified documents and the combined work of those involved in study, Ellsberg is said to have reached three conclusions. The first is was that it was unlikely the USA could win the war despite its military power. The second was that the loss of life would be significantly more than was being revealed and thirdly and something which is said to have affected him greatly, there was cynical disregard for the loss of life and personal injury among high ranking officials. As I write this I am mindful of the work being undertaken by Sir John Chilcott and his team into the conduct of the Iraq War.

The first response to the study of the complete investigations was to try and get Senators to reveal the information. This included William Fulbright chair of the Foreign relations Committee and George McGovern. On the basis that they would not be prosecuted for what was said on the record on the Senate Floor. They declined. Ellsberg has stated that he was moved into taking action, and placing himself in the firing line after witnessing a young man announce that he had decided to refuse the draft, going to prison and all that would follow. In the and in writing Ellsberg admits that he was moved to tears by the courage and determination of the young man especially his appreciation of the effect his action was likely to have over the rest of his life.

I have spoken before of my own action and prison experience but this issue of the implications of such action needs to be underlined. In my instance I have been able to judge over time that the experience added rather than subtracted from the life I have led. However it could have and did have overall adverse consequences for many others, and it also left marks which I could have well done without. It made me insist that those with whom I subsequently had contact always understood something fit he implications of any action which I asked them to undertake, especial when I became a manager. However it is always impossible to communicate what an experience will be like until it is experienced, bringing to it that inherited background unique to each individual. According to the film Ellsberg had spent months photography copies the report held in security at RAND HQ. He then made it available to a journalist previously encountered on the New York Times. On June 13th 1971 the Times published nine excerpts and a commentary. He also released documents to the Washington Post and 17 other newspapers Nixon aides who were to become familiar after the Watergate scandal obtained an injunction preventing further publication which was considered by the Supreme Court and which on June 30th free the Tomes to continue publication. Ellsberg went into hiding anticipating that although the newspapers did not reveal their source it would be assumed he was responsible. On June 29th 1971 Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska entered 4100 pages of the report into the record of his Sub Committee made available via Ellsberg and the Editor of the Washington Post. These portions of the papers were subsequently published by the Beacon Press.

There is a Nixon Oval office Tape in which Haldeman explained to the President the damage to the office of Presidential authority which the release of the papers. It was also the infamous quartet of Krogh, Young, Gordon Liddy and Howard Hunt who initiated the break in steal the medical records of Ellesberg as well as those in Watergate. Ellsberg had been seeing a psychiatrist. The “plumber” special project one failed and Ehrlichman decided not to approve a burglary into the Ellsberg home, but the original break in was to prove one of the factors which ended the attempt by the administration to destroy Ellsberg. He had been charged with espionage, conspiracy and theft which had a total penalty of 115 years in jail. When the judge William Matthew Byrne Jr also became aware of an illegal telephone tapping he decided to the announce a mistrial. Her had to admit that he had two meetings with Ehrlichman who offered him a Directorship of the FBI to return a guilty verdict. It was these disclosures which led Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Kleindienst and John Dean out of office before their Watergate involvement also led to their prosecution. There was also a plot to use 12 Cubans to “incapacitate Ellsberg although whether this meant just hospitalization to assassination was not clear.

Perhaps just as great a contribution to our understanding of how government’s operate, even in democracies, was the statement by Ellsberg that having studied thousands of pages of classified documents and then comparing with what was said in public, the heads of state, their spokespeople and their officers lie everyday and that in reality top politicians rarely say the whole truth. This I think is inevitable given the nature of public opinion, however the difference must be between those who behave in this way because they genuinely believe it is in the national, the public best interest, and those who do so for political or personal reasons. It is also understandable that once caught up in the day to day realities of office and all its trappings that the difference between the two situations becomes blurred.

Mr Ellsberg had continued to be an important figure in the USA alerting to teh ways of government, pressing the Bush Administration to reveal the truth of the involvement in Iraq and also arguing that the there was a government momentum for an intervention in Iran.

This is where I part company with him. There can be no absolute position. As recently stated I agree with Gordon Brown’s evidence to the Iraq Inquiry that a new world order is required with the ability to intervene when states fail or threaten the stability and safety of everyone else, and government’s have an inherent duty to protect the interests of all their people. However it is also important that there are individuals such as Ellsberg prepared to question, challenge and at times cross the line, as long as they are also prepared to face the consequences of their actions.

As is often the case my understanding is that the film has given a misleading impression of his private life in that he remained married for long after the time suggested in the film although he subsequently remarried someone who he knew before he met his first wife. He has written several books on his experience and contributed to the work of others. In addition to the film, The Pentagon Papers there has been one important documentary-The Most Dangerous Man in America. This year at the Academy awards, the documentary won an Oscar for best documentary. He is certainly remains an important man of my time.