The Russians call it Kompromat – the use by the state of sexual accusations to destroy a public figure. When I was attacked in this way by the government I worked for, Uzbek dissidents smiled at me, shook their heads and said “Kompromat“. They were used to it from the Soviet and Uzbek governments. They found it rather amusing to find that Western governments did it too.
Well, Julian Assange has been getting the bog standard Kompromat. I had imagined he would get something rather more spectacular, like being framed for murder and found hanging with an orange in his mouth. He deserves a better class of kompromat. If I am a whistleblower, then Julian is a veritable mighty pipe organ. Yet we just have the normal sex stuff, and very weak.
Bizarrely the offence for which Julian is wanted for questioning in Sweden was dropped from rape to sexual harassment, and then from sexual harassment to just harassment. The precise law in Swedish, as translated for me and other Sam Adams alumni by our colleague Major Frank Grevil, reads:
“He who lays hands on or by means of shooting from a firearm, throwing of stones, noise or in any other way harasses another person will be sentenced for harassment to fines or imprisonment for up to one year.”
So from rape to non-sexual something. Actually I rather like that law – if we had it here, I could have had Jack Straw locked up for a year.
Julian tells us that the first woman accuser and prime mover had worked in the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC and had been expelled from Cuba for anti-Cuban government activity, as well as the rather different persona of being a feminist lesbian who owns lesbian night clubs.
Scott Ritter and I are well known whistleblowers subsequently accused of sexual offences. A less well known whistleblower is James Cameron, another FCO employee. Almost simultaneous with my case, a number of the sexual allegations the FCO made against Cameron were identical even in wording to those the FCO initially threw at me.
Another fascinating point about kompromat is that being cleared of the allegations – as happens in virtually every case – doesn’t help, as the blackening of reputation has taken effect. In my own case I was formerly cleared of all allegations of both misconduct and gross misconduct, except for the Kafkaesque charge of having told defence witnesses of the existence of the allegations. The allegations were officially a state secret, even though it was the government who leaked them to the tabloids.
Yet, even to this day, the FCO has refused to acknowledge in public that I was in fact cleared of all charges. This is even true of the new government. A letter I wrote for my MP to pass to William Hague, complaining that the FCO was obscuring the fact that I was cleared on all charges, received a reply from a junior Conservative minister stating that the allegations were serious and had needed to be properly investigated – but still failing to acknowledge the result of the process. Nor has there been any official revelation of who originated these “serious allegations”.
Governments operate in the blackest of ways, especially when it comes to big war money and big oil money. I can see what they are doing to Julian Assange, I know what they did to me and others (another recent example – Brigadier Janis Karpinski was framed for shoplifting). In a very real sense, it makes little difference if they murdered David Kelly or terrified him into doing it himself. Telling the truth is hazardous in today’s Western political system.
dreoilin is an Irish exceptionalist; she’s proven to be so in the past.
I just don’t know how she can explain away the lack of reproductive rights, blasphemy laws and other forms of rule by a German former Nazi in Rome.
Hey Angry,
In a wipe-slate-clean moment of reconciliatory post near-death-experience generosity, I’m willing to forget about our past disagreements. Clark would surely approve, after all. In such a spirit, can you refer me to any official teabagger doctrine that comports with “trutherism”? In any movement, however misdirected, there will be some some least a useful direction, possible more than one. I’ve seen the odd teabagger rally apparently attended (or hijacked, more likely) by a “truther” – have you got anything more official than that?
I only ask to try to validate a point you have repeatedly made. You’ve even mistaken my refutations of this point as “tantrums” (possibly as with this post too!), but perhaps I have been mistaken, and teabaggers really do align with “truthers”. Would you be so kind as to provide the official teabaggers’ guide to the events of “9/11” that more-or-less coincide with the “truthers” version of same? I mean a proper reference, not just some silly video claiming the same.
You will not weasel on this point, I am confident. Just show the teabaggers – officially – have pretty much the same point of view as “truthers”, on those specific point.
Angry, I look forward to a new beginning. You can be trusted anew. Just please do that, and show me the Teabaggers (FreedomWorks, Fox, Beck, all the teabaggers trusted people (you know!)) genuinely do maintain “truthers” beliefs as one of their own.
But seriously though, I did have one of those near-death experiences, and we have disagreements for sure, but I’d like to abandon the personal animosity. If you’ve been on a powerful motorcycle, you’ll know what I mean.
It’s all turned into a Punch-and-Judy show, and who’s looking after the poor little babby ?
Glenn, what happened, man – re. the easy rider experience?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mbK5wmMxTI
On a not dissimilar note, Alfred, may I recommend a white bicycle…?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6KZSAAUhMs
Are you always vexed about wearing what kind of dress at a banquet?
ok, it’s not a gonk, it’s a troll. A gonk was a stuffed toy. I remember now.
Mark,
Yes, people with political minds will always interpret events politically. The Saudis became allies of the West because of T.E. Lawrence’s dirty exercise of good old-fashioned British state compromat.
But Saudi Arabia doesn’t consist only of compromatted rulers. It is the intellectual powerhouse of Islam. Turkey doesn’t just consist of Attaturkian Freemasons, it is a very active force in the renaissance of Islam after the disgracing of the UKUSIS alliance in Iraq and Afghanistan.
England isn’t only the prats we put in power, thank God. The people of justice are now telling the corrupt what the limits of their authority are. We are the ones creating destiny, while they pose painfully in front of the cameras, trying not to wince with shame at the collapse of the economic and political system which they have caused.
The reason why it is only religion that matters is because it is Allah who is in control over all things, and Allah always supports justice and obedience to His laws, for whoever and wherever, but not in our impatient time, in His time and in His omniscient power.
“The issue was WHY they weren’t invaded.”
No, the ISSUE was what Alfred originally said: “our soldiers without whom the state could not exist”. Ireland exists just fine, thank you, without anything remotely approaching the military of other nations. And now I’m done with you, Angry. My non-ignoring of you was always designed to be temporary.
————————
“there is little reason for anyone to invade Ireland, although if someone figures out how to convert peat to oil, watch out”
I said that a long way up the page, Alfred, when I referred to peak oil. Perhaps you shouldn’t have jumped on me when I said [after your “soldiers, without whom the state could not exist” remark]:
“Well, that’s debatable”.
———————–
LMAO! I’ve just seen “Larry”s intervention. He/she clearly has no idea that (having created a world record by electing one female head of state after another) Ireland’s front runner to win our next presidential election is a gay Protestant. I’ll certainly be voting for him. He’d be a great Ambassador for Ireland and he’s a human rights activist, like the last two. Yes indeed, “all is changed, changed utterly. A terrible beauty is born”.
Enjoy the day, folks, and maybe Craig will put up a new post soon. I’m off out to walk Wexford some more.
“It’s the old ape thing” – brilliant Suhayl – the only addition would be a mention of the false-flag ops used to comply with the ‘founding fathers’ rules of engagement.
anno: I cannot argue with that, we have reached the bottom of the bottom line – but you need to show me that Saudi Arabia *is* the powerhouse of intellectual Islam and not just the provider.
That time you speak of, I believe is limited, there is an absolute to forgiveness. Can we create destiny? is it not Qadar? or are we inescapably bound to our own fate.
Dreoilin, I know a really good artist (one of many, no doubt!) based in Wexford – Helen McLean, originally from Belfast. Check out her work, if you can, it’s really good:
http://www.helenmcleanart.com/index.htm
Alfred: (a) The reason why it would be up to America to overturn a Communist revolution in Venezuela would be its responsibility arising out of its capacity to do so.
(b) Where did I call Bush and Blair socialist? Bush is a right-wing Republican and Blair is a closet Conservative, whose party (New Labour) betrayed its socialist principles. Furthermore TB came out of the closet when his son got an internship with a Republican.
Glenn: (a) “Abe thinks Kristianity= Good, anything else = bad.” Apart from the spelling, I have experienced the most harm in my life from people who considered themselves to be most true (fundamentalist) Christians, indeed God’s chosen, but, whom I believe, were self-deluded. On the other hand, people in groups they have despised – liberals, Hindus, Muslims – have been good to me, and Catholics including monks and Jesuits, – have been among the finest people I have known.
But if you want to caricature me fairly, let it be “Democracy = good, everything else = bad”.
(b) “And muslims… the less said about them the better”.
I would be delighted to hear of a true Muslim democracy whose citizens are not liable to get into serious trouble for criticising the government. Please let me know if you ever hear of such a thing.
(c)”Haiti got what they pretty much deserved because of their dabbling in Voodoo”. I would prefer Haitians to sincerely repent of any involvement with occultism and attract God’s blessing and prosperity instead of disaster. Amen!
Abe, did you not you refer to the last 13 years of socialist government in Britain (i.e. Blair/Brown) slightly earlier in this thread? I can’t find the relevant post now and don’t have a find facility on this machine, it seems! Was it someone else? Sorry if it wasn’t you.
Re. the wedding-ring thing, although in the UK it is customary to wear a wedding-ring on the left hand, in various other areas – I think in continental Europe, the Middle East and South Asia (the last, except as insofar as it has been influenced by British culture) it is the opposite.
A statement, then: Hence the Masonic handshakes! Aureate justice, perhaps.
“The reason why it would be up to America to overturn a Communist revolution in Venezuela would be its responsibility arising out of its capacity to do so.”
I own a kitchen knife. Do I have responsibility to go out and stab people arising out of my capacity to do so, or is your argument missing some important steps ?
Richard Robinson: it is your argument that is missing an important step. Are you a soldier of a democracy, using that weapon under orders to kill an enemy representative of an actual or nascent dictatorship? American military might should be used by soldiers doing their duty preventing the rise of a Communist revolution.
I also want to add a rider to what I said about ‘fundamentalist’ christian views: quite similar views may be held by some people as part of a communal tradition, but in an experiential context that makes them altogether different in their import. Here I am thinking of people like Brother Andrew and Charles Colson, against whom I have nothing. I was thinking earlier specifically of people whom I believe have done me harm in the past.
Suhayl: Nothing quite as glamorous as your reference, I’m afraid. Just a taxi blatantly running a red light at a fast crossroads, we saw it at the very last moment and _hard_ application of the brakes (in the wet too) saw us miss a high speed collision by maybe 1/10th of a second. The sort of thing that makes one reflect, “Gosh, that could have been rather unpleasant!” and even prompt one to say to the driver, “My good man, would you please adhere to the rules of the road more diligently in future?”
“A soldier of a democracy” -ah, I now see the problem, Abe. You are under the impression that the US is some Smithsonian democracy, where decisions reflect the collective will of the people. You are incorrect. The US is not a democracy, it is governed by the paid employees of the world’s largest corporations. They, in turn, are run on behalf of the very richest people in the world, by high functioning sociopaths. Morality, decency, and compassion do not get a passing glance in such a system.
Anent Irish neutrality, I strongly recommend ‘That Neutral Island’ by Clare Wills. It’s an unusual and fascinating view through the lens of the arts scene of the time.
tinyurl.com/3yf6gy4
And for anyone vapouring about Labour’s ‘socialist principles’, a visit to Willie Thompson’s ‘Long Death of British Labourism’ is overdue.
tinyurl.com/3y6jmha
Oh yes, one other thing. You _do_ know that Venezuela is a democracy, and that Chavez was voted into office, right Abe? And that’s despite the US attempting a military overthrow on more than one occasion. But for some perverse reason, you think the US is entitled to do so. Hmm. What about Greece, or any other country that votes in socialists? Various districts of France have voted in a communist mayor. Perhaps they need the USAF dropping bombs on them too?
And you quote that filthy, blood-soaked murderous bastard Kissinger, and his infamous snide remark “I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go Communist due to the irresponsibility of its people.” So it’s not about democracy, it’s not about International Law. You think people deserve to die and have a form of government imposed on them, if they want a system that you (for some confused religiously-inspired reason) don’t approve of. Do you realise that war criminal Kissinger has the blood of _millions_ of people on his hands? Of course you do.
Glenn: the proof that America is indeed a true democracy consists in the right that Americans can and do exercise every 4 years to vote the administration out. The process keeps them on their toes. It is portrayed in a good example of ‘truth told through fiction’, Aaron Sorkin’s brilliant series “The West Wing” which I recommend highly. Such is its quality that ex-presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton were interviewed for the extras.
Glenn: Just read the other message about Venezuela and Kissinger. Now Communist is no tthe same as socialist. Sweden is socialist, but not a Communist dictatorship. Venezuela has not yet gone Communist and dictatorial, but it’s headed that way. If it does indeed become a Communist dictatorship, a reliable touchstone of which will be the loss of the freedom to criticise the government, then Kissinger’s saying will apply and at that point America will be justifying in changing the regime. The Communist mayors of French towns are limited to local government and do not threaten the democracy of the French republic.
PS. The reason for opposing Communism and dictatorships of every type is not confused, nor necessarily religiously inspired. It has everything to do with the quality of life for most people. Which is where planning comes in. Invasions should be planned better so that the aftermath of regime change in a Communist state would be, not like fascist Argentina, but like democratic Spain.
Correction: that should be Chile under Pinochet, not present day Argentina.
Me – “I own a kitchen knife. Do I have responsibility to go out and stab people arising out of my capacity to do so, or is your argument missing some important steps ?”
Abe – “it is your argument that is missing an important step. Are you a soldier of a democracy, using that weapon under orders to kill an enemy representative of an actual or nascent dictatorship?”
I forgot how carefully one has to phrase things here; there’s no point arguing ownership of the missing bits. How about “_the_ argument is missing some important steps” ? Which begin to fill themselves in …
To veer, as I did, from the collective to the individual risks introducing confusion given the noise-levels, but also offers some light –
As “a soldier of a democracy”, “under orders” and so on, yes, I would be under the authority of a body that gets to state my duties, enemies, etc, for me; given the obvious caveats concerning personal conscience and so on.
But you originally talked of “America”. (I think you probably meant the United States of America ?) I don’t see that entity as being in the same relationship, to an authority that gets to decide its duties for it ? What would that authority be ? The only candidate would seem to be the UN, and I have yet to see the day when the US hands control of all its military over to it.
So the problem, I think, remains; the US doesn’t, in this line of thinking, seem to be subject to the constraints that you suggest ought to prevent me from running amok, you still seem to claim its right to define its own enemies and to do anything it pleases to them. As a matter of raw poer and short-term self-interest, this is fairly indisputable. But the assertion of an “obligation” to stomp anybody who ‘represents’ a ‘nascent’ threat to its governing ideology ? I can’t see it. Looks like a Religion Thing from here.
Actually, of course, stuff like that has just about nothing to do with why I don’t. It would be to put myself into a pathological relationship with my fellow entities (ie, “wrong”) and would only lead to trouble. I suggest that this is a more important reason, and that it also applies to your “America”.
I was being flippant with my “he’s doing an Alfred” earlier, but I begin to think that this “might will have its way, the victims bring it all down on their own heads by looking crosseyed at those with the power to harm them” style does look rather similar.
“the proof that America is indeed a true democracy consists in the right that Americans can and do exercise every 4 years to vote the administration out”
A right negated by
(a) the inability of the American election officials to count the vote in a clear, transparent and trustworthy manner.
(b) the financial dependence of both parties on the same monied interests.
(c) the absence of a free press.
(d) an abysmal educational system that confuses multiple choice tests with higher learning.
Richard, when you say
“I was being flippant with my “he’s doing an Alfred” earlier, but I begin to think that this “might will have its way, the victims bring it all down on their own heads by looking crosseyed at those with the power to harm them” style does look rather similar.”
you are mainly incoherent, but in so much as you are coherent you are idiotic.
If for some reason you feel it necessary to draw a parallel between what I have said on any topic and Abe Rene’s egregious PR for the US world empire you might have the integrity to provide some actual evidence — you know, quotes. Reliance on your own muddled memory is clearly futile.
Alfred: The grounds you state are all false. The election in the USA are, by the standards not only of planet earth but by democracies in general, conducted pretty well, especially for a country that size; no-one is offered money to vote for a political party; the press in America is under no censorship such as exists in dictatorships, and guess where all the world’s elite who want the best send their children to university? It’s not Caracas!
The “egregious” means conspicuously bad. In fact it is your accusation that has this character. For America is neither a monarchy, not an empire. My defense is that of democracy, not of any particular system. An uncritical supporter of America would not say, as I do, that they need a basic system of state health care. As I wrote to an American many years ago, they need to mix some socialism into their capitalism.
“If for some reason you feel it necessary to draw a parallel between what I have said on any topic and Abe Rene’s egregious PR for the US world empire you might have the integrity to provide some actual evidence”.
I showed the similarity I think I see. That’s all the ‘evidence’ I have for thinking I see one. What more could there be ?
PS. Speaking of socialism I just remembered a program last night on BBC Radio 4 about Swedish socialism.they pay high taxes for a generous welfare state. They have a large number of volunteer workers, but they expect the state to do heavy duty stuff like clearing away snow and are not willing to volunteer for things like that. The Swedish interviewee said that this could be the problem with the ConLib plan to leave it to voluntary agencies to take over some things. But on te other hand it is difficult for Britain to emulate Sweden, because high income taxes would be most unpopular. Even politicians can’t actually give people something for nothing.
Re: Gonks
“But then, perhaps there are a variety of meanings, as I see now from doing a search on it; the commonest usages seem other than the one you suggest….”
Suhayl this is not relevant. There are many meanings of the world “nigger.” For example, in Devon in 1950’s, “nigger” was used in reference to a particular shade of brown. A pullover, for example, might be described as “nigger” or “nigger brown.” In that usage, there was no implication of a racial slur: “nigger” was a color, and nothing else. This reflected the fact that at that time there were few if any colored people living in Devon, which meant that the racial connotation of the word “nigger” had no resonance.
Today, “nigger” is generally understood as a racial pejorative and cannot, therefore, be used in any context without an implication of racism.
The same is true of “gonk.” We know from Ano’s own words that “gonk” is a racial pejorative, implying brutality and stupidity of western people. Such usage makes use of the term in any other claimed sense unacceptable.