Cameron’s favourite dictatorship, Bahrain, has jailed human rights activist Nabeel Rajab for three months for tweeting that pro-regime demonstrators were being paid. Total silence from western governments. Meanwhile two pro-democracy demonstrators have been shot dead in Saudi Arabia. More total silence from western governments. At the same time, those governments want us to believe that the massive arms shipments being sent by Saudi Arabia to promote a Syrian civil war are in support of democracy. Even the mianstream media appear to have worked out there is a problem with this narrative.
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Uzbek in the UK, I’m sorry, I missed your earlier comment. I continue to be opposed to Karimov, and I shall remain so.
Since Usmanov is mentioned in this thread, has anyone checked his Wikipedia page recently? Last time I looked, it was obvious that someone had been sanitising it. I managed to get a “neutrality of this article is disputed” tag applied to the page, but beyond that I ran out of time and energy.
Nevermind
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Well, it is not easy to recruit people to do the job that in sense is impossible or undoable. Not at least until Uzbekistan changes its location or at least until nature takes the old man to where he belongs. Impossibility is dictated by being squeezed between Russia, China, Afghanistan and having vested western interests in the region and by the fact that karimov plays sides against each other masterly when his survival is on the table. If only Saddame, Muborak, Gaddafi had similar circumstances, who knows what would have happened.
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I doubt anyone would really want to get nasty, well paid lawyers from Shillings (that once managed to bring down this blog) on their back. And if someone is brave enough to speak against “Uzbek” (Usmanov’s nickname in Russia’s quasi criminal circles) one could post information from this web site
http://rumafia.com/person.php?id=88
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Unfortunately, or following “no news good news” logic, fortunately have heard nothing about Malyshev’s. The only thing that calms me is that it is very rare when non Uzbeks and to be more precise non Muslims are charged with crimes against constitution. And also considering the fact that Malyshev’s are over 50 years old, one (and me certainly) would hope that authorities had very “convincing” discussion with Malyshev’s , “asked” them to sign few documents (that will put them onto the black list) and let them go.
Uzbek, I’m sure there are very few on this site not opposed to Karimov’s regime. What I found disturbing was the horror of the photographs in the video at the end of the article. I read ‘Murder in Samarkand’ and horrific though the descriptions of what the Uzbeki dictator is capable of are, they do not prepare you for the evidence. It is also important because in that short video by Michael Andersen Craig, as former ambassador, is interviewed. So apologies for those who have read the article and seen the video, I post again. Feel free to distribute it in order to rouse awareness from a sleeping public of what can be expected in Karimov’s dictatorship, and of Norway’s complicity in the general sucking up to a despicable family.
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http://uncut.indexoncensorship.org/2012/07/uzbekistan-norway-jail-torture/
O/T – a disgusting new report about Guantanamo:
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‘EXCLUSIVE: Department of Defense Declassifies Report on Alleged Drugging of Detainees’
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http://truth-out.org/news/item/10248-exclusive-department-of-defense-declassifies-report-on-alleged-drugging-of-detainees
Passerby
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Despite agreeing with most you said in your last posting, it seems that yet again you put too much (and often contradicting) in one long and yet informative posting.
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My first pick would be on your comparison between US and USSR. Although it seems that there are too many common things, at the same time there are quite a few obvious differences. Legitimacy of power in the USSR was extremely limited due to One Ruling Party law that was embedded in all (in my memory 4) soviet constitutions. USSR had no freedom of media and no freedom of expression at all, there was NO space or place where those who are questioning the authority of ONE ruling party were able to even voice their concerns. Ideologically soviet system was not only different but actually opposite to what US ideology was at that time (and to what it is at present time). Soviet economy was again not only different but was opposite to what capitalist economy was/is. Soviet economy had 100% employment rate (although in most cases jobs were artificial and not economically productive) and soviet citizens had better social guarantees than most of US citizens. And final point is that ONLY when things in the last sentence (employment and social guarantees) had shaken ONLY then soviet system collapsed.
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Despite yours and many others criticism of capitalism I still think that it is much better than socialism. There is a law (social or even natural) that dictates that human to contributes most (to either work or otherwise) when level of benefits are connected to the contribution. One cannot be expected to contribute more than the other when both are getting the same benefits from their contribution. This is what at large brought down soviet system. Every society is diverse comprised of different people with different talents and only by appropriately measuring their talents, and what is even more important by rewarding them per contribution of their talents to the benefits of society, we can built successful society.
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Where I agree with you is that an income of a footballer cannot be 10000 times higher than an income of a supermarket staff or that an income of an investment banker cannot be 1000 times higher than an income of a teacher. When this keeps happening, this indicates inflated income which itself is a sign of poor economic management.
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And yes, economy needs to be managed. Adam Smith was theoretically right and practically wrong. Just like old chap Marx was.
Nuid, and that’s just what they declassified. Military personnel are themselves desensitised to the mistreatment of the ‘enemy’. I hope Rumsfeld is brought before an international court for his involvement. These so-called ‘medical’ people are sick, Josef Mengele being one of the worst examples of the sickness. They need to re-read the Hippocratic oath.
Uzbek in the UK, I suggest a balance between “capitalism” and “socialism”. I’d say that competition and altruism are both important human attributes, that both have contributed to the success of humanity as a species. The competitive urges are expressed by societies as “capitalism”, and altruistic urges as “socialism”. What would be best would be for each side to respect and value the other, instead of the silly ideological battle that we generally witness.
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Still, this argument is of little relevance at present. As Tom Welsh pointed out on the previous thread, the modern Conservative party has as little in common with old-fashioned small-c conservatism as New Labour has with socialism. Both have sold their souls to corporatism.
Uzbek in the UK, if either side “wins”, the entire edifice crumbles. The USSR fell in the ’80s. The US is currently destroying itself by impoverishing its workforce, outsourcing labour to cheaper countries, and abandoning free speech and rationality in its education system. So if capitalism really was better than socialism, it was only thirty years-worth better, little more than an eye-blink in the lifetimes of empires.
John Goss
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Another piece of criticism coming from me.
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A year ago I provided a web link to the source below.
http://www.fergananews.com/article.php?id=7157
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The person on that video claimed to be a former criminal convict who was regularly employed by SNB (uzbek security services) in order to assassinate enemies of the state. He also claimed that there were number of such criminals who formed special assassins group and who were let out of prison for day or two in order to accomplish the task. His detailed description of ways of how people were assassinated and how he and his fellows disposed of bodies is shocking.
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In addition to it he also claimed that he was not only let out of prison to accomplish the tasks but was also very often employed in prison in order to torture political convicts (mostly Muslims). His detailed explanation of different methods of torture are also shocking.
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After this material appeared some suggested that this was all set up in the war between inter-security apparatus between SNB and MVD (ministry of internal security, police supervisory ministry). But interestingly that after this material was made public some people commented that they have shared a prison cell with the person on the video and partly confirmed his statements.
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It is also not surprising that after this material was made public the person on the video had disappeared. Nobody have heard of him ever since this interview.
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I strongly suggest you to access this web link and watch the videos. The only downside for most of reader on this blog would be that the interview is in Russian and you will need a Russian speaking translator. But you will be shocked by chilling facts and will look at karimov regime slightly differently.
“Russia sends warships to Syria, U.S. sees no cause for concern”
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http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/10/225649.html
Guest
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I did not even know that Russia had active worships left.
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Well, at least when Karimov slaughtered 800-1000 people in Andijan Russia did not need to send worships to kick out US military from K-2. It then took US 6 years and number of high profile visitors along with number of concessions made to karimov to win his heart back.
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Probably it would be wiser for Russia to ask karimov to replace Assad for few months in order to show US and their allies yet again how real business is done.
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Interestingly that at times of political crisis at home Putin and co are trying to shift public attention to foreign policy and awake a notion of patriotism. Something that was done back in 2005, start of putin’s second term, that time citizens of Andijan paid the price of Putin’s everlasting presidency. This time is time for Syrians to die for Mr P.
I am really sorry Uzbek but you are not likely to get many people who can sit through 2 hours of a Russian confession, however revealing. When I started learning the language I was 35. Even then I had difficulty distinguishing between words like ‘musyka’ and ‘yazyka’ when the word preceding ‘yazyka’ ended in an ‘m’. And I did not get much time speaking the language and I’ve never lived in a Russian-speaking country. It only constituted a 6th part of my degree. Unfortunately this recording is poor quality (or the ‘executioner’ has as bad an accent as Brezhnev) and I would be listening for hours to understand much of it. Your summary is good enough for me.
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Perhaps for the benefit of readers of this blog you might give a few instances of how we would look at the Karimov regime slightly differently after watching the video.
Guest, interesting piece. The thing that stuck out most for me was with reference to the port of Tartus ‘It is Moscow’s only naval base outside of the former Soviet Union and its navy regularly sends supplies there.’ The US has naval bases all over the known world.
O/T More bizarre and farcical by the minute.
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Armed forces on Olympics standby
The armed forces were due to provide some 13,500 servicemen and women
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London 2012: Security measures
Olympic security test is unveiled
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The UK’s armed forces are on standby to provide up to 3,500 troops to help with security at the 2012 London Olympics, the BBC has learned.
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It comes amid fears that private contractor G4S would not be able to provide enough trained staff in time.
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The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that soldiers serving with the British Army in Germany have had their notice to move shortened.
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This means they could be transferred to London within a matter of days.
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The armed forces were already due to provide some 13,500 servicemen and women to provide security, but under these contingency plans they will be providing 17,000.
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/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18804547
“Perhaps for the benefit of readers of this blog you might give a few instances of how we would look at the Karimov regime slightly differently after watching the video.”
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I would hope that readers of this blog would have better understanding of what karimov is (yes, what and not who). It is not just 10000 political prisoners or dozens of tortured and boiled alive convicts it is machine of terror, that can only be compared to the worst of Nazis or Stalin’s NKVD.
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And Russia and China, which many on this blog supports and see as “good guys” supported this bloody dog when there was the only slightest possible chance of pressuring him to leave.
“The US has naval bases all over the known world.”
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Yes, I think the US has now overtaken the UK as being the biggest warmongers the world has ever known…
Just been listening to the Moral Maze R4 8pm re the “moral” case for intervention in Syria – the second speaker (didn’t catch his name) did a splendid job demolishing Portillo and AN Other. Sorry I can’t post links etc but well worth a listen.
Had Communism survived, American capitalism could probably also have survived indefinitely, as it would have had to continue to be on its best behavior competing with Communism. It would not have dropped its mask and resumed its formerly predatory behavior as it did once Communism died.
Scipio Aemilianus thought it was dangerous for Rome to destroy Carthage, as then there would have been no major power that Rome would have had to compete against. He proved right in the end, although it took several centuries for Rome to finally die. American extinction after the death of Communism has proved to be much swifter.
Anyone know what’s going on today? BBC News online out this evening. O2 network failure. Broadband in my area was dropping out all day. BT gave a long list of area dialling codes this morning where problems were being encountered and saying that they were trying to identify the problems and rectify them.
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This is O2 with 23m subcribers.
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O2 hit by nationwide network failure: ‘Millions of users’ unable to make calls or text and firm has no idea when it will be fixed
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172211/Mobile-operator-O2-hit-nationwide-network-failure-left-users-unable-make-calls-text.html
This is what the USA does to its African American political activists. Shocking, shameful, there are insufficient words of opprobrium.
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http://www.angola3.org/
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And in the UK, we have Babar Ahmed, in jail without charge for 8 years and the poet, Talha Ahsan, in jail without charge for 6 years. No evidence has to be produced, nor has any been prodcued. The CPS decided there were no grounds for a prosecution in the UK. The USA can just demand extradition of UK citizens – and if extradited, these two young men will be held in similar conditions – solitary confinement for years and years – as the Black Panthers of the Angola 3. Please remember to put maximum pressure on your MP to sign the Early Day Motion 128 which is aimed at chnaging/scrapping the stupid and unjust Extradition Treaty 2003 which Blair rushed through Parliament. I know I keep banging on about this, but I think it is absolutely crucial and is part of the swath of torture against which around the same time, Craig honourably and courageously set himself. Today, we all are Talha Ahsan.
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http://freetalha.org/
San Bernardino files for bankruptcy as officials admit to ‘cash flow issue’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/11/san-bernadino-bankruptcy-cash-flow
,http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/11/san-bernadino-bankruptcy-cash-flow
The second town to declare bankruptcy in US, the US is imploding and as in the case of the failing USSR the cracks are appearing.
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What would be the result of this failure?
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How would the US collapse affect the ordinary lives of the people trapped in the sphere of the influence of the Empire?
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Getting worried.
The MSM are saying that GS4 can’t muster the numbers they need to cover the Olympics. Same company that are taking over large chunks of Police work.
Same company that roughs up Palestinians on a daily basis.
So is this the excuse to bump their numbers up and take over even more roles in corporate Homeland Security? Or is it just a reason to get us used to more uniforms on our streets? The Olympics were about putting conflict aside but the London version is becoming spooky ? What the hell do they think will happen that they are mobilising one third of our army for?
loved this bit about the troops at the Olympics:
Last night’s move will boost the number of servicemen and women involved in venue security to 11,000 and the overall number of troops involved in the Olympics to some 17,000 – 7,000 more than are fighting in Afghanistan.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172194/London-Olympics-2012-3-500-Army-officers-drafted-protect-Olympics-security-failed-hire-staff.html
Why dont all the army types contest the Olympic sporting events and the athletes police it all?
The whole thing is a farce.
Mary, I’d take a guess that the failures have been caused or exacerbated by the torrential rain and electrical storms. The drains have become overloaded and underground cable ducts have probably filled with water. Overhead lines have probably been struck by lightning and brought down by falling trees.
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The root cause is global warming, of course.
You are probably right Clark. I hear that O2 are still having problems.
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The flooded sewers have washed out the rats but obviously not those in Westminster.
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Rat warning as sewers flush out pests
Health experts have warned homeowners to take measures to stop “huge numbers” of rats flushed out by floods from re-establishing themselves.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18793045
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The Westminster variety are off on their holidays.
Summer Recess 17 July 2012 Return 3 September 2012
I make that seven weeks!
I see that the price of dining with a war criminal went up from £120 to £500 according to this. What a revolting crowd. Bradshaw, Watson, Prescott, Milibands and all the other in the clique.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172300/Looks-whos-come-Tony-Blairs-new-job-Labour-shares-stage-Ed-Miliband.html?ITO=socialnet-twitter-mailonline
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Tone has rather a haunted/hunted look wouldn’t you agree? Cherie should know by now that shiny is not a good look. Enlarges. Just proves that money doesn’t buy style or quality.
Thanks for that Uzbek, if there is too much fear and no chance of getting an opposition up on the ground, then there are alternatives, but it would be foolish to speak about them here.If there are funds available, then there is a way.
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The whole militarisation will become a farce once visitors start saluting soldiers and/or mock marchers goose step round the Mechano structure. I can also envisage a well organised Mc arches demo in which 50 plus people order burgers and turn them upside down on to the counters. To say that those with tickets can’t do anything to raise attention to the corporate tax dodge and mass feeding with sugar/salt rich foods, are mistaken.
I guess that NGO’s have purchased tickets just to get in there, one by one, and then, on a given time, gather at a certain point and make their protests, unless, off course, they don’t want to/have been infiltrated by the police already.
So how was the STW mass demo against Bliar’s compatriots last night? anybody took part?
We should keep a list of visiting celebrity politicians/ nobbled entities ready for the next elections arguments. Those young socialists hopefully will still have brains to think outside the box, who knows.
I heard Leila Sansour speak earlier in the year. What she told us was very moving as is the film she is making. You can only weep just like the olive tree in this short.
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Russell Tribunal UK {http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/}
Subject: Help Palestinian Short Film get maximum exposure
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Dear all,
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It is very important that you take 2 minutes to make sure this short film get maximum exposure. Your vote and help is needed.
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For more info on the film and how to help, please read below, thanks.
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All the best
Frank (Barat)
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Dear everyone,
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I have started putting out short films that are born out of the longer film I have been making about Bethlehem. These shorts might not make the final cut but they are strong stand alone pieces. The following short “They came in the morning” is filmed in Walaja and the man who features in it really broke my heart. The short has been entered into Virgin’s shorts competition. It is unusual for a film like this to be out there against other more commercial films. All films have to be two minutes long. The judges will now shortlist 12 of them and a 13th film will be selected following the public vote. All selected films will be shown in cinemas all over the country and beyond (including on Virgin flights) and will be entitled to a further prize, one of which, will again be selected by the public. This is an opportunity to do an effective direct action by clicking few buttons so I hope you will all feel moved to do it. The deadline is the 19th of July so please make sure to do it before then.
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Watch film http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3242/they-came-in-the-morning
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How to vote:
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Every time you share ‘They Came in the Morning’, you give the film a
vote: and the film with the most votes gets the lucky 13th place on
the shortlist. How to do this.
1) visit the site and ‘like’ the film on Facebook
2) visit the site and share on Twitter
3) Or simply tweet – but remember to include the film’s name, and the
hashtag #ShortsLucky13
Every time you watch a film and pass it on – via Facebook and Twitter
– you’ll be helping nudge it into the limelight.
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Thank you so much to all of you
Leila
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