I am delighted that a new canpaign has started today against the state enforced child slavery in the uzbek cotton industry, especially as this campaign originates in Germany, where a significant portion of society appears to have finally woken up to the reality of the German government’s appalling complicity in the Nazi style regime and atrocities of Karimov.
However in the UK it remains the case that since the coalition government came to power, there has not been one single government statement on the human rights atrocities in Uzbekistan or – even more damning of our sham democracy – one single statement or question from New Labour.
A wee bit more Tai chi from Moderators around here…The uglyness has to be delt with…to almost everyone here, this blog is far to precious to hijacked,
thanks Mary for magic wee Burns Poem. Peace from Scotland to ye
In July 2012, the government vetoed the release of the documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Concurrently, the British Foreign Office successfully appealed against a judge’s ruling which had ordered disclosure of extracts of a conversation between George W. Bush and Tony Blair days before the invasion. The government stated that revealing a phone call conversation between Bush and Blair before the invasion would present a “significant danger” to British-American relations.[7]
In an e-petition I said this:
To release the Chilcot Report forthwith and to release papers, including those that reveal which ministers, legal advisers and officials were excluded from discussions on military action in Iraq. The papers still kept secret include those relating to MI6 and the government’s electronic eavesdropping centre, GCHQ.
Why should we be subservient to this Coalition governments apparent use of timed release of public information. The release appears to be in a permanent loop waiting on a negative – a transcription classified ‘secret’ under a draconian Act, that in itself has nothing whatsoever to do with national security.
If you judge this condition wrong you can sign an e-Petition here:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44684
<3—————-<3 Thanks <3—————— <3
Good luck, Mark. Count me in.
wrt to runner77, while I understand her/his comments, I don’t think they’re to be taken as a reason for too much rending of garments, wailing, and the gnashing of teeth. This blog has had trolls, scum, foul-mouthed morons and sundry riff-raff posting for as long as I’ve been here. š
While they detract somewhat, it’s very easy to ignore them. This “the end is nigh!” stuff on account of the latest batch is well overblown.
Most of this is nothing new – they are the old batch recycled under different names, or maybe it’s a new lad struggling with puberty, and finds his angst assuaged just a little by writing abusive posts here.
Deal with them in kind, try to reason with them, or forget about and ignore them. But don’t get all fretful with “our precious blog is becoming ruined!” concerns. It passes, it always does.
Indeed,indeed.
So glad we’ve all recognized the Troll was outed by Jon weeks ago as a sock-puppet,IP shifting fake.
It was so clear to most of us anyway.
Go away Halfacock…you’ve been shown up as the whore that your pathetic posts revealed long ago.
Thanks Mark, I’m in too. Just waiting for my confirmation email. “If we’re busy this may take several hours” – amazing. All we ever hear about nowadays is e-commerce initiative this and cyber-security that, but you’d think these guys had never heard of the benefits, and speed, of the automation of digital transmissions. I bet they still light their offices with candles too.
It’s been really satisfying these last two weeks how HalfaCock has been engagaed with,deconstructed then destroyed point by point.
Such a rout is easy yet still worth doing.
In some ways i’m almost sorry for HalfaCocks final humiliation here but i dont want to gloat.
Hopefully he’ll lick his wounds and move on somewhere where he’s less easily destroyed.
Nothing personal Habba..you tried here,but finally were destroyed by more honest intelligent people.
Best of luck in your next fakery.
We didnt necessarily dislike your gambits,Habba, but…shooting fish in a barrel and all that eh?
Silly boy.
I apologize for the bad memories folks; creating a false alibi with propaganda is perverting the course of justice in a criminal procedure. War initiated on lies is illegal therefore it becomes subject to a criminal procedure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0s1YBqgIdg
OT:
Climate-change-denier shills:
http://climatecrocks.com/2013/01/25/windbaggers-hire-grassroots-anti-wind-activists-20-bucks-a-head-to-break-wind/
Important job opportunity, from craigslist, which earns one a āquick and easy $20ā³:
“Our firm needs 100 volunteers to attend and participate in a rally in front of the British Consulate/Embassy in Midtown Manhattan on the East Side on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 12 noon. The event is being held in order to protest wind turbines that are being built in Scotland and England. Your participation will be to ONLY stand next to or behind the speakers and elected officials/celebrities that will be speaking at the rally.”
The real shocker is that it’s another Koch-industry “grass-roots” movement behind it all.
Amazing Node!
LAURENT LOUIS – Truth Telling Belgian MP!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkzXTgslFNE&feature=player_embedded#
Transcription from a sub site:
Thank you, Mr President. Dear Ministers, dear Colleagues.
Belgium is indeed the land of surrealism. This morning we learned in the media that the Belgian army is incapable of fighting some extremist soldiers having radical Islamist beliefs existing within its own ranks and who can not be dismissed by lack of legal means. However, at the same time, we decide to help France in its war against “Terror” by providing logistical support for its operation in Mali.
What wouldn’t we do in order to fight against terrorism outside our borders? I just hope we took care not to send for this anti-terrorist operation, in Mali, these much talked about Belgian Islamists soldiers! I seem to be joking, but what is going on in the world today does not make me laugh at all.
It doesn’t make me laugh, because without any doubt, the leaders of our Western countries are taking the peoples for imbeciles with the help and support of the Media which are nothing more today than an organ of propaganda of the ruling powers.
Around the world, military actions and regime’s destabilization are becoming more and more frequent.
Preventive war has become the rule. And today, in the name of democracy and the fight against terrorism, our states grant themselves the right to violate the sovereignty of independent countries and to overthrow legitimate leaders.
There has been Iraq and Afghanistan, the wars of the American lie. Came later, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, where thanks to your decisions, our country has been “first in line” to participate in crimes against humanity, in each case to overthrow progressive and moderated regimes and to replace them by Islamist regimes, and – isn’t it weird ? – their 1st will was to impose Sharia law. This is exactly what is currently happening in Syria where Belgium is shamefully funding the arming of the Islamist rebels who are trying to overthrow Bashar Al Assad.
Thus, in the midst of economic crisis, as more and more Belgians can no longer house themselves, feed, heat and cure themselves – Yeah, I can hear what a filthy populist I am – well, the Minister of Foreign Affairs decided to offer the Syrian rebels 9 million euros! Of course, they’ll try to make us believe that this money will be used for humanitarian purposes … one more lie!
And as you can see, for months, our country is only participating to put in place, Islamic regimes in North Africa and the Middle East. So, when they come and pretend to go to war in order to fight against terrorism in Mali, well… I feel like to laugh.
It’s false! Under the appearance of good actions, we only intervene to defend financial interests in a complete neo-colonialist mindset. It’s a real nonsense to go to help France in Mali in the name of the fight against islamic terrorism when at the same time, we support in Syria the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebels who want to impose Sharia Law, as was done in Tunisia and in Libya.
It is about time to stop lying to us and treating people like imbeciles. The time has come to tell the truth. Arming the Islamist Rebels, as Westeners have, in the past armed Bin Laden, that friend of the Americans before they turned against him, well, the western countries are taking the opportunity to place military bases in the newly conquered countries while favoring domestic companies. Everything is therefore strategic.
In Iraq, our American allies, have put their hands on the country’s oil wealth. In Afghanistan, it was its opium and drugs always useful when it comes to make lots of money pretty quickly. In Libya, in Tunisia, in Egypt, or then again in Syria, the aim was and is still today to overthrow moderate powers, to replace them by Islamist powers who very quickly, will become troublesome and that we will shamelessly attack pretending once again, to fight terrorism or protect Israel. Thus, the next targets are already known.
Within a few months, I bet that our eyes will turn to Algeria and eventually to Iran. To go to war, to free people from an outside aggressor, is noble But go to war to defend the interests of the USA, To go to war to defend the interests of big companies such as AREVA, go to war to put our hands on gold mines, has nothing noble at all and it reveals our countries to be attackers and thugs!
No one dares to speak, but I will not shut up! and if my battle makes me look like an enemy of this system who flaunts the Human Rights in the name of financial, geo-strategic and neo-colonialist interests, so be it!
Flaunting and exposing this regime is a duty and makes me proud And honestly, I apologise for my low class speech, but I fuck you all, the so-called do-gooders, both left and right wingers or from the center who are today licking the boots of our corrupted powers and who will be pleased to ridicule me. I fuck you all, leaders who are playing with your bombs as kids do in a playground! I fuck you, you who pretend to be democrates while you are nothing more than low class criminals.
I don’t have much respect neither for the journalists who have the audacity to label the opponents as mentally retarded while basically, they know very well that these opponents are right.
Finaly, I despise, at the highest point, those who believe they are the kings of the world and who are dictating their laws, because I AM on the side of truth, the side of justice, the side of the innocent victims of looting at all cost. And it is for this reason that I have decided to clearly oppose this resolution that is sending our country to support France in its neo-colonialis operation. Since the beginning of the French operation, the lie is organized.
We are told that France is only answering the call for help of a Malian president. We almost forget that this president has no legitimacy and that he was put in place to ensure the transition following the coup of March 2012. Who supported this coup d’Ć©tat? Who started it? For who is this president of transition actually working? This is the first lie!
The French president, FranƧois Hollande dares to pretend to wage this war to fight against the jihadists who threaten (ohhhh do you realize!) who threaten the French and European territory! But what an ugly lie!
By taking this official argument, while taking the opportunity to frighten the population increasing the terror allert level, implementing the Vigipirate plan our leaders and media are demonstrating an un-imaginable outrage! How dare they use such a point while France and Belgium have not hesitated to arm and support Jihadists in Libya and that these same countries continue to support these jihadists in Syria.
This pretext hides strategic and economic purposes. Our countries are no longer fearing inconsistency because everything is done to hide it. But the inconsistency is well present. It is not tomorrow that you’ll see a Malian citizen commit a act of terrorism in Europe. No! Unless we’ll suddenly create one so we can justify this military operation.
Haven’t we created september 11th, after all, to justifiy the invasions, arbitrary arrest, torture and massacre of innocent populations? Thus, create a Malian terrorist is no big deal! It must not be very complicated for our bloodthirsty leaders.
Another pretext used these recent months to justify military operations, is the protection of human rights. Ah! This pretext is still used today to justify the war in Mali. But yes! We have to act, otherwise the evil Islamists will impose Sharia law in Mali, stoning women and cutting the thugs’ hands off. Oh! The intention is truly noble. Noble and salutary for sure.
But then why is it, Good Lord, why is it that our countries have contributed in Tunisia and Libya to the accession to power of Islamists who have decided to apply this Sharia Law in these countries which were still not so long ago, modern and progressive? I invite you to ask the young Tunisians who have launched the revolution in Tunisia, if they are happy with their current situation? This is all hypocrisy.
The purpose of this war in Mali is very clear. And since no one talks about it, I WILL.
The purpose is to fight against China and allow our American ally to maintain its presence in Africa and the Middle East. This is what guides these neo-colonialists operations.
And you will see, when the military operation will be over, France will, of course, keep its military bases in Mali. These bases will be a benefit to the Americans as well. And at the same time, as has always been the case, Western corporates will put their hands on juicy contracts that will once again deprive re-colonized countries of their wealth and raw materials.
So let’s be clear, the primary beneficiaries of this military operation, will be the owners and shareholders of the French giant AREVA who has been trying for years to obtain a uranium mine in Falea, a town of 17,000 inhabitants located at 350 km from Bamako. And I don’t know why, but my little finger is telling me that it won’t take long before AREVA will eventually exploit that mine! I don’t know, it’s an impression I have. It is therefore out of question that I would take part to this mining colonialism, that modern times colonialism.
And for those who doubt about my arguments, I sincerely invite them to learn about the wealth of Mali. Mali is a major producer of gold, but recently it has been designated – recently, eh… as being a country that offers a world-class environment for the exploitation of uranium. How strange! –One step closer to a war against Iran, it is obvious.
For all these reasons and in order to not fall into the traps of lies they are tending us, I’ve decided not to give my support to that intervention in Mali. Therefore, I will vote against it. And by doing so, I’m being consistent since, I never supported in the past our criminal interventions in Libya or in Syria, and so being the only MP in this country to defend the non-interference and the fight against obscure interests.
I really think it is about time to put an end to our participation to the UN or NATO and get out of the EU if Europe, instead of providing peace becomes a weapon of attack and destabilization of sovereign countries submissive to financial rather than human interests
Finally, I can only urge our government to remind the President Hollande the obligations resulting from the Geneva Conventions regarding the respect of prisoners of war. Indeed, I was shocked to hear on television from the mouth of the French President that his intention was to “destroy” – I say “destroy” – Islamist terrorists. So, I do not want the qualification to be used to name the opponents to the Malian regime – it is always convenient today to talk about Islamic terrorists- to be used to circumvent the obligations of any democratic state in terms of respecting the rights of prisoners of war. We expect such a respect from the Fatherland of Human Rights.
In conclusion, Let me emphasize how lightly we decide to go to war First, the government acts without any consent from the Parliament. It appears that it has the right to. It sends equipment, men to Mali The Parliament subsequently reacts and when it responds, as today, well, this institution happens to be composed of only 1/3 of its members. Much less if we speak of the French speaking MP’s.
It is therefore a guilty lightness which does not really surprises me, coming from a Parliament of puppies, submitted to the dictates of political parties.
Thank you.
(Translation: Geraldine Feuillien)
Yes Crab,
I’m off to bed now with a smile on my face and a glimmer of restored faith in humanity.
Thank you M. Laurent.
I wish to write about trolls, those sad posters relentlessly demanding attention with their vicious ad hominem attacks. By now regular readers will have identified these sly and juvenile people. To name them seems not to shame them, rather the opposite, since they seem like underwater bacteria living in dangerous sulphurous vents to actually thrive on the criticism and distaste of the decent majority of sensible polite contributors.
The problem with trolls is simply they achieve notoriety by default since any recognition of their useless posts pleases them. They suffer from personality defects. I think of them as ghosts and ignore them. I advise others to do the same. They have nothing positive to contribute and as such should be simply considered as irritant spam. So in future I believe it is better to shun them and not to engage them in rebuttal or polite dialogue, since all they want is to subvert the current topic by irrelevant or personal attacks, using techniques and material which then muddy the conversational waters.
Don’t Feed The Trolls!
I am so glad to hear you are feeling better Craig. You are an inspiration to us all!
GAIA
In response to Jives’ latest nocturnal post (02h02):
wow, I appear to have been atomized. And yet, and yet…..do I detect a whiff of hyperbole and wishful thinking in those thunderous lines? We shall see.
“Some retard from 4chan?
I know you are, Fred, but what am I ?”
You tell me if you want to.
Don’t if you don’t.
Either way’s fine with me.
@ A Node, ThatCrab, and possibly others
I would advise a little bit of research – and a lot of caution – before elevating M. Laurent Louis to your Pantheon.
To get the details of this still young man’s somewhat checkered career, you could profitably visit his Wikipedia entry : not the English one, which is a stub, but the French one, much more comprehensive.
On request, I’d be happy to supply those readers who don’t have French a quick summary of the major points. For the moment, though, suffice it to mention that M. Laurent Louis was charged, on 7 June 2012, with concealment (FR. “recel”) and defamation.
I ‘phoned Craig yesterday evening; he was at Heathrow airport. I told him that he was missed here on the blog. He sounded upbeat and said that he was OK but under considerable pressure of time. He said that he’d just got back from the Sam Adams event in Oxford and that it had been very interesting, but now he had to go to Ghana when he’d rather be at home. Then he had to go and check in, so I wished him well and we said goodbye.
Good Mark. Have signed and the email came back to me. The number of signatories did not change though. I expect our names go through a holding period to check if we are enemies of the state or something.
I still think that Chilcot is a piece of theatre set up to assuage the anger. You know of the provenance of the members of course.
The Iraq Inquiry has published the final expenditure for the financial years 2009/10 and 2010/11. The expenditure for 2011/12 is shown below. The total expenditure since 2009 is Ā£6,130,600
Pathetic stuff. FAQ http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/faq.aspx#O01 Q33
Will the Inquiry say whether anybody involved in the Iraq conflict should face criminal charges? Will it be able to apportion blame?
The Inquiry is not a court of law. The members of the Committee are not judges, and nobody is on trial. But if the Committee finds that mistakes were made, that there were issues which could have been dealt with better, it will say so.
I see from Agent Cameron’s letter to Chilcot that Gilbert was ill, seriously so according to Chilcot writing to Cameron. That was in July last year, the latest entry on the site.
http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/news/20120717-pmletter.aspx
“wrt to runner77, while I understand her/his comments, I donāt think theyāre to be taken as a reason for too much rending of garments, wailing, and the gnashing of teeth. This blog has had trolls, scum, foul-mouthed morons and sundry riff-raff posting for as long as Iāve been here. ;)”
Well yes, every forum has one, get rid of one and they will just create themselves another.
In a way Habbabkuk is doing everyone a favour, so long as it’s him you know it isn’t you.
Mark Golding, I’ve signed. Good luck. It is important that people sign petitions like this because they try to make unaccountable governments accountable.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44684
State manipulation of inflation statistics.
John Andrews is a decent British citizen. His biog here. http://www.freedemocrats.co.uk/pages/wayahead.asp
He wrote about inflation in 2008 on the American site Dissident Voice.
http://dissidentvoice.org/2008/08/the-price-of-eggs/
and now on how the figures are distorted and manipulated presumably to suit an agenda.
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1359184957.html
We all know that the RPI and CPI figures do not match our experience. In their time NuLabour were up to the same tricks.
On the piece he put on Medialens, you will note mention of David Levy ex BBC Policy Unit, in the set up. Note the ubiquitous Colette Bowe. http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/about-the-authority/meet-the-board/index.html
Clark, thanks for the update on Craig. When he gets to Ghana he will probably add a new blogpost and tell us a bit about Oxford.
@ Mary 26 Jan, 2013 – 10:05 am
From the FAQ at Mark Golding’s excellent e-petition
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44684
Habbabkuk 26 Jan, 9:24 am:
What did Laurent Louis claim regarding the Dutroux case?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutroux#Allegations_of_massive_cover-up
It seems to me that there was a massive cover-up, and the actions against Laurent Louis could have been part of it.
“State manipulation of inflation statistics.”
They’re lying to us about the level of national debt too Mary.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/01/labour-challenges-cameron-after-he-lied-over-paying-down-debt
The inspirational Laurent Louis, who made a speech in the Belgium parliament denouncing Belgium’s decision to send troops to Mali and claiming, amongst other things, that it was a resource grab, and that 9/11 was an inside job (see below), has indeed been charged with concealment and defamation. It is apparently because he accused members of Belgium’s establishment of being involved in paedophilia related to the Marc Dutroux case.
He is making a lot of powerful enemies fast.
On January the 17th, 32-year-old Belgium MP Laurent Louis, considered one of the most controversial and demonized national political figures, delivered the most powerful truth ever told in a political arena.
First, he explained why he voted against the Belgian support to war in Mali, that it was based on lies and rooted in neo-colonialism.
Then he expressed his disgust and wrath against the criminal foreign policies of the Western elite and its submission to foreign financial and interests groups, before scolding his colleagues who voted for interventionist war with āfuck youāsā.
Finally, he says that the war on terror is a lie and that 9/11 was a false flag to justify aggressive military action in the Muslim world.
See the video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkzXTgslFNE&feature=player_embedded#
or read a translation at thatcrab’s post above, 26 Jan, 2013 – 2:42 am
Great stuff from Louis Laurent – a man who is clearly saying what he actually thinks, and that wars are about money.
That’s been extremely rare in any national assembly for a century.
So French and Belgian forces are joining the ‘war against terror’ heralded by Netanyahu in the 1980s. Where ‘terror’ means ‘non-pro-western Muslims and Arabs’.
And at the same time, we get the German gold story. The big thing isn’t the German state’s repatriation of 20% of the gold it holds in the US; or its declaration that it will assay it; it’s the removal of all the gold it holds in France.
A possible plan, contingency or otherwise, to re-establish a German currency doesn’t explain this. A neo-Mark would, ceteris paribus, have to be exchanged against the euro. Holding gold in France would help that, not hinder it. Germany does a lot of trade with other countries in what’s still called the eurozone.
But that’s all on the assumption of ceteris paribus, which here is false.
Seems to me that big trouble is coming in France. Mali and north Africa aren’t going to be the Falklands. Planners are looking towards ‘permanent’ French and Belgian involvement in the ‘war on terror’.
A 911 in France could help with this.
In the meantime, an almost total breakdown in international trade could happen at almost any time.
Where do you want your gold in either of those eventualities, or if they combine?
Where you can lay your hands on it!
An excerpt from the (translated) French Wiki page about Laurent Louis
http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Louis&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlaurent%2Blouis%2Bdutroux%26hl%3Den%26tbo%3Dd%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D920&sa=X&ei=xcYDUeOULKKy0QXhj4CoCw&ved=0CDUQ7gEwAA
I said: “A 911 in France could help with this.”
Interestingly, Louis Laurent mentions the French government’s heightening of the ‘alert level’ under ‘Vigipirate’.
Earlier this month, following the announcement of the French intention to attack Mali, the French government raised the ‘threat’ alert to the highest level: “rouge renforcĆ©”, which English-speaking media call “scarlet”.
Oops – correction!! “Scarlet level” is “niveau Ć©carlate”. “Rouge renforcĆ©” is ‘red plus’. So the government has in fact raised it to half a level below the top level. Apologies for my error here.
The levels go white, orange, yellow, red, scarlet.
Louis Laurent’s website is here.