Here in Ghana people are stunned by the announcement that a bond of £3,000 will have to be submitted by visa applicants to the UK, redeemable on return.
It is unpleasant for a nation to be singled out as comprised of particularly untrustworthy individuals against whom special measures are needed. Theresa May appears quite deliberately to be singling out countries whose citizens are normally black or brown – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria. They are all citizens with extremely close ties to the UK. For example, all of those countries supplied large numbers of men to British armed forces in two World Wars; with little resulting gratitude.
The true level of Britain’s regard for the Commonwealth is disclosed in all its arrogance; citizenship of the Commonwealth countries with the longest link to the UK will become a positive disadvantage in visa application. Israeli settlers living in Occupied Palestine on the West Bank, incidentally, will still be allowed to enter the UK without any visa at all, despite membership of neither Commonwealth nor EU. Paradoxical, isn’t it?
The measure shows the arrogant British disdain for these countries – of which India pre-eminently but also Ghana are fast growing and important trading partners. Undoubtedly Ghana will retaliate with measures which hurt British businesses; many of my good friends are senior Ghanaian politicians, and they are all furious. The rhetoric the British employ about transformation from colonial status to a modern partnership of equals is exposed for the tissue of lies it has always been. This is a straightforward racist measure, aimed at securing the racist vote to the Tories.
Not does it make any sense. If you are intending to enter the UK under false pretences, and have the intent illegally to settle and start a new life there, then £3,000 is scarcely a deterrent given the substantial economic gains you intend to make over the long period you intend to stay. It will rather seem a good investment; people will find the money. The people it will deter are those who never intended to overstay. The extra cash upfront, to the businessman for a business trip, for the student coming to study, for the tourist will drive them to go elsewhere, to the UK’s net loss.
More cruelly it will deter decent middle class people from coming to see grandchildren in the holidays, from going to the niece’s wedding, from going to graduation. Those things will become the prerogative of the wealthy, those with plenty of cash to spare.
This does nothing to deter illegal immigration. It merely demonstrates populist racism, demonstrates contempt for some of the UK’s best-disposed friends, and demonstrates that the government thinks the right to travel is only for the rich. It is contemptible.
Statement from Edward Snowden in Moscow
Monday July 1, 21:40 UTC
http://wikileaks.org/Statement-from-Edward-Snowden-in.html?snow
Macky Three Bruce’s
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden Fame.. widely recognized as one of top 5 Heavy rock vocalists of all time.
Who would ever have thought he would end up a commercial aircraft pilot.
P.s Macky, Good job you’ve been doing taking on the Blog’s Pest in Chief
Clapper under pressure despite apology for ‘erroneous’ statements to Congress
US director of national intelligence has apologised for denying in March that the NSA collected data on millions of Americans but senator remains ‘deeply troubled’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/01/james-clapper-apology-congress-erroneous-response
The weasel-words seem to have less effectiveness, Dreoilin.
” does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans,” Wyden asked Clapper.
He responded: “No, sir, not wittingly. There are cases where they could inadvertently, perhaps, collect, but not wittingly.”
I think Clapper should trade his lexicon for the ‘Clapper’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clapper
His latest claim, Ben, is that he “misunderstood the question”. If that’s true, he should be back in kindergarten. 😉
Dreoilin
Thanks for that Statement from Edward Snowden
Straight onto my Facebook Page
Dreoilin; Is that avatar you? I love the Irish.
It’s a drawing, Ben. But I liked her red hair and her green hat. 🙂
Fantasy spoiler… 🙂
No longer do you have to be “economical with the truth” you can now be “least most untruthful” !!!!!
God Blight America !
http://www.salon.com/2013/07/01/this_man_is_still_lying_to_america/?source=newsletter
@Fedup.11 06pm
“No it all began with the Spanish American war.”
Beginnings eh?
If you haven’t come across these you might find them worth a read as the nights draw in.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
A history of Native Americans in the American West in the late nineteenth century that expresses a Native American perspective of the injustices and betrayals of the US government.
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. A romp through American history through the eyes of the common people rather than political and economic elites.
Pdfs of both available for free download.
And I haven’t got near Herodotus yet!
…………….
Re Caterpillar and Frog post, 11 45pm on UN thread.
Clear and Passionate. Needs to be said.
Kibo; Remember Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit. Can’t leave them out.
🙂
Think I’ll head for the duvet. I keep thinking of Ed Snowden with only a hard floor to lie on, or perhaps a row of awkwardly-shaped seats. But at 30 he’ll cope better than I would. And his freedom is all that matters really.
Like Tom Hanks in ‘The Terminal’. Eating from vending machines and using the drinking fountain.
He has sacrificed much.
@Ben.
Nit-picking again!
Adam and Eve are imposters.
What about the Blue Green Algae?
Now behave and get yer headphones on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_EbkUy-IN4
Whoever you are Cog, or Cogg or Coggg, you insight has opened up a new paradigm for me.
For that i thank you
Kibo Noh, good point.
“Maybe they didn’t want their cars overturned on the M1”.
kibo; You are a rascal, snaring me into a state of bliss. That’s sublime and hypnotic sound magic deluding me into a false Samadhi. I don’t care that it makes me feel good, it’s just that I’m not accustomed to it. It feels foreign, and makes me afraid. Please don’t do that again. 🙂
Thanks for Snowden’s statement.
When Joe Sixpack USA watches cricket, he doesn’t know the rules so all he sees is people cheering and clapping randomly. Grown-up diplomacy is the same way. When it doesn’t involve war, Joe Sixpack USA is kept in the dark about the rules so he can’t follow the game. So for Snowden spectators, here’s the rules.
I can’t compete with that so I will dumb-down to some pedestrian melody from one of my favorite vocalists, Michael McDonald.
Cheers and g’nite to all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJe1iUuAW4M
I have invented the word ‘USPIONAGE’ – espionage like ‘happy hour’ is now old school, obsolescent, useless.
Uspionage means information gathering on client states to gain deniability of US aggression. The policy has provided America with the ultimate escape clause through decades of aggression and subversion upon other sovereign nations.
“..the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised..” Edward Snowden July 2013-the unveiling, the year of disclosure.
The ‘public’ or the community are the silent patriots – it must now be approaching the right time to speak out, to act; Egypt is of course showing that people run the show.
Clearly Britain will follow America into the blood stained cesspool of history, flushed down by the clear waters of validity, justice and truth.
Our representatives have failed us; now we must do the task ourselves; there is no surrogate, stopgap or substitute.
It’s do… or die leaving the mutant horror to our children’s children, a millstone for future generations.
This is quite amusing from a few years ago.
Israeli TV anchor getting more and more pissed at Chomsky.
In three parts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7IFBIfQ1M
And so to the chill room:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHsxFpZBtfE
@Mark. 12 30pm
“Clearly Britain will follow America into the blood stained cesspool of history, flushed down by the clear waters of validity, justice and truth.”
Spot on.
Mahatma Gandhi when asked what he thought of Western civilization, replied “I think it would be a good idea.”
So do I.
………….
@Ben.
Thanks.
Another stroll down memorylane.
I’d forgotten about them.
You won after all.
I give up.
From: “Unearthing the Past” by Bill Poster BLSHTR
“Controversy still rages over the Bone Beds of Bakersvillle, California. Since the bed’s discovery in the 1850s, paleontologists have battled over an obvious question: How did the Doobie Brothers get there? Did a widespread catastrophe, like a red tide or volcanic eruption, lead to a massive die-off?”
I’m glad you enjoyed “Je te kiffe.”
……………
@ Herbie. 12 42pm
What a lovely musical end to a good day.
Thanks.
Goodnight.
Let’s get some things clear here re Snowden.
Only his family, friends and Wikileaks cares about his personal wellbeing. All the other actors are exploiting the opportunity.
Ecuador has special trade relations with the US at stake and cannot afford to be on their list of countries, such as Cuba, to be punished indefinitely for offending US interests. Americans are very patient when it comes to revenge so the financial cost to Ecuador would be very high if it actively assists with his escape to and indefinite stay in their country. This might explain the contrived “error” of issuing and then later revoking travel documents to Snowden.
Russia is enjoying the pain of US hypocrisy being played out on the world stage but wants to appear as if it is compelled by law and prevented by legal anomolies from cooperating with the US. I believe they are not directly providing assistance to Snowden but instead clearing the way for others to provide for his needs, including the cost of his staying at the airport hotel.
Russia will not provide asylum to Snowden while American secrets are being published and publicly digested. They certainly wouldn’t want their own Snowdenovich doing likewise from Washington. Snowden should also be reluctant to hurriedly accept asylum in Russia because of the damage it would cause to his and his family’s reputation – ie characterised as being a Russian spy.
All of Snowden, Ecuador and Russia are in a safe place with Snowden residing in limbo in the transit area of Sheremetyevo International Airport. With this arrangement, the two countries are able to exploit the NSA leaks while appearing to be concerned about human rights and not being seen to be formally assisting Snowden. It is also an opportunity to explore options for Snowden’s eventual onward journey to a permanent safe haven. The country where he settles will certainly be penalised heavily by the US and Snowden will never be free to travel for the rest of his life.
In the meantime, Wikileaks will remind the mainstream media of their continued relevance as they process and release further leaks from Snowden.
Revenge, hahahahaha, that’s a good one! In the old days the USG would send in some death squads to chop up a bunch of priests and rape the shit out of some nuns, but now all they can do is gossip like bitchy little mean girls.
Yeah, Ecuador is shaking in their boots, boy. The mighty hyperpower might hurt your feewings, Eeek!
Cuba, you better watch out! The US might embargo you for 50 years or something, you wouldn’t want that, would you? How would you possibly survive the wrath of the mighty US? Do you imagine that mere leadership of the world’s largest diplomatic bloc can protect you from the disapproval of mighty God Bless America?
Impotent. Isolated. Disgraced. A laughingstock worldwide. USA! USA! USA!
Attack in Tel Aviv: ‘Jewish girls do not go out with Blacks!’
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/06/attack-jewish-blacks.html
Ireland among countries where Snowden is seeking asylum
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/ireland-among-countries-where-snowden-is-seeking-asylum-1.1450212
“A later post, which appeared early today on the WikiLeaks website, said Sarah Harrison, the group’s legal adviser in the Snowden matter, had “submitted by hand a number of requests for asylum and asylum assistance on behalf” of Mr Snowden to 19 countries. They were listed as Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Venezuela.”
Snowden’s letter to President Correa. I think Ecuador is his first choice for a safe haven. However is he withstanding the stress? Poor man.
5:46am UK, Tuesday 02 July 2013
Snowden Slams Obama As Asylum List Revealed
The whistleblower accuses the US President of “political aggression” and “wheeling and dealing” in an effort to block his asylum
http://news.sky.com/story/1110386/snowden-slams-obama-as-asylum-list-revealed
Morsi. Am I bovvered?
Egypt crisis: President Morsi rejects army ultimatum
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23140212#
‘Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has rejected the army’s 48-hour ultimatum to resolve the country’s deadly crisis, saying it will only sow confusion.
President Morsi insists he will continue with his own plans for national reconciliation, a presidential statement said early on Tuesday.
The army has warned it will intervene if the government and its opponents fail to heed “the will of the people”.’
On the BBC website, this question is posed.
James Buchanan: Worst US president?
James Buchanan is often saddled with the title of “the worst US president”, blamed for not averting the Civil War – but efforts are being made to reassess his legacy. How bad was he really?
There’s a clue to the answer in a small photograph of the five
most recent incumbents.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68397000/jpg/_68397796_buchanan-comp.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22946672