The Respectability of Torture
St Mary’s University College, Thurs 1st August, 7.30pm
Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, was a whistleblower who was removed from his ambassadorial post by Tony Blair for exposing the Tashkent regime‟s use of rape and systematic torture, including the boiling to death of political opponents. He has also spoken out against Central Asia‟s appalling dictatorships, regimes which are allies of the West, involved in torture and rendition, and was accused of threatening MI6‟s relationship with the CIA. Now a human rights activist, author and broadcaster, he outlines the dynamics of torture and the hypocrisy of incriminated Western governments.
My first public appearance for a while will be in Belfast on 1 August where I shall be giving a talk. Long term readers of this blog will recall that, while my focus is largely on international affairs, the domestic political achievements I most hope to see are a united Ireland and an independent Scotland.
And something a little more recent about current gold markets
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article41515.html
You may also remember the recent tale of how a single Japanese trader held a position equal to the world’s entire stock of copper.
One of the problems in recent times is how the speculators/hedge funds have moved into the now less well regulated commodities markets – often with a disastrous effect on consumer prices especially for those in the 3rd world who always feel market shocks a lot harder. Those who know their history will remember what an influence the price of wheat has played on British history in the past – and I suspect it is now playing no small part in Egyptian current affairs.
Villager; Really. These drive-bys are tedious. Why engage in them?
The gold shenanigans are more easily played with certificates. Game of privvy thrones and those certs are hanging on the wall of the outhouse for their only purpose and value. I’m talking about the real deal, RD. Gold has intrinsic value as a metal, as opposed to paper gold or paper silver for that matter.
You mean an increase in the money supply. Why didn’t you say that.
No – unlike Craig. I’m not a monetarist – and neither are Krugman or Minsky for that matter.
It is just a truism to say that bankers are the ones who lend money into the economy – since apart from small amounts of coin and note bank lending is what makes up money supply. Unless you really want to go back to a feudal economy then banks (controlled by whoever) will be the means by which money is lent into the economy. My complaint about how bankers behaved recently is more that they paid less attention to this immensely valuable type of banking (i.e money transmission and provision of credit) and preferred instead to indulge in the casino or investment banking version.
Might I suggest that you have problems with both the big poicture and the details.
Hyman Minsky is of course now dead – in case there are any pedants out there.
Ben – without derivatives in some form (ie paper promises to deliver something physical in the future or oders to purchase something in the future) I think you will be placing ven more restraints on the ability of your barter economy to deliver. Just think about it you place your forward order with Jamaica for wacky baccy in return for your promise to deliver what ever Canadians deliver – you are then going to stop the Jamican selling your forward promise for pwdered reindeer horn when he starts the rumour about his aphrodisiac properties – I think not.
An unexpected group to benefit from the run-up to Gulf War III is the bespoke tailors of Savile Row and Hong Kong, replacing all those pants — uh, I mean trousers, but pants too — set on fire by our most respected liar, liars.
This is what you should be worried about. Of course those who have a love for money, who have created all these wars abroad, especially in the middle east, are not going to be blessed with a happy life. In fact life as we know it may never be the same. But because of this, presumably Zionist (the greatest lovers of Mammon), funded intervention in Syria WW3 may well be under way and coming your way soon.
http://www.chrisspivey.co.uk/?p=13891
Just how sick are they? I thought Willie (14 pints) Hague looked a bit liverish last night in his condemnation of Syria’s (alleged) use of chemical weapons. In fairness to Hague he did try to condemn Israel’s over-reactive response to the the killing of 6 Israeli soldiers but then they stopped donating to party funds. Now he’s worried about the sickness that is Zion.
Res Diss
“It is just a truism to say that bankers are the ones who lend money into the economy”
It’s probably better just to say it’s a fact. Many people don’t know what bankers really do. All those little perks…
And anyway you asked the question and I answered. Can’t say fairer than that.
“Unless you really want to go back to a feudal economy”
No, I don’t, though that’s where the bankers are currently taking us.
How about if governments issued debt-free money into the economy?
What’s wrong with that?
Habby yes credit due to the devil.
Similarly yesterday i introduced the subject of the Wikileaks Party and the dynamics related to Assange while in refuge and the possibilities of his freedom. Constructive conversations which included Arbed, Ben And James Mason, that Jon should acknowledge are facilitated by the absence of antagonism and frequent copy/paste “news service” interjections. As also by an attitude of wanting to discuss something afresh and vitalise a subject rather than bring favourite prejudices and usual hobby horses and thereby twist every subject.
john; Mark’s post above was cryptic and disturbing. This caromed off your link
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lefigaro.fr%2Finternational%2F2013%2F08%2F22%2F01003-20130822ARTFIG00438-syrie-l-operation-anti-assad-a-commence.php
Ben, i’m sorry but when you’re following its annoying to see attempts by people suddenly pissing on the shoes of a dignified debater. There’s a time and place for everything.
” You don’t appear to have much of an overview. Are you a details man?”
What kind of shit is that?
Yes, I read that Ben, though not in French. I suppose Le Figaro gives the report some substance, and I wanted to see some before posting. I was hoping it was a prank.
And yes I saw Mark’s ‘cryptic’ comment. Reliable I suggest. We don’t knowingly elect madmen. They are just the ones who clamour and trample with their jackboots on the bodies of decent people to get where they get.
Hi John- while others pontificate and tell fortunes the world turns nuclear around the corner or across the street. We remenber Russia lost out on Iraq’s oil; Russia will lose on energy income from Europe and China will be forced to source oil from wherever.
Thrice the red line be crossed ere the spark frees its omphalic fireball.
Craig to the bridge please..Assume damage control state 3
Hi Mark – always good to have your ear-to-the-ground information. These worrying times are no time to be engaging those who are on Craig’s blog to disrupt. It would be good to know that he has his ear to the ground at the moment, though I know that deadlines are demanding.
When I first saw this video I thought it a tac nuke when the Homs ammo dump exploding was the cover story. Does anyone in the ME have them except for Israel?. It seemed the airburst is the dead giveaway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJpcOqJFw7A
Don’t know Ben. All weapons are lethal, a bit like being able to drown in a few inches of water. That video is disturbing. All war is abhorrent. I must go to bed, but please post important links. Goodnight.
“Africa’s food sovereignty under attack by corporate Interests”
http://www.grain.org/bulletin_board/entries/4773-africa-s-food-sovereignty-under-attack-by-corporate-interests
This report appeared to coincide with my post – atypical or deviant? Heteromorphic I say considering my military experience:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10265765/Navy-ready-to-launch-first-strike-on-Syria.html
Mary / name-of-the-month stated:
It’s generally unwise to presume to speak on behalf of others. “Trolls” are presumably those who do not snap to attention and gratefully concur with your every contribution.
This blog has become a laughing stock, you say? When was it otherwise – when Larry was race-baiting Suhayl? When our clutch of homoerotic white supremacists called by in their sock-puppet clown car? Could you stipulate when – exactly – it became a laughing stock instead of the serious head-nodding festival you enjoyed?
Sorry, Mary, but tolerating free speech, and – gasp – even communicating with those with whom we might not entirely agree, is not a moral crime. I made a little speech pleading with the Mod for free speech. Here it is, if you’re interested:
Plea for free speech on CM’s blog
Jon dismissed it out of hand, of course, with a mere “I don’t agree”. A comprehensive rebuttal, which rather devastated me, as you can imagine. Perhaps you can do a bit better? In the light of my argument referenced above – please explain why the views/comments that you do not like should not be allowed here.
Somehow I doubt you will. Laying it down, and expecting acquiescence at the worst, appears to be a standard for a blog to which you will grace us with your time.
*
Perhaps Jon is going to delete this, because it concentrates on one poster. I would argue that this particular poster – while very interesting, and very valuable to this blog – has placed such a comment upon all of us, that it deserved a reply.
I would welcome debate on this, as with all other matters on which I’d venture an opinion. To do less would be utter arrogance on my part.
OOOPPS i’m banned from commenting on Human Rights Watch on F book.. they are on the U.S, uk Ect narrative. Swines
Looks like their war is on then, Evil Bastards.
The war criminals in Washington and other Western capitals are determined to maintain their lie that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. Having failed in efforts to intimidate the UN chemical inspectors in Syria, Washington has demanded that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon withdraw the chemical weapons inspectors before they can assess the evidence and make their report. The UN Secretary General stood up to the Washington war criminals and rejected their demand.
Secretary of State John Kerry is working the phones using bribes and threats to build acceptance, if not support, for Washington’s war crime-in-the-making against Syria.
Washington is driving the world closer to nuclear war than it ever was even in the most dangerous periods of the Cold War. When Washington finishes with Syria, the next target is Iran. Russia and China will no longer be able to fool themselves that there is any system of international law or restraint on Western criminality. Western aggression is already forcing both countries to develop their strategic nuclear forces and to curtail the Western-financed NGOs that pose as “human rights organizations,” but in reality comprise a fifth column that Washington can use to destroy the legitimacy of the Russian and Chinese governments.
Russia and China have been extremely careless in their dealings with the United States. Essentially, the Russian political opposition is financed by Washington. Even the Chinese government is being undermined. When a US corporation opens a company in China, it creates a Chinese board on which are put relatives of the local political authorities. These boards create a conduit for payments that influence the decisions and loyalties of local and regional party members. The US has penetrated Chinese universities and intellectual attitudes. The Rockefeller University is active in China as is Rockefeller philanthropy. Dissenting voices are being created that are arrayed against the Chinese government. Demands for “liberalization” can resurrect regional and ethnic differences and undermine the cohesiveness of the national government.
Once Russia and China realize that they are riven with American fifth columns, isolated diplomatically, and outgunned militarily, nuclear weapons become the only guarantor of their sovereignty. This suggests that nuclear war is likely to terminate humanity well before humanity succumbs to global warming or rising national debts.
It’s generally unwise to presume to speak on behalf of others. “Trolls” are presumably those who do not snap to attention and gratefully concur with your every contribution.
So what about the rest of us then.
you begin you’re comment in a derogatory manner towards Fj
This Blog has mostly very decent people as frequent posters
And Dozens of us have been forced to Anger, and conflict with a mere Two or three Trolls / Smelly farts , whatever,
Flaming June has her Passions, yes, But as far as i could ever see, they were all for justice, and against the evils of this world, Trolls would appear to be the exact opposite, Snapping to attention to the evil elite Narrative, Trying to defend the indefensible,
So Now we have Syria – An upcoming catastrophe – Based on the same old Elite Lies.
Link for first part of Above Post.
Syria: Another Western War Crime In The Making
http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-another-western-war-crime-in-the-making/5347038
And i meant to separate the bottom paragraph, Starting – IT’S GENERALLY UNWISE – for a post to it’s own….Sorry
The massed MSM ranks of the Synagogue of Satan in full song, hyman minsky even here at this blog, aaronovitch and lustig, all well synced, well almost ! There is a little bit of this matter of the childrens’ gassing videos mistakenly released on YouTube beforehand, like the 911 WTC7 DST bubu on the Beeb.
Seems like the Syrian ‘compromise’ is about to be announced – limited missile strikes against chemical weapons facilites. Israeli newspaper has kindly published the location of the targets. The wider article lays out the plan in more detail – basically, looks like it’s an Israeli plan using US/UK forces.
Just have to wait and see what the Syrian response is – backroom deals are possible; America may suggest that if Russia/Syria does not retaliate then it guarantees no further action. Obama knows he needs to do something otherwise he will be toast, but he also wants to do the minimum possible.
http://www.roitov.com/articles/americanbritishattackonsyria.jpg
http://www.roitov.com/articles/surya.htm
Of course, Russia/Syria may agree to such a deal but once the bombs start dropping what is going to stop the Israelis joining in and escalating the situation? Clue: nothing. It’s a trap to start a regional conflagaration.
Have people read this document
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2009/6/iran%20strategy/06_iran_strategy.pdf
by the Brookings Institution? American military planning (re Iran, but linked to Syria) at its most callous. One of the chapters (no. 5, beginning page 89) is even titled “Leave it to Bibi: Allowing or Encouraging an Israeli Military Strike”.
@ BrianFujisan: Good commentary above.
The Washington Post had a piece quoting the Reuters poll showing only 9% in favour of military action, and puzzling how this could be so. Apparently prior to the most recent alleged gas attack, a poll showed 25% would support such action, IF it was proved Assad used chem weapons a 2nd time.
Did the govt. miscalculate domestic support, thinking if there were heart-rending, horrific pics of 1000 dead children, public support would surely grow from 25% to +50%? WaPo has their own informal, online poll on intervention, it is at 64% no/36% yes.
NBC TV shamelessly presented a young Syrian girl making a personal appeal to President Obama and mentioning his two daughters.
The public sees the root problem. From a comment in WaPo or LA Times, “I swear, the U.S. government has a meth-esque addiction to violence.”
@ Donald 27 Aug, 2013 – 9:12 am
“Obama knows he needs to do something otherwise he will be toast, but he also wants to do the minimum possible.”
With the public opposed, including his ordinarily loyal and unquestioning base, he’s toast either way; light toast or dark toast — no racism intended. At this point he’s a lame duckling anyway. It’s about the 2014 Congressional elections and ensuring Hillary wins in 2016. Where is she on Syria anyway? Haven’t heard a peep, though Bill is all for lobbing missiles.
FWIW stop the war are having a demo outside downing street tomorrow.
http://www.stopwar.org.uk/events/emergency-protest-syria
Medialens on syria/libya/egypt:
http://www.medialens.org/index.php/alerts/alert-archive/alerts-2013/739-massacres-that-matter-responsibility-to-protect-in-egypt-libya-and-syria-part-1.html