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.
Because there would be a world of shit let loose!
@Komodo 1 21pm
““Israeli intelligence was a full partner with the US and Britain in developing a false picture of Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction capability,” said the author of the report, retired Brigadier General Shlomo Brom. ”
You mean…but that would mean….I mean…if that’s true…that would mean they all Comspired.
But if I pay attention enough to even consider what stuff like that means, that would make me an anti-semitic, tin-hat wearing conspiracy theorist.
Wouldn’t it?
Doesn’t seeing evidence of conspiracy make a person mad and dangerous?
Russia and China walking out of the UN Security Council Meeting earlier might have concentrated minds.
And Ed Miliband going seriously off message by refusing to support authorisation for immediate action (I wonder what his brother would have done) has slowed things down a bit here.
Maybe they even“Conspired” too!
I dunno Fedup, one could say that the aftermath of Iraq is a “world of shit let loose”, but even if the architects of that invasion could have foretold it, I believe they’d have gone for it anyway.
In any case, Sun journalists snorting coke in London don’t give two hoots for the danger they put “the brave boys” in, so in that sense, they can’t be terrified into writing honest headlines.
However, if you mean that Syria could strike back, well, I hope that doesn’t happen, but equally I imagine it would be within the rules of war for them to do so. Sometimes, sadly, this is the plan – provoke a foreign response which is then misused to turn around Western public opinion. Either way, retaliatory responses are precisely the thing that we should be considering, because therein lies the death toll we should be anxious to prevent.
Yes Fedup – a distinct cooling is in the air. The thing is (and this is fantastic) Cameron and Hague will look like a complete pair of twats because all their Alpha Male decisiveness will have been deflated. I wonder how they’ll spin that?
My bet is we’ll see Snowden back on the front pages by next week. Obama won’t enjoy that one little bit.
Or for those outside the UK, the Government was almost certainly facing a DEFEAT tomorrow on the original motion with Labour officially opposing and many coalition MPs rebelling,
That hasbara author would have been doing the rounds in the studious and talked about Assad Hitler WMD Hitler, and even more Nazi Hitler Assad WMD 9/11.
Do not trust the data from BBC; “Russia will not go to war”. When will the Russians start to react? When the “Nato” forces are at 24 kilometres distance of Moscow?
Did someone mention this?
“The United Nations Security Council appeared headed for a new confrontation over Syria on Wednesday after Britain said it would introduce a resolution accusing the Syrian government of a deadly chemical weapons attack last week and authorizing the use of force in that conflict, a measure that Russia was almost certain to block.”
http://news.nytco.com/2013/08/29/world/middleeast/syria.html?from=world
This is an extraordinary story. I just found it. Shouldn’t it be the top story in every friggin news outlet – the threats made by Prince Bandar? Maybe the Sorcha Faal piece wasn’t so wide of the mark. Apologies if anyone has posted this link already.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10266957/Saudis-offer-Russia-secret-oil-deal-if-it-drops-Syria.html
“The statement said the British draft proposed invoking Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, which can be used to authorize the use of force “to maintain or restore international peace and security.””
This will create delays for all war horses chomping at the bit. At least 3 more days for investigating the 8/21 incident, and Syria has just submitted evidence for three more events the rebels are supposed to have carried out.
DM story: “Is Assad now using NAPALM on his own people? Pictures reveal horrific injuries of Syrian civilians ‘also targeted with phosphorous bombs'”
Readers overwhelmingly remind DM there can’t be anything wrong with this, since US and Israel set precedent.
Mike; CSM is reporting same story but can’t seem to confirm. They say leak was the Saudis
The statement said the British draft proposed invoking Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, which can be used to authorize the use of force “to maintain or restore international peace and security.”
screwed the 11:15….here’s CSM link: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2013/0827/Did-the-Saudis-offer-to-pay-Russia-to-back-off-on-Syria-video
Saudis leak their own threat to the Sochi games? Surely not.
I also noticed Ben that yesterday the Saudis put their military on full alert. A few thermobarics along the gulf coast would send crude into the stratosphere. Again, a scrap to support the Faal story, albeit with the usual caveats about the author.
I see Dre touched on the UN story. Wasn’t it the goal to do this without UN delays? Someone is spoiling the xmas pudding.”
Jon; Is capcha also on a timer? Frustrating.
Some non-Syrian stuff:
“An industry group, the Cloud Security Alliance said last month that 10 percent of its non-US members have cancelled a contract with a US-based cloud provider, and 56 percent said they were less likely to use an American company.”
“Translated into hard dollar amounts, another report this month from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) said US cloud providers stand to lose $22-$35 billion over the next three years because of the publicity surrounding the PRISM program.”
A few days ago, at Fukushima, the rubber seals on some collapsible tanks holding radioactive water broke, sending water to ocean. Japanese govt. has finally taken over cleanup from TEPCO at cost of billions.
http://rt.com/news/fukushima-leak-emergency-updates-171/
Is Putin intellectually capable of three-dimensional chess, Mike? Better lay off the Stoly for a few weeks. Yeltsin is the cautionary tale.
Ben, no timer as far as I’m aware, but if you get it wrong and then hit back, the image displayed will be the same one, but expired. In those circumstances, copy to clipboard and refresh the page for a new CAPTCHA. (I recommend copying to clipboard anyway, in case your connection is down, or the site is having problems – saves losing a post).
Here’s one that could work for the MSM warmongers: “Dictator Assad drenches innocent babies in toxic mixture of sugary drinks, salty snacks, trans-fat acids and second-hand tobacco smoke.”
Thanks Jon. I know going back defeats the last screen, but many times when I am writing for more than a few minutes I get that error message.
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“Putin made it clear that Saudi financing was behind the terror efforts and suggested that any level of cooperation between the two countries can only occur if Riyadh stops such funding.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/08/saudis-pressure-russians-to-drop-syria/#0QyDmvlV9RBBdSpm.99
I think you underestimate the guy, Ben. Yeltsin was another useful idiot. Putin’s a different proposition altogether, more of a potentate than a bovine satrap.
Bombing the bad guys isn’t that intellectually demanding. Just ask George W Bush.
“I think you underestimate the guy” I know he was KGB so I assume he has some smarts. My question relates to his ego, I guess. Can he operate outside that restrictive burden? (rhetorical)
I don’t find testosterone an effective tool of diplomacy, and some diplomatic feats of daring have to be in play to keep the lid on all this.
Has anyone seen this site by the way? You can read the current front page of many newspapers, seemingly free of charge.
Obama say he is undecided on strike against Syria
Wednesday, August 28, 2013 18:10 EDT
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/28/obama-say-he-is-undecided-on-strike-against-syria/
I feel I can breathe easier since Cameron has backed down, and now reading this about Obama. Yesterday I was plain furious, all day long.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23865053
“On Wednesday, one of Russia’s most popular tabloids, Komsomolskaya Pravda, warned that Western intervention could spark an East/West standoff akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.”
Bluster from an organ of the State is just that, unless it’s not. Interesting that Cuban crisis was invoked, though. (didn’t I reference this yesterday?)
Yes, Dre. Cooler heads seemed to arise and the UN should take this down a notch.
Your welcome Komodo – notice I said three British bases in Cyprus?
The Ayios Nikolaos Station is very vulnerable to missile attack and according to a source corybantic activity is directed to missile defense and UAV or UCAV camouflage. There may well be advanced versions of BAE systems Mantis pre-launch testing.
Anyway British deep government and their advocators and underwriters stop the Syrian drum-beat and pathetic HARP strings on the grounds that missiles can be directed on a crucial and omnipotent installation…
Warning…Sibel Edmonds…heavy fees likely.
http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2013/08/27/bfp-syria-report-satellite-imagery-proves-syrian-chemical-weapons-attack-staged-by-rebels/
Phil @ 9;29, thanks for G. Galloway info re rumours in Parliament
Loved the way he Spanked the Sennit over Iraq
Sofia, i concur re the Girls, good to see Both of them Poping in again, Flaming June, Please Stick aroon
Yo NR @ 8;24… The bbc are at it all the effin time, they have murdered people, as the front line attack
Whilst not a religious person, Much respect to Mother Agnes Mariam
Mother Agnes Mariam is a Carmelite nun who has been living and working in Syria for the past 19 years.
Now, she is seeking to set the record straight on the lies and disinformation that is driving the NATO powers toward war against the people of Syria.
Mother Agnes Mariam is a Carmelite nun who has been living and working in Syria for the past 19 years.
Now, she is seeking to set the record straight on the lies and disinformation that is driving the NATO powers toward war against the people of Syria.
http://tv.globalresearch.ca/2013/08/confronting-chemical-lies-syria