Feile An Phobail Belfast 4110

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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.

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4,110 thoughts on “Feile An Phobail Belfast”

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  • Komodo

    Thanks, Alcanon. Now I get it. Duh. Should have looked at the address bar. Cancel my previous, fooled again.

  • Macky

    That’s exactly right Alcanon, and thanks for replying whilst I was occupied with more mundane work related matters.

    My sense of humour is always primed Komodo, but I’m not telepathic as your comment read as a straight attempted rebuke; as often noted (& experienced !) irony & sarcasm don’t come across too well in posted comments.

  • Flaming June

    My word. Here’s an acquisitive ex squash coach, Mr Mike Davis.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Direct

    Sports Direct employ 90% of their work force on zero hours contracts (no gurantee of work, no holiday pay and no sick pay) and one of them Zahera is taking legal action with the help of Leigh Day that excellent firm of solicitors who do so much good work.

    38 Degrees is publicizing the case and is asking for financial help for Zahera.

    http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2013/08/07/the-people-vs-sports-direct/

    FWIW I am boycotting Sports Direct and will ask my friends to do so too.

  • Flaming June

    Halibaba reminds me more and more of one of those wind up toys that used to be made in Hong Kong when the little clockwork motors were wearing out.

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    Havasack; good at assking questions, answering, not so much.

  • Komodo

    Thousands might condemn you for linking to pron, Macky, but if I ever ask you not to, again, please assume I am not serious. I’m a lizard of the world.

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    BrianF; Excellent post and links on the bees. It was the ‘bees-knees’.

  • Herbie

    Interesting interview, Ben.

    She’s a media professional and certainly knows how to play the narrative game.

    Should be a case study for those interested in the Propaganda Model.

  • Flaming June

    A Parliament of Leakers
    WikiLeaks and the New Vision

    Binoy Kampmark / August 7th, 2013
    http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/08/a-parliament-of-leakers/

    [..]
    For that reason, various approaches are required. One is legislative: decriminalise public service whistleblowing altogether, and enhance protections in the private sector. The assumption as it stands is that, irrespective of what good is done in revealing an abuse, the discloser will face punishment. This is the archaic version of the gentleman’s code, honour among thieves. Breaching the pact might have been necessary, but it was still egregious to the rituals of secrecy. The second is, and it is of little surprise that Assange has moved to the front on this, a matter of machinery and tactics. If you give a senator a communications device, the heart and mind will follow.

    The introduction of such disclosure protocols within a forum such as the Australian senate will formalise the process. From the illicit rear guard, the measure will constitute an accepted vanguard of policy. Perhaps what is so troubling for the secrecy tarts and trolls is that they can’t ultimately accept that emerging fact: a Parliament of resolute, determined leakers, guarding the mendacious and the abusive against themselves and others.

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    Herbie; She seems real torn up, doesn’t she? Piers Morgan is quite the hack. He covers all the same ground everyone has covered already. Why didn’t he ask her what no one has; “What was he doing out at 4 am driving so fast, late for his flight out of LAX?”

  • Dreoilin

    I was just about to comment on Obama, Mary. He said about Russia
    “There have been times where they slip back into Cold War thinking and a Cold War mentality”
    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/obama-cancels-planned-meeting-with-putin-1.1487067

    For Pete’s sake, the United States never left the “cold war mentality”. And they consider the whole world to be potential enemies. That’s why they spy on us all.
    Ah! the problems of empire …”Everybody hates us” and it’s got nothing to do with what we do. It’s all about what we have and what we are. Delusions of grandeur. “You’re all jealous” – or so I have been told.

    Sorry, the heat is getting to me again.

  • Arbed

    Following on from Flaming June’s post at 3.36pm, here’s another wee detail:

    In a major case of hissy fit, Obama cancels his upcoming visit to Russia because of Snowden’s asylum. Decides to pop in on Sweden in early September instead.

    http://uk.news.yahoo.com/obama-cancels-putin-meeting-over-snowden-row-131324295.html#OP3SsWL

    Hmm. Anyone know when was the last time a US Prez visited Sweden? I know that when Hillary Clinton anticipated the verdict of the UK Supreme Court by announcing a visit to Sweden the day after the Court said they’d hand down the verdict in 5 days’ time (just don’t mention the words “NSA snooping”, ya hear?), that was the first visit for 37 years of a US Secretary of State. I’m guessing a visit from the US Prez is an even rarer event.

    I wonder if US gummint has a fixation about asylum-seekers at the moment…?

    And when is the sentencing part of Bradley Manning’s trial due to finish…? Oh! Early September, you say? My, my – isn’t that when Assange’s lawyers guess the Grand Jury indictment gets unsealed?

    (If anyone thinks I’m exaggerating and reading too much into this, I don’t think I am. Just look at how they behaved over Snowden. Never mind their two-month “get Snowden at all costs” campaign, the US govt’s “get Assange” campaign has been going for more than three years now, and it’s HUGE. Even the Australian DFAT FOI releases have called it “unprecedented in both scale and nature”.)

  • Herbie

    “She seems real torn up, doesn’t she?”

    Yes, Ben. That was my first thought as well.

    I think it’s only because she’s a media professional who knows the game, that she was able to pull herself through it.

    No point talking outside the cosy narrative, for now. She’d never have a voice again.

    She’s still standing.

  • Dreoilin

    That clown Jay Leno should have asked him, “And what mentality are you in at the moment, Sir?”

  • Dreoilin

    “And when is the sentencing part of Bradley Manning’s trial due to finish…?”

    I thought it was the end of this week.

  • Arbed

    No Dre, Bradley’s sentencing hearing is expected to last for the whole of August.

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    I am talking with the DC lawyer Mark Zaid and he is of the opinion Manning’s sentence will end up around 45 years. We have a friendly bet. I say it will be 90 or very close to 90.

  • Kempe

    “Hmm. Anyone know when was the last time a US Prez visited Sweden? I know that when Hillary Clinton anticipated the verdict of the UK Supreme Court by announcing a visit to Sweden the day after the Court said they’d hand down the verdict in 5 days’ time (just don’t mention the words “NSA snooping”, ya hear?), that was the first visit for 37 years of a US Secretary of State. I’m guessing a visit from the US Prez is an even rarer event. ”

    Instead of guessing and drawing wild conclusions why not look it up? Bush visited Sweden in June 2001 and the Swedish PM repaid the complement to Obama in 2009.

  • Arbed

    Thanks Kempe,

    Ok, so it’s only the US State Dept that visits Sweden once every four decades. Why is the idea that Hillary Clinton knew what the verdict of the UK Supreme Court in Assange’s case five days before it was announced – and timed her snap visit for the day after it would be made public – because of NSA snooping a “wild conclusion”? I imagine the UK Supreme Court’s digital security arrangements are likely to be not the sharpest in town.

  • Villager

    Flaming June
    7 Aug, 2013 – 3:13 pm
    “Halibaba reminds me more and more of one of those wind up toys that used to be made in Hong Kong when the little clockwork motors were wearing out.”

    A bit out of the blue isn’t it Mary or is it just the page 5 syndrome, just blurting out the first thing that enters your mind? Make up your mind whether you want Habby’s attentions or are you genuine when you say you don’t, while inviting it at the same time. Is it too subtle for you to see the roots of your own words/actions? Sorry if i’m sounding blunt but i am actually showing you how things degenerate.

  • NR

    Comedy contd: The Board of Directors of al Qaeda thought their 20 member conference call was secure, but that ever-clever Roadrunner NSA unscrambled their non-state secrets.
    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/07/al-qaeda-conference-call-intercepted-by-u-s-officials-sparked-alerts.html

    Is there not one brave al Snowdie whistle-blower amongst enemy ranks brave enough to reveal the AQ’s Executive Committee’s Power Point Presentations to us? We’d learn their devices are all clearly marked “Acme” (in Arabic) which would make airport screening easier.

    Meanwhile, our bobble-headed state propagandists are furiously spinning Obama’s cancellation of his planned one-on-one meeting with Putin as a devastating slap at the Russian president, near equivalent to a cruise missile hitting Red Square.

    Meanwhile 2, Snowden’s Russian lawyer announced an upcoming visit to Russia, not only of Snowden’s father, but Snowden’s American friends [he didn’t specify the pole-dancer gf] and Snowden’s American lawyer. They are all to decide on Edward’s future as a family council.

    What news would his American lawyer bring? “I’ve negotiated a plea deal with President Obama. You have his most solemn and trusty word he’ll not boil you in a big pot on the Capitol steps. Simmer maybe or poach, with some healthy carrots, celery and broccoli, but definitely not boil.”

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