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.
[Mod: deleted two, same reason]
“I must admit that I was rather expecting the reactions so far, which seem to demonstrate that the Excellences on this blog not only specialise in posting what they consider to be bad news but also rubbish any good news that’s around.” Habbabkuk.
What a very clever person you must be. And multi-lingual, to boot! How about some Mandarin? Or is that just for the Oxbridged upper classes?
Perhaps everyone now should sing, ‘Rule Britannia’.
If I see the reinstatement of the social care workers and others who were booted out of their jobs (and thus the resumption of proper humane services for their clients) and the resumption of proper road repairs instead of their managed decline, then perhaps, I too will laugh again.
If one longs for good news, perhaps one ought to stick to Royal Baby tales.
I’m afraid Britian economy is systemically sick. It’s decompensated. Boom and bust won’t do for it any longer.
I hope I’m quite wrong.
@ Jon/Mod
Interested to see that “excessive focus on a commenter” (always the same one, it seems) gets your blue pencil working, but that you are happy with posts that include twenty “fuck”s or “fuckings”s in as many lines. Which might be called “excessive focus on fucking”, I suppose.
Perhaps Hoffman here can enlighten us, is ehud borg really retired or is he focused on delivering another 911 instead? The grapevine says borg personally pressed the button to test the special steel melting thermite on a WTC2 scaled down version at mossad HQ, for a 911 rehearsal,despite the 32°C weather underground there then?
@ Suhayl
“If one longs for good news, perhaps one ought to stick to Royal Baby tales..”
_____________
I hope you’re not going to disappoint me by suggesting that the upswing in manufacturing and in all other sectors of the economy is NOT good news?
A few moments ago I got this
What site was I trying to access? http://www.radiotimes.com/
A few moments later and I can access it again. That’s weird
My answer to you, Habbabkuk, is this:
“If I see the reinstatement of the social care workers and others who were booted out of their jobs (and thus the resumption of proper humane services for their clients) and the resumption of proper road repairs instead of their managed decline, then perhaps, I too will laugh again.” Me.
If the good news translates into reality on the ground for ordinary people (who have been robbed by the robber barons), then I will laugh again with you, Habbabkuk. There is a lot of spin (‘talking-up’) in, and massage of, economic ‘forecasting’ and statistics and I always am cautious. But long-term, you know, neoliberal boom-and-bust is not the answer. These were my main points wrt the economic figures.
@ Suhayl
“What a very clever person you must be. And multi-lingual, to boot! How about some Mandarin? Or is that just for the Oxbridged upper classes?”
______________
Well, you’re of course right about the clever and the multi-lingual, but I’m rather puzzled by your comment about Oxbridge and the upper classes.
Don’t you know that you can study Chinese at several universities other than Oxford and Cambridge? Such upper-class bastions as SOAS, Nottingham, Westminster and Trinity St David spring to mind…..
@ Suhayl
Well, we shall see. I very much hope, for example, that the unemployment figures will be lower in due course and shall of course report here if this comes about. But no doubt you will find some way if rubbishing that as well (probably be saying that it’s the “wrong sort” of employment: either “wrong” kinds of employment contracts, or employment in the private and not the public sector, or whatever – I’m sure you’ll find something).
Anyway, no need to respond. I’ll just publish more good news here and you can feel free to rubbish it. That’s fair, isn’t it.
The ROI for responding to havasack is not difficult to calculate. One would be better off using an investment vehicle at a Bank. No default insurance there either, but after taxes your interest payments would assuredly keep your loss to 40 or so basis points. Otherwise it’s the principle which suffers.
“But no doubt you will find some way if rubbishing that as well (probably be saying that it’s the “wrong sort” of employment: either “wrong” kinds of employment contracts, or employment in the private and not the public sector, or whatever – I’m sure you’ll find something).
Anyway, no need to respond. I’ll just publish more good news here and you can feel free to rubbish it. That’s fair, isn’t it.” Habbabkuk.
What a lot of rubbish that is, Habbabkuk.
I would be the happiest person in the room if there really is to be an imminent economic recovery in this country. I simply am expressing caution and urging attention to longer-term structural problems. We have seen it before, this cycle of boom and bust, which is a product of neoliberal economic policy which includes ideologically-driven banking deregulation. When I express concern for ordinary people of this country, it is illuminating that you seem to connote that with insufficient praise of the Government.
The current recession would have lasted three years (2008-2011). This Govt’s policies have deepend it, and doubled its duration. Aso, I believe that they have used the recession as an excuse – as cover – to redistribute wealth in the wrong direction and to implement ideologicaly-driven social engineering.
I feel very sad about that, Habbakuk.
A few questions I have about the economy
What are we manufacturing more of? Is it in our/the planet’s sustainable long-term self interest? Who is manufacturing it? How much do they get paid? What are their working conditions?* Is it well-designed? Is it toxic? Where does it get disposed of?
and so on.
*bankers, for example, work in terrible conditions.
IMO, no mystery here. It’s the death of hope which kills.
“The movie presents a world of fear, and of two peoples so deafened by shouting that they cannot hear each other speak. It is not only nations that are blind to each other’s perspectives. When Jaafari finds the radical priest who gave Siham the bomb, the priest tells him that he didn’t agree to a meeting to explain Siham’s actions but simply to say, “There’s nothing for you here.”
Jaafari, no Israeli partisan, could never see his wife for who she was, nor could she understand him. It is not religion or nationality that divides them, but their inability to see through the other’s eyes. The conflict permeates life so thoroughly that Jaafari, at one time at the peak of Israeli professional success and forever an Arab in a foreign state, neither a die-hard Zionist nor devoted to Israel’s downfall, is locked out of either group, cast aside even by his wife.”
Read more: http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/181828/my-wife-the-suicide-bomber/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Arts&utm_campaign=Arts%2520Newsletter%25202013-08-08#ixzz2bVyChQq9
Habbabkuk, happy to carry on deleting your obsession with Flaming June’s posts. I suspect your commenting on her every word encourages her to post more – an own goal, by your terms, if ever there was one.
Didn’t see that one, but as you well know, a post appearing here is not proof that it is acceptable. Posts appear immediately, and mods don’t read everything. I didn’t see that one.
That said, there are some very nasty posts I have left deliberately. If I judge that it is more illuminating to leave abusive posts up, then I will do so. A handful of dreadful posts from the Islamist debate are a case in point.
Flaming June
9 Aug, 2013 – 8:21 pm
“A 0.5% interest rate is fuelling a housing boom in the buy to let market. The bubble will burst as it has done before.”
You are right, and also wrong!. When the bubble does burst it will not be “as it has done before”, it will be the biggest crash since the south sea bubble. A lot of people are going to be left with a LOT of debt for the rest of their lives.
Jon; I miss Clark very much, but you have proven to be the top-knot of moderation. Your fairness and objectivist logic is worthy of Kant. I’m not inclined toward Nationalism, but if I were our uninvited guests would be glad to accept my substitute David Hume, and I would have no objection,
as I am Irish predominately, but 1/8 Scots. (Marching Bands leave me cold, but when I hear Bagpipes, I prepare for battle.)
Have you got a kilt Ben?
~~
More on Bloom and Moggy. I always enjoy Paddy McGuffin’s take in the Morning Star.
These lines especially –
‘Step forward Jacob Rees-Mogg, Westminster’s poshest denizen. This is a man who makes George Osborne seem like a peasant.
A toff so pampered that he took his nanny campaigning with him at the last election. Presumably in case the rough boys stole his pocket money.’
‘Bongo bongo land’ was just the same old same old from Ukip’s professional bigot
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/136334
From the same paper, a moving account of an Israeli woman’s life and work.
No holds barred
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/136332
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicia_Langer
Now 83, she was born in Poland, lived in Israel and left it to live in Germany in 1990. An advocate of human rights and justice for the Palestinians. A brave woman considering the opposition she must have experienced.
Didn’t he do well considering all things!
Disgraced former minister Chris Huhne lands energy job paying £100,000 for just two days a week
Former Energy Secretary employed by Zilkha Biomass Energy for £100,000
New job comes just three months after end of prison sentence for perverting the course of justice
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2388524/Disgraced-minister-Chris-Huhne-lands-energy-job-paying-100-000-just-days-week.html
The Zilkha brothers were originally producing oil in the Gulf of Mexico, sold out and then set up a business in wind energy. Sold that to Goldman Sachs! and are now in the biomass business. Are they ahead of the game? Wot no fracking?
http://www.zilkha.com/about-us/our-owners/
Huhne is their European chairman.
Excellent posts and links this morning, Flaming June, thanks very much for the info.
Thanks Suhayl. H can stop counting as I am off out for the day to see a new great niece. She is part of the baby boom no doubt.
Just saw this. Not Chipping Norton but Chipping Sodbury. Just 50 miles away from the Brooks/Cameron/Murdoch/Clarkson set. I don’t suppose any of them pop down to the Trussell Trust for supplies.
Summer of hunger: Huge rise in food bank use as demand linked to ‘welfare reform’
Trust running country’s largest network says some branches have had double the number of requests for emergency parcels since start of school holidays
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/summer-of-hunger-huge-rise-in-food-bank-use-as-demand-linked-to-welfare-reform-8755101.html
Well done the Hendersons and the Trussell Trust. Compassion in action. Not just words.
http://www.trusselltrust.org/how-we-started
“What are the views of our resident Israel supporters here?”
Probably that you are a filthy anti-Semite. I think every single person on the planet knows that the ‘peace process’ is a sham. Kerry has done some behind the scenes horse trading for the sake of a few headlines and has now gone back to playing golf while he waits for the call to the fallout shelter.
Does one really think Israel will finally declare it’s borders and return the stolen land in exchange for the cessation of a few bottle rockets from Gaza (which are probably fired by Israeli agents in the first place)? How will the IDF be able to experiment on new ways of killing people? Where will the organs for the Israeli transplant industry be gotten from? Who’s going to build the settlements at below minimum wage? Who can the Settlers use for target practice? No, Peace simply costs too much for Israel – and I’m talking cash here not some metaphorical bullshit. The Israeli Jews must simply suffer the attacks from the Palestinians and the world as they have done so throughout their long and glorious (and totally true) history and simply say “ven vill our sufferink end?”.
“I am off out for the day to see a new great niece. She is part of the baby boom no doubt.” Flaming June.
Congratulations! Have a lovely time. All power to babies! 🙂
Alcanon I’ve had a similar message from Virgin media. Is by any chance Virgin media your internet service provider? I have long suspected that Virgin Media makes everything available to the security services, and is in fact an agent. It does not make Russia Today available although this is a free channel. I have had more than one computer brought down while using Virgin media, and while I have no absolute proof that this service provider is responsible I have my suspicions (and that is despite my paying for anti-virus and other protection).
Does anybody know a service provider with a fast service that does not pass on information to the security services? After all we are paying for this (often) deplorable service.
“I have long suspected that Virgin Media makes everything available to the security services, and is in fact an agent.” John Goss.
Interesting, John. I find this whole area fascinating. Can you give us some concrete evidence for these two assertions? Thanks.
Australia’s Sarah Palin!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23644422
@ Flaming June 9 Aug, 2013 – 8:21 pm
“Wondering whether Cameron was on something since his return from holiday in Portugal, I checked his previous in that regard. He lied then too. Cameron and cannabis at Eton.”
http://whoknowswho.channel4.com/stories/Cameron_and_cannabis
Everyone is on something. Allegedly Prezs C. W. & O. were at one time or another. The slaves are on pot and meth while the overseers and plantation owners are totally coked-out, which accounts for their arrogance, delusions of grandeur and general nastiness.
We might yet save the world if we switch them to opiates. The Afghans could help.
Re: Fukushima. A reasonable (to me) and easy-to-understand piece. Contains a proposal, which was advanced in the weeks after the disaster but not implemented for political reasons, for blasting around the reactors and submerging the entire area in seawater, then fishing out the radioactive bits. The writer contends this may be the only solution available.
http://rt.com/op-edge/tepco-fukushima-sea-water-reactor-194/
Christopher Meyer @SirSocks
“@shashj @MStephensGulf I’ll put British jobs over Bahraini human rights any day. How can a fast jet abuse these rights anyway – fatuous.”
https://twitter.com/SirSocks/status/365898673378426880