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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  • Villager

    Actually, Technicolour, I’d quite like to hear your holistic views/response to Glenn’s comment of last night re censorship/moderation.

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    Herbie; You Ex-Pat? You show a lot of interest in the US.

    Seen ‘Children of Men’?

  • Villager

    FJ: did you actually say this: “Hasbarabollocks”

    FJ, can you answer this please? Jon says that you are worthy of my respect. I want to know…

  • Herbie

    Ben

    I’m interested in the US because it now directly controls every state in the western world.

    It’s where the focus needs to be. It’s where all our freedoms will be regained or finally lost for generations. Israel too, for similar and related reasons.

    Yeah, I’ve seen that film, and many others of a similar nature.

    But now since reality itself is shall we say more artistically interesting, I focus on that.

    Hope things are good with you this morning.

  • Dreoilin

    “They shop in luxury malls, lounge on pristine beaches, purchase the best products, trumpeted the Israeli website with picture of indeed a super luxury mall – if you like that kind of thing – but it was in Malaysia.”

    For anyone who can’t see the picture on Haaretz (because Premium)

    this should be a link to the image
    http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.541794.1376585119!/image/1731301613.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_640/1731301613.jpg

    (hope it works)

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    Herbie; Orwell/Huxley wasn’t a warning. It was a prophecy. The security state(s) behavior has been consistent over time. Authority must retain control of the population. Everything, and I mean everything they do is either an indirect or a direct manner of keeping the Status Quo. It’s why the Founding Fathers left the Constitution malleable. But they knew they couldn’t construct an edifice which was impervious to abuse. They realized future governments had to hold these truths sacred in order for it to work. But human nature seems intransigent.

    “Madam; you have a Republic, if you can keep it”
    Benjamin Franklin

  • Herbie

    Tech

    What is your problem with Mary’s use of the term “Hasbarabollocks”.

    It seems a very minor matter to raise, particularly when the context quite clearly indicates its referent as the Israeli program of propaganda more generally. It seems reasonable to hold that in contempt.

    Now, I see, you’ve risen the attendant imbecile.

    Was that your intention, or have you just goofed up again?

  • Clark

    Craig, please either post or close comments. Put this damn thread out of its misery. Certain commenters seem unable to restrain their aggression (some seem to revel in it); the current atmosphere does more harm than good. The arena needs either closure or redevelopment, like a piece of waste land where gang warfare repeatedly develops.

    This used to be my favourite place on the Web. These days, it just makes me feel sick.

    Jon, Craig probably won’t see this comment unless you draw his attention to it; please do so.

  • Suhayl Saadi

    “… quite a cheap shot at a fellow writer from someone of the fraternity…” Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

    On the contrary, it was an affectionate sigh for the passage of time and the wistfulness of psychedelia. Listen to the songs of the (English) Kaleidoscope and you’ll see what I mean. It also was a fraternal nod to you, as a fellow-Doors fan. And there were sad-eyed, stoned girls, sitting around the gravestone. Very pleasant ambience.

    Be mellow, Hamlet, not everything is an attack.

  • John Goss

    V at 4.20 pm. It’s quite a novelty for someone who’s fought against racism much of his adult life to be accused of being a racist. I’ve just watched Mo Farah add the 5,000 metres to the 10,000 metres he won last week. What an athlete. Well done Mo Farah! You have done Britain proud. Theresa May is racist. If she had her way he’d be running for Somalia.

    Habbakuk, of course was an old testament prophet. Just where would you expect him to worship? But I suggest you get out a dictionary and check the meaning of racist. I think you will find that Theresa May fits the description.

  • Dreoilin

    John,
    I was surprised to read that you’re a pilot and were just sacked by Ryanair for taking part in Channel 4 Dispatches about safety on Ryanair. Another John Goss I assume?

    (I did think you posted from Bangkok one day, but maybe I was mistaken :))

  • nevermind

    my thanks to Brian Fujisan for meeting up. its good to put faces to comments. Read all the comments today, my thanks to Herbie for some excellent links and for John Goss’s exposure.

    there isn’t really much more to be said, except that Craig must be as fed up as others.

    Passerby, I forget to read what I write, sometimes I make mistakes, thats just how it is at times, but your superiority shines so bright, you ought to be canonised for your understanding of how it all works in the establishments underbelly, you clever clogs, what would we do without your valued judgement….

    Warum soll Ich hier reinschauen wenn man nicht Scwoeren kann?

  • John Goss

    Dreoilin, I missed that story. The John Goss dismissed by Ryanair for fears about safety is not me, but he clearly has the Goss gene.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ryanair-sacks-longserving-pilot-after-channel-4-documentary-appearance-29500071.html

    The Ryanair Pilot Group should back this whistleblower to the hilt. When I worked for an engineering company, Davis Charlton, in the Isle of Man I heard a story of how before I was there a few engineers had got together to form a union. The Managing Director, Efan Davis, called in the shop-steward and told him he was sacked, the very ploy that Michael O’Leary has adopted with John Goss. At Davis Charlton the engineers disbanded and no union was formed. I was not there long because I was fighting a one-man battle against Davis. That is why the pilots must stick together. United we stand, divided we fall.

  • Dreoilin

    “The Ryanair Pilot Group should back this whistleblower to the hilt.”

    I think they are, John. I follow them on Twitter.
    More power to the Goss gene, indeed. As far as I can see, Ryanair are fuming. Unfortunately I didn’t see the Dispatches programme.

  • Flaming June

    Yes indeed I did.

    ‘Hasbara has been described as “pro-Israel propaganda,” but while “propaganda strives to highlight the positive aspects of one side of a conflict, hasbara seeks to explain actions, whether or not they are justified.”‘

    ‘Bollocks A highly flexible term commonly used by the English.

    1. something rubbish
    2. a falsehood or series of lies
    3. something great
    4. the best possible’

    ~~~

    Make of it what you will.

    Urban Dictionary

  • mark

    #reclaim the power in #Balcombe – easily 1000 here. Well organised bravo large police presence. Respect and peace clearly evident. Well known band playing at 9pm -cannot divulge name bless them. Here we experience folk working together to create a superb tent village with a sense of ccommunity 🙂 mark

  • John Goss

    Dreoilin, I wish I had seen the Dispatches programme too but I’m glad to learn that Goss is being supported by his professional association.

  • Suhayl Saadi

    I see the Plantagenet Alliance (the what???) is fighting against Leicester University and Leicester City Council over the remains of King Richard III. The judge basically told them to ‘take it easy, guys, have some roses’. I see The Tower looming…

    Whatever happened to the poster who used to call himself, ‘Richard III’? And for that matter, what happened to the poster who used to cal himself, ‘Richard Robinson’ and who was deeply into (what some, but not he, would call) folk music? Anyone know? Has he simply changed his pseudonym? Was it pseudonym?

    The world’s mysteries are profound, indeed (as the Guru-ji said).

  • Ben Franklin -Machine Gun Preacher (unleaded version)

    What happened to Trowbridge H. Ford? Trowbridge?

  • fedup

    Warum soll Ich hier reinschauen wenn man nicht Scwoeren kann?

    Ich akzeptiere diesem Gefühl/Stimmung

    ich werden verdammt, Deutsch sprechen

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