Hypocrisy seems to be massively in fashion. This from William Hague renders me speechless: “Be in no doubt, there will be consequences. The world cannot say it is OK to violate the sovereignty of other nations.”
Then today we have the British Establishment at a closed event in Westminster Abbey in memory of Nelson Mandela. Prince Harry, David Cameron, all the toffs. I was never more than a footsoldier in the anti-apartheid movement, but I trudged through the rain and handed out leaflets in Dundee and Edinburgh. I suspect very few indeed of the guests at this posh memorial service did that. David Cameron was actively involved in Conservative groups which promoted precisely the opposite cause.
My first appointment in the Foreign Office was to the South Africa (Political) desk in 1984. The official British government line was that the ANC was a terrorist organization. I faced hostility and disapproval even when I tried to get action on appalling human rights abuses like the case of Oscar Mpetha (thanks here to Tony Gooch and Terry Curran, they know why). I got in big trouble for asking how many black guests had been received in the High Commissioner’s residence in Pretoria.
Every day, on a day to day basis, my job involved dealing with members of the British establishment, its political, business and professional communities. The entire tenor of those meetings was how to prevent economic sanctions, circumvent existing sanctions and prolong the economic advantages to the UK of white rule. Support for PW Botha was axiomatic. I have no doubt many of those people or those who worked alongside them are in Westminster Abbey today.
The final extraordinary outbreak of hypocrisy is on the British left. Russian military invasion of Ukraine is approved by them, because it is an invasion by Russia, and not an invasion by the West. They are precisely as hypocritical as Hague. Both think it is OK to violate the sovereignty of other nations, but only by their chosen side.
Until 1917, Russia was an Empire, avowedly so. Thereafter the Soviet Union was a non-avowed Empire. The Crimea, and the rest of the Caucasus, was not colonized by Russia until the 1820’s onward. The reason Crimea has a majority Russian population is that Stalin deported the Krim Tartars as recently as the 1930’s. That was an old fashioned, wholesale colonial atrocity, precisely similar to the British clearing parts of Kenya for white settlement.
In the mid-nineteenth century, Russian statesmen like Nesselrode appealed to the British in particular, not to oppose their expansion in the Caucasus, because as he said like the British they were white Christian Europeans engaged in a civilizing mission among savages and Muslims. It was precisely the same colonial motivation the British used. There is no moral difference, or even overt difference in justification at the time, between British colonization of India and Russian colonization of Chechnya. Because Britain happens to be an island, we think of Empires as something you get to by ship. Russia’s Empire happened to be a contiguous land mass. But Dagestan, Chechnya, and Tartarstan were none the less colonies, exactly as were Kokhand, Bokhara and Khiva, formed to make Uzbekistan. Yet left wing anti-colonialism does not demand decolonisation by Russia, only the West. Gross hypocrisy.
Mr Scourgie
“Evgueni, it’s called: not being able to see the wood for the trees.
Meaning: If you can’t see the wood for the trees, you can’t see the whole situation clearly because you’re looking too closely at small details, or because you’re too closely involved.”
__________________-
Isn’t that comment just a tad patronising? This thread deserves better, surely?
@Doug – Yes: it’s called the ‘haversack ruse’. Many old tricks continue to work. I don’t know whether you have read David Ogilvy’s Ogilvy on Advertising.
The USA would love, if not to get its hands on the Ukraine, at least set up a military base there as it has done in Poland. For those US apologists who choose to defend a country that would never think of trying to destabilise another country, read this:
http://screechingkettle.blogspot.com/2011/10/putting-todays-wars-in-perspective.html
O/T. Just thought you might like to know one of the three people arrested at the same time as Moazzam Begg, Gerrie Taharie, will appear in court today charged with I think the Midlands News reader said “activities in Syria”. The word terrorism was not mentioned.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Moazzam-Begg/309986402460025
Buggerlugs, 9.20: ‘Isn’t that comment (Doug explaining English idiomatic expression to someone whose first language is possibly not English) to just a tad patronising? This thread deserves better, surely?’
It may deserve it…
Buggerlugs, 8.36: ‘You are quite right. I used the term “lefties” incorrectly (perhaps as ‘shorthand’)and am happy to accept your expression “useful idiots” as a better description of many of the contributors to this and the previous thread.
The thread is about hypocrisy. Splendid illustration. And wasn’t there something about “smelly lefties” earlier?
Tool.
Broken News Today. Jewish special forces involved in Maidan Neo-Nazi riots.
http://nsnbc.me/2014/03/04/ukraine-israeli-special-forces-unit-neo-nazi-command-involved-maidan-riots/
It certainly looks like the Russians are in a stronger position. They’ve easily taken the part of Ukraine they are strategically interested in. They have the support of the local population and the local government and the area is pretty much still functioning in terms of economy and law enforcement. There’s nobody to challenge them on the ground and Putin’s not challenged at home.
The US and Europe, on the other hand, are backing a dubious bunch who’ve just grabbed the power of a pretty much dysfunctional and bankrupt government and face massive intimidation from a very well-armed neighbour. The US and European voters would probably lose interest in the kind of serious support that would be needed to establish and protect this new government, even though they found the western media coverage of the “courage behind the barricades” quite compelling at the time. So there are already cracks in The US and European allies’ united front as they scrabble to protect their own domestic bottoms. How shallow.
Having said that, I’ll take no part in the general US bashing that this situation seems to bring out in many commenters. Putin is undeniably a thug and a gangster and if I had to choose between living and running a business in The US or Russia then I’d choose The US any day. But that’s unfortunately not the kind of choice that the Ukrainian people are going to get any time soon.
@Ba’al Zevul – at the risk of being termed both patronising and anti-semitic, what you have just pointed out is classic yiddish (as she was spoke in the Warsaw Ghetto) ! But Habba is only an amateur, Benzion Mileikowski is the master proponent with his annual cartoon aided shows at the UN podium. Its also called dershowitzery. The funny thing is the satanic devils think they are entirely in the right, its us dumb cattle who are not seeing the “truth” !!
Much as I hate to break off an attack on the IDF, here’s the original article, which describes ‘Delta’ as ex IDF, and suggests that his motives are as much humanitarian as anything else.
The rest is ‘interpretation’ by Chossudovsky, who founded Global Research International, which is to say the least uncritical of wingnut conspiracy theories.
http://www.jta.org/2014/02/28/news-opinion/world/in-kiev-an-israeli-militia-commander-fights-in-the-streets-and-saves-lives
‘Hakadosh Baruch Hu ‘ = God, btw. If that isn’t too patronising.
Re. nsnbc, see here – http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nsnbc.me
David H, living and setting up a business in the US might be a better prospect than setting one up in Russia, I don’t know. What I do know is that America is an imperialist country determined to have a New World Order against the will of others. I do not like bullies, whatever country they lead. It is hardly credible that someone who rose to power through the KGB is likely to have a heart and I tend to share Craig Murray’s view about leaders:
“Political leaders are almost always bastards. Ordinary people are always almost nice. That sums up what I have learnt in my lifetime rather neatly.”
However, I am glad that there are checks and balances from BRICS countries, to stop the US cowboys riding roughshod over everybody. Our allegiance to these bullies has cost us our treasured legal safeguard of habeas corpus and the anti-terrorism laws have enabled the unjust incarceration of a lot of good men, who just happen to be Muslim.
“When lies are repeated it is necessary to nail those replies – repeatedly.
The tape mentioned above shows AS Nuland discussing events in Ukraine with the US ambassador in Kiev.”
Events that didn’t happen for another three weeks.
Its ludicrous, if the peeping Uncle Tom Obama had been watching only Nancy Pelosi undress in his US neighbourhood that may be acceptable, but the NSA devil has been watching Angela Merkels red slit panties as far away as in Germany !! And the shameless nilotic wants to talk about International Law, its just unbelievable, another world class Jantjie fog donkey.
And we have CM on about Putin (and coming up with all kinds of diplomatic tales to whitewash the extremely revealing Nuland “Fuck EU” telecon – for yats sake !!), simply because he is beholden to a pink jelly ex-soviet satellite russophobe from kyrgistan or yiddistan or wherever
Evgueni at 1:36am, 2:22am, 2:31am and 2:58 am; thank you for so much detail.
Oddie, various comments, thanks for the information about the oligarchs in London.
Craig, 12:25pm; thanks for the reply.
Russia will abandon the US dollar as a reserve currency if the United States initiates sanctions against the Russian Federation, Presidential advisor Sergey Glazyev told Ria Novosti news agency.
“We will be forced to go to another currency and create our own payment and settlement system. We have a fantastic trade and economic relationship with our partners in the east and south, and we’ll find a way to not only reset our financial dependence on the US, but come out from these sanctions with an advantage for ourselves,” he said.
How about Bitcoin?
Craig said, ‘The final extraordinary outbreak of hypocrisy is on the British left. Russian military invasion of Ukraine is approved by them, because it is an invasion by Russia, and not an invasion by the West. They are precisely as hypocritical as Hague. Both think it is OK to violate the sovereignty of other nations, but only by their chosen side.’
I guess dogma trumps morality every time; the British far-left historically regarded Russia as its political ally, while Hague is an absolutely devoted admirer of all things American which do not involve social concern. Abandoning morality is perhaps less hypocritical in Hague than in the far left, even. After all, he supported the removal of the democratically-elected Morsi in Egypt, and condoned the branding of the then-democratically elected Hamas as a terrorist organisation. I’d say Hague, though an appalling person and worse member of any government, is actually quite consistent.
Russian government spokesman:
“An attempt to announce sanctions would end in a crash for the financial system of the United States, which would cause the end of the domination of the United States in the global financial system.”
Re ‘Delta’ in Kiev, never forget that it was the Israelis (who held two posts in the Georgian cabinet) who egged on the Georgians to invade South Ossetia in 2008.
Does it sound crazy that the Israelis held two posts in the Georgian cabinet? Click here to confirm.
The following article by Paul Craig Roberts is essential reading:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37833.htm
“Broken News Today. Jewish special forces involved in Maidan Neo-Nazi riots” (from Mr Goss)
and
“Re ‘Delta’ in Kiev, never forget that it was the Israelis (who held two posts in the Georgian cabinet) who egged on the Georgians to invade South Ossetia in 2008.”
(from N_ )
___________________
I was wondering how long it’d be before we got onto Israel and the Jooos..
Sofia, I don’t know whether bitcoin was a serious suggestion or one of Daddy’s little jokes but it made me smile. As to Russia abandoning the dollar, if China went along with it the dollar would collapse in a massive heap and all countries would have to peg to something else or create a new currency. China, owning so many US government bonds is unlikely to stab itself in the back, which is a pity. One day the dollar will collapse. It is already grossly overvalued and US debt is unfathomable. However, by some quirk of economic skulduggery, it is surviving. Satan’s miracle. It will hurt me when it collapses. It will hurt others a lot more.
The US then might not be a good place to set up home and business.
BarbaraZeVul
“And wasn’t there something about “smelly lefties” earlier?”
_________________
Yes, the full expression was something like “smelly little orthodox left-wingers”.
A variant on the George Orwell expression, you know.
If the cap fits…..:)
I wish moderators would encourage those who comment to comment on the links that have been posted and not on those who posted them. They should criticise the content not other individuals. It goes against the new policy of the blog which has been a much more pleasant place to visit of late, with a few cranky exceptions. Thanks.
Pussy Riot is with Craig:
“Russia Is Repeating 1968”
A Pussy Riot founder on the occupation of Crimea—and the silence in Moscow
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116823/pussy-riots-maria-alyokhina-putins-war-crimea
that Greenpeace favourite, Shell, which has plans to save the earth from manmade global warming, was planning a fracking good future in Ukraine!
Sept 2013 – Global Post: AFP: Ukraine reaches deal for Black Sea gas with Exxon, Shell
In January, Ukraine and Shell signed a $10-billion shale gas production-sharing agreement.
The Ukrainian government estimates the eastern Donetsk location may hold three trillion cubic metres of natural gas — enough to last the nation of 46 million people 70 years at current consumption rates.
US energy giant Chevron won a tender last year to explore for shale gas in western Ukraine..
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130926/ukraine-reaches-deal-black-sea-gas-exxon-shell
27 Feb – Bloomberg: Ukraine Economy Hangs on Investments from Exxon & Shell
The world’s largest oil companies from Royal Dutch Shell Plc to Exxon Mobil Corp. are likely to reassess deals to drill in Ukraine where political crisis is threatening a promising source of new profits as well as the country’s drive for energy independence…
Shell and Chevron Corp. signed agreements last year to drill unexplored shale formations in Ukraine, offering the chance to upgrade the country’s energy infrastructure and boost domestic production, thus reducing the amount of gas imported from Russia. Before the crisis erupted last year, Exxon, the largest U.S. oil company, was also close to signing a pact to explore the Black Sea.
While the oil companies can spend their money in other countries, the investment, which could eventually be worth more than $10 billion, is vital to Ukraine’s quest to pull away from Russian control and revive an economy on the verge of collapse after three months of violent protest…
The Hague-based Shell plans to drill as many as 15 wells over the next five years to appraise the potential of the Yuzivska field, spread over 8,000 square kilometers (3,100 square miles) of eastern Ukraine…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-25/ukraine-economy-hangs-on-investments-from-exxon-to-shell.html
John Goss
“It {ie, the US dollar}is already grossly overvalued and US debt is unfathomable. However, by some quirk of economic skulduggery, it is surviving.”
_________________
Damned inconsiderate of those quirky skullduggers to frustrate you so, eh Mr Goss!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“China, owning so many US government bonds is unlikely to stab itself in the back, which is a pity.”
__________________
No Samson in the temple syndrome there, eh?
Wise words from Peter Hitchens ;
http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2014/03/further-thoughts-on-russia-.html
John Goss
“I wish moderators would encourage those who comment to comment on the links that have been posted and not on those who posted them.”
____________________
Well, commenters tend to reveal themselves by the links they supply, don’t they.
And by the rather selective way in which they frequently use those links.
“Broken News Today. Jewish special forces involved in Maidan Neo-Nazi riots” (from Mr Goss)
and
“Re ‘Delta’ in Kiev, never forget that it was the Israelis (who held two posts in the Georgian cabinet) who egged on the Georgians to invade South Ossetia in 2008.”
(from N_ )
___________________
I was wondering how long it’d be before we got onto Israel and the Jooos..
___________________
Yeah, snd I am wondering how long before they appoint a 28 year old dual-israeli citizen like kezerashvili as Defence Minister in Ukraine, as saakashvilli did in Georgia in 2006.
Habbabkuk: “I was wondering how long it’d be before we got onto Israel and the Jooos..”
And don’t forget that the narrative is now that the Jews AND the Nazis have taken over Ukraine.
Again, the conspiracism requires mental gymnastics that us mere mortals are not capable of.
‘…if the cap fits…’
If you ever read anyone else’s posts, and if you were not intent on alienating people from you and each other, you would recognise that it doesn’t. Anyway, here’s the original quote:
‘When one reads any strongly individual piece of writing, one has the impression of seeing a face somewhere behind the page. It is not necessarily the actual face of the writer. I feel this very strongly with Swift, with Defoe, with Fielding, Stendhal, Thackeray, Flaubert, though in several cases I do not know what these people looked like and do not want to know. What one sees is the face that the writer ought to have. Well, in the case of Dickens I see a face that is not quite the face of Dickens’s photographs, though it resembles it. It is the face of a man of about forty, with a small beard and a high colour. He is laughing, with a touch of anger in his laughter, but no triumph, no malignity. It is the face of a man who is always fighting against something, but who fights in the open and is not frightened, the face of a man who is generously angry — in other words, of a nineteenth-century liberal, a free intelligence, a type hated with equal hatred by all the smelly little orthodoxies which are now contending for our souls.’
“Charles Dickens” (1939), Inside the Whale and Other Essays (1940)
That’s ALL the smelly little orthodoxies. Including yours, o Mail reader. Which you have not even the courage to attribute.
Another gem from Orwell:
‘Ellis was one of those people who constantly nag others to echo their own opinions’
(Burmese Days)
If the cap fits, lol.
Sofia Kibo Noh 4 Mar, 2014 – 9:10 am
SKN: “Fortunately, thanks to the wonders of the internet we can see what it looks like to those who are there. Here’s what it looks like to Ukrainian author Lada Ray.”
I was wondering why I had never heard of the Ukrainian author Lada Ray. Here’s why:
https://twitter.com/LadaTweets
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lada-ray/48/325/286
Both links from page one of the Google search. Here’s a Google search on the Ukrainian transcription of Lada Ray:
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0+%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B9
From the tone of your posts I infer that you do not wish to be taken seriously. Fair enough, I won’t try any more.