The present problems of Iraq are 100% down to our murderous invasion and occupation. The idea that further western bombing will make things better is so deluded as to beggar belief.
I was surprised to find during my Burnes research that the imperialist powers of Britain and Russia were explicitly exploiting Sunni and Shia divisions to further their conquests of Islamic lands as early as the 1830’s. This has been the major tool of the neo-con Middle Eastern gameplan for some time, spreading disunity and crippling war throughout the Middle East, with the hope that this will benefit the interests of Israel.
The peculiar result has been that in general the West is very actively supporting Sunni armies and miscellaneous forces, but in Iraq is supporting the Shia. ISIS – which is heavily backed by the Saudis, who hate al-Maliki – brings this paradox into sharp relief. The current US and UK strategy is to persuade Saudi Arabia to get ISIS to reconcentrate their efforts against Assad, on the understanding they will be allowed to keep the Sunni areas of Iraq (the old neo-con plan of dividing Iraq is firmly back on the agenda).
The BBC News this morning said that ISIS would not be capable of using the billions of dollars of sophisticated western armaments they have captured. I think you will find the Saudis remedy that one quite quickly. It is quite possible we will see some token airstrikes to kill civilians in Mosul, in order to appease Obama’s domestic backers who are never happy if Americans aren’t killing enough people, but only after agreement has been reached with the Saudis that no serious harm will be done – except to the ordinary people neither Obama, the Saudis or al-Maliki care in the least about.
Tony wouldn’t be Tony if he didn’t drop off en route to Cairo and Tel Aviv – ok, slightly offroute, but that’s personal luxury jets for you – to see his old dictator mates. Yesterday:
http://www.pm.gov.kw/en/
Thinks – ‘I wouldn’t buy a used camel from that lot.’
A lot of sarcasm on this very serious thread, as of late…
Has anyone noticed any change in reported regarding Ukraine since Iraq became “the priority”.
Latest body count from the UN (Gianni Magazzeni, head of European Department of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights):
http://rt.com/news/166788-eastern-ukraine-death-toll/
Including deaths of two journalists… worse than even during the Iraq invasion…
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/russian-journalists-killed-eastern-ukraine-article-1.1833838
(NB: this is Associated Press reporting…)
Curse of Blair (1)
http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/newsen/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNPOL5609030010001
Curse of Blair (2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Thai_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
Trouble just seems to follow him around.
(@ Peacemaker: Sarcasm – it just comes naturally when thinking about Blair. You wouldn’t want anyone to take the grinning shite seriously?)
Two measured pieces by John Chuckman.
Understanding Israel’s Corrosive Influence on Western Democracy
June 4, 2014
Israel has blackmailed the United States several times, the latest instance being over Iran’s nuclear program, a program which every reliable intelligence source agrees is not aimed at producing weapons. More than one Israeli source has suggested that low-yield nuclear weapons are the best way of destroying Iran’s technology, buried deeply underground, a suggestive whisper in American ears to do what Israel wants, or else.
http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2014/06/understanding-israels-corrosive-influence-western-democracy/
GENOCIDE, GREAT WARS, AND OTHER HUMAN DEPRAVITY
on June 16, 2014
It is one of the gravest of contemporary truths that the greatest modern historical sufferers of genocide, the Jewish people, should be found now treating millions of others in brutal and degrading fashion, something now continued for more than half a century. Israel hasn’t killed millions, but it has killed tens of thousands in its wars and suppressions and their aftermath, including necessarily thousands of children in Middle Eastern populations heavily skewed to youth.
http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2014/06/genocide-great-wars-human-depravity/
KingOfWelshNoir
“I recommend readers to check out “Voltaire Net” for themselves, and I wish them better luck than I had in finding out very much about it.’
Read Aaronovitch’s book there is a short chapter on Voltaire Net and the 9/11 truthers conference they sponsored -even mentions that Craig attended – full of LaRouchies and other undesirables
Habbabkuk, with the greatest respect, what are you talking about? All the contributors to Voltairenet Global research sign their articles and you can check their credentials. Michel Chossudovsky is listed in the university of Ottawa website. They even give his office phone number. You however are entirely anonymous.
Tony will shortly be returning from the MidEast. It would be too much to hope that he flies over Syria and gets shot down*, but it does look as if he will be, or is, pausing in Turkey this afternoon.
* Big black shiny twin-engine jet, lads. Unmistakeable.
Out of deference to the resident ignoramus, a quote from Samuel Clemens.
To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.
Mark Twain
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain.html#Br6Xp3oJd6QwIUp9.99
Dear Sir,
I am allergic to straw men and snark, and a neighbour recommended your product. It only needed one application, and presto! No more straw snark misery! And I no longer feel that pathological urge to beat the computer screen to death. Thank you so much.
Ba’al Zevul (Mr.)
Tunbridge Wells.
https://greasyfork.org/scripts/246-habbabreak
“So let me get this right…..” By Richard Alan Jones.
Spot on. Well done Sir.
We all know “Tony” is a w****r.
And we all wonder how the hell he escaped any War Crimes trial (so far).
But we should not forget.
The Shia and Sunni have been “at it” for ages. It’s what they do.
More worryingly, I have just heard “Dave” in UK Parliament.
Apparently he feels that the current “situation” in Iraq will come back to the UK.
Nice try “Dave”.
We’ve heard it all before.
You’re talking shite again.
Or maybe “Dave” means he’s going to pop a helmet on, load a rifle….and head off that way to sort it out ?
I’ll hold your coat chum. And wave you off.
Agent Cameron has used the situation in Iraq to hype up the terrrrr threat in the UK. Expect more draconian measures at airports and borders from St Theresa. She apologized for the passport foul up to a background of jeers.
ESLO, 1:24 pm; be advised that the 9/11 Commission Report is to a large extent a collection of confessions extracted under torture.
“Those who start the fire are burnt by the fire” Al Maliki (18/6/2104).
Not sure Joan of Arc will agree with that statement !
Abbott (with the jug ears), Bishop, Sharma and Brandis are ALL in in together – that is deliberately provoking and upsetting the Palestinians. They have a case of foot in mouth disease but they have chosen the wrong target.
Note the possible loss of their sheep exports to Jordan because of it.
East Jerusalem IS occupied whatever the Zionists say or think.
Antagonizing Palestinians, Australia’s Linguistic Blunder Snowballs
http://www.globalresearch.ca/antagonizing-palestinians-australias-linguistic-blunder-snowballs/5387418
KOWN
You obviously see no difference between me and websites/organisations such as VoltaireNet and Global Research. Well, actually you do but I guess you just want to tease me (which is your full right, of course).
But when you write
“You however are entirely anonymous.”
how am I different from the vast majority of commenters on here? Does their total anonymity worry you as well, or is it just mine?
Ben
“Out of deference to the resident ignoramus, a quote from Samuel Clemens.
To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.
Mark Twain”
______________________
Thank you for getting the spelling of his name right this time round, Ben!
Getting worse.
Iraq formally seeks US air strikes
Iraq formally requests the United States launch air strikes against jihadist militants who have seized several key cities.
BBC website
Habbabkuk, I was just worried for your well-being. When you disparaged Global Research et al on the grounds that it was difficult to check their bona fides I was concerned you might be sawing off the tree limb upon which you were sitting.
One extrajudicial killing by drone is a crime. NO child should be harmed. See that 200 were killed.
PAKISTAN
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates the following cumulative statistics about US drone strikes:(As of January 2014)
Total strikes: 381
Total reported killed: 2,537 – 3,646
Civilians reported killed: 416 – 951
Children reported killed: 168 – 200
Total reported injured: 1,128 – 1,557
Strikes under the Bush Administration: 51
Strikes under the Obama Administration: 330
It is stated in a Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) report that of all the drone attack victims since 2004, more than 76% of the dead fall in the legal grey zone, 22% are confirmed civilians (included 5% minors) and only the remaining 1.5% are high-profile targets. A classified Pakistani government report obtained in July 2013 by the BIJ shows details of 75 drone strikes that occurred between 2006-09. According to the 12-page report, in this period alone, 176 of the 746 reported dead were civilians, with a further 200 regarded as probable non-combatants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drone_attacks_in_Pakistan
Plus Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia. The list is endless. Used in places and countries we are told about. Mali? Chad? Nigeria? Kenya? Who knows?
https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/
And who invented the evil Predator? Why, one Abraham Karem of course, now in the US, but originally a designer in the Israeli air force. 8,000 Predators are in use in the US military.
https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karem_Aircraft
And now Russia has got them and probably China. What a world.
http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/27/uav-altius-unveiled/
@Mary
You forgot Iran. They shot down a US one. It must have missed the wedding party it was going for…and strayed into a real military area. Anyway, they have likely copied it by now.
Mary
“And who invented the evil Predator? Why, one Abraham Karem of course, now in the US, but originally a designer in the Israeli air force.”
_________________
Why the “of course” – because he’s a Jew/Israeli?
*******************
Habbabkuk says fight racism and hate-speech.
KOWN
Still teasing, I see.
Any thoughts on the anonymity claimed by the vast majority of commenters on here?
Yes you are correct there James. Sorry I doubled up on your post about Cameron hyping up the terror threat.
In my post on drone strikes, I omitted the word ‘not’.
‘Used in places and countries we are not told about……. ‘
It’s all going to plan, Mary. “Darn it, if we aren’t going to have to chase ISIS back into eastern Syria, once we’ve dealt with them in Iraq.”
The US will of course have to conduct regular overflights of western Iraq, just to make sure ISIS don’t come back. And if they happen upon any Iranian deliveries to Syria while doing so, hell, it’s hard to tell who’s who in the dark of the desert…
Once the US have “secured” Syria’s eastern border, you’ll find that ISIS returns as a major threat inside Syria.
Oh they’re very clever. You gotta hand it to them. Build a phantom, then blow it away.
The use of ‘of course’ because as we are constantly told by the Zionist supporting corporate media, the Israelis excel at everything technological and scientific.
But in spite of having a Mediterranean climate, beautiful beaches, fresh fruit such as apricots, dates and olives, new houses on stolen Palestinian land, they still have to use a computer game to make them feel happy!
Israeli computer ‘game’ teaches brain to be happier
A cognitive training program developed by Israeli psychologists quickly and easily decreases rumination and the resulting blues.
http://www.haaretz.com/life/health-fitness/1.598176
The truth is, that deep within themselves, they know that something is not right about their lives and where they are living.
“Once the US have “secured” Syria’s eastern border, you’ll find that ISIS returns as a major threat inside Syria.”
I should have added: “except that now it will have US air support.”
Indeed, Mary: How can you live a happy life based on theft and violence?
PS ISIS (Newer, Better Al Qaida) will have been armed, initially, by all the kit the US has been sending to Jordan over the last 6-10 months. It will have some US military element co-ordinating its actions, drawn from the same.
The US are really upping their game in that theatre. Maybe Poroshenko is serious about a unilateral cease-fire…
Another reason for Scots to vote for self determination. Sir John Major claimed today that Scottish independence could damage Britain’s relationship with America by “wrecking” the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/john-major-scottish-independence-would-damage-uks-relationship-with-us-9545742.html
Also, more cracks in the dam holding back Bliar’s karma.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/06/18/tony-blair-impeach-iraq-war_n_5506525.html?ir=UK+Politics
Beware the presence on the newer thread. Someone has managed to get out of the shed. Somebody must have left the key on the hook and he spotted it.
Shame as it’s been a nice peaceful day here.