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.
“No mention within of the atrocities committed on Palestinian children of course.”
Yes, Mary, we all know that to read the Shipping Forecast without mention of the atrocities committed on the Palestinian children is a crime against humanity.
Now, when are you going to find the time to mention the violence meted out by Muslims on other Muslims, all over the Muslim world on a daily basis, which makes any crime by the IDF pale into insignificance in comparison?
@Anon:
LOL re CWG
Shia v Sunni…. Catholics v Protestants… Romans v Pagans, “us” v “them”, it is the same old story. Teach one people a (religious) doctrine that makes them feel superior… and that is likely to provoke war. Back to John Lennon: “Imagine…”
@Peter Kemp”: you sure stirred a few brain cells with your rewriting of “If…”!
America and NATO intention to execute airstrikes in Iraq and Syria clearly demonstrates Craig’s insight and wisdom in his deadly expectation, a terse hypothesis that will dramatically escalate war in the region and further alienate Russia and Iran.
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).
http://rt.com/usa/165788-obama-iraq-isil-military/
Andrew Marr,Master of Arslickahn.
RD I’ve been following Global Research for two years now and its articles, and Professor Chossudovsky’s analysis in particular, is spot on. That RationalWiki is doing exactly what you wrongly accuse me of doing, slurring the publication rather than the argument. But of course you know this and are just being deliberately contentious.
Something else positive in recent days and weeks (most visibly reported in Iraq and Ukraine) is soldiers showing common sense and refusing irresponsible orders to stand and be slaughtered, a la “Charge of the Light Brigade”.
Of course the logic of saying fight and be slaughtered or we’ll kill you (did Maliki really say that?) is just too stupid to contemplate!
Peacewisher re you sure stirred a few brain cells with your rewriting of “If…”!
You’re welcome 🙂 That was up in the notice board at my boarding school in 1961, kinda stuck in my mind.
You always know you’re dealing with a deluded lefty when they start quoting John Lennon.
♬
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world…♬♬
— John Lennon, multi-millionaire, 1971.
http://listverse.com/2012/05/12/top-10-unpleasant-facts-about-john-lennon/
Back to N Waziristan. 100 killed. Kill, kill, kill. More extrajudicial killing. Label somebody Taliban or militant, and you can kill them with inpunity.
Pakistan air raids in North Waziristan ‘kill militants’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-27854580
I note the fighter planes were American.
Is the word ‘militants’ in inverted commas because nobody knows the identity of those killed? And why the killing? How about some justice such as a trial with legal representation, a judge and a jury.
‘Where the law ends, tyranny begins.’
We are in a downward spiral and returning to the Dark Age.
“Something else positive in recent days and weeks (most visibly reported in Iraq and Ukraine) is soldiers showing common sense and refusing irresponsible orders to stand and be slaughtered, a la “Charge of the Light Brigade”.Of course the logic of saying fight and be slaughtered or we’ll kill you (did Maliki really say that?) is just too stupid to contemplate!”
I trust you haven’t actually seen the footage coming out of Iraq.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaGQHgzZfRQ
Honestly mate, you’re a complete and utter twerp.
Here’s something for the trolls to put in their pipes and learn about. Collectively, they have just a speck of the knowledge that Michel Chossudovsky possesses.
The Engineered Destruction and Political Fragmentation of Iraq. Towards the Creation of a US Sponsored Islamist Caliphate
The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham: An instrument of the Western Military Alliance
By Prof Michel Chossudovsky
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-destruction-and-political-fragmentation-of-iraq-towards-the-creation-of-a-us-sponsored-islamist-caliphate/5386998
Mary
“….James Rubin, Amanpour’s husband and neocon ex Bush Ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan and the UN,…”
___________________-
Are you sure of your facts there? I don’t think he was ambassador anywhere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~==
“I would prefer not to have my character and personality discussed by somebody who is a stranger and who is not a friend nor who knows me.”
______________________
But I do know you, Mary.
And anyway, I can understand that you should react vigorously when you feel you’ve been attacked, but why such an ungracious response to what was a compliment?
@Anon.
Here’s another for you:
“Black is grey and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion”
Deluded is a human condition caused by using false brain processing to prevent seeing things as they are… in order to remain in some internal “comfort zone”. I think we all suffer from that – although some more than others.
PS What is a… lefty?
“Deluded is a human condition caused by using false brain processing to prevent seeing things as they are… in order to remain in some internal “comfort zone”. I think we all suffer from that – although some more than others.”
Yup, twerp.
I should add that the above video contains graphic footage of “things as they are” that may disturb some Murrayistas.
Speaking of deluded, Anon…. one can see why.
I’ve just listened to latest BBC TV news. Several minutes of Tony Blair (from Abu Dhabi) saying that current developments in Iraq not caused by the 2003 invasion and giving his opinions on what should now be done.
Afterwards, the newsreader announced that this was now the BBCs top news story. I supposed it is, but probably not for the reason they are trying to suggest.
The above exchange of views on the pretentiously named “Global Research” outfit and its star, “Professor” Michel, demonstrates the importance of the presence on this blog attracting fellow sceptics like Resident Dissident, Anon, Kempe, Jemand, etc (apologies to anyone I’ve missed out).
The reason is the following: it’s been quite a while since I’ve been bringing up the question of “Global Research”‘s status, credentials and credibility. As so often, most of the Eminences and useful idiots have tried to deal with me by a policy of not responding: their inability to refute the points I make is masked by their mantra of ‘don’t respond to the troll’.
That tactic is of course seen by the general reader for the sign of weakness and/or ignorance it is and in any event has no effect on my input here. More importantly, though, the tactic only worked as long as I was a lone voice and becomes much more difficult to apply when other commenters start questioning and calling to account Eminences and useful idiots.
So, Resident Dissident and others, more power to your arm !
(With apologies to Mary) Venceremos!
Habbabkuk-Turvey.
Still waiting for you to be a grown up and admit your mistaken accusation earlier…
By your silence-and your own measure- it would appear you are not a grown up..
New article relating to Snowden, and how Russia stood up to the might of the new American Century:
http://rt.com/news/166028-snowden-rendition-plot-cia/
I wonder if Snowden will go down in history as equivalent in importance to those who in the last century provided nuclear bomb development information for the USSR. I don’t know who these people were, but the world owes then a huge debt of gratitude.
For Anon: this view is only deluded if your regard the US Empire as being entirely benign, as Tony Blair appeared to do. Nothing to do with left or right!
LOL! Last BBC update still all about Blair but airbrushes out his codswallop about 2003. Obviously a bit TOO cringeworthy and embarrassing.
Anon,
Re Lennon.
Artists,nay human beings,are allowed to postulate,dream even-regardless of wealth.
Should we denounce Picasso,for example,because he was rich? Dylan? Etc etc..
I guess in your brutal little worldview thats not permitted though,and you seem unable to distinguish between an expression of artistic idealism and ritualised totemistic money.
Lennon not warlike enough for you Anon?
Your post was very shallow,narrow and bitter.
“No mention within of the atrocities committed on Palestinian children of course.”
Especially those committed by the Assad regime against the many Palestinian refugees that used to be in Syria and have now been forced to flee.
“Here’s something for the trolls to put in their pipes and learn about. Collectively, they have just a speck of the knowledge that Michel Chossudovsky possesses.”
“I would prefer not to have my character and personality discussed by somebody who is a stranger and who is not a friend nor who knows me.”
From the same person apparently.
“What I cant understand is how the absolutely vile rubbish in their talmud is OK (eg shooting kids in Palestine after licking them on circumcision) is mitigated if the muzzies are up to the same transgressions?”
Leaving side the fact that I am not Jewish could you please just point out one case where I have ever offered such mitigation for such unjustifiable behaviour by the IDF.
The fatal attraction of the good political blog:
exit the Old Lizard “Commode”, enter the Old Devil Ba’al Zevul
exit the Old Devil Ba’al Zevul, enter the modestly titled “Peter Kemp”.
And all without a fanfare… 🙂
Yats trying to resurrect the Reich, as he feels the thousand-year prediction should be fulfilled.
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/03/disappearing-aircraft/comment-page-14/#comments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untermensch
Argghh! That CM link should have been…..http://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en/press-center/news/24185-mi-uvichnimo-pamjaty-gerojiv-ochistivshi-nashu-zemlyu-vid-nechistiarsenij-jacenyuk-u-spivchutti-ridnim-i-blizykim-zagiblih-vojiniv-u-lugansyku
Ref http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/06/deadly-fiasco/comment-page-2/#comment-461411
You do not ‘know me’.
Rubin. Correct. It was Zalmay Khalilzad who was the Ambassador. Pity it was not made clearer below.
‘Rubin was born into a Jewish family in New York City.[1][2] He graduated from Columbia with a BA in political science in 1982, and a Master of International Affairs (MIA) in 1984 from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. At Columbia, Rubin was a student of Zalmay Khalilzad, later U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Rubin also attended Boston University.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Rubin
Ref http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/06/deadly-fiasco/comment-page-2/#comment-461415
I have given several responses concerning Global Research, listing the principals and even having to tell you that .ca at the end of url is the domain abbreviation for Canada and not California as you said. LOL
More surmising about the identities of Peter Kemp.
I think you will find that Ba’al Zevul posts Monday to Friday.
One of the trolls even queried Anne Hilditch’s name (‘if that is your name’). Who the hell do they think they are?
Habbabkuk-Turvey,
Obviously,but as we knew,not a grown up;still no acknowledgment of his/her/their earlier mistake.
Line manager gonna send you out to pasture Habtroll;althoug grsnted all evidence points to the fact youve been there long before you invaded here.
Now,do remember to get that string vest cleaned hmm?
Of course Blair says it’s all Maliki’s fault. Didn’t we engineer his rise to power?
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_06/the_brutal_neoconservative_leg050785.php
“The less sophisticated neoconservative responses are to simply deny the truth or the importance of these losses, or to somehow blame them on political opponents who either actively opposed the invasion or were dragged into tepid support of it under threat of jingoistic political attacks in a country rabid for revenge against “the perpetrators.””
Not being content with past mischief, now they’re reverse-engineering in Ukraine.