Rusbridger’s Guardian has become an unrepentant unionist, zionist, and neo-con New Labour propaganda vehicle. Particularly deceitful is their attitude to the security services and the “war on terror”, where Rusbridger stands revealed as a handmaiden to power. He was, a very senior Guardian source told me, particularly upset when I described him as “Tony Blair’s catamite”. Let me say it again.
Let me give you a specific case to illustrate my point.
On 2 August the Guardian published a piece by Jamie Doward and Ian Cobain which, on the face of it, exposed the British Foreign Office for lobbying against the publication of the US Senate report on extraordinary rendition, lest details of British complicity become public.
On the face of it, a worthy piece of journalism exposing deeply shady government behaviour.
Except that I had published precisely the same story a full 15 weeks earlier, on April 14 2014, having been urgently contacted by a whistleblower.
What is more, immediately I heard from the whistleblower I made several urgent phone calls to Ian Cobain. He neither took nor returned my calls. I therefore left detailed messages, referring to the story which I had now published on my website.
In fact, the Guardian only published this story after William Hague had written to Reprieve to confirm that this lobbying had happened. In other words the Guardian published only after disclosure had been authorised by Government.
Furthermore, in publishing the government authorised story, the Guardian omitted the absolutely key point – that the purpose of the UK lobbying was to affect court cases under way and in prospect in the UK. Both in civil cases of compensation for victims, and in potential criminal cases for complicity in torture against Blair, Straw et al, British judges have (disgracefully) accepted the argument that evidence of the torture cannot be used because the American do not want it revealed, and may curtail future intelligence sharing. Obviously, if the Americans publish the material themselves, this defence falls.
As this defence is the major factor keeping Blair, Straw and numerous still senior civil servants out of the dock, this sparked the crucial British lobbying to suppress the Feinstein report – which has indeed succeeded in causing a huge amount of redaction by the White House.
My mole was absolutely adamant this was what was happening, and it is what I published. Yet Cobain in publishing the government authorised version does not refer to the impact on trials at all – despite the fact that this was 100% the subject of the letter from Reprieve to which Hague was replying, and that the letter from Reprieve mentioned me and my blog by name.
Instead of giving the true story, the government authorised version published by Cobain misdirects the entire subject towards Diego Garcia. The truth is that Diego Garcia is pretty incidental in the whole rendition story. On UK soil there was actually a great deal more done at Wick airport (yes, I do mean Wick, not Prestwick). That is something the government is still keeping tight closed, so don’t expect a mention from Cobain.
I was fooled by Cobain for a long time. What I now realise is that his role is to codify and render safe information which had already leaked. He packages it and sends it off in a useless direction – away from Blair and Straw in this instance. He rigorously excludes material which is too hot for the establishment to handle. The great trick is, that the Guardian persuades its loyal readers that it is keeping tabs on the security services when in fact it is sweeping up after them.
Which is a precise description of why the Guardian fell out with Assange and WikiLeaks.
I suppose I should expect no better of the newspaper which happily sent the extremely noble Sara Tisdall to prison, but we should have learnt a lot from Rusbridger’s agreement with the security services to smash the Snowden hard drives. The Guardian argues that other copies of the drives existed. That is scarcely the point. Would you participate in a book-burning because other copies of books exist? The Guardian never stands up to the security services or the establishment. It just wants you to believe that it does.
Bravo these Northern Irish pro-Palestinian supporters.
Belfast’s pro-Palestine protesters remove ‘Israeli’ goods from shelves of Asda in protest over Gaza
It’s the second supermarket in west Belfast to be targeted
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/belfasts-propalestine-protesters-remove-israeli-goods-from-shelves-of-asda-in-protest-over-gaza-30499929.html
This would be funny if it was not so deeply ironic.
US just not sure who to bomb in the Middle East anymore
WASHINGTON, US – An exhausted looking Barack Obama told US citizens Friday that after weeks of meetings with senior military officials he was still “mostly clueless” about who he should bomb in the Middle East. The statement days after US forces began air strikes against Islamic State forces in Iraq, despite their opposition to Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad, who the US also consider an enemy and have considered bombing.
“People of America, up till now, choosing which bad guy from the Arab world to drop hundreds of thousands of tons of explosives on was a simple, clear cut decision,” he said in a live televised address. “But making a choice about who to unleash the full force of US military might has become fraught with difficulties.”
The US president also revealed that “bombing the sh*t” out of Libya in the final months of Colonel Gaddafi’s rule hadn’t “exactly resulted in the peaceful, democratic state we had been hoping for”, while America’s involvement in Iraq could result in a new US bombing campaign “every four to five years”.
“Sure, we may be bombing ISIS now, but just as they emerged from the ashes of Saddam’s dictatorship, which we bombed the crap out of, whatever comes next will inevitably have to be bombed to feck in the future,” he said, adding that concerns regarding the effectiveness of US bombing in the Middle East were “irresponsible”.
Ending the speech on a lighter note, Obama joked that he was “just pleased to have bought shares in Raytheon”.
http://www.panarabiaenquirer.com/wordpress/us-just-sure-bomb-middle-east-anymore/
Maybe subduing the public with TV and mobile phones helps stop them wanting to join the dots.
Mobile phones cut both ways, though.
http://rt.com/news/178704-app-buycott-israel-palestine/
Needless to say, the zionists are adapting this to boycott Qatar and Turkey, for their support of Hamas…should get interesting as Qatar and Turkey respond in rather larger numbers on purely patriotic grounds. Turks are particularly patriotic.
There is one noble, notable exception — Seumas Milne. The Blairites have wanted him out for quite a while.
Maybe Ms Wilmshurst would also be a great person to interview, Craig, after all her resignation letter was doctored. But by whom? was it Chatham house or the Guardian?
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/mar/24/uk.iraq
No mention of and no reporting from Gaza or Syria on the BBC World front page.
Today it is Ukraine, Ebola, Robin Williams and down this list to baby pandas.
Other top stories
Egyptian forces ‘planned massacre’
Human Rights Watch says its year-long inquiry into the deaths of hundreds of protesters in Cairo in 2013 found evidence of systematic killings.
S Korea ferry rescue ‘ill-equipped’ New
South Korean coast guard officers say they did not have the right training or equipment to rescue passengers from the stricken ferry, Sewol.
Obama lauds Iraq’s ‘promising step’
Missouri teen’s family demand justice
Venezuela anti-smuggling move begins
More conscript suicides in S Korea
‘Action needed’ on foreign fighters
Canada police killer pleads guilty
Panda triplets unveiled in China New
Amazing, isn’t it?
Good point about an Elizabeth Wilmshurst immediately above. If only it “would happen anyway” tho’ unfortunately I have my doubts. Anyway nice suggestion. Maybe a Helena Kennedy initiative after all she just did a very worthwhile spot on RADIO 4 with Gareth Peirce.
I expect Cobain sent his story to his security state contacts for comment first. The redactions you mention would have been requested on ‘national security grounds’ which since your piece is still up begs that question.
Doing this is apparently called ‘Responsible Journalism’. The question that should always be asked is ‘responsible to whom?’. You have identified the answer in this case Craig. Thank you.
On the BBC Middle East page, there is no current reporting from inside Syria (apart from the Reuters GSK bribery piece below) or from inside Gaza (only the talks in Cairo) but there is a long obituary for an Israeli film producer called Menachen Golan. Who?
There is:
Obama lauds Iraq’s ‘promising step’
Egyptian forces ‘planned massacre’
GSK faces bribery claims in Syria
Other Top Stories
Fresh Gaza talks begin in Egypt
Human rights chief barred from Egypt
‘Islamists’ held in Kosovo raids
Survivors in Iranian plane crash
Australia boy ‘holds severed head’
Tributes paid to film producer Golan
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east/
Hopefully after March 2016 the Independent Scottish Government will pursue Westminster over the Wick renditions. I will certainly be holding my MSP’s feet to the fire on the issue as soon as the parliament gains sufficient competence. iScotland will be in an excellent position to embarrass Westminster over much that was done in our name.
Can I suggest that you offer your information to Edinburgh after the above date Craig?
I remember being somewhat surprised at Assange cavorting with the Graun et al. and hoping that he was setting them up. I wasn’t surprised when the Graun et al. betrayed Wikileaks.
They ain’t making Jews like Jesus anymore
KINKSTAH!
Assange and Snowden have been pretty much forgotten by the Guardian nowadays. Try and pretend they are liberal if you want, but they’ll move onto the next big thing when it suits them…
Like in USA Canada USA Germany….. UK’s major media outlets are all the same-PAID TOOLS for government.
At least Guardian does sometimes break Zionist’s strong hold and report facts others wouldn’t touch.
Worst of the lot is BBC. Public funded and packed with Zionists in control.
Question ought 2B–how is it ONLY Jews are promoted and hired to control all media outlets :^(
“RIP Paul Foot. Where are the Paul Foots of today?”
Where are the Paul *Feet* of today! God, what is wrong with the education system?
HRW’s been looking at Blair’s unhealthy relationship with Sisi:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/tony-blairs-egypt-links-in-spotlight-after-scathing-report-on-the-deaths-of-over-1000-supporters-of-ousted-president-mohamed-morsi-9664995.html
HRW’s executive director Kenneth Roth said: “It is very short-sighted on the part of the major Western governments to believe if they just make nice with al-Sissi’s government that somehow this imagined transition to democracy which is repeatedly trumped will somehow come to pass. The message sent so far is that Egypt can get away with mass murder.”
A spokeswoman for Mr Blair did not respond to a request for comment.
IOW, The only news about Blair you proles need to know is published a month later on one of Blair’s websites….
Loving Ed Murray’s e-mails to the media.
Snowmail…the “excellent” Jonathan Rugman…short email to Matt Frei…
Posted by Ed on August 12, 2014, 6:58 pm
Mr Frei,
In reference to your “Snowmail” tonight.(1)
You begin by making a statement about your “excellent Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Rugman”.
Mr Frei doth protest too much! I won’t though, just a couple of examples to prove your statement is patently false.
Rugman:
“If you think in the last week the US has given up its role as honest broker in the Middle East then now, it seems, they’ve taken it back.” (Channel 4 News, July 21, 2006)
Rugman on Chávez:
“He supplies 15 per cent of America’s oil, yet America’s enemies are his friends. Hugo Chávez, in danger of joining a rogue’s gallery of dictators and despots – Washington’s latest Latin nightmare”. (Channel 4 News. March 27, 2006)
He also called the extreme right winger, Maria Corina Machado, who was involved in the 2002 coup to oust Chávez, a “civil rights activist”
Yeah, excellent, ain’t he?
The US as an “honest broker” in the Middle East? Seriously?
Why on earth should we believe a hack who seems to have such a feeble grasp of realpolitic, but at the same time, such a damn good grasp of western propaganda narratives?
You continue:
“Russian ‘aid’ convoy heads for Ukraine
While Iraq burns, Ukraine simmers. Moscow is sending send 280 aid vehicles to eastern Ukraine bearing food, generators, medicine and other supplies, ostensibly to help the hundreds and thousands pro-Russian citizens who have so far been either unwilling or unable to escape. Will the aid be forerunner to something else? In this conflict stranger things have already happened. Our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum explains.”
You spent too much time in the USA, you seem to have lost all sense of irony!
Ed Murray.
(1)Snowmail
Although we will lead on Iraq and the unfolding chaos again tonight with our excellent Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Rugman, the story that has shocked and saddened the world is the untimely death of Robin Williams aged 63 – the American actor and comic genius.
Russian ‘aid’ convoy heads for Ukraine
While Iraq burns, Ukraine simmers. Moscow is sending send 280 aid vehicles to eastern Ukraine bearing food, generators, medicine and other supplies, ostensibly to help the hundreds and thousands pro-Russian citizens who have so far been either unwilling or unable to escape. Will the aid be forerunner to something else? In this conflict stranger things have already happened. Our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum explains.
11 August 2014
Human Rights Watch director barred from Egypt
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28738953
‘The executive director of Human Rights Watch and another senior staff member have been denied entry to Egypt.
Kenneth Roth and Sarah Leah Whitson were in Cairo to launch a report by the group on mass killings last year.
Hundreds of people were killed on 14 August 2013 after security forces broke up protests against the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi.’
” Hopefully after March 2016 the Independent Scottish Government will pursue Westminster over the Wick renditions. ”
As law and order are devolved powers I bet you they don’t!
Kempe,
” Hopefully after March 2016 the Independent Scottish Government will pursue Westminster over the Wick renditions. ”
As law and order are devolved powers I bet you they do”
You almost sound happy the torturer’s are getting away with it.
Why doesn’t that surprise me?
The Guardian appears to have become a form of 5th columnist. Its moderation of comments and its selective reporting on the Ukraine crisis have been an absolute disgrace and have helped confuse public opinion. Either they totally fail to report on stories or they print blatant propaganda allowing an army of what appears to be organised pro Kiev trolls to litter the debate with dull witted idiocy whilst themselves bolstering a meme about supposed organised Russian trolls infecting the web.
For me the newspaper carries a portion of guilt for what has happened as so much of the affair has played out appealing to a western audience with newspapers working to get that audience on board no matter what the reality on the ground. There selective reporting has helped establish a narrative that was probably written in Langley and that has little to do with actual events.
A shameful stain on its legacy under the tutelage of an editor that seems to turn it ever more into a fey life style guide. For geopolitical news the Guardian is no longer a credible source it would appear.
Our family bought this rag every day for over thirty years, believing it to be a fair and accurate beacon of truth in a country led by lying manipulators. We stopped being taken in, when their Syria coverage gave the game away.(Zoe Williams’ slant on it being the clincher) Now, we won’t even take it for free with Waitrose shopping, even the ‘Daily Heil’ is preferable in very small doses. Rusbridger’s salary is about half a million quid, easy to see why now. All credit to your ‘Whistleblower’, wish there was a better way to describe such moral courage and principle than ‘mole’.
The ranting of a genocidal psychopath and ex nightclub bouncer.
Wednesday 13 Aug 2014
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.610283
’10:07 A.M. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Wednesday that Israel must defeat Hamas even at the cost of another conflagration. “Israel cannot afford a war of attrition,” Lieberman said in a meeting with district heads in Bat Hadar. “If the current cease-fire is heading towards collapse, “he added, Israel must “take the initiative, even if it means a significant escalation. Finish the story in the shortest time possible.”
Lieberman also said Israel should not end the Gaza operation until the bodies of fallen soldiers. (missing words??)
“If the terrorists from the other sides don’t get it, don’t understand it, they have to understand they will get in return the bodies of Mohammed Deif, [Ismail] Haniyeh and all of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip… My colleagues and I will not accept any resolution, any framework, without the return of the soldiers’ bodies.” (Ilan Lior)
Lieberman said Israel should not cooperate with the UN probe into the Gaza war.’
The above were from live updates. Five more people have been killed in Gaza by unexploded ordnance and the Israeli navy is still firing at Palestinian fishermen. The talks in Cairo are stalling on the question of the blockade which Israel wants to maintain.
” You almost sound happy the torturer’s are getting away with it.
Why doesn’t that surprise me? ”
Possibly because you’ve formed an image of me in your mind based on certain stereotypes.
You are quite wrong.
Yesterday we heard that 30,000 people were stranded on Mount Sinjar. Last night, Caroline Wyatt (ex BBC Defence Correspondent and now their Religious Affairs Correspondent YCNMIU) was giving the story full welly.
Mount Sinjar survivors sheltering in derelict buildings
6 hours ago
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28780690
Agent Cameron was sending in the SAS who are probably there already and Obomber was planning a rescue op. Video of aircraft carriers and jets was helpfully provided by the BBC and we heard of British Chinooks being sent in.
Today these refugees have mysteriously disappeared.
Iraq mountain rescue unlikely – US
The US says it is unlikely to launch a mission to save Iraqis trapped by Islamist fighters on Mt Sinjar as there are fewer people there than expected.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28783068
What the dickens is going on?
Who would have thought it?
International | Anti-War
No laughing matter:Comedian Robin Williams’ longstanding contribution to US war propaganda
by Cem Ertür
Wednesday Aug 13th, 2014 2:32 AM
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/08/13/18759959.php
including many photos. This is the most revolting.
https://cemertur.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/standing-next-to-a-rq-1b-predator-drone-actor-robin-williams-entertains-us-air-force-crew-during-his-visit-to-a-us-airbase-used-in-the-war-on-afghanistan-19-october-2002.jpg
Something I haven’t seen commented on is the close similarity of the leads chosen by the Guardian and BBC Radio 4’s morning news. Granted, there is only so much news available from the agencies, but it can be quite eerie to see the Guardian’s cheer-up piece – a skateboarding parrot, for instance – echoed on the Today programme.
Does the BBC newsroom only read the Guardian? Or vice versa? Or is there some subtle direction from above for both?
This lovely writes for the Times of Israel apparently.
https://twitter.com/MsIntervention
She was on Channel 4 News last night with Frei. Frei gave Asim Qureshi a hard time but he stood up for himself very well.
The Medialens editors wrote:
Matt Frei interview with Asim Qureshi on C4 News last night
Posted by The Editors on August 14, 2014, 9:59 am
Has Ed fired off an email about this Frei interview yet?
===
Hi,
My partner and I really respect medialens and what you do to try and open peoples eyes to the bias and propaganda in the mainstream media.
I advise you watch the news interview on channel 4 news from tonight which features a discussion on the current crisis in Iraq. The presenter Matt Frei was asking Asim Qureshi the research director at CAGE very Islamaphobic questions and insinuated that he supported what IS were doing. Matt did not direct the same amount of distain and rudeness to his other guest via satellite link – Julie Lenarz, maybe because she writes for the Times of Israel?
Asim handled the questions very and made valid points asking why this crisis was receiving so much urgency from Western governments yet the poor people in Gaza were left to fend for themselves!
Regards
Mark
~~~
It’s the item marked ‘Iraq crisis: what next?’ lasting 8mins19secs (if you can stomach it):
http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/
~~
On IS and the Yazidi refugees.
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/thread/1408006778.html
Ed Murray on Medialens did not fail.
Asim Qureshi interview…short email to Channel 4 News
Posted by Ed on August 14, 2014, 8:13 pm
Mr Frei,
Great interview with Asim Qureshi last night. Almost as good as the Jon Snow “interview” with Osama Hamdan, the other week!
Welcome to The House Committee on Un-Channel 4 News Activities!
Frei/Snow/Newman: “Are you a member of any extreme Muslim organisations or have you ever been a member of any extreme Muslim organisations? Do you support any extreme Muslim organisations?”
Any Guest Muslim: “Why is that question being asked of me? What relevance does that have for what we are talking about now?”
Frei/Snow/Newman: “That’s not the question. That’s not the question. The question is: are you a member of any extreme Muslim organisations, or have you ever been a member of any extreme Muslim organisations? Do you support any extreme Muslim organisations? Do you support a Caliphate? Do you support IS?”
Any Guest Muslim: “There’s something deeply Islamophobic about the way that question is being asked of me specifically.”
Frei/Snow/Newman: “No there isn’t! You refuse to answer that question, is that correct?
Any Guest Muslim: “Once again, the only reason you are asking me that question is because I’m a Muslim.”
Frei/Snow/Newman: “Stand away from the stand …Stand away from the stand …Officer, take this man away from the stand.”
Ed Murray.
PS: I note you didn’t deem it appropriate to ask Julie Lenarz, who writes for “The Times Of Israel”, if she condemned the Israelis for shredding 400 Palestinians kids and killing 1500 of their parents and relatives over the last couple of weeks.
Nice one!
Something I didn’t see in the Guardian:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.610459
(Paywall, but the gist is there)
Shot in the economic foot, there…
But there do seem to be an awful lot of flights in and out of Tel Aviv these days, mostly from tourist carriers. It’s comparable with Gatwick for volume. BDS has some relevance there, but I suppose most of the punters are either making aliyah or are evangelical ‘Christians’ sussing out the battleground for the end times.