If bombing a country really made it better, we would have made a paradise of Iraq by now. Instead it is a total disaster, with access to electricity, drinking water, education and health services all far worse than they were before we started bombing it. That is even without the growth of the Caliphate, or ISIS, a direct result first of our deposing Saddam and conniving in the intolerant Shia rule of Maliki, and then of our connivance in arming and funding anyone willing to fight Assad.
So now we are told we have to bomb Iraq yet again, and this time, finally, that will make it all better. There are two extraordinary contradictions in the British position.
1) The justification in international law given by the neo-cons for the current bombing of Iraq is that it is at the invitation of the government of Iraq. But simultaneously they propose to bomb Syria to attack the government of Syria. This is the most astonishing hypocrisy.
2) The Caliphate forces were encouraged and trained by the CIA initially. They continue to be massively financed from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. In fact, the Caliphate is still funded to a massive degree from the very states who are currently bombing them alongside the United States – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. It is the ruling families of those states which are attacking ISIS in an official capacity, who are financing ISIS in a private capacity. The BBC manages to avoid any mention of Saudi funding for ISIS. The interests of the City of London are, as always, the most important factor for the British establishment.
The security state here in the UK needs the “War on Terror” to justify its continued existence and the power and jobs of those who administer it. One thing that is certain to keep the conflict going, and thus keep the security state going, is for us to start bombing the Middle East again.
The right wing old crawler Menzies Campbell just came on the BBC to support British bombing. Stand by to see the Unionist parties united in neo-imperialist brotherhood.
‘WE’ have brutally killed and tortured our way across the middle east. killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
Supported brutality of the sickest kind. And still do. Terrorising whole communitys with drone warfare and supplying arms and support for the most brutal dictatorships. How about we stop doing that?
It is becuse ‘we’ are in fact the most brutal and sickest? Seems to be the goal in the current meme.
BacoFoil Hats cracked me up …
and thanks for the kind words about Irish girls, Fred.
For those of you who had doubts about the vote counting due to video’s clips doing the rounds, this article clears it up.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/our-man-on-the-scene/#more-61970
I was inspired by the title of the current blog to think of this:
A new drink called Bombatine is being advertised and we hear a song on the wireless (includes internet and TV):
We are the Right-wing Bombatinies, we bid you all adieu
And don’t forget your Bombatine, it’s very good for you
And we’ll be back after the next raid, with pics and selfies new
And so until we meet again we Bombatinies bid you all adieu
(drums roll)
Oh say, can you see –
Have you anything left for me?
[Elvis song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhI7bn4qboo
]
PS. I hope the ISIS regime comes to an end, one way or the other.
“Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has been released from prison after being found not guilty of terrorism offences by a court in Amman, Jordan.”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-29340656
“Speaking after the verdict, Home Secretary Theresa May, who headed UK government efforts to remove Abu Qatada, said: “The due process of law has taken place in Jordan. That is absolutely as it should be.
“The UK courts here were very clear that Abu Qatada poses a threat to our national security. That’s why we were pleased as a government to remove him from the UK.
“He is subject to a deportation order, he is also subject to a UN travel ban. That means he will not be returning to the UK.”
Ishmael
“Ishmael – no problem. I {oe, Baal-Komodo-Afrend}do have a thick skin. Recommend you get some practice on a rightwing American forum if you need to get your eye in for this lot. I reserve the right to disagree with anyone at any time; my opinions are my own. Go thou and do likewise.
Don’t let the bastards grind you down”
_____________________
And if all else, fails, Ishmael, there’s always….Habbabreak! (proprietor and purveyor none other than Ball-Komodo-Afrend).
You know it makes sense – Baal-Komodo-Afrend says so! 🙂
It’s common knowledge that Ben Franklin chose the Wild Turkey as the national bird, but it the eagle was the final choice.
“Despite denials by the Erdogan government, Ankara has for some time now been suspected by the West, and openly accused by the opposition in Turkey, of supporting Jabhat al-Nusra and other such groups in Syria.
It is no secret among diplomats in Ankara that this group was initially considered by Erdogan and Foreign Minster Ahmet Davutoglu as the most effective force against the Assad regime that they wanted to see toppled.
Ankara was reportedly annoyed when the United States declared the group a terrorist organization in December 2012, arguing that this was a “hasty” decision, given the headway the group was making against the Syrian army.
There was also speculation that Ankara was using Jabhat al-Nusra against Kurdish groups in Syria aligned with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), to prevent them from controlling regions adjoining the Turkish border abandoned by Assad’s forces.
Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/06/idiz-turkey-syria-opposition-nusra-terrorist-unsc-erdogan.html##ixzz3EF5x97Ns
That apart, I’m rather enjoying the blog at the moment.
No huge long cut-and-pastes, no snide references to possible personal Jewish connections, no silly remarks about the Royal Family, no predictions of impending doom for the NHS, no long biographies of the latest person(s) in the news who has/have given obscure offence…..the list of blessings is almost endless.
The blog has suddenly and unexpectedly become a cleaner place.
How long will it last, I wonder?
______________________
Dump dirhams, dinars and rials, buy ÂŁ, $ and shekels!
Fully cooperating with the drive to Lebanon, the IDF shut down military ops in Golan Heights. Obama promised Iran he wouldn’t hit Assad, but they said nothing about Lebanon.
http://www.moonofalabama.org/
Also today the Syrian airforce wanted to bomb Jabhat al-Nusra positions in the Golan heights where Nusra is, as first reported here, opening a corridor from Jordan towards Lebanon and for attacks on Damascus right along the demarcation line between Israel and Syria. Israel, in quite open support effort for the Nusra plan, shot down the Syrian SU-24 using U.S. provided Patriot missiles. While Israel claims that the plane violated its border the reported crash site was far from the border near Kanaker, Syria which is halfway between the demarcation line and Damascus.
Abe Rene
All regimes come to an end, thankfully.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
– Sun Tzu
Pyrrhus’ reaction to the report of a victorious battle:
“If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.””
Ben
Thanks for the quotations, I very much enjoy them. Please post some more – many more.
http://inquiringminds.cc/america-bombs-syria-the-euphrates-is-crossed-or-is-it-the-rubicon-tim-veater
I’m very surprised to learn that the US Government owns the patent, on the Ebola virus, after a strain was found in Uganda in 2007. The US Government also holds patents on viruses, that are 70% similar to the Ebola virus.
________________________________
In my opinion the US Government, creates a local pandemic every so often usually in Africa, which allows big pharma to produce a new wonder drug similar to Zmapp,then the media and press hype up said outbreak, the cure is sold enmasse, and big pharma and the US Government cash in, supply and demand.
http://www.naturalnews.com/046984_Ebola_virus_patents_US_government.html
I sure would like to see State Dept communiques with Israel. They couldn’t be too happy about the shooting down of the Syrian fighter targeting IS near the border. It plays into Assad’s hands and associates the regional strife with Israel. ‘Natch.
The itchy trigger-finger will no doubt twitch mightily with such close proximity. Be careful what you wish for Israel.
RepublicOfMedicalNonsens
“In my opinion the US Government, creates a local pandemic every so often usually in Africa, which allows big pharma to produce a new wonder drug similar to Zmapp,then the media and press hype up said outbreak, the cure is sold enmasse, and big pharma and the US Government cash in, supply and demand.”
__________________
As so often, RoS, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
I can reveal a long-hidden secret to you and readers. It is that the disease polio was created by the US govt for the very reason you mention. The proof of this is that the inventors of the polio vaccine, Sabin and Salk, were…..Americans!
Thanks for your though provoking piece Tim Veater, the signs are that general Wesley Clark’s predictions of more wars to come were true.
I’m disturbed that Israel can shoot down jets which have not violated its territory, aiding and abetting their kind of terrorists. What if Syria retaliates and engages Israel over its territorial rights to the Golan?
What if stolen lands are taken back?
Not surprised to learn that Israeli carried out bombing raids on Syria one day before the US attacked, the trigger happy monsters, couldn’t contain themselves. The attack took place at Latakia, and was confirmed by,the a US military official to ABC news.
______________________________
It would appear Netanyahu, has a “Carte Blanche” to do whatever he likes when he likes.
” to do whatever he likes when he likes.”
Even poodles have teeth. I think the US exercised the same reasoning as that of Iraq in 2003.
“Try to stay out of it”
‘for your own good” I should have added.
Britains points of entry are in no way prepared for Ebola, RoS. lets assume that a single infected person manages to evade the flight checks and gets on to a plane, once in flight all the air gets recycled, there are interactions with stewards, not to speak of walking up and down the plane.
Come to blighty there is one severely infected person, the last to leave the plane due to his her condition. Now, who stops people leaving for home? Will the whole plane be quarantained? what are the proposals for such a new risk? how are our airports/ports prepared for this?
Whilst we have many exercises regards to nuclear biological and chemical decontamination, we have no policies or regulations for this kind of scenario, some infected patients might get through and infect others.
I’m sure our trolls know all about whats gonna happen in such a case.
i.e. you die!
The Golan Heights area is rather intriguing, isn’t it, Ben? No doubt we’ll wait a long time before the Israelis will gratefully acknowledge that Assad and Hizb’ullah have been rather successful in keeping the bad mans away from the Promised Land. And why the fuck they would even claim to imagine that Assad’s airforce hasn’t got enough on its plate without incurring the resentment of the IDF, is beyond me.
Still, fine. If Assad gets knocked back in that sector, Israel can expect a lot worse than Qassams, fired by a wholeheartedly hostile IS. With room to move. I expect we’ll be putting boots on the ground around then.
It reminds me of the movie Argo, Ba’al. The lesser weevil could be missed. It was the best bad idea.
Arrr…go fuck yourself. 🙂
As to boots on the ground….Obama is too timid for the Neocons. They have been repeating ad nauseum, that air raids won’t be enough.
Greenwald had this twitter exchange with that species.
Justin Snyder: we can all agre ISIS doesnt have capacity 2 hit here NOW. But neither did AQ in late 80s. They developed over time. #Preemptive
Glenn Greenwald (Sep 8):That’s the Dick Cheney mentality. By that twisted reasoning, we should exterminate everyone. Are you fighting?
Glenn Greenwald (Sep 8): Americans now fear ISIS sleeper cells are living in the U.S., overwhelmingly support military action [link omitted]
Kory: that has to count for something. Someone has to draw a line and take a stand
Glenn Greenwald: So are you fighting?
Kory: you consistently come back to that, but it’s a illegitimate point. There’s no “I” answer to the problem, it’s a “we” and we […]
Glenn Greenwald (Sep 8): So if you think ISIS is a grave threat that needs war & you now know you can enlist, why don’t you?
Glenn Greenwald (Sep 3): […] [embedded tweet:] Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Do not believe ISIL is “manageable,” agree these terrorists must be chased to the “gates of hell”
Lalo M.: As much as I respect your work, I agree with her 100%. Your solution?
Glenn Greenwald: are you volunteering to fight them then?
Karen Lebens: Is that YOUR solution?
Glenn Greenwald: Yes, my solution is that able-bodied people screaming that ISIS must be chased to the gates of hell sign up to help do that.
Daniel Harder: The only humane thing to do in Syria is to remove Assad and ISIS.
Glenn Greenwald (Aug 28): How? Are you enlisting to help do that?
Daniel Harder: That’s why the US Military works on a volunteer system (now) so that the best motivated/qualified people are there
Glenn Greenwald: You just sounded really motivated. Not motivated to risk your own life for it – only others’?
Pentagon says, Islamic State battle could take years, the belligerents, in the “Axis of Evil” Washington, Westminster, Tel Aviv, et al, will be having wet dreams at the mere prospect of it all.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29337800
“In my opinion the US Government, creates a local pandemic every so often usually in Africa, which allows big pharma to produce a new wonder drug similar to Zmapp,then the media and press hype up said outbreak, the cure is sold enmasse, and big pharma and the US Government cash in, supply and demand.”
Except it costs billions to develop a new drug and the ebola virus has only affected a few thousand people and they haven’t got any money.
We sometimes forget the motivation for war.
“Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.”
John Maynard Keynes.