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.
Ok will do Brian. I’v just been out pampering myself so feeling better atm. And I know who to ignore. Gota stop myself biting that hook.
Plus it’s my main intellectual outlet, can’t get nothing out of the incredibly ugly British locals whom I hate so much, to a man 🙂 I just can’t seem to discriminate among individuals. Must be catching.
I’m off out but urge everybody to read that most enlightened article linked here.
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/09/bombing-is-good-for-you/#comment-482664
Wrong one. Sorry. This one.
http://scgnews.com/the-geopolitics-of-world-war-iii
“Well lets wait and see shall we?”
I bet you one BCT* the US bombs Syrian government forces.
*blog credibility token
“I bet you one BCT* the US bombs Syrian government forces.”
Seeing as I’ve got far more BCTs than I’ll ever need now why not.
John. good videin.
Fucking insane isun’t it. America can’t live in a democratic world it seems.
Saddam was correct really wasen’t he, Yea he was an ass whole like the rest but what’s left of history will jujde him, Not very insane by comparison.
Even if America got it’s way the environment would be total fucked over.
Ugly American
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNDRzrMtGtY
@Je: and Kay Burley (herself no leftwinger) dared to mention the UN to one of the neocons in sheeps clothing on Sky debating the news last night. The UN! What! It was all their fault last time. If only… Tony Blair hadn’t wanted to go there, all would have been well (!)(!) So we must bomb right away!
I’ve heard that sort of thing said before, incidentally. Seems to be saying that if “we’d” bombed Iraq a bit earlier in 2003 all would have been well (!!!) I’m sorry but just don’t get it.
Classic moment earlier this evening on RT, where the link person was interviewing an American intellectual about Obama’s policies… in particular where America wouldn’t stand by when big nations bullied little nations… and asked him what was wrong with that statement. Unsurprisingly, the elephant in the room was completely avoided.
Note; from the direction of Turkey. In 2003 Turkey refused to allow overflights on bombing raids. Maybe it’s not just Syrian airspace that’s being violated.
“Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said warplanes had carried out raids west of the city of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, near Turkey, and Al-Bukamal on the Iraqi border.
It was not clear who had carried out the raids, but Adulrahman said the jets that struck Kobani flew in from the direction of Turkey.
“The people there, the activists, say [the strikes] are probably the [international] coalition, not the regime,” Abdulrahman said, referring to the Syrian government. “The strength of the explosions are greater. Like yesterday.”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/24/five-air-strikes-isis-territory-al-bukamal-syria-iraqi-border
I think Saudi Arabia has a better batting average in the beheading stakes than ISIS. Just saying.
The lighter side:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mShbYPgLiCk
” Just saying.”
That’s because those beheaded don’t have the currency of Americans being beheaded.
I think bombing works as far as the Neo Cons are concerned. Since the war in Iraq, the oil has never flowed so freely- in fact it’s up by about 20% on its pre invasion peak. The fact that the country is now a basket case is neither here nor there- making the place safe and “democratic” was never the mission. Resources are what the prime motivator for this recent gallant act of intervention is all about. they couldn’t give a rats arse about ISIS.
But the Saudi Royal family are buddies with the Bushes, Tank… and they’ll probably want to get their man back in The Whitehouse.
@Ben
Why the beheadings all of a sudden- why now…….?
But if the war against terrorists excludes the regime, “it’s lacking something important.”
Raad Alawi, the commander of a smaller group of fighters, the Squadrons of Al Haq, told McClatchy he was very angry.
“Starting the war with the bombing of Nusra is an indication that this is a war against the revolution and not Daash,” he said, using the pejorative Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. “Maybe next they will bomb the bases of the Free Syrian Army.”
The Hazm movement, which also receives U.S. and international support, issued a statement condemning the airstrikes, the failure to consult the Free Syrian Army and the deaths of civilians.
On Facebook, critics of the U.S. and its Arab allies, calling them “aggressors” and the “Crusade Coalition,” dominated the postings Tuesday by almost 10 to 1.
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/09/23/240813_syrian-rebels-angry-that-strikes.html?sp=/99/117/&rh=1#storylink=cpy
@Peacewisher
That would be Jeb Bush- another good old boy I suspect!
….Iran will be on IS radar, a discourse to come and Israel will be very happy to find a stooge to lighten the fuse.
All speculations fit equally well at the moment. Will IS be allowed to succeed in capturing Syria and Iraq? It would need to be, to present any particular threat to Iran.
Can IS ignore its Sunni brothers in Israel? Not without causing some muttering in its ranks, I think.
Is this the working-out of the scenario envisaged by PNAC and A Clean Break? My impression is, if so, it’s accidental, and only a temporary resemblance: I am reluctant to attribute to malice what can be better explained by persistent, wilful, meddling stupidity. Now there’s an extra dose of ignorance; the US is pitting Sunni against Sunni, and while that may be fine with the Saudi royals, I doubt if it will play well on the Riyadh street.
The proof of any particular pudding is in the eating, and this gourmet dish is still in the oven. Press me, and I’ll say that the general incoherent chaos will persist for years. And that is also the official line.
“Why the beheadings all of a sudden- why now…….?”
To inflame and raise cash, Tank.
But i still wonder if the beheadings actually took place. It’s not impossible to manipulate video so that it could appear genuine, but why go dark then to the cut-away? (Madame Tussaud) If the purpose was to coax the West to retaliate, showing all the gore would assist.
More civilised than cutting a man’s heart out and eating it?
(or easy to fake?)
In the early days of the English State… being beheaded was an honour afforded to aristocrats… the hoi poloi got hung, drawn, and quartered!
Post-revolution, the French did it on an industrial scale, I believe.
Anyway… enough of this nonsense! More South Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9msrBFTt0A
“Can IS ignore its Sunni brothers in Israel?”
Except they aren’t Muslims. Ba’al, any more than Bush is a christian.
But an Anbar awakening could occur. AQ was a little heavy-handed in Iraq and fellow Sunnis eventually had enough so they came up with the Surge.
“That’s because those beheaded don’t have the currency of Americans being beheaded.”
‘and anyway, those ragheads are always killing each other. They don’t put the same value on human life as we do.’
I remember a few years ago (2008?) when Bangkok airport was closed by protesters, due to political upheaval in Thailand. On TV I saw an American tourist in the terminal, all got up in gaudy shirt etc, and he was virtually bellowing at a young — obviously non-English-speaking — protester:
“I’m an American citizen! Tomorrow is July 4th! It is a national holiday! I must be allowed to fly out of here!”
I’ve just been reading two historical novels about the life of Cicero. People there then had a habit of yelling “I’m a Roman citizen!” if captured by pirates or whatever.
You have to laugh. (I do, anyway)
An Ivy League egghead tells you separatism is the threat. Not corrupt and criminal UK aggressor regimes. Separatism.
http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/09/scotlands-vote-didnt-clarify-the-path-forward/
He just hangs it on some maunderings as an unsupported assertion at the end. Amazing how academics at celebrated institutions can get away with this shit. It’s like Chomsky says, as long you give em the right answer, any old brain fart passes muster.
@Ben
Hmmm. I’ve only seen stills of the beheadings- I think it was on Chris Spivey’s site. But I have to say there was a surprising lack of gore if you consider what’s actually meant to have happened? Also the victims all seem to be remarkably calm- it’s un- natural, eerie.
You have to laugh….Gallows humor is a way of dealing with the horror, Dre.
I can hear the encrypted phone conversation now…Do you have a timeline for the execution? ASAP! We’re losing Obama like we did on the Red Line. Only 360 days until fissionable material is available to Iran. They’ve got yellowcake.
I don’t laugh at beheadings, Ben.
I was talking about the ‘exceptionalism’ of Americans – and Romans.
…Except they aren’t Muslims. Ba’al…
I don’t think that’s a valid objection, Ben. They think they’re Muslims (as Bush thinks he’s a Christian), and I’m sure a lot of their recruits had been watching the mayhem in Gaza just before signing on. They will want to know why, if IS starts palying footsie with Israel.
” Also the victims all seem to be remarkably calm- it’s un- natural, eerie.”
That’s what I thought but I’ve never been tortured mentally and physically for months. We just can’t understand the despair.
Go back on the thread and you’ll see references to Katz’ SITE. They seem to mysteriously have quick access to the videos.
OK. But the humor is natural. That’s all I was saying.
“Go back on the thread and you’ll see references to Katz’ SITE. They seem to mysteriously have quick access to the videos.”
and I’ve read that the fake Osama Bin Laden videos came from there.