This is my last comment for the year as we are off to spend Hogmanay as the guests of an Ambassador in Paris. Out of deference to my family, who have had the brunt of it these last few days, I am definitely not taking the laptop, so I will no longer be able to take part in the popular new bloodsport of proving your loyalty to the SNP by being nasty to Craig Murray.
My parting thought is that, as every year of my entire life, it has been a disastrous one for the Palestinians. Yet more land occupied, settlements built, homes destroyed, olive trees uprooted, shipping vessels sunk and yet another murderous onslaught on Gaza.
I warmly recommend this rare public appearance by Col. Larry Wilkerson, ex-Chief of Staff to Colin Powell and a fellow recipient of the Sam Adams Award for Integrity. His brief musings here on Israel and Syria come from a deep store of knowledge and a razor-sharp intellect.
Do have a wonderful celebration. The future will be good. We are closer to a transformational change in society than you may realise.
Israeli warplanes have flown sorties at very low attitude over the airspace of Lebanese capital of Beirut as well as the southern Bekaa Valley region, breaking the sound barrier.
The Israeli military aircraft conducted aerial maneuvers over Beirut throughout Thursday as the sound of low-flying jets over the capital city was clearly audible twice in the morning, a number of local media outlets reported.
Lebanon’s army issued a statement saying that an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft also violated the country’s airspace on Wednesday, entering Lebanon over the town of Alma Shaab and conducting aerial sorties over Riyaq, Baalbek and other areas in the south.
According to the statement, the spy plane entered Lebanon airspace at 6:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and left the area 17 hours later.
Israeli warplanes have repeatedly violated Lebanon’s airspace in a breach of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which led to a ceasefire in the war of aggression the Israeli regime waged against Lebanon in 2006 and calls on Tel Aviv to respect Lebanon’s territorial integrity.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/01/391159/Israel-warplanes-fly-low-over-Beirut
……………………………..
A typical act of aggression from a maniacal military state, who are hellbent on terrorising the region, with the help, and support of the UN the EU and of course the USA.
Sorry Herbie that was in reply to yours.
From Mary’s link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2894480/Prince-Andrew-repeatedly-slept-sex-slave-controlled-underage-prostitution-ring-U-S-court-papers-claim.html
This is what I’ve expected all along. I also suspect that we’re only beginning to see the tip of an iceberg, that this is one of the hidden levers of international power.
Earlier article from 2011 on same case:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361296/Prince-Andrew-risks-ambassador-job-underage-sex-case-girl-reveals-meeting-him.html
Quite a comprehensive account here, including denials by those accused.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/12/court-filing-levels-sex-claims-at-alan-dershowitz-200495.html
“RoS Farr sounds scary and much too powerful. At least he did not get GCHQ.”
“Charles Farr – GCHQ’s next spymaster general?
Man at heart of UK anti-terrorism strategy who put missiles on London rooftops during Olympics set to come in from the cold”
________________________________
Nice one Mary, I see Farr has be at the heart of the “Anti-terrorism strategy” since 2007, Farr also pushed for the 90 day, and 42 detention days limit.
On reading that article Mary it would appear to me that GCHQ are about to take a much firmer stance, in the future.
Farr reminds of a tenacious J Edgar Hoover.
Republicofscotland, presstv.ir can be useful as an alert system, but be wary because it is not a reliable source. It even recycles 1940s Nazi propaganda sometimes. To be safe, find another source to confirm anything you discover through presstv.ir
Talking about spooks – Britain’s surveillance agency GCHQ could become an incubator lab for the country’s most talented tech entrepreneurs under a government plan for a new ‘spook first’ training programme for graduates.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/gchqs-spook-first-programme-to-train-britains-most-talented-tech-entrepreneurs-9953516.html
Disagree Clark – PressTV can be a very useful source of Middle East kibitz and intrusion.
Westminster’s Transport Minister, wants to remove my EU symbol from my/our driving licence, and replace it with the “Butchers Apron, aka the Union Flag.
But this is the most telling part. They are only doing it on the mainland of Great Britain. Northern Ireland won’t have to suffer any change. Maybe the Westminster Transport Minister, in her infinite wisdom, feels that the Irish are clever enough not to need to be reminded of their national identity.
If you do not wish to have to send your driving licence back for renewal, and probably incur a cost into the bargain, then sign the petition, which states you’re more than happy to keep your current driving licence.
http://munguinsrepublic.blogspot.co.uk/
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-westminster-from-forcing-scots-to-have-union-flag-on-driving-licenses?bucket=
Mark Golding, I agree it can be useful; it mentions things you might not find elsewhere. Just seek out confirmation – the PressTV article will help you formulate your search-term.
Remember they put a victim of torture in front of their cameras once. On the other hand, they were more honest about the arrested British Navy personnel than the BBC were.
There are NO mass media sources untainted by propaganda. We have to collect the pieces and do the jigsaw ourselves.
“Republicofscotland, presstv.ir can be useful as an alert system, but be wary because it is not a reliable source. It even recycles 1940s Nazi propaganda sometimes. To be safe, find another source to confirm anything you discover through presstv.ir”
_________________________________
Clark.
As opposed to the western media, being 100% a reliable source, both side push propaganda, but in my point of view with regards to Press TV, I want to hear both sets of propaganda, not just one sides.
Being responsible for trying to drown Clark, Habbabkuk and others in tortured legalese, I welcome Clark’s suggestion (at 5.08 pm) of making this a collaborative enterprise. I also feel it ‘s for me to take up Habbabkuk’s challenge to Clark (at 5.43 pm:: “Which clauses do you want me to look at?”
Mark Golding @ 6.28 and 6.44 pm has already helpfully highlighted short key topics. To grapple further with the subject, it’s best to look at the contents pages of the Bill (as it emerged from the Committee stage) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2014-2015/0142/cbill_2014-20150142_en_1.htm; and then read the following extracts I have made from the Alan Travis Guardian article of 24 November, with a few added Comments of my own in square brackets.
Extracts begin:
The home secretary, Theresa May, says the bill will not be emergency legislation but hopes that with cross-party support it can be fast tracked through parliament before the general election next May.
The home secretary set out the nine principal elements in her package, designed to combat the threat from Islamic State (Isis) fighters who, she says, have given “energy and a renewed sense of purpose to subversive Islamist organisations and radical leaders” in Britain. [Comment: this Bill will be passed in some form and I suggest that those on this blog can – with difficulty – unite around the idea that any legislation designed to increase security should at least be coherent, not be open to abuse or misinterpretation by those implementing its provisions; and should as far as possible not excessively compromise fundamental civil liberties or the UK’s international and bilateral treaty obligations.]
Barring returning terrorists
New temporary exclusion orders to control the return to the UK of British citizens suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activity abroad. …This is the most problematic of the proposals, both legally and practically. …Potential for trouble in parliament? Very high. Even the Labour frontbench is said to have doubts about these exclusion powers. Amnesty International has warned they would breach international law. The exclusion orders could be renewed after two years.
[Comment: perhaps Habbabkuk, being good on tricky details, might look at Part 1 Ch 2, especially sections 6, 9 and 11]
Campus extremism
A new statutory duty on colleges, schools, prisons, probation providers, police and councils to “prevent individuals being drawn into terrorism”. Ministers will have powers to issue directions, enforceable by a court order, to organisations that repeatedly invite extremist speakers or fail in their duty in other ways. Potential for trouble? High. The question of denying a platform to extremist speakers, especially Islamists, has been fraught with difficulty in recent years. The definition of “extremist” was enough to cause a major row between May and Michael Gove this year and there is likely to be a wide divergence between universities, councils and ministers in their views. The Lib Dems vetoed May’s “extremism disruption orders” this year on exactly these freedom of speech grounds.
[Comment: Mark Golding might look at Part 5 Chapter 1, especially sections 24, 26 and 27]
Preventing travel abroad
The ban on leaving the country for 30 days will be new and will depend on the effectiveness of the Home Office watch lists, which do not have a 100% record.
Potential for trouble? Medium. Civil liberties groups have warned this could be the measure most felt by Britain’s minority ethnic groups. Port stops already affect about 50,000 travellers a year and the attempt to stop jihadis travelling abroad could see many more detained before they are allowed to leave the country. [Comment: I would be ready to look at Part 1 Chapter 1 but possibly some overlap with the sections I have suggested Habbabkuk might like to look at. I have already asked Amnesty International and some others who may have ideas on improvements to the draft bill.]
Internet monitoring
A requirement for internet service providers to retain data on internet protocol addresses to allow individual users to be identified. Potential for trouble? Low. The Liberal Democrats and Labour are both happy to wave this through.
[Comment: might this worry anonymous posters here? I imagine most are already reconciled to being monitored for their “association” with Craig; privacy fig-leafs may be an attempt to limit the scope for ad hominem/ feminem arguments.] “
End of Extracts
Maybe Clark would be willing to help knock ideas into shape, the aim being to have some clear views that could passed – by all who wanted to – to individual MPs, during 5 Jan. I will also target members of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Apologies for the length of this comment [758 words]
” Westminster’s Transport Minister, wants to remove my EU symbol from my/our driving licence, and replace it with the “Butchers Apron, aka the Union Flag. ”
The Union Flag will appear on the license in addition to the EU symbol. If it offends you that much some careful work with Typex and a blue felt tip would make it in to Saltire.
” If you do not wish to have to send your driving licence back for renewal, and probably incur a cost into the bargain, then sign the petition, which states you’re more than happy to keep your current driving licence. ”
The new style card will only be issued when a license is sent back for renewal or alteration.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licences-to-display-union-flag
Still, who cares about facts…
OK: just caught by ‘Campus Extremism’:
“Ministers will have powers to issue directions, enforceable by a court order, to organisations that repeatedly invite extremist speakers or fail in their duty in other ways.”
1. Lack of definition of “extremist”: thus it can mean what ever the Minister wants it to mean.
2. “Fail in their duties in other ways”. Unacceptably vague: again, will leave Ministers free to act on whim.
Is this the kind of thing, Iain?
” Habbabkuk,Villager,Kempe,Jemand et al…
Go fuck yourselves you troll sockpuppet twats. ”
and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you too.
Technicolour, I was thinking more of Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair, the LA Times …
[…] the “confession” of Rudolf Hoess, commandant of Auschwitz, was extracted by force and contains his claim to have killed more Jews than was “humanly” possible?
These are, however, the now-undisputed findings of all historians and experts on the subject. And if they are sound, then it means that much “eyewitness” testimony is wrong. It necessarily changes our attitude toward the everyday complicity of average Germans. It also means that much of the evidence presented and accepted at Nuremburg was spurious.” […]
For emphasis: “These are, however, the now-undisputed findings of all historians and experts on the subject.”
I just thought it was rather a poor example to choose for a thought experiment; truth, some factual basis is maybe not so necessary for such an exercise, but it does help.
@Habba
“If you mention it for an eleventh time, do you think you could bring yourself to spell it properly?”
Spelling is the least of his problems – an honest interpretation of what Arendt and others say would be a start, rather than a reductio ad absurdum so that they all say the same thing – which conveniently chimes with what Herbie believes.
As for the references to the Frankfurt School – all I can say is that every supporter of Marcuse I have ever met has been pretty close to certifiable or needed deporting to a parallel universe. I do remember one who seriously argued that Apartheid would be brought to its knees by his campaign involving the regular supergluing of Barclay’s cashpoints.
You are probably too principled and individualistic for the SNP ( this is a good thing) plus, you have a history of truculent personal attacks (usually justified). I see you as an independent or even starting your own party. I would vote for you but i live in Bristol. Maybe you should come here!
It’s certainly quite important to prevent people being drawn into terrorism.
I’d agree with that.
I therefore recommend amending Part 5 Chap 1 22 (2) by deleting (g), (h), (i) and (j).
That should keep everyone a lot safer in future.
“an honest interpretation of what Arendt and others say would be a start, rather than a reductio ad absurdum so that they all say the same thing”
Away ya go then, Res Diss. The floor is yours.
Your first effort was very poor.
But, have a second punt, by all means.
You should listen to Cameron on terrrrrism in that JC link I posted. He expressed very clearly where his loyalties lie, ie Israel.
http://www.thejc.com/videos/news-videos/david-camerons-chanucah-reception
The quote from Hitchens, presented deliberately out of context, and intended to prove god knows what, except it seems, that the Nazis could not possibly have murdered all those Jews, actually forms part of a lengthier piece by Hitchens, which describes the Holocaust Revisionists/Deniers as part of a ‘toxic’ argument supported by Nazi revivalists, a few crackpots, and David Irving. Taken in context, the quote is Hitchens describing what such people *say* about the Nuremberg trials.
It also contains this:
“Irving then went on to reveal, rather fascinatingly,that some new documents from the Eichmann family might force him to reconsider his view that there had been no direct order for the annihilation”
As well as the fact that he then proceeded to recite an Aryan supremacist rhyme to the Hitchens’ five year old daughter.
If you search for the quote on google, you’ll get the relevant pages of the book (Love, Poverty and War, p 264). Hitchens is always worth reading.
Iain Orr, 7:50 pm; no apology necessary; that was very brief considering that the bill is 58 pages long! Thanks for the details and suggestions; I’ll take a better look later.
“Lack of definition of “extremist””
As it always is.
http://blogs.cbn.com/ibrahim/archive/2014/03/24/why-moderate-islam-is-an-oxymoron.aspx
Part 1 Chapter 2 (5) – page 10 of the .pdf lines 7 to 17:
These are a whole new set of offences, just for coming back to the UK while excluded on suspicion, whether the subject has been involved in any wrongdoing or not. (5)(a) specifies up to five years in prison and a fine – an incredible penalty for merely breaching a piece of bureaucracy.
An earlier section permits a subject’s passport to be invalidated, so subjects will be effectively trapped in whichever country they were in when the exclusion notice was issued. Considering the conditions in which such notices are likely to be issued, people could be trapped in a war zone.
Habbabkuk, this isn’t my field so if I’ve got this wrong please just point out why rather than calling me an idiot; at least I’m making an effort.
Technicolour: It is only intended to backup assertions, which no-one seriously questions, that Hoess was mercilessly tortured, beaten and his family threatened; in those circumstances his admissions made in that testimony are not reliable and more likely reflect the outcome from his ‘confession’ which his torturers sought, particularly as to numbers and causes of deaths. The same can be said for a great deal of the prosecution material at these trials, much of it was rather fanciful. Very much hangs on the Hoess testimony, but it is known to contain utterly fantastic elements and was used very selectively. Hitchens was unambiguously referring to the now widely accepted unreliability of the Hoess confession when he said “These are, however, the now-undisputed findings of all historians and experts on the subject.” Anyhow the subject rather bores me now, but that’s the banality of evil for you.
CIA was at it again
Oliver Stones new film. http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/…/oliver-stone-cia…/
Iain Orr (posing as a Clerk, as the Marquess of Queensbury might have said):
As instructed 🙂 I have taken a quick look at Pt1, Ch. 2, sections 6,9 and 11. They seem clear enough.
What is your question, exactly?
Jemand, yawn. I lived in Bradford for five years and no one chopped my head off.