An Apology 2256

 in Uncategorized by

I am so committed to getting my book finished I really don’t have time or energy to blog at the moment, and realise it has been very desultory the last few weeks. I am well and happy, it is just that writing a properly researched history is incredibly intensive. I realise there is much of great interest happening in the world, but I must sometimes cut myself off from it.

This is why I don’t ask for donations for the blog…

Allowed HTML - you can use: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

2,256 thoughts on “An Apology”

1 … 11 12 13 14 15 … 58
  • Ba'al Zevul

    Today, he’s telling his sycophants at Progress how terrible it would be if Labour ever became a socialist party. How Corbyn is in fact Cthulhu. How *we* need an economic policy which isn’t redistributive or egalitarian. Enough of the idle badinage; why not stagger along to an evening with Mrs B in September? (she may have lost some weight during her intervening Sri Lanka holiday)-

    http://heyevent.uk/event/oruzhc7ks7r5wa/an-evening-with-cherie-blair-cbe-qc#

    This is hosted by Investec, a South African investment bank with strong ties to the mining industry.

    https://www.investec.co.uk/

    It does ‘leveraged secondaries’, too. Son of Subprime Mortgage. Look out for them next time we bail out the bankers.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    This from Sierra Leone, without comment. It may refer to the Tony Blair International Academy in Bo, Sierra Leone, which is funded by the World Bank and by the founder, John Gbla’s ‘UK partners’. This may amount to the same thing, as it is named after the UK partner. Either the funding slowed, or the governance of the school was modelled on AGI lines, which permit violent dictators to steal from the less fortunate. The plaintiffs won, in any event. Gbla is a politician, btw.

    http://www.expotimesonline.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1292:mariama-turay&catid=37:education

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Last year, Blair got yet another ‘job’; an advisory and fixing role in the construction of the Trans Adriatic (gas) Pipeline, running from Baku to Puglia. Blair, already employed to burnish the image of Azerbaijan – tarnishing faster than he can polish, sadly – will be smoothing out any difficulties, with particular reference to the inhabitants of Puglia. This will presumably involve giving them a media beasting if/when they object to their agricultural land being rezoned for BG. Elsewhere on CM, a site search should find it.

    But here’s a synopsis, with more detail than I could find.

    http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120691/tony-blair-does-pr-repressive-azerbaijan-kazakhstan-autocracies

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Fifteen Years Ago:

    http://asbarez.com/42851/tony-blair-urges-armenia-and-azerbaijan-to-speed-up-reaching-peace/

    Tony Blair was quoted by Azerbaijani Bilik Dunyasi agency as saying that his country is following closely with the reforms in human rights–democracy and freedom of speech areas undertaken by the government of Aliyev. (also expressed pious hope re. Nagorno-Karabakh peace)

    Today:

    https://www.hrw.org/europe/central-asia/azerbaijan

    Nagorno-Karabakh:
    http://news.am/eng/news/278205.html

    Must have taken his eye off the ball.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The Telegraph remains a fertile source of blairiana. In June, it reported:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11671685/tony-blair-business-broker-china-abu-dhabi.html

    -describing in some detail the Dear Global Leader’s valuable work with a regime he has elsewhere been shy of praising. But the Telegraph hasn’t rested on its laurels.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/investigations/11764487/Tony-Blair-given-sensitive-Foreign-Office-papers-before-business-trips-to-China.html

    At last, a clear confirmation of what I have suspected for some time, that Blair’s activities on behalf of foreign sovereign wealth funds, human-rights-ignoring dictators and dodgy African warlords, are not only condoned, but actively supported, maybe even part-funded, by HMG.

    You may be Thatcherites to the hilt, lads. You are undoubtedly run by the Barclay Bros. But I tip my hat to you.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The Curse of Blair (1)

    http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/gaddafi-son-saif-al-islam-libya-sentenced-death-150728084429303.html

    The Curse of Blair (2)…never mind despots’ families, even education X3 isn’t safe….

    http://schoolsweek.co.uk/exclusive-government-to-close-nctls-flagship-teacher-training-centre/

    Opened in 2000 by the Dear Global Educator.

    But use of the centre is believed to have dwindled in recent years after compulsory qualifications for headteachers were scrapped.…the blame for which cannot be laid at Blair’s door, however.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Shruti Mehotar did six months as team lead for Tony Blair Associates in Myanmar:

    https://www.linkedin.com/pub/shruti-mehrotra/4/643/92b?trk=seokp_posts_secondary_cluster_res_author_name,

    Well that answers one question.

    http://burmacampaign.org.uk/tony-blairs-secret-involvement-with-burmas-government/

    “Given that Tony Blair has ignored eleven requests over the past year asking what he is doing in Burma, we can only assume that it is controversial and he wants to keep it a secret”, said Zoya Phan, Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK. “Giving strategic, political and public relations advice to the military-backed government while its soldiers are still attacking and killing civilians and raping ethnic women, would be deplorable. Tony Blair used to preach the need for transparency, now he should practice it and come clean about what he is doing in Burma.” (May 2014)

    Mehotra was in post for the six months up to Jan 2014. He’s now Director of Project Development,
    Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative. Might be worth asking him for the details.

    https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/burma ….

    Systematic repression of ethnic Rohingya Muslims in Burma’s western Arakan State continued in 2014, especially against 140,000 internally displaced Rohingya forced out of their homes during the violence in 2012. An estimated one million Rohingya in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships along the Bangladesh border continue to face restrictions on movement, employment, and religious freedom.

    All Rohingya in Burma are effectively denied citizenship on the basis of the 1982 Citizenship Law, rendering many of them, including children, stateless. The nationwide census conducted in March-April 2014 did not permit Rohingya to self-identify as such, and according to results released in September, 1.2 million people in Arakan State were not included in the census. The number of Rohingya fleeing Arakan State by boat rose dramatically in 2014, with estimates suggesting that 50-100,000 have fled since the start of 2013, mostly for Malaysia.

    Prime Blair country. Gold and oil too.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Having been for the last week on another planet (thx, Steve Bell*), the Dear Middle East Peacebringer surfaced in Cairo – again – yesterday.

    http://www.albawabaeg.com/58940

    Well, maybe. The report, dated today, has Blair as Quartet Rep., still. It could be a 2014 story, recycled. The cited source, Youmi7, doesn’t have it today.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Confirmed, Cairo yesterday:

    http://www.arabstoday.net/en/news/titles/fm-sameh-shoukry-blair-discuss-reactivating-middle-east-peace-process.html

    Abdel Aati stressed Egypt’s keenness on acting to restore the lawful rights of the Palestinian people so that they can establish their independent State on all their lands.

    (At which point Blair left the room, explaining that his charter jet was waiting for him, and he had to see Netanyahu in a hurry. In his capacity as discredited pariah.)

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The Dear Global Leader’s apotheosis has been announced for this year. Honoured to provide superb accomodation and wall-to-wall security as he rests from his labours on behalf of global exploiters of all kinds humanity, will be the grateful folk of Sri Lanka. He will descend from a cloudless sky on August 11th to bless the island with His presence for a fortnight, as will his sweet and comely spouse:

    http://lankanewsweb.net/news/11404-tony-blair-to-arrive-in-sri-lanka-on-aug-11

    They will stay at Ulugalle Walawwa in Anuradhapura and the Amanwella tourist resort, for which the Sri Lankan government will provide full security…

    All play and no work/ Makes Tone no cash, though. So on the 24th August he’s due to deliver the 10th Lakshman Kadirgamar commemorative lecture at the Kadirgamar Institute.

    Don’t miss him. (Ignore the tracking collar).

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The Ulagalla resort prides itself on fulfilling the slightest whim of its honoured and cash-encumbered guests. Here, native bearers are transporting the a six-course meal to the north of the island for a customer unfortunately delayed in his return to the hotel by the Tamil Tigers. Note the tablecloth.

    http://www.ugaescapes.com/ulagalla/dining.html

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The five-star Amanwella, where the corporation Blair will be located for the rest of their stay, comes in at £320 per person per night (2 sharing, suite accomodation). The family is rumoured to be together for this, and the possibility of significant others must be considered. Will it be the Windrush card? The Mubadala one? Some questions should not even be asked.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    As Cameron blethers amiably about eliminating corruption, another coverup came to a successful conclusion last week:

    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cd7b0b3e-31f5-11e5-91ac-a5e17d9b4cff.html

    The UK government has won a legal battle to keep secret the details of how it oversaw a contract to supply the Saudi Arabian national guard, a deal that allegedly involved corrupt payments…

    …The ruling comes nine years after Tony Blair’s government cancelled a corruption investigation into BAE Systems’ al-Yamamah fighter jet deal with Saudi Arabia on national security grounds.

    The tribunal ruled that “public disclosure of the withheld information would prejudice relations between the UK and [Saudi Arabia]” and that “real and significant” harm would follow.

    To the arms trade.

    The MoD welcomed the decision. It said releasing the information “would not be in the public interest and would harm relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is an important ally in combating terrorism and with whom we have a close bilateral relationship on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment and wider defence matters”.

    This despite the 2008 High Court ruling;

    A judicial review of the decision by the SFO to drop the investigation was granted on 9 November 2007. On 10 April 2008 the High Court of Justice ruled that the SFO “acted unlawfully” by dropping its investigation.[53] The Times described the ruling as “one of the most strongly worded judicial attacks on government action” which condemned how “ministers ‘buckled’ to ‘blatant threats’ that Saudi cooperation in the fight against terror would end unless the …investigation was dropped.”

    On 24 April the SFO was granted leave to appeal to the House of Lords against the ruling. There was a two-day hearing before the Lords on 7 and 8 July 2008.[56] On 30 July the House of Lords unanimously overturned the High Court ruling, stating that the decision to discontinue the investigation was lawful.(Wiki)

    Two years later, Tony Blair was signing up with Petrosaudi:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11219815/Tony-Blair-signed-secret-contract-with-Saudi-oil-company-worth-41000-a-month.html

    Note the obscure reference to Malaysia at the bottom of that piece. This refers to a monumental scam (allegedly) perpetrated with at least the complicity of PetroSaudi. And here, the central involvement of JP Morgan, for which Blair works, and not for a pittance, can be clearly seen The money trail is exhaustively mapped. This is real journalism.:

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/272024142/20150720-FD-19-22-C

    I began with Cameron. here he is again, amiably blethering at Najib Razak, Malaysia’s PM, intimately involved with the IMDB scam, about corruption.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/30/david-cameron-presses-malaysian-pm-on-corruption-claims

    Perhaps he might pull in his unacknowledged agent of influence, Blair, and ask him a few unkind questions about corruption?. And then again, perhaps not.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Having lent his toxicity to Corbyn’s Labour leadership chances, and done the pointless circuit of Egypt and Israel, again, it’s time for the Dear Global Leader to take a break. Just a little pre-holiday * holiday in Italy. Amalfi, since you ask, not Puglia (where he is being paid to soften up the locals for the landfall of the TAP gas pipeline):

    http://www.ultime-news.it/incendio-chiude-laeroporto-ma-tony-blair-riesce-ad-atterrare_555203.html

    Sadly, the brush fire which closed the airport slightly after his arrival didn’t affect his schedule, but perhaps it’s a happy omen of his incandescent afterlife?

    *Sri Lanka, Aug 11th. See above.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    The Italian paparazzi don’t seem to have caught up with him yet, much as one woukd have wished to see the shapely Mrs Blair in the Mail’s Sidebar of Shame. So here’s a clue. Faintly dodgy businessman Massimo Carello hosted the Blairs this time last year at his Lipari retreat; it’s easily accessible even for those without yachts from Salerno, where Blair unfortunately didn’t crash and burn earlier.

    Andare, bambini!

  • Ba'al Zevul

    We apologise for the break in our coverage. Mr. Blair is on holiday and doesn’t wish to be disturbed. We guess on someone’s yacht. Any details welcome.

    Here’s what he was doing in Israel on what is believed to have been the 2nd of August:

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-pays-multiple-visits-to-home-of-top-producer-declines-to-comment/

    Arnon Milchan, hosting a farewell party of three for the Saviour of Palestine, is or was the go-to guy when the Israeli government wanted something fixed abroad.

    Blair’s out of his depth with this one. Netanyahu too, probably:

    http://www.bardachreports.com/articles/oa_20000400.html

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Tony Blair (God talks to Him, y’know) arrived in Sri Lanka as predicted. Emirates flight, this morning – that’s flying the flag, Tony – bipedal post box and two as yet unnamed sprogs with him.

    http://www.asianmirror.lk/news/item/10676-former-british-prime-minister-tony-blair-arrives-in-sri-lanka

    Flew to the northern town of Anuradhapura, which is nowhere near his formerly alleged destination, and the location of a prison where politicals (read Tamils) are held under dodgy conditions. Also the heart of Theravada Buddhism. Will the Pope approve? Om.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Another Apology:

    Anuradhapura was on the original itinerary of the Dear Leader and his cortege. That’s where the Ulugalle Walawwa resort (5-star, chalet accommodation, gourmet, yadayada) is situated. And it’s where (despite a number of Sri Lankan 404’s on this story) the Global Saviour is currently warming his ego.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Blair’s flight to Colombo originated in Dubai. It is not known by what route he arrived there from the Aeolian Islands/Amalfi, or indeed whether that was where he was at all: the paparazzi didn’t find him, at all events.

    Dubai, a name to conjure with, especially if you are Bill Clinton, Blair’s surrogate father-figure and Honorary Chairman, Education of the Varkey GEMS Foundation, a private education provider. Bill was recently forced to admit that GEMS had paid him $5M for his co-operation, in addition to $500K for a single speech.

    Happily for Tony Blair, there is no such record of payments for his own connection with GEMS, which is described as a partnership with his own Faith Foundation. His company structure is not designed to disclose the extent to which philanthropy can benefit the philanthropist, only to move cash rapidly from account to inscrutable account.

    http://www.qatar-gulfnews.com/why-was-bill-clinton-paid-5-6m-by-dubais-gems/

    The National newspaper reported that GEMS, which operates more than 50 schools across 19 countries in the Middle East, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa, earned $674.8 million in revenue in the year through March, up 20 percent on the previous year’s figure of $559.6 million.

    GEMS said its revenue increase was down to improvement enrolment numbers, which rose by nearly 9 percent to 98,000, and improved annual revenue per pupil.Dubai’s Fajr Capital led a group, including Blackstone and Bahrain sovereign fund Mumtalakat, in acquiring a “significant minority stake” GEMS Education in October 2014.

    Not exactly a not-for-profit….

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman-in-chief of GEMS, is an expat Indian resident of Dubai, to clarify the connection. His name has been linked* to that of Dawood Ibrahim in connection with various allegedly criminal activities: by one account Ibrahim is a successful gold smuggler, and some say he helps fund ISIS. Varkey’s Wikipedia page has apparently been written by Varkey, though, and presents him as a truly cuddly bunny.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Blair’s visit to Sri Lanka coincides coincidentally (it’s a coincidence) with the parliamentary elections there. As his visit seems to have been suggested by the Sri Lanka High Commissioner in London, this is obviously a coincidence. Good article, better comments here:

    http://colombogazette.com/2015/08/11/former-uk-pm-blair-begins-visit-to-sri-lanka/

    The line from the TBFF appears to be that Rajapaksa is undesirable, and we can infer that TB will be aiding and conforting the other lot. The perceived need to ace China out is hinted at here:

    http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/sri-lanka-election-china-relations-by-brahma-chellaney-2015-08

    But as Tony has form for facilitating Chinese interests, that may not be relevant.

    As to the Dear Father’s accompanying brood, unnamed to date, but numbered as two, it seems unlikely that either Nicky or Euan would take a luxurious holiday in the romantic island paradise etc etc without their wives. Also, the chalets at the resort are designed for two. So it’s probably one of the Cherie-boosted nonentities plus wife or Kathryn plus b/f. Unknown is where the perpetual security presence will be staying, probably in the native quarters, not being pukka sahibs.

    We expect little further to emerge. As long as a single alleged member of LTTE remains unimprisoned without charge, life in the north of the island imposes some concern for security, and Tony’s position wrt the brutal supression of the insurgency was at best ambiguous. Several .lk sites have apparently taken down reports on the Blair visit, which may have strayed beyond the wording of the press release. Though a shot of Cherie in a sari, grimacing at a Buddhist stupa, is not inconceivable.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Curse of Blair:

    Leader of Myanmar’s military-backed ruling party Thura U Shwe Mann shakes hands with Dear Global Leader (date unknown, maybe 2012)

    https://twitter.com/ayleighk/status/574471589137264640

    Thura U Shwe Mann gets bum’s rush for being liberal:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/11800332/Leader-of-Burmas-military-backed-ruling-party-ousted-as-troops-deployed-in-pre-election-drama.html

    Blair has descended on Myanmar several times; the climate appeals – and see above, passim. The climate of absolute government control and bloody suppression of peripheral groups.

1 … 11 12 13 14 15 … 58

Comments are closed.