Bloody hell. Read this. Brilliant.
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Bloody hell. Read this. Brilliant.
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The heir to the throne has started a six day tour of the Middle East. First stop Jordan. What’s that about?
Do you think that Gaza is on the itinerary?
Resident Dissident
“Perhaps you might explain what you mean by neoliberalism and why you believe it has triumphed first”
In this context I mean the promotion of market forces and the idealogical rejection (even if not practised) of state management of the economy. I say it has triumphed because it has as an economic theory displaced Keynes. I mean, do you dispute that much? I sort of took it that you didn’t because you said Keynesian thought is anti-establishment, suggesting you understood it no longer dominates as it once did. So you are confusing me a bit now.
“If you cannot see certain Marxist strains in your 3rd para of 1:39pm then I don’t think you are looking closely enough.”
Certain Marxist strains is different from being a Marxist. I’m more than happy to discuss this at length if you want but that’s not what we were discussing.
“BTW I never said Keynesianism could explain everything – Keynes wouldn’t have believed that either. I have also never contended that I am against every established idea – just that I am not against everything that is anti-establishment.”
Fair enough. But I didn’t say any of this so not sure what your point is.
You said you are in disagreement with the establishment because you believe in Keynesian economics. I argued that Keynes has been usurped by an economic theory promoting purer market force with less (if any) state management. That this harsher theory was a consequence of undemocratic forces hijacking the political process. I suggested to think that Keynes offered a solution in itself, without addressing the politics, is a pipe dream. So I asked:
As a Keynesian how do you explain the triumph of no state in economics (or whatever you want to call it)?
But now I am repeating myself. Answer or not. It’s up to you.
Clark
More than happy to confine my self to retaliation rather than first use when it comes to insults and unprovable accusations – that is the policy I have always followed.
Herbie
re Mearsheimer’s article – I can accept the point that Russia would be threatened by joining NATO but as to Putin being threatened by the promotion of democratic values (I didn’t know that they uniquely “western”) well what a shame – perhaps the Ukrainians were not too keen on mafia values being promoted by Putin and his friends – corruption, extortion, threats, blackmail etc.
Thank-you Mochyn69 I managed to pick your comments amidst an increasing back-ground noise that masks attempts to gauge the severity of the present Ukraine crisis that may well escalate into a serious threat to our planet.
Resident Dissident (and anyone else), I request that you go further than that; that to insults you simply turn the other cheek, and to unprovable accusations that you simply issue a denial, if you really feel you must.
Retaliation tends to perpetuate conflicts even after any disagreement has passed. The problem to be overcome is escalation; each party feels that their original jibe or whatever was beneath some acceptable threshold, but that the response it elicited was not, so onwards and upwards it goes until discussion becomes pointless.
Res Diss
What makes you think Putin is threatened by democratic values?
What makes you think the current regime in Kiev are proponents of democratic values?
What makes you think the crisis in Ukraine has anything to do with democratic values?
“Res Diss
What makes you think …..etc, etc
What makes you…etc, etc…
(repeated once again)
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Keep out of it Herbie, you’re only intervening to distract. And drop the false note of earnest inquiry.
Clark
Why, in, your opinion, is Mr Goss so reticent about what he thought about Solidarnosc at the time (and whether he thinks the Soviet Union should have intervened militarily to nip it in the bud)?
After all, he could for example say – without getting criticised for it – “I was against Solidarnosc at the time and wished the Soviet Union had intervened militarily, but I have changed my mind and no longer think that”.
Why do you think he won’t tell us what he thought at the time? Are there any tentative conclusions we might draw from his refusal?
Habbabkuk, 6:11 pm; I just spotted this:
I’ll accept that you have that power. Who are you? I’m surprised you didn’t get that “Friend Request” from Brian Barder!
What do you mean keep out of it?
He responded to my post, and I’m responding to that.
The only curious intervention here is yours.
Are you trying to distract?
Mary
“The heir to the throne has started a six day tour of the Middle East. First stop Jordan. What’s that about?”
________________
Perhaps because Jordan’s in the Middle East, because it’s a monarchy and because HRH wishes to express sympathy to the Jordanians for the burning alive of the captures Jordanian pilot by the Arab terrorists you are so ambivalent about?
Habbabkuk, I see your point. Do you really think John Goss could be acting on behalf of Russia? Or Putin? It seems far-fetched, but I haven’t followed the argument closely because it’s been so unpleasant.
Maybe he’ll say those things later; after all, it’s been a horrible row with insults on all sides, and people don’t always reply sensibly under such circumstances.
Herbie, I suspect Habbabkuk is accustomed to being one of the more highly respected people in any discussion.
Habbabkuk, this is
Sorry.
Habbabkuk, this is besides the point. If John Goss does represent Russia in some way, so much the better; it’s a viewpoint that must be engaged with, representing as it does a major world power.
If it’s a matter of honest reporting you’re concerned with, well, something needs to be done about that. The corporate-media approach is broadly discredited and out of date; a better way needs to be developed. I have some ideas about that.
Well then, maybe habby can address the questions I posed:
What makes you think Putin is threatened by democratic values?
What makes you think the current regime in Kiev are proponents of democratic values?
What makes you think the crisis in Ukraine has anything to do with democratic values?
Clark
“Habbabkuk, I see your point. Do you really think John Goss could be acting on behalf of Russia? Or Putin? It seems far-fetched, but I haven’t followed the argument closely because it’s been so unpleasant.”
___________________
Oh dear, oh dear, Clark.
Mr Goss is not “acting” in behalf of anyone and it is foolish to see him an a Russian or Putin asset. He is in no position (and has no status)to be an asset to anyone unless you consider that sounding off on this blog (and frequently making a fool of himself in so doing)makes someone into an asset.
“By the way, you accused RD of being a “spook”. He had denied it. I hereby accuse you of being a sponger on the state, living mainly on benefits paid out by the state which you spend your time bad-mouthing.”
______________________________
Oh Dear the government shill, has the audacity to accuse someone of being a state sponger.
The shill however conveniently, forgets or purposely omits, the Royals, who’ve ponced and scrounged of the UK taxpayers for centuries.
Then of course we have the upper chamber of the House of Lords, an unelected rabble,of almost 900, who eat and drink expensive cuisine, to the detriment of the taxpayer.
Mr Goss doesn’t even register on the scale compared to the privileged parasites, wouldn’t you agree? Of course you wouldn’t.
Herbie
“Well then, maybe habby can address the questions I posed:…etc, etc”
________________
I could but won’t. It’s apparently your discussion with RD, who is more than able to see you off.
Residentofdscotland
“Mr Goss doesn’t even register on the scale compared to the privileged parasites, wouldn’t you agree? Of course you wouldn’t.”
______________
For once you’re right – I wouldn’t.
You can’t answer the questions habby because to do so would expose your rather tiresome propaganda for what it is.
But, keep out of it, there’s a good chap.
Enough of your distractions.
Let’s just see how Res Diss does.
He’s been away a while.
Habbabkuk, so why keep John Goss out of Poland then?
I didn’t mean that John Goss could have very much status. Russia maintains its own “Internet Diplomacy” crowd, similar to Hasbara.
In the meantime, whilst we await Res Diss’s response, some analysis of the French/German/Russian secret talks:
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.co.uk/
Habbabkuk, I think you should declare who you really are. I’ve seen enough pro-Russian rubbish here, so you’ve nothing to be ashamed of. You would do more good if you simply declared what your objectives are, and why. Some people here would start to respect you. Suspicion of motives (dis)colours everything.
Compare and contrast the following from Herbie:
– You can’t answer the questions habby because to do so would expose your rather tiresome propaganda for what it is
– the link to http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.co.uk/.
Have you an argument, habby?
Habbabkuk, please stop merely sparring with Herbie or whoever. Just state your opinion of vineyardsaker and its author.
Come on; if the policy you represent is ethical, it can be defended and advanced directly.
3. One other possible sign of hope is that there is some evidence that a sea-change in European and especially German opinion may be underway.
Whatever the purpose of the ongoing debate in Washington about sending weapons to the junta, whether it is a serious proposal or an attempt to secure diplomatic leverage or a combination of the two, it has horrified opinion in Europe, bringing home to many people there how fundamentally nihilistic US policy has become.
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.co.uk/
I’m waiting for your argument, habby.