Dear President Ahtisaari,
I had the pleasure of meeting you on a number of occasions over the years, including when I was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and I recall your genuine concern for democracy and human rights in a region where they are sadly neglected.
Like a great many people in Scotland I was shocked that CMI is employing Jim Murphy. Of course, in a democracy there are always losers as well as winners in elections, and both are genuine and valid participants in public life. It is not the fact that CMI employs a politician who has been so recently, comprehensively and humiliatingly rejected by his national electorate that will do any damage to CMI. In a sense I think it does you credit.
What shocks many people here is that Mr Murphy is by any standards a dedicated warmonger. He was a major and important proponent of the invasion of Iraq, and is the strongest of supporters of the massive increase of Britain’s nuclear arsenal, in breach of the Non Proliferation Treaty.
Mr Murphy is a member of the Henry Jackson Society, which as you know is a body which exists to promote United States neo-conservative foreign policy in its most aggressive sense, and openly and actively supports and condones extraordinary rendition and the use of torture by the CIA. It has supported every single military action by the USA since its formation, and defends United States exceptionalism in international law, including US non-membership of the International Criminal Court.
Mr Murphy’s belief set is therefore fundamentally at odds with the stated aims of CMI. Indeed, his employment by you can only lead to the suspicion that CMI’s stated objectives are not its real objectives, and that like Mr Murphy and the Henry Jackson Society your overriding goal in the regions where you operate is to promote the interests of the United States.
As you are funded by charitable donations and by governments, I think some explanation of your employment of Mr Murphy is in order, particularly when you have employed him as a conflict resolution expert in the Caucasus and Central Asia when he has no relevant experience of conflict resolution at all, virtually none of the Caucasus, and absolutely none of Central Asia.
I was the Head of the UK Delegation that negotiated the Sierra Leone Peace Treaty, and certainly under no circumstances would I let Jim Murphy anywhere near that kind of negotiation.
With All Best Wishes,
Amb (rtd.) Craig Murray
Brilliant
‘Impartiality’ a main goal for CMI…. from Murphy? he’s about as partial to his Zionist masters, as a cow is to grass.
‘Human dignity is of utmost importance’ another brave goal to carry on one’s corporate shoulders.
Murphy and human dignity? he’s has not been pelted with eggs for nothing, talking down to people and accusing them of loosing Labour the election in Scotland he’s as slick as a wet kipper slithers of a slimy rock, his unpopularity could not possibly be increased?
I wish you good luck with it.
Instead of that poorly led moron working for CMI, should your new activity not have something to do with peacekeeping?
It will be interesting to see what their response is ….
Have you heard of a Canadian Diplomat called Lorne Green who has served in ‘security issues’ for thirty years? Craig Just asking because he’s been proposed to become the Tory PPC candidate for Norfolk next year.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/conservatives_select_former_canadian_diplomat_as_norfolk_police_and_crime_commissioner_candidate_1_4301389
why ever could he not get any job under the new Broom young Justin Trudeau? His internet history is pretty non existent, so what kind of security expert is he one wonders.
PS Norwich Canaries 1-0 Swans/Cardiff, just hovering above Chelsea
Very pertinent points made there Craig, why would they employ Murphy a war hawk to mediate peace.
Indeed I’m reasonably sure CMI would know quite a bit about Murphy and his politics, from his Westminster days.
I’m afraid I’ll have to be pretty negative on this one and say, many NGO’s ( if that’s what they are) enter countries under the guise of good intentions, but their ulterior motives are far more sinister.
Like Pottinger and Christie, who pretended to be horse traders and Holy men, it’s entirely feasible, that, CMI, and ergo Murphy are secretly working to a different agenda than the one stated.
Oh how cynical one becomes the older they get.
Unlucky Jim did not hang about did he?
If these CMI people had directed him to the Middle East instead of Central Asia, he could have made use of all his useful contacts in Israel resulting from his long association with Labour Friends of Israel.
‘”I was a friend of Israel before I became a member of Parliament and I will be afterwards. It’s a life-long commitment to the idea and to the democracy of Israel,” he said.’
Democracy! Laugh out loud and long.
April 6 2015
http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/133197/interview-jim-murphy
The one time chair of LFI took a delegation to Israel in 2013.
Meetings took place with ‘Dr Boaz Ganor and former Head of Mossad Shabtai Shavit and other security experts at Herzilya’s International Institute for Counter-Terrorism; they were briefed on the security situation in Syria and northern Israel by an IDF major on the Golan Heights; visited Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to learn about the Iron Dome; and they had briefings with Israeli Brig. Gen. (ret.) Michael Herzog on the threat of Iran, and at the West Bank security barrier to discuss the challenge of safeguarding Jerusalem and Israeli towns overlooked by the West Bank hills.’
http://www.lfi.org.uk/shadow-secretary-of-state-jim-murphy-leads-defence-and-security-focused-delegation-to-israel-and-the-palestinian-territories/
All very peace orientated. Not.
I see the appalling Tristram Hunt was in the group and that Chuka Umunna is on the list of LFI supporting Labour MPs.
A postscript. These Friends of Israel are BRITISH MPs yet the photograph on the banner of the LFoI website is of the Knesset. Showing allegiance to a foreign power?
http://www.lfi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/LFIheader2.jpg
The CFoI have photos of Cameron and Hammond captioned by comments supportive of Israel, *a group photo of a September visit to Israel and one of the Houses of Parliament.
*The newbies’ induction.
‘September 2015: CFI leads delegation of nine new Conservative MPs to Israel
September 10 2015
Participants: Caroline Ansell MP, James Cleverly MP, Byron Davies MP, Suella Fernandes MP, Andrea Jenkyns MP, Alan Mak MP, Will Quince MP, Mary Robinson MP, and Paul Scully MP.
Last week, CFI led a parliamentary delegation to Israel and the West Bank with nine Conservative MPs – all of whom were elected for the first time in May 2015.
The delegation featured a full itinerary of political and security briefings, giving the group a first-hand look at the latest situation in Israel ahead of the next Parliamentary term.’
https://cfoi.co.uk/cfi-leads-delegation-of-nine-new-conservative-mps-to-israel/
Very Droll Craig. 😉
There’s not much surprises you these days. CMI’s true agenda is immediately questionable with the appointment of this warmongering careerist, the same way as the New Statesman’s ultimate political drive is thrown into a stark light with Murphy’s appointment as a contributor. Keep us posted if you get an answer Craig.
What “massive increase of Britain’s nuclear arsenal” is this?
Maybe Irn-Bru crate Jim, is a spy in central Asia, I wonder if Jimbo can speak the lingo, of any of the Stans.
It could be loud speaker Jim, who has a penchant for egg on his shirt, is secretly a Sir Edmund Backhouse in the making.
I just wonder whether Murphy had anything to do with Glasgow City Council’s decision to use Israeli security cameras? Wheels within wheels!
To be fair, Murphy did a good job of resolving conflict in Scotland. He was so utterly incompetent that almost all the voters on his own side abandoned his party and teamed up with their opponents to vote against him. That’s one way of promoting unity.
Excellent post!
Sort of on-topic: the latest episode of the Empire Files…
The Distortion & Death Behind Israel/Palestine Coverage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3SJEgOJMRk
I sincerely hope President Ahtisaari gives serious consideration to this letter
“I think some explanation of your employment of Mr Murphy is in order, particularly when you have employed him as a conflict resolution expert in the Caucasus and Central Asia when he has no relevant experience of conflict resolution at all, virtually none of the Caucasus, and absolutely none of Central Asia.”
Just over two weeks ago this was Murphys position on conflict resolution in the Middle East.
“Jim Murphy: I regret voting against air strikes on Syria”
https://archive.is/j4c3H
Resolution expert my arse!
Murphy’s regret over Syria is regret that US/UK bombing, combined with ‘jihadists’, mercenaries, special-forces, arms suppliers and spooks did not topple the legitimate Syrian Government and install a loyal lab-dog. Somewhere in Syria or maybe in exile there’s another quisling like Jim Murphy, career taken a down turn, kept on ice.
Murphy and his long face are more suited for funeral industry than any other niche. I have never been able to stomach more than fifteen seconds of his pontifications before I have reached the remote button to change channel.
Wait and see what will be the answer, there can be no excuse; “we didn’t know” in the light of the letter.
PS why does beebeecee always find the need to air packages filled with pontifications of some tosser from Henry Jackson
societycircle jerk?Craig’s comment re the CMI that – “As you are funded by charitable donations and by governments I think some explanation … is in order”. Certainly it used to be said that he who pays the piper calls the tune, but in this world of very powerful and unaccountable secret intelligence organizations, I don’t know if this is true anymore. In 1993 Pierre Sane then Secretary-General of Amnesty said that – “Governments are prepared to go to great lengths to cover up their crimes…. So, they set up phony human rights institutions”.
It seems to me that secret security organizations act like a virus and infect the body politic of almost everything they touch, including think tanks, our human rights, charitable, and other political organizations. It is not in the nature of these “so called” intelligence organizations to operate in a free environment without corrupting it. Have we reached a point where one cannot tell which charitable organizations are genuine, and which have become a front for other interests? I am convinced that in the long run one can have secret security/intelligence organizations or democracy, but not both
What is to be done, what is done, with would-be potentates, who weren’t and never will be. A spare set or two is always handy in case of collywobbles or spark of conscience, so there must be whole ranks of them, off load, spinning wildly, SLAB is full of them.
The House of Lords is hardly big enough, unless their maladies turn terminal, there are many niches elsewhere in the public sector and quangos to stash some, but just a few more. Business and industry are on their knees, another influx of talentless vacuous leeches could kill it stone dead. All that is needed is employment where the bigger the failures that result, the better, so roles in banking all round, problem solved.
RR:
“I am convinced that in the long run one can have secret security/intelligence organizations or democracy, but not both”
I am not proud of my frequent use of extreme metaphors for the dirtiness of modern politics. UKUS eating Zionist energy-poo, bollocs-ticks, or Cameron negotiating proxy war in a condom in Petraus’ rectum are not particularly characteristic phrases for a practising Muslim. But this is a polemical political blog and it’s hard to describe the depth of corruption and the stench of sheer evil being perpetrated by the West against Muslims since the start of the War on Terror/Islam.
The fact that the imams of the UK are so far in collusion with MI5 and MI6 as to spy on the ordinary Muslims private lives means that there is no protection or safe haven from inside Islam for the critics of political Islam. It’s dog eat dog and the one thing political Islam hates most of all is free speech that records its crimes and collusion. Zawahiri calls those who speak the truth ‘ain’ i.e. spies. Betrayal/qiyanat is well-organised and well-paid inside Islam.
The position of NGOs like CMI is much like the position of UK government enquiries, like cleaning the loo with bleach, including the stained calcium deposits instead of using a bit of elbow grease on the problem. They function merely as whitewash by deliberately not addressing the fundamentals of the problems.
CMI is one of the organisations ‘supported’ by LINKS.
http://powerbase.info/index.php/London_Information_Network_on_Conflicts_and_State_Building
‘The Global Conflict Prevention Pool, established in 2001, combines the knowledge and resources of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). It has a unique funding arrangement specifically voted by parliament for conflict prevention and reduction.[2] It supports organisations like Saferworld, International Alert, BBC World Service Trust, Crisis Management Initiative, Institute for War and Peace Reporting.’
A few Scottish names there – Angus Robertson SNP, John Smith’s widow (ex Hakluyt board), Duncan Hamilton, Andrew Wilson.
The latter works for Sorrell’s WPP and his father is said to be Lord Robertson. Spoof??
http://powerbase.info/index.php/Andrew_Wilson_(Scottish_economist)
All very spooky IMHO.
Crikey. When you see the likes of Rifkind on the list you begin to wonder.
Falconer too. Goldman Sachs, De La Rue, BP and McKinsey get a mention.
http://www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/about-us/trust-board.aspx
http://www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/about-us/supporters.aspx FCO, BP, Gove’s Ministry of Justice and DLA Piper
Kenneth Clarke is one of four patrons and Angus Robertson is on the Advisory Board as is Rifkind.
http://www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/about-us/advisory-board.aspx
If only Jim Murphy was as honorable as John Smith. I’d guess Murphys time as a conflict resolution expert will prove as fruitful as Tont Blairs was as a Middle East Peace Envoy!
“Tony Blair is to step down next month as special representative of the Quartet of international powers seeking a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, after making little headway for nearly eight years and amid near-constant controversy about his role.”
https://archive.is/bMHiv
Murphy, Blair what do they have in common? John McTernan hahahaha.
“If only Jim Murphy was as honorable as John Smith.”
He’d still have a long way to go even then. Smith was Blair in waiting. Another tool in the hands if the global elite. Bilderberg grandee and economics no-mark, cheering on Lamont’s ruinous financial management, pushing to go further than the currency speculators fruit machine nirvana that was the ERM, into full EMU, he could out-Tory the Tories, and did, right up until the day and the hour of its collapse. Smith would have been domestically John Major, serenely clueless clucking as swarms of Thatcherite chickens came home to roost, on foreign policy he’d have been Washington hawk then condemned fugitive. The myths of near saintliness around this non-descript nothing John Smith, a born bureaucrat and bon vivant in the Roy Jenkins mould and comparable scale of treachery, are anything but deserved or rooted in reality, failing to achieve power he’d have oozed and schmoozed over to Brussels and been putty in the hands of sundry big-buck lobbyists beating a trail to his door. Does Monklands even exist, was John Smith a holograph? … there is no such place, it was the name of the western end approaches to Glasgow of the former Monklands canal, stupidly filled in without foresight in order to build the M8 motorway on the cheap along the course of a once vital east-west lowland inland waterway, which for the cost of a few bridges, was lost.
Great Post Craig
And good to hear you are on the mend
The Horrid Murphy, Didn’t his nasty, Deliberate Lies Start right from day one, When he He then attempted to explain away the huge gulf in membership between Scottish Labour and the SNP by suggesting that SNP membership was as cheap as £1, while Scottish Labour’s cost up to £40. Lies.
And Trident.. The little shit tried to tell Scotland via the BBC that if Scotland had banned nuclear weapons they’d simply have been rehoused just across the border…LIES
Alchohol at Fooball Matches ..Check out this Mega Lies –
Yet since taking charge, Jim Murphy has talked about little other than football, and his only firm policy proposals to date have been to repeal laws designed to reduce football-related violence against women. His plan to abolish anti-sectarianism laws (which are backed by an overwhelming six-to-one majority of Scots over the entire political and social spectrum) and bring booze back to football grounds have already been met with horror by women’s groups.
A casual observer might imagine the ploy was cynically designed to win back votes in the only part of Scotland where there’s any serious opposition to the anti-sectarian laws – the supports of Celtic and Mike Ashley’s new “Rangers”, which both happen to be located in the same place as Labour’s traditional core heartlands, but which turned to Yes in the referendum and are now also turning to the SNP.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-alpha-ned/
ANTI-SECTARIANISM FOOTBALL LAWS
In favour: 73
Against: 13
Don’t know: 14
———————————————————–
The Offensive Behaviour (Football) Act doesn’t get the best press. Opposed by every non-SNP MSP at Holyrood, it enjoyed great support from the public before being enacted, but has subsequently been relentlessly attacked by just about all and sundry. Judges, solicitors, journalists, bloggers, and of course the two sets of fans it was primarily aimed at have all laid into it, often in the most hysterical of terms.
(Although curiously, despite the doom-laden language about fascism and victimisation and bigotry and whatnot, as both sides claim it’s picking on them alone, nobody’s yet managed to point us to a single actual living, breathing example of anyone who’s been done any notable injustice by the Act.)
Two years on, though, the public stubbornly persist in being right behind it. So pretty much as everyone expected, it looks like it’s fans of Celtic and The Rangers doing all the bawling and screaming over being asked to button it once and for all about ancient Irish history at Scottish football matches, while everybody else is delighted about getting a bit of peace at last and being able to call the referee a bastard without worrying about what school he went to.
Men support the OB(F)A by +53, women by +65, Tories by +44, Labour voters by +56, Lib Dems by +58, SNP by +69, homeowners by +60, social renters by +60, young women by +72, old men by +54, the wealthy by +54, the poor by +60.
We’re calling that as near to unanimous as laws ever get. Scotland’s message to Old Firm fans is unequivocal: shut up about Bobby sodding Sands and Derry’s frigging walls or we’ll sling you in the jail, because the rest of us are utterly sick of it.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-mind-of-the-nation-part-2/
Martti Ahtisaari is an old and faithful servant of the American empire. It thus makes perfect sense for him to provide a sinecure for a member of the Henry Jackson Society:
https://deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/showthread.php?171-Beneficiary-of-Lockerbie-given-Nobel-by-US-masters#.Vj_MU_nhD4k
Craig has merely revealed his ignorance of Ahtisaari’s real history.
A recent post at redressonline, The Iraq war, Blair and the other sucker, could equally well be titled The Neocons, The Iraq war, Blair and the other sucker:
Craig
I very rarely post here as it seemed to be too highbrow for me. You know.
I’ve realised that attitude was probably mistaken judging by the unreadable posts with no paragraphs that appear solely as a massive lump of words before your eyes.
Of course I’m talking of the minority here as the majority are very readable, as for the others? Do you own a hammer?