Hillary Clinton is American, owned by financial interests to whom she is completely in thrall, a rabid neo-conservative warmonger, completely uncritical of Israel and focused for any claim to be progressive entirely on identity politics. Which is also a precise description of today’s Guardian newspaper. The once august and intellectual title is now a shrill cheerleader for far right Blairites and wealthy American feminists.
The Guardian is as unabashed in its support for Clinton as in its support for the Blairites. The stream of “feminist” articles about why it would advance the cause of women to have a deeply corrupt right winger in the White House is steadily growing into a torrent. It is a perfect example of what I wrote of a month ago, the cause of feminism being hijacked to neo-conservative ends.
Bernie Sanders is not perfect – nobody is. But he understands that obscene and still burgeoning wealth inequality is the greatest problem of western society, and that the state framework supporting crazed banking structures is the root cause of this. The support for him is a sign of the inevitable popular reaction to the extreme inequality of society. Sanders is channelling that reaction effectively.
The establishment therefore circles its wagons around Hillary Clinton. The hope is that women can be persuaded it is an act of misogyny simply to stand in her way. The other great establishment hope is that the Democrat party machinery is so strong in black communities, that black Americans can be in effect ordered to vote for a woman who epitomises the system which disadvantages them, rather than an apostle of genuine change in the economic order. I retain hope the establishment may find that black Americans are cleverer than that.
The machinery used to manipulate identity politics – racial and gender – is all that Clinton has. If Clinton beats Sanders, it will be the perfect demonstration of the fact that identity politics has become the enemy of progress in society.
In the field of identity, Bernie Sanders would be the first non-Christian President of the United States. Would that not be wonderful in a country whose politicians feel the need to genuflect to swarms of religious evolution-denying nutters who believe foreign wars are good because they presage the Rapture?
And would it not be great if the first President since Carter not in thrall to Israel were Jewish?
Just pointing out your inaccuracy about the Western media – but of course the Guardian and Financial Times are non organisations full of non people who would disappear very quickly into a Gulag together with any glorius warmongers (are there any inglorious ones?) in the alternative reality peopled by you brave freedom fighters!
Probably best not to talk to you – in case I get sucked in!
PS Novorossiya was originally a construct of Catherine the Great I think – you really are something of a monarchist – the Assads, the Saddams, the Ghadaffis, the Kims, the Castros and now the Romanovs all seem to provide you with inspiration from time to time.
Rob G
I take your Jacques Brel and raise you one Valadimir Vysotsky (plenty on You Tube)
“PS Novorossiya was originally a construct of Catherine the Great I think – you really are something of a monarchist – the Assads, the Saddams, the Ghadaffis, the Kims, the Castros and now the Romanovs all seem to provide you with inspiration from time to time.”
More groundless nonsense from a past master of nonsense.
You are incapable of a single independent thought!!!
Your hive mindset renders you incapable of ever thinking one original thought. Thus you are spamming the same old, same old tired propaganda as your own thoughts!!!! Slap my thigh you are so on the button with the cornflakes supplied version of the “history”
Afghanistan had a chance of becoming a country and moving forward instead of remaining the backwater that it is, and soviets could have aided that process. But that you can never understand or comprehend.
Your arguments and mentality revolves around the goodies and the baddies that you have to seek advice for to decide whom to hate and who to cheer on?
Your moronic haste in responding to this:
Has compelled you to use “Liberation” as a soviet crime!!!! USSR was invited by the communist revolutionaries Babrak Kamal to aid the Afghans in the face of the onslaught of the CIA backed Mojahedeen armed to the back teeth with all manner of weapons included the exotic stinger missiles. But you would not understand that, as anyone reading would clearly see; it is a hive mind thing!
They are Both British Classics…and when my Favourite failed its MOT – he could see I was in tears…I thought – nah its O.K. mate – i trust you…you are telling the truth…its not worth repairing…I’ll scrap it….
He could see, I was upset..and said but your car is so beautiful…its just a total classic ..it still looks and drives Brand New…its only one of the sills gone the left side is perfect…They do welding at the garage next door…ask him…he might be able to fix it…
I said hi mate – my car has just failed its MOT…he said you might be able to fix it…
so he had a look and said yeh I can fix it…but it will cost you hundreds…
I said how many hundreds….
So he did it – and I gave him a tip…
Nice People – totally honest – they didn’t rip me off..they know I’m an old man – and my cars are old..and they probably know my wife…
She knows everyone.
We live in an old English village.
and we have Integrity..We do not rip people off
We have Respect
Tony
And so it begins –
Rahmaan Mohammadi’s teachers at Challney High School for Boys in Luton referred him to police under Prevent – the controversial government anti-radicalisation programme, which critics have claimed is heavy-handed, discriminatory and ineffective.
As well as wearing pro-Palestine badges and wristbands, Mohammadi was in possession of a leaflet advocating Palestinian rights by pressure group Friends of al-Aqsa. He had also asked for permission to fundraise for children affected by the Israeli occupation.
Rahmaan Mohammadi’s teachers at Challney High School for Boys in Luton referred him to police under Prevent – the controversial government anti-radicalisation programme, which critics have claimed is heavy-handed, discriminatory and ineffective.
“As well as wearing pro-Palestine badges and wristbands, Mohammadi was in possession of a leaflet advocating Palestinian rights by pressure group Friends of al-Aqsa. He had also asked for permission to fundraise for children affected by the Israeli occupation.”
http://mondoweiss.net/2016/02/british-schoolboy-questioned-for-pro-palestine-badge-and-pro-bds-pamphlet/
The Evil Cowards Throw over man in Wheel chair As Locals try to reach
A young Palestininan Girl..Shot by the Evil Cowards of idf.. Sickening –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROdWmtzVkGo&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DROdWmtzVkGo&has_verified=1
I have just made a decision…it doesn’t happen that often..but I did consult my wife.
I am keeping both my cars…
Both our kids are back home now..and they both have paid jobs…
They are both over 25 years old…and my lad and his girlfriend ..are about to have a Baby…
And they are all going to have to start paying rent…(money does not grow on trees)
You know…and for food and stuff too…
And our kids will say – we can’t afford it…
There is two of you and you have 3 cars…
Sell em..
We do not need 5 cars in our family when only 3 of us can drive….
You two..I will insure you to drive mine…
I can only drive one at a time.
and they are much nicer than yours….
You kids can fix them too
You are all grown up now…
If you don’t like it…then you know what you can do..
This is our home Mum and Dad’s..You are just our kids.
We don’t even know if we can stand a Crying Baby in Our House…
But I reckon it will be O.K….
Both my kids are experienced drivers…but I think my Son should Take his Sis on a Skidpan…
She needs a few driving lessons yet – until I would be happy that she can safely handle such power…She would definitely be able to pull in my car. The boys will think its hers.
Tony
Alcyone: “Wonder if I’m making sense.”
Yes, you are making sense – and thank you for the sentiment.
Life is incredibly strange and difficult a concept to even grasp, let alone know full well that you’re doing everything for the best, less still actually being able to carry out such a monumental task.
Far easier, is to fall into one strict role or another, or follow some religious doctrine – suddenly, 90% or more of your questions and ponderings throughout the day have a ready and straightforward answer. Life is more simple, it’s a welcome refuge to have a strong belief system.
It should be no surprise that people are so eager to dive into one.
*
On your question about the “super-delegates” – they can still be over-ridden by a majority of actual voters, and they are entitled to change their voting position at any time – they can’t afford to piss off the actual constituents _that_ much. So a serious majority that isn’t respected by having their discounted is likely to give grief to the Democrats at a national level. It’s a silly system that only applies to the Democrats. I’ll ask some American mates who are really in the know-how about this, the most informed one is on holiday at the moment though, and won’t be back until next week.
All the best.
Tony: “I always thought you were posting from Israel …. but if so – that’s O.K.”
Err.. no, sorry, if I gave the impression I was posting from Israel, my apologies. Never set foot there (nor would I want to set foot in any apartheid country).
Habbabkuk: “And that makes you an Israel-hater. / Be careful.”
Does one need to be particularly cautious, these days, if one is of your described persuasion? More than one so inclined concerning any other country, as your statement makes very clear – could you please explain why that should be the case?
“And that makes you an Israel-hater. / Be careful.”
Explain
Cos it is In Fact A threat
Habbabkuk: “You could go regularly to anti-Israel and pro-Palestinan demonstrations, for example, pester your MP and Ministers with frequent emails (giving your real name and address, of course, it’s known anyway), propagate loudly the BDS action, donate whatever you can spare to worthy Palestinian charities (careful not to donate to terrorist organisations, of course!) and so on. I suppose you could even go the the West Bank or Gaza as a volonteer (working in a hospital or a school, for example, as many non-Israeli Jews do in Israel)or join the next peace flotilla (ask Mary for details).”
But Habbabkuk – aren’t you and you fellow minded zealots feverishly working to make such activities crimes, classed as terrorism even?
You know you are. So why are you encouraging people to engage in what you’d gleefully label as terrorism?
Perhaps you could suggest a way of politically supporting an occupied population, that would never be considered “supporting terrorism”, even by the most mischievous and cynical state apparatchik.
Now here’s your homework for the day, Habbabkuk: “Find an example of an Israeli official asking permission of a Palestinian official to do anything at all.”
“Yes. Czechoslovakia.
Which actually had a military treaty with the Soviet Union.”
Indeed it did and it was effectively voided by the Munich agreement which made Czechoslovakia indefensible.
As to the old nonsense about Russia setting out to destroy Poland, had it wished to do so it would hardly still exist would it? Poland, after almost 50 years under the Russian heel, is in pretty good health, although its rate of unemployment and pockets of deep poverty make many there nostalgic for the past.
Resident FO Spokesman. Any article which begins thus:
“As Russian military convoys continue the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has chosen to rehabilitate the alliance between Hitler and Stalin that began World War II.”
Hardly qualifies as the work of an historian of any kind. The test is really very simple: those Russian military convoys invading Ukraine, last year were a figment of an ideologist’s fevered imagination. Russia has not invaded Ukraine despite dozens of attempts to provoke her into doing so.
History is about telling the truth not larding propaganda commissioned by warmongers with a few tidbits from the past.
To be fair though I am sure that the NYRB writer to whom you referred me no longer publicises his hysterical outburst. Thanks for drawing my attention to it.
This is interesting:
http://angryarab.blogspot.ca/2016/02/former-british-ambassador-to-syria-we.html
For the benefit of RD, Habbabtwat, Kempe and the other deluded Neocon/Zionists spinning their BS as far as historical events and present events in Syria are concerned, its nice to see for us ‘realists’ that the former British Ambassador to Syria, Mr. Peter Ford (2002-2006) vindicates much of what myself and others not caught up in the current delusion have been stating all along, and which I’ve highlighted in previous posts refuting crud posted by the disruptors, whom seem incapable of acknowledging facts or realities as they stand today, and said facts that have led to the tragedy of Syria and plight of the majority of its population.
Here’s Peter Ford giving his assessment of Syria, the recent diplomatic negotiations in Germany and the Foreign Secretary’s crass and brazen attitude – not too mention our Parliaments illogical and contrarian actions – what do these NeoCon muppets have to say?
Former UK Syrian Ambassador Peter Ford genuflecting on Syria this week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZVKdWFJPk&feature=youtu.be
@Bevin,
Sorry had not noticed your own reference to Peter Ford, which no doubt his views will be totally ignored or spun rather differently by the malcontents on these boards who believe ‘regime change’, needless slaughter and the partition of sovereign states is all in a days work for God fearing folk – a good find and one that reinforces what many of the ‘realists’ on these boards have being saying.
“Come on old chap get with the programme – you have to blame the western back “handchoppers” for starting it way before then – otherwise how can you justify the Soviet invasion (oops sorry “liberation”)
You are incapable of a single independent thought!!!”
Though I seem to have captured your own thought process rather more succinctly than yourself.
You are incapable of a single independent thought!!!”
Consume the bbC
@RD,
Evidently, and despite a wealth of information contrary to any thought you may hold, despite a UK former ambassadors telling it as it, allegedly your neocon bollocks concerning both Syria and the Ukraine are correct – but we who try to provide actual substance of merit to the ‘realist’ views we uphold, are but liars, anti-semites and anything else the deluded can instruct us. As stated, why don’t you chaps try your games on SST, it really would be a pleasure to see you eviscerated by those that actually have had an input in overseas policy and actually fought for their own military.
If you are so intent on your anti-Russia propaganda, why don’t you do us all a favour and join the so called ‘moderates’ in actually attacking Assad – although our government may object and label you a ‘terrorist’. Funny that is it not?
Fedup (to Resident Dissident); “You are incapable of a single independent thought!!!”
Just how right this is, has been confirmed by RD himself with his link to the NYR article by Timothy Snyder; now we know where RD gets his Neocon slant on history & his fantasy take on current politics from; RD simply regurgitates Synder’s loaded brain-farts, and deposits them here, and is then surprised that that they get laughed at ! When RD actually tries for himself to make or refute a point, it’s always incoherent & nonsensical, as per his latest effort to address why 10 million Syrians voted for Assad, his response was to bizarrely link to a Wiki article about the a Soviet Union legislative election back in 1984 !
As to Synder, sly as he is, others have long seen through him;
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/09/timothy-snyders-lies/
@Kempe, you are like a butterfly, fluttering from one non-point to another whenever your current pov is challenged, but to help you with your difficult with the Arab Spring, I suggest you look-up the terms “Co-opted” & “Hi-jacked”.
No idea why my Post is subject to moderation, but it can at least be read over at Sqounk;
https://squonk.tk/blog/2015/03/15/the-general-discussion-thread/comment-page-57/#comment-22058
@Mods, what was the problem ?!
” The reality is that Poland had rejected Russian offers to guarantee its territory against Germany ”
Which is hardly surprising. The two countries had a history of distrust and animosity going back centuries and in 1920-21 fought a little known but bloody war which ended in an humiliating and costly defeat for the Russians.
http://www.historynet.com/polish-soviet-war-battle-of-warsaw.htm
Events post war proved the Poles to be correct in their distrust of Soviet motives.
If millions of Syrians in rebel held areas, where the Assad’s government had no authority, are claimed to have turned out and voted for him it puts an even bigger question mark over the validity of the election.
As for Peter Ford it’s easy to be wise after the event and I note he’s calling for a negotiated settlement and not the utter destruction of the secular opposition to Assad.
I may or may not have joined in the chorus of condemnation over the destruction of the hospital at Kunduz but I know I did not attempt to justify it or try and pretend responsibility lay elsewhere.
Kempe; “If millions of Syrians in rebel held areas,”
I think you will find that the millions are in Government controlled areas, and that most of the territory held by “Rebels” is very sparsely populated, and for obvious reasons !
@Kempe,
Peter Ford is the former Ambassador to Syria, his more knowledge in his little finger about what went down – just stick to the facts.
Further, all this talk of ‘moderates’ and the like is bollocks, its a well known fact, detailed by one Sy Hersh, that the USA was gunning for regime change in Syria way back in 2006, a full five years before the Arab Spring. No doubt he too must be telling lies, despite being an award winning journalist who was once lauded in the USA, now he’s blacklisted.
Andrew Sachs, hardly an outsider, has written about Clinton’s involvement in fermenting shit in Syria – she has blood on her hands in Syria and Libya.
For God sake man acknowledge some facts and stop the farce that Assad was not interested in change within Syria – if confronted by an armed rebellion by maniacs in the UK what do you think the authorities response will be. Or have you forgotten how we once dealt with the IRA – just see “Death on the Rock’ to give you an idea – and yet communications between the UK and IRA political leadership remained ongoing.
Most realist posting have no issue with honest Syrian’s demanding change of their government, most would accept the need for meaningful change – however, whether Assad changed the regime and made it more liberal matters not, for the USA wanted regime change, regardless of any concessions Assad made, or could have made to his moderate opposition. But lets just ignore this salient fact as you propagandise and spread nonsense. Remind me again which country is a global hegemony that has a 60 year plus history of fermenting chaos in the ME?
Now, enough of this nonsense, face up to the facts. At least us realists understand full well the meaning of concessions, reform and right and wrong, which means we can be critical of Assad, Putin, Blair, Bush, Obama et al in equal measure. That sir is the difference and to suggest otherwise is staggering.
If you want to end the blood shed best support the R+6 in regaining control across all of Syria ASAP and killing all hand choppers in the process. Something a majority of Syrians actually applaud.
Well, it looks like Erdogan IS mad enough. Turkey has been very quick to blame Syrian Kurds/Gov for the Ankara bombing. Obviously an incitement to move on Azaz.
“It is important to recall that the Syrian conflict began as a secular revolt against the Assad’s autocracy”
It is important to get the facts straight. We have it on no less an authority than General Wesley Clark that Syria was in the crosshairs in 2007, a good four years before any “secular revolt”. Why was this? Why was Assad a target even when he was still accepting rendition flights? Answering this question is the key to understanding how and why the conflict began. Handy hint: flooding a country with mercenary “rebels” does not make a civil war. It is simply a well-worn MO for invasion.