Physically, it is easy to be a terrorist. Killing unarmed people is never frightfully difficult. It is impossible physically to stop terrorism. I commented years ago that the theatre of security at airports just created a new target; the people densely packed queueing for security at airports. It will always be simple to kill individuals, and if you wish to kill a lot of people at once, there are just so many places where people are crowded together. Planes, trains, buses and coaches, metros, ferries and the associated boarding places of all of those. Cinemas, theatres, supermarkets, concerts, bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, public squares. Lectures, meetings, ceilidhs, churches, mosques, schools, workplaces, tourist attractions. Football matches, firework displays, the boat race, racecourses, carnivals, festivals, beaches, fun fairs, amusement arcades. Commemorations, demonstrations, marches. Cabarets, swimming pools, museums, canteens.
It is impossible physically to prevent all determined terrorist attacks without imposing a level of security which would fundamentally change the very experience of being a human being and the very foundations of human society. The uselessness of it was demonstrated fatuously by Tony Blair sending tanks to Heathrow airport.
But if we cannot physically defend against determined terrorists, what can we do?
Well, the most important thing is, don’t panic. Given how easy it is to kill people physically, the important thing is how extremely difficult it is to do it mentally. In fact terrorism is vanishingly rare. It is so rare there has only been one person killed by terrorists in the mainland United Kingdom in the last decade.
An event like that in Brussels today horrifies and terrifies. But remember, that the same number of people murdered today are killed in Belgium less than every three weeks in traffic accidents, and have been killed at that rate or greater in traffic accidents for over four decades. Over 700 people a year die in traffic accidents in Belgium; twenty times more than have just been killed by terrorists. Of course, the terrorist incident is a big single death toll and more stark because it is a deliberate act of evil. But if you’ve just been mown down by a car, that also is not pretty and you are just as dead.
So panic must be avoided. There is no sense in which the tiny threat of terrorism is a genuine threat to western civilisation – unless we grossly overreact. Old fashioned intelligence work is the best way to counter active intelligence cells. This would be much more effective if it were targeted. The pool of intelligence is far too contaminated with tens of millions of intercepts of harmless people from mass surveillance, and all kinds of dross intelligence fed to us from torture chambers around the world.
Western policy in the Middle East in the last decade has been a grotesque failure by any possible measure. If western states simply stopped inflicting violence and death abroad themselves, it would do much to end the cycle. People are less likely to turn terrorist if they feel they have a worthwhile role in society and something more to live for. It is a truism that alienation of young Muslim men from the societies they live in has motivated several terrorists. That same alienation affects young non-Muslims too, as a generation faces crippling debt, unfulfilling, unprotected and low paid work and an unconsidered life in a society skewed to support the extravagant lifestyles of a tiny minority of the ultra-wealthy. I fear that if society continues the way we are going, political violence of a nihilistic nature will become a more common reaction.
Any response that tries simply to increase physical security and surveillance will entirely miss the point.
Your list of venues omitted parliament buildings or military installations…but then that would be ridiculous wouldn’t it? That would be suicide. To do war through deception.
Mods: Is my rather long post of 6.11 this morning still in the mod bin? If so would you let me know the cause. Thanks.
It appears that Ukrainian intelligence has a good idea who is behind the Brussels attack:
http://russia-insider.com/en/ukrainian-intelligence-russia-probably-responsible-brussels-bombings/ri13510
And the answer will surprise you!
Don’t think Russia is an IS backer, but the US/ Israel Saudi A.Turkey and Quatar are backing these nutters. Let us just have a look at what pressures the EU is under and from what quarters.
They are pummelled by refugees that are proudly produced by us in the name of queen and country. Not in my name.
They are blackmailed into accepting the TTIP because if they don’t, more pressures will result.
They are forced to feed into and support the aggressive expansion of NATO in the east and the rest of the world, such as Africa, because the weak cowards at the top, the appointed commissioners, don’t care about us, or the EU, as long as they can make ends meet, we are toast to them. Why have they not thou8ght to establish a EU peace and defence force, what has held them back, because as eggs are eggs, they have discussed this and talked about it more than once.
Would not be surprised if these commissioners become targets one day. After all the war on terrorism feeds on chaos, inertia and confusion and there is always some schmuck who will pay and a few others who do the deed.
Then there are the attacks in Paris and Brussels, not one politicians has pity with the victims, human life’s are expendable to them, if that means that the 50 year war carries on, so be it, the war on terror keeps on giving to the arms peddling, off shoring cowards sitting in their armchairs and they claim to keep Osbornes economic bubble afloat.
Come to think of it, they should be the target of terrorism, at least the war on terror would have a real humanitarian aim, rather than to devastate country after country, steal and control others resources, hallo Israel, how’s the oil flowing in the Golan? and enforce a one world rule on all of us.
Queit astonishing what a hard days work can bring to mind, but it looks like the EU is under attack from all the cowards that want a world Government, that play on all sides of the globe and who know which string to pull next.
Question to Craig. Can you in simple terms describe the border arrangements in the South China Sea, because this flashpoint is increasingly portrait in multi colours, by this that or other interest group.
Who has sat at the table when the South China sea was discussed?
“Don’t think Russia is an IS backer,”
Nor do I. I was being facetious.
Israeli science minister tries to make political hay from Brussels incident, disgraceful.
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.710402
This is very interesting, from the Independent newspaper.
“CCTV purporting to show the deadly Brussels Airport explosions appears to be fake.
The footage resembles a video of the moment a bomb attack took place at Domodedovo Airport in Russia in 2011.
But the clip, which shows people walking before they duck and flee following an explosion, has been widely shared on social media since the Brussels blasts took place on Tuesday morning.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-explosions-video-purporting-to-show-zaventem-airport-blast-was-shot-in-2011-a6945501.html
On September 11th 2001, I was on a Flash Course – at Learning Tree International near Euston Station in London. I had asked to go on the course..My employer paid all the costs. When I got home, my wife was like – well its hard to describe…My wife had given up her job in the City when our second was born…She became a Childminder – a Full time Mum – not just for our two – but for several children over the years.
It just so happens that on September 11th 2001, she was looking after Twin Blonde Baby Girls – only a few months old. The Grandmother of the Twins was in one of The Twin Towers in New York when The First Plane hit. She was terrified. She could not contact her son in London – but contacted the mother of the twins – my wife was looking after – when she was still inside the building…
Then the phone went dead.. We all felt almost certain she had died…but we could not contact her for well over 24 hours.. Communications between London and New York were completely saturated. We simply could not get through.
I went back on my Flash course the next day. All the trains were running normally into London – but not packed..I reckon one third of people were too frightened to turn up.
I did not know what had happened, but was determined to find out.
This Was PERSONAL.
It took me nearly 18 months, before I was sure.
I then told everyone – and they all thought I was mad.
But you can’t argue with the laws of physics and maths – or if you do – then that is your problem not mine.
She got out of the building and ran and survived.
Tony
Fed Up is a prime example of a de facto apologist for Jihadism. But there are many others, including some in the SIS. It has been a longstanding plank of British policy to cultivate reactionary elements. This has nothing to do with ‘Prevent’. It goes back to the time of Lawrence of Arabia. There are serious problems with Islamicate societies right across the world. Most progressive people in majority-Muslim countries are struggling against these problems, but they are vastly outgunned and out-moneyed. People like Fed Up are part of the problem. The reek of arrogant condescension comes from adopting the posture of a Great White Saviour.
“Fed Up is a prime example of a de facto apologist for Jihadism.”
Eh!
Does he support the actions of these jihadis, even though he knows they’re working to Western plans?
He consistently appears to defend/apologise for Islamists, until really pressed. He’s not the only one, he simply is an exemplar of the tendency (see also under ‘SWP’).
And they – Jihadists – are a product in part, not in whole – of longstanding Western policies. This does not mean that they always ‘work to Western plans’, any more than the Islamist paramilitaries in Pakistan always work to the plans of the ISI/military security establishment, where there is an even closer – indeed, foundational – relationship. But they, and their ideology, are a central problem for Muslim societies/communities.
These matters are complex; one might say that there are many contending conspiracies, not just one linear one. That’s why an over-arching monochromatic narrative of the type propounded by some of the commentators here fails to address the problem, let alone the solutions.
I haven’t seen this support.
The mainstream alternative narrative is that this is blowback. Then there are those who go further and say that it’s deserved blowback, radical leftists for example.
I don’t see how one gets to that position unless one believes the blowback/cockup theory in the first place.
What you say about “contending conspiracies” is true, and that will play itself out locally. But these are merely small plays within the larger play.
It’s a bit of an ask to believe that this local infighting will play itself out with so many attacks on the West, especially when these terrorists are all known to Western Intel agencies.
Additionally we are asked to believe that Intel agencies are serially incompetent.
Funnily enough that’s a meme you’l find in many popular spy accounts.
Herbie,
“The mainstream alternative narrative is that this is blowback,”
I argued with Chalmers Johnson’s view who wrote the book, about “Blowback” via Alternet when he was publishing his next book in the Series (Alternet in the USA – I posted there for 5 years and made a lot of American Friends) I had bought his book “NEMESIS – The Last Days of The American Republic” and I had read it.
I said you got it wrong mate…this ain’t Blowback YET
He didn’t believe me.
Copywrite 2006 by Charmers Johnson.
Haven’t you noticed the accelerating change…as even more people wake up to the facts..even on Craig Murray’s blog?
These things don’t happen overnight.
You can hardly tell them who the enemy is. They already know, but can’t admit it to themselves…as they look in the mirror.
Don’t give up. I really appreciate what you write…especially when I don’t quite agree with you
about some of the fine details…
Tony
Cheers, Tony.
You’re right.
There shall come a time of blowback, but it won’t come until Western influence is seen to be fading and comprador states peel off to their own or others interest.
Blow it out of your arse Saadi!!!
You are the apologist as you have issues/tensions/stresses with your own ethnicity, so stop projecting total and utter bullshit!!! Your usual craws nest position is the “Jihad ism” that you rush to take position in because of your jaundiced view of Islam and anyone following that religion, and you know it plays well to the gallery for the sake of “prevent” does it not?
Despite the fact that you fully well know that British SIS and their US counter parts have set up the “isis/isil/al qaeda:
Yet you spew the bile towards any and all nations that are steadfast in asserting their sovereignty, and live as per their own organic political systems and not to imitate an alien and external values system that is apparently the only accepted way of life as the edict of AM way or the Highway decrees.
Most progressive people in all of the countries across the globe are struggling against the reactionary banksters and their only promoted mode of the governance, but as always your jaundiced view of Islam and the followers thereof can only see the problems there in the Islamic societies and not anywhere else.
You mention Lawrence of Arabia, but then you heap derision on the Muslims and their societies, probably you will be blaming the Indians for the sins of the East India company. The al saud pederasts have been oppressing the inhabitants of the land of Hijaz and you blame the Muslims and then as per the Saddi signature shove in the old chestnut; “Great White Saviour.”
Your genuflecting could really do your spine some damage so you best be careful how low you bow to the imperatives of the banksters and the “prevent” merchants.
Bluster, no substance. Arguably racist attitudes. Bereft, really, of any logic. Great White Saviour mask coming a little loose is it?
You know fine well that I’ve argued against banksters/imperialism and so on. But your gripe with me appears to reside in my consistent opposition to clerical fascism. Interesting.
Get lost, your circular arguments are around the same holding pattern. You first attack and when the going gets tough you start diverting course, and engage in word play of the 45th order, not forgetting the “racist” label*. Post which you pretend to be friendly only to gather points for attacking and then disappear to be back to take up from where you left, back at the 1st holding pattern; Muslim poopy pants, and “jihadists”, genuflecting to the imperatives of the banksters and their zionist storm troopers!!!
You constantly go on about “jihad ism” yet you singularly fail to see why on Earth the born and bread here youth of immigrant backgrounds** in this country are so alienated? You overlook the daily torrents of racist drivel that is heaped on them, you overlook that there are no amenities as simple as language classes for their elderly kin whom often are caught up in a dreadful stasis, you overlook the fact that the society at large is rejecting these born and bred here citizens of this land and given any opportunity the donkey brays of “deport them”, “strip their nationality” in the Daily Mail, Epress, ………. Yahoo …….. comment sections. where should they be deported to? the hospital they were born in? which nationality should they be given after stripping their nationality?
These disaffected youth are the product of the oppression and the failure of the increasingly divided society that the likes of agent Cameron are presiding at the helm of. Your mantra of “jihad ism” that is the gap filler in your “contributions” over and again, whilst you are busy reconciling your own inner struggles.
* Saadi the labeller has more stickers than the pricing gun in the shops!
** How many more generations need to be born here before they are considered one of us?
You seem to imagine that as a while man, you know more about, well everything, really, but specifically more about racism and exclusion than those whom you categorise as being victims of racism and exclusion. And yes, there is racism and exclusion, but that is very far from being the whole story. And it is simplistic and patronising in the extreme to suggest that it is. Yet is is precisely what one might expect from someone wishing to project themselves as a Great White Saviour.
There is an ideological problem which has arisen and been exported, basically in modern times, from Saudi Arabia.
Why do you get so very upset, and try to find excuses, whenever clerical fascist ideology is criticised?
Saadi your rebuttal that reeks of racism aside, you simply ignore the massive oppression of the local Muslim population. The huge problem of racism that is facing the young energetic and discriminated against Muslim youth is simply explained away by you as “ideological” !!!
“Clerical fascism” in the benighted land of Hijaz?
The al saud pederasts control who is set in place as the clerics and don’t you portray otherwise. The poor sheikh Nimr was beheaded because he spoke out against the al saud pederasts, his nephew was sentenced to crucifixion yes in the twenty first century these reactionaries are reviving the good old traditions of slow and agonising death. The young fifteen year old boys guilt was to have taught first aid to others and distributing anti al saud literature!
You call that clerical? The keepers of the two mosques is but only a mask for these untethered pederasts to rule over the benighted populations of the lands of Hijaz, in the face of tacit acceptance of the West ie US et al. Yet you find they them to be ideological? The only ideology these pederasts are peddling is the ideology of coercion and fear and foreboding. As they have done so in Bahrain, in Iraq, in Syria!
If our disaffected youth find a solace in the al saud sponsored agents’ kindness of convenience it is not the winning ideology of the al saud pederasts but the failure of our societies that have singularly failed to accept these energetic and ambitious youth to be equals in this society and not to be discriminated against in the job market, housing, and not to be subject to the torrent of hate material plastered on the various comments sections of the oligarch owned media, and the Youtube and wider society on the trains, buses, in the stadia and in the streets, and even in their mosques*.
Your sillr notions of “idealogical” influence of the al saud pederasts that you seem to pass as clerical influence, the same bunch of crazed lunatics whose “religious police” have arrested a chap wearing a doll mascot for showing too much flesh!!! Do you really believe that his ideology is appealing to the youth born here in the immigrant communities?
The al saud pederasts have spent a trillion dollars to promote their brand of politics in Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, …….. that boatload of money buys a lot of converts who would find the pay to attractive and the language to be kind, with access to methamphetamines guaranteed!
You fail to see the reality and instead hang onto the fantasy that Miranda Tonykins was spewing in his attempt to play the game to the point that we are at.
The current treatment of the Muslims is identical to the treatment of the Jews in the early twentieth century, and it seems no one is prepared to draw any parallels, because it suits them all to carry on oppressing this monitory, as the various governments legislate for greater surveillance powers and control measures in preparation for the suppression of the future riots and discontent that the current policies are bound to result in.
* “England first” racist and their “Christian Patrols” invading mosques to distribute bibles!!! These cretins believe this to be an insult.
Using “genuflecting” with ample exclamation in two consecutive comments!!!! Gold that doesn’t wear.
“The current treatment of the Muslims is identical to the treatment of the Jews in the early twentieth century”, Fed Up
Simply not true. Where are the gas chambers? Where is the Night of Glass? Where are the laws that are specific to Muslims?
And your characterisation of “the Muslims” seems taken straight from the Hizb-ut-Tahrir textbook. We are not a homogeneous brown mass, to be pitied and seen always as victims.
Also, there are many oppressed groups in the world. Why is it we are not seeing them all blowing themselves up in crowded places? Why did Jews not blow themselves up in crowded places in the 1930s? The Africans of apartheid South Africa? Aborigines in Australia? American Indians? The Chinese and Koreans under Japanese imperial rule?
And Muslims in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan are not ‘oppressed religious minorities’. they are the majorities, they are in charge, they have the power. In many cases, they are in government and in the security/intelligence/military complex. Your argument simply does not bear scrutiny. It is actually the argument of Hiz-ut-Tahrir and most other Islamist groups. But the truth is that they are the oppressors. Every day, in the countries I mentioned, they exert their oppression, their supremacism. In Pakistan, the Islanmists are in charge and have been since 1977.
The Saudi regime has found it very convenient and useful to export their clerical fascist ideology all over the world. This has happened on a continuous basis since the mid-1970s. Why are you in denial about this?
Everything you post on these matters suggests that you are very deep denial. You are not the only one.
CNN airs footage that is not from the Brussels incident.
It’s from the April 11, 2011, bombing of the Minsk Metro in Belarus.
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cnn-airs-cctv-footage-2011-claiming-tuesdays-brussels-attacks/
If you read the page further down they print a retraction.
“Update: It was brought to our attention that CNN credited the fake Twitter account @OnlinMagazine who was responsible for putting out multiple fake videos. The actual video in the clip was from @EurActiv and we are told it happened in Brussels. The Free Thought Project apologizes for the oversight.”
Don’t you love Sir Richard Dearlove, MI6 Director from 1999 to 2004, saying that Britain can make it alone when dealing with Isis when the terrorist attacks in London occurred shortly after he left.
MI5 had so overcooked Operation Crevice because of the preventable 2003 attacks in Madrid that Muslims at that Crawley internet shop decided to become real terrorists, and then it tried to hide the fact by having the spooks kill that poor Brazilian.
Perhaps being more integrated in the EU would cut down on the terrorism caused by the UK establishment.
Those who are still having trouble with the big picture stuff could do worse than read Prof Quigley’s rather large tome on the matter.
Quigley, rather like Christopher Andrew who was offered access to MI5 files, was granted access to “Round Table” documents.
http://www.carrollquigley.net/pdf/Tragedy_and_Hope.pdf
There’s a much shorter version available, which summarises the key points:
http://joeplummer.com/tragedy-and-hope-made-easy.html
Thanks for the links Herbie
Herbie, thanks for the link to the ‘abridged’ version! I have had the full version of T&H on my bookshelf for years and have always known that, although I want to read it, I never will. It’s just too big and dry. If the Shadowy Cabal wanted to write a history of their world and make sure no one read it, a book like that would be a good way of doing it. I will check out the shorter version.
Quigley agreed with their objectives, but was concerned about the secrecy.
Seems he snuck in a few warnings.
Figured you were only a troll which you have confirmed by recommending loony Quigley and stooge Andrew.
Thanks, Trowbridge.
I often wondered about those long rambling abstruse undocumented and confused tales you come out with.
Makes sense now.
See nothing about spook stooge Christopher Andrew, for example.
Too long sentence, abstruse, rambling, undocumented and confused for you?
Undoubtedly.
I’m not concerned about Andrew. I haven’t recommended his work.
It’s your characterisation of Quigley that finally shows you for the disinfo merchant you are.
Your weird rambling undocumented tales were but an overlong aperitif.
“Trowbridge Ford is a former US Army Counter Intelligence Corps analyst. Now retired in Sweden, he theorises about deep events and deep politics.”
“His theories are often interesting reading, but some observers have noted a tendency to present conjecture as fact, and to lack references”
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Trowbridge_Ford
You certainly did recommend Christopher Andrew’s work, as the above post shows, but you choose to change the subject, and want me to discuss the most dated claims of Quigley.
And then you go on about Peter Pressland’s generally false claims about me, and my work, especially the long article about 9/11.
I don’t live in Sweden, and the article that Eye Spy about 9/11 – you know the one you wanted a link to – has extensive notes because the editor wanted them because he was afraid of being sued. The same goes for my article in the same issues about Manchurian Candidates.
Interesting that Wikispooks makes no mention of their existence.
And talking on internet sites about anything doesn’t constitute real research as if it has to come from referees, and/or withstand a defamation suit.
I did not recommend Andrew’s work.
I simply pointed out that as Andrew had been given access to secret MI5 documents, to record their history, so Quigley had been given access to Round Table/CFR documents to a similar purpose.
What I said above is this:
“Quigley, rather like Christopher Andrew who was offered access to MI5 files, was granted access to “Round Table” documents.”
That’s not a recomendation of Andrew’s work.
So, you have problems reading as well, or problems simply telling the truth.
This episode at least has demonstrated that what I previously thought was simply loonism or confusion on your part is rather more likely a continuation of your role as a peddler of disinfo.
Just simple garbage by you: Andrew got the goods from MI5, and wrote its definitive history of the security Service,, like Quigley got the big picture on the Round Table, and wrote its.
And now I am, according to you, simply a peddler of disinformation after you have made no attempt to get in touch with by any means about what I wrote in Eye Spy..
You are just working with Chris Jones to kill off any real discussion about what happened on 9/11.
I’m not interested in what you write, what you’ve written etc etc.
If it’s anything like the confused garbage you spout on here it’s disinfo. That was your main line of work after all, and it seems you’ve just continued it.
I’d imagine there are few on here who have the faintest clue what you’re waffling about most of the time.
The key to you is that complete lack of relevance, references, coherence of narrative etc. Disinfo or senility, in short.
The other matter is quite clear.
When you claimed that I recommended Andrew’s work, you lied. That’s obvious enough.
Not interested in what I wrote? Then why did you want a link to my 9/11 article?
It’s you who are lying, especially denying now that you recommended Andrew’s history of a most controversial agency, MI5.
Show me where I recommended Andrew’s work.
Where?
The quotation.
Where is it?
Just another lie, since you have recently stated that you are not interested in what I write, though you now want me to repeat what you wrote on March 23rd at 21:14 about Andrew’s history of MI5.
I leave it to other posters whether it is a recommendation or not. I think it is.
So, just show the readers these words of mine that recommend Andrew’s work.
What are they?
And explain how they constitute a recommendation of Andrew’s work.
Careful, now. Your long honed reputation is dangling at the end of a very thin thread.
Otherwise, just apologise for your error.
Straightforward enough, I’d have thought.
New article on Counterpunch: Fukushima Radiation: a Killer.
Third US Navy sailor dies after being exposed to Fukushima radiation.
Retired Gen. Michael Flynn speaks: US ex-intelligence chief on ISIS rise: It was ‘a willful Washington decision’.
Lysis in which oligarch owned media have you read that the retreating daesh forces in Syria are laying huge mine fields and covering the whole of the landscape with anti personnel mines?
Where did you read that the parliamentary petition for the want of a better word consisting of 120 MPs writing to the director general of the beebeecee and asking him to refer to isis/isil/etc. as daesh? The reply to which came back that, this label could be misconstrued as an insult by the “insurgents” in Syria!
Mark Golding has a very good point on this particular issue .
If people are interested in reading intelligent texts, I’d strongly recommend the work of the Muslim Institute and specifically that of Ziauddin Sardar.
http://musliminstitute.org/
http://ziauddinsardar.com/
Thanks for the links Suhayl. I’ve posted them to Facebook in the hope that ignorance will be assuaged. I’m just wondering why there are not concerted efforts to expand the narrative. I know there are plenty of Muslims who are peacefully oriented, but the loudmouths control it. Why are peaceful muslims so intimidated by the Jihadists?
Well that’s a little facile. ‘Snitch’ is an negatively-charged word that could be expressed as ‘Socially responsible’ as an alternative. I understand there is fear. Many citizens in the US are cowed by gang-members who threaten any who inform with a nasty end. But there are people who have the courage to oppose evil in all it’s incarnations. We need more of these people. That is all. Carry on.
Perhaps some have seen the movie. It’s true. Navy Seals had mercy on Afghani goat-herders, one of which informed Taliban. The Seals were all KIA save one who was given sanctuary in his Pashtun village. The villagers exchanged fire with the Taliban who protected the Seal as one of their own.
We need to have more of this.
” I know there are plenty of Muslims who are peacefully oriented, but the loudmouths control it.”
The loudmouths have all the access to mainstream media.
Funnily enough.
Off topic but on page 3 now:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/spiegel-correspondent-forced-to-leave-turkey-a-1083144.html
I am having one of these very strange days, when the communications breakdown, result in even better very local immediate communications..but I do not live in a rural village in the South of France, and am completely capable of phoning the supplier of our main cable internet to our house..and waiting in a queue for 45 minutes and eventually getting put through to a real person and telling him…your guys left the side off of the local comms box in the road down the other street…they were probably in a hurry…Well a Dog has come along and put his leg up..and pissed all over it…before he squatted and had a shit…
He said well your mobile phone works doesn’t it?? or you wouldn’t be talking to me.
Tony
I like that answer Tony!!!!
Can you see how the corporates have reduced us to begging for the services that we pay through the nose and top dollar for?
Corporates secure in the knowledge of the total market failures are now become bureaucracies with expectations of getting the money and delivering little or no service. Forty five minutes to to talk to someone whom probably did not give you his second name and proceeded to fob you off as per the training and orders he/she has!
Its working normally again, now, its just that, I have used several different IP addresses tonight…and they couldn’t quite work it out – despite the way I communicate…
Normally I just use one…It has been incredibly reliable since 2001…
I can’t really complain – but do – when it doesn’t work…
I sort of made up the dog thing..but a few years ago – they really did leave the panel off the box in the stree…for months…it all carried on working.
I can’t name the supplier – but it’s not BT.
If there is one company who has really pissed me off it is BT.
They are simply not up to British Standard.
(well O.K. they might have improved since I phoned up the Regulator – it was called OFCOM then)
It was like suppressed fury articulated very calmly.
I expect the highest standards
99.9% Availability – If I can provide it – Why can’t you?
My Son’s Business does too.
If you don’t deliver what you promise to your customers – then you go bust.
Tony
According to Associated Press ISIS has infiltrated 400 fighters into Europe in order to carry out further terror attacks.
For all those people so interested in sources then AP is the source. However AP gets its information from “security sources” In other words a source that cannot be verified. Anyone see a problem in sources ?
Given the number of migrants allowed into Europe with substantially no background checks or other forms of control then does anyone see how impossible it is to question the likely accuracy of the unnamed AP sources? Could be 4, 400 or 4,000 who knows? and how can anyone know?
Someone (me) posts a wholly non controversial comment regarding the concept of “beneficial crises” and is assailed by demands for sources. And yet…silence on a society that has created conditions whereby it is totally impossible to estimate how many potential terrorists are in our midst. Anyone see a problem here?
No.
The terrorists don’t come with the refugees they don’t need to. They have money and they have papers they don’t need to sit in squalid camps for months on end in the hope of one day getting into Europe. They can just drive across the borders.
Would someone tell this to the mouth-breathers that infest Yahoo and just about every other “blokey” site in the UK? Maybe the posters could then talk about migrants as distinct from the “terrorist scum” to which they are generally referred.
The level of bigotry, and assumed fellow racism in informal company, is rather shocking. It makes me despair of the general working class Briton to be honest. Maybe it comes from the old adage, that one has to have another to look down upon.
Terrorists do not need to infiltrate Europe as refugees, they merely need to blend in with refugees once they are in Europe. Not knowing who you are admitting into Europe aids the process of blending in.
If you are British you may appreciate that the MO is precisely the same as the preferred infiltration technique of English football hooligans – i.e blend in with the crowd until the time comes to defend “Ingerland”. There is nothing new under the sun.
None of the terrorist incidents have been carried out by none EU citizens. They don’t need to blend in they were born here.
Had to throw this in, it made me smile:
From Twitter:
Paul Evans
@Kalista63 Paul Evans
Ladies and gentlemen, Andy Burnham jumps the shark
Chris Mason @ChrisMasonBBC
The Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham is calling for the Government to strengthen the sea border between the UK and Belgium.
Yeah very true, we need a barrier and a wall, and dammit an xray machine every fifty yards!
That neolabour tosser is a lunatic. Thanks for the laugh mate
Sharks! That’s it – genius. We need a lot more sharks in the English Channel, the North Sea – and maybe the Mediterranean too. That’ll make them cautious.
😀
Oh you are orful, Glenn.
Israel’s minister of science, technology and space, Ofir Akunis, commenting on the Tuesday’s Brussels twin terrorist attacks said it’s biblical G-d’s revenge for the Brussels-based European Union’s antisemite decision to boycott Israeli goods made by illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
“Many in Europe have preferred to occupy themselves with the folly of condemning Israel, labeling products, and boycotts. In this time, underneath the nose of the continent’s citizens, thousands of extremist Islamic terror cells have grown,” Akunis wrote on Facebook.
In other words, Akunis is admitting that Brussels bombing was in retaliation for European Union’s boycott of Israeli goods. One may not agree with my deduction – but Israeli minister’s off-hand comments were very revealing about the current schizophrenic political mindset in Tel Aviv.
Akunis, a minister of world’s biggest terrorist entity then warned Europeans saying: “Focus your attention on ‘Islamic terrorism’ to prevent further attack.”
https://rehmat1.com/2016/03/24/israeli-minister-g-d-punished-brussels/
I know I haven’t written this very well…but it is just a part of my history…experiencing – the change than came in with Margaret Thatcher in the UK…she wasn’t all bad – in fact compared to our current lot she was a bit of a star…I know Northern English swear words are not allowed here – and it is your website..I will try and turn my feelings down a bit… and use a bit of précis.
the bbc did andy pandy, dead in the water and the power of nightmares.
BT reached the the pits…and obviously – well they couldn’t get any worse could they…??
I am not paying BT anything and haven’t since 2001..They haven’t provided any services.
Yet the bbc keeps sending me an annual DEMAND..
I have the envelop in front of me now…I haven’t opened it yet
“quick Renew simple easy convenient tvlicensing.co.uk”
I can’t stand Murdoch…but at least Madonna can sing…
and my wife just loves Sky TV…and she also watches the bbc…
So I guess I am going to have to pay it..
It says – You are an old man now and can have yours for Free??…
I’ll open it (nah can’t do it)
No it says you paid us far too much via direct debit…here is a refund…you can switch to this other company if you like…but I didn’t even open the letter…
Then I get another one…we have just lowered your annual cost substantially – cos you couldn’t be bothered changing suppliers and stayed with us.
That was British Gas…
This is the bbc
£145.50 – pay or we will take you to court
I don’t watch TV….but I know a lot of you guys at the bbc.
You used to be really good – Brilliant – the Best in the World.
But you are not now working for us British people, nor the rest of people in the world
Why should I pay you horrible liars anything?
You are not on Our Side.
We are British
Tony
That was winter.
Its all over now.
We only used about 10 bags of coal…
I ordered 13 in advance (I didn’t pay these prices)
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Coal&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=1VXzVvmEH8H9UtWIhYAP#q=Coal&tbm=shop
Well we have got a big house and didn’t know if our old British Gas Boiler…could provide the same kind of temperatures as The Maternity Ward
And No You Can’t See The Photographs….
We are Preparing Our Camping Gear…and where are the tomato and Sunflower seeds??
It’s Spring Now. its going to get nice…
He is the most Beautiful Baby I have ever seen.
I’m a Grandad now.
Tony
Fwl..
Thanks for the Samurai Kendo Spiritual aspect…. VERY insightful.. Check out the ‘Miyamoto Musashi VS Sasaki Kojiro’.. From a couple of mins in..Thank you…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQGLvsVeXo
” How many people are aware that a world war has begun? At present, it is a war of propaganda, of lies and distraction, but this can change instantaneously with the first mistaken order, the first missile.
In 2009, President Obama stood before an adoring crowd in the centre of Prague, in the heart of Europe. He pledged himself to make “the world free from nuclear weapons”. People cheered and some cried. A torrent of platitudes flowed from the media. Obama was subsequently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
It was all fake. He was lying.
Where are those who will shatter the silence? Or do we wait until the first nuclear missile is fired?”
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/23/a-world-war-has-begun-break-the-silence/
Yes, Fuji-San, I’d go for the second option – let’s just wait (and have fun while we’re waiting).
Thanks, will check out later.
Brian, yup great duel. Thanks for the link. I could watch that several times.
Hab ..Fun Watching Death…
re “GLADIO”
There has been some mention – all negative, of course – on this thread of operation “Gladio”.
I wonder if one of the many experts on geo-politics and military matters in which this blog is so rich would care to answer a question I’ve been posing myself since the thread started?
It is the following: the structures of, and possibilities offered by, “Gladio” may have been used to perverted ends by rogue elements in the security services of one NATO member state (Italy) – does this fact invalidate the concept of “Gladio” itself and does it therefore mean that “Gladio” should never have been set up in the first place?
(It would be good to get the thoughts of self-described “big picture”” thinkers” such as Herbie but replies from anyone would also be welcome, as always).
Thanks.
One could argue that Gladio was originally set up with worthy intentions – a “stay-behind” force left to fight the Soviets if they happened to take over large parts of Europe. People who appeared to be ordinary citizens would be ready for action, fifth columnists if you like, and weakening the regime from the inside all the while. If an outside push-back against the occupiers did take place, the Gladio operatives would be there to provide intelligence and assistance.
I’m far from a “big picture” sort of person, as I’m sure my posts will attest, but I’ll chuck that one in for your consideration. You can chuck it right back out again if you like.
Thank you, Glenn – there is hope for you yet! 🙂 I doubt that many Eminences and their hangers-on will have the honesty to write in the same vein.
Seen from the vantage point of today, the idea of stay-behind networks seems a bit daft and possibly pointless. But at the time it probably seemed not just a good idea, but a necessary one. They may well have considered it their duty to do this. Presumably all that public information stuff about what to do in the event of a nuclear attack seemed a good idea at the time. Also, in the 50s the powers-that-be secretly mothballed 100 steam engines and hid them underground as part of the strategic reserve. They were to be recommissioned in the aftermath of a nuclear war when steam power would suddenly become the best means of transport available. A lot of people dismiss this story as a charming fable, but I have seen the engines and can testify to their magnificence. I am not at liberty however to disclose the whereabouts.
I do not believe that there was any evidence at all that the USSR planned to attack western Europe at any time after 1945.
The rationale behind Gladio had nothing to do with fears of a Soviet invasion-that was a smokescreen. The networks were intended to operate as underground terrorist groups in the case of left socialist election victories.
Victories of Communist and Socialist election coalitions were not simply possible after 1945, they were very likely. In France and Italy, particularly, but also in Spain where the Communists were the centre of opposition to Franco.
What worried the US and European conservatives was that left wing governments, unless they were constantly sabotaged and subverted, were likely to succeed and that when they did there would be an end to Imperialism.
That’s pretty much it.
More generally though, there’s little that’s bad, that can’t be sold as good.
” Seen from the vantage point of today, the idea of stay-behind networks seems a bit daft and possibly pointless. ”
Not really. Small groups of determined people disrupting supply lines, tying down enemy forces and gathering intelligence. Makes a lot of sense and you can be sure the Soviets would’ve done it had they been invaded as they did during WW2.
Thank you to you too, KOWN.
Your comment contrasts favorably with the beginning of the following one from “Bevin”, which goes off-point from the very first line. ( he obviously can’t bring himself to say that “Gladio” might have been seen to make sense at least at the time).
Jeez, now the sick bastard is trying to justify Gladio, are there no depths it won’t stoop to, to justify, Western atrocities against their own denizens.
I think I shall refrain from commenting to this odious creature in future.
And this from someone who believes that resistance to occupation is justifiable
The only sick bastard on here is you, you Holocaust- and terror-denying creep.
Very happy if you no longer comment on my posts since your “comments” dirty anything they touch. 🙂
You ask a good question. The answers lie in history. The Resistance was a good thing. If Gladio grew out if that then it had some sort if , but when people act in secret there is scope for abuse. The TV drama Salamander fictionalised this although in that story the rot had set in during the resistance. I have to apologise at this point for not yet taking up and reading your recommendations on French history books.
In more recent history I suspect that the reason the BBC documentary in Gladio was allowed to be made (quite apart from the fact of how much had come out of the shadows in Italy) was that (and I’m guessing) there was an understanding that either Gladio was no longer needed because of the demise of the U.S.S.R. or because it had become rotten and there was an opportunity to move on.
Frederick Forsyth plays with this theme in the Deceiver (1991) where the hero is a special ops master, who is to be pensioned off because the cold war comes to an end. The book is a great read. Essentially it makes the case for special ops.
The basic problem is how do you manage security and special ops without castrating it whilst enduring it doesn’t go awol. V difficult.. Does an independent small state like the UK or indeed Israel stand a better chance than a giantic Union if Europe? Israel is always going over the top but it does seem to call its security people to account. Its an interesting country.
Apologies for typos on a mobile can’t easily proof read or correct.
Good to read you, Fwl.
Terror in the UK:
2013
Spy chiefs public hearing: Security services have ‘foiled 34 terror plots’ in UK since 7/7
Since the July 7 attacks in London in 2005, there have been 34 plots disrupted in the UK, some of which were “aimed at mass casualties” and the majority of which were thwarted by the actions of the intelligence and security agencies, he said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10433482/Spy-chiefs-public-hearing-Security-services-have-foiled-34-terror-plots-in-UK-since-77.html
2016
Two convicted over moped drive-by London terror plot
Two university students have been convicted of wanting to kill on London’s streets in the name of Islamic State in what counter-terrorism officials believe was the most significant jihadi plot targeting Britain in a decade.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/23/two-convicted-over-moped-drive-by-london-terror-plot
Not wishing to tell granny albeit I have direct evidence of fictitious profiles on Facebook/Twitter and house is watched from a black Lexus 500 reg # B03 COD…
Thank you very much for a well-thought out post, Craig, much forwarding to people I care about.
Best regards…
‘The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz reported Wednesday that Zavantem Airport and the Maelbeek metro station were known to be targets for planned terror attacks. It wrote, “The Belgian security services, as well as other Western intelligence agencies, had advance and precise intelligence warnings regarding the terrorist attacks in Belgium on Tuesday, Ha’aretz has learned. The security services knew, with a high degree of certainty, that attacks were planned in the very near future for the airport and, apparently, for the subway as well.” ‘
This is from an excellent article from the WSWS also published at The Countercurrents website:
http://www.countercurrents.org/lantier240316.htm
It is quite clear that, in sharp contradistinction to the ‘official view’ promulgated by the unbearable Habbakkuk, these terrorists were known members of cells allied with Al Qaeda, reliable allies in the wars against secular nationalism (Assad and Ghadaffi) and therefore given a great deal of latitude by NATO governments which see the war against Syria (and shi’ites) as of the highest priority.
Whether the public outrage following highly publicised and bloody attacks on civilians can be described as colateral damage or an unexpected bonus is a question best left to NATO supporters to answer.
From a human point of view all these unnecessary deaths are tragedies and the spectacle of a bombing in Brussels reinforces our determination to oppose similar tragedies in Yemen or Syria.
Ha’aretz is indeed a very good newspaper
I note that the Countercurrents article does not provide a link to the alleged report in Ha’aretz and not for that matter does your post.
I’m sure you’re personally extremely honest (all your posts show us that…) but I’m less sure that your source (Countercurrents) is as honest as you are.
In fact, I’m rather suspicious that they didn’t link to the Ha’artez article.
To reassure me and other readers, do you think you could point us in the precise direction of the alleged Ha’arez article, Bevin?
Thanks in advance.
Habbs your post above included the following assumption:
“Gladio may have been used to perverted ends by rogue elements in the security services of one NATO member state (Italy)”
It would seem that this new blog set up with the ability to reply to posts and run mini posts within Craig’s post is leading to a break out of partial conciliation.
I assume you say one (italy) because it was only the Italians who sang. The BBC Gladio documentary gets a lot of punches in on Italy because the Italians had themselves investigated and confessed so much. They even went on after the early 90’s and of course we have the curious comments of President Cossiga about 9/11.
The programme also looked at Belgium and the supermarket bombings, but to me it seemed that there were no smoking guns, whilst there were many in Italy, just a lot of inferences. I thought at the time (rightly or wrongly) that maybe it was something to do with national characteristics (although that doesn’t make sense and in Italy a lot of secrets are generally said to be kept) or perhaps the leaks were a consequence of a more extreme right wing / left wing dynamic in Italy. I don’t know why but it came out in Italy – maybe it was the US going to too far with bombs and messing in internal politics especially with PM Aldo Moro and that was a step too far. That it didn’t come out in Belgium doesn’t mean it was only in Italy. I thought it was supposed to be in all of NATO countries (because otherwise the Russians could just have said to themselves “hhm there is Gladio in Italy but not elsewhere so let’s leave Italy to last” etc). Maybe it was more upright and true to its purpose elsewhere, or more secretive.
What does it teach us. At first we are shocked and might make us angry and rebellious, but perhaps what it really tells us is that left unchecked people have a tendency to go off the path. That is why we have to be exceptionally careful about giving the state further powers.
At best some might conclude that this terror situation is black and white and the state needs them and means well, but nonetheless you can bet they will misuse them.
At worst whatever the causes of terror there are people who want to misuse secret powers for improper ends.
Usually its grey and in the greyness some activities are for the national interest but some bad habits grow. They have to be cut out.
So, how does Israel maintain its checks. It seems to respect investigative journalism. There even seems to be a tradition of retired security people openly reflecting on the extent on which they have gone too far (and blaming it on the politicians for failing to take advantage when it was offered.)
I would be interested to read a good insider and critical study of Israel and its security.
Just amazing how posters have no sense of how time changes actions and attitudes.
Certainly think that Obama was honest about nuclear disarmament when he was elected, but soon learned that he was very much in danger if he did anything about it, as having nuclear weapons was the best ploy for keeping friend and foe in line while covert war was carried out by space and underwater weapons.
Gladio was a good defensive strategy at the end of WWII, as my father learned when he oversaw all the weapons depots in Northern France if the commies overran the regular troops in West Germany, only to become the best ‘false flag’ commies when it was time to make it look like they had killed Palme in anticipation of taking over Sweden.
I’m eager to hear a summary of what you believe happened on 9/11 Trowbridge, when you have time. You mentioned that you don’t believe it was an inside job and you can tell why you think that. I’d very much like to hear anything refuting the inside job evidence so that it can be properly analyzed
Will probably do so, provided especially if the mods, despite Craig’s opposition to discussing 9/11 terrorism anywhere else but on its thread, allow it, and resident trolls like Habby, Bluebird, and Pink don’t take it over.
Here is a link to subsequent article I wrote for Eye Spy magazine which sets the US institutional context for the 9/11 attacks:
https://flyingcuttlefish.wordptress.com/2011/11/07/oneill-a-voice/
That would be great. Could you maybe give a brief summary in case that doesn’t happen? What you think happened and who is responsible for this massive crime etc
Chris: I see you’re coming at it from the other angle, i.e. demanding to know why it wasn’t an inside job/ demolition, instead of trying to prove that it was. Good stuff, but this isn’t the place for such discussions – the above link (top right, in that nasty orange text) _is_ – here it is again:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2010/01/the_911_post/
Clark in particular enjoys nothing more than discussing this. I’m sure you’ll both relish the opportunity presented.
Link doesn’t work Trowbridge. Have you another that might work?
Just google: John O’Neill. FBI CIA 9/11 attacks Trowbridge Ford voice in wilderness
Thank you Trowbridge. It’s interesting but doesn’t refute the inside job evidence in any way – I would suggest it reinforces it. I’ve read about John O’Neill before. Seems that he was stopped by the CIA from looking further into who really was behind Al Qaeda, left his job with the FBI and was offered a job in the World trade center a few weeks before it was attacked, where he died. That in itself should probably ring some bells in itself
I said the article would help put the 9/11 article in context, but you don’t read very well.
And the CIA didn’t trust the FBI to do its job because it suspected the Bureau was riddled with spies like O’Neill and Robert Hanssen, so the Agency decided to play copper itself, putting 15 still undisclosed and unarmed agents on three of the planes under the direction of Barbara Olson, wife of the Solicitor General, to catch the alleged hijackers red-handed.
Don’t think it’s worthwhile to waste my time on you..
That’s great and all Trowbridge but is this your only evidence refuting the inside job evidence? “The CIA didn’t trust the FBI to do its job because it suspected the Bureau was riddled with spies” The CIA who created, trained and funded Al Qaeda you mean? Perhaps it’s your own time you’re wasting
Of course, it isn’t my only evidence as I have not even gotten round to writing a précis of what is in the double article in Issue Eight of Eye Spy magazine.
And as Glenn has pointed out, it’s muci more diifficult to disprove something than to prove something, especially when someone has a closed mind on what really happened..
So long.
Just checked the posts on Alex Jones Info Wars, and yours on this site about 9/11 being an inside job to conclude that your mind is completely made up on the subject.
Wonder if it’s all connected to Christopher Cornell’s claims that 9/11 was an inside job, and is now awaiting trial as a Muslim terrorist for threatening to attack The Capitol.
I’m afraid that you’re waffling in to your vest again Trowbridge. Being an evidence based kinda guy, the available evidence proves beyond all reasonable doubt that 911was an inside job but if there’s any credible evidence that 911 wasn’t an inside job then I’d like to see it. So far I haven’t seen any although your double article in Issue Eight of Eye Spy magazine sounds epic I must admit
“Coups and extreme violence were not bugs, they were features.”
Yup.
That’s the key.
Thanks again,
You seem to be all out now.
Rob G is right. They’ve started arresting people I saw this on the BBC News App and thought you should see it:
Man arrested over ‘mealy mouthed’ Brussels tweet
A man is arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after allegedly posting an offensive tweet in response to the Brussels attacks.
There is no alleged, the racist tosser was spewing hate, and he got lifted!
It is not only antisemi…… that is classed as incitement to hatred and hate crimes you know!
It is about time Muslims enjoyed the same parity as the Jews for protection from hatred.
It wasn’t just a “rogue” element in Italy that perverted Gladio. Turkish and Greek elements of Gladio were responsible for violent coups and military governments in those countries, to prevent center-left — not Communist — governments from taking power. Coups and extreme violence were not bugs, they were features.
“Coups and extreme violence were not bugs, they were features.”
Yup.
That’s the key.
Our resident snitch must not have bothered to follow my links.
My apologies, Walter.