My body and mind are still in Ankara, fully engaged with the Syrian peace talks. But my heart is in Catalonia.
A great day. The achievement is colossal – a pro-independence majority achieved despite the leadership being in jail or in exile, and on an 84% turnout. The lies being spewed out day by day by the neo-liberal media about a “silent majority” are well and truly exposed, as is the EU’s contempt for democracy.
I guess now they have to charge over million people with sedition.
“‘Minister for no deal’Theresa May to create new Brexit role as part of Cabinet reshuffle”
I’m not going to apply for the job, but The EU (what is left of it) are going to do Their Best To Screw us in The UK..
Don’t Agree to Anything…
Just Walk Away.
Let Them Pay Us in The UK to import their stuff
Or We will Deal Direct With The Rest of The World..
No failing catastrophic EU involved…
Come on Greece, and Italy and Spain and Portugal
Join us. Lets form an independent team of countries outside of the EU Dictatoship.
Use your own Sovereign currencies Drachmas, Liras, Pesos, Escudos and we will use our Pounds to trade with you.
Take back control of your Countries’ Destinies
Have some Independence from The US Dollar and The German Euro
You know it makes sense.
Do you Really want to be Dictated to by Fascists?
You were much better off before.
Tony
Tony
“Use your own Sovereign currencies Drachmas, Liras, Pesos, Escudos and we will use our Pounds to trade with you.”
_________________________
Actually, that was the purpose of the post-war European Payments Union (wound up in 1958) and very successful it was too in facilitating trade between European countries whose currencies were not, or only partly, convertible as far as residents were concerned.
@ Tony_0pmoc January 7, 2018 at 23:28
Good, but a serious amendment – ‘our’ ‘Pounds’ aren’t Sovereign – we need to go back to the blindingly obviously scam-less, interest-free BRADBURY POUND. When Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy see how we can thrive on it, they’l do the same.
The Banksters will fume, but unlike Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq or Yugoslavia, we’ve got nukes, so the silly born ba*tards can stew in their bile.
You can’t get us, we’re part of the Nunion!
And y’all can stick your sanctions where the sun don’t shine – Russia, Iran, Cuba and North Korea are markets just crying out for our expertise! And we need what they have to offer.
@ Paul Barbara
Good but a serious amendment 🙂 You say “we’ve got nukes” like that means the bankers can’t invade us and force us to use their fiat currency. They don’t need to invade us, they’ve controlled our government since at least Napoleonic times. If the time comes for ‘our nukes’ to be used, the Banksters will tell our government to ask the US government for permission, and they will tell the US government to say “yes.”
For the same reason, we won’t be changing our currency any time soon.
Glenn Greenwald: Is Facebook Operating as an Arm of the Israeli State by Removing Palestinian Posts?
Tel Aviv had submitted 158 requests to Facebook over the previous four months asking it to remove content it deemed “incitement.”
https://www.alternet.org/media/glenn-greenwald-facebook-operating-arm-israeli-state-removing-palestinian-posts
Boycott Facebook. Personally, I contribute nothing to Zuckerberg’s 24% share in Facebook or to any of those listed here including Goldman Sachs.
http://whoownsfacebook.com/
I believe it has been agreed between quite a few govts on the one hand and quite a few internet actors on the other that various posts which seek to promote hate or seek to incite hate should be removed. It ios good to learn that Facebook for one appears to be taking seriously the undertakings it has given.
In the Orwellian newspeak of Israel, inconvenient facts about the occupation are ‘incitement’, can’t have the general public finding out about the appalling discrimination, harassment and violence toward the indigenous people. Nice to know you have no problem with censorships, as routinely practised in Israel.
Most fair-minded people with a modicum of common sense, Ian, have no problem distinguishing between posts that incite hatred and those that don’t and between free speech and hate speech. That also applies to the courts.
Well by your own description, that rules out Israel, as any fair-minded person would recognise.
I for one agree with Habbabkuk on this. It is beyond time that ”various posts which seek to promote hate or seek to incite hate should be removed”. Well put. The world needs leadership on this.
Habbabkuk, as a keen follower of Israeli news, would you know who was responsible for the removal of antisemitic memes posts by Netanyahu’s son? Social media company, the Israeli goverment or both? Either way, you’d agree (?), they did a stellar job.
–
Last year, Yair Netanyahu drew unexpected praise from US neo-Nazis – including the far-right website Daily Stormer – after posting an antisemitic meme on social media. The image showed the billionaire philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of antisemitic attacks, with a reptilian creature and a hooded, hook-nosed Elder of Zion–type dangling inducements before three of the family’s enemies.
–
From this guardian article – Netanyahu son bragged about gas deal outside strip club, tape reveals
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/08/netanyahu-son-bragged-about-gas-deal-outside-strip-club-tape-reveals
Sturgeon promises to do more towards independence.
Independence ‘can still be Scottish answer to Brexit’
January 8 2018
The first minister said that Britain’s departure from the EU was “an ongoing horror show”
Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to be more assertive in Brexit discussions in the year ahead and confirmed that the option of Scottish independence remains on the table.
The first minister said that Scotland would emerge this year as “an emboldened, more confident and more assertive nation”. The “ongoing horror show” of Brexit demanded “a new spirit of Scottish assertiveness”, she added.
The Scottish government will publish an updated paper on Scotland’s place in Europe later this month, which will include its assessment of the likely economic impact of Brexit on Scotland.
/..
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/independence-can-still-be-scottish-answer-to-brexit-6vs5rjfgf
Sharp Ears,
It seems to me that a combination of “English” colonialism and global financial structuring placed Her Majesty’s Government ( Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland) in a privileged global position with the pound sterling as the world’s reserve currency up to the imposed World War 11 global changes. This meant that for a long time a pecking order within the British Isles existed where theoretically England was Primus inter pares.
I said “theoretically”, because Westminster was/is always at the centre of the British universe. That English attitude extended into and had been imposed onto the rest of the world. Even the “Yanks” with their financial superiority were always deemed to be lesser beings in social and other ways. The attitude has been there for a very long time and has remained deeply engrained.
What does all that have to do with Scotland?
Evidently the English attitude really does not necessarily nor immediately think first in terms of mutual respect and requisite equality. Place the missiles in Scotland or redraw the maritime territorial lines between England and Scotland to ensure that in the event of a yes referendum vote the “Primus inter pares”/England relationship maintains superiority and advantage – indeed with regard to the existence of oil in Scottish marine territory. That, it seems to me is what many a thoughtful and reflective Scottish nationalist feels and realises. England, as do all powers, when that power is perceived to be challenged and/or dwindling, minimises loss and tactically restructures to avoid the occurrence of Scottish independence.
Sturgeon is playing within the parametres of that broader games as historically defined.
Now, we get to Brexit.
The vote to leave the EU, to my mind, was not a sensible British decision, viewed in the long term. But, how do we explain it? In part, attitudinally, by reference to the English collective consciousness as suggested above. The Scots, being the lesser, within the British arrangement, therefore have not only a historical appreciation of how they have been positioned, but they now also have an immediate contemporary economic/financial challenge to address post Brexit. Thus, in Scotland’s best interest there would have to be, from a Scottish perspective, a pivotal shift from Westminster to Brussels for that is the reality inviting what best serves Scottish interests post-Brexit.
So, both the historical disadvantage and the contemporary post Brexit challenges, I believe, might best be answered with – INDEPENDENCE.
” that broader games” ?
No – that broader game – surely.
Translation: Some (not all) Scots think they’d be better off by being – not *INDEPENDENT* at all, but – subject to Brussels rather than London. Looks like self-interest to me, however you shade it, and badly-informed self-interest at that. Self interest without the shadow of a hint of a soupcon of a scoobie about this alleged advantage will in practice be attained.
As to pecking – orders, and the perpetual sense of grievance that Scotland isn’t receiving special treatment because it is Scotland, perhaps it is as well to remind ourselves that England has deprived, marginalised and depressed areas to match anything in Scotland (Methil perhaps excepted). And that these do not benefit from the Barnett formula. Even parts of London itself are in deep shit. The underlying problem is endemic, and doesn’t stop at Hadrian’s Wall. *INDEPENDENCE* (fanfare, off) won’t cure it.
Of course, we’re all snobbish, elitist, Westminster-worshipping colonialist plunderers down here. Only natural that we despise you redhaired, razor-wielding, tight-fisted, kilt-wearing Buckieholics…you like the stereotype?…and Americans.
The Treat of Union of 1707 was not a fair agreement drafted by lawyers. It was a takeover of Scotland to enable England to concentrate on overseas empire building without the distractions and problems of having to have dealings with another sovereign state on the island of Great Britain.
It has continued for a number of reasons. England needs the UK clothes in order to retain the prestigious UN Security Council permanent seat. England has needed Scottish oil revenues to make her balance of payments problem manageable. Needed Scotland to keep Trident as far from London as possible.
England oppressed Scotland in the 18th century. Gradually eased that off to mere exploitation in the 19th. Changed it to a chummier manipulation and exploitation in the 20th. Now nastily dictating Scotland’s loss of EU membership we are back to the iron heel of the 18th century dressed up with 21st century PR.
Scotland is a progressive, commercial minded nation that wants to keep and improve ties with others countries and preserve and improve democratic freedoms. The 1707 Treaty Of Union is in the way and will now waste anything good about Scotland. It has to be consigned to Scotland’s past.
Indeed reel guid, the 1707 Treaty a complete misnomer, was a very undemocractic process. The vote was restricted to the wealthy, the land owners and the aristocracy, most of whom were bribed with English gold.
http://www.unknownscottishhistory.com/articlefive.php
Above is a list of those bribed to vote yes to the union. The union wasn’t valid back then and certainly isn’t valid now.
Yes Ros. Thanks for the link. Bribery of politicians and intimidation of the public have always been what has sustained the union. It certainly has never been fairness.
Does it make you feel good that the Scot attempt to exploit colonial underlings to subsidise independence went phut! at Darien?
Agree with Ba’al’s first sentence. I have never quite understood the logic of a SNP which seeks independence from Westminster while at the same time wanting to remain in, or rejoin, the EU. This, by the way, is an EU which seeks to continue to expand its competences and remit (cf in this connection recent Franco-German thoughts on “relaunching Europe”.
Perhaps the underlying thought is that a Scottish PM, Scottish ministers and Scottish MEPs would be better able to defend Scottish interests in the EU’s institutions than the current set up. If that is the thought then it is probably a mistaken one because Scotland would merely be a small EU member with the weight of, say, Finland or Austria in a union of 28 in an arena dominated by the big beasts as now.
Perhaps the thinking is that, economically speaking, an independent Scotland would find its current subsidies from Westminster replaced – or exceeded – by subsidies from Brussels (through, for example, the regional and social funds). I somehow doubt that such a development is likely to come about.
Your last paragraph first. Scotland isn’t subsidised in the UK.
In the UK Scotland has no power of veto. Out the single market. And now the First Minister can’t even get a meeting with the PM.
In the EU independent Scotland has a veto. Stays in the single market. And Scotland takes a turn at the EU Presidency.
Total contrast.
“Agree with Ba’al’s first sentence. I have never quite understood the logic of a SNP which seeks independence from Westminster while at the same time wanting to remain in, or rejoin, the EU. ”
Habbabkuk.
The other 27 EU nations are independent nations, in every aspect except where EU laws apply.
They have their own governments, laws, flags armed forces ambassadors EU reps (something a Scotland tied to Westminster doesn’t have). Some even use their own currencies.
The surrendering of autonomy to the EU, is of course a complete unionist/Westminster myth.
Finally, ignorance is bliss, is a unionists permanent state of mind, when they decide that they’re going to join a trade group of nations, they too will need to adhere in some form or another.
@ reel guid and RoS
Fact check time :
1/. In the EU, the power of veto for a single Member State has been whittled away steadily from Treaty to Treaty and now applies in relatively few areas. Qualified majority voting is now the norm. Those trends are set to continue.
2/. In an EU of 28 members, Scotland would have the rotating Presidency (of the Council of Ministers, not the European Council of course) every 14 years.
3/. As from the election of the next Commission, not every Member State will have a Commissioner (the number will be reduced from the current 28). This arised put of the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty
4/. The EU Member States are certainly independent nations n every aspect except where EU laws apply. The point is that EU laws apply in a surprisingly large number of areas. That is a trend which is set to continue.
5/. The ambitions of the EU are perhaps reflected by the fact that the EU – just as its member states – already has its own anthem, flag, currency, armed forces and currency. None of that was foreseen by the Treaty of Rome.
Dear Ba’al and Habbabkuk ( with afterthought to ROS),
I shall try to respond to the main points you make in this my single riposte.
Ba’al
I admire your style and delivery Ba’al.
Habbabkuk
“Perhaps the thinking is that, economically speaking, an independent Scotland would find its current subsidies from Westminster replaced – or exceeded – by subsidies from Brussels (through, for example, the regional and social funds). I somehow doubt that such a development is likely to come about.”
Reel Guide made this contrasting answer:-
“In the UK Scotland has no power of veto. Out the single market. And now the First Minister can’t even get a meeting with the PM.
In the EU independent Scotland has a veto. Stays in the single market. And Scotland takes a turn at the EU Presidency.”
Now if he is accurate – I stand by the points I had made.
If he is incorrect – I would actually defer to Ba’al and Hab – at least – to the extent that Guide’s post pertains to. But – that point pertains to a hell of a lot as regards Scottish power and equality vis-à-vis inside the EU versus outside it.
Conclusion
Since you say Ba’al:-
“And that these do not benefit from the Barnett formula.”
You and I differ as I have indicated ( with a little help from my friends above).
Further, it is not a good argument to posit:-
“Of course, we’re all snobbish, elitist, Westminster-worshipping colonialist plunderers down here”
No – you all are not. There are many decent, non-colonialist minded English people who have a healthy and good attitude to their fellow human beings and are not the “snobbish, elitist, Westminster-worshipping colonialist plunderers” who fit the mold for my argument ( so some – not all – as a nuanced and necessary qualifier).
And I did say:-
“That English attitude extended into and had been imposed onto the rest of the world.” And albeit redundant since already implied – shall I say – “Inclusive of Scotland”.
Sorry if I have not fully addressed seriatim – but I have made the main points in reply I thought necessary for covering all points made in opposition.
I thus hold my ground.
P.S. And, Republic of Scotland:-
““Agree with Ba’al’s first sentence. I have never quite understood the logic of a SNP which seeks independence from Westminster while at the same time wanting to remain in, or rejoin, the EU. ”
My personal instincts are:-
1. UK better off inside the EU than outside ( even if only for primarily the advantages of trade in a larger market).
2. Scotland can have its say outside the Union and become an independent EU member and gain the advantages within the EU trade bloc as an Independent Scotland.
PPS. Stand to be corrected of course.
Habbabkuk
Whatever influence independent Scotland would have in the European Union would be a vast improvement on the zero influence Scotland has in the UK. Full membership of the single market is vital for Scotland and is not dispensible.
The Brexit imposition on Scotland has taken away most of what little ammo the unionists had left for indyref2.
reel guid (14h12)
It is completely incorrect to say that Scotland “has zero influence on the UK”.
Salient examples of great Scottish influence in the UK (or more accurately, in Westminster) include :
= the calling of the devolution referendum in the 1970s
= the calling of the recent referendum on independence
= the Barnett formula (which, by the way, Joel Barnett once said to me in a conversation i had with him was politically necessary but one of the biggest pieces of economic nonsense he had ever participated in)
To be noted, finally, that the question of Scotland’s influence in the UK is a somewhat different one from that of the influence of a future independent Scotland in the EU.
= various attempts to maintain certain dying industries in Scotland (as it turned out, at great cost and little effect).
Thank you Habbabkuk, for that fact check, though I haven’t looked into the veracity of each point.
However, I will try and address them.
A counter point, to your first observation, is that the SNP government, even at their height of 56 of the 59 MP’s that Scotland sends to Westminster, were, and still are repeatedly outvoted on just about all matters, making Westminster, effectively a dead space for the SNP, and the Scottish government.
Point two is easly countered as Scotland virtually has no voice at present, so 14 years if correct is a marked improvement.
Point three is supposition for now.
Point four, yes EU laws do permeate all, layers of government, however many protect citizens rights.
Point five, is neither here nor there, with regards to the flag and anthem, Ode to Joy I think, a marvellous piece of composition, it could’ve been worse.
As for a EU army, we’ll have to wait and see its roll, then we can decide whether it’s justified or not.
Yet there are 10 MPs in Northern Ireland have a great deal of influence.
Go figure.
RoS
“As for a EU army, we’ll have to wait and see its roll, then we can decide whether it’s justified or not.”
________________
As – for instance – Mrs Thatcher found out to her cost with the poll tax affair, it is usually wiser to examine whether something is justified or not before doing it rather than doing it first and only wondering about whether or not it should have been done afterwards.
Habbabkuk.
Yes hindsight is a wonderous thing.
“Yes hindsight is a wonderous thing.” ( RoS @ 16h08 )
Yes indeed, RoS :
“As for a EU army, we’ll have to wait and see its roll, then we can decide whether it’s justified or not.” ( RoS @ 17h48 yesterday )
Wondrous….but perhaps too late 🙂
The Uk is part and parcel of the EU’s new military strata, the modicum of command centre planned, they said so last February.
No need to talk trash whilst you spend most of your time defending it.
I wish some here would at least recognise their Governments position they so adamantly defend at all times,
Not to do so would be a serious mistake. NATO will try and focus its effort at expansion within the eastern European Baltic states, their aims and objectives have been high jacked by some seriously deranged right wing forces who have nothing in their minds then to make money from arms, stoke wars with money for more money, s..t raker’s who sell to both sides and throw in a fake news led false flag action in for good measure.
Impunity reigns and its ok to be a Victorian tyrant again, human rights are like OfO bikes, you hire them by the time and you can do what you like to them, just front a little charity and you get loads of publicity…..
back to work tomorrow, no time to flap here
Not sure what to make of this yet. Not everything seems to add up. Iranian oil-tanker allegedly in collision with a grain ship. All the Iranian cew missing apart from one dead. Everyone on the other ship saved. Keeping an open mind but remembering the US Liberty false-flag. Let us hope there is a survivor from this too to get another point of view from MSM which we know is manipulated news.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/world/asia/ship-collision-oil-tanker-china.html
Whatever the cause it is going to be an ecological disaster even though the oil is light.
The BBC is describing the cargo as ‘condensate’ and more explosive than crude.
Habbabkuk,
You sound in reply to Sharp Ears – like a lawyer – catching the witness out on a good cross-examination.
( Chuckle)
Thank you for those kind words, Mr Barnett, all the more appreciated coming from a commenter with whose opinions I often disagree but whom I recognise to be a decent person.
Yeah John, the Liberty and Maddox incidents spring to mind.
Meanwhile two ships carrying red, yellow and blue paints collided, the survivors were all marooned. ?
Stricken Iranian oil tanker continues to explode
Ten foot waves, strong winds and toxic fumes from the burning oil have been hindering efforts to extinguish the fire.
https://news.sky.com/story/stricken-iranian-oil-tanker-continues-to-explode-11204461
” We Bible readers recall how David slew Goliath ”.[ Habbabkuk.Jan 7th 18.27.]
Latest piece by Johnathan Cook sheds a disturbing light on how children are targeted in Israel;
“The video of Ahed, screened repeatedly on Israeli TV, has threatened to upturn Israel’s self-image as David fighting an Arab Goliath.”
https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/ahed-al-tamimi-s-incarceration-sheds-a-disturbing-light-on-how-children-are-targeted-in-israel-1.693716
I doubt that the State of Israel’s “self-image” will be upturned by this video as long as there continue to be violent stone and petrol bombing demonstrations involving mainly young people and teenagers.
It is legal to resist an Occupation by whatever means available.
Stones against.Merkava tanks and IWI Tavor assault rifles.
Well we know now, why no real progress or meaningful work has been carried out at Westminster. Since the last GE, attempts to access internet porn at Westminster on the 8,500 parliamentary devices reached almost 25,000.
On average some MPs, Lords,civil servants clerks etc, tried to access porn 160 times a day.
The figures are believe it or not down on 2016’s figures, which totalled 113,208. The previous year attempts to gain access to online porn at Westminster, reached a staggering 231,020 times.
Now we know why Britain’s is going to the dogs,they’re all watching porn at Westminster.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15812822.Staggering_number_of_daily_attempts_to_visit_porn_sites_from_parliament_revealed/?ref=mr&lp=3
Is it any wonder then that Westminster has been rocked, by a string of sexual harassment scandals.
RoS
The last time I worked for a corporation I experienced massive frustration at the mismanagement of time and resources. The sheer purposefulness of management stupidity. These clever men and women in parliament are harnessed up like show-horses in tight reins and drop Martingales. The political process, which involves repressing truth and imposing lies at all times, is bound to generate sexual frustration.
It’s not as though they are employed in pointless and repetitive tasks. They are employed to think and are then forbidden from using their brains. The fact that they have not worked out that HoC computers are monitored is worrying, because it suggests to me that they are all under extreme pressure to conform to stupid party lines.
“The fact that they have not worked out that HoC computers are monitored is worrying, because it suggests to me that they are all under extreme pressure to conform to stupid party lines.”
Yes amazing isn’t it, the MP tries to access a porn site, his computer tells him the site is blocked so he sits there and tries to access it another ten thousand times.
These records do not distinguish between requests instigated purposefully by an individual user and those that are the result of automation, e.g. the operation of unauthorised third party software, temporarily sitting on users devices (malware) and website design. PDS has advised that the profile of requests to view websites in general, whether blocked or not, indicates beyond reasonable doubt that automation and the variety of website design has a significant impact on these numbers.
https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/foi-and-eir/commons-foi-disclosures/information-technology/blocked-websites-2016/
Fred
You mean the web inviting them to watch stuff was counted as them searching for it. If that were the case I must be an addicted gambler, pimp and conspiracy nutter just from my normal browsing.
When you leave a google screen open in the background is it clocking up bad karma on your police record all the time?
There was not necessarily any watching at all, the figures are for attempts to access not attempts to visit. Just visiting this page on Craig Murray blog you are probably accessing about a dozen sites but only visiting one.
I once had a cheapo Chinese Iphone clone that could have beaten the HoC figures all on it’s own.
Anne Milton tipped to become next Health Secretary, her husand is said to be a director of Virgin Healthcare.
No conflict of interests there then.
Her husband (Dr Graham Henderson) was the medical director of Virgincare’s NHS community health services in Surrey. Branson was given the £multi million contract for 5 years. (Quoted amounts vary between £80m-£500m).It expired and was not renewed. So the revolting bearded one with the white tombstone teeth sued the CCGs for compensation and won £328k.
http://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/2017/11/29/surrey-mep-outraged-as-virgin-care-walk-away-with-328000-settlement-after-losing-nhs-bid-to-nhs-providers/
PS Milton uses her first husband’s surname.
Makes you wonder how much he’s claiming for losing the East Coast Rail contract. Has he claimed compensation for the British Virgin Islands storm?
Is Craig O.K.?
I do remember this German Guy from when he did his live broadcast, but I didn’t know he died a year ago.
The journalists at Off-Guardian in fine form recently.
https://off-guardian.org/2018/01/08/english-translation-of-udo-ulfkottes-bought-journalists-suppressed/
Extract
“Udo Ulfkotte was a prominent European journalist, social scientist, and immigration reform activist. Upon writing Gekaufte Journalisten and becoming one of the most significant media industry and deep state whistleblowers in recent history, Ulfkotte complained of repeated home searches by German state police and expressed fear for his own life. He also admitted previous health complications stemming from witnessing a 1988 poisoned gas attack in Iraqi Kurdistan.”
Tony
“…a 1988 poisoned gas attack in Iraqi Kurdistan.””
to which I would merely add “which formed part of the late unlamented Saddam Hussein’s decades-long attempts to commit genocide against the Iraki Kurds”.
Note the correct use of the word “genocide”.
Habbabkuk
Those gas attacks were reprisals against CIA/MI6 sponsored attacks against Saddam in Kurdistan. Maybe he thought his reprisals wouild shame the actors in Kissinger’s ‘covert operations’. Assad has done the same in Syria hoping that the population will turn against CIA/MI6 provocateurs against him.
Neither Saddam nor Assad compulsively wanted to attack their own citizens. They both objected to the CIA / MI6 attempts to subvert and overthrow the national sovereignty entrusted to them intended to and successful in delivering a colonial conquest of a sovereign nation. They did it in Iraq and Libya and then Russia realised that if they allowed the same to happen in Syria the CIA/MI6 provocations would be next directed at them, Russia and China.
I have no idea whether Craig approves or disapproves of USUKIS hegemony extending, with its greed and violent proxy partners further East or South into Africa. But I do get the feeling that he will put up with a lot for the sake of dictator regime change. The Syrians still think USUKIS will deliver regime change. They are more likely to deliver a Greater Israel in a trashed country, with a Muslim Brotherhood dictator in Damascus to keep the bloodshed going.
Libya was sacrificed to the wolves and USUKIS expects to be vampire-sucking oil via its Islamist proxies very soon. USUKIS are mad enough to think they can sponsor brutal terror without it affecting them. Israel of course has such a thick skin that it does not even see their brutal oppression of the Palestinians as genocide. If they want to learn the hard way, that’s up to them.
giyane
Your take on events in the Arab world, shall I say, without breaking the community rules, somewhat different from the realities of my perceptions. In fact I really don’t quite know whose side you are on?
SA
Islam is the true religion of the worship of God handed down through a line of prophets but like other religions before it, shed loads of baggage accompany in its wake. The science of psychological manipulation, false rhetoric, false flag fear, false logic, false alliances, false friends.
I was brought up in the all-male, intensely chauvinistic, political hotspot of Westminster School and when I left I was absolutely determined to work as a creative craftsman far away from politics in the West country. It turned out that I was married to one of the Bullingdon Club hand-me-downs so I never managed to escape my upbringing until I had broken free.
When I came to Birmingham I found Islam… and its historical baggage. The first thing I found was that marriage to a ‘gora’ /white man was unthinkable in the Asian community. In the first 10 years of practising Islam, the closest I got to a Muslim lady was a young hijab-wearing Croatian woman who was actually Christian but married I found out to a Muslim who left her to beg in all weathers in the UK. The racism against the English was all-pervasive and extreme. Understandable after 250 years of colonial rule.
Then I met a Kurdish man who knew a lot about politics and turned out to be a political agent of the CIA. He thought I was nice and green and could be easily turned into a tasty patsy, a nice little earner for his old age. Unfortunately for him Westminster School familiarises you with politics so he didn’t get his pension out of me. That’s when he started to bully me, spy on me, go behind my back to backbite against me to my friends and family. If you bully people it does rather incline you to do the opposite.
This is how I come to spend so much energy publicising the extreme uncivility I have received as a new Muslim, and the very real dangers of being sold as a patsy for a lazy bastard looking for a cheap reward from MI5. It’s not a very pretty story, but spot-on accurate. As in all walks of life there are good people and bad people and if you focus on the bastards you do tend to miss out on the good.
Abetted by the US and GB; will that be censored from bookface?
Let us remember that the U.S. and its allies were supporting Iraq in its war against Iran at the time, and so made no objection to the poison gas attack. In fact, I believe I remember reading that the Pentagon claimed that it was Iran that was responsible for the poison gas attack.
Lysias
I am quite sure Kissinger, duplicitous zioinist snake that he is, is capable of backing more than two sides in any conflict at any one time. Most supporters of the war against Syria seem to ignore the fact that Assad was doing USUKIS extraordinary rendition for Maggie, Blair, Brown, and Cameron not to mention Clinton, Bush and Obama. I have no proof but I understand that May and Trump have not abandoned this program.
USUKIS politicians must be laughing their socks off that whatever crimes they do in their God-forsaken covert operations , using their local agents to sell their countries, their people and their religion into famine for a miserable worldly reward, only the MSM slandered tyrants get the blame. Fortunately for the rest of the world, the protagonists of war and their agents are seen by the Lord of the Worlds and an appropriate punishment prepared for them.
Assad’s appeasement of the Great Satan is no secret; neither are the rewards that American Caesar has been raining on Syria since 2011.
Nigel Farage blows his cover. As long suspected, despite being highly entertaining with his speeches from The EU Trough Fest, he has always been working for The British Establishment. He’s a City boy. I’m amazed he hasn’t got a knighhood. Incidentally, they are advertising them now. “Buy a Gong”. The company claim’s a 60% success rate. Haven’t you been targetted yet?
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nigel-farage/nigel-farage-jeremy-corbyns-silence-iran-protests/
What a Tw@t – Nigel on the same team as Blair and Cameron
“Giving his view on LBC, Nigel said he felt regime change was “absolutely the right thing” – yet he was baffled why the Labour leader was yet to comment.”
Tony
“I’m amazed he hasn’t got a knighhood.”
He ought to be given a dukedom.
Ref BP, SirJohn Sawers and Iraqi oil. The name, Bell Pottinger, about whom Craig wrote recently, crops up in one of the responses.
Mark Curtis
@markcurtis30
Look. BP is now doing fine from #Iraq oil. And one of BP’s Board members is ‘Sir’ John Sawers, former head of MI6, who in 2003 Iraq invasion/occupation was the UK’s special rep in Iraq. It’s just amazing what is allowed to happen. pic.twitter.com/eQQcc13Kgg
https://mobile.twitter.com/markcurtis30/status/950416307215912961
That is disgusting but I am not surprised by anything this monstrous country gets up to any more I am afraid.
Quite a lot of money has to pass into the hands of Blair and Cameron in order to allow it to happen.
they invaded because of concern for ‘the iraqi people”, just as the next big one will be because of their concern for “the iranian people”.
Habbabkuk
January 8, 2018 at 16:40
Just to correct one of your points, the UK was bitterly opposed to devolution. They were forced to allow it by the Council of Europe under the threat of sanctions if they did not, thanks to the invigilence of a group of Scottish nationalists. As soon as brexit happens, devolution will be under attack.
You’re right Kathy. Brexit isn’t only about Scotland being taken out the EU against our electoral wish. It’s about the start of a programme of disempowering the devolved governments.
The Power of the 19 EU countries who comprise the EuroGroup has been emasculated.They in effect use a foreign currency, the Euro. They have little control over the stimulation of their Economies by fiscal intervention.
The Euro currency issuance and interest control is in the hands of the unelected ECB’s Mario Draghi.
A country that does not issue and control the interest rate of its Sovereign currency and control its borders is not Sovereign or an independent country.
For examples see the PIIGS, Portugal ,Ireland, Italy,Greece .Spain. All with stagnating economies and in the Mediterranean areas over 40% youth unemployment.
Fact check :
Mario Draghi is unelected because he is an official and not a politician.
The only country I can think of where officials are elected to pub;ic office is the USA.
In all other countries (including, by the way, in the former “democracies” of the Soviet Empire), officials are appointed.
In the case of Mario Draghi, by the govts of the members of the Eurozone.
Talking of electoral will. I see in a recent survey conducted by a disreputable nationalist blog that 58% of the electorate would vote No in another referendum.
https://drgpanelbasestore.blob.core.windows.net/public/PB/Panelbase_Com_Polls/F11548TablesForPublication201217.pdf
(Far right hand side at the top of page 3)
My point was, Kathy, that the Scots had enough influence in Westminster to get the British govt to holds a referendum on devolution.
Thereby I was answering reel guid’s assertion that the Scots had/have “zero influence” in the UK.
As for what you say about the role of the Council of Europe, that is of course the sort of thing the Scots Nats would say (intransigent England forced into action by the Council). Unfortunately, what you say is factually and historically inaccurate. The referendum was granted by the Westminster govt for political reasons and the Council of Europe played no part in that (apart from anything else, calling on a member state to introduce devolution would fall entirely outside the Council’s remit and competency)
It’s really about rights. Influence is the wrong word to use. If the Treaty of Union was a fair set up Scotland would have rights from it. Scotland being told it will lose EU membership despite wishing to retain it is proof Scotland as a country has negligible rights in the UK state.
Most people would consider that maintaining your own judicial and education systems in a Union are rather considerable rights.
Just as England maintained her own judicial and education systems in that same union.
But England’s majority for Leave decides that Scotland’s majority for Remain is ignored. That’s not a democratic union. Come up with as many rationalisations and excuses as you like. It’s not a democratic union.
When I said Scottish nationalists, I was not referring to the SNP, who in fact opposed devolution at the time as they wanted nothing less than independence. I meant a number of patriotic Scots (you can be a Scottish nationalist without being in the SNP) who wanted what they thought was in the best interests of Scotland. The Council of Europe was shocked to discover that the UK had a serious democratic deficit. There are several accounts of what happened if you google it. If I were you, I would take anything the UK Government claims with a large pinch of salt. For example, both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown snubbed the opening of the first devolved Scottish Parliament – hardly a sign of whole-hearted approval.
There may be no connection between the loss of the entire crew on a blazing Iranian oil tanker, and this ….
At a 2012 policy forum luncheon on “How to Build US-Israeli Coordination on Preventing an Iranian Nuclear Breakout, Patrick Clawson listed all the conflicts in which the U.S. didn’t become involved until they were attacked, emphasizing that a false flag was needed each time for conflict to be initiated. Then he continued
“One can combine other means of pressure with sanctions. I mentioned that explosion on August 17th. We could step up the pressure. I mean look people, Iranian submarines periodically go down, some day one of them might not come up, who would know why? We can do a variety of things if we wish to increase the pressure… We are in the game of using covert means against the Iranians. We could get nastier.”
…. but if powerful pro-Israel lobbyists say such things, they can’t blame people for wondering.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/07/collision-leaves-32-missing-and-oil-tanker-on-fire-off-chinas-coast
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4f7_1515334402
A powerful piece about the complicity & hypocrisy of UK & US governments in the war crimes being committed in Yeman;
“All of the politicians who support the Saudi-led bombing, who refused to back the Yemen motion, along with the commentators and news outlets that continue to hide our complicity in this crisis, should have zero credibility when they next stand up to display grave concern about human rights or democracy somewhere (as they are now doing in Iran). The policy hawks and mainstream journalists have demonstrated that they really don’t care about any of these things, and the public can see these performances for the cynical theatre it is, often with much uglier agendas behind it”.
https://medium.com/@matthewcorr/yemen-and-the-media-bullshit-machine-e1b45986b215
Macky
One could understand how ordinary Brits could be unaware of what our politicians’ hypocrisy, but talking with a hospital doctor yesterday it’s amazing that how ignorant of USUKIS hypocrisy the ordinary active supporters of Saudi jihad are. The only thing that matters to them is their salary and being seen in the right mosque crowd. Heal by day and terrorize by night. Hypocrisy/nifaq is held as worse than kufr/ disbelief in Islam.
Right on, Dude.
Blackford, Cable, Saville-Roberts and Lucas have had their first anti-Brexit meeting at Westminster. There’s a picture of an empty chair between the four of them to represent Corbyn’s imperious no show. He could at least have turned up to talk to them without making commitments of any kind.
There’s no doubt now that, whatever his precise combination of reasons, Corbyn wants a hard brexit as much as any Tory right-winger or Ukipper.
Once again Corbyn gives himself away by showing his total disregard for Scotland.
Independence Referendum 2 has effectively now been called.
Strategic delay, EU regs on nationalisation.
Of course Corbyn wants to leave the EU, was there ever any doubt? Key parts of the Labour manifesto would be illegal under EU law.
He campaigned to remain. So you cannot say there was never any doubt.
This is all to do with Corbyn reckoning that Labour couldn’t win enough seats in the North of England if they haven’t been shown to be pro-brexit. Corbyn sees Scotland as an expendable pawn in his game.
reel guid.
Of course Scotland is expendable, it’s where London keeps its nukes and subs, as far away as possible. It’s also the place where the chinless wonders come to fish and shoot, Scotland the game reserve.
In years gone by it was also the chosen ground to recruit cannon fodder for British armed forces.
Westminster in reality cares first and foremostly about London, then England, the devolved nations are last on the list.
The dissolving of this bought and paid for union is a must.
Ros
Talking of chinless wonders is there any more news about Scotland in Union? Do we know who their foreign billionaire donor is?
reel guid.
As far as I know, a barrage of lawyers has descended on the Rev, so for now he can’t reveal anything significant.
Penny
Thank you for your post.
Before answering your question, let me clear up a misapprehension. I am actually not an “avid follower” of Israeli news, at least not proprio motu; but I do follow up, on occasion, events which are written about on this blog whether directly or via links supplied by posters.
And now to your question.
I’m afraid I’m not aware who removed the alleged anti-semitic post(s) by PL Netanyahu’s son. That’s probably because I was unaware of the existence of those posts. But I agree that their removal was a good thing. Their apparent subject – Mr George Soros – certainly makes his money in ways many people find objectionable but that of course should not excuse anti-semitic attacks on him.
You’ll have noticed I used the word “alleged” in the previous para. That’s because – unlike with your further comment about a gas deal – you have not provided a link for what you report. On the assumption that you are neither an intimate of Mr Soros not of PM Netanyahu and his family, you must have picked the story up from somewhere. Could you therefore indicate where I and perhaps others might follow this up further?
Finally, on the gas deal. You yourself, unlike me, may be an “avid follower” of Israeli news and if so you will certainly be aware that various Israeli politicians and members of their families have been hauled up before the Israeli courts and tries for illegal activities of the sort you allude to. Some have been found guilty and sanctioned, others not. Given that in the State of Israel everyone – no matter how high – is subject to the rule of law, I’m sure that Nr Netanyahu’s son will face justice if he has actually broke the law.
So Farage, the xenophobe, laid it out bare to Barnier yesterday. Barnier thought that Britain was leaving the EU due to NHS pledges, such as the (fake) £350 million quid on the side of leave bus.
However Farage claiming to speak for the 17.4 million leave voters, said the real reason for leaving was immigration. The little Englander isolationist bring back the empire attitude of Farage, and the Tories, will severely damage economically, these isles.
Surely Sturgeon will call a second vote to dissolve this union in 2018.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15814985.Farage__Barnier_doesn___t_understand_why_the_UK_voted_Leave/
Republicofscotland
“Barnier thought that Britain was leaving the EU due to NHS pledges, such as the (fake) £350 million quid on the side of leave bus.”
He cannot read like you.Were did it say £350 million was going to the NHS.
In the interest of transparency, I propose that we file FOI request, from Craig, on the following:
1- What are the list of trigger words for this site, before the comments are queued for moderation?
2- Who/which identities are on disallowed search on robots.txt?
Toby Young quits post, after petition to have him removed gathers over 200,000 signatures.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15815672.Toby_Young_quits_from_board_of_Office_for_Students_after_backlash_over_his_behaviour/
More proof that Labour are joining the Tories in showing disdain for the Celtic nations in the UK.
Labour’s Stephen Kinnock has relinquished his membership of the Welsh Affairs Committee. Citing the fact that he also serves on two other parliamentary committees. Well he is a Kinnock, so he’s not going to ever give Wales any priority. But that’s not the real disgrace.
Labour has 28 MPs in Wales. Subtract Kinnock, the four other Welsh Labour MPs on the committee and the Shadow Welsh Secretary and that leaves 22 Welsh Labour MPs from whose ranks a replacement could have been chosen.
What does Corbyn’s Labour do? They appoint a rookie MP Thelma Walker from Colne Valley in Yorkshire.
Walker doesn’t appear to have any connection to Wales.
Corbyn on Brexit.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Sheilam19534814/status/950657062643609600/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwingsoverscotland.com%2Ftheir-mouths-and-your-money%2Fcomment-page-1%2F%23comments
Hopefully this shit rag, suffers serious sales losses north of the border.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/virgin-trains-stop-selling-on-board-copies-of-daily-mail-after-staff-complaints-on-papers-immigration-stance/
The Daily Mail’s totally loco already, so it doesn’t need to sell on trains.
That’s just a PR move by Virgin to deflect from their bail out.
Daily Mail reading Scottish pensioners will not give a toss.
After his superb exposure of the fraud Luke Harding, Aaron Mates interviews a person of real integrity, Norman Finkelstein:
“The consequences of Operation Protective Edge, even though they’re largely forgotten now, Operation Cast Lead stands out much more. If you make the simple comparisons, in Operation Cast Lead 350 children were killed, Operation Protective Edge about 550 children were killed. Operation Cast Lead, 6300 homes were flat and pulverized, Operation Protective Edge it was 18,000. So, everything that we remember from Operation Cast Lead in 2008 and 9, it was sometimes in the order of 100, 200% worse during Protective Edge. Protective Edge was a genuine nightmare, what happened. ”
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=20855#.WlN90pPxIF8.twitter
Habbabkuk replying to a comment above stated – ‘Note the correct use of the word “genocide”’ – which leads me to believe there may possibly be some qualified minds here who could answer a simple question.
Is Saudi Arabia currently committing genocide in Yemen against one specific tribe?
And if not yet at what point would it cross the threshold to be labelled as such?
Also, could aiding or facilitating the spread of cholera across Houthi controlled areas of Yemen (by blockades etc) be considered a form of biological warfare by Saudi Arabia under international law?
Penny
My reply to you is on Squonk.
Turkey allying themselves with the Germans who lost in 1918.
“Richard Branson’s Virgin Care Services has failed to pay any corporation tax in the UK, despite the private health service racking up over £15 million in profit from NHS contracts over the past two years.”
Overall, private firms scooped 267 -almost 70 percent- of the 368 clinical contracts up for grabs between 2016-17, according to a report by the NHS.
https://www.rt.com/uk/415364-branson-virgin-nhs-tax/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome
Good Morning Star piece on the threat that Emily Thornberry poses;
https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/behind-scenes-battle-over-labours-foreign-policy
Thanks. I have always known that she is a supporter of Zionist Israel. Wealthy too. aka Lady Nugee, married to a judge and property in Surrey. Lives in Islington where houses in the road in which she lives are currently selling for £3m plus so plenty of funding for campaigning.
I had not appreciated though that she has lined herself up in this way to succeed Jeremy. Do you think that there would be support for her within the party as it currently exists? I don’t think so.
The Heil don’t like her. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2844806/Champagne-socialist-s-property-empire-Emily-Thornberry-lives-lives-wildest-dreams-working-class-voters-purports-represent.html
She has as much chance of being Leader of the Labour Party as has Oprah Winfrey becoming the next US president !
Corbyn is probably only keeping her so close in order to keep an eye on her, until he’s strong enough to purge all the Blairites.
Lol, the Morning Star don’t have their own agenda in this crude put-up job.
Ecuador, says Assange’s holdup in embassy untenable. Britain could be mediator in Assange’s case, as of 2015, its cost the British taxpayer £11.1 million quid to keep an eye on Mr Assange, it can’t continue.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/09/julian-assange-stay-in-london-embassy-untenable-says-ecuador
UN added that Assange is under arbitrary detention.
I think you’ll find it’s the UK that is under arbitrary detention and Mr Assange is in one tiny diplomatic postage stamp of liberty.
“The entire imbroglio exists because the Yanqui is now a junta outside any law. The question is: what law is served by keeping Julian imprisoned despite a UN determination his detention is illegal?”
https://medium.com/@RonChandler6/one-thing-that-will-not-happen-is-australias-craven-prostitute-government-lifts-a-finger-for-4e771b1788f4
Correct link:
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/australia-must-rescue-assange-from-the-establishment-which-tortured-manning-22a88c5e50f6
Mr Assange is not “imprisoned”. He can walk out of the Embassy where he is presently holed up whenever he chooses. That is an option not usually available to prisoners.
To all intent and purpose, Assange is a prisoner. He is unable to move wherever and whenever he wants to because of the perceived threat of politically driven charges against him. He’s a smug bastard so far as i’m concerned and his selective exposure of individuals and governments tends to steer clear of the criminal squatters in the Middle East. None of this changes the simple fact that he cannot escape his four walls.
Today is blue kite flying and false impressions day as the Conservatives are spamming the colluding BBC ( no scrutinising questions anywhere) with Gove’s motor mouth, presenting their pseudo green waffle and spamming the airwaves with hollow promises. Meanwhile offshore taxed operators of Third energy and Ineos are fracking the hell out of North Yorkshire, the Bowland basin, with Lancashire and other areas also being affected by these fly by night operators.
I expect the policing precepts in those County councils to go up for the massive operations to protect these non taxpaying environmental polluters from the mainly local protesters that are putting their bodies in the way of trucks and ‘surf’ on top of the HGV’s, risking their life’s to stop fracking. This wretched Government is prepared to take all the fracking activities away from the scope of local planning and environmental restrictions, whilst they are talking tosh on radio trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes.
If political education would be on the curriculum and children would learn how their Government works, makes laws, or cheats in elections, they could not get away with this king of indoctrination. keep voters dumb and carry on as usual seems to be their only policy.
Their drive to attract young voters with a 25 year plastic eradication plan is drivel as they have no intention to put pressure on manufacturing, packing and or supermarkets to ban plastics and the use of gases to keep food from rotting.
The Tory’s should be judged by two simple principles, that of the ‘polluter pays’ and the overarching ‘precautionary principle’, unless they accept these p-rinciples and act accordingly, all their talk is just that, empty waffle.
R4 today is now a fully primed Government propaganda trumpet for the Government hanging on to power for the establishment and the rich.
No wonder that they want to clamp down on women’s equal pay in the BBC, the whole thing is a racket to keep the Government of the day happy and able to sign their franchise, a mutually supportive symbiotic relationship. It explains their support for Laura kuensbergs rampant kind of journalism, the best public broadcasting spokesperson the Tory’s could ever have wished for.