I am feeling particularly hostile to Donald Trump after his incendiary move on Jerusalem. But it remains the case that I have enough direct knowledge of events to be aware that the entire premise of the Russophobic “election-hacking” conspiracy theory is simple nonsense. I am therefore most amused that my friend Randy Credico, who stayed with Nadira and I in Edinburgh a few months ago, has now been subpoenaed by the Senate Inquiry on Russian meddling as the alleged go-between for Roger Stone and Julian Assange, on the brilliant grounds that he knows both of them.
I can tell you from certain knowledge this is absolute nonsense. While Randy is a delightful person who hides a shrewd political mind behind a deliberate crackpot façade, he is the most indiscreet person in the world. He is not anybody’s conveyor of secrets, he would tell it all impulsively on his next radio show! Where Russia fits into this mad conspiracy theory I have no idea. If I had any belief that it was the genuine intention of Senate or Special Counsel inquiries to discover the actual truth, I would be surprised they have never made any contact with me, as opposed to my fleeting houseguests. But as I am well aware the last thing they want to know is the truth, I am not surprised in the least.
On a personal note I have just emerged from a really harrowing period. I had to leave the High Court a month ago straight to Heathrow and fly out to Ghana. Here I have been battling for the last year to save Atholl Energy, a company I chair which had some US $50 million worth of debts. The reason for this was that it had built an extension to the power station it originally constructed for the Ghanaian government, and the Ghanaian government had failed to pay for the extension after Atholl pre-financed it. In line with company philosophy, Atholl had both completed and handed over the extension, despite the non-payment, as the aim is to supply power to the people of Ghana.
The massive debt of course threatened Atholl with going bust. That would mean redundancy for our staff, and potentially many scores of redundancies at local sub-contractors we had been unable to pay in full. The thought of inflicting that mass misery on families, many of whom I know, has stopped me sleeping for months.
The current government of Ghana took over in January and inherited a huge fiscal deficit due to – and there is no other way of saying it – wholesale looting by the last government on a scale which Ghana had never witnessed before. To give an example from our own sector, we install power plant using Siemens equipment at about 1.2 million dollars per MW for a turnkey plant including fuel supply and power evacuation infrastructure. The last government of Ghana were contracting large projects at three times the unit cost or more, using inferior equipment. For $150 million per project to be added corruptly was not unusual.
On top of this, despite having imposed some of the world’s highest electricity tariffs – higher than British tariffs, for example – the revenue collected was mysteriously vanishing. As a result, our $52 million owed was part of a US$2.5 billion energy sector debt the current government inherited.
In effect this has been rescheduled, by the launch of bonds to raise the money to pay off the debts. The bonds are serviced by a levy on petrol and diesel. As usual in Africa, the IMF and World Bank were extremely unhelpful, refusing to sanction a government guarantee on the bonds, which means the energy levy is now to be collected by a new corporate structure and the bond is a corporate one. This structure necessitated an increase in the bond interest rate to 19.5%, which will benefit the financial institutions who have bought them, to the detriment of the Ghanaian public. In my experience every IMF and World Bank policy intervention in Africa always, on analysis, benefits corporations to the disbenefit of the African public.
It is also a gross double standard – if the energy debt had been treated as government debt, Ghana’s “unacceptable” debt to GDP ratio would still have been substantially less that that of many developed countries, including the UK.
The government of Ghana is to be congratulated on its persistence and the brilliance of its financial engineering that enabled it to tackle a huge problem despite obstruction rather than help from the international agencies – the energy sector debt had been threatening to crash the Ghanaian Banking sector, to the benefit of the large international banks.
For our company, we had to take a haircut because the payment was made not in the cash dollars which were owed, but in a mixture of bonds and local currency. We owed banks and suppliers in dollars, so we have been structuring sales and taken the odd hit on discounting. But we have got through it, and as of yesterday have paid off all our creditors in full. There is not a single job loss caused by us, either in our company or at our suppliers and sub-contractors, and that has removed a fear which has been haunting me. I cannot express how tough this period has been – I did not receive a single penny from my major source of income for nearly four years, and as of this morning still haven’t. I am not going to be a millionaire, but I am now going to be OK.
2017 has personally been really difficult. But I can now look forward to the New Year with lightened shoulders, and pick up the rest of my life again.
I am truly sorry that for the last few months speaking invitations and book orders have gone by the wall. I have 21,253 unopened emails!! Not to mention over 5,000 donors to my legal defence fund I have not thanked yet. I promise I shall be less elusive in future.
As Trump, switches from getting North Korea round a table, to then saying NK needed to earn its place, we now have the Great Satan’s second favourite minion (Israel is numero uno) upping its propaganda.
“North Korea is on its way to developing missiles capable of striking London, the Defence Secretary has warned.”
“Urging Britain to “step up” in dealing with dictator Kim Jong Un, Gavin Williamson has delivered a chilling alert over the “massive threat” from Pyongyang.
It is in reality, far more likely that the west, and its allies (Israel, Saudi Arabia Japan etc,) are a greater threat to NK, and world peace in general.
https://news.sky.com/story/defence-secretary-warns-of-north-koreas-massive-threat-to-britain-11177454
Is that in 45 minutes? LOL.
He will do it in person, Sharp ears, he’s going to direct UK responses to this ‘threat’ from Soeul, like he wants to ‘take out’ the returning our western waged IS fighters.
The man is a joke, he has about as much knowledge of military matters as the ‘fearless vampire killers’.
Bow ties on dead Guys
https://www.thisismyjam.com/song/fearless-vampire-killers/bow-ties-on-dead-guys
We should be glad that their weaponry has regressed since Dodgy Dave Cameron said they could strike us back in 2013.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-north-korea-nuclear-strike-could-hit-uk-8560759.html
He said: “North Korea does now have missile technology that is able to reach, as they put it, the whole of the United States and if they are able to reach the whole of the United States they can reach Europe too. They can reach us too, so that is a real concern.”
Holyrood’s Culture Committee has highlighted the ongoing BBC scam of putting the BBC Scotland label on shows that were not made or had anything to do with Scotland. The most ridiculous being an England men’s football international against Serbia and the women’s FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea.
All done to allow them to make as few shows for Scotland as possible in order to knock confidence and to afford unionist politicos and broadcasters the pleasure of rubbing noses in the dirt.
Yes reel guid I commented on that farcical position a few days ago.
Meanwhile a percentage of students will back Corbyn at the polls believing that his position is to keep Britain in the EU.
Labour’s message sent out by Corbyn over Brexit, is unclear, and in my opinion that’s the way Corbyn wants it.
“However, that support appears to be based in part on the mistaken belief that the party and its leader are opposed to Brexit.”
“Among the respondents, 55 per cent thought that Labour wanted the UK to remain in the European Union, and 58 per cent thought that this was Mr Corbyn’s position.
In fact, the party’s position is to accept the EU referendum result.”
“A further 32 per cent thought that Labour wanted to leave the EU but to remain in the single market and customs union (24 per cent thought the same of Mr Corbyn), when the party has made no such pledges.”
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/labours-student-vote-could-melt-away-over-brexit-backing#survey-answer
“Meanwhile a percentage of students will back Corbyn at the polls believing that his position is to keep Britain in the EU.”
Is there to be a general election before we leave the EU?
Labour are doing the only sensible thing. To set out a position when you are not in the negotiation room is pointless. The only way Labour will get in the room is if Tory backbenchers decide to bring down the government within the next 16 months. Turkeys do not vote for Christmas.
The government is untouchable for as long as the negotiations continue. They will drag it out until March 2019. After that I think May will step down and new Tory leader will step forward with a claim to end austerity and start throwing out bribes ahead of 2022.
Stu.
I agree that if theres another GE before the tenure ends, that Labour might win it.
However as the poll suggests Corbyn’s stance on Brexit, and the EU is somewhat unclear. Sitting on the fence to attract votes from either side, and flipping at will, is a luxury a shadow government can afford, however it can backfire in my opinion at the polls.
What does deliver Brexit mean?
It’s not a baby or a new idea, it’s a cancellation of an old idea, a space, a vacuum, and as such both political parties are choosing to decide on what fills that space much later on.Even if the revolting Tories have a majority it does not mean they have told us what they are planning to replace our membership of the EU. The principled position in in the absence of a plan is to prevent them from withdrawing from the EU until they have made one. This is why May called an early election, so that she could avoid telling us the people her intentions for as long as possible.
Clearly not an acceptable way to govern.
https://twitter.com/nikkihaley/status/943241599953309696
Nickki Haley threatens the rest of the world. Isn’t that the same threat used by bullies or the mafia?
The Great Satan, almost always vetoes any resolution to do with Israel. I think it’s getting to the point that the other UN members are fed up with it.
Ideally the UN’s HQ, should be moved out of New York and into Europe. The US is effectively a belligerent bullying empire, and like all empires it has a expiry date as Britain’s did.
Such a move might well suggest that the UN’s European members (and indeed others further afield) should pay more for the UN. Same as with defence when you think about it.
Now Trump is threatening to stop aid to any UN members who vote against the US. A thug.
‘We’ll save a lot‘: Trump threatens to stop aid to UN member states over Jerusalem vote
https://www.rt.com/usa/413783-trump-threatens-un-members/
A petulant child in charge of the biggest war machine in the world.
Another manifestation of the fascistic Might is Right mindset; it really doesn’t take lot.to dispense with all pretense, and for the mask to officially come-off.
On a point of information: the English spelling is “pretence” with a “c”
He wasn’t using the English spelling. Trump is an American. pedant.
Speaking of Nikki Haley (she is n excellent Ambassador), here is an extract from the politico.eu website, reproducing part of a letter she has just sent to UB member states :
“The U.S. announcement is an acknowledgement that peace is best advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other about the basic facts,” she wrote. “Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since the country’s founding nearly seventy years ago. The President’s honest assessment of this reality does not foreclose any of the options considered by Israelis and Palestinians for decades. I know that many in the General Assembly are also committed to the cause of peace, and I ask that you consider whether a GA resolution contributes to that cause or fuels the heated rhetoric and violence.”
Wise words of which over-excited people of ill-would do well to take note.
UN member states
“The U.S. announcement is an acknowledgement that peace is best advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other about the basic facts,” she wrote. “
What can I say and where do we start with this honesty? Ethnic cleansing? Apartheid? Discriminatory laws? Land grab? Illegal settlements ?
The problem is you can’t be selectively honest, you have to be honest all the way.
Habbabkuk
December 20, 2017 at 19:13
Speaking of Nikki Haley (she isn’t an excellent Ambassador), here is an extract from the politico.eu website, reproducing part of a letter she has just sent to UB member states :
“The U.S. announcement is an acknowledgement that peace is not best advanced, but in fact set back, when all parties are honest with each other about the basic facts,” she wrote. “Jerusalem has never been the capital of Israel since the country’s founding nearly seventy years ago. The President’s dishonest assessment of this reality does not foreclose any of the options considered by Israelis and Palestinians for decades. I know that many in the General Assembly are also not committed to the cause of peace, and I ask that you consider whether a GA resolution contributes to that cause or fuels the heated rhetoric and violence.”
Unwise words of which under-excited people of ill-would do well to ignore
I’m sure you’ll agree that your words and the Ambassador’s are greatly improved by judicial editing.
In the contrary, it seems like a very fair comment to me. Why should the US pay out good money (in the form of foreign aid, for example) to countries who continually oppose the US and whose democratic credentials and standards of good governance moreover leave so much to be desired? If you tweak the lion’s tail too often yo must take the risk that the lion will eventually bite you. In a financial sense in the case to hand, of course.
Yes indeed. And why should the EU continue to pay money to carry out the agenda of the US? I would say a good place to start is to disband the costly aggressive NATO and form an independent European Army which is purely defensive.
That’s an interesting point but one should bear in mind two things when examining its merits.
1/. One could debate your implication that NATO was forrned – and continues to exist – only to further the interests of the US and not those of the European partners;
2/. History shows that purely defensive military capacity (or no military capacity at all for that matter) is not always a good idea. For example, an “aggressive” reaction to Hitler’s re-mlilitarization of the Rhineland might have saved Europe a lot of trouble a few years down the line. Ditto the Korean war, where a purely defensive stance would have led to the entire Korean peninsula suffering the sad fate of its northern half (the DRNK).
There is no question that NATO since its recent expansion has become an instrument of extending US foreign policy. The expansion of NATO into countries of the former Warsaw pact members went against an assurance given by the US administration at the time to Mr Gorbachev, following the agreement to reunification of Germany. There are a lot of actions that have resulted from this and the war in Yugoslavia was the first one. Following from this NATO became an aggressive rather than a defensive organisation as seen in Libya and Afghanistan. Many actions that flow from NATO are no longer defensive but aim to encircle Russia and many of these actions have been detrimental to countries in Europe which should benefit from cooperation with Russia. The recent scrambling to get Russian LPG to UK despite the sanctions was a tacit agreement that the sanctions imposed by US and followed by NATO members was detrimental to Europe
SA.
The EU are already in the process of developing an army. Indeed the idea has been around for a good few years. I suppose, with the US demanding more money to be spent on Nato spending, by each nation, that an alternative was always going to be on the cards.
A bonus would be not having to bend to the will of the US most of the time.
http://uk.businessinsider.com/eu-countries-agree-mega-army-2017-11
The idea of a European army (coyly referred to at the time as a “European defence”) has been around since the Maastricht Treaty.
Actually, one could say it’s been around since the never-ratified European Defence Community Treaty of the early(ish) 1950s.
I would advise you not to hold your breath.
Pure bully.
The so called ‘founding’ was a bloody and illegal Occupation. By name al Nakba.
Israel is not a state. It has no borders and knows no law.
The bit of her tweet about taking the names of those UN members that vote against the US suggests she’s seeing herself as some kind of school prefect, standing by the school’s gates, notebook in hand. What a nasty piece of work !
Her other name is Kim Yong Haley, her and Cllr Williamson who plays defence secretary at the moment will do it for us…..:(
Hundreds of world figures, including Nobel prize winners, religious leaders and senior statespersons, have signed a document urging Britain, France and the US to stop pushing the war in Yemen, which has passed the 1000 day mark.
They describe Yemen as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Rupert Colville, of the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said “They were deeply concerned about a surge in civilian casualties.
http://www.thenational.scot/world/15782609.Call_for_UK__France_and_US_to_stop____stoking_war____in_Yemen/
The Saudi fighters and Iranian fighters, proxy or other, should also be made to sign a ceasefire, in order to deal with the famine and disease in Yemen.
I should be more impressed if the “National Scot” had bothered to give its readers the names of the hundreds of “world figures” involved. Or if space considerations ruled this out, the perhaps the names of (let’s say) 20 of these “world figures”.
Or perhaps I – and possibly other fair-minded readers – would be less rather than lore impressed.
To be noted that the “National Scot” – increasingly referred to by some on here – declares itself (on its masthead) to be for Scottish independence. I wonder if it would be fanciful to speculate that this might explain its frequent criticism of “Britain” including on matters rather far removed from the preoccupations of the average Scot in the Street.
Good for the Scottish Parliament.
Wild animals in travelling circuses banned in Scotland – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-42429122
I entirely agree. Such circuses should be banned in England and Wales as well.
More responses on that Guardian “White Helmets” white-wash;
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/12/20/white-helmets-guardian-protects-uk-fco-destablisation-project-syria/
https://off-guardian.org/2017/12/19/guardian-trashes-white-helmet-sceptics/
Yes it certainly touched a nerve.
It was absolute and verifiable lies, aimed at defending a morally bankrupt phoney civil defence outfit, created by a mercenary, funded by western governments and engaged in producing fake ‘rescue’ videos and support for terrorists. If that fails to ‘touch a nerve’ there’s something seriously wrong.
Another one hits the dust.
http://news.sky.com/story/damian-green-resigns-as-deputy-prime-minister-following-computer-porn-claims-11179042
Apologies Sharp Ears, I see you put Green’s resignation up..well done. ?
“Damian Green, one of Theresa May’s closest allies, has resigned from the cabinet after an investigation found he breached the ministerial code.”
https://archive.is/1Gk8x
Lets see if David Davis carries out his threat, of resigning if Green went.
A liar and a weak individual.
A trougher too.
‘Expenses claims
During the UK parliamentary expenses scandal The Daily Telegraph newspaper revealed that although Green’s constituency is a 45-minute commute from Westminster, he charged the taxpayer for his expenses for a designated second home in Acton, west London. Green has regularly claimed expenses up to the maximum of £400 for food. He has also charged taxpayers for the interest on his mortgage, for his council tax, and for his phone bills.’. Wikipedia.
His voting record displays an innate cruelty towards those less fortunate than himself. He was a Tory DWP minister after all.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10241/damian_green/ashford/votes
Damian Green: Kate Maltby’s parents praise her courage for speaking out
December 21 2017
The parents of the Tory activist Kate Maltby praised their daughter for her courage in speaking up about Damian Green’s behaviour after the first secretary of state’s resignation last night.
Ms Maltby, 31, told The Times last month how she was left “angry” following an encounter with Mr Green in 2015 during which she alleged he made inappropriate advances towards her.
Colin and Victoria Maltby said in a statement: “We are not surprised to find that the inquiry found Mr Green to have been untruthful as a minister, nor that they found our daughter to be a plausible witness.”
They said that they had received many supportive messages from people who appreciated “the importance of speaking out about the abuse of authority” in spite of… paywall
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/damian-green-kate-maltbys-parents-praise-her-courage-for-speaking-out-6nmrz0flr
This article is astonishing in its detail, and readability. It quotes, highlights, summarises, impeccable real journalist sources with irrefutable evidence.
If you actually buy or read the once wonderful Manchester Guardian, or even The Daily Mail or Sun, read this first before you ever spend a penny on what is now total trash written by evil brainwashed war supporting morons. These people are at least complicit, if not directly responsible for the complete horror of millions of innocent people’s deaths and mutilation over the last 20 years.
“WHITE HELMETS: The Guardian Protects UK FCO Destabilisation Project in Syria”
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/12/20/white-helmets-guardian-protects-uk-fco-destablisation-project-syria/
Intro
“Today in Too Long Don’t Read: It’s hard to tell what’s going on in the world, isn’t it? Whom do you believe when there are competing, totally irreconcilable narratives out there? Are the White Helmets heroes or villains? The mainstream narrative has them as a neutral, unarmed, grassroots (and Oscar-winning) humanitarian group with no political affiliations, nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Independent journalists, notably Vanessa Beeley, Eva Karene Bartlett, Patrick Henningsen, and Khaled Iskef, among a few others, suggest a radically different picture, in which the White Helmets are nothing more than a propaganda front for terrorist groups like the Al Nusra Front.”
Tony
This other response to the Guardian points out two awkward facts;
“First of all, the Guardian’s premise is rather absurd to begin with, as according to international law, Russia’s presence in Syria is fully legal while that of the countries that back the White Helmets (the US, UK and France, among others) is illegal. Consequently, the presence of a so-called NGO like White Helmets (in reality they are handsomely funded by western governments) is also illegal as they are operating in Syria without the consent of the Syrian government and without any mandate from the United Nations.”
“On the 2nd of November, an exhaustive report on the alleged chemical attack in Syria’s Khan Sheikhoun was released by the combined Foreign, Defence and Industry and Trade Ministries of the Russian Federation.The findings of this forensic study affirm that the journalistic findings of Anderson, Bartlett and Beeley regarding both the White Helmets organisation as well as the bogus US narrative on the so-called chemical attack at Khan Sheikhoun.”
https://orientalreview.org/2017/12/20/guardian-afraid-attacking-honest-syria-reporters/
Only if they specifically require permission from the Syrian government for their activities otherwise the suggestion is absurd. Any way the White Helmets operate in areas not currently under government control.
The Russian position on the Khan Sheikhoun attack has been confused to say the least. It’s variously been described as a “false flag” by rebels to discredit Assad, a lucky strike on a rebel held stock of chemical weapons and a complete hoax! Russian delegates to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) also agreed with the OPCW’s conclusions that it was Sarin dropped from a Syrian Air Force jet.
Kempe
“Only if they specifically require permission from the Syrian government for their activities otherwise the suggestion is absurd.”
Is this a new concept of how international law should be applied?
I think it’s purely an internal matter.
The intervention by the US and its minions, is under internstionsl law illegal, however the UN probably turned a blind eye, due the “claim” that Assad was killing his own people, and “chemical attacks.”
France and Germany both backed Trump’s missile strikes in Syria. Other nations, including countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, have also supported them.
The UN Charter on the Use of Force, was not given to the US, to fire 59 Tomahawk missiles into Syria, like it did in the Persian Gulf war.
Nor could the US claim under Article 51 that its missile strike was an act of self-defence, since the chemical weapons attack that sparked the US strike was not aimed at the US or any of its allies.
No, he’s trying to exculpate these terrorist scum.
“Any way the White Helmets operate in areas not currently under government control.”
I agree with SA. Is this a new concept of how international law should be applied?
MSF operate in rebel held areas of Syria and have been constantly denied access to government held areas (one is tempted to ask why) are they breaking “international law” too?
Kempe
As far as I am aware, MSF do not carry guns and the distinctive black flags, nor do they assist with the humane burial of executions. MSF would also be welcome in Syria proper if they were needed but as it is the Syrian government have thier own hospitals and doctors. It is also known that the Syrian government has continued to pay the salaries of doctors and nurses in rebel occupied areas.
MSF. Are Dr Nott and Dr Rola Hallam members? 🙂
Sharp Ears
Dr Rola works or worked for Hand in Hand for Syria and David Nott works for Syria relief. MSF also works in Syria in rebel held areas but is I think a reputable international (originally French) organisation, once bombed deliberately by the USAF in Kunduz, Afghanistan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunduz_hospital_airstrike
” As far as I am aware, MSF do not carry guns and the distinctive black flags, nor do they assist with the humane burial of executions. ”
Neither do the White Helmets except in the distorted imaginations of Assad apologists like Beeley and Bartlet. The MSF would treat any wounded, even terrorists. Surely that makes them worse sympathisers than anyone who gives a decent burial to a murder victim. what else are they supposed to do? Leave the body to rot and possibly spread disease?
” once bombed deliberately by the USAF ”
Yes well of COURSE it was deliberate but no doubt you’ll try and convince me that these attacks were either mistakes or false flags or hoaxes.
On 28 November 2015, an MSF-supported hospital was barrel-bombed by a Syrian Air Force helicopter, killing seven and wounding forty-seven people near Homs, Syria.
On 15 February 2016, two MSF-supported hospitals in Idlib District and Aleppo, Syria were bombed, killing at least 20 and injuring dozens of patients and medical personnel.
On 28 April 2016, an MSF hospital in Aleppo was bombed, killing 50, including six staff and patients.
Kempe
“Yes well of COURSE it was deliberate but no doubt you’ll try and convince me that these attacks were either mistakes or false flags or hoaxes.”
I will do no such thing. In war lots of errors happen and they are regrettable. But the episode in Kunduz was very well documented and actually finally acknowledged by the Pentagon. I have seen your list but will post two links. The first shows that the last of your hospital bombed in April 2016 is the Al Quds hospital which appears to have been reportedly bombed several times and razed to the ground finally. After the SAA liberated East Aleppo, the found the hospital standing with some damage. This link also discusses some of the inconsistencies in the story:
http://acloserlookonsyria.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Al-Quds_Hospital,_Aleppo
The next link also discusses other episodes, it may be that in some cases the Syrian Air force did bomb these facilities but none of the stories are as straightforward as is made to be the MSM:
http://acloserlookonsyria.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Rebel_Clinics_and_Hospitals
Hoping to hear good news from Catalonia later on and that the vote is in favour of secession from Spain.
BBC
‘Who is predicted to win?
An aggregate of polls published earlier this week by El Pais suggests the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) will come top, slightly ahead of Ciudadanos (Cs), which wants unity with Spain.
The pro-independence JxCat party of ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was predicted to come third. That would mean no parliamentary majority in favour of independence and possibly lengthy negotiations to form a government.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42435684
“Hoping to hear good news from Catalonia later on and that the vote is in favour of secession from Spain.”
_____________________
Fact check : even if that vote were won by the seccessionist parties, a unilateral declaration of independence would still be unconstitutional and illegal. That is because neither the Spanish Constitution nor the stature of the Catalan autonomous region provides for such a possibility.
By the way, the same – mutatis mutandis – applies to Scotland.
the statute of the Catalan autonomous region
Habbabkuk.
mutatis mutandis.
I take your point on Spain’s constitutional law, however, it does not supercede the rights to self-determination under the UN Charter.
I would however be grateful for more clarity from you on your claim surrounding this.
“nor the stature of the Catalan autonomous region provides for such a possibility.”
I recall Puigdemont discussing that his government could declate UDI, prior to todays vote.
I’m under the impression, that to have done so would’ve been illegal under the Spanish constitution, but so what, the real hub of the matter surrounds international recognition, not the Spanish constitution.
If you’d re-read my post you’d see it’s not a history lesson, Sharp Ears. It’s the here and now.
” Israel is not a state. It has no borders and knows no law.”
Over the Last few Days, I have seen Shocking video footage..of the IOF ..Kids being Ruthlessly Beaten.. Prolonged, Vicious… At one point the evil Coward is launched in the air..Thrust kicking the child..we are watching Bones being Broken here..a few yards away..Same thing..to another Child….THEY DO NOT know they are Being Filmed…..
in another of this week’s Videos.. Monitors run to a Palestinian’s house..After IOF Raid it..the first footage Shows An IOF Coward with Machine gun Inches from the Mothers Head.. Two 7/ 8 year old Girls watching this..Of course as soon as the Cowards Seen that they were being Filmed.
I had seen The Abby Martin – Joe Rogan Video’s before Ba’ll Posted it here..Abby is Correct. –
” Beacause they fucking hate Palestinians and Palestinians are Animals to these people. It’s Sick Man. It’s Sick “
Here Brian. Strong nerve needed even to watch this.
https://youtu.be/FPAc2DC9L-M
I seen The first few seconds of that before sharp ears…
I got into Friction with the Brittish army – ( their mentality ) But still Hurtful…As my Boy said ( RE Such another case ) “she Probbly Deserved it.”.. I feel That If i Showed my boy the afore said beatings..He would Change his tune
Deleted ‘ END AIPAC ‘ From facebook… ” Maybe Hitler was Right “..Sleeper Site Methinks. Cnts.
Here’s the brave and spirited girl. Ahed Tamimi. Note the earlier harassment of the family and the tear gas canister being fired into the compound. Provocation of course. Although it’s shown on the video. it is not referred to in the BBC blurb.
Palestinian girl arrested after ‘slap’ video
A Palestinian girl has been arrested after video of her apparently hitting an Israeli soldier went viral.
The girl – identified by her family as activist Ahed Tamimi, 17 – is accused of assault and taking part in a violent riot.
A video taken on Friday shows a group of females shouting at and hitting two soldiers, who do not respond.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-middle-east-42417938/palestinian-girl-arrested-after-slap-video
Yes I seen That on Monday..sharp ears
My Honest Impression was was That she went too far….Kicking Slaping ..Punching… KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE LIKE.
.Her Actions Did Not, In it’self, do the Damage .they were there to get her…A Well MARKED Young Lady..
If She is Not released in a few days..???..
Two articles here about Ahed Tamimi;
https://www.rt.com/usa/413798-tamimi-bana-media-bias/
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israelis-shoot-boy-head-take-revenge-against-his-family
What do you do when a democratically elected government starts dismantling democracy?
The Polish conundrum.
SA……
GEEZ a Break
” What do you do when a democratically elected government starts dismantling democracy?
NON Question NEXT
The Fucks That ?
Brian
This is a serious question please answer with consideration. The Polish government is dismantling the rule of law and in the process of limiting democracy and yet they ride high in the opinion polls and would probably get elected. The EU is not pleased but someone in the British establishment this morning (sorry didn’t catch his name) was saying that we should respect the democratic rights of the Polish people in electing a near-fascist government, hence the conundrum. After all Hitler was elected in 30s Germany.
Sorry Sa
I’m Not Informemed on that..You Do seem to be..The Beauty of This Blog..is that Someone may Also Be.
Well SA Treeza’s there today in Warsaw doing a deal on ‘defence’ aka ‘offence’.
Theresa May to announce new defence treaty on visit to Polandhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42432390
Hope Mr Tusk gives her a nice lunch.
Sharp Ears
Brexit has made us throw our lot with Wahabi dictators and Gulf terrorist sympathisers, more dependency on the US under Trump and now association with extremely right wing regimes in Europe. Next stop Viktor Orban in Hungary then the newly elected Austrian government of the right. Was this the purpose of or a side effect of Brexit?
Of course it’s not Tusk. He’s the EU stooge.
She is meeting her counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki, All he needs is one of those round tin helmets by the looks of it.
Another banker LOL
‘Since November 1998, he has been working for BZWBK (Bank Zachodni WBK Group, Santander Group), where he began his career as the Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, as well as the supervisor of the Economic Analysis Bureau and the International Trade Department. In 2001, he became Managing Director, as well as member of the Board. Since 2007, Morawiecki has been the Chairman of Bank Zachodni WBK.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateusz_Morawiecki
The European Reformist Conservatives are looking after and supporting this dismantling of democracy, SA, and it it a UK MEP Syed kamal who is leading this cabal within the EU. The ERC is the go to organisation which supports c…s like Geert Wilders.
If Poland votes for fascists and Germany does so equally and so does Holland, Hungary, Greece and France, then the EU will increasingly become fascist.
Makes you wonder why the UK is cheer leading this lot, maybe it has got strict instructions from its FoI cabal and ringmaster Bibi who sees nothing in threatening the EU.
His border less enclave is now seen as the model for these right wing fanatics in Europe, especially the AfD.
After all, our representatives are elected by constituents, not house trained by Melanie Phillips, they are not elected to excuse and or schmooze with right wing fascists.
How do you know that the Polish state is democratic? It has a bicameral parliament.
Fair question. I only say it is because I am told that member states of the EU and NATO have to be democratic to be let into the hallowed circles.
So Damian Green was sacked because he lied not because of the other alleged misdemeanours.
Damian Green was framed by the police. Miss Maltby needs to get a life.
My dad complained about 20 years ago that bucketloads of porn had downloaded to his computer by one click from some musical group he belonged to. I assume that if you hang out in places where our lovely elites from MI5/6 live, like East Sussex or parliament, some old, straight fogey like my dad would appear to be very low-hanging fruit to plant some porn onto.
As to people who touch other people, God save us from the PC mob. What was Miss Maltby doing hanging out where tired old executives of the establishment hang out? Our European partners must be laughing their socks off. What a miserable and hypocritical world under Tory government. No wonder the Tories support Islamic State.
giyane
If the porn was downloaded by someone else or by a sort of trojan horse then he should have asked for assistance and not denied the existence of the pron on his computer. So he lied and that was the cause of his downfall..
If you had been subjected to a prolonged attack by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies, where exactly would you turn to to extricate yourself from this malicious attack? he’s been set up, stitched up and used as cabbage to hide other stories of government incompetence.
Can’t believe you are defending a liar and a trougher, (he even falsely claimed expenses for a ‘second home’). See Expenses on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damian_Green
He is also tied up with Mandelslime’s Britain Stronger in Europe – Will Straw, Stuart Rose and the rest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain_Stronger_in_Europe
Plus plus… large sums (£140k) for his legal costs –
Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK)
•Name of donor: Conservative Party
•Address of donor : 30 Millbank, London SW1P 4DP
•Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Payment to meet the cost of legal advice in connection with enquiries by the Metropolitan Police into leaks from the Home Office. (No charge pursued.) Donation 1: £87,538.50 – payment under an insurance policy; Donation 2: £52,541.60 – payment from general party funds. Total value, £140,080.10
•Date of receipt of donation: Donation 1, 30 March 2009; Donation 2, 19 August 2009
•Date of acceptance of donation: Donation 1, 30 March 2009; Donation 2, 19 August 2009
•Donor status: my own political party
•(Registered 11 November 2009)
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10241
and many paid for jollies.
Finally look through his voting record and see what a cruel heart he has for those less fortunate than himself.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10241/damian_green/ashford/votes
Sharp Ears
It must some male public school bonding brainwashing still operating in my subconscious after 50 years.
Why would the bent squad pursue a vendetta against a Tory millionaire when there are plenty of black/Muslim./disabled/unemployed people in London waiting to be tortured into false confessions?
How pro-Establishment intellectual dishonesty has shutdown all critical thinking, turning people into drooling, flag-waving idiots;
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/russiagate-is-making-everyone-stupid-dd8f56449101
Yes and not only that, alleged Russian interference is now used to divert from all political scandals. May used it successfully to divert from the Pritti Patel story.
Maybe Craig will deliver a X-Mas or New Year surprise, and come back blogging with a vengeance after the attempt to intimidate him into silence; or maybe note. After-all, the Pritti Patel affair & Trump’s Jerusalem move would have normally prompted strong Blog Posts.
SA
IMHO given the creative talent of that Zionist Hollywood Islamic State, which has used graphic imagery to psychologically manipulate, I don’t think any digital material, whether sound, visual, written or an any other medium can be considered reliable as a form of evidence. The whole bugging megolamanic fantasy is flawed by the fact that all digital material can be invisibly manipulated. I am doing so as I type. So sorry, all you hegemonic, psychophallic would be global dictators, your voluminous stores of damning evidence are unfit for purpose. It was as fabricated as Jurassic Park. So you may as well scrap your pathetic little ideas of controlling the entire human race.
http://www.katemaltby.com/the-british-lefts-weak-anti-semitic-excuse/
The sweet little girl who took down a government minister today is not such a pretty face underneath. Reminds me of Jake Simons and Oliver Kamm. Still it keeps ministers on their toes to know they can be stitched up by journalists and policemen, and opens up vacancies in government departments to be filled by Zionist shills.
A very interesting balanced analysis of the White Helmets in the wider context of reporting and supporting rebels in Syria is given here in an analysis by Jan Oberg , who is director of the Transnational Foundation for Peace & Future Research in Lund, Sweden. It also gives some background to other organisations including Avaaz, and how these organisations work towards helping the war effort. Must read.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/04/just-how-gray-are-the-white-helmets-of-syria/
SA.
Thanks good article, I recall reading a year ago or around that time, in another article, if I’ve still got it I’ll post a link though I’ve probably deleted it by now. That the White Helmets as opposed to the real Syrian rescue squads, didn’t even have a contact number that you could phone, to tell them that a incident had occured.
The White Helmets just show up close to any rubbled building wheel out the “victims” place them in and around the razed building, and begin filming. It’s purely propaganda, similar to the SOHR, Syrian Obsevatory for Human Rights, which is purely run for propaganda reasons.
Ah here it is.
“For the REAL Syria Civil Defence you call 113 inside Syria. There is no public number for the White Helmets. Why not? Why does this multi-million dollar US & NATO state-funded first repsonder ‘NGO,’ with state of the art equipment supplied by the US and the EU via Turkey, have no central number for civilians to call when the “bombs fall”?”
https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-real-syria-civil-defence-exposes-natos-white-helmets-as-terrorist-linked-imposters/5547528
RoS..
For Once GRB are not ahead of the Game on The Western supported White Helmets…
Try Vanessa Beeley
Eva Bartlet –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6utDs1b_TU
Brian
The Guardian and many other MSM have been trying to discredit both Vanessa (who met Assad) and Eva. We are aware of thier original on the ground work but just trying to diversify to counter the charges that this is a directed propaganda.
Beeley and Bartlet have both made their support for Assad well known, they cannot be considered to be unbiased.
Bartlet’s propaganda was quite convincingly demolished by Channel 4 news in 2016.
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-eva-bartletts-claims-about-syrian-children
Except of course that the “real” Syrian Civil Defence (SCD) doesn’t operate outside of government controlled areas and I doubt there’s much of a functioning telephone network in the fractured and repeatedly cluster and barrel bombed areas in which the White Helmets are active. It was absence of the SCD that led to the creation of the White Helmets in the first place.
“the “real” Syrian Civil Defence (SCD) doesn’t operate outside of government controlled areas”
Well yes, ISIS likes to torture to death anybody to death who doesn’t support or joins with them; yet we are expected to believe that the White Helmets are able to appeal to ISIS’s passionate and humanitarian side ! 😀
“Our country has been hijacked by aliens”
Eh?
News from Iraq and Syria indicate that the Axis of Resistance has now soundly defeated ISIS in both countries. The response to this excellent news have been somewhat muted from the MSM. Anyone can tell me why this is so? Shouldn’t we be celebrating?
You’ll be told when to celebrate Al Qaida’s conquest of Syria for the Greater Israel when the USUKIS gamble with the Middle East pays out. It’s a little early yet to say that 2 million dead and 50 million homeless was worth the investment of the global banking system’s total 2007 loss. Judging by Republican smiles at cutting US medical insurance we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see if the gamble of destroying Iraq/Libya/Lebanon/Syria has paid off.
SA
“The response to this excellent news have been somewhat muted from the MSM.”
It may be that nobody quite believes it yet, and certainly Iraq may be, like the BBC in WW2, taking towns ahead of the actual troops, in claiming Da’ish to have been defeated. But there’s certainly quite a big shift in recent weeks in Iraq, and Da’ish are being moved out of even the back-country villages where they remained unmolested.
So according to this the British government has already opened secretive trade talks with the US. So secretive are the talks that no information on them can be released for four years.
An alarm has already been raised that Britain will be flooded with inferior foods, as well as unfettered access for US firms to the NHS.
It was the British government that asked for the four year secrecy rule and not the US, I wonder why.
https://inews.co.uk/news/exclusive-uk-demands-secrecy-brexit-trade-talks-us/
Soon Britain will be flooded with inferior US foods, from chlorine washed chickens, to meats pumped full of antibiotics, not to mention a plethora of GM crops.
Our own fruit/veg and meat producers, will find that they need to denigrate their products just to compete with the US imports. This will surely lead to a downward spiral on food production quality.
If the US conglomerates do gain access to the NHS as part of the trade talks, they will ultimately cherry pick the most lucrative sectors, and attempt to privatise them.
Will the chicken be genetically modified from the POTUS DNA his/her/itself?
Voters really need to wake up,from the notion that jeremy Corbyn has our best interests at heart, he doesn’t.
“Almost a quarter of Labour MPs have defied Jeremy Corbyn and voted to keep the UK in the customs union after Brexit.
The Labour leader had instructed MPs to abstain on the issue, but 63 MPs rebelled and voted for an amendment, tabled by Labour’s Chris Leslie, that would have seen the UK retain its customs union membership.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mps-voted-against-jeremy-corbyn-uk-customs-union-brexit-latest-a8121416.html
Of course it’s no secret that Corbyn is anti-EU, however his continual backing of the Tory government over Brexit, and that’s what it looks like to me, is adding to a already damaged economy due to Brexit.
Ros
Corbyn has got no sense of strategy. He’s just an English Left luminary in a Breton cap speaking to a crowd of protestors at Trafalgar Square. That’s his level, and he has by a set of circumstances been promoted above it. It’s not even as if he sticks to principles. For example, his repeated dodging of the issue of democracy in Catalonia.
How is he – even supposing he’s capabale of achieving a working majority – going to protect post-brexit consumers and workers that have been previously given protections by the EU? He offers Scotland nothing, including no genuine and consistent offer of a second indyref.
Yes reel guid, Corbyn’s Labour aren’t in any better shape than May’s Tories. Both camps are rife with infighting and unrest.
Both are bad for Scotland, we need independence.
Independence ship’s sailed mate, three years ago. You’ve more chance now of seeing a one-legged cat bury a turd on a frozen pond.
1. The substantially greater devolution promises if Scotland voted No, made by Brown, Cameron, Miliband and Clegg were 95% not kept.
2. An attempt is being made to force Scotland to leave the EU despite 62% of the country voting to remain. And this following on from the fact that many No votes in 2014 were gained by the unionists telling voters that only a No vote would keep Scotland a part of the EU.
3. In 2016 Scotland returned a pro-independence majority of MSPs to Holyrood who had stood on a ticket of a second indyref as soon as there was a major material change in Scotland’s circumstances. Scotland being forced out of the EU against our will is just such a change. Which is why Holyrood voted for a new independence referendum.
4. The First Minister of Scotland no longer has easy access to the Prime Minister, overturning the custom since 1999 and contravening standard practice in states that feature devolution throughout the world.
5. Repatriated Brussels powers that are clearly by definition devolved powers are to be kept at Westminster instead of going to Holyrood.
6. Polls put support for independence slightly higher and not lower than the 45% in the referendum of 2014. Enthusiasm for independence is not receding.
7. The electorate has changed since the first indyref. Tens of thousands of young people have since come on the electoral register who want their say in Scotland’s constitutional setup.
8. The whole atmosphere in the UK state has changed for the worse since 2014 with foreigners being harassed in England and politicians being threatened regularly. Not something the more sophisticated and civilised country of Scotland is likely to relish being associated with.
9. In 2014 Scottish voters were told by Better Together – including Labour politicians – that only a No vote would safeguard Scotland’s NHS. The reality is the English NHS has been steadily privatised since and that has meant serious reductions in the Treasury block grant to Holyrood. An attempt to eventually wear down Scottish Government efforts to keep Scotland’s HNS free.
The independence ship sailed away in 2014. Now it’s back in port with the engines running. You’ve more chance now of seeing a two-legged Tory minister tell the truth and show competence than in not seeing a second independence referendum.
So Netanyahu has called the UNGA, a “house of lies” and it has been reported that the USA’s UNGA rep, will be taking names, and that there could be financial consequences for those who vote against the US.
Turkey ‘s president Erdogan, never one to hold back has said, about Donald Trump that he “cannot buy Turkey’s democratic will.”
It was hearting to see the other 14 UNGA’s stand up to the will of the Great Satan. Egypt also stood up to the Great Satan, fair play to them, as they are received a $1.2 billion dollar aid package from the US last year.
It time a two-state solution was thrashed out between Israeli’s and Palestinian’s.
Is there not something ironic about President Erdogan talking about Turkey’s “democratic” will?
If by chance you gave money to charity to aid the suffering of those in Syria, well it might have ended up in the pockets of the police, or worse the coffers of the Home Office.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syrian-aid-did-british-government-keep-charity-money-seized-convoys-473595773
UNGA Jerusalem vote
128 in favour of resolution
9 against
25 abstentions
SA.
Yes I watched about an hour or so of the various delegates speaking, the Iranian delegate really stuck it too the US and Israeli.
As usual the Israeli delegate prattled on about UN bias, I do wish they’d change the record, its become tedious to listen to.
Another day and another glorious victory for Donald Trump.
128 loser nations have been suckered into pointless virtue signalling, thus providing Trump with all the excuse he needs to slash foreign aid. With any luck the Germans will pick up this tab, thus allowing Trump to save both the British and the Polish.
Separately the DoJ is ranging in on the true Russian scandal, namely the $140 million paid to the Clinton foundation more or less contemporaneously with the Uranium 1 deal.
The world has been waiting a long time for a strategic thinker and proven winner like President Trump.
I take it you mean “winner” in the American sense.
“Another day and another glorious victory for Donald Trump.”
More like total humiliation, even after the gangster threats !
The resolution passed with an overwhelming majority of 128-9, the UN General assembly declares the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ‘null and void.’
America is still such a superpower, that it could only persuade only eight other countries to not join in its humiliation, namely Honduras, Guatemala, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Togo, Nauru and southern Sudan, and do not forget Israel. 😀
Following Nickki Haley’s gangster-like threats against Countries who dare to vote as the US wishes, here’s an Israeli military officer & government spokesperson openly threatening civilians in Germany with violence or death;
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/live-fear-israeli-officer-warns-german-protesters-facebook
“how is it that the White Helmets enjoy such freedom in militant strongholds? Could it be because Le Mesurier has found a way to tap into the compassionate and humanitarian impulses of Al Qaeda and its affiliates, just as he appears to have got in touch with his own, in turning from private military contractor into humanitarian facilitator? That is theoretically possible. Perhaps someone who knows could be explicit on the point.”
https://timhayward.wordpress.com/2017/12/20/white-helmets-in-syria-some-questions-for-our-government/
Good to See More People Tuning into GR… RoS..More on the Witch hunt of real Journos, Re White Helemets –
” First of all, the Guardian’s premise is rather absurd to begin with, as according to international law, Russia’s presence in Syria is fully legal while that of the countries that back the White Helmets (the US, UK and France, among others) is illegal.
Consequently, the presence of a so-called NGO like White Helmets (in reality they are handsomely funded by western governments) is also illegal as they are operating in Syria without the consent of the Syrian government and without any mandate from the United Nations….
https://www.globalresearch.ca/what-is-the-guardian-afraid-of-when-attacking-honest-syria-reporters/5623451
New from Amnesty International;
“Israeli authorities must stop using excessive force against protesters once and for all. The fact that live ammunition has been used during protests in Gaza and the West Bank is particularly shocking. Under international human rights law lethal force can only be used when lives are at imminent risk, which clearly was not the case in the examples we have documented,”
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/12/israelopt-military-must-end-excessive-force-to-avoid-further-bloodshed-and-deaths/
Is that the same Amnesty International that you and some other commenters have been calling a US stooge, by any chance?
Like the MSM, occasionally they have to do some honest reporting to maintain a veneer of credibility; surprised this needs to be pointed out.
THIS –
Great stuff, UN General Assembly – Doing their Job for a Pleasant change – votes 128-9 to declare US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”
Great stuff indeed. And after the noise had died down Jerusalem will continue to be the capital of the state of Israel (as it has been for decades) and the US will continue to recognise it as such.
It will not be recognised as such in International law, however many people are beaten up In Israel or abroad, however many children are imprisoned, beaten and or kicked, however many young teenagers are murdered or crippled for life.
It has to be said, Habbakuk, you are siding with criminals who pose as legitimate Governments and who think nothing of setting the world alight. Maybe Major Arye Sharuz Shalicar and others like him as well the apologist to this Apartheid fascism should also be on a list of seriously undesirables in need of an Island such as Spitzbergen or the Antarctic to cool down a little.
Vaz off the hook.
Parliament’s standards watchdog has halted an investigation into allegations about the private life of MP Keith Vaz “for medical reasons”.
Investigation into Keith Vaz’s private life suspended on medical grounds – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42439333