Those Who Die in Palestine: Those With Dead Souls Here 251

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I cannot imagine the cold courage it must take to be a Palestinian, walking in protest, unarmed, towards the fence that contains the agony of their long drawn-out genocide, in the knowledge that the bullets will start splintering bones and ripping out brain matter around them, and every millisecond could be their own last.

I cannot imagine the cold viciousness it must take to work on the Guardian newspaper, where on the homepage the small headline of the latest six Palestinians to be shot dead, is way below the larger headline of the several hundredth article associating Jeremy Corbyn with anti-Semitism, on the basis of the quite deliberate conflation of anti-Semitism with criticism of Israel.

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251 thoughts on “Those Who Die in Palestine: Those With Dead Souls Here”

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  • CanSpeccy

    Israel’s latest atrocity in Gaza has forced American Jews to condemn Israel’s murderous policies toward the Palestinians. This is good news inasmuch as it conclusively negates the ridiculous contention, first promulgated by Isreali PM Abba Eban, that criticism of the state of Israel is anti-Semitic.

  • WJ

    Jaish Al-Islam Media—aka White Helmets–is reporting massive chemical attack in Duma, days after Trump expressed desire for US to leave Syria, and in the midst of the Skripal affair. The US state department has asserted that Russia is at least partly responsible for the attack. It is being picked up by CNN and all the regular corporate-state media in the US…

    My government (the US) deserves annihilation, and perhaps we Americans as a whole do as well, but the rest of the world does not [with the possible exception of the U.K. and Israel governments 😉 ].

    May God have mercy on us. May sanity somehow prevail. May the end of our empire not also be the end of the world.

    • Radar O’Reilly

      BBC R4 05:30 am news leading breathlessly with the “Syrian-American-Arab-News- volunteers” (or a similar sounding bunch of fakes) reporting that ~ 60 dead outside Damascus from Nerve Agent and Chlorine attack. Including small humans.

      Paper review mentioned, entirely unconnectedly, ?, that the Skripals are off to their villa in Florida with a new identity after their MI6 handlers asked the Central Intelligence Agency nicely for assistance.

      Perhaps they might have time for just one hurried emotional press interview as they are leaving?

      At least they got better unlike the staged non- traditional agents being deployed by the ‘losers’ in Syria.

      • Radar O’Reilly

        Now we know what that extra secret bit of NATO/OTAN intel was that was used to rally the ‘coalition’ against Putin.

        memo from the secret planning department:- look, although Boris admittedly is useless with facts – you need to support Teresa the wraith on the Skripal MI6 spy palava as that is just the aperitif. Next month we’ll arrange a ‘spectacular’ in Ghouta and use Aitkinhead et al to ‘prove’ that this atrocity is identical to Salisbury’s new generation agent, then , simples, it’s R2P and air superiority all-over-again. Helpful Hamish (c) ™ will be needed like a rash on all tv channels that week, remind him to pre-clear his agenda.
        OK chaps, let’s see if we can’t at least win ONE ME war . Signed, great game co-ordinator, sir Buffon McMuffin , obe         /sarc

  • John Spencer-Davis

    DW website (I don’t know their origin or affiliation) reports the following (my excerpts and my emphasis):

    http://www.dw.com/en/dozens-dead-in-suspected-chemical-weapons-attack-in-syria/a-43296814

    “Dozens dead in suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria”

    “Aid organizations have reported a suspected chemical weapons attack in one of the last remaining rebel strongholds, eastern Ghouta. The Syrian government has denied the claims.”

    “The White Helmets voluntary rescue group wrote on Twitter that a helicopter had dropped a barrel bomb filled with chemicals on the city of Douma, killing at least 40 people and injuring hundreds on Saturday.”

    “Russian-backed government forces were pressing ahead with a military offensive to retake the last opposition pocket near the capital, Damascus”

    “Medical relief organisation Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) said a chlorine bomb hit Douma hospital, killing six people, and a second attack with “mixed agents” including nerve agents had hit a building nearby.”

    “‘Russia should be blamed’

    The US State Department said on Saturday evening it was monitoring the situation and that Russia should be blamed if chemicals were used.

    “The regime’s history of using chemical weapons against its own people is not in dispute,” said a State Department official in a statement, referring to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

    “Russia ultimately bears responsibility for the brutal targeting of countless Syrians with chemical weapons,” it read.”

    In March, the US warned at the UN that it would react to any chemical weapon attacks in Syria.”

    This is a remarkable coincidence coming hard on the heels of an attempted murder in Salisbury using a nerve agent, for which Russia is being blamed. Is it not?

    Certainly any language of sympathy used for these horrible tragedies that are going on in Syria would seem trite and inadequate. If people have died from gas or chemical weapons that is a terrible thing. But I am saddened to say that the unworthy thought did cross my mind that this is actually what this Salisbury drama is all about. No doubt that is a dreadful thing to think. But I can’t get it out of my head. Perhaps if Boris Johnson had told less lies, or Tony Blair had not kicked off such mistrust with his 45 minutes spiel, I would be more inclined to trust our doubtless worthy leaders. J

  • quasi_verbatim

    Don’t knock the cold viciousness of Guardian media whores. They’re really very nice people, the women especially.

    Apropos the comment above, these Syrian Shite Helmets should not have to rely on chlorine barrel bombs for their #MeToo escapades.

    Issued with dud Novichok from the PD inventory, all victims will survive, after a deep sleep.

  • Ewen Morrison

    Dear, Mr Craig Murray, if I may borrow a few of your words: ‘I cannot imagine’ better use of two paragraphs to describe something so neatly and accurately!

  • Ewen Morrison

    Dear Craig Murray,
    to reflect on your use “I cannot imagine”, I personally cannot imagine a better use of two paragraphs to describe such ‘cold viciousness, and the dire lack of humanity in the so-called U.K. news media, including the Guardian newspaper and their ilk!

    Thanks for writing so few words which have measureless meaning,

    Ewen

  • Stu

    After burying the murder of Palestians the Guardian website this morning leads with claims from jihadi group Jaish Al-Islam of a chemical attack in their last strong hold in Ghouta.

    Beyond satire.

  • Monster

    Today we hear via the Guardian that Assad is barrel bombing his own residents with poison gas. As a government shill, the Guardian should remember that the Russians have constantly warned the rebels had stocks of gas and were planning attacks. The Russians also said that any US military action against the Syrian government, arising out of this would result in direct action against US assets. The sole source of the Guardian’s information seems to be MI6’s Coventry-based expert who calls himself the Syrian Rights Observatory. The Guardian is seriously stoking an incident that will lead to war with Russia. Katherine Viner can only be a psychopath in receipt of large amounts of cash to flaunt her ego.

    • Resident Dissident

      This is of course a lie the Guardian website quite clearly identifies the Syrian American Medical Society as additional source as of course do plenty of other newpapers and media outlets

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/08/syrian-government-accused-of-chemical-attacks-on-civilians-in-eastern-ghouta

      Of course in the minds of most people here any criticism of the lily white Gasser and his puppet master will by definition come from the UKUSIS axis since human rights always take second place to their political prejudices.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_American_Medical_Society

      • Xavi

        If you think the media campaign against Assad is inspired by concern for human rights then you probably also believed Blair and Cameron were passionately concerned about “the Iraqi people” and “the Libyan people” ..

          • Laguerre

            Asad doesn’t need apologists, when you think of the Jihadi alternative you are an apologist for. I’m really stunned you defend those people, as indeed the British government does (but the British governement knows what it is doing, that it is being hypocritical). Ah yes, you pretend you don’t defend the Jihadis, but you do in fact.

          • Resident Dissident

            Another lie – I am not an apologist for Jihadis – not being a racist I believe that the Syrians are more than capable given the chance of finding something between the devil and the deep blue sea. Dr Nott is not a jihadist either – please stop this you are either for us or against us garbage.

          • Maxwell

            Isn’t Assad reasonably popular with his own people at the moment?

            Do you also discuss “apologists” for the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar?

            Or is it only the appointed enemies of the western states who have “apologists”?

            No critiquing, just enquiring.

      • SA

        Wikipedia is not a neutral source. I am surprised that in this page there are no entries on the ‘Talk’ page, which is often more illuminating than the main page.

        THe SAMS and Dr John Nott are examples of medics who have at times advocated humanitarian bombing of civilians on the other side in order to achieve the aims of the oh so pure moderate rebels.

      • Ultraviolet

        So you think the West should dive in to help establish ISIS dominance in Syria.

        Thanks a bunch and count me out.

      • Resident Dissident

        Of course it is in if your’re not for us you’re against us land.

    • Kempe

      ” the Russians have constantly warned the rebels had stocks of gas and were planning attacks. ”

      What better way of preparing the ground to blame the rebels for more Syrian gas attacks.

      • Laguerre

        The Syrians even found a rebel gas factory (it was videoed), but nothing like truth is going to deflect you from your support of Jihadis. As I said just above, the British government knows what it is doing in supporting Jihadis, that it is being hypocritical, but a private person like yourself may swallow propaganda whole.

        • Kempe

          What they claimed was a rebel gas factory. Somebody was trying to make improvised weapons of some sort but it looked as though the place had been abandoned for quite a while.

    • saluspopuli.org

      Monster. Yes, the usual sources such as White Helmets who are funded by US State Department and British. A support op for Al Nusra and widely exposed as such. The leader in 2016 was barred entry into US owing to terrorist connections but that has changed now. The US based Syrian American Medical Society appears aligned with the White Helmets and is perhaps linked to the US Muslim Brotherhood network. Oh yes, and that terrorist supporting one man paper mill in Coventry.

      There are experienced independent Western reporters on the ground in Syria such as Vanessa Beeley from the UK and Eva Bartlett from Canada. Also present are, for example, Belgian, French, and Dutch independent journalists. Beeley, the daughter of a UK diplomat and advisor to Bevan, is forthright, and knows her way around. Her twitter stream is useful.

      Corporate media reports on Syria out of bureaus in Beirut and Istanbul, not usually from Syria. The US State Department recycles the usual sources. Having the White Helmets on their payroll for millions, this is logical. So far, in this incident the spokeswoman has avoided saying the US has finished intelligence product on the matter. She refers to “reports” from the above sources and “information.”

      US media is quoting the three usuals above.

      • Kempe

        Barlett lives in Gaza and has been to Syria six times since 2014, neither she or Beeley have ventured out of government controlled areas. Both have been exposed as propagandists for the Syrian regime.

        • SA

          ‘…..neither she or Beeley have ventured out of government controlled areas.’ Yes and you know that those who did met an unfortunate end. Also the others who have reported for MSM such as the Guardian’s Chulov and Shaheen have not even been reporting from anywhere in Syria have they?

          • Sharp Ears

            The BBC reporter on The World this Weekend, Lina Sinjab, today was speaking from Beirut! She lives in London now. She attended the Lycée Al Hourrieh, Damascus 1983-90, then attended SOAS in 2009-9. She has been at the BBC since 2004 according to her biography on:
            https://www.linkedin.com/in/lina-sinjab-a2486915/

            Perhaps Lina has more reliable sources than the man in the flat in Coventry.

            5 mins in after a flowery build up anti Assad anti Putin build up in the ‘news’ bulletin.
            http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/

            The BBC should be dismantled.

      • saluspopuli.org

        M. The White Helmet psy op has been extensively covered. As a British operation there should be plenty of info on that side of The Pond. Over here, a number of independent US journos have looked into the matter.

        Max Blumenthal did a two part investigative piece for Alternet, part two here:

        https://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/how-white-helmets-became-international-heroes-while-pushing-us-military

        President Trump just tweeted on the latest faux news per chemicals. Appears to believe the perception management line State Department Public Diplomacy shop and others in his administration are putting out. Quite a contrast from his stated desire to pull out. Deep State busy as beavers. Guess he has not been fully briefed on Syria and the White Helmet op and the tens of millions they get from State and how the US uses terrorist orgs for regime change. Bolton or Pompeo will play him on this, too. No doubt Ivanka in tears over the faux reports….but Jared no doubt pleased given his inclinations and so on.

        WMD-Iraq, WMD-Syria, WMD-Russia, WMD-Salisbury….a propagandists work is never done.

  • Lynne Dempsey

    Thank you. I follow all your articles from NZ closely. Watched the Sky non – screened interview. The media treatment of the Gaza slaughter is disgraceful. Nothing from our media here either. An extraordinary global conspiracy of silence. Jeremy Corbyn is the only politician with integrity. Loved Amira Hass’s article on the Jewdas Seder!

  • Ophelia Ball

    …. and just in time to deflect attention from Gaza, here we have Putin’s latest nefarious deed: https://www.rt.com/news/423500-hackers-us-flag-elections-cisco/

    [It MUST be Putin, because this a classic ‘False Flag’ attack intended to sow confusion and discord, and the article cites the KGB-sponsored Kaspersky Lab. CISCO is an acronym for ‘Commies in Soviet Countries Overseas’ and anyways it serves those pesky Eye-ranians right, what with them having the temerity to sit their sh1thole country right on top of all OUR oil and threatening our peace-loving God’s-anointed sponsors in The Holy Land]

  • SA

    I wonder whether the whole Skripal event will now come to a close if rumours that they are being given a new identity and rehomed in Florida is correct. It means that there will be no answers forthcoming. Meanwhile, all the stories thrown out by HMG and the media is just so much chaff. We are all busy analysis, the Skripal’s movements, Novichoks, door handles etc… where the real story is taking place in the area of real confrontation and testing grounds: Syria. Note that during the Skripal affair, there was a media silence on East Ghouta. But now the focus is shifted back again to Douma where the SAA is performing a final push to liberate this last pocket. So what do the stupid SG do? The use Chlorine and a ‘mixture of chlorine and nerve gas’ no doubt containing novichok, of a type identified by PD of unknown origin, in this attack. No doubt the White Helmets have already got the samples on the way to the OPCW which of course because of the recent experience, will be sent to the OPCW accredited lab in PD who will miraculously find more novichok which clinches the whole thing.
    So having vilified Russia and who is accused of using chemical weapons, the international coalition of conspiracies will no doubt want to bomb something in Syria, to show thier resolve and to test Russian resolve. This may have dire consequences but will also help to humiliate and provoke Russia further.
    So we have four international and local UK events that are seemingly unconnected but all really lead back to Syria and the imperial plan. The Skripal affair, the Labour party accusations of rife antisemitism, the fake CW attacks in Ghouta and the troubles in Gaza. These are not unconnected.
    So whilst we on this website have been chasing the chaff, the game has moved on and we are closer to direct military confrontation between two the West and Russia.

    • Ophelia Ball

      Yulia Skripal is an independently wealthy woman; she owns a property in central Moscow and has a long-term partner

      If she had wanted to “defect”, then she could surely have done so long before now, and without the need for a long period in hospital. There is no evidence of her having any personal difficulty with the Russian state, or of her having extensive personal interests outside Russia, other than her father

      If, therefore, she now elects not to return to Russia following her putative recovery, then the only logical conclusion is that she has been “turned”, and if this involved a new identity, then this surely stinks to high heaven of a pre-planned stitch-up involving both incentives to comply and threats if she doesn’t. The refusal to grant a visa to her cousin, or to allow consular access, is unconscionable in any civilised society

      However, I am steadily coming to accept that these incidents are neither random coincidences, not in any way accidental, and that in various ways Corbyn’s stunted ascendancy, stalemate in the Brexit negotiations, Nordstream II/LNG, Syria, Iran, Gaza and the sale of S400 missile systems to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and now India are all interconnected. It is not Russia which feels itself backed into a corner – it is the USA which is desperately trying to hang on to what it perceives as its birthright in the face of mounting evidence that it is no longer hegemon. The Russians will win this by adopting Ali’s “rope-a-dope” tactics, and allowing the USA to expend all its energy, credibility and money on futile displays of aggression which achieve nothing whilst leaving Russia (and China) in a strong position to retaliate when the time is right

      And what of the UK? If there was ever a case study in ontological insecurity and a crippling identity crisis, this is surely it. Instead of reaching out to the World, the UK is going full hedgehog and apparently going out of its way to antagonise all and sundry. Other countries’s vengeance will be harsh

      • SA

        I agree with your assessment of Yulia Skripal. However there are aspects as to her importance to the plot. If she is released she will spill the beans. Money, especially if there is enough of it, coupled with veiled or real real threats can turn anybody. Remember that she has not really been allowed so far to speak freely to anybody despite having been awake for a while.

  • jazza

    Once weapons were manufactured to fight wars. Now wars are manufactured to sell weapons

    Zealots and Zionists are destroying our planet and murdering our peoples

  • Barden Gridge

    BBC R4 “Broadcasting House” talking about at Boris Johnson this morning.
    Claire Short and Johnson’s biographer Andrew Gimson giving their views.
    My overall impression was that it was another “Boris is Boris” job.

    Asked if Johnson could be sacked, Gimson said:
    “Unless he did something really… instead of getting some matter of detail wrong of the kind he’s been getting wrong since the age of 16, I think… no, he can’t be sacked.”

    Broadcasting House is here (the Johnson section is at about -0:42 in the listen live window – timing in the replay window will be about 11 minutes in):
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09y6z28

    • SA

      It is now becoming clear why May keeps Boris. He can spout out any nonsense which can then be explained away by ‘Boris is Boris’, whilst protecting the strong and stable TM.

  • Bill McLean

    The Guardian used to be a class newspaper. It is chilling to see what it has become – like most of the British media, undemocratic and disgraceful filth!

  • Tom

    The Guardian these days is only marginally better than the abysmal Telegraph. The ‘left-wing’ causes they espouse are only those that either are harmless or positively help the establishment – feminism, in particular, being the favoured divide-and-rule tactic, the more in-your-face and hypocritical the better. They lambast Trump on a regular basis but the worst they never lift a finger against our own establishment, especially May. And when anything ‘important’ happens they shut down the comments or start deleting anything they don’t agree with.

  • N_

    BBC: “Syria war: At least 70 killed in suspected chemical attack in Douma”>”.

    It looks as though

    • western interests are planning to start WW3 within months at most
    • the Russian government learnt of the aim and tried to prevent its realisation by calling out the false flag CW plan in Syria at top military level, in a statement by Valery Gerasimov
    • western interests are pressing ahead

    Today is Easter Sunday in Russia.

    Reuters from four days ago: “Russian rocket tests force partial closing of Baltic Sea, airspace.

    “RIGA (Reuters) – Russia began testing missiles with live munitions in the Baltic Sea on Wednesday (4 April), alarming Latvia, a member of NATO, which says the drills have forced it partly to shut down Baltic commercial airspace.”

    The World Cup is from 14 June to 15 July. One of the venues is Kaliningrad.

    Iran was heavily cyber-attacked yesterday, in an attack that according to the Iranian authorities also affected computer systems in other countries.

  • Charles

    With Trump as Commander-in-Chief I can see only two possible outcomes to the escalating madness; 1) WWIII or 2) The humiliating climbdown of the US by accepting Russia has stymied the New World Vision for the Middle East and ultimately the collapse of the US Military Complex (along with the US economy and society).

    The stakes are high. But either way the US will lose and here’s why;

    The 2003 invasion of Iraq proved, if proof were needed, that favourable public opinion for an aggressors’ action whilst desirable is by no means a requirement. Blair even got re-elected in 2005 when the lies of WMD were out in the open and the civilian death toll in Iraq continued on a steady incline https://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/

    More important than public opinion was a sizeable public support of “coalition partners”. With so many politicians around the world in the pocket of the CIA and with national economies dependent on bilateral Trade Agreements a token international acceptance to the US blitzkrieg was not going to be difficult especially if it didn’t mean any bloodshed at home.

    The rehearsed international reaction to the Salisbury False Flag has been played out, so what if the public of those countries that expelled diplomats are confused by the absence of evidence?

    Then the much predicted Ghouta False Flag is eventually unfurled.

    Now an international response is inevitable.

    And this is where it goes wrong with the US game plan strategy.

    The US know that a US bombardment of Syrian strongholds and tactical targets will result in Russia destroying the US launch platforms responsible plus a few more leaving the US with stark options.

    Far better a gradual build up of coalition forces over weeks and months that would achieve the same results; the removal of Assad, the planned expansion of Israel, the neutralising of Iran and ultimately the control of the entire oil and gas wealth of the region.

    Putin is not going to allow that. Even a modest reinforcing of US and coalition positions is now likely to be met an extreme Russian response. To those that have not worked out the strategy a massive Russian response to a trivial re-enforcement might seem ridiculously disproportionate …….… but Putin doesn’t care, he is playing a different game, one that he will win or everyone loses.

    The US game does not have a winning strategy, not for the US nor any country that supports them.

    • N_

      In any conflict between Russia and the US and its allies, Russia will win. Never mind that people in Britain re-elected Tony Blair. That’s a measure of what YouGov call public opinion, but it’s not a measure of civilian morale and resilience in the wartime sense. There is much higher morale in Russia and much greater resilience in the population too. If the Russian 1990s had happened in Britain, there would have been mass starvation. The predicted provocation in Syria has now taken place.

      Expect further provocation in the Baltic region – on land, in the sea, in the air, or in cyberspace.

      I also strongly doubt that Kim Jong-Un and his wannable Washington counterpart are going to se rapprocher, but we shall see. A provocation in that region – a chemical or biological attack in Seoul perhaps? – would suit certain interests nicely too.

  • Ottomanboi

    Set against the history of this region of the Levant the current issue is small beer.
    Masscres, ethnic cleansing and colonial double dealing have been normative so
    Jews killed Christians, Christians killed Jews, Muslims killed both…
    The British imperial creation, modern state of Israel is simply another element in the complex mix.
    If blame is being apportioned one might blame the Ottomans for losing the WWI and Atatürk for the unilateral abolition of the Caliphate and his jingoistic, ethnic Turkish nationalism.
    The self-styled liberal democracies of ‘the West’ have had their chance. We may need a superhuman hero to fix this, someone ‘the West’ will certainly not like.

    • Laguerre

      “Masscres, ethnic cleansing and colonial double dealing have been normative so
      Jews killed Christians, Christians killed Jews, Muslims killed both…”

      No different from any other part of the world, then. And particularly not different from the history of Europe.

      • Ottomanboi

        The ‘Arab world’ would really struggle to top the lunatic bloodlust unleashed by the French Revolution, the systematized gulags and concentration camps or the Armenian genocide under the westernized Young Turks. Indeed it is truly amazing the millions done to death in the name of human progress and the selective amnesia regarding these millions when contemporary attempts at ‘nation building’ in the region go terribly awry.
        Having ‘sorted’ Afghanistan and Iraq can Iran be far behind?

  • J. A.Stoll

    Dear Craig,
    today I read that (allegedly) the Western secret services consider giving the Skripals a “new identy” with a life in the US. This is for me so far the most troubling news I have read with respect to this story, Do you know whether the Skripals have any proper private (not state ordered) legal representation in Britain, and if not, can such legal representation (with proper right of access) be organised?
    Anne

    • Kempe

      The reports say a move to the US has been offered so they’re under no obligation to accept it. I’m sure if the Skripal’s feel they want legal representation they’re capable of requesting it themselves.

      • Ultraviolet

        I’d believe that if we had heard a single thing direct from them, rather than literally every word attributed to them having come from the British authorities.

      • Laguerre

        I wouldn’t think there’s any way the Brits can let the Skripals go, and certainly not back to Russia. Only too likely they may spill the beans. Likely that telephone call at least kept them alive. Otherwis they (or just the father) might have died in the coma. But a better state of health than stated was revealed, and the Brits can’t go back on that. It was just after the call that the British police suddenly released a “statement” from Yulia, saying all was well, but subtly different from the call. I imagine keeping them in permanent isolation is what will be done now, however it’s described. It won’t be a free choice for the Skripals.

        • John Goss

          That was my speculation too. I notice that it has been announced that the Skripals may be seeking new identities. If anyone believes that their toolkit is short of a screwdriver or two.

          • Kempe

            Why so? If nothing else it would save them from being hounded by the press and idiot conspiracy theorists.

          • SA

            The idiot conspiracy theorists here happen to be HMG and those who believe their story.

    • Ultraviolet

      The difficulty with that one is that our legal professions have very strong rules against touting for business. Unless a client has asked to instruct you, you can’t claim to be acting for them.

      The rule is right and important. But this case shows its limitations and downsides.

    • Capella

      I understand that, under the Vienna Convention, whch UK is signatory to, consular access must be granted. This applies whether the Russian nationals ask for it or not. It would be the easiest thing to simply refuse consular access by saying “Oh, she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

      Will the UK fulfill its obligations? If not, what action would the international community take? Craig is more knowlegeable about thse issues so maybe he will post about it.

  • Smiling Through

    A few points on The Guardian and The Observer and the declining confidence many feel in both titles.

    1: Guardian print circulation, according the Audit Bureau of Circulations, is now below 150,000 with The Observer a little higher but well short of 200,000.
    http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/national-newspaper-abcs-metro-climbs-above-the-suns-total-circulation-as-mirror-and-telegraph-titles-post-double-digit-drops/

    2: Observer political editor and Jeremy Corbyn critic Toby Helm is brother-in-law of Tony Blair’s chief of staff and Corbyn critic Jonathan Powell.
    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jul/28/business.theobserver

    3: Helm’s partner is former Independent on Sunday political editor and Jeremy Corbyn critic, Jane Merrick.
    https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-westminster-power-couples/

    4: Guardian diplomatic editor, ex-political editor, New Labour supporter and Corbyn critic Patrick Wintour
    is married to Times columnist, New Labour supporter and Corbyn critic Rachel Sylvester.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Wintour

    5: Guardian reporter Jessica Elgot and Labour MP Luciana Berger, both Corbyn critics, go back a long way.
    https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/independent-columnist-slammed-by-lfi-1.11809

    • Tony

      I learned a long time ago not to take Patrick Wintour seriously as a journalist.

      Some of the Guardian reports are by Luke Harding. He is very anti-Putin. Perhaps he has reason to be but we should bear this in mind when we read what he has written.

  • Stonky

    Day 1: “Russia has been accused of carrying out the barbaric Skripal poisoning…”
    Day 2: “How dare the Russians carry out this barbaric Skripal poisoning?”
    Day 3 “Now that we’re all agreed that the Russians carried out this barbaric Skripal poisoning, how are we going to punish them?”

    Day 1: “Assad has been accused of carrying out the barbaric Douma chemical attack…”
    Day 2: “How dare Assad carry out this barbaric Douma chemical attack?”
    Day 3 “Now that we’re all agreed that Assad carried out this barbaric Douma chemical attack, how are we going to punish him?”

    Isn’t it fantastic, having a fearless questing free media, unlike the Chinese and the North Koreans who have to listen to their state-orchestrated puppet show…

    • Ivan

      Things have come to a sorry pass when one has to rely on al-mannar, almasdar and RT for reliable news. But that is the world we now inhabit.

      • SA

        Why? I have followed these regularly as well as The Guardian, BBC, and other MSM. I always found that thier on-the -ground reporting is much more accurate than the second hand regurgitation of terrorist media by the MSM.

  • JK

    One of the questions raised about the Skripal case was “if they were poisoned by a Soviet-developed nerve agent several times more toxic than VX – why aren’t they dead?״. So I ask here – if the Palestinians are being genocided why aren’t they dead? Last time I checked even the population of Gaza grows each year.

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