Given the centuries of economic exploitation, political domination and depopulation, I perfectly understand why many Scots support any team at the World Cup which is playing England. But, with an English mother and two English grandparents who largely brought me up, I do not feel that way and I raised a glass at Harry Kane’s late winner. Let me tell you why.
My grandfather Henry was a lifelong socialist who had no illusions about the British Empire and its role in the World. Yet he was also a patriotic Englishman whose life, like so many of his generation, was largely defined by the struggle against Nazism, in which his only son had been killed. That focus on the Second World War partly explained his fondness for the Soviet Union, in discussing the abuses of which he would always remark “But you have to consider what came before. Given where they started, they are making progress”. He would recite “A man’s a man for a’that” to me as a small child and explain its meaning. Yet Henry would fly his St George’s flag proudly when occasion warranted it. I do not therefore automatically associate that flag with UKIP or with Essex man.
Because there is another England, that from which Henry sprang, the England documented lovingly by E P Thomson and vividly recorded by Robert Tressell, the England of William Hazlitt, Mary Wollstonecraft, the Putney debates and Thomas Paine. Michael Foot embodied the inherited wisdom of that tradition and it has re-emerged with unexpected vigour in the shape of Jeremy Corbyn, a man whose attraction lies in the very fact he encapsulates notions of basic decency that the English political elite had attempted to cast off.
I regard Scottish Independence as part of the continuing process of decolonisation. Ireland’s population will in the next decade overtake Scotland’s for the first time in centuries, and as of today Ireland’s GDP per capita stands 25% higher. Scotland can never achieve its potential without first achieving its Independence. But we can do that without wishing ill to our neighbours; some of them are quite nice.
unlawful england:
How many banksters have gone to gaol following the collapse of the economy in 2007/08?
How many banksters have gone to gaol for ‘mis-selling’ PPI ?
How many politicians have gone to gaol for stealing our pensions?
unlawful England
They arrested the Labour Party for 2007/8. it’s not easy to get justice from inside jail.
Early (yesterday) indications show that Turkish president Erdogan, is well ahead in the votes, sitting on 59.1% (could be more today).
It’s now strange to think that Turkey’s presidential role was once, mostly ceremonial, however in 2017, Turkish voters endorsed, a new role for the position that granted the president new powers.
Now a almost certain win for the president (Erdogan) will give him a five year term to vastly increase his grip on the country, and mould it into his very own personal empire.
Already 160,000 have been detained according to the UN, as part of a crackdown on perceived plans to root out Gulen’s followers. The reality however is that Gulen can be used to remove all manner of opponents, or voices or militants that oppose Erdogan’s will.
Will Erdogan’s likely consolidation of power in Turkey, see the country become less open and welcoming, and more insular, I certainly hope not.
Probably not.
Foreign tourists visiting Turkey
2002 (year before Erdogan became president): 13m
2018 (projected): 40m
Yes Greg, I think you’re probably right on that one. According to the Hurriyet news outlet Turkish inflation at the beginning of June stood at around 12.5% and the Turkish Lira, was falling also.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-annual-inflation-at-10-85-pct-in-april-132754
@ Republicofscotland June 25, 2018 at 10:38
For all Erdogan’s many serious faults, at least he is not the US’s puppet, as has been the situation in the past when the US-controlled Turkish military were either the rulers (after US organised coups) or the power behind the scenes.
That Gulen is being hosted and protected by the US should be all you need to know about him.
Paul.
I agree, however in my opinion Erdogan plays a very cagey game, with the US both use each other whilst both attempt to get the upperhand in the region.
Erdogan oppresses the Kurds, whilst using the Syrian conflict as cover, and the US uses Turkish airbases for all manner of sorties and staging post events in the region.
Id imagine however that both countries want to see the removal of Assad, for different reasons, therefore although Turkey and the US may appear to be at odds, they still have common goals.
Lets not forget that the RAF, and the RSA, airforces also fly sorties out of Turkish airbases as well.
@ Republicofscotland June 25, 2018 at 11:22
Sure, the US and Turkey want to see Assad go – that is why Turkey was the gateway from which most of the West’s proxy mercenary headchoppers poured across Turkey’s borders in their often brand-new Toyota trucks mounted with heavy weaponry into Syria and Iraq.
Turkey’s reason for wanting Assad out was simply he wanted to absorb large areas of Syria into Turkey, a task easier to accomplish if Syria was under attack from many sides, and Balkanised.
I only hope the distancing of Turkey with the US and EU (and NATO – much the same) continues apace.
I don’t know if you saw the following (I did put it up previously), but it is important:
‘Arab Daily: British Diplomatic Cable Unveils US Plots to Disintegrate Syria’:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/arab-daily-british-diplomatic-cable-unveils-us-plots-to-disintegrate-syria/5630726
Judging from the list of Directors of Genie Oil there must be a Ghawar underneath the Golan. But the Syrian State had to be no more first or there would be war.
Oded Yinon – “Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East
The Infamous “Oded Yinon Plan”. Introduction by Michel Chossudovsky
By Israel Shahak and Prof Michel Chossudovsky
May 17, 2018
Introduction
The following document pertaining to the formation of “Greater Israel” constitutes the cornerstone of powerful Zionist factions within the current Netanyahu government, the Likud party, as well as within the Israeli military and intelligence establishment. (article first published by Global Research on April 29, 2013).
President Donald Trump has confirmed in no uncertain terms, his support of Israel’s illegal settlements (including his opposition to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, pertaining to the illegality of the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank).
Moreover, by moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and allowing for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and beyond, the US president has provided a de facto endorsement of the “Greater Israel” project as formulated under the Yinon Plan.
Bear in mind: this design is not strictly a Zionist Project for the Middle East, it is an integral part of US foreign policy, namely Washington’s intent to fracture and balkanize the Middle East. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is intended to trigger political instability throughout the region.
According to the founding father of Zionism Theodore Herzl, “the area of the Jewish State stretches: “From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.” According to Rabbi Fischmann, “The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates, it includes parts of Syria and Lebanon.”
When viewed in the current context, including the siege on Gaza, the Zionist Plan for the Middle East bears an intimate relationship to 2003 invasion of Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria, Iraq and Yemen, not to mention the political crisis in Saudi Arabia.
The “Greater Israel” project consists in weakening and eventually fracturing neighboring Arab states as part of a US-Israeli expansionist project, with the support of NATO and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, the Saudi-Israeli rapprochement is from Netanyahu’s viewpoint a means to expanding Israel’s spheres of influence in the Middle East as well as confronting Iran. Needless to day, the “Greater Israel” project is consistent with America’s imperial design.’
“Greater Israel” consists in an area extending from the Nile Valley to the Euphrates.
/..
https://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815
Paul B – agreed. Also, Erdogan is actively voiciferous about the atrocities and actions committed by the Israeli Govt against the Palestinians.
Oded Yinon – “Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East
The Infamous “Oded Yinon Plan”. Introduction by Michel Chossudovsky
By Israel Shahak and Prof Michel Chossudovsky
May 17, 2018
Introduction
The following document pertaining to the formation of “Greater Israel” constitutes the cornerstone of powerful Zionist factions within the current Netanyahu government, the Likud party, as well as within the Israeli military and intelligence establishment. (article first published by Global Research on April 29, 2013).
President Donald Trump has confirmed in no uncertain terms, his support of Israel’s illegal settlements (including his opposition to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, pertaining to the illegality of the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank).
Moreover, by moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and allowing for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and beyond, the US president has provided a de facto endorsement of the “Greater Israel” project as formulated under the Yinon Plan.
Bear in mind: this design is not strictly a Zionist Project for the Middle East, it is an integral part of US foreign policy, namely Washington’s intent to fracture and balkanize the Middle East. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is intended to trigger political instability throughout the region.
According to the founding father of Zionism Theodore Herzl, “the area of the J e wish State stretches: “From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.” According to Rabbi Fischmann, “The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates, it includes parts of Syria and Lebanon.”
When viewed in the current context, including the siege on Gaza, the Zionist Plan for the Middle East bears an intimate relationship to 2003 invasion of Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria, Iraq and Yemen, not to mention the political crisis in Saudi Arabia.
The “Greater Israel” project consists in weakening and eventually fracturing neighboring Arab states as part of a US-Israeli expansionist project, with the support of NATO and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, the Saudi-Israeli rapprochement is from Netanyahu’s viewpoint a means to expanding Israel’s spheres of influence in the Middle East as well as confronting Iran. Needless to day, the “Greater Israel” project is consistent with America’s imperial design.’
“Greater Israel” consists in an area extending from the Nile Valley to the Euphrates.
/..
https://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815
From all the frenetic activity last week it looks like Trump’s sick joke of a “peace plan” is about to launch. Formulated by zionists for zionists.
The knife twisted in the ribs this time appears to be getting all those nice, absolute monarchies in the Gulf on board.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180622-is-the-uae-purchasing-properties-in-east-jerusalem-on-behalf-of-israel/
Wonder how their downtrodden masses will react. The Arab spring never really touched the Gulf.
Comedy gold. How are 6.5 million Israelis going to occupy that much ground? Better check how Erdogan is expanding his empire into Syria: -boycott Turkey- anyone ?
The blue stripes on the Israeli flag represent the Nile and Euphrates. Sort of a giveaway of Israeli foreign policy.
Antonyl
You ask an interesting question and here is the answer
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/17/israel-soviet-immigrants-transform-country
Sharp:
Yes we heard first time.
No need to post the same thing twice within minutes.
It Hogs the Blog.
Ever since the Great War, “respectable” states have been evolving a permanent state of emergency as a way to subvert the rule of law at roughly the same speed that representation of the people in legislative assemblies increased. it was the democratic constitution of Weimar Germany and the steadfast refusal of the German voters to support the boss class parties that prevented this occurring as it already had in France, Britain and the US, which is why the not-respectable NSDAP was jobbed into office in 1933. In this respect, Turkey had joined the C20th.
You are overlooking Uncle Sam put him in power because he didn’t like nationalist Ecevic interfering with his devastating bombing campaign of Serbia over Kosovo, and then tried to overthrow Erdogan when the Pentagon-made quakes around Lake Van didn’t get him in line, and when he baulked over going along with the Mediterranean Dialogue for Isreal.
I have grown to like the current President, though I usually like anyone who doesn’t go along with Uncle Sam.
THF
“My enemies enemy” may not nescessarily be my friend. Erdogan has been playing a very duplicitous game in Syria and still does. Also let us not forget that Turkey has been the conduit of all the IS supporters from the west going to Syria, no questions asked. Also let us not forget that he was doing a very lucrative trade on oil with Daesh before the Russia put a stop to this. I am not sure he is trustworthy just because he is anti US. And anyway Turkey remains a member of NATO.
Right, SA. but let’s not forget America’s similar duplicitous conduct iike when Bubba kicked the crap out of nationalist Ecevic with that quake in Zmit because one of his military officers in NATO was tipping off Milosovic of its targets during the bombing campaign of Kosovo.
Erdogan has had a constant mine field to negotiate,
“Given the centuries of economic exploitation, political domination and delopulation…”
Holy Mollee, it could be World Cup Scotenfreude time. Personally, I have always thought the Scots did a good job of all that on themselves, not having had the benefit of assimilation and enlightenment by Edward’s men, unlike the more fortunate Welsh.
Seven boats currently in “distress” in the Mediterranean with approximately 1,000 migrants on board. But don’t worry the Aquarius taxi service is on her way to take them all to Europe. Any Spanish students get ready to pack your bags and move out of your accommodation.
The real distress is a Libya thats been left in chaos, anon1, a shambles just as Iraq and Egypt and now Syria, caused by our western concerted efforts and slippery oil money from human rights abuser Saudi Arabia.
Wherever we interfere in countries we have caused chaos and distress, really good at bombing we are, but hell no, dealing with the outfall our actions was never a strong point, for us some people are expendable.
A crazy world going out of control, under attack from some who aim at global hegemony, regardless torturers and murderers.
You anon1 are cheering them on and however many charitable eco causes you claim to proffer here, they come to not much cause global warming is going to change the world for a few hundred years to come if not more, animals and ecosystem will suffer alike.
Interesting to learn that there is real distress in Libya, Iraq, Egypt and Syria. You seem to have omitted any mention of Algeria.
Reports are emerging that the Algerians are dumping up to 13,000 migrants into the Sahara desert where they can either walk or die.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5881959/Catastrophe-warning-Algeria-abandons-13-000-migrants-Sahara.html
It would appear that a number of these migrants have West African origin, None of Libya, Iraq, Egypt or Syria are located in west Africa. Is it possible that the situation is somewhat more complex than your self loathing analysis would suggest.
Here is a question: Does the US under President Trump treat Mexican migrants more or less harshly than Algeria?
Interestingly the EU appears to have long been aware of Algerian policy toward migrants – but did nor find it to be of any interest. Here is another question: What is so special about the migrants that arrived in Valencia last week but is not special about people being forced into the Sahara desert?
@ Loony June 25, 2018 at 12:38
Algeria was also subject to a Western-backed ‘Regime Change’ coup, where the military blocked the new elected government even before they took power, which started a horrific Civil War, in which the Western-backed military were by far the worst offenders. Because they were ‘friendly’ and supported by the West, there was little criticism of their brutalities (massacres often carried out within sight of army bases, by military dressed as ‘rebels’ and sporting false beards).
The Algerian military also conducted metro and train bombings in France, which were duly blamed on the ‘Rebels’, in order to further demonise them with the citizens of the main country, France, backing the Algerian military.
Hardly surprising: France was of course previously the coloniser, and led an extremely brutal ‘dirty war’ against the Algerian people fighting for their independence, which eventually, at great cost, they won.
As these aren’t the people getting into Europe, it is understandable there is not a fuss about it, horrendous though it is (I was not aware of it – links would be useful).
But it does bring to mind even worse atrocities, where the ‘IDF’ confiscated the boots of Egyptian prisoners of war, and left them in the scorching Sinai dessert, to try to make it back to Egypt ‘lines’.
Is the US action re Mexicans as bad? Generally not, but just because the treatment isn’t as bad as some other country is meting out, doesn’t make it right.
There where even German N*zi officers who were scandalised by the brutality of the Croatians during WWII.
As for Qaddafi brutalising darker-skinned Arabs, I had not heard of that, but I do know that the shower of Jihadis who the West enabled to topple Qaddafi most assuredly did brutalise Black people who had been working in Libya.
And you seem to forget, or perhaps have a selective memory, that Qaddafi had made Libya the country with the highest living standards in Africa, with newlyweds being GIVEN a flat, universal free good-quality health-care and education (I believe University Education required a one-off fee of about £50). And he had freed the country from the International Banksters, owing nothing to them or the IMF or World Bank, and was giving aid or low interest loans to other countries in the area to free them from the Banksters grip as well. The Gold Dinar spelt his death knell; everyone who tried to get out from under the $US got attacked and their countries ruined.
The thing that is so special about the migrants that arrived in Valencia last week but is not special about people being forced into the Sahara desert is they are not deemed a ‘problem’ for the EU.
And another point – they are also likely to be fleeing Western-fuelled violence and economic and environmental disasters caused by Western Multinationals and AFRICOM.
You are the only person I have come across who has attempted the whitewash the crimes of the GIA.
Try to remember that as they reveled in the bloodbath that was Algeria throughout the 1990’s they marched under the banner of “No Agreement, No Truce, No Dialogue” They were in fact the very definition of nihilistic killing – and yes they were opposed – you really think Algerians are just going lay down in front of this insanity. Take a look at how the GIA turned on itself with committed members suddenly being deemed to hold the wrong ideological understanding.
These people were ISIS before ISIS were even born. There was very little connection with any western power, No one was interested. The Algerian military were able to defend and protect the operations of Sonatrach, and anyway oil prices were very low in the 1990’s so why would anyone in the west care? I am sure that France meddled to some extent – but why would France want these crazies running around Paris?
The GIA were nuts on a par with the Khmer Rouge in their love of death. And you wax lyrical about them?
@ Loony June 25, 2018 at 12:38
I have just found an article re the Algerian actions- and guess what I found!:
‘Walk or Die: Algeria Forces 13,000 Migrants Into the Sahara Desert’:
https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/walk-or-die-algeria-forces-13-000-migrants-into-the-sahara-desert-1.6203333
‘..Algeria’s mass expulsions have picked up since October 2017, as the European Union renewed pressure on North African countries to head off migrants going north to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea or the barrier fences with Spain. These migrants from across sub-Saharan Africa — Mali, the Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger and more — are part of the mass migration toward Europe, some fleeing violence, others just hoping to make a living….’
Well, fancy that! The Western-backed Algerians carry out their orders (and doubtless pick up brownie points and ‘benefits’ from their European friends):
‘..Algeria’s mass expulsions have picked up since October 2017, as the European Union renewed pressure on North African countries to head off migrants going north to Europe….’
The desert tribes that smuggled migrants were brutalized by Gadaffi, racially abused because of their darker skin and forced to live outside of Libyan society. Since Gadaffi has departed, these tribes have seen something of a boom in business.
If you want to slow down global warming then importing millions of third world migrants is possibly the worst thing you can do as they will pollute the environment about 20 times more with a Western lifestyle than they would had they stayed home.
@ Anon1 June 25, 2018 at 13:56
‘..they will pollute the environment about 20 times more with a Western lifestyle than they would had they stayed home.’
Or than if they died of malnutrition in a devastated country, or been murdered, or died in an intentionally introduced pandemic.
The West wants Africa, but not the Africans (except for mercenary proxies).
Are ‘they’ like the Palestinians, described as just like ‘drugged cockroaches in a bottle’* to you Anon1?
*May 3, 1983:
“When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged roaches in a bottle.”
– Rafael Eitan (1929-2004) served as Chief of Staff of the IDF, and later as Knesset member and government minister.
http://mondoweiss.net/2009/01/the-palestinians-in-israeli-officials-own-words/
I noticed a reference in the earlier associated links to the GIA, it seems to present the same material that is available on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Islamic_Group_of_Algeria, I also noticed it had been edited by Mr Cross. Just saying.
Uncle Sam can mess up the ME without getting too many refugees/ migrants – the Atlantic ocean. The question is why a Macron is so dumb to assist in messing up his close neighbors?
Its all your tribesmen bernardhenrilevy and sarkozys fault convincing obama. You cant have a gadaffy and eat him too.
1) Boris Johnson is defying a three-line whip on the Heathrow vote. The media aren’t putting it like that, but that’s exactly what he’s doing. In his statement today he says he is opposed to the airport plan and that therefore he won’t support it in the vote. That’s not “being unavailable because he’s abroad”. It’s sticking two fingers up at a three-line whip. Either voting against or abstaining will be defiance.
Is there any precedent for a cabinet minister defying a three-line whip and not getting sacked?
Of course it’s possible a three-line whip won’t happen. It’s also possible that the spin merchants will declare that a whip is not a whip (cf. Melania Trump’s jacket). All the “experts” will then chime in to “explain” that it’s only a three-line whip if one of the parliamentary men in tights twangs his third garter when he waves his sword.
Leaving aside such fluff, clearly the incompetent cokehead Boris Johnson is a very important figure. I suspect he may be the US embassy’s most senior person in the British cabinet.
2) As food shortages loom (and, as it happens, a beer shortage, which in this alcohol-addicted country may get more media coverage), and as an 8% fall in GDP is predicted as a result of Brexit, the British defence minister wants to increase military spending by 40%
Forty percent. That’s not a misprint. It’s at £50bn per year and he wants £20bn per year more.
The Tory opinio-sphere is awash with support for that idea. Part of the reason they give is “protecting trade” and “keeping sea lanes open”. So…pull out of Britain’s main trading agreement (the EU), having no clear plan or target for a replacement arrangement, and increase spending on the warfare state by 40% to “project British strength” around the world.
It’s f*cking insane.
N_ I think the Defence Minister should ‘shut up and go away’. Just a stupid question – what sea lanes are actually closed and what is the British Trade that actively needs protection?
Yes it is downright f*****g insane!!!
How ‘they’ voted, by party.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-06-25/division/8A2B2442-17BD-44C7-A19E-9FDB5A9FE7B9/NationalPolicyStatementAirports?outputType=Party
Sacerdoti at work AGAIN.
‘Anti-semitism campaigner Jonathan Sacerdoti complained, writing: ‘When talking about a story on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Andrew Marr for some reason decided to talk about Israel (which was unrelated anyway). He stated there’s a lot of Palestinian kids being killed further south by Israeli forces.’
BBC finds Andrew Marr guilty of rules breach over a ‘misleading’ claim that Israel killed ‘lots of Palestinian kids’
•Follows a complaint about comments made on Sunday news programme
•Discussing Syrian regime’s chemical weapons attack, Marr said: ‘There’s lots of Palestinian kids being killed further south as well by Israeli forces’
•His comments were a reference to clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in Gaza
24 June 2018
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5878523/BBC-finds-Andrew-Marr-guilty-breach-claim-Israel-killed-lots-Palestinian-kids.html
The BBC high ups fall into line with the lobby.
This previous BBC finding followed the so called Pillar of Defence, the 2012 eight day Israeli war against the Palestinians, in which:
By the Last Day
of the Offensive:
– Palestinian Deaths Rise to 156, Including 103 Civilians, and 1,000 Others, Including 971 Civilians, Wounded
– 33 Children Killed and 274 Others Wounded
– 13 Women Killed and 162 Others Wounded
– 3 Journalists Killed
http://pchrgaza.org/en/?p=1863 Chapter and verse on this website.
‘BBC News, 14 November 2012: Finding by the Editorial Complaints Unit
Complaint
The programme included a studio interview with Jonathan Sacerdoti about recent Israeli actions in Gaza. Two viewers complained that he had not been identified as a pro-Israeli speaker, which was misleading and resulted in bias.
Outcome
Mr Sacerdoti was introduced as the Director of the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, and it was not made clear that he is an active proponent of the Israeli viewpoint. What he said in the course of the interview was a legitimate expression of that viewpoint, and in keeping with the requirements of due impartiality in such matters. ++However, viewers should have been made aware that he was not a neutral commentator.++
Partly upheld
Further action
The production team have been reminded of the importance of clearly summarising the standpoint of any interviewee where it is relevant and not immediately clear from their position or the title of their organisation.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Sacerdoti
Guess what? Philip Cross has been active on the editing! Vile lot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonathan_Sacerdoti&action=history
I see from the Wikipedia entry for Mr Sacerdoti that his career includes working for the popular entertainment programme The Wright Stuff, I wondered what he did for them, the Wiki reference leads to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315727/fullcredits/ Searching through the credits we find out that he was an “autocue operator / researcher (24 episodes, 2003)” I don’t understand why this important detail was excluded from his biographical portrait, I suppose only Mr Cross can explain.
🙂
More on him here written at the time of that particular war, the so-called Operation Pillar of Defence.
BBC’s Go-To Man On Gaza?
by Hilary Aked
Jonathan Sacerdoti has been a frequent sight on the BBC recently, commenting on Israel’s assault on Gaza. The BBC presents him as a Middle East expert. But is that the whole story?
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/who_is_jonathan_sacerdoti_the_bbcs_go_to_man_on_gaza
Regev gets a mention in the comments. He was Israel’s spokesman then. Later, the very active Ambassador to the UK of course.
‘Venezuela: ‘Colombia Joining NATO A Threat To Regional Peace’:
https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/13842
‘..Venezuela has rejected the announcement by Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos that his country will be entering the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a “global partner.”
“Venezuela denounces once more before the international community the intention of Colombian authorities to lend themselves to introduce, in Latin America and the Caribbean, a foreign military alliance with nuclear capacity, which in every way constitutes a serious threat for peace and regional stability,” a statement by the foreign ministry said.
Likewise, Venezuela reiterated that it supports the historical position of the region to distance itself from the politics and wars of NATO, and from “any other army or military organization that desires to apply force to the suffering of the people, to impose and guarantee the hegemony of a particular political and economic model.”….’
‘Colombian President-elect Will Not Recognise Venezuela’s Government’:
https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/13894
‘..“We can’t accept having links with a government which we consider to be illegitimate,” declared the winner of the June 17 election. Duque obtained 54 percent of the vote amid a 53 percent participation.
The president-elect, who will take power on August 7, also characterized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a “dictator,” alleging the existence of government-sponsored “drug trafficking structures.”
Similarly, Duque criticised Venezuela’s recent May 20 elections, which he considers to have been “openly manipulated.”
Venezuela’s May 20 presidential elections were declared free and fair by numerous international accompaniment missions who observed the process in the Caribbean nation.
By contrast, Colombia’s recent balloting has drawn significant criticism, with Colombia’s Immediate Reception for the Electoral Transparency Unit (URIEL) registering 1,239 complaints on the day of voting, 51 percent of which referred to “pressure and threats” to voters.
Duque is considered a hard-line politician of the right wing Democratic Centre center who is extremely close to party head and ex-Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, both in his rejection to the Colombian peace process and in the aggressive tone taken in relation to Caracas.
However, unlike Uribe, who stated days after his presidency was over that an invasion to Venezuela had been on the table, Duque has calmed concerns over a possible military encounter between NATO member Colombia and Venezuela, saying that he will not “assume a warlike attitude towards Venezuela.”……’
‘..he will not “assume a warlike attitude towards Venezuela.”…’
Of course he won’t, until the US tells him to (probably assisted by a ‘False Flag’ attack or hoax).
Colombia, a narco-traficking death-squad hell-hole joining NATO! ‘Birds of a feather’ springs to mind.
There are already Colombian ex-military mercenaries fighting in Yemen:
‘UAE deploys mercenaries in Yemen’:
http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=733721457&Country=Eritrea&topic=Politics&subtopic=Forecast&subsubtopic=International+relations&u=1&pid=696721853&oid=696721853&uid=1
(If this link doesn’t work, just enter the headline in the search box).
This might be of interest reference Venezuela. The establishment of a TV station and the reasons for it. Tatuy TV
https://dissidentvoice.org/2018/06/tatuy-tv-a-revolutionary-munitions-factory/
@ Sharp Ears June 25, 2018 at 16:41
https://dissidentvoice.org/2018/06/tatuy-tv-a-revolutionary-munitions-factory/
A very interesting article. I had not heard of Tatuy.
‘…This radicalizing trajectory is actually the subject of our latest episode. Chávez kicks off his project convinced of the possibility of a “humane capitalism”, third-way politics. But after the coup in 2002, after the attacks from the US empire, Chávez said “I am forced to declare the anti-imperialist character of the revolution”. And following that, faced with the dynamics of class struggle in the Venezuelan political reality, Chávez sees it necessary to define a path, and the closest or more realistic way to guarantee the well-being of the people, was socialism. Therefore it was always a path of radicalisation. If one looks at Chávez’s speeches, right before falling ill, these are the clearest, deepest, most radical and most revolutionary speeches he produced….’
Fidel Castro also set out with the idea of friendly relations with the US, though he nationalised because he wasn’t going to let the pillaging of his country’s natural resources by the Multinationals.
Chavez also wanted a ‘Middle Course’, but after the coup attempt in 2002 he became much more radicalised. and notice:
‘… If one looks at Chávez’s speeches, right before falling ill, these are the clearest, deepest, most radical and most revolutionary speeches he produced…’
Like Chavez himself, I believe it was no ‘accident’ that so many Left wing leaders in Latin America, including himself, ‘contracted’ cancer.
Three other ‘thorns in the sides of the Establishments’ (non-Latin Americans) who ‘contracted cancer’ spring to mind – Aaron Russo, Penny Lernoux and Mark Purdey.
A small pellet of radio active material left under a chair would do the trick.
Does “venezuelanalysis” have anything to say about why Venezuelans are fleeing to Colombia in huge numbers? Could it be that Uribe and Santos have made a better job of running their country than Chavez and Maduro?
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2018/06/refugees-venezuela-colombia-election-crisis-simon-bolivar-culture/
For the record, this is what Boris Johnson said today:
“I have long been an opponent of a third runway at Heathrow and that is why I am not voting for it tonight.”
Most of the media will probably say that he is “missing the vote” because he will be “out of the country”. Well that is not true. He has specifically said TODAY that he will not vote with the government because he OPPOSES the government’s proposal.
IThis man is protected.
Media figures including Evgeny Lebedev’s flunkey George Osborne are helping him out.
So sad that we actually have to defend “common decency” as a concept today, as if people didn’t know what that was any more…
It’s just as well to recognize the decadent and obsolete sources of the counter-concept that “we people in the elite business don’t need such naive ideas as ‘common decency’ to inspire us as we go about our divine duty of keeping ‘ordinary people’ away from us”…
Despite some pretty window dressing, our society has learned very little since the time of Dickens. The same rot endures.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson went all the way to Afghanistan to avoid the runway vote!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44594439
@ Sharp Ears June 25, 2018 at 14:17
Perhaps he wants the runway relocated in Kandahar.
LOL
He looked like a proper reprobate.
Is the dishevelled slob bit just an act?
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/657169c7afc168aa1aac4dacfd1451e488206cb7/0_237_3500_2099/master/3500.jpg?
Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs! One of the four ‘great offices of state’.
Makes you feel proud! Not.
Sorry the Guardian are very precious with their photos.
Here is another. Can’t even straighten his tie and as for his leg up on the opposite knee, well.
https://twitter.com/mfa_afghanistan/status/1011237320278847488
The Afghan minister looks very dapper in comparison.
From a briefing I read from a bunch of warmongers called the Institute for the Study of War, the Americans seem to believe that, because they agreed to a truce for three days, not renewed, over Id al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, the Taliban are about ready to make peace (in NK style). That means that Boris must be in Afghanistan to gloriously receive the surrender of the wogs.
I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. The Taliban are not about to surrender. It is more correct to say that they are about to win, and it would be more appropriate for Boris to ease the departure into exile of the president, AbdulGhani.
Quite a few shiny foreheads and bald heads are showing in the HoC today. I wondered if they had air conditioning.
Asbestos fear in House of Commons’s ventilation system
AIR CONDITIONING in the House of Commons chamber has been permanently turned down amid fears that a “lethal level” of asbestos is lurking in the ventilation system.
Mar 12, 2017
According to a senior Whitehall source, House of Commons authorities have previously been forced to consider an emergency evacuation of the Commons after deadly levels of asbestos were registered in the chamber.
Despite a second reading being ordered, which suggested the quantities had been reduced to a “safe level” the authorities have taken the decision to permanently turn down the air condition system to reduce any risk.
This comes just days after a committee of MPs urged members and peers to vacate the crumbling Palace of Westminster for at least six years while vital repair work is carried out.
Warning that the Unesco World Heritage Site faces the prospect of a “catastrophic failure”, the influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC) describes the historic building as being in a state of “extreme disrepair”. ‘
/..
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/778028/house-of-commons-asbestos-air-conditioning-ventilation-system
I’ve just been reading Bloomberg’s report on how hedge funds and Nigel Farage deliberately put it out on Brexit night that Remain would win, so that the pound could be sold short and a huge amount of money pocketed. Interesting article.
Apparently, pollsters sold data to hedge funds “that would have been illegal for them to give the public”.
Can someone explain what that means? I’m aware of contracts requiring commercial secrecy, but that’s civil law, not criminal. Breach of contract is a tort; it’s not “illegal”. What information is criminal for pollsters to publish but perfectly lawful for them to sell to financial speculators? Is this to do with the Representation of the People Act? Does someone here know?
I’m just wondering how it works. If some filthy rich wide boys buy information about voting intentions or indeed about actual votes to help them speculate against the pound, they’re considered honest. But if I buy a newspaper containing the same information, I’d be getting supplied with the same information criminally?
“Breach of contract is a tort; it’s not “illegal””
It is but it’s not a criminal offence.
Isn’t it nice of Josh Cohen to write about nazi problem in Ukraine?
“…Ukraine’s Ministry of Youth and Sports is funding the neo-Nazi group C14 to promote “national patriotic education projects” in the country…”
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/ukraine-s-got-a-real-problem-with-far-right-violence-and-no-rt-didn-t-write-this-headline
The most of all I liked this: “…The Kremlin won’t hesitate to cynically use the far right’s activities to push its false claim that Ukraine is a hornet’s nest of fascists, while Kyiv could also lose support in the West for its inaction…”
Bravo, Mr. Cohen, this is the first and the most important reason to stop nazies in Ukraine!
I am sure he writes from a completely unbiased perspective!
‘Josh Cohen is a former USAID project officer who managed economic reform projects throughout the former Soviet Union. He is a contributor to Reuters, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, and others. ‘
I wonder, is this neo-nazi group was meant by Mr. Pompeo when he stated they ‘will contunue to give weapons to brave young men in Ukraine who fight russians’?
The same logic, with Mrs. Clinton’s leacked e-mails, nothing was more important but if russians could benefit. The same with Mr. Trump, if he good or bad for presidency, but not russians somehowe could benefit.
What’s strange with Scripals is – Russia had nothing to gain, but nonetheless, Putin is still highly likely poisoned them. I see it clear now, Putin must have been too bored with all his problems and sanctions and having 2 weeks ahead before elections he just decided to entertain himself a little with poisoning an old retired spy in a NATO country with military nerve agent 🙂 To secure his victory at elections, you know, all bloody dictators do it to gain more support from their blood-thirsty nation.
@ Tatyana June 25, 2018 at 15:54
I remember at the time reading that ex-IDF members were in the Maidan assisting the coup plotters. They could in no way have been ignorant of the Fascist being the ringleaders. Just as the ‘Exceptionals’ supported Apartheid South Africa, and built a machine-gun factory for Ríos Montt’s brutal military ‘Government’ after Jimmy Carter stopped arms transfers to Guatemala because of their appalling massacres and other human rights abuses.
@Paul Barbara,
it became a wide-known meme here in Russia, Mrs. Nuland and her cookies she brought to Maidan to feed protesters, to make clear USA support. We still use the joke ‘sold your independence for US cookies’ and ‘those cookies were not simple cookies but with a very special stuffing’.
Those people they put in power, they are known by very nationalist ideas, but who cares in the West since they are anti-russian? At last, Mrs. Nuland stated very clearly what she thinks about any then possible objections, remember ‘f*ck the EU’?
And you can check, Russia proposed several times at United Nation, that making hero of nazies must be prohibited. Guess who was vetoing that resolution projects? Right, USA, they say it contradicts freedom of something in their constitution!
https://frontnews.eu/news/en/17759/UN-GA-adopted-a-resolution-on-combating-heroism-of-Nazism
As always more to it than might appear at first glance.
Thank you, Kempe, for bringing the link here.
USA, Israel and Ukraine are those countries, who think you may be perhaps somehow still have some apology when honoring the nazies? Or do I understand wrong the ‘amendments to combating heroism of nazism’?
Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Waltsman (Poroshenko) and Mr. Father of Mrs. Kushener must be preparing us all for the new old idea – “all animals are equal but some (*blessed*) animals are more equal than others” – the core of fascism.
@ Kempe June 25, 2018 at 19:51
‘…As always more to it than might appear at first glance.’
So it would seem: ‘…Only the USA, I**ael and Ukraine voted for them…’
This flying over London during Trump’s visit, it will be a sight to behold.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/trump-baby
@ Republicofscotland June 25, 2018 at 17:36
‘Is it a bird? Is it a plane? ARRGH, it’s the Trumpeter!
Nice one Paul ?
It’s £700 of finite helium desperately needed for Our NHS during a time of worldwide shortage.
I wish it would be a windy day, so that this figure could turn its *backside* to observers and produce many witty jokes about Mr.Trump’s real attitude towards UK
Need one of those Israeli drones with the knife on it
Pink Floyd should sue.
From the Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Email your MP: Secret arms sales to Saudi Arabia –
New research from CAAT has uncovered hundreds of millions of pounds worth of hidden weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.
Bombs and missiles that have been used in attacks on civilians in Yemen are being supplied under a secretive government licence that is supposed to be used only for “less sensitive” goods.
Despite huge public and parliamentary concern about the use of these weapons, the government had never disclosed this information, until it was forced to do so.
These licences were granted before the war on Yemen started, and hundreds of millions of pounds worth have been exported without scrutiny since. These weapons have been directly implicated in attacks on civilian targets, but still the sales continue.
Please write to your MP today to demand that the government comes clean, and demand an end to the arms sales.
……..
On link, facility to look up your MP and template letter
https://www.caat.org.uk/get-involved/act-now/lobby/deadly-secret
There is no show with Regev. Claiming Prince William
.
Mark Regev
@MarkRegev
?Honoured to welcome HRH The Duke of Cambridge to #Israel: the 1st ever official visit by a senior British Royal to the J.w s.h state. ????
https://mobile.twitter.com/MarkRegev/status/1011274207722983429
Click on ‘9 others’ on the link. There is a long list of other Twitter accounts for Israel.
@Anon1
Regarding the U.S. ceased their participation in Paris agreement on climate change
Regarding this withdrowal would be ‘ in accordance with America first policy’, due to Mr. Trump’s statement
Do you really think he could be at least concerned with some possible marine animal’s death?
Even Palestinians shot are not haunting him at nights, nor children sacrificed to his big politics at the Middle East, nor russians bombed at the rus-ukr borders, nor mexican kids in cages….
This article is so disturbing. It makes allegations against UN peacekeepers and observers in Haiti (and elsewhere) confirming much of what my colleague form Haiti, Dady Chery, has covered in her book “We have dared to be free”.
http://www.ezilidanto.com/2017/04/force-united-nations-pedophilia-rape-forced-pregnancy-prostitution-ethnic-cleansing-national-groups/
“The only one who doesn’t know what’s going is the general public listening to the corporate media drone on and on about the UN’s good works and how Haiti needs the Western powers’ fake charity, fake aid, fake elections and fake peacekeepers who help to carry out the quiet genocide, using force and fraud, to take poor Haitians off valuable lands, offshore islands and shorelines.”
It is iridium, not oil, the corporate thieves are stealing in this raid.
John Goss
Colonialists always pay their workers with what does not belong to them. Who’s going to extract oil from Iraq without enslaved Yazidi girls and protection from NATO’s Erdogan and protection from sleazebag Cameron?
Who’s going to extract Iridium from Haiti without enslaved Haitian women and official protection from the US and UN? Nobody’s going to listen to anything not from the guru himself, and the guru is on holiday.
@ John Goss June 25, 2018 at 22:26
Lt. Gen. Ken Keen, deputy commander of SOUTHCOM, JUST HAPPENED to be on a two-day visit to Haiti when the ‘earthquake’ struck.
’13 reasons to suspect HAARP caused Haiti quake’: https://truth11.com/2010/04/02/13-reasons-to-suspect-haarp-caused-haiti-quake/
Then there was the cholera epidemic, caused by Nepalese ‘Peacekeeping’ troops, stationed up-river of Port O’Prince, using the river for sewage disposal.
Accident? Maybe, but I have reason to suspect not.
Another UN ‘Peacekeeping’ force in Bosnia was exposed, at great personal risk, by a US policewoman seconded to the Peacekeeping UN force, Kathryn Bolkovac. Here she discusses some of what went on:
‘DYNCORP CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING WHISTLEBLOWER KATHRYN BOLKOVAC’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLgI1jjq7U
She wrote an excellent book, ‘The Whistleblower: Sex Trafficking, Military Contractors, and One Woman’s Fight for Justice (Paperback)’, which is available very cheaply on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0230115225/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529967067&sr=1-1
I strongly recommend it.
There was also a good docudrama (I don’t generally like these, but this one was good), ‘The Whistleblower’.
Unfortunately it has been removed from youtube for British viewers (though with a little chicanery it is possible to get it by downloading a programme that disguises your email country source).
The same things have happened in Africa with UN ‘Peace’ or other forces.
Oxfam also comes off miserably in Haiti; I think they built about three houses, but managed to build a luxury hotel there.
@ Paul Barbara June 26, 2018 at 00:55
Silly me! Re Haiti, I forgot the hellish ‘Clinton Foundation! Highly profitable, virtually no assistance, tons of donations, and a stream of vulnerable kids to traffic.
‘allegations against UN peacekeepers and observers in Haiti (and elsewhere)’
When I was with the UN in E.Timor the Jordanians were the grossest offenders. It was the first time they’d sent a Jorbatt contingent and UN policy was to ensure it was successful. Their crimes were covered up. The problems began immediately when they used a mosque in Manufahi for prayers, locals tried to burn it down and were prevented by the new UN Administrator. In retaliation they held UN cars ‘hostage,’ and the leaders were banned by the Administrator from partaking in political meetings. Protests spread and disaffected youth joined the anti UN group. Then they went to Indonesia and invited militia to attack. Jordanian UNPOL abused kids in Ermera but the worst was their systematic abuse of kids in Oecussi. Just after 9/11 the Jordanians fave restaurant in Dili the ‘Monkey Bar’ was burned down. Peacekeepers from Kenya and prostitutes brought in the Thailand introduced AIDS, now a huge problem. I saw plenty of corruption by UN employees and by NGOS that contracted with the UN mission, but apart from one allegation of rape and the Jordanian abuses I’ve written of above, no sexual abuse of locals either then or since.
‘It is iridium’
Great stuff, makes good satphones. My old Thrane and Thrane kit took ages to set up and zapped you if you walked in front of the antenna.
We are camping in Cornwall. We met 7 German kids who had loads of potatoes, but not enough energy to boil them. Its very hot but a bit windy, so we bought an extension to our windbreak for £4.99 a few hours ago, and now have 7 German Kids eating their Potatoes in their Tent. They had the right idea. My wife and I just helped them. They were exceedingly polite. It just made us feel so good for having the confidence to make friends with these kids and help them. xx Tony c
@ Tony_0pmoc June 25, 2018 at 23:32
I know what you mean about the wind. I went camping to Perranporth, but on trying to put up the tent realised it was just too windy, so back in the car and off to Tor Cross in Devon (where another adventure lurked!).
There is another England indeed:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/06/25/americas-cold-war-tugboat/
bj.
Thanks for the link, some good old hard facts of British political skullduggery. This however piqued my interest.
“At the time of the April missile attack, her husband, Philip, was an executive for Capital Group, an investment management company and the largest shareholder in BAE systems, manufacturer of Tornado fighter-bombers used against Syria, as well as a major investor in the world’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin.”
I don’t know where I got this article — probably here, but it can’t hurt to again bring it to attention:
https://off-guardian.org/2018/06/21/the-parallel-universe-of-bbc-panorama/
@ bj June 26, 2018 at 00:47
It was on here, but as you said, doesn’t hurt to bump it.
bj
Did you know there are thirteen floors of BBC at the Mailbox in Birmingham?
I thought the BBC in Birmingham was a pile of pebbles at Pebble Mill.
What do they do with 13 floors?
No I didn’t. They are having it away with the licence fee proceeds.
It’s all past tense for BBC Birmingham.
‘BBC Birmingham is not to be confused with BBC Midlands, which is also based at the Mailbox. BBC Birmingham is the name of the Network Productions Centre in Birmingham making network programmes for television and radio. BBC Midlands is the regional operation providing news, current affairs and other regional programmes. Some departments within BBC Birmingham, such as factual programming, have been subject to review as part of a wider restructuring process. Much of the factual department, making programmes such as Countryfile, has been moved to either Bristol, Salford or other BBC offices.’
‘Current BBC Birmingham productions
BBC Birmingham output has steadily diminished over time as production has moved elsewhere with the closure of Pebble Mill and the development of other BBC sites. Doctors is currently produced at the BBC Drama Village in Selly Oak, and The Archers is produced for BBC Radio 4. Father Brown, WPC 56, and The Coroner are all BBC Birmingham productions for afternoon broadcast. The closure of the Factual Unit in 2012 meant no factual programmes outside of regional output are produced in Birmingham.
The Midlands contributes the highest portion of the BBC’s revenue through licence fees (£942 million) yet has the second lowest amount of BBC spending in the region, after Northern Ireland. This equates to “91% of Midland BBC licence fees spent elsewhere” .’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Birmingham
There is also the BBC Drama Village at Selly Oak. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Drama_Village
And the ridiculous Mailbox itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailbox_Birmingham Quelle horreur!
Pure profligacy – reckless extravagance or wastefulness in the use of resources.
@ giyane June 26, 2018 at 06:07
Hire a medium and ask Jimmy Savile.
Did Israel put on a special show for their royal visitor?
25 Jun 2018 | 23:30 GMT
‘2 Israeli missiles’ strike near Damascus airport – Syrian state media
Reuters
Two missiles have reportedly landed in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
It was not immediately clear if the missiles were intercepted or if they hit their intended target. There were also no immediate reports of any damage or casualties. Besides pinning the blame on Israel, Syrian state TV provided no further details on the alleged strike that took place on Monday night.
Damascus has repeatedly accused Israel of de-facto helping the terrorists and boosting their morale every time they lose ground to the Syrian government forces. Meanwhile, Israel, which rarely admits to its operations in Syria, maintains its right to intervene whenever it deems it necessary to thwart Iran’s growing influence and prevent the potential transfer of weapons to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.’
/..
https://www.rt.com/news/430868-damascus-airport-missiles-strike/
Vicinities of airports are always good to strike by any dapper air force.
They earn moral reputations that way.
The other two made it into Downing Street and Bodgers is keen to ensure that no Bullingdon is left behind, as the Afghanistan fly-by shows.
Apparently, pollsters sold data to hedge funds “that would have been illegal for them to give the public”.
Can someone explain what that means?
Simples,it is illegal in the UK to publish exit polls during General Elections, but it is not illegal to pay to someone to collect the information for private use.
Thus demonstrating the pointlessness of silly laws.
The problem is that publish is undefined. Is giving the results to a hedge fund publishing? It hasn’t been tested in court, so who knows?
Nor “poll” .
It is a mystery.
This brings to mind a story I read several years ago, about a fellow who worked in one of those huge airhanger style sheds that chickens are kept in.
At first the chap was considerate and humane towards the chickens, however after a period of time in the job, he became desensitised to the chickens situation, eventually becoming downright cruel to them.
This interesting article from Fintan O’Toole, reminds of that particular story.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trial-runs-for-fascism-are-in-full-flow-1.3543375
Why is Jeremy wearing a Pakistan flag hat?
Or is he hoping to be recruited as the next Dumbledore at Hogwarts. I hope you’re watching J.K. ?
https://mobile.twitter.com/WingsScotland/status/1011516825539096576
‘Felled Trees and No Leaf Shade Causes Network Rail Lines to ‘Overheat and Buckle’ in Hot Sunshine’:
https://www.change.org/p/13162899/u/22930595?
You couldn’t make it up. Is someone having a laugh?
Someone should pay for this ridiculous, anti-environmental gaff, and not just a ‘fall guy’, but one of the ‘Big Guns’ (and ‘Mega Paycheck’) ones.
They do things a bit differently here:
https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/06/prorail-to-map-one-million-trees-cut-down-those-too-close-to-tracks/
That’s _mapping_ them, not wholesale destruction. In addition, and this is one part of life here that I really like:
—
By law, no tree should be closer than 11 metres from a railway track and ‘in principle’ all trees within the forbidden zone should be cut down. But that is not ‘socially acceptable’ and so only trees which are ‘really too close’ to the tracks will be removed, ProRail said.
—
What a difference in attitude.
Prince William meets the war criminal** and his wife who has just been charged with fraud. He also met the president Rivlin who asked him to take a message of peace (LOL) to the Palestinians.
Video: Prince William meets Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem
As part of his Middle East visit, Prince William met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at Beit Aghion at their official residence.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1714998/Video-Prince-William-meets-Israeli-PM-Benjamin-Netanyahu-Jerusalem.html
Prince William has also paid the requisite visit to Yad Vashem.
**
2012 Operation Pillar of Defence
2014 Operation Protective Edge
Add in the that the number one state sponger’s grandson’s wife, will, get a very special title when she pops her clogs.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/kate-middleton-very-special-title-14825963
What was it that Boris Johnson allegedly said, oh that’s right “F*ck Business” over Brexit fears.
“Investment in the UK motor industry has halved in the first half of 2018, as uncertainty about the future post-Brexit hits spending, according to the latest research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-uk-car-industry-investment-smmt-a8417071.html
Of course Boris Johnson said he’d lie down in front of the bulldozers to halt a third runway at Heathrow, come the vote on it and he wasn’t even in the country lets alone the Commons.
A man of integrity or self interest? The latter for sure.
Are the British authorities deliberately encouraging mugging by motorbike? The copycat effect must be enormous. It certainly encourages the widespread feeling that society is breaking down.
Those who are not naive know that low-level criminal gangs are already ubiquitous. Pubs, all restaurants, most small shops (not just ones that sell flowers, pies, cigarettes and alcohol), as well as many other businesses such as estate agencies, solicitors’ firms, car repair places, tanning salons, building trade concerns (famously roofers and double-glazing scammers, but also window fitters, solar panel and driveway merchants, many plumbers and heating companies, etc.), Chinese health outfits, storage companies, mortgage advice companies, haulage companies, all companies involved in security, property management, car hire, etc. etc. etc. are either paying for protection or are otherwise connected with “muscle”.
But make no mistake: when things break down, criminal gangs will come out even more into the open than they are already. They won’t bother so much with patter.
As for slavery, some of it is already out in the open for anyone who isn’t too scared of thinking for themselves, or too busy picking their phone thinking they’re “free”, to wonder why car washers tend mostly not to know any English and to look miserable the whole time.
The drop downwards is underway. Imagine what will happen when the bank machines stop, the lights go out, and the petrol pumps run dry.
There are parts of suburbia where those who have few social contacts, and who are not so strong mentally – people who used to be looked after by the community they belonged to – are at constant risk of burglary. I don’t mean in poor rundown council or ex-council estates, where most people are at such risk, but in areas where most houses are owner or “owner” occupied. Leave something outside a house one afternoon and criminals – in many cases gypsy criminals – will make sure it’s not there by noon the next day.
I’m thinking back to the 2011 riots. They had no “uprising” or “class struggle” element whatsoever – they were simply commercial gang crime and the order must have come from high up, for reasons that remain unclear although one can speculate about insurance and the Olympics, etc. How low-level organised crime connects with “straight” big business is of course something that “democratic” countries don’t encourage recognition of, let alone discussion of, in any part of the media or the political spectrum.
Meanwhile, Countrywide, Britain’s largest estate agent, seems as though it might be about to go bust. (About f***ing time!)
@ N_ June 26, 2018 at 13:42
Just as the CIA and FBI work with the Mafia (the only difference between a lot of them is the CIA and FBI seem to be smarter), and indeed the CIA is the biggest drug smuggling outfit on the planet.
Here, the Old Bill cooperate with ‘informers’, letting them do their drug deals and thievery in exchange for info; and these informers and associated ‘gangs’ are sometimes used to harass and intimidate folk for political reasons, with the blessing (or instigation) of the Bill.
I am sure ‘protection rackets’ go on still, but I was not aware they were on the scale you suggest. I’d like a few links, if you have any.