The time that “Boshirov and Petrov” were allegedly in Salisbury carrying out the attack is all entirely within the period the Skripals were universally reported to have left their home with their mobile phones switched off.
A key hole in the British government’s account of the Salisbury poisonings has been plugged – the lack of any actual suspects. And it has been plugged in a way that appears broadly convincing – these two men do appear to have traveled to Salisbury at the right time to have been involved.
But what has not been established is the men’s identity and that they are agents of the Russian state, or just what they did in Salisbury. If they are Russian agents, they are remarkably amateur assassins. Meanwhile the new evidence throws the previously reported timelines into confusion – and demolishes the theories put out by “experts” as to why the Novichok dose was not fatal.
This BBC report gives a very useful timeline summary of events.
At 09.15 on Sunday 4 March the Skripals’ car was seen on CCTV driving through three different locations in Salisbury. Both Skripals had switched off their mobile phones and they remained off for over four hours, which has baffled geo-location.
There is no CCTV footage that indicates the Skripals returning to their home. It has therefore always been assumed that they last touched the door handle around 9am.
But the Metropolitan Police state that Boshirov and Petrov did not arrive in Salisbury until 11.48 on the day of the poisoning. That means that they could not have applied a nerve agent to the Skripals’ doorknob before noon at the earliest. But there has never been any indication that the Skripals returned to their home after noon on Sunday 4 March. If they did so, they and/or their car somehow avoided all CCTV cameras. Remember they were caught by three CCTV cameras on leaving, and Borishov and Petrov were caught frequently on CCTV on arriving.
The Skripals were next seen on CCTV at 13.30, driving down Devizes road. After that their movements were clearly witnessed or recorded until their admission to hospital.
So even if the Skripals made an “invisible” trip home before being seen on Devizes Road, that means the very latest they could have touched the doorknob is 13.15. The longest possible gap between the novichok being placed on the doorknob and the Skripals touching it would have been one hour and 15 minutes. Do you recall all those “experts” leaping in to tell us that the “ten times deadlier than VX” nerve agent was not fatal because it had degraded overnight on the doorknob? Well that cannot be true. The time between application and contact was between a minute and (at most) just over an hour on this new timeline.
In general it is worth observing that the Skripals, and poor Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, all managed to achieve almost complete CCTV invisibility in their widespread movements around Salisbury at the key times, while in contrast “Petrov and Boshirov” managed to be frequently caught in high quality all the time during their brief visit.
This is especially remarkable in the case of the Skripals’ location around noon on 4 March. The government can only maintain that they returned home at this time, as they insist they got the nerve agent from the doorknob. But why was their car so frequently caught on CCTV leaving, but not at all returning? It appears very much more probable that they came into contact with the nerve agent somewhere else, while they were out.
“Boshirov and Petrov” plainly are of interest in this case. But only Theresa May stated they were Russian agents: the police did not, and stated that they expected those were not their real identities. We do not know who Boshirov and Petrov were. It appears very likely their appearance was to do with the Skripals on that day. But they may have been meeting them, outside the home. The evidence points to that, rather than doorknobs. Such a meeting might explain why the Skripals had turned off their mobile phones to attempt to avoid surveillance.
It is also telling the police have pressed no charges against them in the case of Dawn Sturgess, which would be manslaughter at least if the government version is true.
If “Boshirov and Petrov” are secret agents, their incompetence is astounding. They used public transport rather than a vehicle and left the clearest possible CCTV footprint. They failed in their assassination attempt. They left traces of novichok everywhere and could well have poisoned themselves, and left the “murder weapon” lying around to be found. Their timings in Salisbury were extremely tight – and British Sunday rail service dependent.
There are other possibilities of who “Boshirov and Petrov” really are, of which Ukrainian is the obvious one. One thing I discovered when British Ambassador to Uzbekistan was that there had been a large Ukrainian ethnic group of scientists working at the Soviet chemical weapon testing facility there at Nukus. There are many other possibilities.
Yesterday’s revelations certainly add to the amount we know about the Skripal event. But they raise as many new questions as they give answers.
And this could be an insight into what might unfold in Syria, and cause Germany to send forces into Syria.
“Fresh off a sitdown with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Virginia state senator Richard Black turned up on Arab TV last week making an extraordinary claim about one of the US’ closest allies.”
“Mr Black said Britain’s MI6 intelligence service was planning a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, which it would then blame on Mr Assad.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/syria-chemical-weapons-virginia-senator-richard-black-uk-mi6-assad-russia-a8529681.html
Germany into Syria to prepare for another thrashing from Russia? Wasn’t WWII sufficient?
Propaganda for war on Syria surge,
Here Al Jazeera use a teen to spread propaganda for war and to call on Trump to bomb Syria!
https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1039017103968202754
Everybody’s jumping on the war bandwagon. Today’s Guardian has “MPs want inquiry into cost of inaction on Syria” and “Uniformed youth groups will be given £5m to expand in poor areas” and “Revealed: army drive to recruit easily-influenced young people”. So, it’s time to send the poor off to war.
Blunderbuss
And they managed to do what every time (send people off). People wont learn or what cause this sickness?
Corbyn need to put his foot down now before its too late.
I read the Cost of not intervening article in the Guardian. The white man’s burden. Soon we’ll see an Arab holding a sign “come over and save us”.
The Great Satan, carries more dirty deeds for the Little Satan at home, by closing down a Palestinian Mission in Washington.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-middle-east-45471420
“An action for damages brought by one against whom a civil suit or criminal proceeding has been unsuccessfully commenced without Probable Cause and for a purpose other than that of bringing the alleged offender to justice.” “A claim for malicious prosecution can arise where the police or another prosecuting authority bring and/or continue proceedings against a person in bad faith or out of malice.” I am not holding my breath.
Jeez, what a repressive tyranny, we should be invading this country not Syria.
“Saudi Arabia has detained a hotel worker who filmed himself eating breakfast with a female colleague, the country’s labour ministry has said.”
“The owner of the hotel has also been summoned for questioning, according to the ministry.”
“The footage, which has been shared widely on social media, shows a woman dressed in a burqa eating breakfast with a man and, at one point, feeding him some food.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-women-video-eating-breakfast-burqa-colleague-egypt-a8531046.html?amp
Bizarre, certainly by most countries’ standards, but what actually happened to the bloke, RepScot? Released after questioning and a warning, perhaps? Something worse? Your link does not say and so I’m puzzled what point you’re trying to make.
How, in your opinion, does this event compare to the Iranian fatwa against Salman Rushdie or the killing of Pakistanis for apostasy?
Or the fatwa against Julian Assange.
yeah, the uk fatwa on assange really shows the uk’s true persona… no wonder they like ksa.. what is not to like about some monarchy type dictatorship, lol… i suppose that explains why regime change only happens in some places, and not others.. this democracy is not all it is cracked up to be by the west, especially when the west has a bad habit of supporting dictators or replacing leaders who failed countries.. i guess that is the plan for syria at present still.. heaven forbid someone like assange, snowden or manning shine a bad light on the usa for any of it..
The fatwa is pretty mild in comparison to the US kill list executed by drones
https://www.cfr.org/blog/obamas-final-drone-strike-data
Same reply as to “bj” 🙂
A reply which read along the lines of “why don’t you let RepScot reply for himself if he can”.
Why do you keep using the quotes? It is my real name, as I told you once before, after which you apologized for poking fun with it.
I don’t mind the fun. Blowjob, blowjob, blowjob, so there.
I do mind your devious ways of trying to out people.
In my case, I’m here already, with my real name, albeit abbreviated.
You’ll just have to make do with that.
“How, in your opinion, does this event compare to the Iranian fatwa against Salman Rushdie or the killing of Pakistanis for apostasy?”
How, in your opinion, does this post have anything to do with the OP? This is a clumsy attempt at deflecting attention away from the point made about a Western ‘ally’ onto a Western regime change target. If someone criticises the Saudis are they also required to criticise all other transgressions made by all other Moslem countries? Also, why bring up something which occurred 20 years ago to counter a topical point? You may as well be banging on about Saladin.
Actually, I recall that some commenters do from time to time slip in a reference or two to the Crusaders. I trust we shall be hearing from you next time that occurs?
Oh, it’s just another facet of the oppressive regime, that the west and Israel’s ally overlook, how convenient.
CB
Scene: Inside a moving train, somewhere in Eastern Europe, the year: 1943 :
Armed guard, addressing CB who is travelling quietly:
“Your papers! YOUR PAPERS!.”
Armed guard to colleague:
“He has no papers.”
Colleague:
“Detain him for further questioning. His name seems to be ‘Bostik’ from the small amount of documentation found on him.”
Armed guard:
“Do not worry (addressing fellow travellers) – this is all quite legal. He is to be taken to a safe place.”
There is this evil Demonic Force, that very few of us are prepared to face. I am afraid of it too. If I wasn’t I would post under my real name. I take my hat off, to everyone who does. You have got more courage than me.
I have noticed what has happenned over the last 17 years, to many of the people who did. I didn’t mind losing my job, but I am not a great fan of paranoia. I don’t mind meeting “journalists” in the pub, or at a party – even if its in my house. I do know some of them.
It’s possible, I was spiked on Saturday, but I didn’t drop my pint. It was a close shave. Then I nearly got run over by a bus.
However, I think things are changing.
Very many more people, are becoming aware of what has really been going on since 2001, and many of them are beginning to speak.
Tony
Hi Tony, I agree things are changing. We appear to be in very volatile times. You can sense the war behind the scenes – any actual war is but a reflection or symptom (but devastating nonetheless). May you live in interesting times!
Nick,
A simple example of change is a pendulum. At the point of change nothing much seems to happen. It just doesn’t go even more extreme left or extreme right. Just don’t get in the way of it, when it’s at it’s fiercest, fastest point. Hopefully it will clear most of the Blairite sh1t out of the Labour Party.
Then we might be able to make some progress.
Tony
Tony, let’s hope so. I’m not hater by nature, but TB brings me almost viscerally into the zone.
I disagree, people seem totally taken in by Brexit, Trump and Pentalega. There is no hope, nothing can stop whatever they have planned.
Someone mentioned Bashir al-Assad earlier on and that reminded me of something I’ve been meaning to ask.
It’s generally admitted that the Old Devil of Damascus – that’s Hafez al-Assad – intended his elder son Basil al-Assad to take over the reins of power in due course.
But Basil managed to kill himself by driving his powerful sports car too fast.
So the designated successor became the Old Devil’s younger son, Bashir al-Assad, who was duly recalled from London and subsequently became the Young Devil.
My question is : WHY did the Young Devil come back to Syria? After all, by all accounts, the young Devil had built his career as a successful medical doctor in London and had made his life there. Surely, if he was just a humble, non-political professional in the business of healing (as is usually claimed by his fans) he could have politely declined his father’s call and stayed where he was? After all, it’s not as if an intelligent man like Bashir could have had any illusions about the political system he was being invited to join and to maintain, is it. It must surely have been clear to him that accepting the offer meant acquiescing to the concept of dynastic rule (real rule, not just an honorific Head of State rule).
Surely, if any of his supporters on here had found themselves in the same position, they would have declined the offer? So why did he not? Thoughts welcome!
The premise in your long winded question (more a veiled attempt to erect a strawman) is wrong: there are no supporters of Assad (any one of them) here.
Nice try.
“there are no supporters of Assad (any one of them) here”
That’s quite a whopper even by your standards, “bj”.
You presume too much, CB.
The call of duty, Charlie boy, just like Bertie Windsor, I would imagine.
What do YOU think?
..
I think that following the call of duty would have seen Edward VIII remain king and not abdicate.
I suggest you direct your question to him. However you may need to make sure you spell the name in the right way. Here is where to write to:
President Bashar al-Assad
Republican Palace
Damascus
Syria
Make sure you use the correct stamps.
Charles Bostock,
I don’t know much about his Dad, but the vast majority of the stuff demonising the London Eye Surgeon Bashir al-Assad, who has an absolutely lovely wife, has been fabricated, by the CIA controlled Amnesty International. I did mention this to the Irish girl Dreoline who used to do voluntary work for them about 8 years ago, and who had cat fights with Mary here, re something of no real consequence whatsover – a bit like you actually. I assume you are “The Banned” who I typically agree with about twice a year..re something of no consequence. I thought the girls were always pretty much on the same bight side, unlike you in the dark. However, you do try hard and are very persistent. I will give you a few marks for effort, but very little for content.
Tony
“I don’t know much about his Dad, ”
You could try to find out, it’s not difficult. Or perhaps you prefer the Nelsonian blind eye?
His father was one of the biggest players in world heroin.
“Trained as an ophthalmologist, [he] had the sensitivity and temperament of a very reluctant leader at first. However he quickly realized that he could not shirk the solemn responsibility which destiny had brought to him and his wife”.
This is an extract taken from a very pro-Assad article which at least serves to give an opportunity to evaluate his actions and personality from a different perspective.
https://www.sott.net/article/301245/-Syrias-Bashar-al-Assad-Why-the-Anglo-American-Axis-cannot-overthrow-his-government
Also: https://thesaker.is/listening-to-bashar-al-assad/
Not that I’m comparing the two of course, but you could say almost the same about a certain German totalitarian of whom you may have heard:
““Born into relative poverty and endowed with a tyrannical father, [he] had the sensitivity and temperament of an artist and none of the characteristics of a leader at first. However he quickly realized that he could not shirk the solemn responsibility which destiny had brought to him”.
I loved the “solemn responsibility” bit!
Charles
It’s rather tiresome and pointless to indulge in comparing individuals who have similar backgrounds and implying that because one did something disreputable then the other one must be tainted with the same tendencies. Jane Austen came from a religious family, her father was a rector, she wrote nice books. Theresa May came from a religious family, her father was a vicar, she…???
You get my point. We can all do that until the cows come home.
Well, it seems to me that the Young Devil (Bashir al-Assad) is certainly tainted with with the same tendencies as his father (the Old Devil). Same attachment to violence and a police state, a shared belief in dynastic rule and so on……
BTW, would you agree with bj’s claim that ““there are no supporters of Assad (any one of them) here” ?
Yet still, CB presses on, consuming and spewing garbage.
Must be paid by the word.
Charles
I take it you don’t like President Assad – well we’ll have to agree to differ on that one.
“Dynastic rule?” Funny isn’t it that when election results in another country where we are told the leader is a demon etc don’t go the way they’re “supposed to” it’s always declared that the election must have been a fix. Presumably you believe this was the case in the Syrian Presidential election in 2014 (described on Wikipedia as ‘Syria’s first multi-candidate direct Presidential election’) when Assad was nominally voted in by 88% of a 73% turnout. Have you seen the footage of Assad walking alone in the streets of Damascus on his way to a trade fair – not even a bodyguard in tow – and filmed unbeknownst to him from a phone camera from a distance away? Or footage of him welcoming and kissing people liberated from East Aleppo and Douma and those people in tears displaying their gratitude to him and the army? Or footage of him visiting markets and being overwhelmed by local people eager to shake his hand? Or the market stall holders asking Lyse Doucet why the BBC constantly lies about Assad? This is the man who considered it necessary to clamp down on members of ‘moderate and peaceful” opposition groups in 2011 to stop them in their murderous campaign of slaughtering policemen and their families and anyone who dared to express support for the incumbent Government. I take it you and others would have preferred that he gave them free rein, to protect their liberty and freedom of expression – as of course the West would do given the same circumstances? But you mention his attachment to violence – perhaps you could give me an example, based on hard evidence and not the testimonies of terrorists or their supporters.
With regard to bj’s comments I don’t agree with them on the face of it because I myself am a supporter of Assad, and proud to say so, but maybe bj had a different context in mind when he/she made that statement.
Patriotism?
Blunderbuss – it’s only British people who can be patriotic, foreigners are just misguided, deluded fools. (!)
Patriotism of the sort exhibited by Kim Il Sung’s son and grandson d’ye mean?
It’s not a very useful question why Bashshar agreed to come back to Syria, and accept his father’s heritage, but he did. Probably makes him a weak successor, but it’s not turned out like that. No doubt he’s he’s supported by the rest of the mafia (familial government). But he ‘s turned out to be quite a strong leader, expressing what Syrians want to hear. He and his wife are in danger of assassination by the US every day. But that has not discouraged him. He has continued to do his duty. That has to be admired.
How to make people invisible
https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Bullying-Trump-To-Close-Palestinian-Mission-in-Washington-20180910-0002.html?utm_source=planisys&utm_medium=NewsletterIngles&utm_campaign=NewsletterIngles&utm_content=15
I don’t see what’s so heinous about closing the Palestinian “Mission” in Washington.
Is it more or less heinous than the refusal of several (mostly Arab and mostly Musilim) countries to have Israeli embassies or Representations in their countries (because they refuse to recognise Israel)?
Would someone like to talk us through this?
Or not being able to travel in certain Islamic countries merely for having an Israeli stamp in your passport!
Yes indeed – that applies even to people who are not Israeli citizens by the way!
You two agreeing guys should start a blog.
Your whataboutery Charles won’t cut it, Washington isn’t an Arab city, ergo, your comparisons are misplaced at best.
“I don’t see what’s so heinous about closing the Palestinian “Mission” in Washington.”
Yes, why not genocide the Palestinians. Genocide is perfectly acceptable in Britain’s far right. It’s part of the current fashion.
Oh, so closing the mission of a state which is not internationally recognised and does not even exist is the same as “genocide” of the Palestinians.Or have I misunderstood the drift of your argument?
A word of advice : hyperbole can sometimes be useful for bolstering one’s argument and rallying the troops. It may also play well with younger, easily impressed people (eg, in a university lecture theatre, but more often than not it’s counter-productive with normal, uncommitted, sensible , adult citizens, most of whom tend to be repelled by it.
CB
“normal, uncommitted, sensible , adult citizens.”
Leaves you out then, does it not?
Someone posted most of this link earlier today. Thank you. I was intrigued – so I found the full link. It is very interesting.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/nov/27/don-mccullin-war-photographer-digital-images
Extract
“Digital images can’t be trusted, says war photographer Don McCullin Best known for moving pictures of Vietnam, McCullin says photography has been hijacked by digital cameras and art world”
“One of Britain’s most celebrated and respected photographers has lamented the digital domination of his field, calling it “a totally lying experience” that cannot be trusted.”
Don McCullin, one of the world’s finest photographers of war and disaster, said the digital revolution meant viewers could no longer trust the truthfulness of images they see. Photographers know the camera often lies”
He said photography had been “hijacked” because “the digital cameras are extraordinary. I have a dark room and I still process film but digital photography can be a totally lying kind of experience, you can move anything you want … the whole thing can’t be trusted really.”
Tony
Although, it would appear that doctored photos are not currently the issue here, because an operation sufficiently well planned in advance could have created real scenes (say paying actors to travel from Russia to Salisbury), and therefore not requiring retrospective fabrication of evidence, the matter is still interesting.
Here is a case involving large scale manipulation of photographic evidence for the purpose of self enrichment:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3229165/Is-PROOF-private-parking-firms-scamming-motorists-Drivers-say-timings-photos-doctored-legally-parked-cars-issued-fines.html
It is pretty crude stuff, but illustrates the point well enough.
BBC television local news in the west midlands this evening showed two reports on activities of West Midlands Police Service. The first item showed that Birmingham International Airport is being policed with increased activity by stopping people and questioning the public at random with regard to their reasons for being on airport premises. A number of people were interviewed on camera and asked if they agreed with the increased police activity. The general consensus seemed to show that the public agreed with the action siting the need for increased security.
The second news item involved the arrest last season of 51 Bristol City football fans a half hour before a match with Birmingham City. These fans were detained by West Midlands Police resulting in them missing the game and being escorted to the railway station for their journey back to Bristol despite having valid match tickets to show they were there for quite lawful purposes.
The news report indicated that the Police Authority intended to vigorously defend their action in court presumably incurring legal costs for the tax payer for an action that was clearly unwarranted.
I’m dismayed that the public at large appear ready to accept a State narrative that it is necessary on the basis of security to stop and question individuals without reasonable suspicion of any wrongdoing. Are these the ‘sus laws’ of apartheid South Africa and are we becoming a ‘Police State’ ?
“are we becoming a ‘Police State’ ?”
No. the UK is a totalitarian fascist Police state carefully hidden behind a flimsy veil of illusory ‘democracy’, ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘the rule of law’.
Rod
Birmingham has passed the 50% of population from ethnic minority line. Maybe the police had discovered that the Bristol fans wanted to launch a little havoc on our local population in the name of Football. Bristol has recently been highlighted as suffering from institutional racism. So if the institutions are racist, why not drunken football fans. Since the Brexit referendum a lot of Brits think they have a mandate from Mrs May to be as racist as they like. That’s her legacy, interpreting Brexit as universal hatred of immigration. It shows the incredible smallness and nastiness of her Tory mind.
If the Tories had wanted a populist answer to a political question , why didn’t they put it to the vote on the X Factor? If you hold a referendum, you should interpret the results in political terms , not knee-jerk emotions.
Anyway fascists like Mrs May, the Windrush Exorcist, wouldn’t know an equal opportunity if they were introduced to one. She thinks it means dressing up in their clothes and signing them up to compound loan interest, together with a train-load of out-of-date weapons. Equal in the sense of ‘if I don’t sell them them, some one else will’.
Things are really ramping up in Syria at the moment, as the SAA (Syrian Arab Army), helped by the Russians. clear out the last of western backed terrorists from Idlib. What the likes of Obama, Cameron, Hollande, and now Trump, May and Macron, have done to Syria are mega war crimes, all egged on by the presstitutes.
https://www.rt.com/news/438008-us-strikes-syria-white-phosphorus/ (and also depleted uranium and flachette shells, all banned by the Geneva Convention).
The difference with this final part of the war in Syria is that the Russians have got serious. There’s no ‘line in the sand’ rollocks here. The Russians have moved in large numbers of naval and military assets.
Any nonsense from USUK will be countered by extreme force, which is why the USUK media/propaganda machine are very quiet about this at the moment.
Us lot in the West are ruled by complete psychopaths, psychopaths who seem determined to launch us into World War Three.
Do you really want a nuclear holocaust caused by a bunch of criminal psychopaths arguing over resources in the Middle East?
Because that’s what’s going to happen.
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/09/09/moscow-has-upped-the-ante-in-syria/
A Memo to the POTUS by ex intelligence peeps
Tuggendhat, of the Foreign Affairs committee, is trying to bounce us into the same fight.
Dungroanin
Sorry – just saw that you have also drawn attention to the same letter as me via a different source. It’s always interesting to read the readers’ comments as well. Thank goodness it’s getting so much coverage, albeit probably to no avail.
Every time (Lieutenant Colonel, of British/French dual nationality) Tugendhat opens his mouth he’s gagging for war. The lunatics really have taken over…
No need to apologise 🙂 sharing facts is how we overcome censorship.
Here is Fisk reporting from the front line in Idlib, from Syrian Army HQ !
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/10/what-will-follow-the-battle-of-idlib/
Thanks, an interesting ‘fly on the wall’ overview by Fisk.
A couple of things struck me whilst reading it: first, even if there isn’t in reality the all out bloodshed that we’re being told is likely to result from the Syrian/Russian attempts to take back Idlib, we can be sure the Western PTB and media will contrive the reporting of the situation to present it as the worst humanitarian disaster of the conflict. Remember how we were told of the mass slaughter that had taken place in East Aleppo and that thousands of bodies were littering the streets, and hundreds of people killed by the Syrian/Russian coalition were buried in mass graves? The Western allies were poised then to exact revenge on the Syrians. Well none of that turned out to be true but the MSM and everyone else just glossed over that. The difference this time is that the US coalition won’t wait for evidence before they decide to unleash their revenge on the Syrians.
My second thought – and this is something that I have thought from the outset – is my fears for those poor Syrian and Russian soldiers and other allies of theirs who are laying their lives on the line for their countries and for what they genuinely (and quite legitimately) believe to be right, and many of whom will end up dead because of the inexcusable actions of a psychopathic few. I sympathise also with the sacrificial military personnel of the Western allies; in their case their own paymasters are accountable for their deaths. The general public tend to fail to acknowledge – except when their own soldiers are affected – that these are people, usually good people, with families who do not deserve to have their lives curtailed prematurely because of the corrupt actions of a few. It is so appalling that life is so cheap to the neocons.
Surprising that Fisk who has often written about the importance of language as a tool of propaganda, uses the word ‘opposition’ for the anti-government forces in Idlib. Vanessa Beeley, reporting from Syria for Sunday Wire (episode 248), is angry and exasperated at the use of such language – she calls them what they are: fanatics, extremists, terrorists, murderers.
Robyn
I can see your point but what has struck me about Fisk’s reporting is that he is very careful to be seen to remain objective and uncontentious in order to give critics less opportunity to pull his narratives apart. That’s why, in my comments, I consciously referred to his “fly on the wall” overview rather than, say, his “opinion piece”. That being so, “opposition” would seem to be an apt word to use in the context as it is suitably vague and non-discriminatory one way or the other. He must have his own views but, ever the professional, he – unlike the MSM – leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions based on his witness account.
RobG
I can’t add to that. I couldn’t agree more.
Well actually I can add to it, with a link to a letter sent by the established group of ex US intelligence staff who do their best to convey sense to the US PTB. https://off-guardian.org/2018/09/10/intelligence-veterans-warn-of-us-russia-conflict-in-syria/
I’m no soothsayer but what I hope will occur is that Syria will cleanse what is, after all, its own territory, albeit with the aid of Russian hardware. Provided Russian personnel are not directly involved, the West would have no grounds for injecting forces into the area. They (we) might well respond by counterbalancing Russian tactical weapons with other munitions, but that can only be seen as assisting a rebel faction.
As to squabbling over resources (i.e. oil) I suspect that is but a part of the scenario. There is a belligerent neighbour in the area that is very quietly ‘playing’ the West, as well if not better than Newman and Redford played Robert Shaw in The Sting. In fact, (SKRIPAL BIT) despite the known evidence (as opposed to surmise) favouring an ‘accident’ interpretation of the Salisbury incident, I yesterday had an uncomfortable presentiment that, if it really was a ‘hit’, there is a certain agency (not GRU, Mi5 or CIA) that would have scored maximum points for pulling it off when they did.
The West has no grounds for injecting force whatever the Russians get up to since they are there at the invitation of the Syrian Government.
More on the batshit crazies…
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-09/us-says-assad-has-approved-gas-attack-idlib-setting-stage-major-military-conflict
I still have doubts that the US is going to intervene massively in Syria. It would be folly, but what can you say about Trump at the moment?
I am innocent. I do not know what this means. I have tried the urban dictionary for marmite, which I actually quite like in moderation, but I am still none the wiser. Is it something about North London?
e.g. “An evil substance which has already taken over the minds of many people”
The Telegraph’s latest headline news
“Carrie Symonds: The ‘man’s woman’ Tory staffer linked to Boris Johnson was ‘Marmite’ in the party”
The sight of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid bopping to Abba songs on a dancefloor largely populated by millennials had rung alarms in Downing Street long before young Tory staffer Carrie Symonds was linked to the former Foreign Secretary this week.
Eyebrows were raised back in March when social media posts revealed the trio of cabinet heavyweights had attended her alcohol-fuelled 30th birthday bash, with Johnson and Gove even rumoured to have delivered gushing speeches at the party at her family home in North London.”
Can anyone decode this?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/10/carrie-symonds-mans-woman-tory-staffer-linked-boris-johnson/
Tony
Paywall…
But on the face of it, incomprehensible without further insight into the, erm, idiom.
Darn you i’ve had to skim through the Bun’s article, my eyes, my eyes…
I learnt that she is from East Sheen and went to a private school and is some kind of PR person who has worked with the Tories for 8 years.
She apparently has been blinded by the big Libbido who was slipping away from his minders to have trysts.
Maybe BoJo needs a dye blonde mrs, to attract the younger voter?
I need a bath.
It refers to Marmite’s advertising slogan: You either love it or hate it.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/30/marmite-love-it-hate-it-pr
So the writer is suggesting that Ms. Symonds was liked by some and loathed by others within the Tory party. Of course the article could just be the usual journalistic clickbait bullshit especially given that the 30 year old Symonds is described as young.
They are calling her a whore or slut passed around by Johnson, Javid and Gove (of whom the latter two are members of the European Research Group). When they say “flirty favourite” they mean “bike”.
They are using the term “Marmite” in line with the advertising for that Unilever-owned brand which depicts it as something that everyone either loves or hates. They are saying Johnson, Javid, Gove and quite possibly other senior Tory males enjoyed screwing her as if there was no tomorrow, whereas others in the top Tory milieu, probably including their wives, disapproved of Symonds’s presence and her
frequent wearing of no knickers at events attended by senior male government figuresemployment of her “charms”.Do you need me to decode the words “canny feel” for you as well? 🙂
Is she Russian-linked? I__aeli-linked? Is there a pimp or controller somewhere? She likes lacrosse?
Notice that there is a senior far-right Tory figure of leadership contender age who is not in the slightest besmirched by this affair.
Why didn’t the fresh novichok kill the ducks, the boy who ate the bread, or the Skripals when they ate the finger food slices of garlic bread?
Or the police detective.
Because the official version is wrong. They weren’t poisoned until 4pm – long after they fed the ducks. I’ve posted about it on an earlier page and I’ll try and find it.
Here it is:
https://dailyshocker.news/skirpals-the-hit-team-in-the-maltings-salisbury-new-evidence/
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/09/10/573739/UK-MI6-Syria-chemical-attack-US-senator
PressTV lol
US senator double lol
So you suddenly believe something just because a US senator says it? That’s a turn around for the books. Assad sat him down and told him this, without any evidence, and the moron actually believed it. There is a blindspot on the right in America, that somehow because Assad hasn’t persecuted Christians, he must therefore be a good man. The fact that he and his wretched father have slaughtered Syrians of all denominations for decades doesn’t seem to register.
Yes, those Syrians would have enjoyed better being slaughtered by Israel.
“The fact that he and his wretched father have slaughtered Syrians of all denominations for decades doesn’t seem to register.”
But you give a pass to the similar number slaughtered by the jihadis you support, but hypocritically pretend you don’t.
“The fact that he and his wretched father have slaughtered Syrians of all denominations for decades doesn’t seem to register.”
Something which is often said but there’s not much evidence for it. Not that I’ve seen over the years. In fact, when one starts demanding evidence for things, it’s often the way that the evidence simply isn’t there, more like an emotional memory formed from years of passively absorbing propaganda stories. The need for the connective tissue of cherished narrative is simply strong, even if the story is mostly bullshit.
He doesn’t ‘just say’ it. Like you.
He proves many things.
As for facts and history I’ll let Ms Johnstone whoop your arse
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/that-time-cnn-staged-a-fake-interview-with-a-syrian-child-for-war-propaganda-beb0142b8176
If you have any facts that you can quote, please respond.
If not – what is the point of you?
Lols.
Not this again. She’s a little girl who can’t speak English very well. For that reason her answers probably were scripted to some extent. It doesn’t mean Assad didn’t gas his own people.
That is a bit of a ad hominem on Caitlin, you cad, I understand her english perfectly.
The sarin samples from Syria were analysed at Porton Down and shown not to match Syrian stocks. That’s why Obama held back on the attack; he knew it wasn’t Syria that had crossed his “red line” of using chemical weapons; it was “our side”, the ‘rebels’.
– The joint chiefs also knew that the Obama administration’s public claims that only the Syrian army had access to sarin were wrong. The American and British intelligence communities had been aware since the spring of 2013 that some rebel units in Syria were developing chemical weapons. On 20 June analysts for the US Defense Intelligence Agency issued a highly classified five-page ‘talking points’ briefing for the DIA’s deputy director, David Shedd, which stated that al-Nusra maintained a sarin production cell: its programme, the paper said, was ‘the most advanced sarin plot since al-Qaida’s pre-9/11 effort’. (According to a Defense Department consultant, US intelligence has long known that al-Qaida experimented with chemical weapons, and has a video of one of its gas experiments with dogs.) The DIA paper went on: ‘Previous IC [intelligence community] focus had been almost entirely on Syrian CW [chemical weapons] stockpiles; now we see ANF attempting to make its own CW … Al-Nusrah Front’s relative freedom of operation within Syria leads us to assess the group’s CW aspirations will be difficult to disrupt in the future.’ The paper drew on classified intelligence from numerous agencies: ‘Turkey and Saudi-based chemical facilitators,’ it said, ‘were attempting to obtain sarin precursors in bulk, tens of kilograms, likely for the anticipated large scale production effort in Syria.’ (Asked about the DIA paper, a spokesperson for the director of national intelligence said: ‘No such paper was ever requested or produced by intelligence community analysts.’)
– Last May, more than ten members of the al-Nusra Front were arrested in southern Turkey with what local police told the press were two kilograms of sarin. In a 130-page indictment the group was accused of attempting to purchase fuses, piping for the construction of mortars, and chemical precursors for sarin. Five of those arrested were freed after a brief detention. The others, including the ringleader, Haytham Qassab, for whom the prosecutor requested a prison sentence of 25 years, were released pending trial. In the meantime the Turkish press has been rife with speculation that the Erdoğan administration has been covering up the extent of its involvement with the rebels. In a news conference last summer, Aydin Sezgin, Turkey’s ambassador to Moscow, dismissed the arrests and claimed to reporters that the recovered ‘sarin’ was merely ‘anti-freeze’.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n08/seymour-m-hersh/the-red-line-and-the-rat-line
Clark (02.42)
Good post. Funny isn’t it that this sort of information somehow always seems to bypass the MSM?
It’s a fucking travesty. The media is an indispensable component of democracy, but it has been subverted by the military-corporate complex. That’s why there are so many ignorant consumers about like Anon1. And it’s one of the reasons I’ve joined the Labour party to support Jeremy Corbyn; he’d seen the problem long before the media trained their disinformation weaponry upon him, and he’s prepared to do something about it; the lecture starts twelve minutes in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEYy7EATHhQ
Or there’s a transcript if you prefer:
https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcasts/jeremy-corbyn-alternative-mactaggart-speech-infull/5131894.article
Thanks for the compliment but credit is due to Seymour Hersh. It’s a great shame that Robert Parry died recently; he was another proper journalist who maintained many contacts in the political and intelligence communities. Parry covered the Iran-Contras scandal, after which he didn’t get much work from the MSM and had to set up his own website instead, Consortium News. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism have been doing some great work; half a billion Pentagon dollars for Bell Pottinger to make al Qaeda recruitment videos? FFS… Talk about ‘fake news’.
Have a “Lols” at this.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sednaya_Prison
Child.
Kindly respond to the facts laid out in the article :
‘Here is a 2006 WikiLeaks cable in which the US government is seen exploring possible factions which could be incentivized to rise up against Assad, and ways in which psyops could be used to ensure widespread violence.
Here is a declassified CIA memo from 1986 in which the Central Intelligence Agency is seen exploring ways in which sectarian tensions can be inflamed to provoke a violent uprising in Syria. Here is a useful article featuring excerpts from the memo showing some jarring parallels between what was being planned and what happened a quarter century later.
Here is a video clip of General Wesley Clark naming Syria among the countries scheduled by the Pentagon for regime change in the wake of 9/11.
Here is a video clip of the former Foreign Minister of France stating in plain language that he was informed by British government insiders in 2009 that a violent Syrian uprising was being planned, two years before the violence erupted.
Here is an article featuring a video of the former Qatari Prime Minister stating that the US and its allies were involved in the violence from the very beginning.
Here is an article from May of 2011 reporting on some of the extremely suspicious provocations that led to the outbreak of widespread violence. Here’s another from March 2011. Here’s another from December 2011.’
Kid me not. Lols.
And how did the US State Department identify the use of facilities as a crematorium? Was it bodies? Was it photos? Was it equipment? No, the brains of the intelligence services declared it must be a crematorium because…da da, snow had melted quickly off the roof. True. If you doubt it. just google it. They were very proud to publicise their conclusions.
Wikipedia (the bastion of truth) now that is “lols” 🙂
“And how did the US State Department identify the use of facilities as a crematorium?” Reminds me of the “evidence” in the Iraq war. We were shown a photo of a building with a truck outside it and a photo of the same building without the truck. This was “evidence” that the building had contained WMDs but they were taken away by the truck so the building was empty when it was inspected.
I expect that Sednaya Prison is as ghastly as Amnesty International said it is – after all, Syria was one of the destinations used for Secret Rendition torture flights by the West. And I should think that really is a crematorium. But note that the (alleged) crematorium has been built since the outbreak of undeniably Western-sponsored hostilities. Cause and effect; should we demand that Syria’s rulers, uniquely, should be angels?
Anon1, you show no consistency. What is happening in Syria is Western-supported projection of Saudi and Qatari territorial ambitions. You demonise all Islam as a violent ideology, yet you never have a word of criticism of the Gulf Monarchies’ cynical exploitation of religious indoctrination of their own people (to borrow your own phrase from above), and you consistently reinforce the false propaganda projected by the pro-war media.
This story has also appeared here: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/syria-chemical-weapons-virginia-senator-richard-black-uk-mi6-assad-russia-a8529681.html
I think that’s the first time I have seen an article in the British MSM arguing that chemical attacks in Syria are false flags financed and choreographed by MI6 and executed by the jihadi White Helmets.
I know Fiske did the East Ghouta story (but no mention of MI6) and both Peter Oborne and Peter Hitchens in the Mail have had their doubts about the chemical attacks.
Congratulations to the Indie.
The article isny arguing anything if the sort. It is reporting an allegation made by a Republican senator who is completely off the loony Christian right end of the spectrum. In any other context you’d be laughing at this guy. But now you suddenly believe him….
The article isn’t arguing anything of the sort. It is reporting an allegation made by a Republican senator who is completely off the loony Christian right end of the spectrum. In any other context you’d be laughing at this guy. But now you suddenly believe him….
The point is though he is not speaking in isolation. We don’t “suddenly believe him”. He is voicing what other people have been saying and thinking for a long time but who have not been given (or have been refused) a public forum in which to say it. At least the Independent has given him an opportunity sadly lacking to other ‘loonies’. Perhaps you might care to share with us evidence of Assad’s wrong-doing that hasn’t been provided directly by islamist extremists or their sympathisers, and by ‘evidence’ I don’t mean citations from people with an axe to grind. I think you’ll be hard-pressed. You might like to consider the views of Baroness Cox in the House of Lords …I suppose she’s a loony as well.
Fisk is MI6. Believe it.
If he was, he wouldn’t be.
(not in West Beirut and the South anyway:even the US andUK embassies rely on the okay of the Party of God when they venture outside their comfort zones)
Lee Rowley is the Conservative MP for NE Derbyshire. He tweets:
‘Lee Rowley
@Lee4NED
Next Wednesday I’ve secured a debate in Westminster Hall at 11am to discuss current proposals to loosen the planning rules around fracking. Those communities who know fracking the best like it the least – and I’ll be using the debate to press for a rethink.
9:35 am · 6 Sep 2018’
https://twitter.com/Lee4NED/status/1037620271249809408
Followed by:
FrackFreeWorthing! #GTTO #BanFracking
@WorAgFrack
Sep 6
Replying to @Lee4NED
A rethink as in #BanFracking
? I think not – you are a Conservative. All @Conservatives
will have to support the Party line (and their fossil-foolish industry friends). So, there’s really only two choices…
https://twitter.com/i/status/1037705434554089473
The debate is in Westminster Hall at 11am! At midday in the main chamber, PMQs take place followed by the Brexit debate. I am sure that attention will not be on Westminster Hall.
The MPs pack up for three weeks on Thursday.
https://calendar.parliament.uk/calendar/Commons/All/2018/9/12/Daily
Garbage in , garbage out. Mrs T. thought you could make a buck or two out of serving sheep offal to cows.
It’ll cost them one heck of a lot more to filter out the oil from the natural springs than compensating for Mad cow disease. Have you tried eating a sandwich after filling the car without gloves on?
I suppose we could de-salinate from the North sea like Saudi arabia. Then we’d be eating the plastic the fish are now choking on. you see… a little silver lining behind every cloud.
The idea of ducks ‘paddling information’ is positively quackers.
How about a red cow heralding the end of days. Mooooo. ?
The chances of that happening are one in a vermillion.
We hear and read about, religious zealots in the likes of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Now the oppressive apartheid regime of Israel, is spouting biblical nonsense over the birth of a red calf.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7217719/bible-prophecy-apocalypse-firs-red-heifer-born-israel/amp/
First we’ll see the end of days, then the building of the third temple, what a load of bollocks.
RoS
” It woz the red effer wot done it,” Boz argues in court after judge releases him without charge for inventing the novibollocks and starting WW3. Today a London magistrate released Boris Johnson from bail for not having valid excise duty or insurance, flight control permission, or MOT, on a cloud hovering over the Houses of parliament, from which he and other ex-swamp neo-cons appeared to be watching people fighting and dying on the ground.
Giyane.
These loonies (no offence loony if your reading) are going to check the calf all over to see if every inch of it is red. If it is, well it will be the foretelling of armageddon.
To think Israel possess nuclear weapons and nerve agents, and believes a red cow, will preceed the end of days, and I thought the Saudi’s were mad, they can’t hold a candle to this lot.
If looks like an effect of the lighting to me. Anyway, how fortunate Israel is a secular democratic state and not one run by the kind of religious lunatics who hold sway in your beloved Iran. Why are you claiming this is the view of the state of Israel?
Those nutballs at the Temple Institute, will dredge up any old bollocks, if it meant the building of a third temple, what next a pink sheep or or a pig with a map of Greater Israel on it.
What a bunch of wacko’s. Someone take their nukes away before they hurt themselves or others for that matter.
This is subtle, but I agree with Norman Finkelstein that Israel is a lunatic state.
And this was several years ago.
Today, it’s a lunatic state, and an apartheid fascist racist state.
And this is without Iran having a hand in all of that!
RoS
You said Israel believes a red cow will proceed the end of days. Nobody in Israel believes this except a few religious fanatics who have nothing to do with the state of Israel. In fact they are opposed to it you numpty.
Anon1.
Really?
“Although Orthodox Judaism generally agrees that the Temple in Jerusalem will and should be rebuilt, there is a substantial disagreement about whether this should occur by human or divine hands.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Temple_Institute
There’s already been two parah adumah (red heifers) inspected in previous years, so the nuttiness has been ongoing for years. (It showed alright).
The nutjob religious prophecy shit of Israel is far more scary than any advanced weaponry.
Incjdently why aren’t you and “Charles” on holiday today. Your handlers are pretty harsh.
Interesting how you and Bostock take turns with your garbage.
Not you RoS I hasten to add, but Anon1 aka Bunny La Roche exposed in the QT audience.
@Anon1
“You said Israel believes a red cow will proceed the end of days. Nobody in Israel believes this except a few religious fanatics who have nothing to do with the state of Israel. ”
You mean “The State of the Jewish People”? “Jewish People” being whoever “recognised Rabbinical authorities” say they are. Nothing to do with the state of Israel. Ask the Chief Rabbi of Israel (on the state payroll).
If it’s red, it must be a communist.
“The Temple Institute in Jerusalem announced the calf’s birth on YouTube, saying it would undergo ‘extensive examination’ to determine if it is red all over.”
Old joke: “What’s black and white and red all over”.
And the “Temple Institute” announces it on YouTube. How Biblical.
Keith
Answer to old joke for those who may not know…….(drum roll…..) …..A newspaper!!
Perhaps you could help your enquiries by speculating on what would have happened if Bashir had declined his father’s request.
In addition, the whole mystery rather depends on the assumptions that the inheriting of power is something unpopular. However, if you consider that a large proportion of most peoples either couldn’t really care less about who rules them (the “they’re all as bad as each other” attitude) or have a deep distrust of “democratically” elected politicians (“they’re all only in it for themselves and their mates”), then the prospect of a ruler who achieves power by a more traditional route is not going to be particular unpleasant for them.
“Perhaps you could help your enquiries by speculating on what would have happened if Bashir had declined his father’s request.”
Are you suggesting that the Old Devil would have done something bad to his only (remaining) son?
Do you know, that interpretation of my remark had never occurred to me. I meant, what would have happened to the government of Syria? I doubt that it would have joined the ranks of those countries who practice dictatorship through demagoguery, aka “Westminster-style democracy”.
It’s all getting so surreal that maybe we need some Shostakovich, in this instance his famous Waltz No. 2…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCnQDUSO4I
Enjoy as the western world totally collapses in its own hubris (and hopefully won’t drag us all into another world war).
The western world will be fine. We are fine. We are reslient and inventive. The leeches on the western world – the aristos and bankers, plutocrats, their thugs and media whores – they are the ones whose hubris is undoing their decades long plans.
They are crashing and burning and this time we will not let them get away with it.
Or something with Cows in it, afterall, the end of days is upon us, so it does seem fitting.
https://m.soundcloud.com/andydwan/cows-of-apollo-aria
I’m just watching the Bled strategic forum in Ukraine. This is all about the political future of Europe and the EU. There’s quite a bit of rhetoric about how many internal and external challenges facing European countries and how we all need to stick together to sort them out.
Is Brexit-Trump-Pentalega just a psy-op to big up the EU?
I think we’ve identified them:
https://syrianobservatoryforhumanwrongs.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/from-the-bbc-script-archives/
Thanks, Panopticon. LOL
The inquests have opened into the five deaths caused by ‘Khalid Masood’ on Westminster Bridge and then inside Westminster when PC Palmer was killed.
More failure of the so called security services which cost us £billions and do little for us. I assume the Coroner will comment accordingly.
UK terror attacks: Review reveals what MI5 knew about Manchester, London Bridge and Westminster attackers
Report shows security services missed opportunities that could have prevented the Manchester attack
5 December 2017
Westminster
Date: 22 March 2017
Victims: Five killed, 49 injured
Perpetrator: Khalid Masood, British, 52 (died at scene)
Masood was known to police after seven convictions for violent crime leading up to 2003, and to MI5 for associating with extremists, in particular between 2010 and 2012.
Summary: “No intelligence was being gathered on him and neither MI5 nor the police had any reason the anticipate the attack … you’re looking at someone who is such a long way from the top of anyone’s grid that frankly, it’s a bit difficult to see how they would have been easily stopped, whatever agencies had done.”
Timeline:
2004: Masood appears for the first time on MI5 records after his number appeared on the contacts list of a member of a terrorist network, that was aiming to launch bomb attacks in the UK.
2009: Masood appears on the edge of investigation into jihadis attempting to join an al-Qaeda training camp in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Investigators wrongly believe Masood is an individual in Saudi Arabia facilitating travel.
2010: He is discovered not to be the same person, but an active investigation is launched identifying Masood as a subject of interest (SOI) assessed to be a national security threat. Weeks later, he was downgraded to a potential security threat.
(+ much more – too long to copy,)
/..
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/uk-terror-attacks-review-report-david-anderson-mi5-known-security-services-manchester-london-bridge-a8093846.html
Yes, at this moment, and in this situation, it is possible that the US is going to lose its marbles and go to war over Syria. The reasons why not to lose your marbles, are 1) The Russians and the Syrians have been preparing for just this is possibility for months. 2) It means war against Russia, and 3) it means quagmire for many years in the future.
I don’t suppose any of this factors are of any interest to the Neo-Cons.
No they aren’t. Because there isn’t going to be any war over Syria. If I had a pound for every time I’ve read here over the last ten years that there’s an “imminent” war in Syria (usually reinforced with a link to “zerohedge” or some other batshit conspiracy site)…
Of course, I agree with you, but that is not what is being threatened.
BRIGHT TRIBE
What a nice name!
What crooks!
Academy chain accused of misusing government funds – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45472189
‘Bright Tribe was set up by businessman Michael Dwan, who made his reported £114 million fortune from private contracts in the NHS.’
Panorama earlier tonight.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bk5q99
Profits before Pupils? The Academies Scandal
‘More than 7,000 schools in England have been turned into academies and are now run by private trusts. The people in charge are not supposed to profit from children’s education, but what’s to stop them from cashing in?
Reporter Bronagh Munro investigates a businessman whose companies have been paid millions from school budgets and asks whether it’s the pupils who are paying the price.’
Well done Bronagh and the production team at the BBC.
‘Afghanistan war crimes probe a sham and cover-up for US’: https://www.rt.com/op-ed/409848-icc-court-afghanistan-crimes-us/
So the Yanks and their cronies and proxies can go rampaging around the world, with troops, missiles or drones, with no let or hindrance.
‘…As Christopher Black points out too, the focus of any forthcoming investigation is misplaced in its entire framework. “The focus of a war crimes investigation should be looking at the way the US launched this military occupation back in 2001. A case can be made that the US is guilty of the supreme crime of war of aggression. All other violations stem from Washington committing the ultimate crime of going to war in Afghanistan.”…’
Good ‘Thought for the day’ tomorrow, 11th September!
Until the US gets bitten back by drones. Drones are cheap and easy to buy these days. We’ve seen Syrian drones over Israel. All shot down, we’re told. And their successors?
Craig tweeted:
Craig Murray
@CraigMurrayOrg
12h
The far right racist Sweden Democrats are much in the MSM today, following their electoral advance. Strangely little mention that they are in close alliance with our own far right racist Conservative and Unionist Party.
Tories enter into alliance with Swedish far-right in European Parliament
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-sweden-democrats-european-parliament-far-right-reformist-group-a8430281.html
Nice one Craig.
Right-wing conservatives (are there any left-wing left?) are all very enthusiastic for the neo-Nazis in continental Europe. Is there really any difference?
‘Will World War III Start This Week?’:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2018/09/will-world-war-iii-start-this-week.html
‘…I haven’t yet seen a Russian response these latest provocations, unless one considers the interview with our friend Virginia Senator Richard Black by Sputnik to be a Russian response, as he thoroughly demolishes the assertions in the WSJ piece. “I’ve studied each of these gas attack provocations and with the exception of Douma, every one of them has been carried out by the terrorists, often in conjunction with Turkey or with other foreign intelligence agencies,” he said. As for the exception, “There never was a gas attack in Douma,” because Syrian army units had overrun the jihadi’s chemical stocks and so they had to fake it….’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60
An alternative is squat down, put your head between your knees, and kiss your *ss goodbye.
Here is an important statement by Hiroyuki Hamada on Facebook Frome Stop the War page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fstwc/permalink/1984566018233531/
‘…It is utterly flabbergasting and hurtful that the western establishment has been characterizing efforts by the Syrian people with their own tendencies of colonial violence. People in Syria are not asking for the US occupation of their country. People in Syria are not asking for a regime change and being governed by the people who have been chosen by the west. And the west has chosen Al Qaeda for Syrian people.
Please have discussions with your friends and family members about Syria. Their struggle for peace and humanity is our struggle for peace and humanity….’
But the whole of it should be read, it’s powerful stuff.
It is a pity the Stop the War coalition haven’t managed to get their arses in gear yet. It is obvious that the war drum is beating again, and BBC helping via white helmets video. We’ve had a US Senator and now Emily Thornberry speaking out… not doubt at considerable risk to themselves… but Stop the War are still quiet. Why?
You have been too obsessional about “Russian influence” to note how the US-funded Propagandists emerge from the woodwork in Berlin, Paris, London – rarely outside the metropolitan elites. We have that wonderful organ of “Anti-Putin Russian Grudge Lobbying” The Independent where Lebedev peddles his agenda as a First Directorate KGB Alumnus against Putin First Directorate KGB Alumnus – and no-one comments on The Indie having moved from Whittam Smith to Lebedev with the same title !
It is simple – the US sees this as its last “Copenhagen Opportunity” – remember Nelson ? It wants to bloody Russia and China so they accept US Global Hegemony and submit. They want a German-British-French-Saudi-US-Israel Front against Russia-Syria-Iran-China. – or The Sunni Alliance (NATO) vs Shia Alliance – to establish a New Order with Israel as Regional Master
The fact Merkel has 1,000,000 young men of military age who are not German and a pathetic run-down, ill-equipped and overweight German military machine which cannot recruit, retain or fund – might be a good reason to reflect.
Then again, The West is in terminal decline and the rising of Asia is reversing what British-Spanish-Portuguese Naval Power brought since 17th Century to permit Asia to return to its former dominance. The West may as well go out with a bang !
17 years ago in NY. From which all the USUKIsNATO ‘wars on terrrr’ flowed.
I was at work in the hospital. Someone put on the internet and we watched the surreal events intermittently. It’s still as clear as day in our memories.
Remember WTC7 collapsing!
https://youtu.be/ltP2t9nq9fI
I think you will find the breach of The Helsinki Final Act 1975 took place in 1999 when US, UK, German aircraft bombed a European capital city for the first time since 1945 targeting power stations, bridges, water supplies, TV studios, Chinese Embassy ALL in breach of The Geneva Conventions and simply because they knew Boris Yeltsin to be a docile puppy who would stand back and watch the Orthodox ally in The Balkans threatened with Rambouillet and Holbrooke if they failed to submit unilaterally.
That was when NATO decided it could impose its Disorder without any threat from Russian Federation or USSR and the equilibrium in the world moved towards US Unilateralism with Uk and France in the baggage train
The hunt for Bin Laden/Al Qaeda (held to be responsible for 9/11) escalated into a full scale war on Afghanistan….Iraq…Libya..Syria.
.
Vanessa Beeley’s graphic reporting from Syria is on Facebook. Photos too. Barrages of Grad missiles and cluster bombs.
https://m.facebook.com/21stCenturyWire/?