Every now and then, I feel myself compelled to write something I know that the majority of my readers will not agree with. That is because I do not go along with left wing groupthink any more than I go along with the line of the Establishment. I do not subscribe to a set of opinions. but attempt to consider every question afresh.
Wikileaks is much criticised for having published the leaked Hillary and Podesta emails, thus having “caused” Trump. At its extreme, this involves the entire evidence free “Russiagate” paranoia. I find myself criticised for my association with Julian Assange on these same grounds.
The major answer to this is that it would have been morally wrong to conceal the evidence of Hillary’s wrongdoing, her associations with the Saudis and the Bankers, and particularly the rigging of the primary elections against Bernie Sanders by Hillary and the DNC. If I was accused of association with concealing all that, I would not be able to defend Wikileaks. Another part of the answer is that I am not sure any of this much affected the actual votes cast. But the most important bit of the answer is that I am not sorry that Clinton lost and Trump won.
I say that with apologies to all my American friends who are suffering from Trump’s harsh domestic policies and his version of the “hostile climate for immigrants” which we have long suffered in the UK. I do not underestimate the harm done by Trump’s penchant for trade wars, or his blindly pro-Israel policies and gestures, nor the continuation of the Saudi anti-Shia alliance.
But the vital fact for the rest of the world is that Trump remains the only US President since Jimmy Carter not to have launched a major war. In this, he is true to what he said consistently during his election campaign. I do not think you have to look any further than that for the explanation of why he pulled out of the attack on Iran following the destruction of the US drone. The mechanics of the decision taking are not its cause, contrary to all the speculation.
I should take the time to congratulate Iran on shooting down the drone. The Americans have killed tens of thousands of people, all over the Middle East and Central Asia, using such drones. That they should holler so much when somebody knocks one down is ludicrous.
I am absolutely convinced that, were Hillary President, the Middle East would now be devastated by the biggest of all the recent wars, and America would have invaded both Syria and Iran by now. Hillary was an enthusiast for the destruction of Iraq and Afghanistan and she was personally involved in starting the obliteration of the advanced Libyan state on the flimsiest of pretexts. The potential devastation she would have inflicted and the millions who would now be dead, maimed or orphaned outweighs in my view all the harm perpetrated by Trump. So my conclusion is this: I would far rather not have President Trump nor President Clinton, but forced into a straight binary choice I will take Trump. He has a better character; for all his faults he is the only one of the two who is not a psychopathic killer.
How the Trump administration plays out, given the warmongering advisors from the political Establishment with whom Trump has surrounded himself, is a fascinating question. John Bolton is as near evil as any human being can be. Which brings me back to the faux left and their views. In 2013, I spoke in a ceremony at the Oxford Union to give the Sam Adams Award for Integrity, of which previous winners include Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, John Kyriakou, Thomas Drake and myself. Hundreds of students from the “left” at Oxford University were engaged in a rowdy picket against the Sam Adams award aimed to stop the event because of the ridiculous allegations in Sweden against Assange.
Now get this. Exactly the day before, the Oxford Union had hosted an evening with John Bolton. Not a single member of the “left”, who tried to prevent Ray McGovern and I from speaking, had demonstrated against the egregious war criminal, responsible for the death of millions. There could not be a more stark example of the spectacular success of the Establishment in using the false trail of identify politics to split and divert the left, particularly among young people.
The following day I was again back in the Oxford Union, this time to take part in a debate on the American Dream. I genuinely was quite spectacularly drunk when I gave this speech. I always enjoy posting it, and am happy to do so again.
My cheerful admission to being drunk is relevant to the point of my imperfect character, and I now will annoy my readers again by saying I don’t think Boris Johnson’s domestic row is important – provided it did not involve violence – or tells us anything we did not know. I confess personally to having once been involved in a domestic shouting match so noisy that the police were called. It was entirely uncharacteristic of both my life and that relationship. Nor for once did I deserve to be shouted at. But these things happen. The evidence is that they happen much more often to Boris than to other people, and if his current partner expected him to be faithful she is plainly very foolish. When it comes to his personal relationships, the man is a serial rat. But did anybody not know that already?
The neighbours were quite right to intervene as they did, including calling the police. It is what should be done where there is real reason to fear domestic violence. Recording the events as potential evidence of a crime was also sensible. But I do not believe that giving the tape to the Guardian was justified. As it appears no violence was in the event involved and no crime had taken place, I do not believe further public prurience is in order. Nor do I believe Boris Johnson is obliged to reveal the detail of his private life to us. Doubtless his partner will sell the story to the tabloids when he eventually casts her off, be that days, months or years away.
Personally I shall welcome Boris Johnson’s elevation to be Prime Minister, which will not last long. It will be a catalyst for Scottish Independence. The political disintegration of the UK will hopefully jolt England out of the cul-de-sac of right wing politics in which it has been stranded for years. Johnson is an awful person. But his brand of uncaring and elitist conservatism is an infinitely greater problem than his domestic arrangements, and where the genuine public concern should lie.
The choice is between two products of the public school system – Charterhouse and Eton.
Enough said.
The choice for the next Prime Minister will be made by just 124,000 members of the Tory party, said to be older and wealthier than the average. It’s called ‘democracy’ though.
Tory donors are questioning Johnson’s ‘suitability’ for the job –
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/john-griffin-tory-donor-questions-boris-johnson-s-suitability-for-no-10-6dbz9q86b
General election now!
Totally agree on all points. The fact that with a population of 350 million people tthe only two people the Americans were allowed to vote for were these two cretins 1: a deranged psychopath and 2: a narcissistic clown, shows how carefully manipulated and controlled the American ” democracy ” is.. How the people break free without violent conflict I don’t know.
Paul Schofield
There was an awful lot of apathy at the 2016 election, only 55.7% turnout. Trump polled 46.1% and Clinton 48.2% which immediately sets the alarm bells off. Trump 62.984 million vote, Clinton 65.853 million votes.
Here are the really scary stats.
Total electorate – 243 million approx.
Didn’t vote 44.3% – 107.6 million
The non voters are the reason why the US is in this mess, plus of course the electoral college system.
You aof course are quite correct in your analysis of the two candidates.
@ Andyoldlabour June 25, 2019 at 10:04
Not just apathy stopped many people voting. As Greg Palast puts it, America has ‘The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: A Tale of Billionaires & Ballot Bandits’.
– “The non voters are the reason why the US is in this mess…”
But equally, the mess is the reason for non-voting; a self-reinforcing cycle.
The Alternative Vote (AV) electoral system for presidential elections would help. Voters don’t vote for ‘outside’ candidates because they expect their vote would be wasted. Under AV, they could vote, say, Jill Stein as their first choice and a ‘mainstream’ candidate second, knowing that their vote would be rolled over should Stein not gain sufficient votes.
The same goes for Westminster elections. If properly understood by the electorate, AV can open the field beyond the mainstream candidates and break the two-party duopoly.
‘Apathy’ doesn’t really describe the sickness. It was, I’d argue, an integral part of the very structure of the US political system. A rather rigid system created deliberately to ‘control’ democratic ‘excess’ and the will of the people. Democracy, of a kind, but one that’s under the control of a class of gentlemen, from the very beginning. That’s why they put a straight-jacket on the democratic process by creating a constitution that was almost as solid and timeless as the two tablets Moses brought down from the mountain top!
That almost half the electorate don’t vote isn’t an accident or something that couldn’t easily be changed. The ruling elite like it that way because it means that one only has to appeal to and win the support of a quarter of the electorate to gain a ‘majority’ for a set of policies, which the real majority don’t support.
The USA is an unusual place. Most modern states have a powerful ‘working class’ political party, not so in the United States. What they have is a choice between the Whigs and the Tories, with nothing like the Labour Party or Social Democracy allowed or even possible under their apparently ‘free’ and democratic system.
Compared to most other advanced western states, it’s remarkable that the United States has seen two, twin factions of one big ‘Property Party’ ruling, virtually unchallenged for over two centuries. How did this perculiar system survive for so long? It’s a long story, but one that’s linked to an ever expanding empire continually at war with someone, somewhere.
Writeon – it is well known that the Republican Party is known as the ‘Dirty Tricks’ Party in the USA who will stop at nothing, and I mean nothing, to get into and retain Power. They are, like the Tory Party here, are supported by most of the MSN with the exception that at least over there, news stations like CSS and other MSM outlets have been heavily critical of Trump.
AnyoldLabour added to which of course, in the USA, if you have missed voting in 1 or 2 elections be they national or local, you automatically get taken off the electoral register and have to re-apply to be put back on. Furthermore, if you are black and you even have one misdemeanour against you even though it might have been when you were young or a child, you are banned from voting period. That is how Dubya’s brother was elected. By invoking this ancient, oh so ancient, by-law. The USA are quick to criticise corrupt elections in other countries but has yet to look at its own.
Jo Dominich
Thanks for that additional information Jo, I wasn’t aware of the electoral register rules, which sound totally corrupt.
British “democracy” is even more alarming.
In the EU vote, we had just over half voting to leave and just under half voting to remain. Politicians decided to ignore the closeness of the result despite the fact that the winning side was just 37% of the overall UK electorate.
How’s that for democracy?
This is a rubbish header. You were right to support Remain, @Craig, and to reject the “England’s agony is Scotland’s opportunity” argument that Brexit would wreck Britain but should be welcomed because it would boost the case for Scottish independence and leaving England to sink (as if Scotland wouldn’t). But supporting Boris Johnson is unjustifiable. I have to note that you are on record in one of your books as thinking it’s cool for men to shag around leaving illegitimate babies they don’t provide for, as Boris Johnson does.
Does he? You have evidence he has abandoned his own children? And anyway, don’t Marxists support “free love”? Or is that icon in your post s piece of post-modern irony?
People should take responsibility for their actions, including the bringing of children into the world.
What evidence is there that Brexit would wreak the UK other than half baked economic projections from a Goldman Sachs operative like Mark Carney (who previously created a massive housing bubble in Canada)? The Bank of England record of economic projections has been poor long before the referendum. The self indulgent self richious moralising about infedelity is an irrelevance.
Quote Craig
” I don’t think Boris Johnson’s domestic row is important – provided it did not involve violence – or tells us anything we did not know. I confess personally to having once been involved in a domestic shouting match so noisy that the police were called.”
Yes there are movements to derail the Johnson bandwaggon, one of those movements was the Neighbours/Guardian Recording of Miss Symond’s flat. However this does not show bad character of Boris but bad character of the Neighbours/Guardian.
Don’t wory, there are movements to keep the bandwagon firmly on its rails. Like the police denying at first they had attended the scene of the bedlam. Now a picture purportedly of a reconciliation with his girlfriend, with his hair 4 inches longer than it was last week.
So when domestic violence occurs, neighbours shouldn’t get involved or be concerned. Spoken like true tory.
Would it show the “bad character” of MI5 or a faction in MI6 if it turned out they had 2 Brunswick Park permanently wired and it was them that were behind the recording.
By the way, when do Tory members start receiving their ballot papers? Can someone post some info on how and when they are distributed. By post to all members? Through local associations? In batches?
N_
I believe the ballot papers go out 6/8 July. Deadline for return is 21/7, result 23/7.
@Jo1 – Thanks for this info. So we have got almost a fortnight, including two Sundays, to go before members can vote – a long time! I wonder how a “new Gulf War” theme might get braided in, and whether EU27 will make it clearer than they already have that what Johnson says about a non-catastrophic No Deal exit is false, and what effect it will have if they do. Are there any polls about how Tory members break by male and female for Johnson and Hunt?
N_
Not sure on the gender split. The older ladies certainly seem to love Boris!
Yes, not a long time yet it is a long time… longer again when you consider that it could get worse and worse at any point.
This is from the Independent’s news roundup:
“On his live LBC call in, Boris Johnson is asked about “spaffing” £40-odd million while London mayor on the Garden Bridge. But Johnson claims it was an excellent project, and cancelled by his successor Sadiq Khan. He says there was ample private funding for it to have proceeded.
On Nazanin Zagarhi-Ratcliffe, he says the more we blame ourselves (or him) it easier for the Iranians to keep her captive in such an inhumane way.
Change the names and these stories could easily be about Donald Trump. The approach is to lie his b******s off, to say ridiculous things rejecting what everybody knows to be true, and to blame everybody else apart from himself.
It’s kind of obvious that Trump’s got Bannon behind him.
The whole story about the “Sussex countryside” “Boris and Carrie” photo has Stephen Bannon’s fingerprints on it.
Everyone who cares knows it was staged. Support is being built up for
TrumpJohnson as the guy who tells barefaced lies, in such a way as to ask subliminally “Who’s gonna join the wimps and tell me I’m wrong to do it I’m standing up to the libtards?” The structure is practically identical to the “second amendment people” Trump story and others, for example when he mocked a journalist for being disabled and of course didn’t admit it. It is completely out of the Trump playbook. Bannon is running this campaign.How long will it be before Boris Johnson makes it clear (probably while “denying” it) that Northern Ireland can go to hell, and that the shooting conflict there can start again, for all he cares, just so long as Britain walks away from the supposedly filthy continental foreign scum and their demands for a nationally humiliating Brexit “deal”?
Maybe Sinn Fein will take their seats in the British parliament? Or has Bannon got them on side?
Peter Hain seems to be thinking along the same lines: “Boris Johnson doesn’t care about Northern Ireland – and he doesn’t even care that you know that“.
Monday morning on Radio Four, they were saying both Carrie Symonds & Boris Johnson have left her flat as the street is enmeshed with Climate Change activists who are intent on making their lives miserable.
Radio Four went on to suggest, Carrie & Boris partnership may be on its last legs.
They then went on to suggest that Johnson is currently talking with Marina his wife
and that maybe what the row with Carrie was about.
There is a Deep State hatred of Democracy in the U.K.
The people have voted for Brexit but the Deep State will do anything, including using the BBC and the Guardian to stop it happening.
If the Conservatives foist a second prime minister on the country in three years without a general election it will prove they hold our country in contempt. Not holding s general election would be an act of cowardice and further evidence that they are not fit to govern.
Deep State bollocks.
Sarge I think you will discover that a General Election will happen in next to no time.
It is the intention of Boris to go for Full Cliff Edge Brexit on or before 31st October, then, there is likely to be a confidence vote, which he will probably lose, at that point Boris will call the General Election.
But for the Deep State/Liberal Democrats it will be too late, we will have already gone flat out over the cliff.
That’s great Michael. You know the only country that currently trades only on WTO rules? ….Afghanistan.
Switzerland are currently very cheesed off with the European Union, they are being held to ransom by the E.U.
If we went with May’s Deal the E.U. Elite would have us by the b$$$$$$s
Once the U.K. has gone over the Cliff Edge
and survived, others will follow.
I read the Marina Johnson story as being what they will say if Carrie Symonds gives him the boot. Which perhaps she already has done. I doubt either of his former wives is going take that guy back.
Interesting that “climate change activists” have pitched in. And Greenpeace with Mark Field too. The German intelligence service must be busy.
@Michael – “It is the intention of Boris to go for Full Cliff Edge Brexit on or before 31st October, then, there is likely to be a confidence vote, which he will probably lose, at that point Boris will call the General Election.”
What does it mean to “call” one? A general election would be triggered a fortnight later if no government won a confidence motion, or one could be triggered before that time if two-thirds of the Commons voted in favour. As the law stands, there’s no other way for one to happen before 2022, regardless of what any prime minister wants. Repealing or amending the Fixed Term Parliaments Act is possible but unlikely.
It’s interesting that the government have ordered the media to say that a new prime minister will be appointed on 24 July. That is a massive new precedent. It must surely have been agreed with the monarch and the people around her. What if it is clear on that date that no new prime minister will enjoy the confidence of the Commons? It may well be crystal clear. For example, say 20 Tory MPs and the DUP might say they had no confidence in the new Tory leader. What if a majority of MPs under some new banner say they will back Kenneth Clarke or a Liberal Democrat or a white phosphorus Labour person as prime minister? Will the monarch still appoint a Tory? So that he can get non-confidenced the next day, and the Tory party can go into an election with a humiliated leader? I doubt it. If that happens, hold on tight for a Nigel Farage government.
A question: you envisage the kingdom (the UK) surviving a crashout Brexit, but how much of the population do you think will survive? Are you stockpiling or not bothering?
The photo is from the futire when Boris is put out to grass. Thats why his hair is longer.
Thank you for speaking your mind as always, Craig. As it happens, I am sure I am not alone among your readers in completely agreeing with you on Trump. Beyond the bluster is a moderate and a peacemaker, who has consistently refused to be a stooge of the warmongers. Compare that to the appalling record of George W Bush and, to an extent, Obama.
What we’re seeing with the media campaign against Trump, I suspect, is the Neocons and military hiding behind the Left for credibility because they know their own motives would be unpalatable. Hence how the Guardian and BBC have been on board the anti-Trump bandwagon from the start, while the right-wing media, who pretend to support Trump, pulled out all the stops to publicise the demontrations against him when he was in London.
I agree with Craig that Trump was the lesser of two evils compared to Clinton but evil is still evil. Trump is not a peace lover. Apart from Syria, he has supported Saudi Arabia in murdering hundreds of thousands of Yemeni citizens and the Israelis in murdering Palestinians. Obama exceeded Bush in droning innocent civilians and it is clear even more would have been droned if Clinton had got in, especially Julian Assange and the London Embassy of Ecuador with him: collateral damage. So who would have guessed that Trump would drone murder more civilians than Obama? The answer is, most people. War criminal has been part of the job description of our western leaders for many years.
Boris has all the makings of a psychopathic drone killer. He will have his finger on the bottom as soon as gets into number 10. And he won’t be able to keep quiet about it when he next appears on Have I got News for You. For that reason I applaud the public spirited whistle blowing of his girl friends neighbours. The sooner we hear less of this dangerous scoundrel the better!
Just wait till his big pharma buddies get their sweaty paws on the NHS, the death toll will make the cruel Tory policies seem almost acceptable.
Bannon and Johnson keep in touch regularly according to one radio stations remarks. The US corporations will carve up England, Wales and NI’s state interests, as if they’re apportioning a Thanksgiving roast.
Johnson who is a shoe-in for PM, will definitely take us out of the EU, possibly without a deal. He and his party will then be free to open the floodgates of privatisation in Britain.
Meanwhile Corbyn will still be dithering on the fence.
RoS
Corbyn’s dithering reminds me of the rictus grin of his predecessor Blair. Real politick and common sense make uncomfortable bedfellows. The EU Gestapo and the bankrupt US pushing him from both directions.
The Tories on the other hand have a green light from Washington for privatisation , isolationism and war . The fat-walleted baby boomers egging them on to total destruction.
I took hope this week from Istanbul which has reversed the populism of Blair clone Erdogan. If the coalition of Kurds and socialists can topple Nato’s Erdogan, then Scotland and Cornyn could topple the Tories.
Oh I forgot, Scotland is working against English socialism, and Craig is a leading exponent of England’s demise.
O well you can’t win em all, all of the time.
RoS I don’t see Corbyn ‘dithering’ on the fence. He is out there being an activist, telling the truth, challenging Government outrages etc. He is in Opposition though and, as you well know, the only thing the MSM is interested in re Corbyn is turn everything he says into further criticism, further media bashing of him, further slander in fact. At least he is sticking to the truth and standing up for what is right. I thought his speech at the anti-Trump rally was brilliant actually; simple, straightforward and focussed. Glad to see a Leader of the Opposition out there challenging the Washington war hawks.
What is worse of course, is cast your mind back to not so long ago when the EU was negotiating the Transatlantic Trade Treaty with the USA the EU eventually called a halt to the negotiations and have not re-opened them as negotiators from all EU countries said the USA were not interested in negotiation but rather, they wanted a Treaty where the EU caved in to all their demands which would result in millions of jobs being transferred from the EU to the USA. Bojo Hunt and their sorry pathetic corrupt MPs and Cabinet will sign a Transatlantic Trade Treaty with the USA without giving it a second thought thereby kissing goodbye to British jobs, to the NHS, to further Arms purchases, to perpetual war to promote USA interests and more.
Unless Corbyn is elected as the next Prime Minister that’s the way things are going.
Trump the “peacemaker” – are you for real? Which country has he made or might he make peace with? And why is he increasing military spending? The biggest US wars of the past 30 years were all started under Republican presidents.
Irrelevant, yes he has increased military spending but has not invaded Syria and under Clinton the US would still be funding Isis and the Islamic state would still be in existence. Not only that, but Clinton managed to restart the cold war with Russiagate to mask her electoral fraud in the primaries, risking all out nuclear war, how self indulgent.
You are also being dishonest in sugesting that all major wars were started under republican presidents. The major escalation of the Vietnam war was under Lindon Johnson, with JFK increasing involvment previously. Bill Clinton helped dismember Yugoslavia. The Korean war was started under Harry S Truman in 1950, the Democratic former KKK member. WW1 involvment was under Woodrow Wilson a democrat, I belive WW1 was a major war? The Russian civil war was also under Woodrow Wilson.
Were you picking 30 years to dishonestly manipulate the data, as it ommits the major US war since WW2, Vietnam? Can you provide a justifycation for using the arbitory time frame of 30 years?
Was the Yugoslavia war big, as you put it in this shallow banal thoughtless way? Is Lybia not important or big enough?
Trump is a huckster, and a narsasist and a truley awful candidate, but not as bad as a psycopath like Hilary who said “We came we saw he died” after she destroyed Lybia as sectary of state by supporting Jehadists who impailed Gadafi with a bayonet. Lybia is yet to recover and still has a civil war. This indicates all Hillary Clinton supporters are moraly bankrupt.
Reg it wasn’t for the want of the USA wishing to invade Syria (and yes they are funding the White Helmets, Isis, etc) rather that Russia, China, Turkey and Iran were there on the ground negotiating with the rebels, ISIS and others to a peaceful conclusion to the conflict. They have all but achieved that peace. They did bomb Syria though in retaliation for what we know now was a false flag incident. Trump is gagging for war – in fact he is deep in wars – sanctions, trade wars, interference in civil wars and sovereign nations elections (Venezuela) – not a lot of difference is there?
How anyone can support Trump under any circumstance is beyond me.
He is seeking world domination without firing a shot by different means. like using space weapons to effect regime-change, as he tried the other say in Iran. He is gong to beat most Democrats in the upcoming election,especially Biden, dishonest Sanders et al.
And the guy clearly is a racist and rapist. I will never vote for the bastard, even at gun point by one of his white supremacists.
He is not seeking world domination, he is trying to manage decline. The days of the US empire and world domination are over.
Says you. Evidence for your wild claim?
The US’s diminishing economic hegenomy and the fact that Middle Eastern peace accords are made these days without a US presence. It is slowly being sidelined.
Tell that to the Military Industrial Complex, who use illegal wars to bolster profits, and keep the dollar buoyant. Iran looks next in the firing line.
I think it’s important to maintain a distinction between the democratic entity that is the USA and the corporate interests that have taken it over for their own purposes.
Not sure there is a ‘democratic entity that is the USA’.
There is military muscle and international police force to protect the interests of international capital against any interference from unruly foreign nations (eg Venezuela) or groups/individuals (Wikileaks, Assange).
There is a protected playground for the aristocrats of international capital.
There is a pool of servants/cheap labour to look after them.
There is a propaganda machine, and an electoral circus not seemingly linked to real power.
Dont see any ‘democratic entity’
I think the line is all but blurred now, the power of the corporations and lobby groups in my opinion hold sway over any POTUS who cannot fund his or her own presidential campaign. Even then I think a POTUS has to yield to a degree.
Quote : …dishonest Sanders et al.
Surely, if progressives take that position: seeking perfection in a Presidential candidate, they’ll be waiting forever? Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, based on everything I’ve read, are nearer to the views expressed by people here and by Craig, than those of other contenders like Biden – a man whose views and legislative record looks more like that of a Republican.
Corbyn is far from perfect and many have doubts about Nicola Sturgeon’s commitment to independence. Progressives have this habit of self-sabotaging by making perfect the enemy of good. Here in the UK the Lib Dem leadership contenders refusal to countenance cooperation is another example.
Sanders took nearly $700 from me by deception. acting as if he was still the party’s candidate long after he wasn’t. demanding more recently when I still didn’t understand how he was getting the DNC to give him everything I provided.
The guy’s a cheat.
He threw his support behind Clinton when he’d lost the nomination race.
If he hadn’t, he would have been blamed for her defeat by the DNC to this day. They already assert his ‘stay-away’ and switching supporters cost Hillary the election. The Clinton camp and DNC have blamed just about everyone but Hillary herself.
what do you mean, acting like he was the party’s candidate? what’s the deception?
“like using space weapons to effect regime-change”
Please explain further.
Among other things, Trowbridge believes that the US uses satellites and submarines to cause earthquakes.
oh dear.
I’d imagine tactically placed smaller yield nukes at certain points in the oceans, could cause tsunamis or possibly earth quakes.
The widely shown footage of a underground nuke being detonated in NK not that long ago, produced a ripple effect on the streets of a nearby city.
We don’t actually know what nuclear subs get up to in our oceans, though we do know they tapped the undersea cables years ago.
Whatever next? Heart-attack guns?
Ermm….
https://www.military.com/video/guns/pistols/cias-secret-heart-attack-gun/2555371072001
RoS, yup. It’s almost impossible that people haven’t tried to research these kinds of technologies – they have massive destructive potential. Also, it stands to reason that if they did have such weapons, they’d hardly advertise the fact, if it felt that it gave them an advantage.
I’d include much more (biological agents, Directed Energy Weapons etc). Scary times. But this is a conspiracy theory (through logical thinking)
Until someone says “Ermm…..” 🙂
Did you ever read the conclusions that Barnaby Jack reached about them, only to have his pacemaker hacked, killing him?
And drones, both radar and chemical ones.
Good on you, Trowbridge! Yours is a voice of good sense. You obviously don’t bend like a stick in the wind.
On this side of the ocean, I will never vote Tory. They’d have to kill me first.
Leading opinion formers on the British liberal “left” supporting a far-right Johnson or Farage government against the supposedly “Clintonite” Labour party – could it happen? While the CIA and Russia Today have their chequebooks open, yes it could. F*** that.
It is a truism verging on a cliche that the old distinction between left and right doesn’t hold much water these days. When it comes to the UK’s relationship with the EU this has been the case for several decades. In the first referendum in 1975 Tony Benn and Michael Foot were on the same side as Enoch Powell.
Did Benn or Foot (or Powell) ever say the distinction between left and right no longer held much water? Link please.
Dunno. I guess it’s more a question of following the hand rather than watching the birdie.
It could be argued that it served Benn’s purpose to maintain that there was a difference between left and right. What he actually said is perhaps less important than how he acted when in a position of political power. He gloried in being painted as a hard left radical. In power, maybe not so much.
Try this link: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/war-politics/tony-benn-another-left-wing-capitalist-pig/
Enoch Powell voted Labour in 1974. There was some bona fide Lexitism in 1975 and there is some today too, e.g. Dennis Skinner. Dennis would never in a million years support a Tory government, let alone a government led by Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage.
Probably the same white supremacists who had just finished lynching Jussie Smollett 😉
Enjoying flying cuttlefish picayune. Sorry codshit has disappeared. Very fishy.
Thank you !
And all this speculation about Trump being captive to so and so lobby. Look at his appointments. I suppose Obama forced those on him ?
We in UK are now facing a similar dilemma to what the US suffered in 2016, except most of us do not get to vote on the outcome. The choice between Hunt and Johnson is an awful one as it is between two narcissists. Enough has been said about Johnson here but look at the three major Hunt fiascos:
Levenson enquiry
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/may/31/jeremy-hunt-leveson-inquiry
Flats scandal: but hey, that’s what entrepreneurs do.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/18/jeremy-hunt-investigated-breach-money-laundering-rules-luxury-flats
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/04/12/exclusive-jeremy-hunt-admits-breaking-governments-rules-company/
And of course the catalogue of NHS disasters he presided over in his 6 year tenure, too many examples to list.
Jeremy (c)Hunt stated he wants to double defence spending to counter ‘the Russian threat’.
He’s another Cold War revivalist – a weird Strangelove type – the sort who sadly dominate Nato. They appear to be doing more harm than good with their sabre-rattling and stoking of tensions on Russia’s borders. Even Tory supporters are sick of it. I noticed lots comments in response to Hunt’s, in which their supporters were saying they’d rather spend on the NHS or better subsidised care provision for the elderly , which after all the recent scandals in care homes is hardly surprising.
So Hunt is saying the same kind of thing as Johnson-supporting Williamson.
Can people please get this through their heads: all Tories are part of the enemy.
From Hunt’s interview tonight :
“I was in cabinet at the time and I supported her[May] loyally but I never thought that was the right approach.”
let that sink in…
I don’t know the context but there is widespread agreement that Theresa May was incompetent and both candidates have to recognise that.
If you’re implying that many Tory members might be so damned stupid as to see Johnson’s post-Chequers walkout as an act of principle, and Jeremy Hunt as tainted with Mayite capitulationism, you may well be right. This is what a shift to the far right looks like.
He’s basically saying he voted for things he didn’t believe in simply out of loyalty. Now on minor policies that’s understandable. But on a huge, defining policy like Brexit, imho , that’s a disgraceful admission.
Not strange at all. Another salesman for the (mainly) US arms racket. Washington knows how to reward its friends.
(I read that Tony Blair now owns seventeen houses! I’m sure that there is no shortage of politicians who would be happy to follow his lead.)
See grumpy Gordon Brown has emerged from his cave to denounce Johnson.
Brown claims a Johnson premiership could well ‘wreck the UK’ and be a gift to the SNP in their quest for Scottish independence. He lists all the negative things Johnson has said or written about Scots in the past.
Why Brown clings to Union as if some perfect creation is hard to fathom? He paints a picture of hard borders and endless Scottish – English strife post-Scottish independence, quote :” a hard border at Hadrian’s Wall separating Scotland and England and life reduced to an unending battle between us and them.”
Why the relationship has to be anything other than amicable and harmonious, he never really elaborates on. I don’t know anyone in England who’d wish Scotland ill , were the population to opt for independence. I think the animostity would be reduced if anything as per respectful UK – Éire relationship.
To add.
Brown’s always melodramatic when making speeches about the possible ‘break up’ of the UK, many unionists follow similar approach, they use the same emotive language and imagery presenting the UK as at risk of being: ‘ripped apart’ , ‘wrenched apart’; ‘torn asunder’ is another favourite – as if the UK literally faces being physically cut in to two pieces with some giant chainsaw. The attention-seeking theatrics are all these people seem to have left.
“Why the relationship has to be anything other than amicable and harmonious, he never really elaborates on. I don’t know anyone in England who’d wish Scotland ill , were the population to opt for independence. I think the animostity would be reduced if anything as per respectful UK – Éire relationship.”
Below the line on this site often makes me wonder this same thing. I don’t know a single ordinary English person who has a negative view of Scottish independence when adequately informed. Asserting a British/English right to self determination naturally follows Scotland should be allowed to do the same. Obviously the Westminster political class has absolutely no moral fibre at all, and will throw every bit of mud it can at the independence movement, but I think a lot of people get hamstrung by nationalism and confuse the establishment with the general population. I think it’s a bit like England’s relationship with Germany when it comes to international football, the English see the Germans as their old nemesis, but the Germans don’t really give 2 shits. Germany – Turkey is their big international ‘derby’.
I see organised working class support from English Brexiteers for Scottish Independence might go some of the way towards healing some of this divide in the event of another indy ref being called in the foreseeable future. The working class of Scotland and England have far more in common with each other than they do with the toads of their own respective political classes.
The unionists can never bring themselves admit the transition to independence could go smoothly and Scotland would become a successful independent nation, with a good, if not better relationship with England, post independence. Their arguments are always couched in in the language of violence and division, as if Independence is simply unattainable peacefully.
If an independent Scotland were allowed to join the EU as is SNP policy and rump Britain were outside the customs union and single market, Scotland would be obliged under EU law to have a hard border even if England didn’t want one. A Johnson government would be terrible for the whole of Britain or for the whole of rump Britain plus independent Scotland if that is what it comes to.
Sorry – I mean “rump Britain” not England.
Scotlan would have to annex part of England to put a hard border along Hsdrian’s wall since it runs well south of the Scottish border.
“Scotland would have to annex part of England to put a hard border along Hsdrian’s wall since it runs well south of the Scottish border.”
Not nescessarily Johny
We could have a no-man’s-land DMZ between Hadrian’s wall and the Scottish border.
Craig, What is leftwing groupthink? Sounds like just another meaningless slogan that you accuse the ‘left’ of, to me and explains absolutely nothing to your readers except reinforce stereotypes and preconceptions about the left.
People who have leftwing ideas are as varied as every other segment of society. Using the derogatory slogan does you and your opinions no favours. Frankly, it’s just a cheap shot that required no thinking or analysis to make.
I used to think taking offense of a political leader who “is a serial rat” was a conservative position?
There is a huge difference to “selling” Trump by the way – the man is a grandfather and has managed to keep relations civilised with his ex-wifes. Same with Bill Clinton who had managed to keep his family intact. Without Hillary’s cooperation Bill Clinton’s career would have been finished.
That Boris Johnson’s ex-partner refuses to say anything (though the innuendo of her twitter account speaks volumes) might stop him. Conservatives cannot count on going to any election with him that does not hurt them.
And yes, presumably Brexit US-partners are throwing everything they have behind Boris.
William Bowles, well said. Of course, nothing is ever said about Extreme Right Wing group think is it?
“leftwing groupthink” is used by those who serioiusly consider Hilary Clinton to be “on the left”. It’s an expression that is also used to suggest that the one who uses it is a fearless individual opposing all “dogma”. This is one of those entries that shows Craig at his weakest where he is playing along to mainstream media stereotypes.
Johnson’s Register of Interests onTWFY
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10999/boris_johnson/uxbridge_and_south_ruislip#register
He receives some massive fees for speaking engagements. One is approaching £100k. Donations too especially from the Bamfords (JCB). CTF Partners Ltd on the list as donors has SIR! Lynton Crosbie as one of the three directors. Crosbie is described as his election guru in this Times piece. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ctf-partners-election-guru-gives-boris-johnson-support-3v0zbmf07
Johnson also does well from publishers’ royalties. The extent of his combined income including his MP’s salary can only be guessed at.
He has just had his 55th birthday. I thought he was younger.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5934783/Boris-Johnsons-net-worth-revealed-Foreign-Secretary-resigns.html
He voted for the Iraq War and for replacing Trident. No surprise there. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10999/boris_johnson/uxbridge_and_south_ruislip/votes#foreignpolicy
Sharp Ears, this has got me thinking. MPs are elected to serve their constituents and their country. I have come to the conclusion that I am totally and utterly opposed to MPs being allowed to claim ridiculous expenses for 2nd homes, keep a Register of Interests which allow them to accumulate serious wealth probably having an impact on domestic policy, quite evident in this current Government’s corruption. They should be allowed to claim expenses only on the same basis that contractors working away from home are, they should not be allowed to reap large sums of money from highly lucrative public speaking engagements or private ones for that matter. For a Tory MP to say that claiming 2nd home expenses to pay the mortgage on her parents home is legitimate and that spending £2000 on a walnut or something table for her dining room etc is legitimate stretches the realms of credibility. The whole expenses shebang needs to be halted, rationalised and extremely limited in scope.
Johnson turned an open goal into an own goal. It was a perfect opportunity to denounce the slippery curtain twitchers hacking him to The Guardian, and most people would have sympathized with him. Few British people like busy body bottom-feeding neighbours, let alone those passing off their hacks to the snobby types who run the long-discredited Guardian.
No, normal people want c@ntz like BJ and his tormented girlfriend screaming the street down in the middle of the night.
I’m in no way defending BoJo, but isn’t it “normal” for couples to argue? I mean isn’t that “normal” behaviour, or did I miss that Bible class?
Every neighbour asked about what happened said they were going to call the police. But no, you’re in no way defending him.
Infact I’d go as far as to say that it would be pretty abnormal for couple not to argue.
Some couples are normal well-mannered people and they argue privately.
Other couples are abnormal and they argue in the streets, with screams, with worried neighbours and with the police.
Arguing at home or out on the street is still just arguing regardless, its not abnormal. I’ve witnessed couples arguing in the street, a wee bit embarrassing yes, but not abnormal, and not uncommon either.
Just a question of respect towards the people who surround you, Republicofscotland. And a question of if you’re easily taken by your emotions. Or, on the contrary, have a good hold of yourself.
In short, it is known as caring/not caring about your reputation, which again returns us to the question of respect towards the people who surrround you.
Motives are a: ‘I respect people and I care wnat they think’ or b: ‘I need to pour it out and I don’t care what they think’.
—-
Do you see the difference? Altruistic and egoistic approach. I belive that all human beings have both motivations. The threshold, the border at which you forget about everybody and pay attention to yours personal – that threshold makes you MORE civilised or LESS civilised.
Civilised means good for the society.
Do you want a prime-minister who is not good for the society, *judging by his inner motives shown in the known conflict*?
RoS, sure couples argue. However, this involved threatening and abusive language to his partner, she was clearly afraid and the neighbours were right to call the police. Had this incident of course, occurred on a council estate, not only would the male aggressor have been removed from the premises but also arrested and charge with public order offences. I cannot fathom how people are defending him. Had this been a Labour MP in fact, the MSM would have had a screaming, hissy fit.
Given the other conspiracy theories abound on this blog (and the radical political views of BJ’s neighbours), I am not convinced the argument and scream-fast actually happened and I firmly believe the tape was a forgery …
“Johnson turned an open goal into an own goal.”
It won’t matter how many gaffes Johnson makes, the party faithful will declare him leader after the July vote, simply because he promises to Brexit come hell or high water.
Once seen as the clown prince of Westminster, Johnson is now on the verge of serving as PM, his elevation to the position, once unthinkable, is in my opinion entirely on the grounds that he will definitely Brexit.
RoS it does matter how many Gaffes Johnson makes, that’s why his handlers are keeping him away from microphones.
If Johnson blows it and the detestable Hunt gets in, it will be the Death Knell of the Conservative Party.
Gaffe strewn Johnson has held two significant positions, Mayor of London and Foreign secretary, both positions saw Johnson suffer from foot-in-mouth disease.
Yet here he is on the verge of holding the office of PM. Johnson is popular because he promises to Brexit, not because he’s competent or knows how to deal with EU chiefs, and those who voted to leave the EU don’t give a monkey’s about his failings, only that he will Brexit.
I used to think Boris Johnson made it to mayor of London by accident, given that he happened to be the Tory candidate when the Zionist lobby were ruining Ken Livingstone.
But then I found out that Johnson’s stepmother is a Sieff, a member of the leading Zionist family that owns Marks and Spencer. And not only that, but she it was who helped arrange the time he spent in Israel, arranged it with a former Israeli ambassador to Britain and the UN.
Johnson may well position himself as the “whack Iran” option.
Some well-groomed team in a shiny office are even now working to present his gaffe-strewn personality to his advantage. “Gaffe” needs to go for starters. That’s a word invented by the opposition.
Problem is (for his opponents) is no-one minds a few peccadilloes, shows he’s human. There’s a growing perception anything thrown at him is a hit-job. I guess that’s his Trump factor in part.
Yes, domestic violence is so cool, isn’t it?
As an American, I will leave it to the Brits to comment on their country’s problems, but I completely agree that while Trump is a despicable human being, Hilary Clinton would have been far worse for the world as US President.
Think the jury is still out on that.
For while Hillary’s Syrian policies undoubtedly held a high risk of military conflagration, she would, I presume, have stuck with the JCPOA which Trump has recklessly torn up.
Maybe the JCPOA can still be salvaged if Trump’s signature can replace Obama’s?
And despite her closeness to AIPAC I don’t think she’d have moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, or unilaterally proclaimed Golan Israel’s territory. Nor handed the whole Palestine – Israel peace process to a son-in-law who happens to be proudly Zionist – in a move the Palestinians feel has excluded them from discussions altogether.
Even if Trump loses his bid for a second term in 2020, he’ll leave behind some intractable problems for the incoming administration to solve.
Goose, agreed. I think there is far too much speculation as to what Hilary Clinton would have done but I know one thing, I doubt it would have been anything as bad as Trump has done in his term of office.
Jo
I agree
Craig’s partial praise of Trump’s ‘restraint’ could age very badly.
I really think the world is in a very dangerous situation right now, with someone so capable of lashing out as Trump at the helm; someone fascinated with thermonuclear weapons allegedly, and advised by the ultra-hawkish Bolton. Bolton is currently in Israel issuing threats to Iran.
I don’t in any way think the world is in safe hands with someone in charge who can casually threaten to kill millions on Twitter, before returning to his Big Mac and coke, as commander-in-chief.
but clinton would have pushed much harder in the ukraine than trump, and that, even more than syria, was a possible trigger for a war with russia.
Possibly.
But note tonight how Trump’s once again tweeting about ‘obliterating’ Iran. It feels like there’s a sickness in US thinking that doesn’t hold the sanctity of human life as precious, something scared.
And it’s as if the US has a moody thirteen year old as President surrounded hawks urging him to do something crazy.
Not possibly, on Syria, definitely. She said during her campaign that she would immediately declare a no-fly zone over Syria.
That would have meant a direct confrontation with Russia. She made her intentions quite clear.
No, by all means give us your opinion of British politics, which is fast becoming Americanised as is everything else in Britain, after all the most likely candidate for PM in Britain is New Yorker Boris Johnson, a smaller more rotund version of Trump.
Bejesus, Craig
It almost looks like the two bottom feeders peruse your articles at their leisure.
Jimmy Carter praises Trump during Sunday school lesson https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/jimmy-carter-praises-trump-during-sunday-school-lesson
you’re criticising carter for not wanting trump to attack iran? what?? do you think attacking iran would be a good idea?
“Former President Jimmy Carter offered support for President Trump’s decision not to attack Iran after it shot down a U.S. drone.
Carter, 94, offered the rare praise for Trump on Sunday while addressing an audience of about 500 at his home church, Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. Carter’s one term as president was marked by the Iran hostage crisis.
“I agree with President Trump on his decision not to take military action against Iran,” he said. “I had a lot of problems with Iran when I was in office.”
the washington post is a neocon rag, if you want to read the opinions of bottom feeders you couldn’t ask for a better source. they hated carter, and still hate him, and they are trying to portray this as somehow supporting trump, and you catapult that propaganda without heed.
this is actually Jimmy Carter
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/450877-jimmy-carter-trump-only-won-in-2016-because-of-russian-meddling
Mad as March hare.
Also remember he may have started no war but he did support Suharto in Indonesia whose regime occupied East Timor killing tens of thousands and continued its antiCommunist purge which ultimately resulted in over 1.5 million dead.
Started no war but still killed more people than Clinton
also the christian nut ironically became the godfather of Osama Bin laden
Trump’s sanctions are having a devastating effect on Iranians. Sanctions are acts of war. It should not be forgotten that 500,000 children died in Iraq as a direct effect of sanctions. And in Iran, having sanctions being reinstated was so utterly unnecessary. There was an agreement, more than fair to U.S. interests, that kept things reasonably placated, and then Trump, with his ignorance and belligerence and grandstanding, unilaterally pulled out of the agreement. He is not a man of kindness and peace, but he doesn’t want hot war because it is wasteful.
Craig says that Hillary would have been worse. He knows a lot more than I do about these matters. But the cruelty of Trump’s belligerence puts him in the category of psychopath in my book, even if perhaps he doesn’t express it in such a comprehensive manner as Hillary.
I speculate that Trump appoints and keeps warmongers like Bolton and Pompeio because they are yes men to his ignorance, and he values that and sees it as rare enough that he’s willing to tolerate the hawkishness that he doesn’t believe in.
More likely both think they can operate around him.
Neither are stupid men, it’s Bolton seems obsessed with Iran. But as stated today in the UK parliament what would victory look like? It could quite easily escalate. TRump talks of obliterating Iran
Use of a thermonuclear weapons(by any country) against a population center, killing millions would be unacceptable and unthinkable in 2019. Every country would break off diplomatic relations with the aggressor (they’d be forced to by their own outraged protesting populations) and those politicians and civilians who ordered it or were in any way involved at all levels including top brass military would all go to prison . The world simply wouldn’t tolerate such genocide by anyone. It’d radicalise everyone on the planet into outraged action.
Mr. Spencer Eagle asked on the first page of this discussion:
“…do tell us you were ‘commando’ too, Craig…”
and Mr. Muray answered:
“…Naturally. I was wearing my kilt…”
—-
Not that I’m so very interested in THAT sort of facts 🙂 I’ve looked into Urban Dictionary, is it true????
* just asking
for my friendof cultural scientific interest 🙂 *I tried to keep it, but really I cannot, sorry, sorry, sorry 🙂
Tatiana
Saves money on laundry. You leave your smelly backside odour on other people’s upholstery.
Hence the expression about Lums reeking.
Long may your sofa smell of my bum.
It does seem to have tickled your Russian sense of humour, quite a lot. All in the best of all possible tastes.
Tatyana and the kilt @ 20.24
You remarks reminded me of a very old joke involving a misunderstanding of the meaning of the word worn, which has two meanings, it’s the past tense of ‘to wear’ and as an adjective – be tired or exhausted.
It goes: 1st person “Is anything worn under the kilt?”
2nd person “No it’s all in perfect working order”
Apparently some people find this amusing.
I have no idea why Craig thinks his opinion regarding Mr Johnson (incidentally, Tatyana, Johnson is also a slang term for penis) might be unpopular.
Neither contender for the post of leader of the Tory party has much to recommend them. I am guessing that most of the readers of this blog are not members of the Tory party either and therefore have no say in the matter. Members of the party comprise a tiny percentage of the population of the country as a whole and are therefore unrepresentative in the democratic sense. To me they seem like Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Craig is guessing that one possible contender will mean a better outcome for Scotland, maybe he has a better sense of what’s possible than I, time will tell. To me Johnson seems more human than Hunt, but they both seem flawed. Johnson is more of a narcissist and Hunt more of a psychopath, that’s the kind of people this job attracts, but what do I know?
For narcissists and psychopaths definiton see:http://psychopathsandlove.com/narcissist-or-psychopath/
Informative blog, caring people, amazing country Scotland!
I love it!
Fabulous article, spot on!
I’m a true leftie, but if I was American I might have voted for Trump as I was so scared of Hillary. But I would have probably voted for Jill Stein which would have helped put Trump in.
Trump may be a narcissist, but he’s not a psychopath. He seems to like to be liked, especial by his base, which gives him a bit of a human quality.
I have read many times that Trump hates war. He talks aggresive in the hope of getting a better deal from the adversary, his base say.
Kevin, interesting thoughts but I cannot agree. Trump is a megalomaniac and yes, a Sociopath rather than a Psychopath. He poses the only real threat to world stability and peace and has demonstrated this on numerous occasions. His fanatical support of Israel is also deeply concerning.
@ Jo Dominich
Thanks.
Could you please clarify the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath?
Hi Peter, thanks for the question – difference is as follows:
A sociopath is actually a person with antisocial personality disorder. It as a cluster B personality disorder (those that are dramatic or emotional).
For the diagnosis the following characteristics are central:
Repeated violations of the law
Pervasive lying and deception
Physical aggressiveness
Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others
Consistent irresponsibility in work and family environments
Lack of remorse
Psychopathy iss a more severe form of sociopathy with more symptoms. Therefore, all psychopaths are sociopaths but sociopaths are not necessarily psychopaths.
Psychopath traits include:
Lack of guilt/remorse
Lack of empathy
Lack of deep emotional attachments
Narcissism
Superficial charm
Dishonesty
Manipulativeness
Reckless risk-taking
Jo
Israeli racism and white racism, known as Zionism and fascism are bread and butter to his remaining as potus and need to be firmly ignored. We lost May and now we’re going to get a male public school oaf/liar.
Our success depends on us all pulling together. Political success depends on pulling us all apart.
Sorry but I cannot agree with any of these Statements. Firstly, Bojo’s personal conduct is important when put in context to his other rantings and behaviour. There can be no question that his girlfriend appeared to be frightened during the incident. My Goodness had that been a Labour MP, it would be screamed from the rooftops that he should be arrested and charged. I am aghast that the MSM are even supporting Bojo, it’s just as well the British Public have more common sense than I thought in this regard. He is a bully, look at his aggressive, insulting language and verbal abuse of EU negotiators, of Putin, of Corbyn, Muslims, black citizens and many many more. His language often, quite often, is designed to render the people or groups he is criticising as being less than human or entitled to proper respect as citizens, Politicians or Presidents. These comments are neither funny or appropriate
This incident is one in a long line of abuse, aggressive, insulting and abusive behaviour on the part of Bojo. It is the very foundation of his personality and character, the same shocking arrogance underpinned by pathological lying that makes him believe he is able to get away with these things. And the MSM support him every step of the way. The lies he told about the Skripal affair, backed by Treason May, nearly sparked WWIII. He lied with total confidence, with aggression and playing the blame game.
All these characteristics and more he has all form a profile of a dangerous Sociopath and underpin any such profile. I commend the neighbours for calling the Police and taping the conversation. I also commend them for selling the tape to the Guardian. The MSM seem to be able to destroy ordinary people’s lives by employing these same techniques so why not ordinary citizens. The Public do need to know what a dangerous sociopath Bojo really is. It is mooted around that he has had to pay a few women ‘hush’ money not to go public on aspects of their relationship. Why? In the past week we have had two Tory MPs who have been the perpetrators of physical, verbal, abusive and threatening behaviour. Yet the Police do nothing on either case. In Bojo’s case they even denied they had attended at his house. We live in very dangerous times as far as Freedom of Press, of Opinion, of Thought and of Speech are being heavily censored by the Tory Government and their official Propaganda Machine, the MSM. Never forget, this is a man, a dangerous man, who may well be the next UK Prime Minister. It’s time for a man of Peace, Intelligence and a serious minded approach to politics and the Nation to take the reins of being the Prime Minister and, yes, I mean Corbyn.
I do not agree with your assessment about Trump either. He is a megalomaniac. The only reason he hasn’t yet bombed Iran or imposed further sanctions is that he must be under tremendous international and internal pressure not to do so as the net result will again, probably be the collapse of the New York Exchange and other world stock exchanges will follow. This risk is further enhanced as the Dow Jones is still very rocky because of Trump’s irrational Trade War with China and other trade wars. I read recently that his total ban in the USA on Huawei is starting to and will result in a loss of billions of dollars in Sillicon Valley on their businesses.
Thank you though Craig, for writing an article that stimulates thought and debate, it is more necessary than ever in these current times.
Absolutely, Jo. Craig’s complacent indifference to the rise of the alt right through Trump and Johnson is quite surprising in its apparent lack of insight into what is going on, and how this could pan out in the future. Scottish independence, desirable as it might be, is a small affair in comparison and will not be unaffected by it. But I find many on the left are deluded into thinking it plays into their hands – and even welcome it. Just ridiculous.
The alt-right is a phoney psy-op.
Jo
Everything you write about Johnson is true and everyone knows it. His fellow MPs know it yet he got more than half of the votes. Party Members know it yet it still looks likely they will elect him.
Members of Johnson’s team met last week in a London club with Farage. Deals are no doubt being done. One in particular, Priti Patel, is no stranger to private meetings…she held a dozen with a foreign power without the PM or the Cabinet even knowing while she was in Israel on holiday!
We all know Johnson’s record and every offence on it….yet it doesn’t seem to matter.
Corbyn? Where to start! He has, admittedly had a nightmare of a time and that’s just from the Fifth Column in his own Party. The media has been in on all of that and its treatment of him, as far as I can recall, is unprecedented.
That said, it is seriously nuts that he’s allowing a TU leader, McCluskey, to determine how the Labour Party should proceed on this Brexit shambles. Why? It’s damaging him further and only adding weight to claims that he was pro-Brexit all along. The Labour Party is a mess. Due to that straightforward fact I would say the whole country is screwed, even if there’s an election.
Being a Scot there is some comfort in knowing we could escape the mess but that’s not certain either when it comes to numbers. I’m still not convinced a new independence referendum would be won. In fact, I’m depressed over the number of folk I know who are in despair over the UK Brexit mess yet still won’t vote for Scottish Independence. The debate is still polarised.
I’ve given up saying, “It can’t get any worse.” for obvious reasons.
It is possible that a GE may happen much later but for now Parliament has to make it’s mind up whether they are going to allow a No Deal by the 31/1019.
The more Johnson say’s ( could be a bluff though on past form) ” It’s do or die ” the more disturbed the Tory Moderates become.
I think we will see in future weeks to come a serious verbal and written assault on Johnson as the real Powers that be – The City of London and the Financial Institutions in general and proper big capitalists ( not the CBI ) will orientate more to Hunt who is a real Establishment Neo – Liberal politician working on their behalf.
The downside of Johnson is that he almost makes certain that there will be a GE.
Hunt on the other hand say’s he has a cunning plan.
The revival of May’s Deal.
The trouble is – if he wins he has to get it past Speaker Bercow,
If that fails there maybe a new parliament and a Queens Speech that could fail to pass.
Not much excitement yet but I’m sure things will hot up once the real PTB put the boot into Johnson. either as PM or Candidate.
But look at Hunt.
In yesterday’s Daily Mail(don’t ask) the headline piece inside was Hunt saying the UK could join US in Iran strikes. Today in parliament he said he could envisage no scenario in which the UK would join the US.
On Brexit: he’s on record(BBC) stating there should be another referendum and only at the start of this month he stated leaving with no-deal would be suicidal. Now he says he’d be willing to leave without a deal.
He’s about as consistent and reliable as the English weather.
I wonder how Jeremy Hunt goes down with Tory constituency chairmen. A former head boy at Charterhouse won’t be a pushover. I mean not where running for prime minister is concerned; maybe in other things.
He’s very dangerous IMHO.
Needless to say, Blair was in the audience in Bahrain for Kushner’s preposterous proposals for solving the Palestinians’ problems.
Jared Kushner’s $50bn Palestinian revival plan met with scepticism
https://www.ft.com/content/5ea6a5c2-9765-11e9-8cfb-30c211dcd229
There will be no solution until the Occupation is ended.
It’s atrocious.
Kushner has devised a plan whereby the Palestinians never get the state of their own(two-state solution) and surrounding Arab countries pay for the bribe thart’s meant to ease their dejection, in the form of $50bn economic assistance.
This whole Iran war business is probably going to result in the Saudis and Iranians destroying each other’s refineries if missiles are exchanged. Do these leaders ever think someone may be playing games with them?
“If I was accused of association with concealing all that, ….”
surely you mean if you were “GUILTY of concealing all that”
As you well know Craig accusations are part of the smearers toolkit… sexual assault, anti-semitism, collusion….
Is Cressida Dick, Britain’s top police officer and head of the London Metropolitan Police, saying between the lines that if you’ve got photographic or video material showing Boris Johnson snorting cocaine and you release it, she’ll be on your side?
She says
1. Making a recording as “Boris Johnson’s neighbours” did can be helpful to the police.
2. She personally checked for whether the Met should take action against Tory leadership contenders who admitted taking Class A drugs. “On the basis of what we know and what we’ve seen there is no sign whatsoever that there would be sufficient evidence to take somebody to court so we won’t be doing any investigating.”
Hint hint. Now imagine if someone were to publish a photo or some video.
more on Wikileaks and psyops
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-espionage-act-and-a-growing-threat-to-press-freedom
tells the truth about Julian, which is rare for the new-yorker, often their pieces have a “pro-narrative” bias, what “narrative?”, this one – Isle of Wight might be invaded tomorrow https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/only-way-deter-russia’s-deadly-military-might-64156
anyone have any spare cash?
crowdfund CIA records on Julian https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2019/jun/25/wikileaks-foia-crowdfund/
and to show that muck rock does find gems in the CIA’s trash, here’s their mention of British SOE style propaganda to help win one of the previous wars… https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2019/jun/06/cia-dday-political-warfare/
as if we’d ever see SOE style political psyops warfare deployed at home to support a кHunt?
There’s no need to distort it by saying the Isle of Wight. Estonia could be invaded tomorrow, but why would it be?
War is not only waged by weapons. The sanctions on Iran and Venezuela are declarations of war with thousands dead or forced to flee. The wave of anti-abortion legislation encouraged by Trump is war on poor women. His comments that rape is sexy says it all. Clinton’s policies have nothing to do with her gender. They are completely abhorrent. Ascribing them to “Hillary” is another form of misogyny encouraged by Trump. Johnson for his part has no qualms about legitimating racism against Moslem women.
Misogyny takes many forms – and war on women needs constant vigilance to delegitmate it.
Staggering large sums of money were donated to Hunt in May and this month.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11859/jeremy_hunt/south_west_surrey#register
17 entities donated a total of £177,000, ranging from donations of £2,000 to £25,000.
This system of donations is the Achilles heel of this so called democracy. It is an acknowledgement that without money and support from the rich, these Tories would not be elected, because simply they will not have the means to maintain their lies. Why should a billionaire be able to influence politicians by offering them bribes legally and Joe Bloggs not able to influence their local representative, especially when they sometimes jump ship.
It’s not just Tories who receive questionable donations. It’s a racket right across the board.
Couldn’t agree more. Boris is an opportunist liar entirely obsessed with himself it seems. Having an argument with his girlfriend is the least of it. And Trump not bombing Iran (so far) is one decent act (admittedly a pretty isolated one) of his presidency, unlike the saintly Obama.
Why is this Tory leadership elections spun out for so long? What it means is that the whole of politics and other issues are now put on hold as we have a lame duck prime minister and two useless contenders with the Tories hogging the limelight, albeit in displaying dirty linen in public for more than a month. Why in a modern democracy is this aloud to happen especially when we have a minority government which has been given a chance to solve Brexit for three years and have failed? Surely if we had a proper republic with people’s rights above those of political parties and individual politicians interests, the president would have dismissed the PM and called for a general election. This would be a major reason for constitutional reform and declaration of an egalitarian republic. But hey, it is more interesting to speculate what Carrie said to Boris and what Boris did to Carrie.
It is these diversions and lack of seriousness and accountability that is leading this country to ruin. Surely those idiots touting a no deal Brexit must realise not only how damaging it will be but also that spinning this out for over three years is even more damaging. Even if we had exited the EU under any sort of condition at the right time would be far less damaging than all this nonsense.
The Tory leadership election is being spun out as a tactic to avoid leaving the EU. Those in power (or those who believe themselves to be in power) have an absolute determination not to leave the EU.
In order to remain in the EU they are willing to destroy both main political parties and what remains of the economy. Whilst business always has preferred outcomes what business craves most of all is certainty or predictability. The current situation is designed to maximize uncertainty and to extend the uncertainty for as long as possible.
The “establishment” constantly claims to favor “moderate policies” and yet does everything it can to inculcate an immoderate mindset into the general population. One can only presume that their end goal is the creation of a society whose defining characteristic is anarcho tyranny.
Loony
Without being over analytical yo always start on the right note but then reach a rather startling conclusion that is not supported by your argument. Anarcho-tyranny! Really? Maybe the Tyranny bit is true but it is all very well planned and carefully controlled.
Loony I must disagree. It is being spun out in order to avoid having to call a GE.
SA brilliant and concise. Says it like it is.
Wow, that was an awesome video. And no wonder you’re proud to link to it.
But I guess since I agreed with 99% of it, a couple things: There are no finite resources for capitalism. All resources are infinite, at least in the near multi-billion-year term. We already see some entities looking towards asteroids and Mars. And there’s also neutrinos and Dyson Spheres already imagined, Orion spaceships, low or high orbit mass solar arrays. Anyone who thinks resources are finite might want to look up, except only briefly lest they be burned and be blind by that relatively infinite energy resource.
The only time when resources would be finite is when the heat death of the Universe occurs naturally or from “artificial” speeding up of that process. Of course, nothing is artificial. Humans and all others aren’t “other”. We exist in the Universe and if we next year destroy the Universe via some Facebook cryptocoin offering, or some nanobots (gray ooze?) then that would also be natural.
I’m also drunk and my deadbeat dad who went away with a whore when me and sis were three and when I was curious about my lineage might’ve just lied as usual, and/but last name indicate that I might be 25% Scottish or Irish. But you are the best Scottish person I’ve ever known. Even better than Mel Gibson.
Who counts the votes in the Tory members’ vote for the next party leader?
The chairman of the 1922 Committee was, and may still be, Graham Brady. He recused himself because he was going to stand. At least that was the story. But he didn’t stand. So why can’t he count the votes? Has he got a conflict of interest? Or was there some reason why Cheryl Gillan or Charles Walker had to be among the “acting co-chairs”? What is actually going on here?
I took a quick look at their entries in the parliamentary register of interests. Walker got some cash from Bill Moores, a Canadian ice hockey executive who has been associated with the National Hockey League, notorious for its connections with the Russian mafia. Gillan, meanwhile, is an advisor to GovNet, aka the Government News Network, a US-based agency that “tracks” legislative affairs for lobbyists and trade organisations. (Cushy place to operate, that.)
*grins*
point well made, N_
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/stalin-vote-count-quote/
Mark Curtis in Middle East Eye sees little difference between the pair of them on the ME.
Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt: On the Middle East, it makes no difference
25 June 2019
The prospects for Britain promoting peace and human rights in the Middle East are extremely remote whoever takes over as British prime minister
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/boris-johnson-or-jeremy-hunt-what-difference-does-it-make-middle-east
He has also tweeted:
@ markcurtis30
1h
J.Hunt actually said y’day: “We will never do anything that will compromise our intelligence-sharing relationship with the United States”.
That’s an amazing statement from a Foreign Secretary and admission of UK willing to be always beholden to the US. https://bit.ly/2FynqZ0
@markcurtis30
1h
Hunt outlined in parliament y’day the UK need to stop Iran’s “destabilising activities” in MidEast. For Whitehall, the threat posed by Iran is that it’s doing what UK is doing – on the other side. This is not cricket: the MidEast is ours to control. https://bit.ly/2X67jYq
Just read some startling facts:
• Scotland has: 62.4% of the EU’s proven oil reserves
• 25% of EU’s potential tidal energy capacity
• 10% EU potential wave capacity
• 85% of the UK’s hydroelectric power
• 90% of total UK freshwater
Conclusion …Scotland could thrive outside the UK
Goose
And 100% of the nuclear deterrent?
Well they could rent Clyde naval base at faslane out and just to annoy English politicians declare themselves neutral and allow the Ruskies to refuel their subs there too.
Joking of course on that last point.
Just when you think you’ve seen everything … along comes Boris Johnson.
Unbelievable.
Then comes … Jeremy Corbyn?
Tulsi Gabbard?
HA!!!
Dreams never come true but nightmares do.