Craig,

This is y o u r moment. Look, my young wife Tina (Fuzzy) was suicidal when I met her because she was beaten by a violent partner. But I showed her how beautiful life can be. We live with evil staring us in the face, but you must be strong for your beautiful wife and children and you must be strong for those who believe in you.

Mark

Oh God…

Craig,

It’s natural at times to feel despair, because evil really does exist in this world.

If you didn’t feel this way sometimes, then you would not have the fearless courage to stand up against such evil in the way that you have consistently done.

Many highly intelligent people have such mood swings, but for some reason they always manage to be at the top of their game when it really matters.

What I fail to understand, is not the people like yourself who care passionately, but the large number of people in Senior Positions who appear not to care at all. This is not trivial, but about the gross evil they are either directly responsible for, or went along with, and didn’t for example resign when they were in a position of significant influence.

How the hell does anyone who is not a psychopath live with the death and mutilation of millions of innocent people on their conscience?

Isn’t it complete and utter mental torture? How do they sleep at night? Don’t they see the hell, the death and the destruction and the pain of the helpless child?

Tony

Craig,

do not dispair. Evil always divides. Goodness unites. You may not have achieved all the good you have attempted, but that you have achieved some, and attempted more; this I find inspiring.

For my part, there is little I can do, but I’ll be going into London on the 29th.

Tony,

Agreed,

‘How do they sleep at night? some have their own god – as Technicolour said once, ‘may your god go with you’ – some I guess block out their conscious – and as you say some are psychopaths with no conscious.

Some ask to be forgiven and it is those that have transgressed and redeemed who are given the sweet taste of a new path that can only end in the ecstasy of salvation.

Cheer up – the truth is coming out slowly but surely. The evidence given yesterday said nothing new, but people perked up and listened. It ties in with the sleaze allegations and the world of spin and deceit that Nu-Labour lives by.

In your own small way you helped stick the knife into Nu-Labour. Soon it will all be over and then people like you are going to be needed to help rebuild the people’s party once again.

Just over three months to go!

“I feel nothing but despair”

Why?. YOU have trod the good path, You could no more…Be satisfied, YOU have done well.

Look on the bright side, you’ve discovered that Michael was the good man you thought he was afterall.

Shame you couldn’t know back then, but good that you know now instead of continuing to feel betrayed by and not know the truth about a good person.

Of course, there’s no getting away from the darkness of the war itself, and scum like Blair and Straw who ruin the world for others, but what can ya do? You do far more than most so you should feel proud.

I wish you strength Craig. I hope I haven’t annoyed you by attacking some of the trolls here, which I am ‘sure’ are trolls. If I have, then tell me so. If you ‘want’ me to stop, not ordering me to, just say so. I will oblige and you won’t be dictating.

Now is not the time for despair. Now is the time for being strong. There is movement. This inquiry, though obviously intended as a whitewash, is nevertheless bringing lots of uncomfortable stuff to the surface. Blair has still to appear. Goldsmith too and, perhaps most intriguingly, Brown.

In three weeks or so Murder In Samarkand will be a high profile radio play with a stellar writer and cast. Your profile will rise and Straw will hate that. A good time for organising and perhaps some bridge-building. It might not be too late for you, Michael, Elizabeth Wilmshurst and Bill Patey to get together.

It looks like things are getting better, and if you see that as cause to bemoan what has gone before then your mood is in the driving seat, and you ought to look elsewhere for the cause. To be honest, I think you’re sad becos you’re stuck out in Africa far away from your adorable family. When you’re back with them I think the world will look a little less dark.

“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so”. (Stoic wisdom, paraphrased by Hamlet.)

MJ

Good pragmatic post – thank-you

I’m signing off for the evening, leaving the Wilmshurst video downloading so I can watch it at leisure. I am rather looking forward to savouring the public applause that is rumoured to appear at the end of her evidence.

Before I go though, Craig, let me say that many of us here – one or two troublemakers aside! – are extremely grateful for the efforts you have made, over an entire career no less, to choose honesty over plain sailing. I discussed on another thread how people in the main go along with consensus decisions, and in relation to both the war and rendition, the blank-eyed nodding has been amoral and, as the evidence shows, disastrous.

Even after after your FCO career, you kept going. I try to make a difference too, in my much smaller way, and I spend more time worrying about whether my contribution will make a difference than doing the things that might. I worry too whether there is any point in turning up on Friday, since the more we try, the more desperate we can each become to see hard and satisfying evidence of the glacial change we think we might have contributed to. For the activist, this is a vicious circle.

But it +is+ worthwhile, if only because we have to try. It is better many years hence, for the fabled child that might sit on one’s knee and say, “What did you do to stop the war?”, or “What did you do to help prosecute Blair”, one can list the things one tried. So your resisting the violence of neoliberalism was worth it, perhaps because without any resistance, we wouldn’t have an enquiry (even a dodgy one). Without people intending to turn up on Friday, we wouldn’t have the police/govt trying to move us on and looking bloody shifty in the process. Without an anti-war movement we’d have no public discourse about the legality of the war.

So, the roundabout point I’m making is – look at the positivity of your contributions, rather than what might have been. And look at the fact that, despite your having a many-headed hydra for an enemy, you’re still fighting it. Oh yes, and you’re still alive too, despite it all. That’s also worth being positive about )

Everybody does what they think is right at the time. The forces you’re fighting are much greater than you imagine. You’re doing an absolutely brilliant job raising and publicising these issues. Writers get revolutions going.

Look. No one quite knew the criminal regime that Blair was ensconcing in power. In many ways he may not even have known himself.

There are darker actors than him involved, primarily Mandelson, who knows precisely what he’s about.

Evil has a way of creeping up on you. You don’t quite notice it at first. You just see something odd. And you’re always giving the benefit of the doubt. You’re a decent warm human being. You don’t assume the worst in the other person. You firstly assume a mistake, an error, something out of character.

You excuse it more because your mind can’t handle the alternative. You go on at this so long you become complicit in the evil, and then there’s no escape. You’ll perpetuate even more evil of your own volition to protect the group, of which now you’re one.

That’s how it works, and why we need checks and balances in modern democracy, something we sadly don’t have in Britain.

It’s not enough, I’m afraid, just to trust men to do good. With power, they don’t.

The best thing for the future of Britian now is that these evil men and women be put to trial, that no one ever again abuses the power we lend to them.

There’s much to do to dismantle the authoritarian Blair state.

Oh yes, and MJ reminds us of something else that should keep you smiling. How many people can say that, when their life becomes a play, they get DOCTOR WHO to play them?
) ) )

The new labour clique was shameless and evil in its desire for total power to do as it willed (war crimes on a massive scale for who knows what reason) and resembled the Mafia. Why don’t you start a new political party as the alternatives to new labour are almost as disturbing?

Craig, have you heard of Brian Gerrish and lawful rebellion? Please check out this video. Going to the link should take you to the playlist that plays all the parts. I think you should be making contact with this man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-il5tbn9Ns&feature=PlayList&p=3381CD1694A9618D&index=0&playnext=1

This is definitely the full programme.

http://www.bbc5.tv/eyeplayer/video/brian-gerrish-exposing-common-purpose

I’m not picking a quarrel because I have come to believe that you are right on the Iraq war, always believed you were right on torture, but the one thing that puzzles me is your phrase “illegal war and the massive profits to be made from waging it, and the su(b)sequent looting of resources.”

Did Britain gain “massive profits” from the Iraq war? Is Britain party to “subsequent looting of resources”? It seems Iraq forged more contracts with China than with the West – so what was in it for Britain?

In other words, WHY?

Dear Craig,

Without you people like me would be that much further in the dark. You’re an important component in piecing together what happened and you help us make sense of it. You also give us hope that not everyone is self-interested, callous, ruthless and monstrous. Can you imagine a view of the world where these ugly players are the norm? So don’t despair. You are making a difference and it’s a significant one.

That’s some logic. Making an assertion that China got ‘more’ contracts means Britain got nothing worthwhile out of it? You then ask ‘why’ as if the latter part of my previous sentence is proven. Come on. There may have been other reasons, geo-political strategy say, but there was a lot of dough flying around.

Most caring and sensitive people would feel a sense of despair if they’d judged a friend too harshly Craig. Many of us have done so I’m sure.

The fact that you can publicly apologise shows your depth of character and for that no person can fault you.

In another eight hours or so Tony’s pal will be in the black chair doing his utmost to cover his back after the revelations today.

Nearly as exciting as waiting for your play! Do remember to put a ‘reminder’ on here for those who suffer ‘senior moments’.

Craig – you didn’t design the system, and you certainly didn’t facilitate what it did, when it did evil. It’s horrifying to discover that something you believed in and worked for could produce such a result.

We want to believe in the country and the system we live for, and that the system will correct itself. This is particularly painful for you because you are part of that system. The rest of us rabble can console ourselves with the notion that the system’s operators are all “insiders”, not really any part of us.

I very much regret concluding the system itself is utterly rotten. It’s not a few bad apples, the wood of the barrel itself is totally infested and its only worth is in the fireplace.

We collectively re-elected Blair, Straw and so on to such total power because of our rotten electoral system, and the lack of alternative, and because of our corrupted media and dissuaded electorate. The System (it should be a noun) would not have it any other way.

Britain, America. First-past-the-post elections in both, so we are assured domination by one or other corrupted party. Governments that always facilitate or drive a US corporate hegemonic agenda. And by God, nothing is going to upset that very important partnership. After all, the US needs its prop, and the UK needs a coat-tail to hang onto.

How is one person, even a rising star, an ambassador, going to shake up such a structure? Would the System allow it, even if it breaks every rule it had supposedly imposed on itself?

Don’t confuse sadness with depression, sometimes it is right to feel sad.

“In other words, WHY?”

All a part of “the Great Game”…

http://tinyurl.com/yafggqd

Jaded, I don’t get what all the fuss about Common Purpose is.

At this link http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/about/governance/trustee-statement

they explain “Over the past few years, Common Purpose and its founder and CEO Julia Middleton, have been the subject of conspiracy theories and negative commentary regarding their integrity. They have been accused of everything from running Britain and Europe – and more recently the US – to being a secret brainwashing society. They have also been portrayed as criminals, child abusers, embezzlers of government funds and being spies.

We have refrained from taking legal action to date because Common Purpose staff, course participants, customers and supporters have tolerated these assertions in the spirit of freedom of speech and it not being the best use of charity funds. But freedom of speech does not bring with it a license to distribute complete untruths on the internet without challenge. Our lawyers have written to the authors of these remarks to make it clear that we will no longer allow such allegations to go unchallenged.

Common Purpose is an independent, well respected, not for profit organisation that has been registered with the Charity Commission since 1993. The Commission, which regularly reviews the charities which it regulates, has never raised any concerns about our work or about our charitable status. I am proud to chair the Common Purpose Board of Trustees and very proud of what Julia has achieved, and of what we do.

As our website makes clear Julia has been committed for nearly 20 years to a very simple proposition: that communities will work better if the leaders of them – in the private sector, the public sector and the not for profit sector – work together to identify opportunities to improve things for the public good. Our courses are outlined on our website for all to see. The testimonials we have received from clients from all walks of life demonstrate the value and success of our leadership courses. This is what Common Purpose is all about and it’s what we continue to do – as we have done for the last 20 years.”

So not qute as secretive as that, then!

Thanks for your reply pointing me to some reading, George Dutton, in contrast to the lack of content from the rude Jaded.

I’ll have a look.

So what’s that got to with hooking up and talking to Brian Gerrish about ‘lawful rebellion’? Forget those ‘Common Purpose’ little sprats Barbara, there are bigger fish to fry. I take it you are fully supportive of ‘lawful rebellion’ of course? Get your name on the list.

Barbera,

it isn’t Britain that has made enormous profits. It is arms manufacturers, mercenary companies, companies with the “rebuilding Iraq” contracts, certain oil companies – in short, the Military – Industrial Complex. Britain – the nation and the taxpayers – have made a loss.

The process is called Imperialism, and Craig has written about it:

http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2007/08/theres_good_mon.html

Or type “Imperialism” into the search box on the left to find various articles.

Coincidentally I listened to Brian Gerrish last night – a speech given recently in Scotland (on BBC5 site), but did not find his arguments compelling.

He made many separate assertions, from aircraft leaving white trails that seemed connected with his neighbours feeling ‘lethargic’, through the coddling of paedophilia, the machinations of the Bilderbergers, and “neurolinguistic brainwashing”, to the closing of his website.

Nothing wrong with being sceptical of government, I am myself, particularly after reading more of Mr murrays experiences, but there was no logical connection between the points Mr Gerrish made and his constant refrain that he had “evidence”. What evidence?

Thanks, Clark.

I’m no theist, but seeing as you brought God into this, I thought I’d quote this:-

“I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.”

Ecclesiastes 7:15.

To see evil prospering in high places and the apathetic indifference of a fair proportion of the public, is infuriating and depressing, but, as has been said already, not to find it so would be an indication of some form of mental or spiritual aberration. You are fortunate to have so much going for you in your life, and I hope that the fact that other people have taken the trouble to express sympathy and solidarity for you at this moment will help in some way, however small.

Barbera,

visiting this site has changed my view of the world. Where international conflict once seemed sensless, I now a pattern, a structure that explains and predicts.

You might like a look at the map shown by clicking on my name below.

Barbara, you don’t have to agree with everything Brian Gerrish says to support the movement of ‘lawful rebellion’, which is what he stands for. Brian Gerrish makes that super clear and if you watched the programme you really should have picked that up. Get your name on the list and get ‘your’ voice heard.

Craig

There’s a saying….

“I didn’t cause it, I can’t control it, I can’t cure it.”

It’s not advocating shrugging your shoulders. What it’s advocating is that you’re not responsible for other people’s decisions, words, and actions. How they wield power is for them to account for, it’s not for you to take on your shoulders. What YOU do is for you to take responsibility for, but make sure you take responsibility for the good you do too.

Through this blog, you’ve not only educated people like me but you’ve given me confidence via solid, dependable information to stick with my own (accurate, in this case) assessment of the government’s activities on these matters.

And I’ve then passed that on to my family and friends.

That is a worthy domino effect you’ve had.

And most importantly, be kind to yourself. Don’t torture yourself. We’re not pro-torture, okay?

Mr Wood could’ve let you know he was on your side. He didn’t. That was his choice. You weren’t hard on him; you were being attacked and had to survive, and survive you did, and it’s well you did.

Torture happens inside us, not just outside us. We must dismantle it on the inside too.

So, as I said, don’t torture yourself, be kind to yourself. Be gentle on yourself.

That goes for everyone reading this who has a tendency to be hard on themselves too (including me!).

Thanks for the links Jaded! Brian Gerrish is Steve Coogan’s latest comic creation. Here are a couple of his brilliant one liners -

“David Milliband is a Marxist.”

“Gordon Brown was helped into power by Marxists.”

LMAO.

You have done a first class job of highlighting the systematic lying of the Labour Government with regard to the Iraq war.

For anyone considering direct action, you could do worse that considering George Monbiot’s offer in The Guardian. He has set up a fund to reward the person who affects a citizen’s arrest on Tony Blair. A good idea, but he’s aiming at the wrong person.

Gordon Brown is still the Prime Minister and is equally culpable for what happened and is happening in Iraq. Affecting a citizen’s arrest on Gordon Brown would send a more powerful message.

The article gives clear instructions on how this can be done in a lawful manner.

Jaded

Here’s another link to a Gerrish video, courtesy of his friends at the BNP -

http://bnp.org.uk/2008/06/brian-gerrish-speaks-on-common-purpose/

The jokes just keep on coming….

Jokes coming from people that frequent the BNP website it seems! That in itself is a huge joke. Maybe the BNP have some gripe with Common Purpose as well. I can categorically state that Gerrish isn’t BNP. If you have evidence that tells otherwise, then please present it and I will look at it. Anyhow, as I have already repeatedly stated, Gerrish stands for ‘lawful rebellion’ and Common Purpose is just one aspect of his work. I strongly suggest you get your name on the list, like Barbara has I presume, and get ‘your’ voice heard. You can’t rely on everyone else to change the world for you i’m afraid. Peace and love to you my brother.

Anonymous Jaded Fan:

‘Thanks for the links Jaded!’

No problem brother. Peace and lurrrrve to you. Yeah!

To One Who Doubts the Worth of Doing Anything If You Can?t Do Everything

By Bonaro W. Overstreet

You say the Little efforts that I make

will do no good: they never will prevail

to tip the hovering scale

where Justice hangs in balance.

I don?t think I ever thought they would.

But I am prejudiced beyond debate

in favor of my right to choose which side

shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.

Craig, soul searching is good for the soul, but the inability to understand everything, all the time, is not the cause of depression.

In relation to Iraq for example the British Empire, its refusal to apply its Judo-Christian values either to its own population or to foreigners i.e. its greed, its deviousness and its brutality, created the problems, not the likes of Blair. Saddam’s Ba’athism and ruthlessness was a direct result of our criminal theft of oil resources in the early 20th century. Blair is just a cheap barrister who has been paid to defend his client, UK plc.

If we had to pay back and compensate everyone we have harmed in our colonial history we would all be living in kennels and going out to the park on leads.

The Iraq invasion was a pathetic attempt to rectify a problem of our own creation, and a clear demonstration of how, when you are in a hole, you should stop digging.

The real source of depression is the soul calling to the consciousness, that: ‘You have spent your whole life serving others and neglecting me. You didn’t put your forehead to the earth in submission, to thank your Creator for life and its blessings’. But the Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures advise you to look after your soul in order to see your Creator in heaven. By Allah, these scriptures all had the same message. Did you not read in the Gospels the conversation with Jesus in which he advised his audience not to worry why a building had collapsed on people, but TO WORSHIP GOD, in case a worse thing happened to them, viz the punishment of hell for ever? By Allah, there is no other source of depression than the fear of the soul that it will be ‘found wanting’.

There is no other way of solving the world’s problems, instead of digging the trouble deeper, than for the world to turn in worship to its Creator, individually and collectively, according to the instruction He has given us through His last prophet, Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and mercy be upon him. Everything else is just making more of the same problem. By Allah the priests of disbelief are the psychiatrists, who when the soul is despairing , put labels on people and mash their minds with chemicals instead of assisting them to come to terms with our main purpose as humans, to worship our Lord Creator alone.

Depressed, well let me tell you what my day was like yesterday.

We were travelling through a small village about 60km north of Kalemie, we were waved down by a group of people very excited and anxious, we stopped. To cut a long story short, there was a 4 year old kid, very sick with malaria in the village, so we were asked to take a look and see what we could do. We tried for an hour to get an IV line in, but the kid was too far gone. I watched him die, nothing we could do. Local hospital was 7 hour drive away over terrible roads, and even if we could have got him there,they probably would not have the drugs to treat him.

Then it get’s interesting. We had originally gone up there to destroy 7 land mines next to a small village called Nyunzu. Half way through the clearance proceedure, one of my guys realised 3 of the mines were booby trapped. I pulled my guys out and did the job myself. 2 hours pouring sweat under a tropical sun not knowing if next minuite would be the last…eventually I got the fuses out and we blew them with det cord and explosives. I spent most of that night throwing up. Morale of the story Craig, don’t get depressed just because some prick lies through his back teeth to save his arse, there are bigger problems out there Bro. Miss ya…

Spartacus. We are billions.

Craig,

In a world that often seems insane. In a world where “evil” often seems triumphant, it’s a natural reaction is to feel sadness; not to feel this way, now that would indeed be strange.

I’m unhappy with the use of words like “evil”, but I’ll go with it here.

It’s easy for evil men to succeed in our system, because, on fundamental level, our system is evil. They “fit” into it like a hand in a glove. Obviously I’m simplifying a great deal here.

Blair, Hoon, Straw, Campbell, the leading conspirators, are not primarily individuals furthering their own interests, though they are that too; they are, more importantly, servants, in a broad sense, inside a very powerful machine, a tremendously destructive machine, a death machine.

Why didn’t you get together with Wood and Wilmshurst and resist together? This has far less to do with you as individuals and far more to do with the structure of the institutions you were part of, and society in general.

One could ask the larger question, where is the opposition? Where is the voice of the people in all this? Your, Craig are part of the opposition, a louder and more coherent voice than most, but still only an individual voice, and there is only so much an individual can do on his own. But, to your credit you have attempted, successfully to amplify you voice, but writing, public speaking, and this website. And I’m sure you’d agree that the qualtiy of many of the comments adds, rather than subtracts from your efforts. This is praisworthy.

I realised a long time ago that you had certain “problems”, don’t we all? Life isn’t a bed of roses, and there is always a “disconection” between the inner world which we inhabit, and the outerworld, between our dreams and reality, between our thoughts and actions, language and results. That we are concious of this “paradox” is arguably what makes us most human, and most special among the species on this planet.

Michael Wood was obviously in a very difficult position at the time of the Iraq war. One gives ones honest opinion and it is ignored. Straw, and the other members of the gang, didn’t want to hear the legal arguments against going to war, they wanted to hear Wood provide them legal arguments for going to war!

Even Goldsmith, a close friend and ally of Blair, is almost to be pitied. He too resisted as long as he could, until the eve of war. But when one knows that war is inevitable and nothing one says will stop the evil men leading the country to war, what does one do?

One could choose the “honourable” course and resign in protest. But would that have stopped Blair? I doubt it very much. He determined to serve his masters in Washington no matter what Wood or Goldsmith said. He was determined to go to war. He could not have been stopped, legally. So what is a lawyer supposed to do?

Enormous pressure was put on people to conform, and lawyers are very conformist. Our system filters out “rebel” lawyers, probably before they are even born, certainly within their first few years of childhood.

Goldsmith didn’t set out to become an accessory to mass murder. But he wasn’t a hero either. He buckled under enormous pressure. He held out for as long as he could. Then the Army was getting ready to attack in few days and he was “forced” to provide a legal cover-story, which the country’s top generals demanded, or else? So, not being able, at this late stage to stop the war, the great death machine was moving forward, he gave them what they wanted, a scrap of paper to cover the gapping chasm in the law, as long as one didn’t look too hard at it, and who does that when a war starts?

Goldsmith did what he believed, under the circumstances, was his patriotic duty. After all British soldiers were going to war, risking their lives, and he couldn’t stop it, so he gave them the cover they needed.

It’s extraordinary how the coverage of the enquiry deals with Wood and Wilmshurst, compared to the others. Here, at last are two people actually telling the truth for a change, yet the system isn’t listening, because it doesn’t care about the truth, right or wrong, or the law. These are “quaint” concepts, compared to power.

What could have stopped Blair then? Well, I think after the great protest meeting in Hyde Park, instead of peacefully going home. The marchers should have continued down to Westminster and occupied Downing Street and then on to Parliament and occupied that building too, and “recalled” Parliament by force to discuss the coming war and all the “evidence” and issues involved.

Of course, this would have been an insurection, the people taking power, or attempting it at least. Would even this have stopped Blair? It’s highly debatable, as he was guaranteed support from the Conservatives, no matter what happened. How would the State have dealt with the enemy within on the verge of war?

Even today the question still remains, how does one “re-birth” democracy in Britain? Well, it won’t happen through the ballot box. That way is barred, bolted, and firmly under control. What’s needed is a… Revolution similar to what happened in Easter Europe twenty years ago, with the fall of Stalinism/Communism. Our rotten and corrupt system has to fall too!

Good morning Craig,

I’m delighted that you’re feeling better, and thanks for letting us all know.

Yes, I shouldn’t really be staying up so late; I think it’s to do with the Chilcot enquiry and the ongoing discussions here.

Best wishes

Came across “Common Purpose” awhile ago. Stick with the video in the link..

http://tinyurl.com/yk8v7fz

Craig,

It takes a period of depression to see further inside oneself me thinks.. To remove the beer goggles for a true look at life.

I too have a similar disorder. When the Iraq war kicked off and Bush was grinning like the global village idiot, like the school Bully. The Cartman of our kindergarden. It seemed asif the world had gone mad and I felt the connection between me and reality had been severed. Was in my ‘dream job’ at the time too in a coorperation, would have been happy as a pig in muck, but for the fact I felt so isolated in my belief that things had taken a seriously wrong turn. Why was I one of the only few feeling it?

By chance I watched the film Serpico (a 70s film starring Al Pacino). In the film the main character is a policeman who realises everyone around him in the PD is corrupt. Unhappy. He goes to someone for advice.. She tells him a story of the wise king.

Well, there was this king,

and he ruled over his kingdom.

Right in the middle of the kingdom

there was a well.

That’s where everybody drank.

One night,

this witch came along…

and she poisoned the well.

And the next day, everybody drank

from it except the king…

and they all went crazy.

They got together

in the street and they said…

”We got to get rid of the king,

’cause the king is mad.”

And then that night, he went down

and he drank from the well.

And the next day

all the people rejoiced…

because their king

had regained his reason.

I think you’re trying

to tell me somethin’.

- Me?

- Yeah.

So endeth the quote.

You had the balls to carry on without sipping from the well mate.

That takes a LOT of balls.

Me, I quit my job at the time and buggered off abroad. So don’t be too down on yourself.

If one really want to get depressed, and saddend, anxious and concerned; I’ll share what I honestly feel and think about the underlying reasons for our envolvement in the new, great, “game.”

Simply put, why are we doing what we are doing? This is a big subject, but, anyway, here goes.

I think our “plan” which perhaps isn’t really a plan at all, but more of a process that’s inherent in the nature of imperialism, is to destroy and destabilize, spilt and impoverish, all those nations or people’s that are “outside the borders of the empire.”

It used to be known as devide and conquer.

One is either a vassal state, loyal and paying tribute to the interests of the empire, or one is outside, a barbarian, and a pontential enemy, waiting in line for destruction.

Weak, destroyed, and impoverished nations, pose no real threat, at least this is how it’s perceived in the imperial centre, to the interests of the empire. It is obviously far easier to control and dominate and exploit the weak than the strong.

All potential rivals must be undermined and destroyed, one way or another. It isn’t always necessary to invade them to do this, though when it is we don’t hesitate to use force.

Iraq is probably the perfect example of this grand strategy. We have successfully cut Iraq to peices and divided the nation, setting various groups at each others throats. It has been destroyd as a functioning state, a regional power, a potential rival; yet we now control its resources. A prize of unimaginable value, both strategically and economically.

We are currently applying the same medicine to Afghanistan. We are doing it to Pakistan. We want to do it to Iran and Venezuela. Nigeria is in line. We want to see it happen to Russia… and then China. Even poor little Haiti has suffered the same fate; destroy, weaken and control.

This, I believe, is the true face of the empire. The face of the emperor may change, but the face of the empire doesn’t.

As Ruth said: “Everybody does what they think is right at the time.”

Therefore evil is false-witness; nothing more, nothing less.

The universal enemy of evil is truth; and truth is nothing unless it’s told.

Oh, dear, I left out the “model” for the empire’s relationship with the rest of the world. The model which we are increasingly coming to resemble in so many ways. The occupation of Palestine.

Nil desperandum Craig. The dam is being breached and all the stink and ordure from these hideous NuLabour years will be washed away.

The people will rise up again.

Craig, been following your postings and started reading your latest book. I?ve only admiration for your efforts and the inner turmoil you must have seeing the smooth lies in the media clash with the blood soaked horror that exists behind it all. But I am sure you will push on and you must. You are touching on vitally important areas, philosophical ones I?d venture ?” personal responsibility. Our own interaction with the world and the far reaching effects of our actions.

The powers that be appear to exist in a world without personal negative consequence. They can bring down a financial system landing millions without their life savings, without work, without housing and still walk out clean, complaining that their bonuses have dropped a million or two, but never remotely near having to just scramble to get by. They can invade a country and kill millions and smirk it off, knowing they?ll never really pay for it. But when we hit a news item such as the child torturers case in the UK recently, the masses bay for the blood of these kids and their illiterate parents. Tragic yes, but the blood on the hands of the educated politicians is far sicker, but protected by degrees of abstraction. It takes a powerful mind like yours to see through the veils and see that there is actually little difference between the politicians of the illegal invasion of Iraq and for example the machete wielding generals in Togo.

I?m hitting my own dilemma now. I have supplied high tech equipment to Israel. My contacts there are really nice people. Previously it was for a fantastic medical project. Now the latest contract I learn will also be used for ?homeland security?. What do I do? If I drop out now then they?ll bypass me and go direct ?” it?ll be a hassle but will happen. And personally I need this kind of flexible work and earnings to pay for therapy for my son that looks like it will give him a chance that he may walk and won?t need spoon feeding the rest of his life. So I start making excuses that actually this particular job won?t affect the Palestinians negatively etc ? and it?s a slippery slope from here on. I can literally feel the process in my brain as my ?decent? mind is brainwashes itself. I don?t think most of these guys are ?evil?, probably not even Tony and Jack ?” we all have our limits, some less, some more, and if we are exposed to enough right factors, right influences we go the same way.

Craig, I think you are just far end of the decent side of the bell curve when it comes to all this.

Well said writerman.

You left out the fact that our own people have been divided in this way…

Ecouraging religious schools is another way to destroy a nation. No offence to anyone here, but I don’t believe in fairy stories and think if you can’t prove the existence of God you shouldn’t teach it in schools!

By the way- How can spending help the economy? Surely all the money effectively goes to share-holders. Most of which aren’t even from this country. Any economists here.. does this equate?

Listening to yuki Mr. Goldsmith in the background, waffling on about dispensing accurate and correct legal views, I can feel what you mean, utter dispair.

But, thinking of the horrendous situation and conditions the people of haiti have to endure, I find tyhat there is always somebody worth off than me, a hand to clutch is worth more than a sack of gold.

I feel priviledged to have spent some time with you, althouhg we never really had the time to share a single malt, do not eat yourselfs up mate, you have moved mountains and you have a lovely family waiting for your return.

Craig, if you’re stuck up in the tower of a Scottish castle in the deep midwinter with a nasty draft, five hours of daylight, and snow falling snow on snow, snow on snow, then perhaps you have a touch of SAD.

On top of all your worldy worries, lack of UV exposure and vitamin D is bound to get you down. I’m not asking you to jog through the snow, but when the sun pops out, make the effort to lay at least semi-naked under it with the window open and get 20 minutes worth of grilling twice a week.

Also, blogging can one of the most depressing passtimes going, especially when it becomes a daily chore. It’s OK to cut down on that and turn to reading good books, preferably written before the start of the 20th century. Being preocupied with Seneca or Montaigne or Balzac or Swift is a thing of joy. And if you can read them while laying in the sun with a glass of something handy, then you’re a rich man and a happy one.

Dude, you rock hombre! Its been a real eye opener reading your stuff. Chin Up eh??

Frazer,

You are amazing. Must be something in the Murray genetics after all. But take heed. You must give yourself an end time. A time that you have to retire, and stick with it, for reasons quite obvious.

“2 hours pouring sweat under a tropical sun not knowing if next minuite would be the last…eventually I got the fuses out and we blew them with det cord and explosives. I spent most of that night throwing up.”

Ruth,

“The forces you’re fighting are much greater than you imagine”

Unfortunately, I am also now convinced that is true, but I am also convinced that such forces will be defeated.

Re Common Purpose. I have no problem in principle with leadership training involving psychological techniques, providing there is no ulterior motive or political objective except to teach people how to lead. However psychology is extremely powerful, far more powerful than people realise. The potential for misuse is enormous. People can be literally brainwashed, such that they are programmed to behave in completely immoral ways. All US soldiers undergo such techniques, and I suspect many politicians.

I have seen some Common Purpose videos, that I found quite alarming, because of the techniques used.

Tony

Christopher I feel for your dilemma but I don’t think you have much choice. I am sorry that your son needs all your loving care to help him walk and feed himself and the means to be able to provide it. These little ones, along with 400 others, do not have their lives anymore. The cure is truth and love.

http://www.dci-pal.org/English/Doc/Press/Case-Study_Cast-Lead_Abu-Halima_Family_FINAL.pdf

Abe Rene,

I disagree. I believe Hussein, Bush and Blair were all evil.

In my view Bush, Blair and Straw are mere Puppets of far more powerful forces.

But in order to deconstruct this evil, we have to start at the most obvious targets, and bring them to trial.

Under rigourous cross-examination, they are likely to reveal the sources that influenced them.

The spread of this cancer is endemic. Its not going to go away, by for example replacing Bush and Cheney with Obama, nor wuth replacing Blair with Brown or Cameron.

The Tories were even more in favour of war than Nu-Labour.

The entire political system is rotten and needs replacing with something that is far more robust to withstand invasion and infiltration from evil forces intent to cause mayhem for the God of Greed.

Tony

@anno, you are clearly an intelligent person, which is why it is more depressing that you keep on using this site to push your religion at people. It rather adds weight to the view that, when people are vulnerable and unhappy, there’s always an evangelist on hand to take advantage of them.

I doubt it is mainstream Islamic opinion that psychiatry is useless. But it is surely food for thought that the only other religion I can think of, that demeans the practise quite as much as you do, is Scientology.

Perhaps you could accept that what is a truth for you, when it comes to religious faith, is sometimes not a truth for the next man?

Most people are easily led, judge emotionally and let their biases rule over logic. But we can, and should, hold Bush and Blair to a much higher standard. In their lawlessness, I believe they knew exactly what they were doing, and calculated that they could get away with it.

I am wary of religious concepts such as “evil”, but if it is to mean an inate and deliberate malpractise, practised on a huge scale with horrific consequences, then yes, I think this tag fits.

@writerman and @glenn, I read your posts on the inherent failures of “the system” with great interest. Is it a failure of the electoral system? The media? Corporatism, neoliberalism or capitalism? I am not sure, but it is worthy of discussion.

Food for thought on much the same topic is a movie, released last year, called “The International” – with Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. I saw it just this week. It asks some really big questions about the structure of corporatism, and unjust power relations in a neoliberal world – as well as being a bloody awesome action flick. I was quite shaken up by it.

@Christopher – don’t be too hard on yourself – such is the nature of capitalism. You didn’t design the system, just as Craig didn’t either.

I was troubled last year to find that the firm that I work for is involved tangentially in the arms industry, though such work did not cross my desk at the time. This developed in me such a disabling feeling of powerless, given the immoral ends that “good people” use weapons for, that I would not have been in a good position to be interviewed for jobs elsewhere. I had to work quite hard, mentally, to push away a feeling of powerlessness and anxiety.

A better approach, which I’d recommend for you, is to draw up an “escape plan” and work towards it over the longer term. If you cannot quit immediately, then don’t feel bad, as that only worsens the situation. Try to get transferred to other work if you can. If that is not possible, carry out the work without going the extra mile, and don’t hate your clients – they are trapped in the same system too, and some of them don’t even realise it. If you can work towards a long-term plan of finding alternative employment, then that is a good idea too.

Lastly, see if you can confide doubts about the morality of your work to a colleague, or to a boss. Occasionally you will find surprising avenues of solidarity and support. I recently was permitted to turn down some work for a manufacturer of UAV engines, on moral grounds, and I suspect that client will have to go elsewhere. But perhaps I am one of the lucky ones!

Tony, nah, I just inherited the lunatic side, I must be nuts to do this job !

Don,t beat yourself up Craig.This kinda stuff happens in a complex world.

Often people we think are our enemies are,quietly,on our side but have their hands tied.

Chin up!

Jon

I’m not pushing anything at anybody. Your soul is attracted to the truth of what I wrote, in direct contradiction of your mind. I first noticed that my inner self was moving in a different direction to my conscious self, like clouds at different heights moving in different directions, propelled by different winds, when my six week old son died. I felt sure he was with God in heaven, in spite of the family difficulties.

So I request you to take issue with your inner self,for daring to be drawn in an opposite direction to the control of your surface personality. By practising Islam I have co-ordinated my inner and outer beings. Those who disbelieve in God, while seeking truth and justice, have not understood that they have to co-ordinate themselves first in order to co-ordinate between themselves and others, in order to create Unity, in order to throw out the tyrants like Saddam, Bush, Blair and minions, most of them worse than the tyrants they serve.

p.s Fair play to Frazer, and what Craig is doing is also brave and praiseworthy.

Most diplomats are waiting for their fifty year apprenticeship to be completed in order to have a chance to influence the world. It takes courage to lose that chance, in exchange for truth speaking.

@anno – if you are at peace with yourself, I am happy for you. I mean that genuinely. We all seek that, I think.

But you still can’t help stating (“those who disbelieve…”) that non-religious people are somehow in a lower state of cognitive awareness than your good, enlightened self.

I am happy to agree to disagree, particularly as I believe in freedom of religion. But I trust you believe in freedom of thought too, which is why I would try to persuade you to stop proselytising, especially around people who are at a low ebb.

You are right about Frazer though, and perhaps he is right about himself too. Brave *and* nuts!

An important issue I feel emerging from this discussion is about degrees of separation from an act that we consider not acceptable. How much is okay, how little is not?

Craig flying around the world performing his invaluable work uses aviation fuel. Think Shell may be supplying some of this? Shell has a murky record in Nigeria. Should Craig not travel because of this chance? I don’t think so. Why not? The link is too distant. Being sponsored by Shell (as if!) would be too close a link.

Using evidence from torture another nation extracts?

In my own situation, as Jon says, yes it is most likely something to get out of slowly ?” I am resourceful enough to find other avenues, as should be civil servants, politicians, businessmen, etc.

However nothing is ever clearly black or white. The previous project I was involved in with the same Israeli organisation produced an amazing piece of medical equipment. The current project looks like it will be headed to military/security, and I am absolutely not happy with that idea because of events such as those Mary highlights and countless others. Specific end use is not disclosed thus I can choose to hide behind ignorance, which reminds me of a UAV project I worked on once that was actually for landmine detection and removal in the many countries that are still riddled with these evil devices.

However like the majority of R&D it may lead to nothing than yet another footnote, or as looks likely the same technology is interesting in chip production and physics research and we could see some valuable breakthroughs from there (peaceful ones I hope). Next project with the Israelis may be medical again. Same people. What to do? Not be involved with a whole country? On this track then I should also never do business with the US or China again either and burn my UK passport as I emerge from the chunnel to take refuge with those whiter than white French…

Christopher, I agree, there are some complex nuances. Doing something is better than nothing, always, even if one cannot go far enough. I would recommend a web search for “disciplined minds”, and buy the book too – I recommend it as fully relevant to this discussion. It’s on Amazon if you want to get a flavour of it, and I think it has its own website.

On dealing or not dealing with Israel from a business perspective, I am generally in line with the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions movement there – I say boycott. In terms of academia, I am not sure – the academic world contains both hawks and doves. In terms of its people, no. I think people should always be ready to engage.

Christopher,

I have worked on stuff for the MOD over 30 years ago and had no qualms about it whatsoever. My brother worked on stuff for an electronics company, again over 30 years ago, and whilst I do not know if the stuff he was working on was arms related, a large part of what the company did most definitely was for the Military. He too had no qualms about it.

My Brother-in-Law worked on Weapons of Mass Destruction in the 60′s – over 40 years ago, and then resigned to do something completely different. My nephew did the same about 5 years ago and he too resigned

A couple of years ago, my Son was doing a lot of work for an Israeli company. They massively extended their contract with him, such that he tooled up for it, and then they pulled the plug on the entire contract without compensation at about the same time as Israeli’s were dropping white phosphorous bombs on Gaza. I have absolutely no idea of the detail of the company’s business. High tech stuff can be used for totally peaceful purposes as well as destructive ones.

But the horrific truth about both the US and the UK with regards to high tech companies, is the enormous percentage of work that is done for military applications. It is probably higher now, than at any time since WWII.

Most Weapons do eventually get used. What has changed since WWII is that now the vast majority of victims are not soldiers in battle. They are civilians. In fact most of the victims are completely innocent children.

The World has gone Mad.

People need to know the facts with regards to the implications of the work they are doing.

I’d rather volunteer to go and work in the Congo with Frazer to disarm land mines than have ANYTHING whatsoever to do with their construction, but I cannot even escape that, because my Government uses the Taxes I pay to build the bloody things.

Tony

(Suspect the above post was from board regular tony_opmoc).

@Tony, a very cogent post. Everyone needs to work out their moral limit. That said, you make it seem like it would be *right* not to have any qualms about working on weapons for the MoD, and yet you do seem to have given these things more than cursory consideration. The IDF may appear more wantonly cruel than the British military, but the latter are no saints – as the whole Inquiry is perhaps beginning, inadvertently, to show.

arsalan

You are wrong. War crimes are one of the best defined parts of international law. I recommend Nicholas Woods’ excellent book, called from memory “Iraq: War Crime or Just War?”

Hussein and Blair are both war criminals. The important distinction you are making is that it is only possible to visit justice on the defeated. That doesn’t make those who get away without being tried not guilty of war crimes.

Jon,

I am not saying it would be *right* not to have any qualms about working on weapons for the MoD, but that most people don’t even think about it. They start a job that utilises their training and skills, that doesn’t necessarily have any defined ultimate use. An engine can be used for powering an ambulance or a tank.

Incidentally although it was about 35 years ago, I am almost certain that some of my colleagues asked management quite openly, if they could be excused from work that was specifically destined for the Ministry of Defence on grounds of conscience, and that their wishes were granted without any problem whatsoever.

I didn’t.

Fortunately the vast majority of all the work I have done had absolutely no military connection whatsoever.

Tony

Writerman,

You say, “..think our “plan” which perhaps isn’t really a plan at all, but more of a process that’s inherent in the nature of imperialism, is to destroy and destabilize, spilt and impoverish, all those nations or people’s that are “outside the borders of the empire.”

Your view is essentially my own, and some would argue understandingly, hold on, we have to take care of our children’s and their children’s future by suppressing or even eliminating those deemed to destroy our way of life. A crucial point that can lead to a discussion on Western Democracy – even our spiritual beliefs can fall into the mix. As a serviceman I was bought up with the Anglican church; interestingly I respect Archbishop Rowan Williams whose opposition to the Iraq war is well known, when he in October 2002 he signed a petition against the Iraq War as being against UN ethics and Christian teaching, and ‘lowering the threshold of war unacceptably’.

He still holds that view and although I am not a devout Christian, I respect his guidance and the fact that we have become a fragmented society and for instance perhaps we should pay closer attention to other peoples beliefs, for instance Sharia law.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7239283.stm

Jon: Sorry, no time to expand on those points today, but I believe these things are of central importance to our society. We’ll have to bring this up later.

@Tony – a curiously mixed post. You hint that you think it might not be right to have no qualms about working for the MoD, but proudly state that you didn’t ask be excused on the grounds of conscience, and add no further qualifying statements. Did you have a change of mind later on in life, may I ask?

Craig, no one is a criminal until they are convicted in a court of law. Surely you understand that? Your persistent use of the term “war criminal” is silly – you want to uphold the law when it applies to Blair et al and yet you flout the very principles of the law by using that term. It puts you on a par with some of the (i was was going to say nutters but shall desist) extreme elements on these boards and detracts from any claim you may have to be a serious commentator.

eddie, at what point in WW2 would it have been acceptable to call Hitler a war criminal ?

I know, I know, Godwins law.

But please try to continue the discussion.

The BBC R4 reporting of this went straight into Clegg talking about how the Lib-Dems would undo the prohibition on whistleblowing in the civil service. Is this to be taken seriously ? (if so, would it have helped avert this current disaster ?)

Hitler wasn’t a war criminal either – or a criminal of any sort according to eddie – because he wasn’t convicted of a thing in a court of law. Nor was Attila the Hun or Vlad the Impaler, or… the point could be made at some length.

I simply don’t accept your moral equivalence. Besides, if Hitler had won Churchill would have been the one hanged and the history books would be telling us all what a wonderful and noble cause the nazis fought for. When it comes to morality you have to make up your own mind.

“Besides, if Hitler had won Churchill would have been the one hanged”

Churchill would have been sunbathing in Bermuda with the royal family with the total gold reserves and art collection of the UK.

eddie, I was not for one minute giving Blair the same moral equivalence of Hitler.

Blair for all his twisted reasoning was not after genocide or a building a master race.

But Blair’s crimes make him a war criminal all the same.

Eddie,

I have tried to understand your logic – I cannot – pre-emptively smashing a country resulting in disease, malnutrition, orphans, traumatised children, excessive infant mortality, young girls with disfigured faces from heat burns and phosphor, disabled boys with no legs who once enjoyed footie, mothers committing suicide in the hope of being united with their dead children, children walking around crying with shell splinters in their spines and bodies, babies dying of DU induced cancers – I could go on but the memories are too ghastly -

Blair committed these crime and must be tried as a war criminal – he lied on the reason for war – the only reason he had – he said our assets and our people under our protection were at risk from WMD that could arrive and kill in 45 minutes – he lied, the intelligence and information was proven flawed/exaggerated and thousands died, millions lost their homes and tens of thousands were maimed/disabled.

Blair must now be called to the bench to face those charges and redeem the country in his charge – only way!

jon,

I wasn’t proudly stating anything. If anything it was a confession of ignorance.

Of course my view of almost everything is totally different now, than it was 35 years ago.

Its called learning, and though I have been retired for over 5 years, I am still learning.

If you come across new information that you are convinced is true, after the most detailed evaluation it is O.K. to change your mind.

That is what learning is all about.

Otherwise you are just a religionist, faith based, close minded cretin.

The best thing most people can do, is to accept that much of what they believe may not be true, and question everything. For one thing, it keeps your mind working, and that is very important to ward off senile dementia – or even juvenile dementia which is becoming endemic.

Alternatively – or maybe as well – watch Shameless.

It used to be filmed opposite where I used to work.

Tony

Mark: Reading your accounts of your time there, I have to wonder. What do you think the British reaction would be, if that sort of everyday experience in Iraq would occur here, just once every few months.

Suppose we did get massive long-term health problems, utilities almost non-existent, death-squads roaming around with check-points one well might not get through alive (either because of the trigger-happy goons manning it, or suicide bombers attacking it), and every one of us could name several friends, associates and close family members that had been killed already. Our infrastructure destroyed, our flag changed, our currency gone, the economy destroyed. And this went on year, after year, after year. A sizeable proportion of our population fleeing the country, or moving into safer zones, or dead, because their ethnic distinction had suddenly become important. And there is no end in sight to it, as the countries that did that to us salivate over our natural resources.

Would we ever think well of the people who did that to us?

To Eddie – I’m pushed to think how one could even start to wonder how they could defend people who did that to some other country, one which had never harmed or threatened us ever in the least way. Yet you do it all the time. Is it just your job or something?

Craig – Thanks for the update, that appeared to have been a dark night of the soul for you.

I have had a few dark nights too, but have to console myself with a reminder that I didn’t invent the system. These are strange and terrible times. My old man told me the other day that, back in the 1960s when I was born, he thought that I’d grow up into an age where we would all have a life of wondrous opportunity, immense wealth and a great amount of time to devote to interests, learning and leisure. As a scientist, he thought technology would take on in leaps and bounds, and benefit mankind in ways they could not begin to imagine.

Oh my. We’ve really missed a shockingly good opportunity.

It feeds the military industrial complex…

http://tinyurl.com/yfmsakc

Whilst this is totally off topic, before and maybe instead of seeing Avatar in 3D, or after, if you want to find out how beautiful our planet really is, instead of someone else’s imagination of another planet, go to your local swimming pool and learn how to scuba dive.

It is incredibly easy if you can maintain your self control and not panic – even if you are a poor swimmer with a muscular problem as I am.

And then go diving in Israel or Sharm-el-Sheikh or the Indian or the Caribbean Oceans.

No I haven’t been to Israel, but I have been to Sharm-el-Sheikh and whilst I didn’t like the place too much, the snokelling and diving is nearly as good as the Maldives.

Do it in 3D for Real

If I can do it anyone can, and I didn’t start till I was 46 years old.

Tony

Tony

http://tinyurl.com/m948n7

I don’t agree with keeping any animal caged. It is a crime and very cruel…

glenn,

“My old man told me the other day that, back in the 1960s when I was born, he thought that I’d grow up into an age where we would all have a life of wondrous opportunity, immense wealth and a great amount of time to devote to interests, learning and leisure. As a scientist, he thought technology would take on in leaps and bounds, and benefit mankind in ways they could not begin to imagine.”

I thought the same thing.

Both your old man and me were technically correct and still are, apart from the fact of the controlling elite, couldn’t work out a way of fairly sharing out the planets resources and for them still to have a role to do. Their only reason they think they exist is to control others, they think are less intelligent than they are. They think it gives them pleasure like riding a Triumph 650 for the first time.

We do not have to do all this war stuff, to control and kill people.

In fact we do not even have to work that hard.

Most people in this country do jobs that would be unnecessary, in a well designed system.

All you need to survive, is a reliable supply of food, water, energy & shelter

All these things are abundant on our planet. Not only that, but most of the work involved with supplying these basic necessities to sustain life can be done by automated machine and in a way that pollution is at far lower levels than is current.

But the idiots in control are the same as the religionists. Their entire philosophy of control is based on the World as it was 2,000 years ago, or even 100 years ago

So they produce all these meaningless jobs of feeding the machine like a hamster in a cage on a hamsterwheel.

And we get so frustrated of doing these meaningless stupid jobs that we rebel by writing grafitti on the walls, and we get arrested and then we clean it up and we fight and get ill and we need an army of policeman and doctors and nurses and lawyers and people to put us in jail and mental hospitals and dream up ways of occupational therapy so that we will be happy, instead of exhibiting our

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

But if you want to, you can just ignore the cunts and just fucking do it.

You probably only have one life.

Throw your computer and tv in the bin, and go down your local swimming pool and learn to swim.

Then get out and live your life.

Tony

Bless you Craig.

Bless you Craig for being an honest, decent man who stands up and speaks out against this devastatingly evil regime under which we’ve all suffered for nigh on 13 years.

Those of us who understand and stand against this evil are normal, emotionally healthy human beings. We stand against a joint and individual psychopathy which is so sick that it cannot see its own illness and dysfunctions.

Believe it or not, it is NORMAL to feel the level of deepest despair that you go through. It’s not only normal, it’s HEALTHY. It’s healthy to register and react to untrammelled abuse.

Please, please just be very conscious that you are certainly not alone in your suffering. It may be of some comfort. Those of us who suffer similarly most often feel so isolated and alone.

We’re not. There are many millions of people around the world who have rumbled the evil-doers and feel helpless to counter their heinous impact. We are divided by circumstance – circumstance that the wrong-doers do all they can to exacerbate in order to maintain divisions by which they profit.

I think tony opmoc (above) has summed the syndrome really well. I never used to believe in old-fashioned, biblical stuff like ‘evil’ until I got assassinated by the Machine. How dreadfully I’ve learnt that it’s very real and very alive.

Let’s just pray that there are sufficient numbers of awake people in the UK to change all this in 3 months time. My most fervent prayer is that Cameron’s people are not infested with the same psychopathy. (From my contacts with senior people in that camp I’ve had reason to believe that there is indeed a more healthy, humane caucus driving the Tory party…)

Meanwhile, hang on in there. Easy to type and incredibly hard to do sometimes. Bless you for your honesty Craig, you’re not alone.

sam

@Tony, thanks for your views about changing one’s mind. I agree, people should regularly re-assess their moral perspectives.

@Sam: humane caucus driving the Tory party? – I’m not sure about that. My sense is that the selfishness and class warfare of Thatcher is, sadly, alive and well in them.

I just discovered this blog and am very impressed.

Mr Murray obviously has a skill with thinking.

The only thing that makes me uneasy is the use of the word “evil” to describe people.

Calling someone “evil” is often a warning sign that the person using the word ‘evil’ has their own relevant demons.