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@ Dreoilin
I did.
There’s nothing in there which invalidates what I wrote, is there?
Except, Habbabkuk, that you could have mentioned after this –> “It would of course help if the public authorities in the countries in question were to spend less on their armies and weaponry (case of Pakistan) or were to cease diverting funds” etc etc — that also, if the West was even remotely serious about helping such people, stopping droning them to smithereens would be a good place to start.
This thought, with which I agree, makes me angry
“So, please, spare us the self-righteous and self-congratulatory message that is nothing more than propaganda that tells us that the West drops bombs to save girls like Malala.”
Malala is a pretty girl. The ‘West’ knows how to pick pretty girls to front their PR campaigns – the pretense that their soldiers are there for the sake of her countrywomen – and she may write about it. I hope she does.
I cut something out of that by mistake – about “one day Malala will grow up” and I hope she will write about it.
(Looks like I should be in bed)
July 15, 2013
Another Daughter of the East?
A Mirage Called Malala
by FARZANA VERSEY
Mumbai.
Had Edward Snowden exposed the dirt of the Taliban, he would have been standing behind the lectern in New York at the UN hall on Friday, July 12.
The contrast, and irony, is stark.
* A young man is hounded by the government of his country for exposing its sly mechanism, of its covert war against the whole world, not to speak of its own citizens. He waits at an airport in Russia that had fought a war against Afghanistan, which was backed by the CIA.
* A teenager’s birthday was officially declared Malala Day by the United Nations. She addressed a well-heeled gathering in the United States that was one of the two countries to oppose the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; the other was Somalia.
Malala Yousafzai’s speech had a captive audience.
/..
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/07/15/a-mirage-called-malala/
~~~
The author’s own blog. http://farzana-versey.blogspot.in/p/yes-about-me.html
Anon
13 Jul, 2013 – 12:24 pm
“…coffers of the masters of the universe”
“I am reminded of the grotesque propaganda cartoons used by the National Socialists to demonize Jews in 1930s Germany.”
“It saddens me to see that such imagery is still being used by some on the Left, but that makes me more determined than ever to fight anti-Semitism wherever I find it.”
Masters of the universe is a term used to refer to bankers and financiers that play spectacularly dangerous money games that generate increasingly massive bubbles of fake growth, prosperity, and wealth–while endangering the jobs, possessions, and futures of virtually everyone outside finance.
It’s got nothing to do with Jews or 1930s Germany or the politics of the Left.
You are either paranoid and see “anti-Semitism” everywhere or you play the anti-Semitism card whenever you engage with people who criticise Israel.
Anon
13 Jul, 2013 – 12:44 pm
“Nevermind, I notice you have mostly used capital letters correctly where necessary, but not when using the word “jewish”. Is there any particular reason for this?”
Are you paranoid, Anon?
@ Dreoilin
“Except, Habbabkuk, that you could have mentioned after this –> “It would of course help if the public authorities in the countries in question were to spend less on their armies and weaponry (case of Pakistan) or were to cease diverting funds” etc etc — that also, if the West was even remotely serious about helping such people, stopping droning them to smithereens would be a good place to start”
___________
I find that a disappointing comment because you felt you had to drag a anti-Western point into it.
Whether or not the West is serious about education for kids in developing countries, the PRIMARY RESPONSIBILTY for this rests with those countries themselves. It is for THOSE COUNTRIES to ensure funding for at least elementary education and, if funding is granted, to ensure that it is spent on education rather than on growing the Swiss bank accounnt of the minister and his pals. Moreover, American “droning to smithereens” has nothing to do with this – you cannot bring the non-intended death of a few hundred children a year in Afghanistan (much as those deaths are to be regretted)into a comparison with the millions of children who get no education in that country and the tens of millions in, say, Africa (where there is no American “droning to smithereens as far as I know).
I think you forgot that you were addressing me and not the Egregiousness of Eminences (who will take anything nonsense as long as it accords with their views).
Flaming June
13 Jul, 2013 – 1:37 pm
Sir Bob Russell is getting it in the neck from the JC for daring to ask questions about Israel. He will be hounded like David Ward and Jenny Tonge.
http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/109384/shoah-slur-mp-commons
Yes Mary, if it’s not accusations of anti-Semitism its Holocaust denial.
“The Colchester MP asked: “On the assumption that the 20th century will include the Holocaust, will he give me an assurance that the life of Palestinians since 1948 will be given equal attention?”
A reasonable enough question given that they were talking about 20th century history to be taught in our schools.
“Karen Pollock, Holocaust Educational Trust chief executive, said: “To try to equate the events of the Holocaust — the systemised mass murder of six million Jews — with the conflict in the Middle East is simply inaccurate as well as inappropriate.”
Of course this statement is disingenuous and a trademark of Zionist hasbara.
Bob Russell was clearly not equating the two he was asking if those two elements of history would be given equal coverage; something that is important to all young people studying history to be able to understand more fully the present.
Anon
13 Jul, 2013 – 1:45 pm
“How many Syrians has Assad killed this week, for instance?”
How many Syrians have the “rebels” killed this week Anon?
Don’t forget that many of the rebels are not Syrian and are backed and armed by the dictatorships of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Fighting for freedom and democracy?
I am no supporter of Assad or his regime but get real about the geopolitics of the West in that region. Don’t forget that it was not so long ago that Assad was having tea and biscuits with the Queen at Buck House.
A peaceful settlement to the problem is being prevented by the actions of the West in supporting the rebels politically and financially; because of that many more Syrians are going to die.
@ Doug Scorgie
“Bob Russell was clearly not equating the two he was asking if those two elements of history would be given equal coverage; something that is important to all young people studying history to be able to understand more fully the present.”
___________
Many reasonable people would beg to differ, Doug. To demand “equal coverage” might be seen as implying that the two events are in fact being equated.
Would you suggest that the Boer War should be given equal coverage to the First World War,, for example? If so, what would be your reasons?
@ Doug Scorgie
“I am no supporter of Assad or his regime..”
Perhaps not, but I seem to recall that it took some rather persistent probing and questioning from myself and some others before you finally came out with that on this blog.
“A peaceful settlement to the problem….”
President Assad the Son would, I admit, not object to a peaceful settlement – provided that this would be entirely on his own terms, of course.
“you felt you had to drag a anti-Western point into it”
The “West” has nothing to do with what’s going on today in what the Yanks call Af-Pak?? Thousands and thousands of people are living in abject terror, with drones patrolling their skies, never knowing when one is going to strike. And the deaths are NOT non-intended. They are now sending in second strikes to kill those coming to help the first victims. A terrorist tactic, doncha know.
I don’t need to ‘drag’ the West in, Habbabkuk. They forced themselves in a long time ago, where they had no business.
and now I’m finished on this page
Jon
13 Jul, 2013 – 2:16 pm
A very well written piece Jon.
Passerby
13 Jul, 2013 – 2:50 pm
Yes quite true Passerby; unlawful arrests; malicious prosecutions; assaults and perjury in court were the order of the day then.
Not much has changed since.
Anon
13 Jul, 2013 – 5:14 pm
“And if you all stay on your best behaviour, I might even buy some Palestinian olive oil!”
Where can one buy Palestinian olive oil in the UK Anon?
Very few places stock it.
And why does it cost twice as much as olive oil from West Bank Jewish settlements?
Dreoilin, absolutely – any opposition to drone strikes and the rest of it is casually misrepresented as “anti-Western” narrative. Such a view is propagandist nonsense and deeply reactionary, of course.
Doug, thanks. Of late I’ve been of the view that group dynamics can be used to counter tendencies towards evil-villain conspiracy analyses, whilst still being of the opinion that, exclusively in secular terms, the system’s output is certainly evil. Also, this stuff is complex, and everyone has agendas (or, not enough representatives have public service agendas, I suppose).
Someone made the point earlier that Obama could make use of his last term to emerge as a secret liberal, and leave some lasting good. Absolutely, he could – and of course we’re still waiting. Peculiarly, it would have been better for Palin/McCain to have gotten in instead of his first term – they’re probably slightly more inclined to lawlessness (domestically and internationally) but their links to the Tea Party would have fired the Dems to get their activism into gear.
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
16 Jul, 2013 – 6:41 am
@ Doug Scorgie:
Government planning to make Britain “hostile” to immigrants
“Where does that quotation of yours come from [Doug]?”
That’s not a quote of mine, as you know HB.
Your dishonesty knows no bounds does it?
Thanks Doug Scorgie @ http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/07/blog-down/comment-page-5/#comment-418730
See the comments under the article. Some of them are quite ridiculous. One even suggested that the Palestinians wanted to wipe Israel off the map. I think he was getting confused with the propaganda out about Ahmadinejad’s speech which was mis-translated!
http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/10550341.Sir_Bob_criticised_for_Holocaust_comments/?ref=mr
@ Doug Scorgie
Don’t be so silly. To make it clearer that I wasn’t suggesting that it was a quotation of your own words, I’ll put the question again, as follows :
“Where does the quotation which you posted come from?”
Feel free to answer now. Thank you!
@ Dreoilin
Of course you’re dragging an anti-West point (drone strikes) into what was a point about the failure of the Pakistan govt (and those of many other developing countries) to provide for elementary education for their children. In violation, as I pointed out as well, of the relevant article of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
What is the connection between drone strikes in a ciuple of countries and the failure to provide for education for millions of children?
How ironic that Taliban have learned the art of “spin”.
This clarifies the extent of the propaganda that has covered up for long the use of Schools as bases for the attacks on Taliban, as well as the lies about Taliban opposition to education. Rasheed then finishes with:
However the more sinister fact is arising form the re-edit of the article in the Guardian. The earlier version contained the wave of indignation and derisory comments heaped upon Malala by the Pakistanis, who have called her a “drama queen”, and a US spy, and many other epithets that are indicative of the dislike of the Pakistanis of Malala and her apparent “cause”.
The missing paragraph, only proves the failed attempt of the Malala Band Wagon to get any traction among the people that it was supposed to address, which leaves the only audiences remaining who “agree” with Malala Band Wagon to be the outsiders, whom already know how “bad and nasty all Muslims are” anyway! Telling isn’t it?
@ Passerby (22h29)
” Taliban are “blowing up” schools, but justified the attacks on the grounds that the Pakistani army and the paramilitary Frontier Corps use schools as hideouts.
This clarifies the extent of the propaganda that has covered up for long the use of Schools as bases for the attacks on Taliban, as well as the lies about Taliban opposition to education.”
_______________
It does nothing of the sort.
Rasheed’s “open letter” is a feeble justification for the Talibans’ attempt to kill a child. Why should you take what he writes as gospel?
Passerby, when you claim that schools are used to attack the Taliban, don’t you release that you sound exactly like the Israeli Government when it ‘justifies’ its attacks on Palestinian civilians? The Taliban targets and kills Pakistani teachers and nurses and doctors. They use the same tactics as the Contras did in Nicaragua. Doesn’t that tell you something?
It’d be better, really simply to say that you support the paramilitary Islamist forces and be done with it.
So let me see if I understand the narrative …
The Taliban shoot a schoolgirl in the head for wanting an education.
Their Western opponents turn it into a propaganda showcase.
The Taliban realise they have scored an own goal.
After long and lengthy consideration, they try to amend the mistake by saying, “No we actually shot the schoolgirl in the head because she said nasty things about us.”
Call me an old cynic, but if the Taliban really are that stupid, why is it proving so difficult to defeat them.
What kind of question is this?
Where have I claimed that schools are being used to attack Taliban?
The fact that another comment has mixed the quoted paragraphs from the article and “cleverly” mixed it with the point I was highlighting, which evidently has resulted in mutation to “my claim”?!
Perhaps it would serve the cause of the debate if the article in question was read first. Also given that we have been constantly bombarded by the propaganda that portrays the attacks of Taliban as anti-education stance that further reiterates the backward and retrogressive nature of Islam, in line with the current tide of vilification of Islam. This confession somewhat negates such an intent.
The fact that Taliban are bad has always been accompanied by the underlying message of Islam is bad too! Upon the surfacing of a kind of confession of the culprit as for his motivation, then the fight is on to continue the distorted narrative to maintain the negative propaganda against all things Islamic and Muslims.
This thug has clarified why he shot Malala. This revelation/confession can be taken as true, false, or indeterminate, however it certainly spikes the narrative that has been pushed down our throats by the propagandists, ie there is another side to the story. Acknowledging this evident fact, can in no way be misconstrued as condoning the shootings and killings.
This is where you wrote it:
“This clarifies the extent of the propaganda that has covered up for long the use of Schools as bases for the attacks on Taliban, as well as the lies about Taliban opposition to education.” Passerby, 18.7.13
And what did you read into that sentence?
The Taliban were attacking the schools which were being used to attack them, how is this supporting the Taliban?
Ergo mission accomplished. The two minutes hate of lies and propaganda are paying dividends.
Wolverhampton Central Mosque bomb blast shock as two held
They drone the Muslims over there when not full on bombing them , and then bombs are planted to blow them up over here.
Passerby, is it not clear to you? Your claim that the schools are being used to attack the Taliban is identical to the claim made by the Israelis that Palestinian civilian houses, ambulances, schools and other civic buildings are being used to attack them (and to their justification for the use of forces against these ‘targets’).
Of course it’s clear to you, Fedup.
Suhayl Saadi keeps saying;
Why do you distort the “claim”? It is not my claim, but the chap who attacks the school’s claim. I said the torrent of lies about the whole stinking affair has not mentioned that the Afghan regular force are using the schools as their make shift bases.
Further comparing chalk and cheese is not exactly a step forward, but a feeble attempt in sophistry on one side we have a ragtag bunch of ill educated under equipped and on the run residual resistance to the occupation of their homeland, ie Afghanistan.
On the other there is a well equipped army with a huge intelligence apparatus, and a remit to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from their homes and villages. Moreover the occupiers have a stable of spin masters at their disposal to spin the worst atrocities into some plausible and necessary killings of the “terrorists” ie the stone throwing has been replaced by firing home made fireworks that normally fall in the country side.
However, these glaring disparities are ignored and the same line of do you realize? is pushed time and again. Perhaps it is time for you start realizing your prejudice against Islam is becoming tedious and boring. Further Judging by the number of friends you are making around here, it is certain that you have not read Dale Carnegie at all! However, your coping mechanism is to bundle the critics into one and the same person to take solace in your own rationalization; “I am right and they are wrong”.