From a British diplomatic source I learn that Britain has lobbied the United States against the publication of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture and extraordinary rendition. The lobbying has been carried out “at all levels” – White House, State Department and CIA. The British have argued that at the very least the report must be emasculated before publication.
The British argument is that in a number of court cases including the Belhadj case, the British government has successfully blocked legal action by victims on the grounds that this would weaken the US/UK intelligence relationship and thus vitally damage national security, by revealing facts the American intelligence service wish hidden. [We will leave aside for the moment the utter shame of our servile groveling judges accepting such an argument]. The British Government are now pointing out to the Americans that this argument could be fatally weakened if major detail of the full horror and scope of torture and extraordinary rendition is revealed by the Senate Intelligence Committee. The argument runs that this could in turn lead to further revelations in the courts and block the major defence against prosecutions of Blair, Straw and Dearlove, among others, potentially unleashing a transatlantic wave of judicial activism.
The unabashed collusion of two torturing security states in concealing the truth of their despicable acts – including complicity in the torture of women and minors – and blocking criminal prosecution of the guilty is a sign of how low public ethics have sunk. Fortunately there are still a few people in the British Foreign Office disgusted enough to leak it.
Mary
19 Apr, 2014 – 9:45 am
“What was the point of this little exercise apart from showing off her nice legs?”
Yes she has nice legs but, legs apart, what else does she have?
What is much more intriguing is the support offered by individuals here for Israel’s ongoing criminality.
Why would any individual support that?
Curious, eh.
Nobody has supported Israel’s abuses against the Palestinians, Douglas. Not wishing to be involved with a boycott of everything originating from Israel by a bunch of far-left Jew obsessives does not equate to supporting Israel’s criminality. When you do the same for Arab countries I might take some notice. Until then you’ll remain a hypocrite. Trade with Israel, trade with Iran, I say.
[Above post meant for Herbie, not Douglas.]
“Yes she has nice legs but, legs apart, what else does she have?”
Very good, Douglas.
“BDS from civil society is the way to go.
It already has the Israelis and their western toadies squealing.
You missed the “M” off the end, they enjoy it.
“Most people just buy stuff and couldn’t give a toss where it comes from.”
Really.
You’ve been asleep then during the past 30 odd years of mass designer branding and marketing.
I’ll help you just a little bit.
Tony Blair, from bambi darling to toxic war criminal.
Luckily, Bibi hasn’t been asleep and has a clue what it all means:
“”[Netanyahu’s] extended comments on BDS took up the last five or six minutes of his speech,” wrote Weiss. “By taking on BDS so directly and insistently, Netanyahu has elevated the movement to new heights of importance, and will force American media to discuss the movement’s goals openly.””
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/03/05
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !
19 Apr, 2014 – 12:56 pm
[an Israel denier]“…is someone who says that the State of Israel has no right to exist.”
You missed out those magic words again Habbakuk namely…as a Jewish state!!!
Funny how you never remember those words isn’t it?
“He [Hague] doesn’t “have” to say it, actually, he could just say nothing.”
You are, of course, feigning naivety there Habbakuk, he has to comment as foreign secretary; he cannot remain silent on major issues like this.
The two state “solution” is dead and never really had life.
You and the other Zionists around the globe, want a one state solution but not for all its citizens only for Jews.
Why can’t you be honest about that?
Hands up those who believe Vlad when he says “Our intelligence efforts are strictly regulated by our law… We don’t have a mass system of such interception and – according with our law –it cannot exist.” in response to rigorous questioning by Philip Snowden (that is me being ironic Doug Scorgie)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/18/edward-snowden-defends-decision-question-vladimir-putin-on-surveillance
Of course these sources have a rather different picture to paint.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/21/net-us-russia-internet-idUSBRE99K0M920131021
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2013/07/15/russia-accelerates-its-own-internet-spying-thanks-to-snowden/
Doug Scorgie
As Habba says borrow or buy Masha Gessen’s book – I’ve lent my copy to a friend so I cannot provide quotes but she is pretty detailed about Putin’s involvement in several commodity fro food deals when he was the corrupt Sobchak’s deputy in Petersburg and on how he has used and promoted his Petersburg circle as fronts for his “investment”
You can also find Masha Gessen talking about her book here
http://blip.tv/slowtv/the-man-without-a-face-masha-gessen-on-vladimir-putin-6304239
She also has her own blog at the New York Times.
Yes she is bias against Putin – but so are many of us who have examined what he has done in detail.
Scorgie
“[an Israel denier]“…is someone who says that the State of Israel has no right to exist.”
You missed out those magic words again Habbakuk namely…as a Jewish state!!!
Funny how you never remember those words isn’t it?”
_________________
I’m glad it amuses you, Doug. It’s also funny that you don’t seem to remember that Israel had already defined itself as a Jewish state (cf its Basic Law of 19990 (or 1992, can’t remember), which I have already drawn your attention to on numerous occasions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
““He [Hague] doesn’t “have” to say it, actually, he could just say nothing.”
You are, of course, feigning naivety there Habbakuk, he has to comment as foreign secretary; he cannot remain silent on major issues like this.”
__________________________
Well, it’s apparently a major issue and Hague has commented on it. For the rest, I refer you to Fred’s post at 16h31 (above).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“The two state “solution” is dead and never really had life.
You and the other Zionists around the globe, want a one state solution but not for all its citizens only for Jews.”
____________
I am for whichever of those two solutions which brings peace to the region. You, on the other hand, seem to be afraid of any solution which would bring peace; this is because you would prefer there to be no peace. If for no other reason than if there were peace, you would no longer be able to post about one of your hobby horses and you would have to find someone other than Jews to spew hate against.
Anyway, something much more important than Doug “Final Solution” Scorgie.
*********************
XRISTOS ANESTI EK NEKRON !! A happy and joyous Easter to all believers !!
Tonight: The Beeb’s Lyce Doucet telling us how Christians in Syria are being killed.
Who the FUCK do you think is doing this, Lyce? And where the FUCK do you think they got the weapons and money and training to do it?
From the people who sell us oil, that’s where. And from those who want the Golan Heights and whatever piece of South Lebanon they can grab.
They come in from Jordan, where there is a HUGE US presence now, and from NATO member Turkey.
The heart-eating crazies are being helped by us. But I’m sure you know that fine well, Lyce.
Stay together, Syria. The rats are getting tired.
Of course ‘Life is beautiful’ is a state of the mind, even the subconscious mind because one accepts that life must finally collapse for new life to begin; equally like detonated, collapsing planets forming stars that eventually form new planets.
Without that crash anxiety, dread, nervousness, suffering and wasted energy over the unavoidable, one can float at random on Craig’s blog enjoying adding another wiggle, another travesty in the melee of thought and intention.
It is of course ‘all in the mind’ and quite undemanding to sail by with words that have no real meaning being just musical sounds that become quite boring very quickly. Imagine saying “applepie” “applepie” “applepie” continuously; quite delightful as a musical soundbyte yet intensely mundane and boring eventually.
Reminds me of the moth that flew into the flame of a candle. The moth specie survives and for all I can tell suffers no anxiety or fear of being burned alive…
And המשיח קם! באמת קם! to all our readers.
~~~~
Agent Cameron again displays complete lack of judgement. He reappointed Tony Caplin to head the quango that provides funding for public works to the tune of £60 billion. Caplin has now resigned following a revelation that he is bankrupt. This fact was kept secret.
Caplin worked for Agent Cameron’s father and is also a friend of Gideon. Could the Cons run the proverbial whelk stall?
PM hired bankrupt crony to run £60billion quango: Tycoon put in charge of vast Treasury budget by his Tory friends is sacked after MoS probe
•Businessman Tony Caplin put in charge of Public Works Loans Board
•Is Treasury body behind £60bn worth of loans for infrastructure projects
•But Caplin was declared bankrupt in 2012 for not paying his taxes
•Anyone in public body must inform responsible Minister of their bankrupcy
•PM claimed he had no idea the man has been declared bankrupt
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2608597/PM-hired-bankrupt-crony-run-60billion-quango-Tycoon-charge-vast-Treasury-budget-Tory-friends-sacked-MoS-probe.html
No relation to Cherie’s friend Carole Caplin we trust.
Doug asked me what Kate has.
A delightful baby.
A husband and in-laws with German ancestry.
A manipulative mother with Jewish ancestry.
A pushy sister and a drippy brother.
An uncle in-law who sells arms.
Two luxurious homes, at least.
A large wardrobe.
Lots of wedding invitations from Hooray Henrys and Henriettas.
Nice hair.
I think the correct answer is a brand, just like her husband and the Beckhams.
Kate Middleton and Prince William Establish Private Companies to Protect Royal Brand
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/kate-middleton-prince-william-establish-private-companies-protect-royal-brand-1432796
Well said Mike above. We are hearing a lot this Eastertide on the plight of Christians in the Middle East. You are spot on.
Today, Welby will apparently reiterate his thoughts on the plight of the poor and oppressed in this country, as will Cardinal Nicholls. Yet the CoE has not divested from Wonga with its revoltingly high rates of interest and penalties.
Church holds on to Wonga shares
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, says he is powerless to force the Church’s investment arm, to offload investment in Wonga, the payday loan company
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10776514/Church-holds-on-to-Wonga-shares.html
‘I’m not the Pope’. LOL
“A manipulative mother with Jewish ancestry.”
You really cannot stop yourself.
Truths RD.
Mary
“A manipulative mother…”
___________
Maybe – but does that say anything about her daughter? Why visit the (possible) sins of the parents onto their children?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“…with Jewish ancestry.”
_____________
Your point?
*************************
Xristos anesti ek nekron
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
I think Oscar must have had Mary (or is it Lady Dorking) in mind.
‘I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.’
Abraham Lincoln
‘In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.’
George Orwell
‘I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.’
Malcolm X
Easter in Occupied Palestine….
Note that the Dutch UN representative ‘showed a serious problem of judgment’ in going to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
UN envoy and Israel in Easter ritual access row
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27090580
and the thugs used tear gar and sound grenades in al-Aqsa.
Israeli forces attack Palestinian worshippers in al-Aqsa
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/20/359330/israeli-forces-attack-palestinians/
Fred
The US has only recently been threatening unilateral sanctions on Russia and has a history of using them against other countries.
Any country can impose sanctions on any other country. Although most sanctions are now international multilateral sanctions,(obviously the more effective option) unilateral sanctions can still be applied to achieve political objectives amongst countries with close tries. The United Kingdoms relationship with Israel is in this category.
So instead of a pathetic warning about investors losing money, the UK could show it’s displeasure at the catalogue of humanitarian crimes committed by Israel in a much stronger way.
‘The governments position’ is the next best thing to doing nothing.
Habbabkuk
I wasn’t diverting anything and yes I’ve no doubt my computer has something designed or manufactured in or by Israel but it’s kept to a minimum, no Intel processor for me! Furthermore, ZoneAlarm isn’t installed for obvious reasons.
Just teasing!
In two ‘democracies’, one across the Atlantic and the other, the only democracy in the ME.
‘Margaret Sullivan, The New York Times’ public editor, has written a thoughtful and important piece – http://nyti.ms/1eHgUhg – criticizing the way the newspaper complied with an Israeli-imposed gag order on the case of Majd Kayyal.
But it leaves some important questions unanswered about the Times’ apparent eagerness to let Israeli censors set its news agenda.’
/..
The New York Times agrees to be gagged by Israel
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/new-york-times-agrees-be-gagged-israel
Lady Dorking
I somehow doubt that Abraham Lincoln , George Orwell and Malcolm X would have felt Kate Middleton’s parentage was a fundamental truth requiring further exposure.
I think RD needs one of those sat nav thingies. Wrong town. Wrong county. LOL.
Lady BRACKNELL if he is referring to the Importance of Being Earnest.
Bluntly, everything is shit. Read any newspaper, and it’s almost invariably bad news. More war, more privatisations, more corruption, more expenses fraud, more astonishing banker bonuses, more paedophiles, more of everything that is truly awful.
You see, this is what happens when what is, rather lazily, termed ‘the left’ is systematically undermined, infiltrated and all but destroyed over a period of decades. One may not like all that ‘the left’ espouses, but they are, or were, a bulkwark against the every-increasing pile of neoliberal shit I have to wade through every time I read a newspaper. All the horrible-ness is just what the ultra hard-right want, and seeing as nobody can stop them, that’s what they’ll get. Until people start taking to the streets, of course. Which may be never.
And, apropos of nothing, did I just see Cameron in the news again for giving a cushy job to one of his many bent mates? I swear Cameron is the most protected politician since that guy in The Omen. It’s literally astonishing what he gets away with. He should have been sacked over about four things by now, but there he is, all angry and red faced, being smarmy as ever. It’s just plain weird.
I had the unfortunate pleasure of listening to Mr Spencer of Jihad Watch on RT’s ‘Worlds Apart’:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/why-jihad-watch
It appeared to me that Mr Spencer might better spend his energies in researching and extricating the truth buried by deception within British and American foreign policy. It seems to me that is where ‘Jihad’ or march or crusade using proxy warriors breaks into ordinary workaday, vanilla consciousness.
Mr Spencer observes that Gaza and it’s inhabitants are blessed with luxury, comfort, leisure and an abundance of well stocked supermarkets and department stores. Such perception can only be formed by conjecture and a need to vilify the everyday lives of Muslims where ‘Ummah’ is simple the unity of mankind and not battles between nations.
“Bluntly, everything is shit.”
Cheer up, pal. Or do us a favour and fuck off to your nearest socialist utopia.
Cheers!