The revelation that undercover Met officers spied on the family of Jean Charles De Menezes after they murdered him, leaves me utterly appalled.
You have to consider this in the context of the lies that the Met assiduously spread about De Menezes – that he entered the tube without buying a ticket, that he vaulted the ticket gates, that he ran away from officers, that he was wearing a bulky jacket.
All of these were lies. In truth the poor man had entered the tube normally and legally, walked calmly and sat down with a free newspaper. He wore a short tight denim jacket. Then totally without any cause or justification from his actions whatsoever, his murderers shot him multiple times in the head. Just because his Brazilian complexion looked a bit Arab.
I can think of no category of lie worse than that told by a murderer against the reputation of their victim.
The police did everything they could to mislead the media, planting lies and encouraging stories they knew to be untrue. Personally I find it extremely suspicious that numerous CCTV cameras were found not to be working, and have little doubt that the police destroyed that evidence.
There can be no other motive for spying on De Menezes’ family than either the hope of gaining information to feed to the media to discredit the man they murdered, or to attempt to pervert the course of justice.
They did not have to worry – their were plenty of others to pervert the course of justice for them, including the DPP and above all, Sir Michael Wright, as disgusting a piece of scum as ever sat on an English bench, who directed the inquest jury that they could not return a verdict of unlawful killing. (I was delighted to find that, when I googled Sir Michael Wright, my article on him came high on the first page. Is that result tailored by Google for me, or is it general?)
The recent revelation that the Met spied on Menezes’ family sparked very little public interest. It should. It is a still more appalling outrage than the Murdoch press hacking Millie Dowler. At least the Murdoch gang had not actually murdered Millie Dowler themselves. The De Menezes family were being spied on by their son’s and brother’s murderers.
Komodo/Baal, If it stops at 13,500 regular troops in Poland, then what’s the worry?
Two points to consider: What other assets might they deploy in the wider region by this autumn? Will there be any stay-behind assets? Irregulars, you might say.
Conjecture, I know.
This is on top of what might happen in eastern Ukraine by then. If Hammond the Hawk (prompted by the neo-con crazies) pulls a bigger rabbit out of the hat – in terms of deployment between now and then – that might be the time to raise an eyebrow or five.
PS Keep watching.
PPS Good night and good luck.
@Ben: we know that it happens a lot, but good to see it is being challenged at an International level. Good practice, as well as bad practice, can filter downwards.
“Fred, it seems your ignorance knows no bounds.
The people you name are members of the Knesset, NOT members of the Israeli government.
Please do some thinking and research before you put finger to keyboard.”
Courtenay
Class Post as Always from you Ta
i Regard this film as the best film i have ever seen…. But that’s me..Pesky Poets that we are…i wonder if Craig can have clout enough to contact this Guy…I’d love to shake his hand…And see him in Scotland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93hqlmrZKd8
Thanks to the diligence of US Intelligence the whole world can now see the skill of the Ukraine Army’s 27th Trackway Alteration Division .
Not satisfied with achieving their objective of moving vehicle tracks on cropland in 3 days, they went on to disappear yet more.
Sofia; I’ve been looking for someone who can interpret the vaunted US ‘proof’ of Russian shelling Ukraine from orbit.
The B/W imagery is persuasive. I can’t think if of anything that impresses me more than Buster Keaton films carrying the same weight of eividence.
‘Talkies’ are even more impressive.
Bri;
Eran Efrati is a courageous man. We sit in our easy chairs and prognosticate from our remote location, but he’s the real deal.
I just find this man THE most honourable man on Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBZX4ZxPjA
“It’s become a crazy state”
Halibaba (la vita in culo)
are you sure that yarmulke is only few inches across? I have always believed that it was some kind of tent where jews roast freshly slaughtered goats. Perhaps, if you cut a small piece off you can then stick it to your scalp. Is this how you do it?
Hey Ben… William Blum came up in conversation a few posts ago. Is his latest worth reading? Got a couple of his earlier books. I wearily decided that the case was made and, unless I wanted to put forward a case afresh all the time, there was little point in spending time on any more of this stuff. One can get awfully disillusioned and wonder what the point is of pretty much any political activity.
“If we make a good/loud enough case, the politicians will hear us!” – that’s what we’ve been led to believe, as good Germans^W citizens. But that’s clearly BS, always has been, and we are tilting at windmills if we expect otherwise.
Maybe it’s a function of increasing age, decreasing hope, or – I sincerely hope not – an increasing sense of reality. The money-grubbers, dirty opportunists and the corrupt will find ease under such a philosophy, but decent people will still try to do the right thing. But this only happens on a very local basis. The system that allows it is determined by the already advantaged and unscrupulous, and favours the corruptible stooges that eagerly betray their office at all levels.
This rotting from the head down is destroying every last aspect of humanity. To the point that we cannot see a problem – officially, as a society – with the bombing of innocent civilians abroad (with our government’s approval!), to the murder of an innocent Brazilian on our own transport system. That execution was the darkest day for our “security” forces – thank god nobody was actually guilty of anything but acting in the best possible faith. Just like our government was, when it committed our countries to the invasion of a defenceless nation on another false premise. (But who’s keeping count – a million or so dead – we said sorry, our bad… what do you want us to do… what?? what??)
As long as it’s all officially sanctioned, and “balanced” in the MSM with an appropriate amount of “debate”, let’s just carry on. For the moment, until total collapse ensues. Whether that be economic, environmental, or societal collapse.
worse than Murdoch? don’t think so.
February 2013 – Jim Lobe wrote for Inter Press Service –
Israeli Licence to Cheney-Linked Energy Firm on Golan Heights Raises Eyebrows
In a potential new source of contention between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has reportedly granted a U.S. energy firm with heavyweight political connections to explore for oil and gas in the occupied Golan Heights.
The company is a local subsidiary of New Jersey-based Genie Energy Ltd. The Strategic Advisory Board of another subsidiary, Genie Oil and Gas, includes former Vice President Dick Cheney, media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and former Republican Rep. Jim Courter.
It also includes several prominent investment managers, such as Jacob Rothschild, chairman of the J. Rothschild group, and Michael Steinhardt, a major contributor to Jewish and Zionist causes, notably Birthright Israel, a multi-million-dollar programme to bring young Diaspora Jews to Israel.
The granting of the licence by Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, which was initially reported by Dow Jones Thursday, comes amidst continuing civil war in Syria, which has demanded the return of the Heights since Israel took them in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War…
The administration remained tight-lipped about the move Friday, confining itself only to issuing a terse statement by the State Department acknowledging the press reports about the licence.
“We intend to discuss this issue with the Israeli Government,” it said….
The U.S., which at various times has tried to mediate a peace accord between Syria and Israel, has never recognised the Jewish State’s occupation there.
The Heights, which successive Israeli governments have said they are prepared to return to Damascus under certain conditions, currently hold 32 Jewish settlements with a total population of around 20,000….
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/02/israeli-licence-to-cheney-linke-energy-firm-on-golan-heights-raises-eyebrows/
O/T but amusing.
I was right (see previous thread). The day after Cherie’s 59-and a-twelfth birthday party, Tony Blair flew to Los Angeles. He took the opportunity to advise the US on its foreign policy, with specific reference to not blaming ourselves (TB) for comprehensively screwing up the Middle East. Very little on Gaza, though. Seasickness tabs and sick bag recommended. He actually looks completely insane now. The interviewer doesn’t like him.
http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/meet-the-press/mtp-exclusive-tony-blair-extended-interview-238843459869
…Duh. 59-and-eleven-twefths.
This sums up the vile attitudes of the zionist scum From Israel to you – You need it !!
That is further adulated by the zionist scum support brigade, as can be seen in the comments.
Needless to point out, a punch on his nose would be classified as “antisemi…..” attacks, and anti terrorist police will get called in to find and punish the perpetrator.
Reminder of the petition, which seems to need a bit more publicity to get to 50000:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ban-ki-moon-sack-tony-blair-as-the-middle-east-peace-envoy
Another reminder, of how the shifty neocon turd is misusing his position:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/jul/09/israel-war-gaza-palestine-natural-gas-energy-crisis
As Dr Gary Luft – an advisor to the US Energy Security Council – wrote in the Journal of Energy Security, “with the depletion of Israel’s domestic gas supplies accelerating, and without an imminent rise in Egyptian gas imports, Israel could face a power crisis in the next few years… If Israel is to continue to pursue its natural gas plans it must diversify its supply sources.”
Israel’s new domestic discoveries do not, as yet, offer an immediate solution as electricity prices reach record levels, heightening the imperative to diversify supply. This appears to be behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement in February 2011 that it was now time to seal the Gaza gas deal. But even after a new round of negotiations was kick-started between the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority and Israel in September 2012, Hamas was excluded from these talks, and thus rejected the legitimacy of any deal.
Earlier this year, Hamas condemned a PA deal to purchase $1.2 billion worth of gas from Israel Leviathan field over a 20 year period once the field starts producing. Simultaneously, the PA has held several meetings with the British Gas Group to develop the Gaza gas field, albeit with a view to exclude Hamas – and thus Gazans – from access to the proceeds. That plan had been the brainchild of Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair.
Ben
“We sit in our easy chairs and prognosticate from our remote location, but he’s the real deal.”
I don’t know what you made of the last five minutes Ben but it seemed to me Efrati was unambiguously making the point that you are not remote at all. That the battle being fought on the streets of Gaza is the same battle being fought on the streets of Oakland (or somewhere near you).
You too can be the ‘real deal’.
The EU announce further sanctions against Russia while the Gaza child-killers are ignored.
Just another day at the office.
Bert tries hard to expunge the murder of Jean Charles De Menezes. Poor show. We note:
..because he may have had knowledge of the true backstory of SB infiltration/facilitation in purported ‘terrorist’ cells.
This totally negative construction appears the same as the NeoCon right to preemptive strikes ‘just in case’ terrorism is fermenting.
I call it murder by negative and jaundiced reasoning.
Just another day at the office.
Page 12 on the Guardian today. Now Western attention has shifted elsewhere, Israel can get away with much more murder. The troll announcing its departure was relevant. (Memo to Anon: Do not encourage revelations of our crimes, as if we give a fuck what anyone thinks anyway)
This has already gone on longer than Cast Lead. It will go on much longer. Gaza will look like another of Blair’s blind spots, Grozny, by the time all resistance to imprisonment and invasion has ceased.
Warsaw ghetto time.
Fred
29 Jul, 2014 – 12:30 am
Legislative committee
“The Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. As the legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister, approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government. Wikipedia”
Stop being thick Fred:
Cabinet members of the current Israeli GOVERNMENT (the Knesset is not the government):
Prime Minister
Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs
Benjamin Netanyahu
Likud
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Avigdor Lieberman
Yisrael Beiteinu
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Yair Shamir
Yisrael Beiteinu
Minister of Communications
Minister of Home Front Defense
Gilad Erdan
Likud
Minister of Culture and Sport
Limor Livnat
Likud
Minister of Defense
Moshe Ya’alon
Likud
Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee
Minister of Energy and Water Resources
Minister of Regional Cooperation
Silvan Shalom
Likud
Minister of Education
Shai Piron
Yesh Atid
Minister of Environmental Protection
Amir Peretz
Hatnuah
Minister of Finance
Yair Lapid
Yesh Atid
Ministry of Health
Yael German
Yesh Atid
Minister of Housing and Construction
Uri Ariel
The Jewish Home
Minister of Immigrant Absorption
Sofa Landver
Yisrael Beiteinu
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor
Minister of Religious Affairs
Naftali Bennett
The Jewish Home
Minister of Internal Affairs
Gideon Sa’ar
Likud
Minister of Intelligence
Minister of International Relations
Minister of Strategic Affairs
Yuval Steinitz
Likud
Minister of Justice
Tzipi Livni
Hatnuah
Minister of Pensioner Affairs
Uri Orbakh
The Jewish Home
Minister of Public Security
Yitzhak Aharonovich
Yisrael Beiteinu
Minister of Science and Technology
Yaakov Peri
Yesh Atid
Minister of Tourism
Uzi Landau
Yisrael Beitenu
Minister of Transportation, National Infrastructure and Road Safety
Yisrael Katz
Likud
Minister of Welfare and Social Services
Meir Cohen
Yesh Atid
Deputy Ministers
Deputy Minister of Defense Danny Danon
Likud
Deputy Minister of Education Avi Vartzman
The Jewish Home
Deputy Minister of Finance Mickey Levy
Yesh Atid
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ze’ev Elkin
Likud
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Faina Kirschenbaum
Yisrael Beiteinu
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office
Ofir Akunis
Likud
Deputy Minister of Religious Services Eli Ben-Dahan
The Jewish Home
Deputy Minister of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety
Tzipi Hotovely
Likud
Well, “we” (whoever we are) can’t do much about Israeli aggression whilst the US and UN continue to support it. There is one significant recent difference, however. Russia and the former Soviet Union seemed to turn a blind eye to Israel, just as Blair clearly turned a blind eye to Grosny. However, in the new geopolitical world emerging it seems likely that Russia and Israel will find themselves on opposite sides. Also, not sure what Israel will think about US supporting and arming ISIS, who are unlikely to be their friends.
As with most of the Blair years, govt policy seems to have been shaped around keeping The Tories quiet, and taking on policies that they thought would go down well with tories in the shires… at the time of Israelification of the Met, I think it was probably also seen as a way for providing a bit of trade with Israel. No-one in government understands policing and more than they understand education, social services or anything else that is community-driven. The knock-on effect of militarising policing would be lost on them. Jean Charles de Menezes was another victim of the Blair government and the British public knew it. I can’t remember figures exactly but think labour started to fall in the polls from Autumn 2005 onwards.
However, in the new geopolitical world emerging it seems likely that Russia and Israel will find themselves on opposite sides.
Doubt it will be permanent. In the new etc, who talks to who is determined by oligarchs and wannabe oligarchs, on the basis of corporate profits. Likewise, who gets to keep their head of state.
Also, not sure what Israel will think about US supporting and arming ISIS, who are unlikely to be their friends.
Israel can be absolutely of getting large quantities of the latest killing gear from the US, while the likes of ISIS get carefully-rationed decades-old weaponry. And the US, Israel and Saudi would be extremely happy if Sunni fundamentalists ISIS turned their attention to Shi’a bogeyman Iran.
As this notoriously neocon outfit makes a little clearer:
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/saudi-funding-of-isis
…absolutely certain…
“Real deal’
Ph;il; Here I thought you were a pessimist. 🙂
Ben,
Will you please tell your government to stop arming terrorists?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014857647
(If you pay the Danegeld, you don’t get rid of the Dane, dept.)
Ba’al: They are on a roll, and I don’t mean corned-beef. Even Bill Maher (half-jewish) is toting the line. Then I read Kunstler yesterday. I won’t leave the link. I was really surprised.
We’re all on about Blair, Clinton and Obummer, but we sometimes forget the Father and Mother who fed us this forcemeat.
http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=12160
“JAY: Supply-side.
FLASSBECK: –to supply side means exactly the opposite of Keynesianism, which means you’re not intervening on the demand side of an economy. You don’t care about demand. But you say–.
JAY: So it means you don’t care about wages and such.
FLASSBECK: You don’t care about wages, you don’t care about any kind of demand. But what you care about is that profits for companies,, that the companies get proper profits, that taxes are low and wages are low and all this. And then, if you, so to say, shift income towards the rich people or towards companies, then you will get more investment and you will get automatic supply increase, and the supply increase would create demand, and then the whole system would be stable again.
JAY: And this became associated as Reaganomics or [crosstalk] Thatcher and
FLASSBECK: This later was then called, right, Reaganomics, Thatcherism. But it was a merger of the German approach, the English and the American approach that dominated in the ’80s indeed.