I just saw the British Prime Minister do something, so appallingly tasteless I could not believe it was happening. BBC News just showed a dawn raid by immigration officers on a well-kept home. So far, so tasteless.
Astonishingly, once the evil foreigners had been herded up and taken off to detention camps, where they risk being beaten up or raped, Teresa May and David Cameron arrived, and posed in the victims’ kitchen for trophy pictures.
I thought that what Blair has done since leaving Downing Street had debased the office of Prime Minister to an astonishing degree. But, posing for a stunt in the neat and clean kitchen of some poor immigrant, David Cameron had plumbed levels of tastelessness that again make me realise that the UK has become a country whose values I no longer recognise. The disgusting complicity of the BBC in filming this stunt is equally astonishing.
Are there really so few people left who have the slightest idea of what constitutes decent human behaviour?
Peacewisher
“The final comment is that, effectively, UK and US are as one on the Gaza issue.
No mention of what the British people think…”
_____________________
I’d be wary, Peacewisher, of assuming you know what the “British people” think.
You must not make the mistake of thinking that the Eminences on here are representative of the British people and that the British people are in a lather of anti-Israel rage. I suspect that if there were some foolproof method of finding out what the British people really think of the situation in the ME, you would discover far less general sympathy for the Palestinian cause and far more general sympathy for Israel than you’d be happy with.
An illustration of Jewish excess.
See an A-Z list of all Israel Lobby Portal pages.
http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Category:Israel_Lobby
Welcome to the Israel Lobby Portal on Powerbase—your guide to networks of power, lobbying and deceptive PR.
Powerbase has a policy of strict referencing and is overseen by a managing editor, a Sysop and various associate portal editors.
The editors of the Israel Lobby Portal are Hilary Aked and Jamie Stern-Weiner.
http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Israel_Lobby_Portal
Mary , re the NHS
“The rabid ConDems wish to dismantle and destroy the NHS and hand it out to their donors and the health insurance industry. The people working in it still remain to heal and care thank goodness.”
_______________________
Can we agree, therefore, that based on your very recent experience, the NHS is still in fine form and that your prognostications as to the future are mere partisan speculation?
@Habby: Sorry… couldn’t help myself, after you appeared to be trying to adopt the moral high ground. Apologies to Ben if he was offended.
I suppose the reason people keep going on about Israel/Palestine, as opposed to all the other atrocities that continue to happen round the world is that the violence has been going on for so long, the fact that this atrocity does regularly get into peoples living rooms, and that the two forces are so disproportionate. Despite all the resources that have been made available to it, Israel does (remarkably) seem to be losing the propaganda war. This is even more dangerous, particularly in view of the moral low ground of Israeli public opinion (assuming survey is correct, of course).
Mike
“Did Prince Bandar not say last year that Saudi was in charge of Islamic terrorism in the Caucasus?”
____________________
Maybe yes, maybe not.
To help us decide, could you please provide reputable* links/sources?
(*No mondoweiss, Global Research/Professor Michel, Counterpunch and voltairenet, please!)
@Mary: Very pleased your treatment was successful.
In your absence, there was a welcome separation of “Israeli” and “Jewish” values. IMHO this is not a religious conflict… but a conflict that uses religion, paradoxically, as an excuse for violence.
Regarding NHS… from my recent experience it is becoming primarily about money, and people dying or getting better seems to be a secondary consideration. The wonderful nurses, doctors, and associated staff are working heroically to keep the service going against this backdrop.
“Maybe yes, maybe not.”
I know. You only do requests. Research is beyond your acumen. I understand. The Game Plan doesn’t have money in the budget for education. Sad for you.
Mike
So if you are a Muslim in Chechnya or Dagestan, whose country was colonised by the Russian Empire in the 1830’s after a very hard fought invasion, you are a “terrorist” if you want your national freedom back, are you?
Frankly you pro-Putin people make me sick with your pretended humanitarian concern. Putin killed far more in Grozny than the Israelis are killing in Gaza, yet where were you protesting against that? The truth is you are not against women and children being bombed to pieces, only if it is not being done by “your side”, the Putin side.
a sorry tale 0
England cricketer Moeen Ali BANNED from wearing ‘Save Gaza’ wristbands during matches
The all-rounder wore the black and white bands, which read ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Save Gaza’, during England’s second Test Match against India at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton…
A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board read: “The ECB believe Moeen has done nothing wrong.”…
Last week, the talented batsman attended a fundraising event for humanitarian efforts in Gaza with the Ummah Welfare Trust in Small Heath, Birmingham…
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/492982/England-cricket-Moeen-Ali-disciplinary-action-Save-Gaza-wristbands
letter sent before Ali wristband story began:
BBC: HSBC closes some Muslim groups’ accounts
Ummah Welfare trust, based in Bolton, has distributed £70m to projects in 20 countries. It has had a presence in Gaza for 10 years.
In a letter, also dated 22 July, HSBC gave Ummah the same reason for closing its account that it had given to the Finsbury Park Mosque – that “provision of banking services now falls outside our risk appetite”.
It then gave the charity two months’ notice of its decision to close the trust’s accounts.
“You will need to make alternative banking arrangements, as we are not prepared to open another account for you,” the letter continues.
Mohammed Ahmad, who runs Ummah, says it is a dream customer for a bank and always in credit.
He asked HSBC in a meeting why the accounts were closing, but says the bank’s representative gave them no answer. ..
Mr Ahmad says he thinks HSBC has made its decision because of its work in Gaza, where he says Ummah provides “ambulances, food aid, medical aid, and grants.”…
In December 2012, HSBC had to pay US authorities $1.9bn (£1.2bn) in a settlement over money laundering, the largest paid in such a case. It was alleged to have helped launder money belonging to drug cartels and states under US sanctions…
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28553921
Moeen Ali’s decision to wear ‘Save Gaza’ wristband in England Test with India is refreshing antidote to today’s vacuous stars
ECB confirmed on Monday they had not given him permission to wear the wristbands, but also said they believe he hadn’t committed an offence
The 27-year-old helped raise money for victims of Gaza conflict
England’s cricketers all wore shirts with a message of support for Help for Heroes on Tuesday as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War…
‘Part of the reason we went to war in places like Iraq was to fight for things like freedom of speech,’ said Corporal Neil Heritage, who lost both his legs in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq in 2004 and has been supported by Help for Heroes since.
‘I have no problem with a sportsman or woman making a political statement.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2710111/Moeen-Alis-decision-wear-Save-Gaza-wristband-England-Test-India-refreshing-antidote-todays-vacuous-stars.html
@Habby: It is quite clear what the British people are expected to think… (hence my concern about democracy). But this amazing homo sapiens species has a long-standing habit of showing independence of thought. I don’t know what they actually think, or are likely to say or do any more than you do. In a democracy, though, they should at least be listened to, not just talked at.
Peacewisher
Well, some of the reasons you offered may be valid to some extent, but I suspect there are other, darker reasons why sundry Eminences bang on about Israel/Palestine.
To take only one example: it is estimated that since independence, over 6 million people have been killed in the Congo/Zaire/RDC.
I cannot recall a single post about that since I’ve been following this blog.
Peacewisher
“In a democracy, though, they should at least be listened to, not just talked at.”
_____________________
So your proposal is…..?
@Oddie:
There’s a simple answer to HSBC’s attitude… I’m sure if this story leaks out you’ll find a lot of people acting in a highly defiant way and transferring their custom to other banks. Luck for HSBC that the Express in seen as a kooky minority interest.
@Habby: Listen to the people, of course…
and shape at least some policy around what people (ie the 99%) want, rather than everything revolving around the 1% (whether personal oligarchs or corporate oligarchs).
Craig (23h01)
Very well said.
Excellences please note and repent.
Mary
Good to see ya Back…Hope you are Ok.
Here is Another Video of Regev Deciphered… this time with John Snow..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J02sE481Pw8
And another of Mark the Artist Taxi Driver….he speaks for Many of us…Cheers Mark –
Gaza- why no media questions about UK Gov complicity?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-477JO4BiE
“Frankly you pro-Putin people make me sick with your pretended humanitarian concern. Putin killed far more in Grozny than the Israelis are killing in Gaza, yet where were you protesting against that? The truth is you are not against women and children being bombed to pieces, only if it is not being done by “your side”, the Putin side.”
Balderdash. No one has excused the excesses of leaders or governments guilty of crimes against humanity. It’s not an issue of mutual exclusivity. Putin is a punk. But you seem to suggest he’s our punk so he gets a free pass. That’s beneath your station.
What I’ve noticed here is that commenters tend to support the underdog, especially when Western powers make shit up as they go along to get what they want.
What the hell do you want? Is the E?U your Holy Grail to the exclusion of any other hope for righteous civilization? I suggest you are off your meds.
California Ben
“I know. You only do requests.”
__________________
And you do…what?
I’d say blow out smoke-rings, but I stand to be corrected, as always.
@Habby: Yes, yes, yes! Even what we can get enraged about is controlled by what gets beamed into our radios and TV screens. This has been the case all my life, and until I started to think, I got engaged as I saw the images. Fist one, I think, was the little girl covered in Napalm.
TV is never going to be a reflection of reality, as David Bowie (playing the role of alien in “The man who fell to earth”) found to his great frustration…
Ben
What I specifically want is for people like you to stop supporting a long term vicious killer on a massive scale like Putin simply because he isn’t an American
Typing too fast:
Even what we can get enraged about is controlled by what gets beamed into our radios and TV screens. This has been the case all my life, and until I started to think about it, I just got enraged as I saw the images. First one, I think, was the little girl covered in Napalm.
(during the Mai Lai massacre, I think…)
Peacewisher (to me, re Gaza)
“Listen to the people, of course…
and shape at least some policy around what people (ie the 99%) want,…”
_______________
Confused argument.
You see, your comment asks the govt to “listen to the people”, which implies that it should find out what the people want, but then goes on to assume that 99% of the British people support the Palestinians (“what people want”). How do you know that?
Anyway, enough of that, my shift’s over (that was for the Crazies 🙂 )
C’mon, Habby… it was just getting interesting. I have no idea what the 1% think about Israel/Palestine… I was thinking about matters like policing, NHS, education, social services.
Craig
“Ben
What I specifically want is for people like you to stop supporting a long term vicious killer on a massive scale like Putin simply because he isn’t an American”
_________________-
Health warning – put on your gas mask, Craig, another smoke ring will be heading in your direction from California any moment now.
Craig; I think you mistake ‘support’ for Putin from commenters here. When we doubt the official report that makes him the issue as though personalities were the real enemy, and we are supplied with ‘evidence’ that is nothing of the sort, it makes him a victim. Isn’t that what you seek to avoid? Demonization of individuals, rather than whole Regions, makes it easier for the public at large to understand. They cannot see a general threat unless it has a face. Propaganda during WWII had to put a face on the enemy. When the Allies had cartoons drawn of buck-toothed Japs, it was designed to put a face on the evil Axis. Is that your purpose? The entirety of Russian population should suffer the fate of their diseased Leader because they chose him? Please stop with this libelous contention. It does not auger well with your bona fides.
Peacewisher
Sorry old boy, but it’s beddy-bies time.
They say that early to bed makes a man (or woman) healthy, wealthy and wise!
And if you don’t believe me, take a look at that nocturnal specimen Jives 🙂
Same. Good thread though…
Those kind Israelis have laid on a trip for CFoI to watch US taxpayers’ money shooting down der roggets.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/30/tory-mps-visit-israel-condemned-bad-timing
According to the Conservative Friends of Israel, seven of the party’s parliamentarians, including former minister Baroness Neville Jones, Sir Edward Garnier, Andrew Percy, Guto Bebb, Bob Blackman and Jack Lopresti, travelled to the country, although it is not known how many went to see the Iron Dome.
One of those who did was Percy, who tweeted “Israel acts as we would” in the face of provocation from Hamas. He also stressed there was no doubt the conflict “looks awful on TV and what is happening to Gazans is a tragedy”.
Debating the issue of whether Israel’s actions were “proportionate” with another Twitter user, he said: “So was the bombardment of Germany by Britain in World War 2 disproportionate?”
Writing on social media, Percy said the Conservative MPs are part of a cross-party delegation and stressed it was not a taxpayer-funded trip*.
The group was to go to the Palestinian Authority but this has now been cancelled on the advice of the Foreign Office.
Wonder if they went sightseeing?
http://rt.com/news/172324-israel-watching-gaza-attacks/
*Of course it bloody wasn’t. It was funded by the Israeli government, one way or another.
The zionist scum have no shame, do they? Their oh so sense of superiority born out of their notions of J-wish supremacy, drip fed to them, have these believe; they are indeed dealing with stupids and lame brains when they are dealing with goyem cattle.
In response to Passerby setting out a convincing case that there exists an orchestrated campaign by a group on this blog composed of: Anon, Res. Des. Kempe and “others” under the “tutelage” of the self sanctified delusional prophet. This group actively engaged in techniques of zersetzung strive to coerce and suppress any dissenting voice that questions, or ridicules the almost infantile string of lies propagated in the way of consolidating the insane narrative of the land stealing, mass murdering, genocidal zionist scum.
The crazy zionist scum having been told they are not clever and cannot fool those commenting here and steadily growing aware masses of people who are not buying into the prevalent jaundiced zionist narrative as told by the corporate media.
However not deterred by facts the following are responses are then bombarded in the way of zersetzung by numbers;
Followed by
The deranged delusional self sanctified prophet is cleverly planning to identify the “useful idiots”, all of them, because none of the goyem cattle will have heard or know about “Community Security Trust” a “charity” set-up that all too often is manned by the zionist uniformed mercenary thugs imported from zionistan to protect and spy on any and all referred targets! The same outfit that was given two million pounds of tax payers money by that nice Mr. Gove
Needless to point out that anyone who accepts the self anointed delusional prophet’s proposition, let me know I have a brand new only used once bridge for sale, at a very reasonable premium! Boy these J-wish supremacists are so clever, and so sharp! OK I have fallen for the stealthy plan, so here it goes you can find me at 181 High Holborn, Holborn, LONDON, WC1V 7RL .
But hang on the crazed self-inflicted prophet is not finished with zerstzung just yet, here is comes more;
And then some;
Fact that the blanket of lies affording supporting cover for the genocide, land theft, water theft, and resources theft on an industrial scale by zionistan, and fact that the crazed, and deranged zionists almost unanimously support such horrors are of no concern.
But of course the above is of no consequence because the obfuscation brigade in support of the zionist scum will ensure that “the man in the street” still remains ignorant and hoodwinked, by the most clever tribe on Earth, while the “few dissenting” voices are suppressed, because really “the man in the street” is a dumb goy and can be kept busy with more lies for ever.
” What I specifically want is for people like you to stop supporting a long term vicious killer on a massive scale like Putin simply because he isn’t an American ”
I think that’s pretty much spot on. Certain posters here have bent over backwards to try and justify Putin’s actions in Ukraine and portray him as some kind of hero or an innocent victim of some strange EU-US plot. Even to the point of fabricating a range of fanciful conspiracy theories to get him off the hook.
It goes without saying that if these were US backed rebels of if they’d been American troops that had illegally left their bases in Crimea and taken control of the region those same posters would be rabidly condemning it as the worst war crime ever.
Oh I see Moldova has been punished by Moscow with an export ban for making overtures to the EU. A good demonstration of Putin’s thuggish mentality.