Hillary Clinton only “won” Iowa because she won all six coin tosses in tied precincts. What are the odds against six successive coin toss wins? I calculate 1 in 64, or you have a 1.5% chance of pulling it off. If I am right, do we really believe it did happen? That question is posed without taking into account the indisputable bias for Clinton of the Democrat machine which was organising the vote, and other startling irregularities, including the falure of the organising committee to staff over sixty caucus meetings. It all stinks, frankly.
I have been trying to think up a word to describe the kind of society we have now, in which a tiny number of extremely wealthy people control the politicians and manipulate the public through the mass media. Then I realised we already have a perfectly adequate word for it – plutocracy.
It is a plutocracy where 85 people own the same wealth as the other 50% of the population of the entire world, and the wealth gap still grows at astonishing pace. A reaction from the people who actually create that wealth is inevitable. The extraordinary concentration of capital has only been possible because of the existence of state mechanisms designed to promote it, and a popular movement to end that state bias was bound to happen. It was also predictable that it would be dominated by the young. To see youth mobilise for Scottish independence, for Corbyn or for Sanders has been life-affirming for me.
I might wish the movement for change to be sometimes better directed. But there is now a generational shift, a desire of young people for fundamental change, resisted by their elders. This phenomenon has not been seen so strongly since the 60’s. In the battle between the growing and the dying, there is only one ultimate winner. A good time to be alive (again). Almost makes up for struggling on through Thatcher and Blair…
““…the State of Israel, where governments are changed in accordance with the outcome of free and democratic elections held on the basis of universal suffrage.”
That is Universal suffrage if you don’t count the millions of non -Jews living in the West Bank and Gaza as electors.”
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Of course I don’t count them. The West Bank is occupied territory and not part of the State of Israel and Gaza is not part of the State of Israel either. And Israeli settlers apart, the inhabitants of those areas are not Israeli citizens.
On the other hand, the people living in the West Bank and Gaza are also free to hold elections where only they – and not Israeli citizens – can vote. The only problem appears to be that the last elections were quite some time ago because of inter-Palestine “disagreements”….
If you’re feeling particularly didactic, perhaps you’d like to comment on how – since 1948 – changes of government have been effected in Israel on the one hand and in its direct and indirect Arab neighbours on the other?
I wonder, if Britain refuses to follow the UN panel’s ruling on Assange, whether Ecuador can move a motion in the UN General Assembly denouncing UK’s violation of international law.
The EU and Canada have just finished negotiating a trade deal known as CETA. The deal includes the secret court system called (ISDS) Investor State Dispute Settlement.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investor-state_dispute_settlement
ISDS allows a secret court system to sue a government if a business feels that particular countries laws are infringing on the business.
Scottish anti-CETA protesters are meeting outside Holyrood today, CETA, is similar in many ways to the behind closed doors deal TTIP.
“Everybody knows proofreading has sadly deteriorated all over the world, but these errors seem to indicate that grammatical rules are breaking down in spoken and therefore written German.”
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Based on my own experience I’d say that was rather far-fetched.
RT: Grounds to believe Turkey planning military invasion in Syria – Russian military.
“I wonder, if Britain refuses to follow the UN panel’s ruling on Assange, whether Ecuador can move a motion in the UN General Assembly denouncing UK’s violation of international law.”
They could if they wanted to be laughed at. Ecuador doesn’t have a very good record when it comes to human rights.
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/ecuador
I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Oval Office. http://iranian.com/posts/turkey-poised-to-start-wwiii-by-invading-syria-and-iraq-62487
NATO’s machinations are it’s own and I’m certain they don’t like the Edrogan tail wagging the Dog.
UK and Sweden accepted the jurisdiction of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention as parties to Assange’s case. States parties have had almost 2 weeks to suck on it.
Assanges’ vindication by an international panel is a welcome face-saving solution for a problem that was increasingly humiliating, even for the groveling ass-kissers of the British puppet government. This isolates the USG as an arbitrary persecutor of the man who exposed US war crimes and crimes against humanity and peace. The USG is formally disgraced, as it takes its place on the fecal roster with Myanmar, Egypt and other woeful underdeveloped shitholes. Arbitrary is a damning word that materially hurts US standing in the world. A big boost for the authority and impartiality of the WGAD and the UNHCHR, and one more moving crack in NATO’s Western bloc.
A new offering. Health Warning. http://internationaltimes.it/health-warning/
Des Moines Register calls for audit of Sanders-Clinton result in Iowa.
A lawyer for Julian Assange says that if a U.N. panel decides that the WikiLeaks founder has been arbitrarily detained, then Sweden has no other option but to revoke an arrest warrant that could allow him to walk free from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.
The panel is expected to formally announce its decision on Friday, but Sweden says it has been informed of the decision and that it was in the WikiLeaks founder’s favour.
However the self confessed liar Alistair Carmichael said, it is vital for the government to follow through on this warrant and extradite Assange to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about alleged sexual misconduct.
Hopefully Assange will not be extradited to Sweden then somehow transported to the USA.
Next up the decriminalisation of Edward Snowden, and Chelsea/Bradley Manning, like Assange those people are heroes not criminals.
Hopefully the Assange case will open the flood gates on whistle blowing. We really need to keep the b#stards in the grey suits, on their toes.
Reminder; the Anna Ardin thread is still open as it has been since 2012, serving as one of the international communication points regarding the legal manoeuvres around Julian Assange. Anyone with fresh information might like to post it there as well as on the most recent thread:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/09/why-i-am-convinced-that-anna-ardin-is-a-liar/comment-page-20/#comment-576305
Russian TV seem to be miffed that the BBC started World War 3 yesterday, I started to watch it and fell about in hysterics, I think the Kreml have taken it more seriously and might complain to OFWAT or similar?
“A lawyer for Julian Assange says that if a U.N. panel decides that the WikiLeaks founder has been arbitrarily detained, then Sweden has no other option but to revoke an arrest warrant that could allow him to walk free from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.”
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Mr Assange would escape arrest on emerging from the Embassy provided that the competent Swedish judicial authority had “withdrawn” the EAW.
I am, however, a little doubtful about the statement that “Sweden” would have no option other than to revoke the EAW if the UN panel decided Mr Assange had been arbitrarily detained. Perhaps one should wait to see the exact wording of the finding.
Republicofscotland (17h52)
It would certainly be fascinating to hear a UN panel’s findings about whether Mr Sbowden’s exile in Moscow as a guest of President Putin is also a case of arbitrary detention. 🙂
Mr Snowden, of course.
Nom Nom Nom USA Eats Shit
04/02/2016 4:40pm
“Assanges’ vindication by an international panel is a welcome face-saving solution for a problem that was increasingly humiliating, even for the groveling ass-kissers of the British puppet government.”
I agree with that, certainly where Sweden is concerned and perhaps the UK too. I believe this case has become extremely politically embarrassing for Sweden, as the procedural anomalies have become more and more evident, and the games played by the prosecutor are becomingly increasingly untenable. I also think that the case for Assange is so strong, that even a totally biased Swedish court, if such exists, would hardly be able to find for the prosecution and this is very likely now recognised.
I would not be surprised if Sweden drops the matter now, and I wonder if there has been any quiet negotiation behind the scenes to achieve the least politically costly result. The UK I am not so sure of, but again would not be surprised if something similar happens after some token posturing.
Kind regards,
John
“It would certainly be fascinating to hear a UN panel’s findings about whether Mr Sbowden’s exile in Moscow as a guest of President Putin is also a case of arbitrary detention.”
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Yes indeed Habb, it would be very interesting, it would also be interesting to know if Westminster okayed the flying in British airspace of a unregistered American flight heading to Denmark.
Where it sat on standby to apprehend Mr Snowden as he made his way from Hong Kong to Moscow . ?
Habbabkuk, 6:16 pm:
Yes, it would.
Habbabkuk, you seem unaware that Snowden is stranded in Moscow, not “a guest of President Putin”; the USA revoked Snowden’s passport while Snowden was attempting to travel to South America, I believe.
Idiot USA; they trapped him in Moscow! What a grand intelligence coup, eh?
Turkey may be on the verge of sending troops into Syria, after reports claimed that Assads forces were on the edge of capturing Aleppo.
Turkey has been running around like a headless chicken trying to persuade the US to intervene, as the first round of talks amounted to nadir.
Turkey has much to lose from Syria remaining in the hands of Assad, millions of gallons of oil for starters.
Russia has second guessed Erdogan’s position and bolstered forces in Southern Syria, as have Hezbollah and Iranian fighters.
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0VC165?irpc=932
“Idiot USA; they trapped him in Moscow! What a grand intelligence coup, eh?”
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Yes Clark, but the USA’s obedient puppets did their best to comply with their masters wishes.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales_grounding_incident
South American countries should be suspicious and wary, of European nations who are subservient, to the numero uno warmongering military state in the world.
Afterall America has form in South America.
Speaking of Turkey and oil, Mustafa Koç, the head of the big industrial combine Koç Holding (which includes the Tupras oil refining group), died a few days ago, allegedly of a heart attack, at the age of 55. Mustafa Koc, Leader of Turkish Conglomerate, Dies at 55.
Since the story says he had a history of heart disease, the official story of his death might well be true. Still, one wonders. The Koçes are known to have been opposed to the policies of Erdoğan.
More in the Assange saga.
Assange, who has lived in two rooms in the diplomatic mission since seeking sanctuary in 2012, appealed to the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in an attempt to break the legal deadlock over his efforts to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning about a claim of rape. He has consistently denied any assault.
The Wikileaks chief had argued that his confinement was unlawful because he was being asked to choose between the asylum granted to him by the Ecuadorian government and the certainty of arrest if he left the embassy.
Lawyers for Mr Assange said they were still awaiting official confirmation of the WGAD finding due for release this morning but said {if} confirmed the extradition proceedings issued by Sweden should be immediately revoked and Scotland Yard should announce he no longer faces arrest.
Although the UN panel’s decision is not formally binding on either the British or Swedish governments, his legal team believe it will be difficult for either to ignore and hands him a significant public relations victory. One of his British lawyers said Mr Assange may seek safe passage to Ecuador.
RoS
“South American countries should be suspicious and wary, of European nations who are subservient, to the numero uno warmongering military state in the world.”
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I believe “numero uno” may well be “bimber one” in Italian.
To give your comment a more authentic South American flavour, I would suggest using “numero uno”. With an accent over the first “u” of course. 🙂
[blah]
Snowden first obtained asylum under the 1951 Convention – a foregone conclusion, since non-refoulement is a universal obligation where the US torture regime is involved. Snowden then obtained limited-term Russian residency. US vilification and threats made Snowden a world figure, the Václav Havel of the NATO Pact – except that, unlike Havel, Snowden outwitted his bumbling police state and reduced it to forlorn fist-shaking at a safe distance from a triumphant Russia.
What makes the U.S. government and its supporters think that it has the right to prosecute a citizen of Australia for violating on foreign soil U.S. laws regarding the handling of documents classified by the U.S.?
Do they think the Iranian fatwa against Salman Rushdie was legally valid? After all, Rushdie had violated Iranian law.
Clark : “Habbabkuk, you seem unaware that Snowden is stranded in Moscow, not “a guest of President Putin””
The Bumboy : “Snowden first obtained asylum under the 1951 Convention.. Snowden then obtained limited-term Russian residency.”
Lysais according to this report Erdogan and Koc were friendly, still I suppose some killers come with smiling faces.
Erdogan’s party did however have several run-ins with Koc.
“A major public tension between Koç and the AKP government emerged in 2013 during the Gezi Park protests. An Istanbul hotel owned by Koç, the Divan hotel, admitted Gezi protesters into its lobby, which quickly turned into a makeshift first aid room. A few days later, an angry Erdoğan said in a public rally, “We know which hotel owners helped the terrorists [protesters]. It is a crime to abet terrorists. And those crimes will not remain unpunished.”
Take from that what you will.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/mustafa-kocs-last-meeting-with-president-erdogan-on-defense-bids.aspx?pageID=238&nID=94218&NewsCatID=344
Habba 3.50pm
Of course I don’t count them. The West Bank is occupied territory and not part of the State of Israel and Gaza is not part of the State of Israel either. And Israeli settlers apart, the inhabitants of those areas are not Israeli citizens.
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Isn’t this a sad post? It’s so detached from reality.
If you Wiki the population of the West Bank it’s nearly 3m people totally governed without any representation or rights.
If the population of Israel is 8m then almost 40% of the people can’t vote.
Changes to the Freedom of Information Act:
http://www.hortweek.com/charities-contractors-may-freedom-information-act/parks-and-gardens/article/1378636
Horticulture Week may seem a strange source, but the article in The Times is behind a paywall. The article is worth visiting anyway just for the look on Jack Straw’s face, which you don’t need to pay for if you have Javascript disabled:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4658623.ece
Well our Jack wouldn’t want any more information getting around, would he?
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/07/mob-morality-again/#comment-541045
38 Degrees have an appeal for cash to commission an opinion poll to demonstrate support for increased FOI powers:
https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/FOI-opinion-poll
Is it just me or are things looking up for a change?