I love Oliver Cromwell on so many levels. Here is his speech from 1651 when he dissolved the rump parliament left over from the English Civil War. It seems as if the political profession has not changed much in the last 358 years.
Given the recent furor over expenses in the Westminster Parliament, and the continuing un-democratic trough feeding at the EU parliament, I think that these words are as applicable today as they were back then. I freely admit to stealing the following text from the http://www.eureferendum.blogspot.com/ site, but I have seen them echoed in various places over the last few days.
Here are the words :-
“...It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.
Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?
Ye sordid prostitutes, have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd; your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse the Augean Stable, by putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings, and which by God's help and the strength He has given me, I now come to do.
I command ye, therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to depart immediately out of this place! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. You have sat here too long for the good you do. In the name of God, go!”
Scary isn’t it? So many similarities in sentiment to what a lot of us are feeling. I for one am fed up with our politicians, and to some extent our political system. The mob in Westminster is failing the majority of the people in this country, they have lead us to a loss of sovereignty to Brussels and to some military embaressments that have harmed our global prestige.
The ridiculous outcry over expenses, which were all made according to the rules of a system in place since 1972 and are really there so that MPs can claim extra income to supplement their relatively poor basic salary (poor when compared to professionals in industry, law and finance of equal or lesser authority). I am fine with that. Would it make more sense to just raise their salaries by 15-20% and drastically reduce allowances?
Of course it would be. It should be done, but come on – are a few inflated expenses claims within the boundaries of the systems and legality really all that important? Are the sums involved really worth the expenditure that is going to be made to “investigate” all the claims? Do the sums even begin to compete with the endemic wastage inherent in the Labour government above and beyond the arcane and archaic financial corridors of Westminster expense claims? Do they even begin to approach the level of financial siphoning and swindling taking place in Brussels? Do they anywhere close to the wastage of money on dubious military weapons development programmes and procurements? Of course they don’t – the whole thing is just a media frenzy designed to sell newspapers and make MPs look stupid (itself not always a bad thing of course…)
Its not the expenses "scandal" that annoys me - its the fact that all of the "big three" mainstream parties are now so similar in so many ways, and that none of them address the concerns that I have about the country and its future. While I do not begrudge them a fair, even generous wage, I do begrudge them being given that wage when they either ignore the issues I see as important, or indeed act in diametric oppossition to them. I have been saying this for years, but its no less true for the repition - UK politics is not about voting for a party in which you believe in, its about voting for a party which you dislike the least.
But what is the option? There are elections coming up in June. Where I live, there are local and council elections as well as the EU ones. Everthing from MPs to parish and town councils nearby are almost all Conservative, with the big exception of Aylesbury Town Council (LibDem). I will, of course, vote Conservative in all local polls that I am presented with. I may disagree with their silence on the EU and some other “right wing” issues that I, and millions of others, consider important, but they are worth the vote even if they are only marginally better than the gang of muppets currently in power.
Its when I come to the EU elections that I am slightly more confused. I loathe the EU, and its parliament doesn’t really do anything except cost money since all the decision making bodies in the EU are non-elected committees of bureaucrats. So, I am going to cast a protest vote of some description. I want the mainstream parties to wake up and realize that there is a hitherto silent majority out there do not subscribe to their lovely dovey liberal nonsense, a silent majority that worries about Islamic extremism, unfettered migration of the unskilled to our country, the failure of multiculturalism and a number of other things.
So, I have two choices really to cast my protest vote, neither one of which I actually like very much. There is UKIP, who I voted for last time. They have accomplished nothing since those elections, have been embroiled in their own expenses scandals, and have avoided total collapse due to infighting by only the slimmest of margins. They have a broadly centre-right collection of policies that has a lot of overlap with the Conservative party. But they are a paper tiger and, possibly, a spent force, despite recent polls showing that they are potentially picking up a lot of centre and centre right protest votes.
The other option is a bit more troubling, not least of which because I am actually leaning towards casting my vote their way. The BNP have ludicrous and impractical policies, their efforts at entering the mainstream are embarrassing and amateurish. Their economic policies are too left wing for me, and the odour of anti-Semitism bothers me badly, despite them publicizing their Jewish members and council candidates. I also have some problems with their genetic and colour emphasis – my xenophobia is purely culturalist and not racially based – I don’t care what people’s ethnic origins are as long as they assimilate to become British.
However, their anti-EU stance, their refusal to be politically correct, and their wariness of Islam and its effects on our country are all very attractive to me. They also seem to be very attractive to lots of other people – polls show that the BNP could very well get at least one (and possibly as many as seven or eight) MEP in the upcoming elections, legitimizing them to some degree (although nowhere near to the degree that they seem to think it will).
UKIP is the safe option, one that I have taken before. A vote for them is a “disillusioned centre-right Conservative showing his angst” vote. Nothing more. It has no other baggage, and really requires no other thought or soul searching on my part.
The real question is this - is voting for the BNP, and risking that this generally noisome bunch gets some real power, funding and legitimacy, a risk worth taking to send a rocket up the arses of the Westminster mob? I have no doubt that they would be a disaster in any real position of power and influence, but there is a good chance that, if the BNP do well, the mainstream parties will realize that there is a huge portion of the electorate that they are ignoring and marginalizing, a silent portion who want their own voices heard above the screams of racial and ethnic minorities, who they outnumber.
I have no idea who I will vote for next month. I doubt I will make my mind up completely until I get to the voting booth. I wonder how many other people of similar views to myself are wrestling with the same questions, and who might, on the day, cast a vote of protest that could very well have lasting consequences for our country politically and socially.
Not that it matters when looking at the EU itself – as stated, MEPs don’t actually do, and certainly can’t change, much. The real change will be May 2010 when we have a General Election. Hopefully the results of the EU elections and the “protest” votes will stimulate the Conservatives, who are almost certainly going to win the General Election, to look at the questions regarding the EU, immigration, and multiculturalism sensibly and realistically.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Friday, 15 May 2009
Facebook Transplant Part 14 - Originally Posted 7/5/09 - The Sun Finally Sets...
After I have been off from work, and thus away from extended periods online, and have spent part of today wading through my customary blogs and online newspapers of choice.
I had been in blissful ignorance about WW3 about to happen in Georgia, the mutual expulsion of NATO and Russian diplomats as spies, and general “on the brink” news that would have interested me far more than the predictable and generic news items on Madeleine McCann two years on and the endless panic mongering about swine flu.
But, aside from the events in Georgia and the happy occurrence that NATO is showing some gonads and calling Russia’s bluff, I also stumbled across these two articles. Take the time to read them – they are very interesting.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/5280118/Britain-will-be-missed-on-the-world-stage.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1177719/MAX-HASTINGS-Thatchers-legacy--America-falling-love-Britain-again.html
Both reinforce what I have been feeling for a few months now, pretty much ever since I have started reading a lot more on Imperial, Colonial, and early post-Colonial history with regards Britain. These “studies” have removed a lot of the romanticism that I once held about British military prowess.
A further reality check came by looking between the lines of the MOD and media propaganda about our performance of late in the War on Terror, something made a lot easier by the twin blogs http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/ and http://www.eureferendum.blogspot.com/. I look forward to one of the bloggers books, “Ministry of Defeat”, when it is released later on this year and urge you to pick up a copy – it will make you angry, believe me.
The long and the short of it is that, after a few decades of kicking and screaming in resistance following our loss of face and prestige during the Suez Crisis, I think that we are finally seeing the death throes of the UK as a projector of power and policy in the world.
Some would say that is a good thing, those wracked by misplaced post-colonial guilt, those who bleat about illegal wars, anti-Americanists, the Islamic lobby, and the Left in general. I for one say it’s an awful thing. I know that we have been a second tier player for the last 50 years or so, but we were still a player who had influence and something positive to offer our allies, especially our greatest ally, the US.
I am generally a big fan of the US. I don’t like everything about it, its attitudes, its institutions, its values, and a plethora of other aspects, but in the big scheme of things, I see America as definitely being one of the “good guys”, a label that maybe only a dozen countries deserve in my mind. America under his holiness St Obama? Well, I don’t know yet, although his weakness towards rogue states is very worrying and his determination to adopt the worst aspects (as opposed to the few very good aspects) of European socialism could harm the US in the long term. He has 100 days, I give him maybe a grade of 60% so far and will watch the rest of his 1st term with interest.
The US has not “needed” us for a very long time, not economically, not militarily, not socially – indeed, it is us that have needed them in all of these aspects, and who will continue to have that need. What is galling is that the semblance of respect and equality, however shallow and image based rather than substantial and real, is now gone and I seriously doubt we will ever get that “special relationship” back when we have so little to offer. Without the backing of the US, with only such toothless tigers as the UN and parasitical institutions as the EU in our corner, we will be sitting ducks for increasing Russian belligerence and Islamic radicalism/terrorism.
When you combine this loss of what little international prestige we once had, prestige largely due to the “special relationship”, with the shocking degradation of domestic Britain, then the future looks dark indeed.
We have the highest number of new HIV cases in the Western world, largely thanks to sub-Saharan African immigration, mostly illegal. We have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe and severe drug problems. Our police are shackled and watched relentlessly by the left – just witness the ridiculous and farcical aftermath of the G20 “demonstrations” and the media lead witchhunt. No wonder crime is through the roof. Binge drinking, obesity, Islamic extremism, dilution of British values and culture, crime, bad education – its hard to think of this country as even being the same one that accomplished so much. It’s a fall of even greater proportion than that of the Roman Empire degenerating into the basket case that is Italy.
Our economy is in tatters and, given that we have next to no real industry or agriculture here and that our economy was based largely on finanicial services which I do not ever see recovering to pre-recession levels, I am failing to see how we are going to recover enough to pay off the frankly terrifying levels of public debt that our esteemed Labour government is putting us in. Apparently, more people have signed an online petition at 10 Downing Street’s website, calling for Brown’s resignation, than voted for Labour in the last general election, which they won!
I guess the last relics of my romantic view of British power, influence and importance haven’t totally left me, since I am actually feeling physically sad about our current state of existence and don’t really see any way of improving it. I think I will dust off my ideas about immigrating to Canada, which at this rate will not only have a stronger and more dependable military, but will also have retained enough of what once made Britain great to satisfy me. I for one can’t think of anything that will fix us in the short term, let alone the long term, and maybe it is indeed time to search for greener pastures.
I had been in blissful ignorance about WW3 about to happen in Georgia, the mutual expulsion of NATO and Russian diplomats as spies, and general “on the brink” news that would have interested me far more than the predictable and generic news items on Madeleine McCann two years on and the endless panic mongering about swine flu.
But, aside from the events in Georgia and the happy occurrence that NATO is showing some gonads and calling Russia’s bluff, I also stumbled across these two articles. Take the time to read them – they are very interesting.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/5280118/Britain-will-be-missed-on-the-world-stage.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1177719/MAX-HASTINGS-Thatchers-legacy--America-falling-love-Britain-again.html
Both reinforce what I have been feeling for a few months now, pretty much ever since I have started reading a lot more on Imperial, Colonial, and early post-Colonial history with regards Britain. These “studies” have removed a lot of the romanticism that I once held about British military prowess.
A further reality check came by looking between the lines of the MOD and media propaganda about our performance of late in the War on Terror, something made a lot easier by the twin blogs http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/ and http://www.eureferendum.blogspot.com/. I look forward to one of the bloggers books, “Ministry of Defeat”, when it is released later on this year and urge you to pick up a copy – it will make you angry, believe me.
The long and the short of it is that, after a few decades of kicking and screaming in resistance following our loss of face and prestige during the Suez Crisis, I think that we are finally seeing the death throes of the UK as a projector of power and policy in the world.
Some would say that is a good thing, those wracked by misplaced post-colonial guilt, those who bleat about illegal wars, anti-Americanists, the Islamic lobby, and the Left in general. I for one say it’s an awful thing. I know that we have been a second tier player for the last 50 years or so, but we were still a player who had influence and something positive to offer our allies, especially our greatest ally, the US.
I am generally a big fan of the US. I don’t like everything about it, its attitudes, its institutions, its values, and a plethora of other aspects, but in the big scheme of things, I see America as definitely being one of the “good guys”, a label that maybe only a dozen countries deserve in my mind. America under his holiness St Obama? Well, I don’t know yet, although his weakness towards rogue states is very worrying and his determination to adopt the worst aspects (as opposed to the few very good aspects) of European socialism could harm the US in the long term. He has 100 days, I give him maybe a grade of 60% so far and will watch the rest of his 1st term with interest.
The US has not “needed” us for a very long time, not economically, not militarily, not socially – indeed, it is us that have needed them in all of these aspects, and who will continue to have that need. What is galling is that the semblance of respect and equality, however shallow and image based rather than substantial and real, is now gone and I seriously doubt we will ever get that “special relationship” back when we have so little to offer. Without the backing of the US, with only such toothless tigers as the UN and parasitical institutions as the EU in our corner, we will be sitting ducks for increasing Russian belligerence and Islamic radicalism/terrorism.
When you combine this loss of what little international prestige we once had, prestige largely due to the “special relationship”, with the shocking degradation of domestic Britain, then the future looks dark indeed.
We have the highest number of new HIV cases in the Western world, largely thanks to sub-Saharan African immigration, mostly illegal. We have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe and severe drug problems. Our police are shackled and watched relentlessly by the left – just witness the ridiculous and farcical aftermath of the G20 “demonstrations” and the media lead witchhunt. No wonder crime is through the roof. Binge drinking, obesity, Islamic extremism, dilution of British values and culture, crime, bad education – its hard to think of this country as even being the same one that accomplished so much. It’s a fall of even greater proportion than that of the Roman Empire degenerating into the basket case that is Italy.
Our economy is in tatters and, given that we have next to no real industry or agriculture here and that our economy was based largely on finanicial services which I do not ever see recovering to pre-recession levels, I am failing to see how we are going to recover enough to pay off the frankly terrifying levels of public debt that our esteemed Labour government is putting us in. Apparently, more people have signed an online petition at 10 Downing Street’s website, calling for Brown’s resignation, than voted for Labour in the last general election, which they won!
I guess the last relics of my romantic view of British power, influence and importance haven’t totally left me, since I am actually feeling physically sad about our current state of existence and don’t really see any way of improving it. I think I will dust off my ideas about immigrating to Canada, which at this rate will not only have a stronger and more dependable military, but will also have retained enough of what once made Britain great to satisfy me. I for one can’t think of anything that will fix us in the short term, let alone the long term, and maybe it is indeed time to search for greener pastures.
Facebook Transplant Part 13 - Originally Posted 28/4/09 - Another one in the eye for the Greenies
Yet another senior and respected scientist has come out against the current scare mongering and profiteering from the Green/Environmental lobby.
As usual, EU Referendum covers it better than I could possibly do so.
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2009/04/shared-agenda.html
Not that it will make any difference of course - as EUR so rightly says, we are no longer combating scientific theories and ideas - we are combating something that has become an article of faith for a distressingly huge segment of society. Global Warming is now a religion of sorts - one wonders if it will end up doing as much damage as so many other religions have in the past. That so many intelligenct people subscribe to this nonsense is really the big tragedy and crime.
As usual, EU Referendum covers it better than I could possibly do so.
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2009/04/shared-agenda.html
Not that it will make any difference of course - as EUR so rightly says, we are no longer combating scientific theories and ideas - we are combating something that has become an article of faith for a distressingly huge segment of society. Global Warming is now a religion of sorts - one wonders if it will end up doing as much damage as so many other religions have in the past. That so many intelligenct people subscribe to this nonsense is really the big tragedy and crime.
Facebook Transplant Part 12 - Originally Posted 27/4/09 - Reflections on the budget
Here is a post I made following the 2009 Budget
***
Overall an interesting week, showing once more that our government is getting desperate, playing the vote catching game as much as possible yet still displaying a frightening arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. Darling’s ridiculously and fantastical estimations of economic recovery have been mocked and debunked by just about every reputable economist that matters. We are getting put more into debt than since WW2, our government has borrowed more money than all other British governments in history put together. The mind really boggles.
The introduction of a 50% tax band for the top 1% richest people in the UK might sound like a good idea, and indeed has a 56% approval rate from the sheepal polled this last weekend. Of course, to anyone of any brains at all, the 50% tax bracket will not raise even the paltry amount of money that Darling and Brown think that it will – even the treasury predicts that 69% of the 350K people who are eligible to pay it will somehow avoid it.
Yet even if all of those eligible paid the tax, would it really make a difference? Well, not really in the big scheme of things. The rich would simply spend less, and the loss of VAT would make the money coming in a zero sum game, not to mention that this will also put yet more strain on the beleaguered retail sector. This goes alongside the fact that the amount raised would, at the very best, be a drop in the water compared to the gaping void in our public finances.
No, what we are really seeing here is a blatant class war tactic in a cynical attempt to shore up Labour’s rapidly plummeting approval rating (in the low 20%s now). It seems as if the Politburo in charge of Labour have decided to abandon the middle ground completely and return to their traditional Left wing class warrior status. Not since the ban on hunting a few years back have we seen this level of blatant class war.
I am more than happy to see taxes increased if we see a corresponding increase in the quality of services. I would even pay more than 50% of my income (not that I am paying that now – my income is paltry enough to escape most of the hits in this budget) if I could be assured of world-class and efficient health, child care, education, and security services. I would point to the relatively successful socialist experiments in Scandinavia to demonstrate how this would work.
Instead we have a government who has been deficit spending for a decade to prop up an aging and inefficient public sector, especially the bureaucratic behemoth that is the NHS. It is true that New Labour has invested unprecedented levels into health and education, but it is also undeniable that we have not seen an improvement in services commensurate with this investment. We have seen our schools dissolve into indiscipline and a disturbing “validation not education” mentality. We have seen our hospitals wracked by super bugs and hygiene problems, not to mention basic (and fatal) incompetence in many cases.
We have seen huge numbers of administrators and bureaucrats installed at all tiers of public service to monitor government targets, not to mention just silly numbers of social engineers in the guise of diversity monitors and health and safety experts.
As Jeremy Clarkson so rightly said in Saturday’s Sun, these bloated public sector entities should be culled. I would go further though – put the money saved not into tax cuts, but into nationalisation of what little industry is left in this country. Yes, I said nationalise the industry – I am not only right wing, there is a broad swathe of the left in me too. Certainly if we are to have any hope of a secure and prosperous future we need to rebuild industry in the UK – the world will be a very different place after this recession/depression and I do not see London ever completely recovering its position as the overwhelming centre of financial services in Europe, let alone the world.
I also think it is telling that the budget sets aside much more money for green issues and foreign aid than it does for retraining and skills building in the UK. As more and more top scientists go against the money making and panic causing consensus about the environment collapsing unless we act NOW, I find it appalling that any of our stretched public finances are being spent on pointless, yet headline catching, green initiatives of dubious worth (such as off shore wind farms – expensive and worthless).
I once again stress that I do support research into alternative energy sources, mainly to remove our dependence on the OPEC nations, which are pretty much to a nation vile and despicable and who support anti-Western agendas. I also support recycling to limit use of landfill, unless we work out a way to dump all our crap in Italy. Would anyone notice?
New Labour seems to have been killed off last week, and a lurch to their traditional class warrior chip-on-their shoulder attitudes has taken place. Yet more manifesto promises have been broken and we still have a year before a general election can occur to put only a slightly better set of Muppets in charge. I am really getting more disillusioned and worried about the future of the UK, and especially my future here. Is the grass really greener anywhere else though?
***
Overall an interesting week, showing once more that our government is getting desperate, playing the vote catching game as much as possible yet still displaying a frightening arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. Darling’s ridiculously and fantastical estimations of economic recovery have been mocked and debunked by just about every reputable economist that matters. We are getting put more into debt than since WW2, our government has borrowed more money than all other British governments in history put together. The mind really boggles.
The introduction of a 50% tax band for the top 1% richest people in the UK might sound like a good idea, and indeed has a 56% approval rate from the sheepal polled this last weekend. Of course, to anyone of any brains at all, the 50% tax bracket will not raise even the paltry amount of money that Darling and Brown think that it will – even the treasury predicts that 69% of the 350K people who are eligible to pay it will somehow avoid it.
Yet even if all of those eligible paid the tax, would it really make a difference? Well, not really in the big scheme of things. The rich would simply spend less, and the loss of VAT would make the money coming in a zero sum game, not to mention that this will also put yet more strain on the beleaguered retail sector. This goes alongside the fact that the amount raised would, at the very best, be a drop in the water compared to the gaping void in our public finances.
No, what we are really seeing here is a blatant class war tactic in a cynical attempt to shore up Labour’s rapidly plummeting approval rating (in the low 20%s now). It seems as if the Politburo in charge of Labour have decided to abandon the middle ground completely and return to their traditional Left wing class warrior status. Not since the ban on hunting a few years back have we seen this level of blatant class war.
I am more than happy to see taxes increased if we see a corresponding increase in the quality of services. I would even pay more than 50% of my income (not that I am paying that now – my income is paltry enough to escape most of the hits in this budget) if I could be assured of world-class and efficient health, child care, education, and security services. I would point to the relatively successful socialist experiments in Scandinavia to demonstrate how this would work.
Instead we have a government who has been deficit spending for a decade to prop up an aging and inefficient public sector, especially the bureaucratic behemoth that is the NHS. It is true that New Labour has invested unprecedented levels into health and education, but it is also undeniable that we have not seen an improvement in services commensurate with this investment. We have seen our schools dissolve into indiscipline and a disturbing “validation not education” mentality. We have seen our hospitals wracked by super bugs and hygiene problems, not to mention basic (and fatal) incompetence in many cases.
We have seen huge numbers of administrators and bureaucrats installed at all tiers of public service to monitor government targets, not to mention just silly numbers of social engineers in the guise of diversity monitors and health and safety experts.
As Jeremy Clarkson so rightly said in Saturday’s Sun, these bloated public sector entities should be culled. I would go further though – put the money saved not into tax cuts, but into nationalisation of what little industry is left in this country. Yes, I said nationalise the industry – I am not only right wing, there is a broad swathe of the left in me too. Certainly if we are to have any hope of a secure and prosperous future we need to rebuild industry in the UK – the world will be a very different place after this recession/depression and I do not see London ever completely recovering its position as the overwhelming centre of financial services in Europe, let alone the world.
I also think it is telling that the budget sets aside much more money for green issues and foreign aid than it does for retraining and skills building in the UK. As more and more top scientists go against the money making and panic causing consensus about the environment collapsing unless we act NOW, I find it appalling that any of our stretched public finances are being spent on pointless, yet headline catching, green initiatives of dubious worth (such as off shore wind farms – expensive and worthless).
I once again stress that I do support research into alternative energy sources, mainly to remove our dependence on the OPEC nations, which are pretty much to a nation vile and despicable and who support anti-Western agendas. I also support recycling to limit use of landfill, unless we work out a way to dump all our crap in Italy. Would anyone notice?
New Labour seems to have been killed off last week, and a lurch to their traditional class warrior chip-on-their shoulder attitudes has taken place. Yet more manifesto promises have been broken and we still have a year before a general election can occur to put only a slightly better set of Muppets in charge. I am really getting more disillusioned and worried about the future of the UK, and especially my future here. Is the grass really greener anywhere else though?
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Facebook Transplant Part 11 - Originally Posted 24/2/09 - The Guantanamo "Britons"
No idea how I missed this earlier on - but here it is now
***
So, fourteen “Britons” have been returned to the bosom of “their” country and nation after being interned at Guantanamo bay for the last few years. The legality of their internment has been the subject of much chatterati angst about being held without charge, although it seems to me to be a pretty clear cut case of them being prisoners of war.
Not that accusations of torture are acceptable of course – as long as it is in fact actual torture and not the more soft and pathetic definitions of “torture” much maligned by the apologists and appeasers, perfectly acceptable (in my view) measures such as sleep deprivation, basic food, no entertainment, solitary confinement etc. I must say that minor operations without pain killers do border on “real” torture, but its hardly electrodes on the genitals is it?
But, for a moment, let us set aside the legality and conditions of their internment. Let’s actually look at these fine specimens of humanity for themselves. This information is garnered from online sources and today’s Daily Mail.
Binyam Mohammed, aged 30. Born in Ethiopia who sought asylum in the UK and granted UK residency, not citizenship. Arrested in 2002 following a “holiday” in Afghanistan during which he undertook weapons and other training, something which he himself admitted but that is glossed over by his supporters. He was arrested for allegedly being involved in a “dirty bomb” plot. He arrived back in the UK this month and is already ramping himself up to sue the hell out of everyone he can for his “mistreatment”. Don’t be fooled by the pictures on TV and in the papers – his pitiful condition is the result of a hunger strike, and not systematic abuse by his incarcerators.
Martin Mubanga, aged 36. Dual Zambian and UK citizen. Spent 33 months at Guantanamo after being arrested in Zambia for alleged terror links. He came back to the UK in 2005 and was released after questioning by the security services, although he has not been issued a new passport and is pretty restricted in his movements. He is suing the British government over their cooperation in his arrest.
Abdenour Sameur, aged 35. Algerian asylum seeker granted residency in 1999. Attended paramilitary training in Afghanistan and is rumoured to have taken part in military operations in the early part of the century before being arrested in Pakistan in 2001. He is back in the UK, but has dropped off the public radar, but hopefully not that of the security services. He seems to have avoided the litigious urges that have taken hold of his fellows – for now.
Jamil el-Banna, aged 46. Jordanian asylum seeker. Apparently an associate of Abu Qatada, Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe. Arrested in the Gambia in 2002. Also was wanted for questioning by the Spanish authorities regarding the Madrid bombings. Now comfortably ensconced in North London and busy suing the Security Services.
Omar Deghayes, aged 39. Asylum seeker from Libya who has been in the UK since the 1980s. Also was wanted for questioning by the Spanish for connections to the Madrid bombing. Has allegedly appeared on Islamist and Jihadist websites inciting various holy wars around the world. Suing the Security Services.
Bisher al Rawi, aged 41. Illegal Immigrant who arrived from Iraq in the 1990s but overstayed his visa. Arrested alongside Jamil el-Banna in the Gambia in 2002. Returned to the UK in 2007, released and is now suing the security services.
Richard Belmer, aged 29. Islamic convert and a British citizen. Received paramilitary training in Afghanistan. Returned to the UK in 2005 and is now suing the Security Services.
Jamal Udeen Al-Harith, aged 43. Islamic convert (born Ronald Fiddler of West Indian extraction). Actually captured on the ground in Afghanistan by the Taliban while he was trying to get into Afghanistan to help them fight! Rescued and re-arrested by US forces. Returned to the UK in 2004 and, amazingly, not suing anyone.
Moazzam Begg, aged 40. British born and British citizen, his parents are immigrants from India. Arrested in Pakistan for allegedly being an Al Qaeda recruiter. Admittedly has provided financial aid to various Moslem fighters, but denies ever being a combatant himself. After 3 years spent in Cuba, he returned to the UK in 2005 and has spent his time since helping people fight the internments at Guantanamo. His is, of course, suing the Security Services.
Feroz Abbasi, aged 29. Islamic convert, Ugandan immigrant and British Citizen. Arrested in Afghanistan after allegedly attending a number of paramilitary training courses. Returned to the UK in 2005, questioned, and released without charge. Not suing anyone at the moment.
Tarek Dergoul, aged 30. British citizen. Apparently not religious before his detention in Cuba, he claims to have been in Afghanistan (where he was arrested) on business, looking to capitalize on buying property cheaply from refugees. Wounded prior to his arrest and apparently was medically tortured during his internment. Has been back in the UK since 2004 and claiming disability benefit due to his wounds. Suing both the US and UK governments.
Ruhel Ahmed, aged 27. British Citizen. One of the “Tipton Three”. Has admitted to receiving weapons training in Afghanistan, where he was arrested. Returned to the UK in 2004 and is suing the Security Services.
Shafiq Rasul, aged 32. Another “Tipton Three” guy, also a British Citizen and also arrested in Afghanistan, where he admits that he was given weapons training. Suing the Security Services and the US government.
Asif Iqbal, aged 27. British Citizen and the third of the “Tipton Three”. Also arrested on the ground in Afghanistan. Suing the Security Services.
So there you go. Fourteen men, fourteen “Britons”. Nine British Citizens, one holding dual citizenship with Zambia, seven were born here, six of those born here of the second generation. Four asylum seekers and one illegal immigrant. All of the asylum seekers originated in Islamic countries. Two converts to Islam.
Of all of them, perhaps only Tarek Dergoul could be said to not have any concrete links to terror, either through themselves or through acquaintances, although Dergoul’s story is a bit weak. Several admit to undertaking paramilitary training in Afghanistan, training which I think that we can safely assume they intended to use against Allied forces on the ground, or indeed to perpetrate terrorist atrocities at “home” in the UK.
It is also distressing that most of these criminals have not been incarcerated in the UK. Another example of appeasement and cowardice on the part of our government. Surely training at arms with the intention of fighting the UK or its allies constitutes treason? Surely they are in fact perfectly justified prisoners of war and thus not entitled to formal charges and fixed sentences?
And now most of them are suing various people for their mistreatment and the collusion between the UK and the US for their arrest. This is all that people are focusing on – the aggrieved and hard done by “Britons”, conveniently ignoring the fact that most of them are in fact dangerous Islamists who intended to raise arms against the country that either provided them asylum or indeed protected, educated, and gave their parents citizenship.
I am appalled at this of course. Personally I had no problem at all with Guantanamo. I have no problem at all with holding people who admit to receiving paramilitary training at Islamist camps under lock and key forever if need be. I am perfectly comfortable with “tough” interrogation methods and very draconian and Spartan treatment of these traitors. I am even perfectly fine with their execution for treason, if only our government had the minimals to carry out such a sentence.
I am not comfortable with the media sympathy for men who would have fired on our own soldiers in Afghanistan if they had been given the opportunity. I am not comfortable with their claiming benefits and getting generous treatment from a contrite and shame faced government (who for once have NOTHING to be ashamed about). I am not comfortable with the precedent of these criminals being exonerated simply due to their being incarcerated without charge for so many years – they are NOT civil criminals, they are traitors and prisoners of a war being fought without borders.
I can only hope their attempts to sue the various governments and agencies involved in their incarceration fail completely, but I doubt that they will. In this issue, as in so many others, the government will doubtless roll over for the liberals and the special interests, for the radicals and the demonstrators, for the bleeding hearts and the short sighted chatterati. It makes me feel physically ill.
***
So, fourteen “Britons” have been returned to the bosom of “their” country and nation after being interned at Guantanamo bay for the last few years. The legality of their internment has been the subject of much chatterati angst about being held without charge, although it seems to me to be a pretty clear cut case of them being prisoners of war.
Not that accusations of torture are acceptable of course – as long as it is in fact actual torture and not the more soft and pathetic definitions of “torture” much maligned by the apologists and appeasers, perfectly acceptable (in my view) measures such as sleep deprivation, basic food, no entertainment, solitary confinement etc. I must say that minor operations without pain killers do border on “real” torture, but its hardly electrodes on the genitals is it?
But, for a moment, let us set aside the legality and conditions of their internment. Let’s actually look at these fine specimens of humanity for themselves. This information is garnered from online sources and today’s Daily Mail.
Binyam Mohammed, aged 30. Born in Ethiopia who sought asylum in the UK and granted UK residency, not citizenship. Arrested in 2002 following a “holiday” in Afghanistan during which he undertook weapons and other training, something which he himself admitted but that is glossed over by his supporters. He was arrested for allegedly being involved in a “dirty bomb” plot. He arrived back in the UK this month and is already ramping himself up to sue the hell out of everyone he can for his “mistreatment”. Don’t be fooled by the pictures on TV and in the papers – his pitiful condition is the result of a hunger strike, and not systematic abuse by his incarcerators.
Martin Mubanga, aged 36. Dual Zambian and UK citizen. Spent 33 months at Guantanamo after being arrested in Zambia for alleged terror links. He came back to the UK in 2005 and was released after questioning by the security services, although he has not been issued a new passport and is pretty restricted in his movements. He is suing the British government over their cooperation in his arrest.
Abdenour Sameur, aged 35. Algerian asylum seeker granted residency in 1999. Attended paramilitary training in Afghanistan and is rumoured to have taken part in military operations in the early part of the century before being arrested in Pakistan in 2001. He is back in the UK, but has dropped off the public radar, but hopefully not that of the security services. He seems to have avoided the litigious urges that have taken hold of his fellows – for now.
Jamil el-Banna, aged 46. Jordanian asylum seeker. Apparently an associate of Abu Qatada, Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe. Arrested in the Gambia in 2002. Also was wanted for questioning by the Spanish authorities regarding the Madrid bombings. Now comfortably ensconced in North London and busy suing the Security Services.
Omar Deghayes, aged 39. Asylum seeker from Libya who has been in the UK since the 1980s. Also was wanted for questioning by the Spanish for connections to the Madrid bombing. Has allegedly appeared on Islamist and Jihadist websites inciting various holy wars around the world. Suing the Security Services.
Bisher al Rawi, aged 41. Illegal Immigrant who arrived from Iraq in the 1990s but overstayed his visa. Arrested alongside Jamil el-Banna in the Gambia in 2002. Returned to the UK in 2007, released and is now suing the security services.
Richard Belmer, aged 29. Islamic convert and a British citizen. Received paramilitary training in Afghanistan. Returned to the UK in 2005 and is now suing the Security Services.
Jamal Udeen Al-Harith, aged 43. Islamic convert (born Ronald Fiddler of West Indian extraction). Actually captured on the ground in Afghanistan by the Taliban while he was trying to get into Afghanistan to help them fight! Rescued and re-arrested by US forces. Returned to the UK in 2004 and, amazingly, not suing anyone.
Moazzam Begg, aged 40. British born and British citizen, his parents are immigrants from India. Arrested in Pakistan for allegedly being an Al Qaeda recruiter. Admittedly has provided financial aid to various Moslem fighters, but denies ever being a combatant himself. After 3 years spent in Cuba, he returned to the UK in 2005 and has spent his time since helping people fight the internments at Guantanamo. His is, of course, suing the Security Services.
Feroz Abbasi, aged 29. Islamic convert, Ugandan immigrant and British Citizen. Arrested in Afghanistan after allegedly attending a number of paramilitary training courses. Returned to the UK in 2005, questioned, and released without charge. Not suing anyone at the moment.
Tarek Dergoul, aged 30. British citizen. Apparently not religious before his detention in Cuba, he claims to have been in Afghanistan (where he was arrested) on business, looking to capitalize on buying property cheaply from refugees. Wounded prior to his arrest and apparently was medically tortured during his internment. Has been back in the UK since 2004 and claiming disability benefit due to his wounds. Suing both the US and UK governments.
Ruhel Ahmed, aged 27. British Citizen. One of the “Tipton Three”. Has admitted to receiving weapons training in Afghanistan, where he was arrested. Returned to the UK in 2004 and is suing the Security Services.
Shafiq Rasul, aged 32. Another “Tipton Three” guy, also a British Citizen and also arrested in Afghanistan, where he admits that he was given weapons training. Suing the Security Services and the US government.
Asif Iqbal, aged 27. British Citizen and the third of the “Tipton Three”. Also arrested on the ground in Afghanistan. Suing the Security Services.
So there you go. Fourteen men, fourteen “Britons”. Nine British Citizens, one holding dual citizenship with Zambia, seven were born here, six of those born here of the second generation. Four asylum seekers and one illegal immigrant. All of the asylum seekers originated in Islamic countries. Two converts to Islam.
Of all of them, perhaps only Tarek Dergoul could be said to not have any concrete links to terror, either through themselves or through acquaintances, although Dergoul’s story is a bit weak. Several admit to undertaking paramilitary training in Afghanistan, training which I think that we can safely assume they intended to use against Allied forces on the ground, or indeed to perpetrate terrorist atrocities at “home” in the UK.
It is also distressing that most of these criminals have not been incarcerated in the UK. Another example of appeasement and cowardice on the part of our government. Surely training at arms with the intention of fighting the UK or its allies constitutes treason? Surely they are in fact perfectly justified prisoners of war and thus not entitled to formal charges and fixed sentences?
And now most of them are suing various people for their mistreatment and the collusion between the UK and the US for their arrest. This is all that people are focusing on – the aggrieved and hard done by “Britons”, conveniently ignoring the fact that most of them are in fact dangerous Islamists who intended to raise arms against the country that either provided them asylum or indeed protected, educated, and gave their parents citizenship.
I am appalled at this of course. Personally I had no problem at all with Guantanamo. I have no problem at all with holding people who admit to receiving paramilitary training at Islamist camps under lock and key forever if need be. I am perfectly comfortable with “tough” interrogation methods and very draconian and Spartan treatment of these traitors. I am even perfectly fine with their execution for treason, if only our government had the minimals to carry out such a sentence.
I am not comfortable with the media sympathy for men who would have fired on our own soldiers in Afghanistan if they had been given the opportunity. I am not comfortable with their claiming benefits and getting generous treatment from a contrite and shame faced government (who for once have NOTHING to be ashamed about). I am not comfortable with the precedent of these criminals being exonerated simply due to their being incarcerated without charge for so many years – they are NOT civil criminals, they are traitors and prisoners of a war being fought without borders.
I can only hope their attempts to sue the various governments and agencies involved in their incarceration fail completely, but I doubt that they will. In this issue, as in so many others, the government will doubtless roll over for the liberals and the special interests, for the radicals and the demonstrators, for the bleeding hearts and the short sighted chatterati. It makes me feel physically ill.
Facebook Transplant Part 10 - Originally Posted 17/4/09 - More Betrayal
I saw the headline a few days ago and couldn’t believe it. Finally some mainstream media approaching the problem. Yet it has all been over in a flash and a pan, with no debate being stimulated. British nationals are in Afghanistan trying to kill British soldiers and no one seems to care.
Well, some people do of course. The story that got me going on this can be found at the following links
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1170178/British-bomber-fighting-Taliban-British-soldiers.html
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/article2377463.ece
It is pretty plain that we have a huge problem that is not being tackled in the correct manner. Once again the Moslem refusal to integrate into British society and adopt British values and culture when living in the UK comes back to bite the multi-culturalists in the backside.
And once again all the effort by the chattering classes is towards apologism and appeasement. Now, despite my apparent rampant and all encompassing Isalamaphobia, I do realize that there are British Moslems who have achieved a level of integration, who would never raise arms against their fellow, and who subscribe to the more moderate and inclusive interpretations of Islam. However, it is my firm belief that this sort of British Moslem is in the minority, or at best a plurality, and not the majority claimed by the media and the left.
Until the powers that be realize that multiculturalism is a foolish tactic, that we cannot survive as a safe and secure society until groups are broken up and encouraged to integrate with the mainstream, native culture, these things will continue to come to light. I actually see it getting a lot worse domestically – the Islamists who have been trained in Afghanistan who return here could just as easily bring blood to these streets as those of Kabul.
What is the solution? Well, I don’t agree with the more rabid spewings of people like the BNP about voluntary repatriation, but I do think that those who are British by birth or who act in a treasonous fashion should be imprisoned for life (I would prefer execution, but let’s not go there). Those who are nationalised, or even illegal, as opposed to born here should be sent home, no matter the human rights situations there.
Not that this will happen of course. Situation and event will follow situation and event again and again, and every time they do excuses will be made and the multicultural party line will be trotted out by the liberate as the only solution, that we should alter our habits, our laws, our foreign policy to satisfy the demands of those recently come to our society.
I am also fully aware of the irony of an immigrant (me) saying these things. I would hasten to point out that I am not talking specifically of Britain in the previous paragraph – the things I have written there are applicable to all Western countries, especially those with a higher proportion of Moslems in their population than here in the UK, places like France and Holland. Not that you often hear of Dutch Jihadists, but the French have more than their fair share of malcontents thanks to the legacy of Algeria. Despite having not been born here, I am pretty obviously Western in culture and outlook, and thus I see no dichotomy between my origins and what I say here.
This has obviously annoyed me and been playing on my mind, but thank goodness some sunshine is on the horizon – the revolting Jaqui Smith looks she is finally about to lose her job, unless Gordon saves her yet again. After irregularities with her housing expense claims, her husband charging pay-per-view to parliamentary expenses, and of course her allowing the offices of Tory MP Damian Green to be raided without warrant, and indeed for that MP to be arrested and questioned regarding leaks from her department (something that all parties actually rely upon).
The latter is what actually looks like it will finally do her inhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/5166088/Damian-Green-affair-A-further-disgrace-by-Jacqui-Smith-an-unworthy-minister.html
I just really hope so – its past time that this awful woman was out of public office. I have been waiting for this moment since the whole Geert Wilders debacle.
Well, some people do of course. The story that got me going on this can be found at the following links
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1170178/British-bomber-fighting-Taliban-British-soldiers.html
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/article2377463.ece
It is pretty plain that we have a huge problem that is not being tackled in the correct manner. Once again the Moslem refusal to integrate into British society and adopt British values and culture when living in the UK comes back to bite the multi-culturalists in the backside.
And once again all the effort by the chattering classes is towards apologism and appeasement. Now, despite my apparent rampant and all encompassing Isalamaphobia, I do realize that there are British Moslems who have achieved a level of integration, who would never raise arms against their fellow, and who subscribe to the more moderate and inclusive interpretations of Islam. However, it is my firm belief that this sort of British Moslem is in the minority, or at best a plurality, and not the majority claimed by the media and the left.
Until the powers that be realize that multiculturalism is a foolish tactic, that we cannot survive as a safe and secure society until groups are broken up and encouraged to integrate with the mainstream, native culture, these things will continue to come to light. I actually see it getting a lot worse domestically – the Islamists who have been trained in Afghanistan who return here could just as easily bring blood to these streets as those of Kabul.
What is the solution? Well, I don’t agree with the more rabid spewings of people like the BNP about voluntary repatriation, but I do think that those who are British by birth or who act in a treasonous fashion should be imprisoned for life (I would prefer execution, but let’s not go there). Those who are nationalised, or even illegal, as opposed to born here should be sent home, no matter the human rights situations there.
Not that this will happen of course. Situation and event will follow situation and event again and again, and every time they do excuses will be made and the multicultural party line will be trotted out by the liberate as the only solution, that we should alter our habits, our laws, our foreign policy to satisfy the demands of those recently come to our society.
I am also fully aware of the irony of an immigrant (me) saying these things. I would hasten to point out that I am not talking specifically of Britain in the previous paragraph – the things I have written there are applicable to all Western countries, especially those with a higher proportion of Moslems in their population than here in the UK, places like France and Holland. Not that you often hear of Dutch Jihadists, but the French have more than their fair share of malcontents thanks to the legacy of Algeria. Despite having not been born here, I am pretty obviously Western in culture and outlook, and thus I see no dichotomy between my origins and what I say here.
This has obviously annoyed me and been playing on my mind, but thank goodness some sunshine is on the horizon – the revolting Jaqui Smith looks she is finally about to lose her job, unless Gordon saves her yet again. After irregularities with her housing expense claims, her husband charging pay-per-view to parliamentary expenses, and of course her allowing the offices of Tory MP Damian Green to be raided without warrant, and indeed for that MP to be arrested and questioned regarding leaks from her department (something that all parties actually rely upon).
The latter is what actually looks like it will finally do her inhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/5166088/Damian-Green-affair-A-further-disgrace-by-Jacqui-Smith-an-unworthy-minister.html
I just really hope so – its past time that this awful woman was out of public office. I have been waiting for this moment since the whole Geert Wilders debacle.
Facebook Transplant Part 9 - Originally Posted 30/3/09 - One in the eye for the Greenies
I see-sawed over the climate issue for a while, even semi-buying into Al Gore's monstrosity of a film for a few days. I have since abandoned such scare mongering fallicies in favour of cynical belief that environmental issues are all just ways to exert more control over us and to extract more money from us while doing it.
This is supported by an article in the Telegraph last Friday.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5067351/Rise-of-sea-levels-is-the-greatest-lie-ever-told.html
In this article, a very intelligent man named Nils-Axel Mörner puts some good scientific proof up against one of the key components of the entire argument - rising sea levels. Increased Carbon = Global Warming = Ice Caps Melting = Rising Sea Levels = Mass Destruction.
Given that Nils-Axel Mörner is probably the leading global expert on rising sea levels, I would say that he is perfectly placed to make these observations. Its past time that more people wake up and realize that this is all one big con.
Now, I am not against recycling - it makes sense that we will run out of landfill space at some point. I do resent that our councils just collect it all to sell it on, thereby making yet more money from us on top of exhorbatant council taxes, but that is by the by. But I am against the endless guilt tripping and imposition that the whole damned "environmental movement" subjects us all to ever day.
This is supported by an article in the Telegraph last Friday.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5067351/Rise-of-sea-levels-is-the-greatest-lie-ever-told.html
In this article, a very intelligent man named Nils-Axel Mörner puts some good scientific proof up against one of the key components of the entire argument - rising sea levels. Increased Carbon = Global Warming = Ice Caps Melting = Rising Sea Levels = Mass Destruction.
Given that Nils-Axel Mörner is probably the leading global expert on rising sea levels, I would say that he is perfectly placed to make these observations. Its past time that more people wake up and realize that this is all one big con.
Now, I am not against recycling - it makes sense that we will run out of landfill space at some point. I do resent that our councils just collect it all to sell it on, thereby making yet more money from us on top of exhorbatant council taxes, but that is by the by. But I am against the endless guilt tripping and imposition that the whole damned "environmental movement" subjects us all to ever day.
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