This Weekend

Good luck to Israel

Palis - Instead of whinging 'unfair!' heres a thought - how about giving the soldier up - alive. If you insist on turning judenfrei Gaza into a terrorist hotbed then expect the consequences, doh.

and of course its only football but...

....Good luck to England

Beckham - ignore the MSM - please dont talk up our chances, it's the kiss of death

If a proposed National Front march has been banned in Bedfordshire "as no positives can be taken from [it] being allowed to go ahead", what "positives" did Police expect from a certain protest in February?

an excellent question from Not Proud of Britain

Get a BackBone!!!

Anti-terror raids could spark riots, says police chief

"Where there is good community engagement… there is far less likely to be an adverse reaction, in my experience. We ignore community quality-of-life issues at our peril." He said that underlying police-community relationships were particularly important following instances of "inappropriate police action, or police action that is perceived to be inappropriate".

What about the other way round - how about community-police relationships? It works both ways. We all know what the police and public are up against. Or do we? Funny you dont predict riots when the 'inappropriate' and vastly more destructive actions of terrorism are unleashed on the underground. We can squeeze the police over some communities 'quality of life' and ignore others.

And of course the police and security services never get it right do they.

"A 21-year-old man arrested in London last week under the Terrorism Act has been charged with conspiracy to murder a person or persons unknown. The man, who is from Bradford, was also charged with conspiracy to cause public nuisance by use of poisons and/or explosives to cause disruption fear or injury"

Public nuisance?

Not forgetting the gang of Brits and an American up at the Old Bailey who planned to make a nuisance of themselves by blowing up the Ministry of Sound.

Presumably we should all just cross our fingers when it comes to reading articles like this.

"Spy chiefs fear that it is a case of "when, not if" Islamist terrorists launch a "dirty bomb" attack against London or another western capital, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

Security sources have disclosed that the belief amongst most intelligence agencies is that a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack, using a so-called dirty bomb, is now inevitable".

Oh well. Suppose ill just have to go along with the idea of 'no more inappropriate action from the police', hope for 'good community engagement' on the part of home grown terrorists and well, basically, keep my fingers crossed my quality of life isnt affected on the Tube.

Then what.

Is Guantanamo now an embarrassment to the US? Should all the inmates be released? How dangerous would that be? Where can they be released to?

BBCs Have Your Say Published: Tuesday, 27 June, 2006, 11:23 GMT

As at 17:28, its been a good 6 hours and so far, no answers! Damn - and I was SO looking forward to hearing all the excellent suggestions. After all the question 'Hamas to recognise Israel?' was posted around about the same time and is going strong.

Maybe its just that theyre all trying to work out their considered responses (its a toughie after all) and emailing in to participate in the live HYS version.

Or... maybe they're all too distracted justifying their absolute contempt for the life of Gilad Shalit

(Actually it turns out your comments are moderated for this one.....)

The Guantanamo Solution

Everything Must Go

From Harrys Place, article in The Age

"In his new book, The Good Fight: Why Liberals — and only Liberals — Can Win The War on Terror and Make America Great again, Peter Beinart, the former editor and now editor-at-large of the venerable liberal magazine The New Republic, argues that liberals — and by implication, the moderate left in Europe and Australia — do not have a coherent position on the security challenges facing the US and the world post-9/11. Beinart, who initially supported the war in Iraq and now says that he was mistaken, is fierce in his criticism of the Bush Administration's foreign policy, which he argues has alienated allies, made the world less safe and made the fight against Islamist totalitarianism much harder than it should have been.

But Beinart believes that Bush — and conservatives in general — have at least a coherent story to tell about the world after 9/11. America, which represents good, is in a struggle against evil, and liberals and leftists in general are constantly trying to undermine the "moral clarity" of America, rein in its power and make Americans question their faith in the country's exceptionalism.

So far, the response to Beinart's call for change among the Democratic Party's liberal base has not been all that encouraging. But there are signs that an increasing number of people on the left in America, in Europe and in Australia are uncomfortable with knee-jerk anti-Americanism, with the left's virtual silence in response to the unspeakable violence of Islamist totalitarianism, and with the way Western feminists have basically turned their backs on their oppressed sisters in much of the Muslim world.

There are signs a battle is beginning on the left over the meaning and the threat of Islamist totalitarianism that mirrors the battles over anti-communism a half a century ago. Many people would say about time."

Oh **** Off!

Hat tip Drinking from Home

"TEHRAN, June 26 (ISNA)-Iran has objected to the poor human rights conditions in the U.K. and has asked for serious and immediate actions to be taken in this regard.Iran's Foreign Ministry in a message to the Foreign Ministry of the United Kingdom has asked for serious and immediate actions to be taken towards the systematic violation of human rights in this country and the way minorities are treated due to terrorist anti-action measures"

You've GOT to be kidding.

I never thought id directly quote from Mr Steyn but I have to hand this one to him. When it comes to this country and its love affair with Islam - be my guest.

Mark Steyn:

"British Muslims fear repercussions over tomorrow's train bombing."

add on:

"There were no protests from the European Left for the presence of an evil judge who has caused so much death and misery in Iran. After all, Judge Mortezavi in the eyes of the European Left is probably an anti-imperialist. Had it been President Bush, they would have organized themselves fully for widespread protests.Shirin Ebadi didn't attend the gathering last night but sent a message of solidarity. Lets hope next time Ebadi gets an international audience, she mentions the plight of Mossavi Khoeini too and not just the Guantanamo prisoners"

Whats the Solution?

My initial reaction is as always to express support for the war but this is an interesting question nonetheless. And since its my sister asking naturally she deserves your attention. She only makes a post about once a month -or two- so we'll have to work on that! ;)

Ken intends to celebrate or is that commemorate July 7 with IslamExpo in London. It practically opens on the day the religion was used to justify the random murder of commuters on the tube. Speakers and participants include the Muslim Brotherhood and members of Respect – Yvonne Ridley for example - who recently contributed to the ‘argument’ against islamophobia by inciting more of the same - requesting very specific non cooperation with the police in East London.

There are a spattering on non Islamist speakers at the event for good measure. I havent see much by way of write ups and advertising to the wider population so I cant imagine its doing much to break down barriers of misunderstanding (it was initially billed as a celebration of the diversity of Islamic culture). As a result it smacks to me as more of a pretty unsavoury political conference given the prescence of some. Nice one Ken.

The Family Funzone is an interesting diversion – nothing very islamic about Sumo wrestling or bungee trampolining.

This might be a interesting reminder of what wont be discussed. Go check it out.

**** update - i failed to notice that the 100 Costa Ricans living in London are 'spread out'. That wont do. Im sure we should be diverting much more tax money towards a special inclusion group headed by a knowledgeable speaker on Costa Rican affairs*****


OK so Ive been totally distracted by the World Cup – and a bit by work. But then again im not alone.

London has really sprung to life for this tournament as it always does. And almost every bar and pub has been decked out with at least one giant screen. I couldn’t hear a single word of commentary at yesterdays match. I know its not PC but the ‘RAF from England’ chant is pretty amusing when its not sung tooooo seriously and there aren’t any Germans about.

Preliminary numbers from 27 markets show that an average of 63 million individuals tuned in to see live coverage of Germany overwhelming Costa Rica in their 4-2 victory on June 9. In Italy, some 5.6 million watched the opening game (Germany vs. Costa Rica), but when Italy played Ghana over 20.1 million watched the game live.

Predictions are the World Cup will get a live cumulative audience of 5 billion people. That’s lot of football fans.

I nicked these stats rather shamelessly from the Evening Standard (their bar guide). They make an interesting overview of who lives in London and where – broken down by the World Cup groups.


GROUP A

1. GERMANY

Estimated London population: 60,000.
Main area: Richmond.

2. COSTA RICA

Estimated London population: 100.
Main area: Spread out.

3. POLAND

Estimated London population: 100,000.
Main areas: Balham, Streatham, Hammersmith.

4. ECUADOR

Estimated London population: 7,000.
Main area: Elephant and Castle.

GROUP B

5. PARAGUAY

Estimated London population: 150.
Main area: Spread out.

6. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Estimated London population: 23,000.
Main area: West London.

7. SWEDEN

Estimated London population: 90,000.
Main area: Edgware Road.

GROUP C

9. ARGENTINA

Estimated London population: 4,000.
Main areas: Fulham, Wandsworth, Putney, Hammersmith and Chelsea.

10. IVORY COAST

Estimated London population: 25,000.
Main area: Southwark.

11. SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Estimated London population: 40,000.
Main areas: Hammersmith, Ealing and Notting Hill.

12. NETHERLANDS

Estimated London population: 25,000.
Main area: spread out.

GROUP D

13. MEXICO

Estimated London population: 5,000.
Main areas: Shepherd's Bush, Camden and Elephant & Castle.

14. IRAN

Estimated London population: 100,000.
Main areas: Harrow and Kensington.

15. ANGOLA

Estimated London population: 20,000.
Main areas: east and south London.

16. PORTUGAL

Estimated London population: 150,000.
Main area: Stockwell.


GROUP E

17. ITALY

Estimated London population: 75,000.
Main area: Farringdon.

18. GHANA

Estimated London population: 400,000.
Main areas: Tottenham and Edmonton.

19. USA

Estimated London population: 200,000.
Main area: spread out.

20. CZECH REPUBLIC

Estimated London population: 15,000.
Main area: Hampstead.

GROUP F

21. BRAZIL

Estimated London population: 60,000.
Main area: Bayswater, Elephant & Castle

22. CROATIA

Estimated London population: 3,400.
Main area: Westminster.

23. AUSTRALIA

Estimated London population: 200,000.
Main areas: Fulham and Shepherd's Bush.

24. JAPAN

Estimated London population: 22,800.
Main area: Totteridge.

GROUP G

25. FRANCE

Estimated London population: 135,000.
Main area: Knightsbridge.

26. SWITZERLAND

Estimated London population: 12,000.
Main area: Spread out.

27. SOUTH KOREA

Estimated London population: 20,000.
Main areas: New Malden and Kingston.

28. TOGO

Estimated London population: 500.
Main area: Spread out

GROUP H

29. SPAIN

Estimated London population: 100,000.
Main area: Notting Hill.

30. UKRAINE

Estimated London population: 10,000.
Main area: Acton.

31. TUNISIA

Estimated London population: 2,600.
Main area: North-west London.

32. SAUDIA ARABIA
Estimated London population: 8,000.
Main area: Spread out.

If you do want the list of bars here they are

I was sorry to see USA drop out but thats the thing - its about luck and refs (or playing the ref for a fool if you're an Italian) as much as anything else. Not as boring as American 'foot'ball anyway. We play that too but we dont dress up like courier despatch riders ;)

I wont be sorry to see Australia go out, or Argentina.. or Portugal obviously. England are rarely lucky with referees so I expect the quarter finals to be either a robbery or a miracle in spite of all the talent. Fingers crossed.

He's back :)

The Courage of Iranian Women

This is an excellent post.

This is what they wanted:

- Banning polygamy;

- Reversal of men's uncontested right to divorce;

- Equal child custody rights for mothers and fathers;

- Equal rights in marriage (such as a woman's right to choose where she works, to travel freely, etc.);

- Increase in the legal age of children to 18 years of age (currently girls are viewed as adults at 9 years of age and boys at 15 years of age, making them eligible to be tried as adults);

- Equal value placed on women's testimony in court; and

Feminists of Europe, have some shame! These are your sisters being beaten up. They want the same rights as you. Why do you think Iranian women are not worthy of your support??????

Yes I wondered that myself a few months back.

Noone seems to be arsed to do anything. Whether that be to protect free speech here or support women whose rights are nothing in comparison to ours. Nothing! I wonder if we dont need to lose some freedoms to want them.

Great football. Italy are playing the US and are at 1-1, one was an own goal and since then we almost had another - and each of the teams are down to 10 men update *the US are down to 9 men*. Strange match. The atmosphere is terrific, loads of US supporters there.

Earlier Ghana played Czech Republic and played some amazing football, meaning they could be the first African team to make it through to the next round.

John Pentsil in the Ghanaian team celebrated his goal by waving an Israeli flag. I wasnt sure why and wondered of it was a statement?! Turns out he plays for an Israeli team and carries the flag in his sock for good luck. So, sort of.

"He apparently kept the flag tucked away into his sock during the match. In the past, Pentsil has displayed both the Ghanaian and Israeli flags during soccer matches, most recently after Hapoel TA won the Israeli Cup". Nice one. Should raise some eyebrows.

Ghana player waves Israeli flag to celebrate goal

Update****
Ghana FA apologises for Israeli flag - because of complaints

(thanks Jonz who made a couple of excellent points today and very well too)

That Anti Police Rally London

Pics from Nordish, more here

What he says

No Other Flag Other than the Sun and Lion

World Cup tales from somewhere in North London.

Iran versus Mexico

"I wondered to myself if there would be any dim wits waving the Islamic Republic flag when we get to the venue....fortunately, we saw only three Islamic Republic flags and the rest were all Sun and Lion flags. First one was a young boy with the IRI flag draped around him. I approached him and asked if he thought there was anything Iranian about the flag he had put across his shoulder? He said ashamedly "I know, but I just didn't have any other flag". I told him but brother thats no excuse to wave this. He gave me the IRI flag, and I bought him a drink, shook his hand and embraced him like a new found friend...The other two with Islamic Republic flags were both females and the women in our group approached them. One of them was a young girl in a short skimpy skirt and a low cut blouse, looking even more stupid as she flapped the Islamic flag about She folded up her flag and put it in her hand bag and the other woman exchanged her Islamic flag for a Sun and Lion flag. Now I could relax and enjoy myself..."

Sensitivities

Makes a change to see comments like these at Have Your Say. And to hear the US use some counter spin on Guantanamo and really hit back.

The comments were deemed 'insensitive'.

The family involved in last weeks raids in East London say 'no other innocent family should be put through the same nightmare'. With the lawyer chipping in that they 'have endured the most terrible ordeal you could imagine'.

Really? Who's being insensitive. Try saying that to the faces of those killed last July.

And the media have been correctly highlighted as a continuing part of the problem:-

"250 police officers DID NOT raid the address, only a small percentage did. The majority were on standby in the event of a necessary evactuation and impliment road closures which would have been man power intensive! These officers were never used. It is ludicrous and sensationalist journalism to suggest you could get 250 officers into one house. Let's have some measured accurate journalism. It is the press who are stirring this up by continually suggesting this heavy handed approach"

By the way you should check out this excellent blog

for a reminder of the kind of people who supported those February demos - attended by the brother of one of the 'innocent' men involved in the raids... who stands to make some £500k in compensation. The full facts supporting their 'innocence' aren't even out yet.

1-0

Deflection? Rubbish. It was classic Becks.

"Hundreds of Muslim demonstrators are set to gather in east London to protest at being treated as "second-class citizens" following a controversial anti-terror raid".

If the police are to ".. reflect as to whether or not we can do it differently" in relation to future raids perhaps certain communities could do likewise.

After all, where was the community outrage after July 7, united against terror?

The police acted on pressing intelligence. This demonstration is effectively insisting that they dont.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

His resume

2005:

* Dec. 27: Volley of rockets fired from southern Lebanon into Israel.
* Nov. 9: Triple homicide bombing against hotels in Amman, Jordan, killing 60.
* Aug. 19: Rocket attack in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, killing Jordanian soldier. One Katyusha rocket lands in neighboring Israel — causing no casualties — and another misses a U.S. Navy ship docked at Aqaba.
* May 7: Two explosives-laden cars plow into an American security company convoy in Baghdad, killing at least 22 people — including two Americans.
* Feb. 28: Car bomber strikes crowd of police and Iraqi National Guard recruits in the southern city of Hillah, killing 125 people.

2004:

* Dec. 19: Car bombs tear through funeral procession in Najaf and main bus station in nearby Karbala, killing at least 60 in the Shiite holy cities.
* Oct. 30: Body of hostage Shosei Koda, 24, of Japan, is found decapitated in Baghdad, his body wrapped in an American flag.
* Sept. 30: Bombings in Baghdad kill 35 children and seven adults as U.S. troops hand out candy at the inauguration of a sewage treatment plant. Zarqawi's group claims responsibility for attacks that day, but it is unclear if these include the explosions that killed the children.
* Sept. 16: British engineer Kenneth Bigley, and U.S. engineers Jack Hensley and Eugene "Jack" Armstrong kidnapped in Baghdad. By Oct. 10, 2004, all three men have been confirmed beheaded.
* Sept. 14: Car bomb rips through a busy market near a Baghdad police headquarters where Iraqis are waiting to apply for jobs, killing 47.
* Sept. 13: Video purportedly from Al Qaeda in Iraq shows Durmus Kumdereli, a Turkish truck driver, being beheaded.
* Aug. 2: Video from followers of Zarqawi showing shooting death of hostage Murat Yuce of Turkey.
* June 29: Bulgarian truck drivers Georgi Lazov, 30, and Ivaylo Kepov, 32, are kidnapped. Zarqawi's followers suspected of decapitating both men.
* June 22: Kidnappers behead South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il; Al-Jazeera television says the killing was carried out by Zarqawi's group.
* June 14: Car bomb attack on a vehicle convoy in Baghdad kills 13, including three General Electric employees.
* May 18: Car bomb assassinates Iraqi Governing Council president Abdel-Zahraa Othman.
* May 11: Kidnapped American businessman Nicholas Berg is beheaded while being videotaped, and the voice of the knife-wielder is identified as Zarqawi's.
* March 2: Coordinated blasts from homicide bombers, mortars and planted explosives strike Shiite Muslim shrines in Karbala and Baghdad, killing at least 181. U.S. and Iraqi officials link the attacks to Zarqawi.

2003:

* Aug. 29: Car bomb in Najaf kills more than 85 people, including Ayatollah Mohammad Baqr al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
* Aug. 19: Truck bombing of U.N. headquarters in Baghdad kills 23, including top U.N. envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.

2002:
· Oct. 28: Laurence Foley, a diplomat and administrator of U.S. aid programs in Jordan, is gunned down outside his home in Amman.


Good riddance. Allied Special Forces rock. End of.

"Wrong Target"

"Al-Haditha, a town on the Euphrates northwest of Baghdad, is still a place where fighters blend into the populace and literally use civilians as cover. Coalition forces may shoot only when threatened, ground rules that call for exemplary discipline and courage in conditions where their observance increases the risk of injury or death.

That should be acknowledged in the context of what appears to have been an appalling collapse of US military discipline in al-Haditha, where 24 Iraqi civilians were allegedly murdered by a company of US Marines after a member of their patrol was killed and two were injured by a roadside bomb. America’s determination to demonstrate zero tolerance of such crimes should also be acknowledged; they in no way reflect US policy, or typify the conduct of American forces. Al-Haditha must not be made the subplot of a spurious morality play whose demon king is not terrorism, but the use and alleged abuse of US power"

Terrific piece of editorial in todays Times.

and here (thanks Jonz) "Come to Londonistan, our refuge for poor misunderstood Islamist victims"

Nazanin's death sentence overturned - for now

"The International Committee Against Execution has confirmed the report in the Iranian Newspaper "Hamshari" - Nazanin's execution has been commuted by Ayatollah Shahroudi (the Head of Judiciary).

A retrial has been announced and Nazanin's case will be sent to a lower court for further investigation.

However, the Save Nazanin campaign is far from over yet. Nazanin is a victim of attempted rape, and should not be further punished.

There is also a chance that Nazanin may be sentenced to death once again by the courts as seen in past cases.

We do not want this 18 year old girl's life to end up like Kobra Rahmanpour. Rahmanpour is an 19 year old girl who killed someone out of self defence and had her execution stayed several times before she was set free.

She was even at the execution site where they announced that "they did not have enough rope".

She ended wasting 7 years of her young life in jail.

In her first trial, Nazanin had a state appointed lawyer as her family was too poor to hire a personal lawyer. Measures are now being taken to hire a lawyer with experience in these cases. But, for now, the important thing now is that Nazanin will not be executed in the near future"

Im not sure if any of the international pressure was indirectly resposnible for this but id like to think it was. If you havent signed that petition please do so anyway. Click on the Save Nazanin link right -

Killjoys

First its lorry drivers from Tescos, then its cabbies, then schools. St Georges Flag bans. The Sun has mounted a flag flying campaign (‘Up Yours’ – funny. Though on the back of 04s misdemeanor when the referee Urs Meier made THAT dodgy decision and the Sun planted an 80 foot flag outside his home you have to question if they aren’t part of the problem sometimes).

The BBC as usual cant make up its mind. It likes to report all the instances of PC madness but also seems to be perpetually debating it ‘should we mark St Georges Day, should we fly the flag?’ or is it racist. Or rather, lets MAKE it racist…lets keep on and on with the same old tired non issue til we extinguish every last remaining drop of English culture.

Journos, do gooders and co who feel the need to ask the question about flying the flag on a regular basis, do so to make us all feel like social pariahs.

This story really grates though. And the rubbish that is used to justify such a miserable set of choices is something else. Small wonder kids grow up confused and with no sense of identity or belonging!

"It is, however, essential that we do not surrender to those with a racist and fascist agenda or stifle national pride in the achievements of a multicultural England football team which is representing a multicultural nation."

Leaving aside the casual tossing about of the words 'racist' and 'fascist' for debate crushing effect (yawn)…since when has the England football team been multicultural? It’s actually pretty revealing about the thinking behind dead end ‘multi culturalism’.

If I wanted to point out differences, which sane people don’t but mutli culturalists seem to want to do with ever mounting panic, I might say the team was multi racial. But there is only one single culture that embodies this team. They ARE all ENGLISH. And proud of it. They can almost all sing along to the national anthem now too so better ban it?

Lefty do gooders are such BORES. And they upset children. Eugh. And when they aren’t being boring they are being slightly sinister. Ken's speech after July 7 went so overboard on the ‘attacking the world’ when you attack ‘multi cultural London’ that at one point I wondered if he was suggesting it would have been okay to attack us otherwise.

** Gordon Brown has today advised that all immigrants should actually have to learn English. He feels the need to explain WHY. The MSM then report this as *NEWS*. (No. Don’t do it Gordon. Just ban the English language)