Wednesday, 17 December 2014

PAKISTAN TRAGEDY

In the last post, we somewhat tastelessly used a picture of the front page of the Daily Mail to tell the story of the threat by Conservative MPs to scupper the granting of a few powers to the Scottish parliament. There were two stories on that page, the other was the attack on school children in Pakistan, by the Taliban.

Niko pointed this out and we changed the page.

Officials say more than 140 people, mostly children, have been killed in the Taliban attack on an army-run school in north-west Pakistan.

Pakistan's security forces say their operation has now ended, with all seven attackers killed.

Pupils who escaped have said the gunmen went from classroom to classroom, shooting children indiscriminately.

The Taliban say the assault is in response to army operations in North Waziristan and the Khyber area.

It is hard to imagine what kind of mind could come up with this. It is even harder to get your head around the fact that someone thought that killing children was a reasonable way of dealing with unwelcome army operations.

The Scots have clearly been moved by the tragedy and the Pakistani Consul General in Edinburgh has thanked Scotland.

I am sorry, as I said on the last post, if my careless juxtaposition of a frivolous story about the Tories and this horrific tragedy carried out by monsters, caused any offence. 

Of course none was intended.

31 comments:

  1. I don't think you can be held responsible for the way that the Mail has presented it's front page, however, I presume that Niko has made a similar complaint to the editor of this unionist newspaper? Nothing on his blog so far anyway.

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    Replies
    1. I think, in fairness to Niko, it was the frivolous way I presented it that he found distasteful Anon.

      I'm with him on that.

      On reflection the Mail would have been better to leave petty politics off the same page as well.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thank you, Martin.

      Delete
    2. No, thank you.

      Without all the hard work at Munquin towers (and Wings) I wouldn't know 90% of the things I know now.
      Your site is a daily check-in and brilliantly links to so much more.
      It also helped me in the worst days after September 19th. All your hard work is appreciated so much.

      Have a very Merry Christmas and Awrabess furra New Year

      Martin

      Delete
    3. Gee... Thank you again.

      Munguin is fair glowing with self importance now...

      :)

      Delete
  3. Niko getting upset about dead brown people? What about the thousands being killed by his precious British state drones?
    This outrage was a taliban response to the drone strikes.

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    Replies
    1. Well Jutie, I've no reason to believe that Niko approves of that either.

      It's certainly true though that the West is killing innocent people with their attacks, be it from drones or otherwise.

      Much less fuss is made by the likes of the Daily Mail over Western attacks.

      It's alright when we do it, but not alright when they do it. But ...well we are dealing with Paul Dacre and the Daily Mail here.

      None-the-less I should have been more careful.

      Delete
  4. Tris, having read your blog for some time now I would never consider you to be frivolous. I expect that Niko who has known you much longer would not consider you that way either. So I rather think Niko is trying for one up.
    The terrible tragedy in Pakistan is dreadful and who would think that killing children is any sort of way to achieve justice for your cause.

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    Replies
    1. I can be frivolous at times, Helena, but Munguin always pulls in in. He blue pencils most of my dafter moments.

      He must have been having his afternoon snooze when I wrote that one. He likes 40 winks after his Vintage Champagne lunch (practising for the Lords, I suspect).

      Delete
  5. tris

    I take my hat of to a caring thoughtful Scottish Nationalist..But wont take off anything
    else.

    As for the others you really must detach your Nationalist beliefs and
    attempt to understand not everything can be portrayed as binary pro- union
    or pro-scot nat .

    The mail does what the mail does not sure that gives carte blanche
    to follow suit . And as for Juties state drone comment? children are children
    and dont have a color to me anyways.

    We all make the occasional faux pass the bigger man/woman
    concedes makes a conciliatory gesture and moves on.

    tris

    YOU ARE THE BIGGER MAN

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does that mean you will stop voting for political parties that kill people in foreign countries?

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    2. Dunno about that Niko. But when I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Best to own up and apologise.

      I had to do it the other night on twitter. I was totally wrong about something and this bloke was gonna hammer me on it... so I said "Sorry, i was wrong there", and we went away and left me ...to my misery.

      Anyway...

      Moving on.

      I'm off to the Gym!

      Delete
    3. No one left to vote for if your a Brit, Jutie.

      They all like wars and waving the Rule Britannia about.

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    4. I hate this warmongering country that folk like Niko voted for. I don't know how they have the nerve to complain about any actions that the British State takes. He voted for atrocities like the one on the front page of that rag to keep on happening.
      His false principles are the height of hypocrisy.

      Delete
    5. Me too Juteman, I look at what we are stuck with for the foreseeable future and despair, War, never off the box, or the papers and with our assistance we have assisted the US to de-stable the world. We are fond of war, surely we should be looking to find a solution to the worlds problems without destroying lives.

      Delete
    6. I am a pacifist.

      I not ashamed of that. I'm astounded that by the year 2014 we still have situations where half witted arses like Cameorn send people to kill other people because they are not doing what HE wants them to do... or rather what Mr Obama has told him he wants them to do.

      How far have we progressed, that we still have drop bombs on innocent people to get our way (which is almost invariably the WRONG way).

      Maybe if we didn't spend so much on killing people there wouldn't be so many children crying leaving school because they are going home to a cold damp house and no food.

      Delete
  6. Jutie

    No...................you a pacifist if so I can under stand you reluctance to
    fight for your country

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How in hell is fuckin drone attacks on civilians 'fighting for your country?'
      And i'm no pacifist.

      Delete
    2. Nico, the only time anyone has fought for these islands was against the Nazi regime in Germany. All other wars including ww1, were wars of protectionist imperialism or expansionist imperialism, you as a socialist surely do not agree with said wars.
      May I add my sympathy, to the families of those innocent children and all victims of war and terror, from where ever they are from or it is originated.

      jimnarlene

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    3. Niko you are a sanctimonious pr... just like that party you supposedly don't support is so full of nepotism that it has lost it's way and needs exorcised.

      Delete
  7. Goes without saying Tris, no offence was taken. We would've known what you meant anyway.

    As for Niko, while I don't know him; given that he supports the clapped out but still grasping post-imperialist failed state that is Great Britain - the moral high ground does not suit him at all.






    “The smaller the coffin, the heavier it is to carry.” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif.

    (Seen on Twitter.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow...that's a tear jerking quote from the defence minister,Pa.

      So very very true... whether in Dunblane or in Pakistan.



      Delete
    2. So true Trs, may I add that as poverty strikes harder on our own we may find parents suffering similar losses, having read the uncaring and unthinking remarks today in the Scottish Statesman with regard to foodbanks from our " Better Together" politicians.
      No parent deserves to bury a child, my Grandmother did not deserve to bury three.

      Delete
    3. Yes... as winter gets colder I suspect some will succumb to the cold without proper food.

      Third world.

      Delete
  8. Dear All


    O why the deuce should I repine,
    And be an ill foreboder?
    I'm twenty-three, and five feet nine,
    I'll go and be a sodger!

    I gat some gear wi' mickle care,
    I held it weel thegither;
    But now it's gane, and something mair-
    I'll go and be a sodger!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh shut up Niko, you are at times an irritating fool.

      Delete
  9. Oooer ! Helena here is some more

    Chomp ! chomp ! chomp ! chomp ! chomp !

    The sound of Nats eating there words



    Salmond hints at SNP backing for minority Labour government
    Former SNP leader suggests party could set aside convention of not voting on English matters to put Miliband in No 10

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/19/salmond-snp-backing-labour


    We thank you in advance for your help in putting the key to 10 Downing street into
    the hands of the Labour party............more powers you say certainly !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So says the Guardian.

      I'd be very very disappointed if they did that. It's not our business to say what English people should have to tolerate from their odious government.

      What you have to remember is that Nicola Sturgeon is now the leader of the SNP, and she has already said that any co-operating with a Labour government in any way would be dependent on the trident project being scrapped.

      As that would mean Britain giving up it's position as America's poodle in chief, I reckon that it is pretty unlikely.

      Because, in any case, if they are stuck, unlike us, they can change the law to suit them, they would suspend the law saying that there must be a 5 year parliament and there would just be another election.

      Either that or her majesty the cat would just purrrrrogue parliament and announce a general election.

      Delete
  10. tris

    umm Alex or Nicola who'd a thunk it . Ole Alex bit of a tosser now then
    Themistocles father was right after all even after more than two thousand years

    er ! Helena me being all pretentious again......or maybe not

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    Replies
    1. LOL You did Greek History too, Niko.

      I'm impressed.

      Toi...pretentious...? cert non!

      Delete