Wednesday 18 March 2015

MUNGUIN'S MIDWEEK MÉLANGE

Sarah Champion. Generous to a fault for our brave boys... She put her wreath on expenses.
Big occasions are glittering and star studded with the so-called great and the so called good.
No-one sees when you give a homeless soldier a few quid to help him out.
That's about how we see it.
We remember. It started just one day after the referendum.
Great speaker, friendly, sincere and  intelligent.
Good luck Chris.
Yeah yeah, whatever Ed.
Bye Danny
Nicola in our local food bank.
What is the sense of science that can put a man on the moon, yet is incapable
of putting a bit of bread on the table of every human being?
I wonder if this one was produced in England too...
Busy, busy, busy....
Just in case you thought that Rachel Reevese represented nasty, right-wing
Islington Labour, Johnny boy confirms that the unemployed
 are bugger all to do with Labour.
I'd not go in that place with my wallet in my back pocket
unless I could get a padlock for it and an AK49.

And today it was confirmed that there will be no change in the government of Israel.

So we can expect to see more of this kind of thing. We are sure that there are atrocities on both sides. (In which wars are there not?) But it seems to us that our media is reluctant to report anything from the Palestinian point of view. So here's a little balancing. There are any number of pictures of similar barbarity on the net.

So, now you know.
If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an accord with Israel. It's natural, we took their country. It's true that God promised it to us, but in what way does that concern them? Our God isn't theirs. There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing. We came and we stole their country. Why should they accept that?
(David Ben Gurion. The first prime minister of Israel, quoted by Nahum Goldmann in The Jewish Paradox.)

39 comments:

  1. I really despair that our *ahem* media only ever appear to show the poor wee damaged souls on the Israeli side of this horrific conflict. Glad to see Minguin doing his bit to redraw the balance here. Best of all love the last photo. Just goes to prove that despite all their covert cover up schemes Westminster can NEVER keep a good country down ... no matter how many lies they tell or how hard they try.

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    1. I'm distressed by the way that the conflict is reported here, Arbroath. I am sure that there are Palestinians who have caused suffering to Israelis too. But that is the only side of the story that they seem to report here. I've been particularly angered by the number of little kids that these soldiers arrest, almost invariably a few of them with one little lad.

      I've just added the quotes form David Ben-Gurion and Areal Sharon... I think they are important insights into the way that Israel works. The American's deny them virtually nothing (although Obama has been pretty sharp with them). The Republicans seem to more or less do whatever they want.

      Mr Ben-Gurion's comments are, I think, quite reasonable. Even if you argue that God promised the Jews the land of Israel, why would the Arabs accept that. After all, if the Buddha had promised Wngland to the Siamese, would they simply sit back and let it happen?

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  2. These pictures are little different to those coming out of South Africa during apartheid,
    does the world never learn?
    Time Scotland had a seat at the UN. It might be a small voice...but
    " A whisper, can still be heard above all the noise of war, if it speaks the truth

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    1. Hi Golfnut. Welcome to MR.

      It has been said that Israel is operating an apartheid system similar to that of South Africa, or indeed certain parts of the USA. Jews have rights; Palestinians do not.

      I love that quote. Thanks. It's quite stirring.

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  3. " A whisper, can still be heard above all the noise of war, if it speaks the truth". I like this quote, and ironically, if that's the right word, it's from a holocaust memorial.

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    1. That is quite amazing, Jim.

      There are certainly critics of Israel who compare the present situation to that of the nazi regime in the 1930s.

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  4. Netanyahu,interfering with Obama's Middle East policies was to some extent,as usual,based on his perception of the inevitability of Americans voting for a Republican president in the near future.
    However,he may have been re-elected but he has a couple of years of hostility from the White House to put up with and that is not going to be a particularly nice experience.
    Now that the USA is no longer dependent on oil from the Middle East,I expect the Americans to do a deal with Iran which will create a new dynamic in the region and place Israel in a more realistic position where they in turn will have to do deals with their neighbours in order to maintain stability in the region.
    When this becomes publicly acknowledged in Israel,the Netanyahus of this world will have to start talking in a realistic way which will definitely include recognition of the right of Palestinians to a state and self determination.



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    1. Netanyahu has reiterated that as long as he is PM there will be no recognition of Palestine, but of course that was just prior to him being elected. He may find, as you say, that he will be obliged to be more conciliatory.

      I hope that Obama makes his life as hard as possible.

      He's pretty repulsive in every way. I understand that his wife is even more revolting.

      I wonder what their god thinks of them.


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  5. Interesting video over on this page:

    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1007861989241791

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  6. Tris

    I don't get most of the conflict in the middle east at all, as I don't get the conflicts in parts of Africa,and I suspect that where Europe has been able to move on to a degree over the last 70 years those areas haven't. Although none of these parts of the world are helped when you have people like Putin who looks like he is lining up for a War in Eastern Europe and we are no where reasy,but America is not sending an aircraft carrier to Europe and all the battle group that come along with it for show. I'm afraid that they might be here to stay.

    But there is also the part of me that understands it is the western powers that are partly to blame. We set up the state of Israel, America and Britain sit on their hands while the Israel Army basically murder children, and yes of course there are atrocities on both sides but one side have the best that money can buy and the other has sling shots. We have fixed trade the world over ensuring that many parts of the world remain in poverty and starvation, not being allowed a fair crackf the whip and we force our values on others. Is it any wonder that that Iran, China and Russia are starting to say a big FY to the west.

    However, that does not excuse groups like ISIS or the Russian and Israel Governments to do what they want, and it's doen't excuse Britain and the EU sitting on it's hands waiting for the next big one to start. I appreciate this is a very simplistic view of the issues and doesn't even remotely think about the part that religion plays . After all this time on the planet, the advances that man has made you would think we would have learned something by now. It's a sad reality when you work with young people and have sons that you would not be surprised if they got called up for something stupid that could be stoipped if people would just stop all the stupid shit.

    Bruce

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    1. That's pretty much a summing up of the situation. Of course there are complexities and nuances, but it seems to me that the Balfour Agreement gave Palestine to the Jews, because their God had apparently promised that it would be theirs.

      As Mr Ben-Gourion says....so what?

      I wonder how the Brits would like it if some God had 6000 year ago promised that the British Islands would be given to a sect of Hindus worshipping an elephant god.

      Israel is a rogue state. It breaks UN rules and it has developed nuclear weapons adn as Sharon says, America will never do anything about it (and so no one else will) because Israeli money runs America. Mr Obama may be less pliable than other presidents. But anywhere in the world it is money that talks.

      Nice thought that people should stop the stupid shit, Bruce... but highly unlikely :)

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  7. Thanks Munguin and Tris for all you do

    this is sort of off topic. I've a favour to ask -

    I have some No/ Labour voters in my life. They aren't without a conscience, but they know how to turn it off. I guess we all do, but Labour voters get practice. I think they sort of know they are voting for something that doesn't exist anymore, but they like being told by the BBC that Labour is still somewhere to the left of Thatcher, and that the UK is a democracy.

    I would like to give them the chance to make an informed decision in May. I'm wondering if anyone has already put together a clear, easy to read summary of

    1) Murphycrap - expenses, voting record, warmongering,tuition fees, Henry Jackson society, contradictory quotes, any dishonesties, a bit about McTernan and others he surrounds himself with.

    2) Labour's voting record and expenses record compared to bluetories

    3) Record Labour's referendum and Smith Commission lies. (I know, that's a whole book's worth.)

    4) Record of how many times Scotland's vote has made any difference to who get's into govt at Westminster

    Does anyone here know if this has already been put together, and where I'd find it? If not, I'll get on with it.

    Cheers, Kath

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    1. Thanks, Kath, for your kind words.

      I'll look around for you. My first thought is...

      http://wingsoverscotland.com/scottish-labour-for-dummies-2015/

      Anyone else got any ideas?

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    2. jeez, I'd forgotten some of them ones. Useful for showing they're to the right of thatcher, Thanks.

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    3. Yes Indeed!.

      Any other suggestions for expenses, etc, welcome....

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    4. Calton Jock's blog is a gold mine of information as is Al Harron's Wilderness of Peace .

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    5. Thanks Betty, both really useful, hadn't come across them before.

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    6. Nor me Betty. Thanks for that.

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    7. Added both to Blog List.

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  8. The wee boy with his hand raised in a peace sign, even though he is terribly injured, has a a lot of what humanity should mean; flowing through his veins.

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    1. I know . What a fabulous wee person.

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    2. It brings to mind: Man's inhumanity to man.

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    3. The wee soul. God love him

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    4. Yep. Can't imagine being in that situation at his age... or any age.

      How lucky we are in Scotland that our fights are carried out at a polling station, with pencil and paper.

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  9. Since Milliband has ruled out SNP MPs being cabinet ministers,should Labour form the next administration,who is he going to appoint as his Governor General for Scotland?
    Murphy?
    It will be very clear to Scots,especially if we have a big majority of SNP MPs that the SoS for Scotland is Westminster's man/woman in Scotland whose purpose is to keep us in line.
    Even more blatant would be a Tory government having to appoint an English MP to the post.
    I think they baulked at the prospect of appointing Blundell,either because he is Blundell or because of the political stushie caused by appointing Scotland's "representative" from the massed ranks of Tory MPs in Scotland.
    The Libdumbs gave them at least a modicum of credibility and who knows,maybe they will form a coalition with Labour after May along with the DUP and UKIP.
    Imagine Scotland's next Governor General being a NI politician or Farage even!
    Fun and games.

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    1. Lib-Dems and respectability, sorry lost me there.

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    2. LOL it is a bit oxymoronic, isn't it, Jim?

      It's a puzzle who they would appoint to Scotland, Bringiton. I'm assuming that they are unlikely to have the Curran woman... They may not even have Murphy.

      They could always try George Ffoulkes or George Robertson, or maybe they could do it as a double act. The twa Georges.

      But I'd seriously love it to be the Kipper man.




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    3. The drunkard, or the delusional. Not much of a choice.

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    4. Nothing much to pick and choose between them... I just wonder how a Lord would go down as SoS!

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    5. Yep... in Ffoulkes' case

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  10. I meant to write this earlier, a very well put together posting from both of you. I used to have sympathy for Israel, I suppose I was not alone with that, but they have turned into the very thing they complain about. They have become the persecutors, they kill and maim without thinking of the consequences and every time they do they make more enemies. The fact that the Zionists have a stranglehold on both the US and the UK governments should worry the hell out of us. The number of MP's involved with the Friends of Israel who worry more about them than us is cause indeed for that worry. If pressure had been put on Israel and Palestinians years ago we might not be watching the likes of IS in horror. Trouble is that they are both in the wrong but Israel wants to be seen as the martyr.

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    1. I think there are a lot of people in that situation, Helena.

      Under different leadership they were, at one point working towards a real settlement based on two states.

      I remember hearing the news that Netanyahu had won the election, the first time round, back in the late 90s, and thinking that all the work that had been done would now be worthless. And it was.

      He truly is an awful man. There will be no peace while he is there.

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  11. A real shame you've decided to adopt mindless anti-Israeli nonsense.

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    1. Anti-killing each other, I think you'll find.

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    2. "mindless" - in what way? Have you actually read the comments?

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    3. Dean: I don't think it's mindless.

      I've said that I believe there to be atrocities on both sides.

      We hear a great deal about what the Palestinians have done, with their rockets and stones, to Israel. We tend not to hear or see Palestinian kids being used as human shields, or having their legs blown off by the bombs. We don;t see them being manhandled by groups of soldiers.

      If nothing else the quote from David Ben-Gurion might be worth digesting. If he could see the unfairness of the situation, I'm sure you can.

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    4. I find it a real shame Munguin has decided to adopt an anti-Israeli attitude too. I also find it odd how so many folk on this website and WOS are so pro Palestinian and believe what they read/see in the media. Especially as we all know how good at telling the truth the media are!! The people of Israel have to live in fear every day from Palestinian terrorists, a people governed by terrorists and who use innocents to hide behind while they attack the good people of Israel. We don't hear so much of what the Israeli people go through as they don't go around showing propaganda pictures of injured children just to initiate support from the west.
      Arab states have jointly and individually, waged full scale wars against Israel. Israel defended itself each time it was invaded by the Arab countries, and won. After each war the Israeli army withdrew from most of the areas it captured. This is unprecedented in World history and shows Israel's willingness to reach peace even at the risk of fighting for its very existence each time anew.
      What is the difference between Israel defending itself from terrorists and Britain/USA defending themselves against terrorists (sending our soldiers to fight and die in Iraq etc), and the terrorists attacking us are not on our doorstep, sending missiles over our borders on a daily basis and sending suicide bombers into our cafes?

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    5. Well, I disagree with you, Tatu, you won’t be surprised to learn. But I'm very pleased that you expressed you feelings here.

      As I’ve said, I am under no illusions that the Palestinians are perfect any more than I think any other nation is perfect, including the Scots, but I can’t help but feel some sympathy for a nation which has been marginalised because the West, in the form of the UK and the US, the bringers of so much misery to the four corners of the world, decided that some god had decided that the land should belong to someone else for those who owned it and had lived in it for a several thousand years.

      It seems to me, I repeat, that if some god, or other, had decided that Scotland should belong to a tribe of Peruvian natives, and that America and France had settled them in Scotland to our detriment, we might be a tad cross.

      The audacity of Britamerica never ceases to amaze me.

      I know about the Nazis and the horrific things that happened to Jews in various places in the world from Germany to the Soviet Union. And this will sound clechéd but I have two close friends who are Jewish. I have no issues with Jews. I do with Israel… as do my Jewish friends.

      I doubt we will agree with on this. I'm with Mr Ben-Gurion, and I reckon that it's highly unlikely that I will change given all that I have heard over the years.

      You mention Iraq as if you feel I think that the brits had the right to do what they did there. Britain and America should never have gone to fight in Iraq. There was no reason whatsoever for that. Like Israel, they completely ignored the United Nations and the advice of their own legal people. Of course because America authorised it, nothing was ever done in the way of punishment.

      Hundreds of thousands of innocent people were killed because Bush had some grudge against Saddam Hussein, He must have ceased to be useful to them as he had been when he had fought and kill Iranians on their behalf. USK had no business being there. The regime might not have been very nice, but then neither is the regime in Saudi or Bahrain, and our governments and our royals fall over themselves to pay court to these hideous regimes.

      It seems that it was a personal feud between the moronic Bush and Saddam to which the creep Blair was happy to contribute on the basis it would make him look important, and presumably make a considerable amount of money for his own bank account... Meanwhile he was too old and too important to fight and his son too young... so no risk to him or his.

      Additionally, of course the VP of America is reputed to have made a personal fortune out of the war.

      Maybe if Israel had some respect for the UN resolutions; maybe if they would stop building walls, running an apartheid regime, building settlements on land they don’t own and manhandling, imprisoning, shooting and maiming little children, I'd have more time for them as a nation. As it is I consider them every bit as bad as the Bahrainis.

      As for netanyahu, he comes in on my radar as even lower than Blair, and I wouldn't have considered that humanly possible. I wish them both no happiness.

      That said, the subject is not something that is particularly within the normal remit of the blog and will not be a regular feature..

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