UK

the pot and the kettle

antarchi — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:00:47 -0600

"Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people. Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century" 1

Says who. Says the man who began the 21st century with unprovoked invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and who threatens to engineer a third invasion before the first decade of the century is over. Says the man at whose hands over a million have died and as many at least have been forced from their homes. Says the unelected President and Commander-in-Chief of the strongest military force the planet has ever known. Says the self-appointed ruler of the world.

1. George Bush

how many razor blades, Officer?

antarchi — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:29:43 -0600

Climate Camp 08

I've been living in a cage in rural England. The cage was a field was a camp site for concerned environmentalists, and had barricaded gates and sentinels inside and out.

The sentinels inside the cage had no desire to act as sentinels: they had arrived to demonstrate sustainable living, to learn about or teach about climate change and to protest against the government's plans to build a brand new carbon belching coal fired power station in the neighbourhood.

the war on terror at climate camp

antarchi — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:06:35 -0600

Kent Police, Medway Council and other organisations that provide services to you are working together to ensure the camp causes the least disruption possible to your daily lives.

From the Kent Police website

doing the right thing

antarchi — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:16:34 -0600

It is fundamental to our civil liberties that no one should be held arbitrarily for an unspecified period. After detailed consultation with the police, and examination of recent trends in terrorist cases, we propose the upper limit of 42 days...

read more

gordon's values

antarchi — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:15:39 -0600

Gordon Brown has put up some revealing archive films on the Downing Street website. If we had any illusions that we currently had a Labour Party prime minister ensconced in Downing Street, possessing even an inkling of labour sympathies, a brief look at his selection of noteworthy films should disillusion us:

First on the list (most recently posted) is Anthony Eden (Con.) trying to put a noble gloss on British involvement in Suez:

CYPRUS

antarchi — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:15:11 -0600

For Britain, Cyprus was a Mediterranean stronghold it had not the slightest intention of relinquishing. Indeed, upgrading its strategic role as soon as British garrisons in the Canal Zone were judged insufficiently secure, the High Command in the Middle East was transferred to the island in 1954. A year later, the colonial secretary... told the Commons that possessions like Cyprus could never expect self-determination. Nor, since London refused to allow any legislative assembly in which the four-fifths of the population in favour of Enosis would enjoy a majority, was there any question even of self-government.

Perry Anderson in The Divisions of Cyprus

miliband is very sorry

antarchi — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:27:05 -0700

The European Court of Human Rights condemned the so-called “five techniques” used by UK military and security forces during that period. It ruled that the techniques - hooding, wall-standing, noise, deprivation of food and drink, and sleep deprivation - were cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, banned under the European Convention on Human Rights. The British government gave “a solemn undertaking” to the court that the techniques would never again be used on British soil."

Human Rights Watch -
Dangerous Ambivalence: UK Policy on Torture since 9/11

iraq is a stable and democratic country

antarchi — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:25:10 -0700

... and other idiotic sayings.

'Yesterday was an important day for the Iraqi people. The United Nations Security Council unanimously expressed the desire for Iraq to be free and peaceful'.

George Bush in a press conference at the G8 summit (June 2004)

'The Iraqi people know the sacrifices you are making. They're grateful to you. They are grateful to your families.'

George Bush to the soldiers and families of Fort Hood (Apr 2005)

collaborators

antarchi — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:01:36 -0700

I went out to Russia in 1991 - still just the Soviet Union - certain that anyone who had not fought against, or stood up in some way against the regime was a collaborator. I went out partly to understand how a society of collaborators, collaborators on a mass scale, a scale of many millions - how it could exist. What was the mind of a collaborator like? How did they square their personal principles with what was happening around them? How did they excuse their failure to condemn the evil acts of the regime and their continuing participation in the structures set up by that regime - all essential to its continuing existence?

the value of being an expert

antarchi — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:39:00 -0600

I earn £41 (about €59) a day for coaxing along 30 underprivileged and often damaged 7-year old children. I can earn £241 a day (€350) if I continue to work as a ‘consultant’ internationally, teaching groups of 15 to 20 young Georgians what the text books written in the west tell us about human rights and advocacy, playing games with them and lapping up the Georgian culture.

Of course €350 is not a particularly well paid consultant, as any consultant will tell you. Many charge up to €1,000 for teaching those whose rights are being violated that their rights are being violated. Some will charge even more. If you are a lawyer talking about human rights, I dread to think how many euros you can manage to squeeze out of the international coffers. Ask Cherie Blair.