Disunited Monday

 

I am not sure if anyone has noticed but the Disunited Kingdom has left the EU.  So far there appears to be little difference, though businesses trying to transport goods may have evidence of the change, but if we look at the statements the Conservative Press is handing out we see obvious action.

Everywhere it is the EU to blame!

The have cheated, they have moved goalposts, they are not doing what we want, etc.  Boris panders to his groupies while the EU stand back and laugh at him.  The sheep will cheep him on but the fact is he will not get anywhere by bumbling boasts with the EU.

Meanwhile, Donald, fighting to keep the money he gets from being President attempts to keep the president job to serve his nation.  The opposition, two old men and one useless woman, struggle to mount a proper challenge.  The future both here and there is not bright.  

In truth I have not really noticed, I am sick of the lot of them.

 Guardian

I like the aftermath of these terrorist attacks.  I do not mean the suffering or the pain many endure I refer to the sudden appearance of people who "Something should be done," or "I see where the fault lies."  Often ex-police or surveillance people, sometimes politicians often just ''experts,' who had nothing to do with it.  

They have been out in force.  The man ought never to have been released, though the Law said he had to be, the surveillance was 'not good enough,' though police have suffered cuts, and so on and on.  TV and Radio along with the loudmouths in the media, yes Piers Morgan I mean you, spouting about what ought to have happened long after it has happened.

I wonder how many would have confronted the machete waving terrorist if they had confronted him?  I would have run!  Well, walked slowly...

'Experts,' the media is full of them.

Xmas.

'Tis the season to be jolly!'

'Christmas comes but once a year

 and when it does it brings good cheer!'

There can be no doubt these words were written by a madman!  
Today is the first Monday of December, most of my Christmas cards have been posted, most will have arrived by today.  This not only avoids the Christmas rush it reminds those at the other end to send me one also!  As they collect their post guilt and panic will begin to arise and then the consideration of cash while a rushed list of names is scrawled somewhere.  A list that will be amended when the forgotten are remembered later.  

I reckon I require one or two small gifts for young kids of my acquaintance, nothing expensive as they will already have too much, just tokens, and possibly one for an adult and some things for my sisters parcel, full of junk usually.  Most disappointed with the charity shops this year, nothing suitable was found at the weekend.  I may have to visit those in town before finishing my Xmas shop.

I hope you have started yours...

  Al Jazeera

There is little positive to have come from the Terrorist attack of Friday bar removing the election from the front and indeed middle pages of the media.  A lone attacker, influenced by a minority reading of Islam kills two people working in rehabilitating those caught up in crime and terrorism.  Some degree of irony in there.  

Sentenced to 16 years, but allowed out in 8, and freed early on licence because he was not considered a threat has allowed the politicians to spend much time blaming one another rather than finding a mere secure way of dealing with such persons.  

Personally I would suggest let him serve his sentence, that however might be too radical for some.  Cutting his sentence half way through could be dropped, but some would object.  Not letting him out on licence early might also be an approach but again that makes me sound like a 'Daily mail' reader, and that would never do.  Still had such a situation been followed two useful people would still be alive and being useful with several others no longer wasting time in hospital and missing useful work.  

To suggest spending more on the constabulary, prisons, probation service and anti-terrorist work might be seen as expensive.  This is true, however the cost to society and individuals with such incidents occurring might be greater, but not however recorded in government fiddled statistics.  Had this been the case we might have better prisons, less re-offending, more rehabilitation and less terrorists walking the streets.  Just saying like...

Laugh or Weep?

The 7:40 is heading for Waterloo and as it Passes Parsons Green a man stands up and begins to read from the bible and speak to the packed commuters on the train.  He mentions, so we are told repeatedly, 'homosexuality as a sin,' and 'Death is not the end.'  
At this the brave Londoners began to panic. 
A woman screamed and several began to prize open the doors and jump out onto the trackside.  The driver realising the danger called in and the power on the line, all electric on this line, was turned off ensuring the passengers (sorry 'customers') were safe and the entire line brought to a halt and hours of delays ensued.
As panic grew a man asked the preacher to stop and the guard arrived to speak to the man.  As the train continued, some power must have been returned, into Wimbledon he was spoken to calmly by the police.  No charges were brought, the guard congratulated on his approach and the many users of the railways out of the UK's busiest commuter station inconvenienced.

  
Well MR Khan I think you mistook the attitudes of those commuters hurtling in at 80 miles an hour yesterday morning.  They have not given the impression that they are 'Not broken' but have offered a glimpse of people either naive, ignorant or plain stupid!  
I accept that for most the bible is not a book they have read, nor have most been forced to attend a Sunday School of some kind when young and as such the nation is clearly bible ignorant.  However most understand the basics of Christian teaching, most in London have come across a 'preacher' in the streets, on a bus or train or in a large complex at one time or another, how come this lot failed to understand?  The pictures on offer do not show uneducated people leaving the train, a common lot of commuters only, yet they open the doors and flee!  A brief read of the good book will often force fear into people when the truth about judgement appears, many refuse to accept this and prefer the safety of the life we keep in our heads rather than allow eternity to break in however that was not happening here.  This was a confusion between the bible and the Koran.  These people could not understand that this man was not going to blow them up, his words spoke to them like ISIS had appeared in front of them!  The ignorance displayed takes some beating in my view.  

  
There is another reason for the panic and this can be traced back to Tony Blair and the deliberate attempt to increase awareness of Islamic terrorism.  During the years of the IRA Provos and their bombing campaign many bombs were left in stations and other public places yet the government propaganda never encouraged panic, indeed the opposite was the case but not now.
Blair even had 'Ferret tanks,' totally useless against terrorist attacks, placed outside Heathrow Airport just for a publicity stunt, what a waste of an army that was!  Today the fear has been raised both by government offerings and screaming headlines in the 'yellow press.'  
Of course there is a need to be wary of individual or organised ISIS type attacks at the moment but hysteria is not an answer.  This generation is not the one that either lived through a war or grew up in the years after one, no this generation has no concept of 'Getting on with it as there is no other choice' nor do they have the ability to be calm in difficult situations.  I would be far from calm in a bomb situation myself but I suggest most of us would react without panic if a preacher, even one with a koran stood up and spoke.  Two world wars, a couple of depressions and Margaret Thatcher yet let someone quote scripture and panic sets in.  What a world.

Angry and Cynical!

The world is full of sentiment.  All around politicians mouth platitudes, the weak and unstable Prime Minister vows to 'get tough' and the media fill space with meaningless repetition of what was said before.
Lies! All lies!
The US needless invasion of Iraq with Tony Blair's help added to two hundred years of suffering the west UK, France, Italy and the US amongst others have given the middle east.  No thought for the long term, not regard for the locals. 
Before the Great War the decision to fire the Royal Navy with oil rather than coal ensured Britain would control as much of the oil fields as possible.  After the war the French and British, with international help cut up the middle east to suit themselves.  The Arabs were given what was thought good for them. Any rebellion was answered by the RAF dropping chemical weapons on villages, women and children counted as little to us as they do to terrorists today.
Oil was and still is the reason today we run after the Saudis.  Their proxy war against Iran via Syria and Yemen has given us millions of refuges, which the UK is not keen to take in, British made weapons drop on Yemeni schools but as we need the money we say little but merely 'tut-tut' to the Saudis and apologise for interrupting their stoning a woman who was raped.

There are no good sides in the middle east, they are all bad.  That includes Israel.  God has put the Jews back in the land he gave them but as yet not one religious type has become leader, none amongst the powerful follow Jesus, and they all too often follow the middle eastern way of working, hit back and hit back harder.  Peace will not follow.

I find the attitudes today hard to stomach.  The 'touchy feely' response pretends that we care about one another though this is not reflected in the way people behave and certainly not in daily London life!  I spent 20 years there and consideration for others is not the priority, bomb or no bomb.
Concerts for Manchester, very nice but we never had these when the IRA blew children apart in Manchester.  We certainly have avoided a concert for the 80 killed, including a BBC driver, and numerous wounded at that time.  We mention in passing the dead in two explosions in Baghdad then move on to other things.
Something is wrong with us when we care excessively for our own and not for the other.  In the 1940 Clydebank suffered very heavy bombing, great swathes were destroyed, people moved out and never returned, many were killed.  When asked about bombing Germany locals often commented that they did not wish any to suffer what they had suffered, even in Germany.  That is not an attitude found today.
On the one hand we stand around, arms round strangers shoulders, emoting for the dead yet on the other we ignore the causes and the dead elsewhere.  Other suffering, more constant, more deadly and far away does not bother us.  Did you know that for 30 years warfare of various types has existed in the Democratic Congo?  Over 5 million are dead but no-one cares, there is you see no oil there.

UK & US politicians and most others know we are responsible for the terrorists at home.  The Manchester bomber was one of many kept in Manchester and allowed to travel to Libya to attack Qaddafi and cause terror to many in a cruel manner.  He was known to be dangerous and that is why the UK were angry that the US revealed pictures and information last week, not because it interfered with any investigation, this secret was to be kept, it hasn't succeeded.
Were these three knife carrying men known also to the police?  Note how the police ensured they were all killed, using 50 rounds of ammunition, an unprecedented amount in the UK.  Was there determination to ensure they were dead rather than protect the public?

The death of a few Londoners means little to high government, top secrets re their middle eastern policies are much more important.  Our inept PM was Home Secretary, responsible for controlling terrorism at home and knew all abut the Libyans, now she talks tough and lies in her teeth.

Is it safe to travel to London?
It is safer tan any US city when gun crime is high, it is safer than many cities world wide. 
There is however danger, the traffic makes crossing roads difficult, some people rob you so avoid such places and use common sense when out.  Take forethought out there, not fearthought.  Since the latest outrage how many people have died on the roads this weekend?  How many fell down the stairs at home and died?  How many were stabbed at a pub fight last night?
Probably many more than we read about on London Bridge.
Terrorists are out there so beware, but ensure your member of parliament after the election on Thursday knows you know what is going on.  Share your thoughts with him and get right up his nose on Friday.  It is up to the government to seek real peace, and honesty about the Islamists in this country.

The Wedensday Birds

To avoid the incessant noise re Manchester I kept my head in my laptop finally finishing the rebuild of the WW2 memorial.  A rebuild that almost went wrong as another glitch threatened to kill it once again.  The air was almost blue.  To ease my ageing eyes I wandered in the sunshine looking at half naked women admiring the glow of a sunny day.  Sitting on a bench, broken peanuts strewn before me, I eventually attracted a couple of Blackbirds to pose for me.  It was noticeable that when she approached he moved away, either a married couple or he was in her patch.  A Robin looked in but refused to be anything but blurred, he moved away. 

When I returned to the news I found the usual 24 hour concentration on the 'Big Story' unappealing.  Now I appreciate the importance of the Manchester event, I feel for the victims, I realise the seriousness of the situation, however I would rather journalism was once again introduced instead of the squalid reporting shoved down our noses today.  
Maybe I am just used to such outrages, maybe I note that when it happens elsewhere, Beirut or Kabul for instance, few bother to comment let alone 'stand with' those people.  Maybe I am just sick of pap masquerading as journalism for a lazy audience.
Interestingly the 'Sun,' Rupert Murdoch's main tabloid offering, gave the whole front page over to an attack on Jeremy Corbyn and his supposed support for the IRA Provos.  The Manchester deaths were hidden inside.  This speaks volume for Murdoch.   
I have just read that someone claims a UKIP individual is demanding the return of the death penalty...for suicide bombers!

The weatherman indicates tomorrow might reach 23 degrees, that's 73 in English!  A heatwave has hit us, the sun has been switched on and I have nowhere to go.  I need to go somewhere as the cooker requires cleaning as does the fridge, the cupboards, the windows, the bedroom, the East Wing, the everything else, and I wish to avoid such chores.  Now that I appear to have the old laptop under control I feel I can go outside again.  The fact that I just cannot be bothered, the effort appears to great for my fat, unfit, squalid body, and we have seen all that this area (without an automobile to use) can offer.    
I may just go back to bed...

Tuseday Tittle-Tattle

Last night I sat entranced at the bright red sky as the sun went down.  Had I not been otherwise occupied I may have tries to get outside and capture the sky.   Around half nine the sky was still stunning and I attempted pityfully to capture the night.  It was almost like this.  I awoke at ten past four this morning and found the sky lighter and still stunning.  How wonderful this time of the year can be, if it doesn't rain or cloud over.    
Of course as the sun shone I was inside the museum meeting good people and watching the boss work three peoples jobs.  I could not help while working the shop, most unfortunate.  The school was good, cheery kids.  
I had to rush home because the man was coming to check out the sink that had sunk.  Naturaly he came after two as planned, around five actually as not planned.  They had been working in Camoludunum.  Once here they quickly decided the job would entail replacing the entire unit, this meant a big job in a narrow space and both agreed it was time for going home.  So this will be replaced in time, probably a long time, and I will struggle on with the damaged tap until he can work up the courage and time to do the job. 
I might leave home while they do it!

Another outrage in Manchester, not the first they have suffered.  The media are filling spaces with masses of speculation and little substance so I am avoiding them. When I awake at four this morning I heard the early news and the guesswork as to what was happening.  I gave up as they began the tedious repeating of the same question to different people to get the same story over and over with little understanding of what was going on.  This is not journalism just filling air time.
 So what are we to do, what are we to make of this killing of around 22 people and wounding of dozens of others?  The rest of the audience, mostly adolescent and teenage girls, will be somewhat traumatised for years after this.  The apparent lack of stewards to guide or control them after the event was worrying and a greater disaster was avoided by luck it appears to me.
Today everyone is 'standing with Manchester' as you might expect.  This is good but we must ask will it happen again and why does it happen?  

The UK and the French, then the USA have been kicking Arabs about for over two hundred years.  The needs of Empire, or just greed, have ensured the woshes of what was considered the backward Arabs was of no importance to London or Paris.  The greater game was their concern and the dying Ottoman Empire and Arab opinion dd not count.  
Britain and France under the Sykes-Picot agreement, with Russian acceptance, divided the dead Ottoman Empire between themselves after the Great War.  The only Arabs considered worthy of discussion were lied to and their understanding of the situation totally amended to suit the agreement.  They were not happy.  
The resultant creation of several new nations, not all split thoughtfully enough it must be said, has led to nothing but war, assassination and bad feeling ever after.  
Now in more recent times to save the west from the nasty Iranians under the Ayattollah the Americans (That nice Mr Rumsfeld again) gave the Iraqis help when fighting Iran and ignored the million or two dead and dying because they were not 'us' and anyway far away.  What could possibly go wrong?
Well Saddam did not play ball for a start, the first Gulf War causing many thousands of deaths, but mostly Arabs, the second, needless, war cost more and being badly managed by Rumsfeld and Cheney led to the break up of Iraq, the growth of Al-Queda and Islamic State and how many other Islamic type groupings.
Now add Obamas desperate attepmt, an attempt desired by most in the US, to bring his troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and see the fear rise in Saudi Arabia at the growth of Iran and their nuclear weapons.  Result?  The war against Syria led and paid for by Saudi's using ISIS and all the others to break up a peaceful and more tolerant state than Saudi Arabia. The result of this is the growth of ISIS and their attempt to build up and take over Saudi!  
It gets confusing from here on so I will let you guess the rest.

Now we have young men in many places convinced they ought to be strict Muslims fed a diet of radical teaching by persons unknown.  Those less competent as well as those who should know better respond to this as young men do who wish to change the world.  Many have died fighting in the Middle East.  Others have attempted action in the UK with only police action defeating them and usually with information from Islamic sources.  Fed a belief that dying makes you a martyr and glory awaits encourages many to enlist.  Young men respond to this and some take action.  
Whoever took action last night considers his act worthy of his faith.  With Muslim men, women and children killed by the west he considers his actions defending his faith.  Any Muslim killed would be seen as a martyr also, others merely unbelievers.  The fact that most were young girls will not deter him, the Middle East has seen many such suffer terribly over the years from Muslims and a few westerners would not cause the conscience much trouble.

We cannot defeat this behaviour by force.  It requires propaganda and actions to stabalise the Middle East and deal with each nations fears.  There appears little suggestion of such happeneing these days.  The US has just sold billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, no doubt also to Israel, and anyone else who toes the western line.  That will not ensure peace.  
I thought I had a conclusion to put in here and I discovered I have none.  All that is in my mind remains the thousands of Muslims who die this way and we care not.  Baghdad, Beirut, Kabul anywhere in Pakistan all suffer outrages and most are not reported in the west.  We stand with one another in the west heightening the separation of two sides, each outrage polarising opinion and killing sensible debate on both sides. 
No wonder people read the media for easy answers.

  

Today's Thoughts

DM

The afternoon has been taken up with failing to make Macaroni Cheese the way mum used to make it, though mine will bring a lump to my throat, and watching the ongoing constantly repeated coverage of the incident at Westminster.  

Here it appears a gent, large,brown and violent, drove an SUV car into people on the bridge hitting many, forcing at least one into the River Thames, and then crashing into more, possibly a policeman near the entrance to the House of Commons.  From the car he, and possibly one other, entered the MPs entrance waving a knife, two officers stopped him, one was knifed and died at the scene in spite of efforts to save him.  The assailant was warned twice by armed officers then shot.  He also died at the scene.

There is a possibility another man, possibly white, was involved and searching continues around the massive complicated Houses of Parliament.  The House itself ceased work and all members were ordered to remain in the chamber, no-one to move in short.  The Scots parliament, involved in tough Indy2 debate, also ceased work when the news reached Edinburgh.

Now we must cut down another forest to allow the gutter press to talk for days about the 'Terror,' 'Shock,' 'Fury,' and 'Outrage' that will allow them to enjoy smearing as many as possible and giving no thought to those involved.  They will only be seen as opportunities for sensational or sentimental stories rather than treated as people.  

The usual suspects have already blamed Muslims and are demanding they are all sent home, whether he is Muslim is not yet clear though from what I can make out it is likely.  The inept attack, the wild crashing into random crowds, the knife attack all speak of amateur responses to ISIS videos rather than an organised considered attack.  The truth will be known soon enough, I suspect the police already known where he lived and have the place stuffed full of officers.  Muslim people are also quick to provide information, though this is not always mentioned by the media.  I suspect it would be better to keep that info secret.

  

London will carry on as normal in such circumstances, most places would do so.  Such attacks hurt a few, cost the life of the attacker or end up in long prison sentences.  On no occasion does it alter government policy.

That policy lies behind such attacks however.  While this man may be Arab he possibly is Pakistani.  We cannot tell, there are so many places he could originate from.  However the British then the US abused the Middle East giving no concern for the people and caring only for the oil.  In recent days Iran caused worries, then Iraq, now we have left Iraq broken, Syria devastated for no reason and Iran and Saudi thinking of waging war directly.  We either bomb them or encourage them to bomb one another, why should they care about the west?

  

Now there will be tears and wailing throughout the West yet almost nothing concerning the starving in Yemen, a war we allow them to continue with, or Somalia, they are just a waste anyway is that not right?  Millions may be starving at deaths door but this event will take what little is on the screen off and allow us to concentrate on poor us - for a change.

How we suffer.

Yes There's Been Another One.

The bomb is Brussells has brought out the usual reactions, media overkill, outrage spouted everywhere, knee jerk reactions and occasional attacks on passing Muslims.  
TV and Radio naturally devoted hours of time to the developing situation when the news first came through, and this is understandable, however the hours of needless, if not to say meaningless talk since then has been a little depressing.  A requirement to fill time rather than a desire to provide information appears to lead news reporting all too often.  
Once again somewhat easily led young men have found a cause in which to immolate themselves, except the one who ran for it that is.  All appear to have been petty criminal, which might have cut their conscience to some effect previously, possibly they saw this as a salvation.  Many innocent are dead, hundreds wounded and once again a city stands around claiming to stand together and not be moved by this.
Of course horrible as this is the UK is somewhat used to such events.  Thirty years of IRA terrorism, mostly paid for by US donations, and the several Islamic outrages since have mentally prepared us in a way the Belgians are just learning.  
As always the majority complain about the nasty Arabs but few complain about the European and Americans responsible for this.  Belgium took over large areas of Africa in the nineteenth century and imported many form north Africa to work deep down in their coal mines.  Not unnaturally their descendants remained and have been more or less dumped in the corners of Belgium and forgotten.  Little wonder some feel a grievance.
ISIS, or Daesh or whatever arose from a combination of US led attacks on Iraq and elsewhere with gun-toting US presidents believing the were John Wayne fighting Indians and forgetting this was the real world.  Saudi & Qatar joining together to attack Iran through Syria has not helped and out of the mess arises ISIS.  Their well led organisation now inspires people throughout Europe to atrocities in the name of their cause.  
The availability of guns in Europe is renown while it is harder to obtain such in the UK, this aids us somewhat but still we require to rely on intelligence to defeat those individuals and groups tempted to act.  Muslims here also offer information whatever Donald Trump claims.  
More such acts will occur, the best defence is not going to stop this.  One answer is to develop the intelligence operation and develop the propaganda arm aimed at those ISIS wish to recruit.  Only Muslim help can do this.  The war will be long and ghastly, who knows where it will strike next?

Oh and remember the news coverage on this incident is vastly greater than that given to the bomb attacks seen in Muslim nations. This is strange as many thousands of Muslims have died from Muslim extremists, vastly more than the deaths recorded in Europe.  Maybe that tells us something?

Human Nature Never Changes

Terrorism has been with us since people walked the earth.  In Genesis Cain killed Abel because he was resentful, history is littered with sons killing fathers just to be King, small nations using guerrilla tactics to fight large ones and acts of bloody minded terrorism simply because someone wanted it and believed that this would further their cause or hurt the enemy.  Sometimes it wins!
The latest episode of IS terrorism has been a sad one.  Possibly two hundred may die plus several hundred will suffer and relatives carry the long time cost.  There is reason to believe there will be more of this in France.

However while the media are making hay with the shock effect it is important to ask questions.  What lies behind this and were we to blame?  The Wests dealings with the Middle East have never been clever.  While that strange man Lawrence of Arabia was allowed to promise the Arabs much the British government was making other plans and was not considering a bunch of nomads as important, the French desperation to obtain Syria did not help either.  Israel was allowed in, and the Good Lord did indeed place them back in this land, but how the West handled this was appalling.
The 1920's saw Iraq as a place for the RAF to drop bombs (some say gas) on Arabs who disliked British intentions, few asked what the Arabs wanted and even fewer considered the sectarian differences between Sunni & Shia as relevant.  
With the fear of Iran in the late 70's the West under that nice Mr Rumsfeld gave Saddam all the support he wished, including Mustard Gas and allowed him to kill a million or two because we were scared of the old man with a beard.   Not long afterwards the nice Mr Rumsfeld and his nice friend Mr Cheney encouraged the first Bush to bomb Saddam.  Times had changed.
Later Mr Bush 2 came along and the nice Mr Rumsfeld and his nice friend Mr Cheney encouraged the second Bush to Bomb Saddam and remove him.  This they did but one little thing was omitted, they sacked all the soldiers and sacked all the police and allowed them to keep their guns and bombs.  Failure to ensure a government that considered both the Sunni and the Shia (not forgetting the Kurds) was not accomplished and later this caused resentment among the Sunni.

Saudi Arabia a rich friend of the USA and the West decided the West was not doing enough to deal with their fear of a nuclear Iran so encouraged war in Syria, Iran's friend.  Syria was stable, less totalitarian that Saudi and now lies destroyed.  Amongst the 'freedom fighters' appeared many Islamist groups, mostly fighting one another, and from them and the by now broken Iraq grew IS a new powerful Islamist organisation with a blood lust unseen for some years (it has been seen before however and often at that).  
IS did have the decency to inform the world it would create a crisis by sending refugees to Europe, and this they have done.  Amongst them we find many dedicated stupid people who are willing to kill and die in doing so.  These men appeared in Paris the other day.  

Why are people joining IS?  Consider yourself a young man, maybe a woman, growing up in the UK and reaching that horrid age we call adolescence.  This is the time we get very enthusiastic about changing the world or improving our nation.  Thought is not always the strongest of our assets at this time but emotion is!  You are young, enthusiastic for change and find yourself asking 'Am I a Muslim or am I British?'  This is when idealistic types get caught up with what we call 'radical' preachers.  They teach a strict type of Islam that asks for committed people and young folks are always committed.  Have we not all touched something like this when young?
Unfortunately an aspect of Islam that we now see constantly is the willingness to kill Islams enemies and the willingness also to die for what the young see as Islam.  Wealth, education, caring parents, none of these things make any difference, when the young wish to commit they commit fully.  That is why so many give themselves to IS as it is seen as the most radical Islamist grouping.  The volunteers consider they are building a better world, just as we did when listening to 'Canned Heat' and pretending we were Hippies, it's just that our ideology was different.

Millions have followed a leader who encouraged them to lay down their lives,  only a few years ago the Japanese were taught never to surrender and thousands died defending small islands in the Pacific for nothing. Few ever surrendered.  These present Islamic heroes will act in the same manner and bluster from Western leaders will have no effect on them.  When such see what they are told is an enemy they will ac without hesitation.  That is why vats numbers of Muslims have been killed by Muslims and the Middle East and Pakistan runs with rivers of blood rarely reported in the West.
A bomb in Lebanon killed at least 43 yet this does not get such TV time.  After all if they kill each other we don't care, maybe we should?
There are nearly two million Muslims in the UK, most working hard and aiding the nation not killing it, yet these must make a stand opposing loudly the operations of IS and actions like these.  This could be dangerous for many and if the Shia Muslims stood up the Sunni may not.  Some may take sides quietly, opposing violence yet not opposing these actions publicly.  It could of course be dangerous to say anything if you are a Muslim.  Muslims who become Christian are attacked in the streets in some towns one who stands up and objects to IS may suffer worse! 
Intelligence is the only way to beat any terrorist cell, that has to come from Muslims themselves and Mosques must offer a more strident 'peaceful' Islam for people to follow.  Propaganda is as important as bombs in dealing with IS.  

However let us remember such terrorist acts have gone on for years, the IRA caused 3000 deaths over 30 long years and occasionally kill another, Two world wars have caused massive disruption to society yet we are still plugging away, anarchists before the first war also set of bombs as indeed did suffragettes, terrorists who set fire to churches, damaged buildings and smashed paintings because 'men' ran them.  Terrorism is always with us, one of Jesus' disciples had been a terrorist, he carried a short sword, a 'stiletto'  which was plunged into a Romans back which was not very nice, and once IS have been stopped another source of violence will come forth.
Unless Jesus returns first of course.   

Marching for Peace?

Daily Mail

A million or two, possibly more, people marched through Paris today, led by political leaders who knew that it was important for their standing at home for them to appear there, in a supposed support of the cartoonists murdered by Islamic extremists.  An interesting event supporting those standing up to such extremist violence.

This however is France.  France a nation capable of anti Jewish sentiment and one that may not notice the Muslim immigrant who saved many lives during the Kosher shop raid, but will notice how dangerous Muslims can be.  This also is a nation that is well aware of the troubles caused by Islamic groupings in Africa, their troops have been based in Mali for some time now for that very reason, yet how much publicity was given to the 2000 killed by Boko Haram in Nigeria the other day?  How many care if thousands are murdered in the Middle East or Pakistan daily?  It is troubles at home that worry us, problems in distant lands about which we know nothing can be ignored for the most part.

I wonder how many claiming to also be 'Charlie' had actually read the magazine he edited?  I had never heard of it, no surprise there, but how many French and looked at it or bought it - once?  Few I suggest. 

It may well be that underneath there is indeed a fear of extremists, which is understandable, or possibly anti-Muslim feeling now being allowed expression, it also may be the freedom to poke fun at or insult those we do not like being what many support.  Not so much freedom of expression but freedom of their expression.  These I say are the same individuals who scream with rage when what is important to them are laughed at or insulted.  Like the 'Daily mail' and the 'Guardian' such demand a free press yet refuse to publish comments that disagree with them or indicate where they go wrong.

The 'Guardian' also dislikes the reference to 'Nazis' when they do this I have discovered.   

Many differing opinions now coalesce into a movement with little depth.  A great many will wish for a peaceful world where all are accepted, many keen on all sorts of 'equality' even if only for their grouping, many among the marchers will seek peace, others have just attended an 'event.' Once again an event has arisen from a tragedy and when politicians are involved the words flow long and loud very easily - but the suffering in Nigeria will not be eased by that!  

We face trouble from several Islamic groups, none of them pleasant, most based in the Yemen or Iraq or Syria and out of our reach, except by bomber aircraft.  Young men, especially men, will be tempted to see such marches as an attack on their Islam, preachers will already be indicating this to those willing to listen.  A march for peace may well lead to more trouble to such men seeking a purpose in this world and a cause to fight for and who lack the world knowledge understand a wider picture.

I am wary of the reasons for the support for the cartoonists, I am wary of the words flowing onto our news sites, I know that much will be said and little actually done by the people who march.  It is clear nothing will be done in Nigeria, the President is after all attempting to be re-elected, and missing schoolgirls, slaughtered villagers, and an increasing death toll in Muslim nations may be sad and indeed bad, but surely the west will consider our few dead are more important and little needs to be done, or indeed mentioned on our newscasts or papers about such as they?

God bless the news media, as long as cameras are available, and 'our people' are at risk.  Three or four dead here are worth more in the media than a thousand or two dead way over there.

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Paris Attack Today

BBC NEWS

The terrorist attack in Paris will make news throughout the world today.  At least a dozen dead, constant repetitions of the videos shot by onlookers, much, far too much speculation and needless chatter on the TV and Radio.

This attack on a satirical magazine which often laughs at Muslims, Catholics and Jews, was the scene, not for the first time, of an attack.  This shows at the very least that disagreeing with Islam can cause offence but with a variety of Jihadist organisations seeking recruits and publicity eventually leads to violent opposition.  Middle East Islam does not comprehend western liberal democracy. Lets face it 'Liberal' is not the most positive democracy, just look at the world around you, but it is better than rule by ISIS or some such group.

Islam of course is one of those religions that in theory is based on the Koran, however it is easily adapted to the culture in which it is found.  Therefore Islam in Lebanon has near naked women on the beach, Islam in Saudi Arabia will not even let them drive!  Just where this latest lot arise will be interesting to discover.

Some terrorist groupings can be dealt with.  The IRA, in spite of the cash flowing in from the USA came to realise that bombings would never get them power.  Islamist groupings will never understand that even after thirty years of so called war!  A quick look at the variety of murders in Pakistan alone over the past thirty years indicates that political understandings will be hindered by hard line groupings somewhere or other.  

It is important to remind ourselves that the fear of Islam in the west omits to point out that Islam kills more Muslims in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere than it does in the west.  Media outrage does not offer even handed journalism, especially when the readership do not wish to read it, and even more so in an election year!  The man in the corner shop is unlikely to offer danger to his customers, his son, growing up in a western society, well educated and talented in many ways may however find himself debating in his teenage years whether he really is a Muslim or a liberal westerner.  It is such as he who is tempted to extreme views, especially when at that age the desire to change the world is strong.  Far too many have been enticed through social media to extreme views, at least 36 have died in Iraq according to one report because of this.  Many have realised too late their mistake. 

More of this is to be expected in the days to come, the question however is how we respond to this. English extremists will no doubt rush to Islamic dominated areas to cause trouble, Islamic extremists will rush to meet them.  Lock them both up, together I say, and let decency prevail.

The thing to do now is for all media throughout the west to publish the cartoons that upset the extremists.  However, our media talk well but will never endanger themselves so that will not happen!

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First Monday of the New Year

Removing the ex-army greatcoat, the two ski suits and the thermal underwear I began on my exercises. Arms stretch out ahead and back, again, again, five times, ten, stop. Now swing arms to the side and stretch, again, once, twice, five, ten, twenty, stop. Knees bend together, one, two, three, four, five, oh that's enough of that! Breathe deeply in, out, in, out, ten deep breathes then relax. OK, now to get out of bed.

Dear oh dear, freezing cold once again and Jack Frost has been all over my window. The field outside is white with frost and the people rushing by are wrapped up in everything they possess. The heating is on and I canny feel it at all! In Siberia they do not let the kids of school until it is -37 degrees, and during the war Siberian troops brought over to defend Moscow fought in temperatures of minus 8. They thought this was warm! I however am not one for cold weather, nor do I intend to fight Nazis in this condition to be honest. I wish to be transported somewhere warm, Greece or Turkey or the Isle of Wight. Somewhere that Jack Frost and his icy fingers don't get to go near me.Several times to day I have had to put the heating on. Several times today, sitting here in my sleeping bag, wearing my woollen gloves with the fingers cut out, I have thought of those dwelling in Thailand and wondered how they cope with our cold weather? With a smug grin on their fat faces I bet! I can see them now, chomping yet more chicken and laughing their heads off! What's that? Me wish a monsoon on them? Never! In Nigeria they have a warm day with 38 degrees of heat, usually. In Portugal folk go swimming on Christmas Day. In this area the sun shines and the sky is blue but the seagulls soaring past my window are not looking for food scraps, they are nicking folks scarf's and wrapping them around their scrawny necks, and I don't blame them! Global warming, wherefore art thou pal?

Some of you have probably already noticed this, I as always am slow on the 'catch up' bit, but 'Blogger' has changed the 'Post Editor.'  There is a new one available and it is marginally better than the old one. Well I suppose that depends on you but if it's the new one I use it because the old one will disappear one day and leave me high and dry! Technology is always my slow point (one off) and after amassing lots of cassette tapes full of knowledge my tape machine has burst and they don't sell them any more. Everything is now on CD's except that digital is removing the need for CD's. I would mention large black circular things with  a hole in the middle and ask "Is this a record?" but you young things would not understand would you?

To find the new editor

First work your way to the 'Settings' tab.

At the bottom of the page you will see a field called 'Select Post Editor.,'

Select 'New Editor' save your settings.

Whether it is worth it or not only you can decide.

 

Yemen

Terrorism Bush claimed was based in Iraq, although we all knew different. Bin-Laden was known to be in the Pakistan hills hiding among the Taliban. So the military aim was to defeat both of them high up in the Afghanistan/Pakistan hills. Now we discover that the centre may have shifted to Somalia, where Islamic extremists abound, or Yemen where the British, US and now French embassies have closed because of perceived danger. The BBC reports that other nations, considered to be 'western' are also scaling down their operations. The danger from such extremists is indeed great. They appear to have no regard for human life, men women and children die by bomb, bullet and sometimes knife. This is less because of their religious belief and more because of culture and hardness of heart. We are right to be aware of the danger in this country as well as abroad.

Having said that such activities are not new. Violent people, for political reasons, religion, football or any other purpose have resorted to violence at home and abroad. It is part of the human condition, and we must agree, but not always willingly, such violence lies near at hand to ourselves also! Life is never peaceful, although the west, because of the 'Cold War' has experienced seventy years of peace and we have come to believe this is our right. However as a man once said, "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans," of course he got shot!

The Yemen is a place we know little about. Mud houses, Arabs aplenty, terrorists. What else do we know of them? Very little I suspect. However one man 'Ozgur Can Leonard' has been travelling through the land and posted this excellent series of photographs from Yemen. There may not be a picture of a gunman however there are some remarkable houses  and I suspect remarkable people living in them!