ALB
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alanjjohnstone wrote:I hope this latest blog post goes some way to explaining our position, Marcoshttp://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/in-response-to-syrian-air-attacks.html
That's excellent. We can use it in next month's Standard.
alanjjohnstone wrote:Air attacks took place but rather token muted affairs from my viewing of the reportsI agree that after all the sabre-rattling, drum-beating and bellicose rhetoric, all that the US and a couple of its poodles have done is to administer a slap across the wrists to the Syrian government. Israel could have done that on its own. It is of course a good thing that they didn't unleash mass destruction. The Army of Islam and those that faked the videos won't be happy of course as that is precisely what they wanted.Lucky that we didn't issue a statement, though we had prepared a front cover for next month's Socialist Standard denouncing the "latest example of capitalist barbarism". Fortunately this can be changed to denounce the hypocrisy of the capitalist states involved and their leaders and changing Trump's words from "righteous power" and "noble warriors" to "might is right" and "trained killers".Beyond that, other points are that they admistered their wrist slap without authorisation either of the UN or their own elected assemblies as, by their own standards, they are supposed to do and before waiting for the report of the chemical weapon inspectors due to commence their evidence collecting today.
No it doesn't. It just means that one of the Russian suggestions — that it was Porton Down what done it — seemed a bit of a cock and bull story. This doesn't mean that the British state's explanation — that it was the Russian government what done it — is true. The government itself originally suggested an alternative — that it was some rogue element that got the stuff from the old Soviet Union.Meanwhie the Russian government has produced some evidence for its claim about what happened in Douma:
Quote:Konashenkov released statements by medics from Douma's hospital, who said a group of people toting video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons, dousing them with water and causing panic. The medics, however, said none of the patients had any symptoms of chemical poisoning, according to the satements. (http://abc7ny.com/politics/russia-claims-syira-chemical-attack-was-staged-by-uk/3337376/)This would only be evidence only that the videos were staged but not that the British Secret Services were behind it. But no doubt the OPCW will see the statements and interview the doctors and hospital staff who made them and come to some conclusion about them.
The point I was making was that both sides are claiming to have "proof" or "irrefutable data" as to what happened which are directly contradictory. We can't make a judgement as who is right unless they produce the evidence for it to be examined:https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/13/after-france-claims-proof-chemical-attack-was-assad-russia-says-irrefutable-data
Can't you send the pamphlets back to Head Office so they can be recycled to newer members (we've got enough back issues there)?. The Party has enough money to pay the postage.
Not to mention us. The term "state capitalism" was in use even before the First World Slaughter, as by Kropotkin, Wilhelm Liebknecht and, again, us (even before Cliff was born):http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1910s/1910/no-68-april-1910/evolution-and-state-capitalism
Bakground information:https://in.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-syria-chemicalweapons/factbox-chemical-weapons-inspectors-how-do-they-work-idINKBN1HK17A?rpc=401&Let's see what they come up with.
Interesting take on the situation by a former Sea Lord:http://talkradio.co.uk/news/former-naval-chief-syria-chemical-attack-could-be-propaganda-18041325517After Russia's cock and bull stories about the Salisbury incident now it's NATO's turn to come up with one about the Douma incident:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/12/syria-attack-experts-check-signs-nerve-agentSecret agents smuggling bodies through enemy lines and over the border to be examined by doctors in Jordan. They'll have to do better than that in their bid to show that a nerve gas as well as chlorine was involved.
Here's what the Socialist Standard said at the time:http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1920s/1923/no-224-april-1923/socialism-and-fascisti
Whoever invented it, Tony Cliff is still saying it from beyond the grave:https://independentaustralia.net/article-display/neither-washington-nor-moscow-nor-more-war-in-syria,11397
This is supposed to be a criticism of him !http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43737547?intlink_from_url=&link_location=live-reporting-story
An opinion poll says most people in Britain are against it:https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2018/04/12/breaking-theresa-mays-plan-to-bomb-syria-just-hit-some-serious-turbulence/
Quote:By almost two to one, British people oppose bombing Syria, according to a survey by YouGov released on 12 April.But when has that made much difference to a government bent on war?Footnote: even the Ludwig von Mises Institute is against it:https://mises.org/wire/against-war-syria
A LibDem puts the case against bombing Syria:https://www.libdemvoice.org/taking-action-against-syria-is-not-liberal-interventionism-57182.htmlMeanwhile some Labour MPs, including its Deputy Leader no less, are clamouring for Syria to be bombed:https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/labours-tom-watson-backs-missile-12859462
Quote:In other words Zionism could be construed as a form of racismYou can't say that or you'll be done for anti-semitism. Here's the official government definition of anti-semitism:https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/a-definition-of-antisemitism
Quote:However, for those seeking a definition of antisemitism, the UK’s College of Policing does include a working definition of antisemitism in their guidance to police forces in the UK. The full guidance is available from their website here and the definition is reproduced in full here:(…)Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.Safer to say that Israel is a sectarian endeavour.
More here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_IsraelApparently, the same applies to Israeli subjects who are Muslims and Christians. They can't marry outside their religion either. Israel is continuing to apply the situation that existed under the Ottoman Empire except that it is Jews not Muslims who are the top dogs. So Israel is a backward country in this respect, though not as bad a Apartheid South Africa as sexual relations between people of different religions don't seem to be illegal. It's a sectarian State.
