ALB
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
It seems that, of the 70,000 non-IS rebels mentioned in Cameron's dodgy dossier as being on the ground in Syria ready to take on IS, 65,000 share the same ideology and will only want to take IS's place in imposing Islamism on people in Syria; in other they are just members of rival Islamist gangs:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3367662/15-Jihadi-groups-65-000-militants-ready-replace-ISIS-defeated-share-aim-create-Islamic-state-destroy-west.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490Looks like, on Cameron's figures, there will only be about 5000 moderate, ie non-jihadi, rebels in Syria …..
Yes, I know him. By coincidence just been speaking on the phone to him to invite him to the West London branch social on Tuesday.
Sorry, Alan, but it's not the discussion I'm objecting to but the title of threads. I come back from being out, christmas shopping or from the pub (as now) or whatever, turn on my computer and see that the top item on the main section of the forum is headed "nobody has heard of us", "why are we not making progress", "why are we so small" and other moans and just wonder what all those people attracted by Vin's tweets think. Surely you can think of some better title for a thread on activity?
More background info on the system of economic exploitation imposed by ISIS in the areas it controls:http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/12/islamic-state-seizes-half-of-some-businessmens-money-in-the-countryside-of-deir-ezzor-and-it-covers-the-expenses-of-its-military-operations-from-collecting-zakat/Basically direct plundering to share out amongst its fighters, all under the guise of religion of course.
Isn't this more the responsibility of the Audio Visual Committee. Address here: spgb.av at worldsocialism, etc
Further evidence that ISIS is essentially a gang of marauding bandits under the guise of religion:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3360382/ISIS-extorts-millions-captive-residents-Syria-Iraq-Jihadis-uses-army-tax-collectors-fund-coalition-bombing-targets-oil-fields.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
More on this story — from Ron Paul (despite ISIS supporting his idea of reintroducing gold as the currency):http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151214/1031727212/israel-nusra-al-qaeda-medical-assistance-syria.html
mcolome1 wrote:The right wingers in the US are saying that Obama is a Muslim,Apparently the "moderate" Jihadists in Syria also regard Obama as a Muslim but as a Shia one:http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-11-13/syrian-rebels-give-obama-a-bad-name-abu-hussein-
Israel backs Al Qaeda, patching up their killers so they can go back and kill Christians, Shia Muslims, Alawites, Druze and other non-Sunni minorities:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3315347/Watch-heart-pounding-moment-Israeli-commandos-save-Islamic-militants-Syrian-warzone-risking-lives-sworn-enemies.htmlThat real realpolitik for you.
Young Master Smeet wrote:Corbyn in the Times today (paywall) http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4635914.eceThis is just warmed up social democracy of the 19320's, the state promoting microeconomic efficiency, to produce growth. Not only has this been tried before, and failed, but it's clear that this approach cannot eliminate inequality and poverty, which are essential features of the market system. 'Designed markets' sound like a cunning way of getting business onside, but the need for profitability will always trump the designed ends.Very revealing quote you found there. It's Corbyn on how he sees the future (even though it reflects the view of Mariana Mazzucato, one of John McDonnell's economic advisers) and it's not socialism. By a long way. It's not even state capitalism which Labour leftwingers used to be committed to.
Jeremy Corbyn wrote:We want a word where governments shape the rules that promote public goods — where they protect the ultimate public good of a stable climate in which humanity can survive and prosper. To do that, we need a state that invests. We need an entrepreneurial, nimble state that neither wages war with markets nor bows in their presence, but shapes them. It is the rules set out by the state that allows markets to flourish .This means we can shape competitive markets and shape the goods they produce, so that we can all start making the right choices for our future.Socialism is not about "shaping" markets but about abolishing them. This is a quote we can keep on quoting.
The Militant statement complaining about not being allowed to infiltrate Momentum can be found here:http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/21875See how they moan:
Quote:But like classical reformists, who in this period cannot carry through reforms, Corbyn and his team irritate the ruling class who want to get rid of them from the leadership of the party, but also fail to satisfy the demands of working people, particularly young people, for decisive action.This is reflected in Momentum. Tom Watson has used the same terminology that was used in the past against Militant (forerunner of the Socialist Party) and others on the left, that Momentum is a "party within a party" and should be disciplined. What they want is that the right should be organised – as they have made abundantly clear – but the rank and file and the left should not be organised.How does the leadership of Momentum respond to this? They suggest their own form of a witch-hunt – as shown by the disgraceful attacks of the Momentum leadership on Socialist Party members in Waltham Forest, and particularly Nancy Taaffe, for arguing for re-selection and democratisation of the Labour Party They do not seem prepared to discuss and debate these ideas. Momentum nationally has now stated that Socialist Party members and other non-Labour Party members won't be allowed to take part in Momentum decision-making meetings.Poor parasites without a host. But why don't they do what they did last time: join the Labour Party like Workers Power and the AW already have. There must be rich pickings for Trotskyists there. Of course the other section of Militant never left the Labour Party anyway and are now well ensconced in Momentum as well, as the introduction to this article shows.
Just finished reading this book. It's terrible with its relentless Irish Republicanism. Not worth buying, only worth slating in a review.
The first blood on the warmongers' hands?http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/07/syrian-civilians-killed-us-airstrikehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35031531
