Yesterday's Spotlight programme highlighted the campaign, by victims group FAIR, against the Libyan dictatorship responsible for IRA murder due to Colonel Gaddafi's supplying weapons and financial support to the provisionals.
Willie Frazer, the head of Families Acting for Innocent Victims (FAIR), has been a very outspoken campaigner for IRA victims including many members of his own family; to republicans however he is a bigoted "Brit", an image not helped by Frazers prickly demeaner or past associations with unsavoury characters - but his suffering has been very real and is in the end deserving of sympathy.
After a decade in the wilderness Frazer and FAIR were recognised as representing a silent but very real and long suffering set of victims. Documents leaked to the press showing the breathtaking lack of concern for victims of the IRAs Libyan connection finally pushed the British government into action.
Now perhaps a few innocent victims of the IRAs international terrorism will be compensated or recognised. It remains to be seen if it is really a meaningful gesture and that nothing will be gained by provo-terrorist elements or their sympathizers.
The Provos of course speak of not acknowledeging a "hierarchy of victims" which is provospeak for "republicans are top of thier own hierarchy".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nnnv8
Showing newest posts with label international. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label international. Show older posts
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Obama: Just Another Politician
President Obama despite all the praise, deification and outlandish claims of his cult-like followers, is nothing more than a typical politician.
All of the talk of his first 100 days as President was the usual media hype and OTT reporting. Of course beyond the hype and media coverage Obama was faffing around with his cabinet appointments, engaging in corporatist takeovers, increasing un-necessary spending and relocating US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.
As a foreign Obama supporter my reasons for supporting his campaign was, like many Americans, I was unimpressed with the nutty John McCain and his supposedly "folksy hockey mom" running mate Sarah Palin. Perhaps I'm too cynical but I didn't buy her routine as an "average Jane", she is as power hungry and manipulative as any Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Joe Biden on the other hand has nothing to learn from George W Bush when it comes to bumbling about and gaffe making. Then again "The One" himself isn't immune from gaffes; is their only 50 states? And his malfunctioning teleprompter of course.
Obama is not the saviour of America or a superman president, perhaps he’s more articulate and media savvy, although it wouldn't be hard considering the last guy who was in the White House or with a media still besotted with their great black hope. Indeed the honeymoon isn't over and 100 days is nothing out of 4 years.
That said President Obama has already broken many of his election pledges and his, to be fair rather unachievable promises; indeed his ultra-liberal supporters will have a lot of overlooking to do if they want to still believe in "Yes We Can".
He promised to shut down Guantanamo because of its "inhumane treatment" of enemy-combatants.
"The Obama administration is moving toward reviving the military commission system for prosecuting Guantánamo detainees, which was a target of critics during the Bush administration, including Mr. Obama himself."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/us/politics/02gitmo.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
His agenda for a fiscal stimulus descended into 'earmarks' and corporate takeovers resulting in a tightening of free enterprise.
"Obama criticized pork barrel spending in the form of 'earmarks,' urging changes in the way that Congress adopts the spending proposals. Then he signed a spending bill that contains nearly 9,000 of them, some that members of his own staff shoved in last year when they were still members of Congress. 'Let there be no doubt, this piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business, and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability,' Obama said." http://www.nypost.com/seven/04252009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/100_days__100_mistakes_166177.htm?page=0
"In this NPR interview, Lisa Jackson, head of the EPA, gives her perspective (and her boss's) on the auto industry (HT: TJ Goss). In the second quote from her, I have tried to reproduce the sounds she makes in trying to avoid telling a ridiculous lie. She tells it anyway. From the 3:35 mark of the interview:
Jackson: The President has said—and I couldn’t agree more—that what this country needs is one single national road map that tells auto makers who are trying to become solvent again, what kind of car it is they need to be designing and building for the American people.
NPR reporter (interrupting): Is that the role of the government. though? I mean that doesn’t sound like free enterprise.
Jackson: Well, ih it , it is free enterprise in a way. Umm uhh you know, first and foremost the free enterprise system has us where we are right this second (laughs) and so some would argue that the government already has a much larger role than we might have when Henry Ford rolled the first cars off the assembly line."
http://www.cafehayek.com/hayek/2009/04/the-woman-and-man-of-system.html
The old saying "be careful what you wish for" sums up Obama’s first 100 days as President. Not exactly "The One" or "like a messiah", just a regular politician in a fancy house.
All of the talk of his first 100 days as President was the usual media hype and OTT reporting. Of course beyond the hype and media coverage Obama was faffing around with his cabinet appointments, engaging in corporatist takeovers, increasing un-necessary spending and relocating US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.
As a foreign Obama supporter my reasons for supporting his campaign was, like many Americans, I was unimpressed with the nutty John McCain and his supposedly "folksy hockey mom" running mate Sarah Palin. Perhaps I'm too cynical but I didn't buy her routine as an "average Jane", she is as power hungry and manipulative as any Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Joe Biden on the other hand has nothing to learn from George W Bush when it comes to bumbling about and gaffe making. Then again "The One" himself isn't immune from gaffes; is their only 50 states? And his malfunctioning teleprompter of course.
Obama is not the saviour of America or a superman president, perhaps he’s more articulate and media savvy, although it wouldn't be hard considering the last guy who was in the White House or with a media still besotted with their great black hope. Indeed the honeymoon isn't over and 100 days is nothing out of 4 years.
That said President Obama has already broken many of his election pledges and his, to be fair rather unachievable promises; indeed his ultra-liberal supporters will have a lot of overlooking to do if they want to still believe in "Yes We Can".
He promised to shut down Guantanamo because of its "inhumane treatment" of enemy-combatants.
"The Obama administration is moving toward reviving the military commission system for prosecuting Guantánamo detainees, which was a target of critics during the Bush administration, including Mr. Obama himself."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/us/politics/02gitmo.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
His agenda for a fiscal stimulus descended into 'earmarks' and corporate takeovers resulting in a tightening of free enterprise.
"Obama criticized pork barrel spending in the form of 'earmarks,' urging changes in the way that Congress adopts the spending proposals. Then he signed a spending bill that contains nearly 9,000 of them, some that members of his own staff shoved in last year when they were still members of Congress. 'Let there be no doubt, this piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business, and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability,' Obama said." http://www.nypost.com/seven/04252009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/100_days__100_mistakes_166177.htm?page=0
"In this NPR interview, Lisa Jackson, head of the EPA, gives her perspective (and her boss's) on the auto industry (HT: TJ Goss). In the second quote from her, I have tried to reproduce the sounds she makes in trying to avoid telling a ridiculous lie. She tells it anyway. From the 3:35 mark of the interview:
Jackson: The President has said—and I couldn’t agree more—that what this country needs is one single national road map that tells auto makers who are trying to become solvent again, what kind of car it is they need to be designing and building for the American people.
NPR reporter (interrupting): Is that the role of the government. though? I mean that doesn’t sound like free enterprise.
Jackson: Well, ih it , it is free enterprise in a way. Umm uhh you know, first and foremost the free enterprise system has us where we are right this second (laughs) and so some would argue that the government already has a much larger role than we might have when Henry Ford rolled the first cars off the assembly line."
http://www.cafehayek.com/hayek/2009/04/the-woman-and-man-of-system.html
The old saying "be careful what you wish for" sums up Obama’s first 100 days as President. Not exactly "The One" or "like a messiah", just a regular politician in a fancy house.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Naked Aggression: Swiss Ban German Invasion
Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps have banned naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.
By a show of hands citizens of the tiny state of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc (£119) fine on violators.
Only a scattering of people today opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn.
The cantonal government recommended the ban after determining that citizens had found nude hiking to be "thoroughly disturbing and irritating".
A similar legal move is expected in neighbouring Appenzell Outer Rhodes with legislation being prepared against "this shameless behaviour".
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/nude-hiking-banned-by-swiss-14282186.html
By a show of hands citizens of the tiny state of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc (£119) fine on violators.
Only a scattering of people today opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn.
The cantonal government recommended the ban after determining that citizens had found nude hiking to be "thoroughly disturbing and irritating".
A similar legal move is expected in neighbouring Appenzell Outer Rhodes with legislation being prepared against "this shameless behaviour".
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/nude-hiking-banned-by-swiss-14282186.html
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