Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th November 2015

[ohsocynical]

Back from yet another wet and windy walk with dogs. Sadly a walk without our lovely new dog, Paloma. I have not felt able before now to inflict on FTN the story of our official visit from the government vet to check her importation paperwork ... It did not go well. The vet went over the documents with a magnifying glass - yes really - a magnifying glass - and was here for 2 hours. We had thought it might be half an hour tops.

She managed to find several oversights / discrepancies to query. The main one she decided to focus on was that one of the forms had one and a half lines of text with a line crossing them through which made it look as though Paloma might not have had a particular treatment - when in fact the label, vets signature and stamp in her passport clearly shows she has. This administrative bungle was not acceptable (she decided to overlook the other issues she raised - just as well as we have since found out she is wrong and not up to date with regulation changes herself). After phone calls back to her office she issued us with a 7 Day Notice of Restriction which means Paloma is not allowed to leave this premises. We have to get the Spanish government vet to reissue the form without the line crossed through so that the restriction can be lifted. This they did - only for us to be told that although it had been sent via official channels it still wasn't acceptable because the vet hadn't signed and date stamped the correction (removal of line crossing through) ... Of course by then it was the weekend so no vet available. We are now hoping to get this done tomorrow.

Meanwhile a veritable deluge of emails have gone back and forth between her previous carers in Spain and us - and a FREE Paloma campaign and sign off has got underway. Here is the confined darling. She hasn't got a clue what's going on.

Paloma in her bed.jpg

What a beautiful gentle face...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Tubby 6.04 --for example the SAS 'shot to kill' very definitely in Gibraltar . I didn't see all the details on the recent question and JCs reply

It all sounded to me like a manufactured issue compounded by JC waffling ?

Nobody formally authorises "a shoot to kill" policy. It's a decision for officers on the ground.

It was a trap, but pretty obvious.

[Temulkar]

Im feeling much more positive about the drift to war. Had Dave called a snap vote last week, I think he would have won easily with many on the Labour benches supporting him. His fear of defeat has given the peace movement time to rein in the armchair generals and wannabe childkillers. Hopefully, it will be enough to stop the bombs for a time. The 'moderates' will have moved on to the next attempyt to undermine Corbyn, bet you any money its about a reduced majority, regardless of turnout or percentage of the vote.

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (Labour supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

[rebeccariots2]

Im feeling much more positive about the drift to war. Had Dave called a snap vote last week, I think he would have won easily with many on the Labour benches supporting him. His fear of defeat has given the peace movement time to rein in the armchair generals and wannabe childkillers. Hopefully, it will be enough to stop the bombs for a time. The 'moderates' will have moved on to the next attempyt to undermine Corbyn, bet you any money its about a reduced majority, regardless of turnout or percentage of the vote.

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (L.about supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

Hoping you are right about the slackening support for going to war. Knowing you are pretty right about the next salvos at Corbyn ...

I really thought Labour / we had pretty much learned the dangers of being bounced into war in the aftermath of a ghastly event. How wrong I was.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Tubby 6.04 --for example the SAS 'shot to kill' very definitely in Gibraltar . I didn't see all the details on the recent question and JCs reply

It all sounded to me like a manufactured issue compounded by JC waffling ?

Problem is Corbyn was given a black and white scenario and fluffed his answer. In part possibly because he was remembering some of the abuses in Northern Ireland.

It all reinforces his record as being "a friend of terrorists." (Right wing press view).

It's not an exclusively rightwing view that he's been very naive in his dealings with some very unpleasant people. Peace is a bit harder than inviting people in for talks. If a PM in the mid 80s sits down with Sinn Fein, the UFF kill some more people. He doesn't seem to have much flair for "talking" anyway. His letter to MPs had a pretty crass reference to the safety of Britain being the top concern, which the French might not have liked much.

[frog222]

Tubby 6.40 " It's a decision for officers on the ground. "

Exactly.

[TechnicalEphemera]

Technical 6.22 -- I do remember reading that some Sunnis in Iraq went along with Daesh because the attacking Shia Militias were as dangerous to them as the Daesh occupiers of their lands ...

they had nowhere else to go, but were not willing members or allies.

You can make that argument, but I don't really think it is sustainable. As far as I know, unlike ISIS, the Iraqi government did not institute genocide against their population.

[seeingclearly]

Not one Muslim I know thinks war in Syria is justified
Promises come in thick and fast, as unreliable as all those made before – on Iraq, Libya and the ‘war on terror’
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/not ... 53656.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Once again nobody is speaking to Muslims or Arabs at home. I have not heard a single British Muslim or Arab voice calling for this bombing campaign.

Here is what one British Muslim primary school teacher tells me: “You know if I was a young Muslim guy, I could get that angry that I would turn away from democracy and all that. This Prime Minister takes no refugees, and is still a friend of Arab dictators. Now bombs. Why? Do they even know? They are encouraging radicalisation. Their de-radicalisation programmes, which I am supposed to push, will fall apart. The UK will get more Isis recruits. I am so worried.” I also fear that some of the most effective programmes which were tackling extremist ideologies will lose all credibility.

I believe the Guardian vox pop on Oldham found one Muslim who thinks attacking ISIS is justified.

One of the issues, and it is a difficult one, is that ISIS enjoys significant support from a significant group of Sunni Muslims. If it didn't then it wouldn't be able to occupy the territory it does. However that does not mean we should not eliminate ISIS.

In some ways the debate on civilian casualties is pointless, ISIS must be defeated militarily, all we are arguing about is who is going to do that. Will that kill a lot of people, yes it will. If the RAF is bombing rather than the Russians will it kill less people, almost certainly.

If defeating ISIS radicalises people we have to deal with that. There is no future in just hoping the problem goes away.

That said Cameron's strategy is bollocks, but we should fight, Paris demands a response and we need to stand with our allies. The reality of the situation will force a sensible strategy on Cameron eventually. That strategy is an accommodation with Russia and Iran.

With respect TE., what makes you think that 'we' can eliminate ISIS ? When their core belief comes through one of our professed best friend nations? You say we should fight, but we are not going to do that, we are going to indiscriminately bomb.

As I know you are likely to take issue with that I will clarify indiscriminate. I heard Michael Fallon this morning give his personal assurance that he will be overseeing every strike and no strike will take place until he has verified that the target is indeed ISIS. The only reason that the Russians will kill more people is because they have many more planes than we do. Do you really think our extra special weapons can distinguish between brown people with and without ISIS ideology?

Further if we defeat ISIS but fail to prevent further radicalisation what exactly are we doing? Your logic astounds me. It is like sowing dragons teeth.

[Temulkar]

Im feeling much more positive about the drift to war. Had Dave called a snap vote last week, I think he would have won easily with many on the Labour benches supporting him. His fear of defeat has given the peace movement time to rein in the armchair generals and wannabe childkillers. Hopefully, it will be enough to stop the bombs for a time. The 'moderates' will have moved on to the next attempyt to undermine Corbyn, bet you any money its about a reduced majority, regardless of turnout or percentage of the vote.

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (L.about supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

Hoping you are right about the slackening support for going to war. Knowing you are pretty right about the next salvos at Corbyn ...

I really thought Labour / we had pretty much learned the dangers of being bounced into war in the aftermath of a ghastly event. How wrong I was.

Cameron blew it with his 70k moderates claim, that is such a outrageous deciet nobody could let it pass. Even then he would have pushed it through last week. He still might, but the task is a lot more difficult. Voices on both left and right are calling it for the insane venture it is.

When it goes wrong, as it most certainly will, he is going to have '70k' like a millstone around his neck. It would be better for Cameron's leadership for the Peaceniks to suceed, but I will take that as the price of innocent lives saved.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (Labour supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

The majority was 34 percentage points, in a very bad election result. The whole point of Corbyn was that he's supposed to get the base out that Miliband didn't.

[seeingclearly]

Technical 6.22 -- I do remember reading that some Sunnis in Iraq went along with Daesh because the attacking Shia Militias were as dangerous to them as the Daesh occupiers of their lands ...

they had nowhere else to go, but were not willing members or allies.

You can make that argument, but I don't really think it is sustainable. As far as I know, unlike ISIS, the Iraqi government did not institute genocide against their population.

Halabja.

[Temulkar]

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (Labour supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

The majority was 34 percentage points, in a very bad election result. The whole point of Corbyn was that he's supposed to get the base out that Miliband didn't.

And if McMahhon wins with 50% of a 35% turnout his majority would still be 30% but in numbers a fall of 6-7k - which do you think the press and 'moderates' are going to concentrate on?

Im just hoping Hart can do better than in the GE for the Greens.

[TechnicalEphemera]

I believe the Guardian vox pop on Oldham found one Muslim who thinks attacking ISIS is justified.

One of the issues, and it is a difficult one, is that ISIS enjoys significant support from a significant group of Sunni Muslims. If it didn't then it wouldn't be able to occupy the territory it does. However that does not mean we should not eliminate ISIS.

In some ways the debate on civilian casualties is pointless, ISIS must be defeated militarily, all we are arguing about is who is going to do that. Will that kill a lot of people, yes it will. If the RAF is bombing rather than the Russians will it kill less people, almost certainly.

If defeating ISIS radicalises people we have to deal with that. There is no future in just hoping the problem goes away.

That said Cameron's strategy is bollocks, but we should fight, Paris demands a response and we need to stand with our allies. The reality of the situation will force a sensible strategy on Cameron eventually. That strategy is an accommodation with Russia and Iran.

With respect TE., what makes you think that 'we' can eliminate ISIS ? When their core belief comes through one of our professed best friend nations? You say we should fight, but we are nit going to do that, we are going to indiscriminately bomb.

As I know you are likely to take issue with that I will clarify indiscriminate. I heard Michael Fallon this morning give his personal assurance that he will be overseeing every strike and no strike will take place until he has verified that the target is indeed ISIS. The only reason that the Russians will kill more people is because they have many more planes than we do. Do you really think our extra special weapons can distinguish between brown people with and without ISIS ideology?

Further if we defeat ISIS but fail to prevent further radicalisation what exactly are we doing? Your logic astounds me. It is like sowing dragons teeth.

Firstly, nobody is talking about indiscriminately bombing anyone. In practise what this means is people in trucks crossing the border between Turkey and Syria are likely to be a target. The UK will do a better job than Russia in trying to identify ISIS targets, but yes we will get it wrong sometimes.

Secondly, Paris shows we have to defeat ISIS, they aren't exactly the Soviet Union and they have annoyed variously the UK, USA, Russia, China, France and Iran.

So I am fairly confident they can be beaten, the question is how best to do it. Will another similar cult emerge maybe, or maybe not.

Exactly what is your alternative to trying to beat them?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I expect a Labour hold in Oldham with a much reduced majority. I know a couple of people canvassing who have been really positive about their response (Labour supporters not Green) Turnout is not expected to be high which will help the smaller parties and be a major factor in the smaller majority. The press and the 'moderates' won't mention that of course, they will be backslapping and high fiving , and telling everybody 'Corbyn has to go' (TM)

The majority was 34 percentage points, in a very bad election result. The whole point of Corbyn was that he's supposed to get the base out that Miliband didn't.

And if McMahhon wins with 50% of a 35% turnout his majority would still be 30% but in numbers a fall of 6-7k - which do you think the press and 'moderates' are going to concentrate on?

Im just hoping Hart can do better than in the GE for the Greens.

I can do percentages, thanks.

Any politician acting like people don't understand percentages is going to get laughed at.

[Temulkar]

Even the Spectator

http://new.spectator.co.uk/2015/11/jere ... d-cameron/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Temulkar]

The majority was 34 percentage points, in a very bad election result. The whole point of Corbyn was that he's supposed to get the base out that Miliband didn't.

And if McMahhon wins with 50% of a 35% turnout his majority would still be 30% but in numbers a fall of 6-7k - which do you think the press and 'moderates' are going to concentrate on?

Im just hoping Hart can do better than in the GE for the Greens.

I can do percentages, thanks.

Any politician acting like people don't understand percentages is going to get laughed at.

It will be how it is reported. If Mcmahon wins but the percentage is similar the heaadlines in the press and on the BBC will be: 'Labour win in Oldham West with a much reduced majority - crisis for Jeremy Corbyn.'

[ohsocynical]

I dont think anyone doubts that at some point Isil needs to be met head on, but and it's a big but, knee jerk reactions are not the way to go and before we attempt any sort of action, terrorist funding and arms sales have to be addressed.
I also don't think anyone doubts that it's like a hydra. [Do I have the right monster?] Cut one head off and another grows...But we must not add to the killing of innocents because some shits are making a lot of money.

40 MPs went to the last Arms Fair. That speaks for itself.

Cameron in charge scares the living daylights out of me. If anyone can quote one single thing that his party has done that has gone smoothly and to plan, and not ended up in back tracking chaos - apart that is from selling off our assets and filling his friends pockets - then maybe I wouldn't be backing Corbyn's views so strongly.

[rebeccariots2]

Jim Pickard Retweeted
Andrew Neilson ‏@neilsonandrew 17m17 minutes ago Tottenham, London
Andrew Neilson Retweeted Jim Pickard
Who would have thought Douglas Alexander was what he was looking for

Jim Pickard
‏@PickardJE
Douglas Alexander to get six-figure salary working for Bono https://next.ft.com/content/6babdf24-96 ... 7aa298f769" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … FT

Good grief.

[Tubby Isaacs]

And if McMahhon wins with 50% of a 35% turnout his majority would still be 30% but in numbers a fall of 6-7k - which do you think the press and 'moderates' are going to concentrate on?

Im just hoping Hart can do better than in the GE for the Greens.

I can do percentages, thanks.

Any politician acting like people don't understand percentages is going to get laughed at.

It will be how it is reported. If Mcmahon wins but the percentage is similar the heaadlines in the press and on the BBC will be: 'Labour win in Oldham West with a much reduced majority - crisis for Jeremy Corbyn.'

Quite likely, but I don't think moderate MPs will go too far down that route.

[RogerOThornhill]

Aside from the war, what is with schools - and especially academies and free schools - that want to make themselves sound so important?



Looking at the job description...

As a Teaching Fellow, you will support teachers in lessons, run clubs after school, do intervention reading or maths classes with struggling pupils, organise data and generally support around the school. The role could suit you if you are a recent graduate thinking about going into teaching (whatever your subject), or as a long term support role. If you just generally like children, it may also be something you could do for one year, while you decide what to do with your life.

It's a Teaching Assistant. Now, I'm a big fan of TAs as they do valuable work if used in the right way...but you're a school not a bloody university. She even says "no experience necessary"!

[rebeccariots2]

Aside from the war, what is with schools - and especially academies and free schools - that want to make themselves sound so important?



Looking at the job description...

As a Teaching Fellow, you will support teachers in lessons, run clubs after school, do intervention reading or maths classes with struggling pupils, organise data and generally support around the school. The role could suit you if you are a recent graduate thinking about going into teaching (whatever your subject), or as a long term support role. If you just generally like children, it may also be something you could do for one year, while you decide what to do with your life.

It's a Teaching Assistant. Now, I'm a big fan of TAs as they do valuable work if used in the right way...but you're a school not a bloody university. She even says "no experience necessary"!

Love the 'Fellow' ... as if that title makes it something quite different.

[seeingclearly]

I believe the Guardian vox pop on Oldham found one Muslim who thinks attacking ISIS is justified.

One of the issues, and it is a difficult one, is that ISIS enjoys significant support from a significant group of Sunni Muslims. If it didn't then it wouldn't be able to occupy the territory it does. However that does not mean we should not eliminate ISIS.

In some ways the debate on civilian casualties is pointless, ISIS must be defeated militarily, all we are arguing about is who is going to do that. Will that kill a lot of people, yes it will. If the RAF is bombing rather than the Russians will it kill less people, almost certainly.

If defeating ISIS radicalises people we have to deal with that. There is no future in just hoping the problem goes away.

That said Cameron's strategy is bollocks, but we should fight, Paris demands a response and we need to stand with our allies. The reality of the situation will force a sensible strategy on Cameron eventually. That strategy is an accommodation with Russia and Iran.

With respect TE., what makes you think that 'we' can eliminate ISIS ? When their core belief comes through one of our professed best friend nations? You say we should fight, but we are nit going to do that, we are going to indiscriminately bomb.

As I know you are likely to take issue with that I will clarify indiscriminate. I heard Michael Fallon this morning give his personal assurance that he will be overseeing every strike and no strike will take place until he has verified that the target is indeed ISIS. The only reason that the Russians will kill more people is because they have many more planes than we do. Do you really think our extra special weapons can distinguish between brown people with and without ISIS ideology?

Further if we defeat ISIS but fail to prevent further radicalisation what exactly are we doing? Your logic astounds me. It is like sowing dragons teeth.

Firstly, nobody is talking about indiscriminately bombing anyone. In practise what this means is people in trucks crossing the border between Turkey and Syria are likely to be a target. The UK will do a better job than Russia in trying to identify ISIS targets, but yes we will get it wrong sometimes.

Secondly, Paris shows we have to defeat ISIS, they aren't exactly the Soviet Union and they have annoyed variously the UK, USA, Russia, China, France and Iran.

So I am fairly confident they can be beaten, the question is how best to do it. Will another similar cult emerge maybe, or maybe not.

Exactly what is your alternative to trying to beat them?

The people of Raqqa would differ. And France dropped bombs there, some msy say with justification, but definitely indiscriminately. There is no indication that we would do any better and I am old enough to remember the televised war, the one before they started to edit the unpleasant bits out, and what was done to the retreating iraqui army. After a few iterations of 'clean' or 'clinical' strikes one starts to lose faith in the honesty of such language.

I do not believe it is our resposibility to rush into action in Syria, we didn't before, and I am reminded that there were massive demos relating to Syria four years and a month (almost to the day) ago. It is a world issue, not a British issue, and I would be ok about seeing our troops in on the groud as part of a well thought out strategic initiative. This isn't it, it is a gungho knee jerk reaction to an atrocity in Europe.

I would have more faith in action if we were counting the middle eastern losses of life, recognising the atrocities that are daily occurring in other places and which cannot be framed in a eurocentric way, and dealing with the humanitarian disaster that is the refugee crisis and the ever deteriorating weather conditions. Also if we stopped deporting young refugees who have grown up here back to the devastated places that are no longer able to be home for anyone.

It is an ideological war. You can kill as many ISIS people as there are and still more will spring up, and even more again, because you will be reinforcing the core of their discontent and the basis of their ideology.

I haven't got answers for what needs to be done but I do recognise what should not be done.

Somewhere in the space between is the least worse and most effective thing to do, but I suggest that we are not the ones stuck in the middle of this, ordinary Syrian citizens are, and our government should be doing them the courtesy of listening to what they say at the very least.

[rebeccariots2]

Barbara Keeley Retweeted
Roy Lilley ‏@RoyLilley 5m5 minutes ago
BMA now saying strike is inevitable

[seeingclearly]

Aside from the war, what is with schools - and especially academies and free schools - that want to make themselves sound so important?



Looking at the job description...

As a Teaching Fellow, you will support teachers in lessons, run clubs after school, do intervention reading or maths classes with struggling pupils, organise data and generally support around the school. The role could suit you if you are a recent graduate thinking about going into teaching (whatever your subject), or as a long term support role. If you just generally like children, it may also be something you could do for one year, while you decide what to do with your life.

It's a Teaching Assistant. Now, I'm a big fan of TAs as they do valuable work if used in the right way...but you're a school not a bloody university. She even says "no experience necessary"!

There are some bloody good TAs, but have to say we came across more than a few bloody awful ones too. I'd rather a decent practical educated mum of almost any origin, than some graduate trying to fill in some time and prove they are worth employing because they could stick out a year with a classroom of kids. I don't often comment on education, the technicalities keep changing so much, but Teaching Fellows is a step too far, and many of the good TAs I have known over the years who went on to become excellent teachers would be snorting their disgust at the pretension!

[PorFavor]

Jim Pickard Retweeted
Andrew Neilson ‏@neilsonandrew 17m17 minutes ago Tottenham, London
Andrew Neilson Retweeted Jim Pickard
Who would have thought Douglas Alexander was what he was looking for

Jim Pickard
‏@PickardJE
Douglas Alexander to get six-figure salary working for Bono https://next.ft.com/content/6babdf24-96 ... 7aa298f769" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … FT

Good grief.

Perhaps he's mixing him up with this bloke -

Dr Alexander Douglas http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/staff/dr-alexander-douglas


A repeat of the purchase of London Bridge?




Edited to add -

Mind you, I've never thought very much of Bono . . . .

[citizenJA]

Godspeed, LadyCenturia

[citizenJA]

Goodnight, everyone.
love,
cJA

[rebeccariots2]

Night citizen.

[PorFavor]

@citizenJA

Night night.

[TechnicalEphemera]

With respect TE., what makes you think that 'we' can eliminate ISIS ? When their core belief comes through one of our professed best friend nations? You say we should fight, but we are nit going to do that, we are going to indiscriminately bomb.

As I know you are likely to take issue with that I will clarify indiscriminate. I heard Michael Fallon this morning give his personal assurance that he will be overseeing every strike and no strike will take place until he has verified that the target is indeed ISIS. The only reason that the Russians will kill more people is because they have many more planes than we do. Do you really think our extra special weapons can distinguish between brown people with and without ISIS ideology?

Further if we defeat ISIS but fail to prevent further radicalisation what exactly are we doing? Your logic astounds me. It is like sowing dragons teeth.

Firstly, nobody is talking about indiscriminately bombing anyone. In practise what this means is people in trucks crossing the border between Turkey and Syria are likely to be a target. The UK will do a better job than Russia in trying to identify ISIS targets, but yes we will get it wrong sometimes.

Secondly, Paris shows we have to defeat ISIS, they aren't exactly the Soviet Union and they have annoyed variously the UK, USA, Russia, China, France and Iran.

So I am fairly confident they can be beaten, the question is how best to do it. Will another similar cult emerge maybe, or maybe not.

Exactly what is your alternative to trying to beat them?

The people of Raqqa would differ. And France dropped bombs there, some msy say with justification, but definitely indiscriminately. There is no indication that we would do any better and I am old enough to remember the televised war, the one before they started to edit the unpleasant bits out, and what was done to the retreating iraqui army. After a few iterations of 'clean' or 'clinical' strikes one starts to lose faith in the honesty of such language.

I do not believe it is our resposibility to rush into action in Syria, we didn't before, and I am reminded that there were massive demos relating to Syria four years and a month (almost to the day) ago. It is a world issue, not a British issue, and I would be ok about seeing our troops in on the groud as part of a well thought out strategic initiative. This isn't it, it is a gungho knee jerk reaction to an atrocity in Europe.

I would have more faith in action if we were counting the middle eastern losses of life, recognising the atrocities that are daily occurring in other places and which cannot be framed in a eurocentric way, and dealing with the humanitarian disaster that is the refugee crisis and the ever deteriorating weather conditions. Also if we stopped deporting young refugees who have grown up here back to the devastated places that are no longer able to be home for anyone.

It is an ideological war. You can kill as many ISIS people as there are and still more will spring up, and even more again, because you will be reinforcing the core of their discontent and the basis of their ideology.

I haven't got answers for what needs to be done but I do recognise what should not be done.

Somewhere in the space between is the least worse and most effective thing to do, but I suggest that we are not the ones stuck in the middle of this, ordinary Syrian citizens are, and our government should be doing them the courtesy of listening to what they say at the very least.

Raqqa is going to be attacked, unless ISIS leaves it voluntarily, which I suspect isn't going to happen. While it is very much bad news for the inhabitants, and clearly very unfortunate there isn't much that can be done about it. One imagines the people of Berlin would have said similar things in 45, but it is not a reason to stop fighting. The only thing you can do is try to minimise civilian casualties.

[HindleA]

Goodnight CJA

[seeingclearly]

Good night, JA xx

[ohsocynical]

Night night CJA. You done good....

[HindleA]

Maybe me, but I am not only finding the "Labour At War" crap,tedious,I find it totally inappropriate use of such language,particularly now.

[HindleA]

A belated hello to frog222.

[HindleA]

Martin Rowson,I think he is away for a bit now


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ia-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"Admit 70,000 of my closest imaginary friends"

[TechnicalEphemera]

Maybe me, but I am not only finding the "Labour At War" crap,tedious,I find it totally inappropriate use of such language,particularly now.

Tabloid journalists, I believe it is to cut costs as war uses less pixels than that other staple "turmoil"

[AnatolyKasparov]

That airily tossed out "70000" figure is going to haunt our PM, and rightly so. Those calling it his "45 minutes" may turn out to be not totally unfounded.

[TechnicalEphemera]

That airily tossed out "70000" figure is going to haunt our PM, and rightly so. Those calling it his "45 minutes" may turn out to be not totally unfounded.

Pretty stupid statement I agree although he was quoting a figure from some regional expert, so not entirely conjured out of thin air. However 30 seconds of scrutiny on his part would have been wise, because there is little behind it.

Meanwhile, according to Indy Pravda Turkey just ran out of options in Syria.

(The story is quoting a US paper so it probably wasn't penned by Putin's PR team).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 53836.html

[PaulfromYorkshire]

[youtube]F-oAaElViaU[/youtube]

[Tubby Isaacs]

That airily tossed out "70000" figure is going to haunt our PM, and rightly so. Those calling it his "45 minutes" may turn out to be not totally unfounded.

Pretty stupid statement I agree although he was quoting a figure from some regional expert, so not entirely conjured out of thin air.

I thought he was saying the Joint Intelligence Committee came up with it?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Been looking at more of Andrew Fisher.

I am not all that impressed.

http://leapeconomics.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... ction.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't think he understands rail franchizing or PFI, for starters, and is very mean on Brown/Darling, who (after all) had just done exactly what he'd want to stimulate the economy. There's the "£125bn uncollected tax" thing to.

It's also seems to big up only John McDonnell. More like a Campaign Group publication. Compare that to Mainly Macro, and it's pretty deficient.

[frog222]

That airily tossed out "70000" figure is going to haunt our PM, and rightly so. Those calling it his "45 minutes" may turn out to be not totally unfounded.

Pretty stupid statement I agree although he was quoting a figure from some regional expert, so not entirely conjured out of thin air.

I thought he was saying the Joint Intelligence Committee came up with it?

I'm sure he did !


And re TE's earlier one on the Iraqi government not committing 'genocide' against Sunnis, I never said that !

However, from a bit after 2003, there were considerable sectarian massacres, running often to several hundred a month, and sometimes over a thousand .

According to the Iraq Body Count site, civilian casualties are currently running at 1300pm.

The RAF is operating in Iraq, and that ain't fixed anything there yet !

The RAF adding itself (minimally) to bombing Raqqa looks pretty stupid when they haven't yet retaken Fallujah at 40 kms or so from Baghdad .

Pretty obvious that the estimated remaining 200,000 civilians in Raqqa , and their refugeed families, will not be enthusiastic about being considered as future collateral damage .

[TechnicalEphemera]

Been looking at more of Andrew Fisher.

I am not all that impressed.

http://leapeconomics.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... ction.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't think he understands rail franchizing or PFI, for starters, and is very mean on Brown/Darling, who (after all) had just done exactly what he'd want to stimulate the economy. There's the "£125bn uncollected tax" thing to.

It's also seems to big up only John McDonnell. More like a Campaign Group publication. Compare that to Mainly Macro, and it's pretty deficient.

Well given he behaves like a complete muppet, it is hardly a shock that his analysis is hopeless.

[HindleA]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... rs-strikes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Urgent talks set to resume to head off junior doctors' strikes

Before the talks, a report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists indicated that about two-thirds of junior doctors in this field were expected to leave the profession or move abroad unless the contract were changed.

Only 34% plan to complete their training if it is imposed, with 34% planning to look abroad for work and a further 21% planning to leave the profession altogether. Obstetrics and gynaecology doctors are the primary medical professionals for dealing with childbirth and maternity services.

[frog222]

I wonder what the 34% will do , do a short course to become GP's ?

One CiF post i noticed said that the OZ's may be pulling up the drawbridge cos they've got enough doctors, Thankyou very much and Goodnight !

As usual the situation in France is not Quite so dire as UK , but , as usual, is following it .

My ophthalmologist is Rumanian , and very lovely ! , but wtf couldn't the French have trained up their own ?