The Politics of Bollocks

I felt that in light of a certain member's love for the word, it would be criminal for me not to post this.

http://www.newstatesman.com/north-am...er-israel-gaza

Oh come on at least give him a hundred days before we start declaring him a failure.

Why? It is not that John Pilger has said he is screwing up, it is that he is conforming to everything he said he would be prior to election, it is the fact that so many who support him denyt what this is that pisses Pilger off.

Lol at Obama's close friendship with Blair, one of the architects of the mass slaughter in Iraq and Afghanistan, yep I am seeing huge change here.

If your entire political worldview is informed by John Pilger, then you will stay as angry and disappointed as he has been for the last thirty years.

Pilger has great moments, but he has long lost any voice because almost his only tone is outrage at a nasty world full of compromise. His purity can't stand it, and like all ideologues he will not entertain shades of grey.

He's very interesting to read, but one needs to balance The Truth TM he so stridently peddles.

I think it's telling that Obama met Tony Blair before other western leaders. Coming hot on the heels of his mea culpa, as in "I screwed up", I have an awful feeling of deja vu.

Remember "hey, I'm just an ordinary guy!" when it emerged that a million quid had gone into the labour party coffers from Bernie?

We all know how that one ended up. Catastrophe.

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Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost

If your entire political worldview is informed by John Pilger, then you will stay as angry and disappointed as he has been for the last thirty years.

Pilger has great moments, but he has long lost any voice because almost his only tone is outrage at a nasty world full of compromise. His purity can't stand it, and like all ideologues he will not entertain shades of grey.

He's very interesting to read, but one needs to balance The Truth TM he so stridently peddles.

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Compromise? Obama has not compromised, he may have mislead the American's who voted him in, but he made his intentions clear in many out of the way, unpublicised events prior to his election.
I fail to see how Iraq has any shades of grey, it was travesty and those who planned it are criminals, not only did they kill countless civilians but they sold their men down the river with there spendthrift ways.

I'll entertain shades of grey when they are a required facet of a situation, I'll not allow myself to be duped into thinking there is white somehwere within the black hole of the War on Terrorism, rendition, or the Levant.

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

Compromise? Obama has not compromised, he may have mislead the American's who voted him in, but he made his intentions clear in many out of the way, unpublicised events prior to his election.
I fail to see how Iraq has any shades of grey, it was travesty and those who planned it are criminals, not only did they kill countless civilians but they sold their men down the river with there spendthrift ways.

I'll entertain shades of grey when they are a required facet of a situation, I'll not allow myself to be duped into thinking there is white somehwere within the black hole of the War on Terrorism, rendition, or the Levant.

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:drama2: Yes everyone who does something you don't like is a godless evil monster who must be destroyed.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

:drama2: Yes everyone who does something you don't like is a godless evil monster who must be destroyed.

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Have you been helping to construct U.S foreign policy over the past 50 years?

I don't hate Obama, I just don't like him, niether do I apply the term evil to anyone, they all think what they are doing is justified or right.

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

Have you been helping to construct U.S foreign policy over the past 50 years?

I don't hate Obama, I just don't like him, niether do I apply the term evil to anyone, they all think what they are doing is justified or right.

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My family has certainly been participating in it for the last 50 years, so in a way yes.

Ok.

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I'll entertain shades of grey when they are a required facet of a situation, I'll not allow myself to be duped into thinking there is white somehwere within the black hole of the War on Terrorism, rendition, or the Levant.

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It just kind of looks like you're loading up the righteousness mobile and taking no prisoners.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

It just kind of looks like you're loading up the righteousness mobile and taking no prisoners.

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In the case of rendition, I will indeed, take no prisoners, niether do I see any good in the planning of the War on Terror. The Levant, well we have had enough discussion on that to illustrate what I think.

As far as righteousness goes, your new president seems to be using all of it up.

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

In the case of rendition, I will indeed, take no prisoners, niether do I see any good in the planning of the War on Terror. The Levant, well we have had enough discussion on that to illustrate what I think.

As far as righteousness goes, your new president seems to be using all of it up.

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In your perfect world what happens?

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

In your perfect world what happens?

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The War on Terror, should have been properly planned, a real political resolution should have been created, not the parcelling out of the country to Warlords. The British Army would not have been betrayed by the pathetic lackeys of Washington known as New Labour.

Rendition, is dehumanising for both parties concerned, it sickens me that my fellow citizens could be kidknapped and tortured by the US and its whip dogs in the Middle East, what's worse is my governments compliance, it is humiliating and illegal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

The War on Terror, should have been properly planned, a real political resolution should have been created, not the parcelling out of the country to Warlords. The British Army would not have been betrayed by the pathetic lackeys of Washington known as New Labour.

Rendition, is dehumanising for both parties concerned, it sickens me that my fellow citizens could be kidknapped and tortured by the US and its whip dogs in the Middle East, what's worse is my governments compliance, it is humiliating and illegal.

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I don't have a good grasp of British politics but I imagine your countrymen were over 50% supportive of the war going in. Correct me if I'm wrong. Hardly lackeys.

Which fellow citizens are you talking about. I've seen you cliam the UK, NZ, and Hungary all as home.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar

I'll entertain shades of grey when they are a required facet of a situation, I'll not allow myself to be duped into thinking there is white somehwere within the black hole of the War on Terrorism, rendition, or the Levant.

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I think you are duped into believing that there is only dark. There is light everywhere.

I don't have a good grasp of British politics but I imagine your countrymen were over 50% supportive of the war going in. Correct me if I'm wrong. Hardly lackeys.

I remember a figure of close to 55% against can't remember undecided or for, i think its more the fact our goverment lied to drum up support that leads to the lackey accusation..

I am unhappy like Bopa with my country and western allies in general, and a white to black scale of good and evil were a dirty grey colour and there is constant room for improvment...

Certain people began declaring Obama a lost cause as soon as he was sworn in, and even suggested "he might not even be our president".

There is always a lunatic fringe who doesn't need evidence or a track record to condemn a man. I sincerely urge everyone to give Obama a chance. The alternative is to get nothing done for another 4 years, and then it looks like we'll have an election between Palin and Obama, and I'm sorry, but unless she starts speaking intelligently, I refuse to have her as my president. Dumb and woefully uninformed is not OK when it comes to leadership.