The media, with the assistance of a few right-wing Labour MPs who like a bit of adventurism, are desperately spinning the idea that Jeremy Corbyn’s measured stance on the right UK response to Russia is not statesmanlike – while those who are rushing to blame Russia before there is any firm evidence of their involvement are showing ‘traditional cross-party strength when the UK is under threat’.
You only have to compare Corbyn’s speech yesterday to that of Theresa May and the Labour ABC (anyone-but-Corbyn) backbenchers to see that clearly enough.
But the Tories can’t help revealing their bankruptcy and lack of substance, so there have been a few interesting give-aways that show how tenuous their attribution of blame to Russia really is.
Especially the repeated theme of ‘Russian sarcasm’.
Foreign Secretary (yes, really) Boris Johnson did it this morning on Sky News. During her speech yesterday Theresa May, told MPs that her government had presented just two possible alternatives to Russia – their direct involvement or their loss of control of their weapons – and the beastly Russians had failed to accept either of them by her deadline.
But not only that, they dared to be sarcastic about it. How dare they?! They must be guilty – there’s no other explanation:
Former UK ambassador Craig Murray has pointed out that international chemical weapons experts – including Robin Black of the UK’s own Porton Down facility based only 8 miles from where the Skripal attack took place – say that the whole point of ‘Novichok’ nerve agents is that they can be made in any commercial lab from freely-available components and that the process is not very secret.
Our nearest neighbours – Ireland and France – have both refused to jump to the conclusion that Russia was involved, so clearly they think there are other alternative explanations.
May’s and Johnson’s ‘only two possible alternatives’ presented to Russia simply can’t be relied on – especially when the UK has refused to provide samples to the UN’s Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for analysis and source-identification, as required by international conventions on chemical weapons attacks.
At the same time, both May and Johnson are quick to talk of the ‘rule of law’ when it comes to measures that would affect the bank accounts of rich Russians in this country – many of whom just happen to have made large donations to Tory coffers.
But ‘rule of law’ be damned when it comes to accusing a whole, nuclear-armed country – that would require evidence. Who needs that when we have sarcasm?!.
Comment:
If Theresa May had solid proof of the perpetrator of the attacks, you can bet she’d be saying so – but even she daren’t go that far.
So Russia’s ‘sarcasm, contempt and defiance’ in response to Theresa May and Boris Johnson is presented to us as ‘case closed’.
Right. By that standard of ‘proof’, any one of millions of people in the UK are potentially guilty, including everyone who helps with the SKWAWKBOX.
But of course, the ‘MSM’ are trying to control the narrative, even if that means saying a very obvious black is self-evidently white – and that Russian sarcasm is proof enough of their involvement in events in Salisbury.
Thank God there’s one statesman in Westminster, at least.
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Speculation is being presented as fact by the Conservatives, right wing of the Labour Party and large swathes of the media.
Their hysterical and irrational response to the poisonings in Salisbury do not serve the national interest.
We have yet to see evidence proving who is responsible for this attack. In that sense this government’s approach is even more reckless than the New Labour government’s pproach to the Iraq war. In the run up to the Iraq war evidence, albeit contrived and false, was presented.
With the Salisbury attack no evidence whatsoever has yet been presented to the public.
quote from above
“UK has refused to provide samples to the UN’s Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for analysis and source-identification, as required by international conventions on chemical weapons attacks.”
Are you sure about this because both The Independent and Aljazeera have published articles that directly contradict this.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-spy-uk-response-nerve-agent-attack-poisoning-sergei-skripal-un-a8256806.html
“The UK’s deputy UN ambassador, Jonathan Allen, told a special meeting of UN Security Council that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had been asked to verify its analysis that Moscow was behind the attack.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/03/uk-send-poison-sample-opcw-nerve-attack-spy-180315080321509.html
“UK to send sample to OPCW after nerve-agent attack on former spy”
Per Craig Murray info “But not just yet” to allow time for diplomacy on potential OPCW inquiry committee members.
The words used in the OPCW ambassador’s update statement on 14 March 2018 were that legal obligations delay a sample being sent, which rather supports Murray’s information:
“we are working with the police to enable the OPCW to independently verify our analysis. This horrendous incident is now the subject of a UK criminal investigation, and we have legal obligations as a result to ensure that we share our information only in accordance with the law.”
When I first read those words, I thought it was a bit strange that the govt could not prevail on the police/Porton Down to act promptly.
Further quote from the article “Our nearest neighbours – Ireland and France – have both refused to jump to the conclusion that Russia was involved, so clearly they think there are other alternative explanations.” Per the Guardian “The leaders of Britain, the US, Germany and France have released a joint statement strongly condemning the Salisbury nerve agent attack as “an assault on UK sovereignty” and saying it is highly likely Russia was behind it”. So that leaves Ireland
I am sure we can all acknowledge that the news, by its very nature, is a constantly evolving thing.
It is good to see that both Boris Johnson and our UN ambassador have now announced that we will now be providing samples to the OPCW. This is part of the course of action that JC was advocating
Why haven’t the MSN published this?
Of course they havn’t had permission from “The Ministry of Truth”
Maybe Dr Robin Black is being sarcastic?
No of course not it’s down to Trump R.Slicker Gove being “fed up with experts”
1) Porton Down has acknowledged in publications it has never seen any Russian “novichoks”. The UK government has absolutely no “fingerprint” information such as impurities that can safely attribute this substance to Russia.
2) Until now, neither Porton Down nor the world’s experts at the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were convinced “Novichoks” even exist.
3) The UK is refusing to provide a sample to the OPCW.
4) “Novichoks” were specifically designed to be able to be manufactured from common ingredients on any scientific bench. The Americans dismantled and studied the facility that allegedly developed them. It is completely untrue only the Russians could make them, if anybody can.
5) The “Novichok” programme was in Uzbekistan not in Russia. Its legacy was inherited by the Americans during their alliance with Karimov, not by the Russians.
With a great many thanks to sources who cannot be named at this moment.
“3) The UK is refusing to provide a sample to the OPCW.”
see my post above
It looks like TM has acknowledged that JC’s approach is the correct way forward
Paul, the problem is that the majority of the general public DON’T know this, because THEY have been led to believe by May and Co and their propaganda rags that only Russia have it etc, so therefore it either HAD to be them, OR “they lost control of it”. The point being that May and Co and their propaganda machine are WELL aware that Novichok could be in the hands of anyone, so to speak, but THAT doesn’t fit with their agenda of course. And the very fact that they are ‘concealig’ the fact tells us all we need to know. There’s a very interesting article on The Canary re Craig Murray’ thoughts about it all, and well worth checking out.
I have no doubt whatsoever that this is all a False Flag op with the primary aim of getting rid of JC, and the script was written months ago (just reflect on what has happened in the past few months in relation to JC AND the absurd stories about Russia hacking into our power grid etc, etc, etc). WE of course know that JCs ‘response’ to May was measured and rational, but THEY knew how they were going to portray it, and engineered a situation in which it could be done:
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2018/03/15/todays-front-pages-preposterous-anti-corbyn-propaganda-weve-seen-far/
This ISN’T only an attack on JC, but ALSO an attack on democracy itself, and the millions of people who want a society for the many, and NOT just the fascist few.
The term Cui Bono means of course that you should always look to those who stand to gain from any event that takes place to determine WHO is the likely culprit, and where there are winners, there are also losers. And given the totally unwarranted and contrived attacks now taking place on JC since yesterday, it is of course crystal clear just precisely who it is that stands to gain from ‘events’ in Salisbury (and elsewhere), and who it is that stands to lose.
In the final analysis, this is a ‘war’ between the Psychopaths and the Empaths, and it is/was the former who started it and, as such, declared war on JC and his millions of supporters, AND the possibility to create a society for the many, and NOT just the Elite, so-called, and their well-greased minions.
And WE must do all we can to get the truth out there to the millions of people they are deceiving and manipulating, and expose THEM for what they are.
Footnote: I’ve got the TV on at the moment with the volume down on Sky News, and they just showed the front page of tommorows Telegraph which says ‘Poison planted in daughter’s suitcase’. Oh, well it MUST have been the Russians then! Why don’t I for one millisecond believe it was planted in her suitcase. I wonder what they’ll come out with next!
So it’s taken them TEN days or so to determine that the poison was planted in his daughter’s suitcase. Yes, yes, of course. Pull the other one!!!
Another article in the Guardian saying that Nia Griffith has joined the other Labour MPs opposing Jeremy Corbyn’s speech, and says ……. ‘After a series of Labour backbench MPs including Yvette Cooper, Ben Bradshaw and Hilary Benn pointedly backed the government’s condemnation of Russia during Wednesday afternoon’s debate, rumours of resignations from the Labour frontbench began circulating.’
Of course there are – the MSM will make sure of it . Well thank you Nia Griffith for adding to the transparent campaign to destabilise a leader wanted by the majority of party members. The Welsh Labour machine has never supported the Labour leader and is always silent when it should be firmly behind him. There is about to be a OMOV for a new post of deputy Leader in Wales. It would be good if members knew where they both stand on the Leader before casting any votes, but that will probably not happen. Members in Wales will also know that it is unlikely that Nia Griffiths has made this statement without party support. Labour membership in Wales will likely decrease again if this carries on.
Working on that today
Tories REALLY are imbeciles. And those who trust them with our defence are worse.
We had one of them on tv last week (Might’ve been tugendhat, I can’t remember exactly who it was now), blustering on about some ‘coal tanker’ (Or other derogatory term) russian warship in the channel, and generally sneering at their (conventional) military capability.
Except our destroyers don’t work properly, nor do our nuclear subs, or our missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. We had a better AWACS system in the 50’s & 60’s than we do now and our armed forces servicemen/women level(s) are at the lowest rate for centuries too.
And there’s outrage when ‘traitor’ Corbyn mentions the cuts… Until we find that the toerags cut £129m from the CBRN…
F**k me; they say Corbyn’s a hippy (Won’t push the button) and a traitor (Wont condemn Russia without evidence; the spying commie rat)
But the toerags’d have our lads & lasses fighting tanks with peashooters while they’re sat quaffing champagne & stuffing vol-au-vents down their avaricious gullets; castigating those with the audacity to complain or question…
“Don’t mention the cuts affecting the forces, Corbyn, you rat – they might find out just how shit we are…”
FFS – THEY ALREADY KNOW!!
And it’s always the middle class, old white dullards what drink the kool-aid, innit?
‘That fookin Corbyn, doesn’t wear a tie; won’t press the button…”
Even if he DID – the missile’d probably explode on launching, or detonate ourselves or our allies for complete fuck’s sake. And the wa the conventional forces have been decimated, we’d get tonked by Burkina Faso FFS
Small wonder the Russians are laughing at us…
Christ on a bike!
Corbyn’d be (rightfully) torn to shreds by those old farts from that election campaign if HE’D said this…(00:17)
https://youtu.be/DMPkG1U54W8
‘Go away and shut up.’ How profound. :/
I’ll bet Vladimir’ll shit a breeze block – nevermind a brick – in terror on hearing this…
Un-fooking-real.
Seen the clip , shakes head in utter utter disbelief , this immature little prick is a cabinet minister ! , inexperienced with the likes of his counter parts in Russia , and Putin , he’s outgunned out classed out manoeuvred and completely out of his fucking depth .
Good grief this country is well and truly STUFFED , how much worse can it possibly get before the dick heads out there in GB realise what an utter and complete bunch of incompetent nut jobs they have elected.Maybe JRM or Boris the clown as PM will do it ,, who the hell knows any more with the British public !
Yet again the words taken right out of my mouth and to Rob’s keyboard.
Then I read about the BBC ‘newshite’ smear of JC? WTF? and they have the nerve to call RT the voice of the Kremlin. Nevermind at least we can take he piss out of the Gammons & Tory boy toadies.
Up popped Yvette Cooper to support Theresa May.
What a good job she was unsuccessful in her bid to become Labour leader.
Why does Yvette Cooper trust Theresa May now when she said this not so long ago?
https://inews.co.uk/news/yvette-cooper-pm-people-cannot-believe-single-word-say/
Putin’s reaction – On hearing what Private Pike (Williamson) had to say…
http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sadimir-poutin-240×180.jpg
surely by now a sensible woman would have walked away from the terrible twos tantrums by Kinnock we really have buffoons on all sides in the house
Labour got the same treatment when it began to question the invasion of Egypt in 1956 which was as we now know a deliberate stitch up to seize control of the canal and topple Nasser. Similarly those on the left who dared criticise the colonial policies in Kenya that killed 100,000 and tortured many more in the British Gulags were accused of being Traitors. When the Establishment has its back to the wall because it’s lying, as both Suez and Kenya show, then the demands to shut up and toe the line become overwhelming. Mind you in the 1950’s the UK was much more likely to believe what it was told and it was only the intellectual honesty of the left that forced the curtains to be drawn back. Corbyn displays that honesty that can only endear him to reasonable people. It’s refreshing to see a politician stick to his principles however much they attack him.
thanks Paul !
Mrs Mays reasoning in apportioning blame on Russia appears to be “You failed to respond when I demanded to know if your guilt was due to negligence or state intervention which obviously proves you are guilty.” A bit like how we decided if someone was a witch in the Middle Ages.
It’s such a giveaway, innit? The neo-liberal hawks want to do away with Due Process. “Guilty because accused”. We see this manifested in #MeToo, as well. And it’s always an immediate condemnation. No analysis, “We’ve got it all worked out for you”, say the media. “No need to ponder. Be dragged along by us. Take our word for it. We wouldn’t lie to you”.
And if RT gets taken off the air, it’s Game Over for free speech in this country!
An excellent article by Jeremy Corbyn in the Guardian. with almost 100% positive comments (before the Guardian closed it for comments, citing that comments had been opened in error)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/15/salisbury-attack-conflict-britain-cold-war
Reports of Mr. Skripal pointing at the sky made me wonder about a drone above their bench possibly delivering the agent – and transfer to other locations being after the event on the shoes of police and others.
DC Bailey removing his shoes at home later might account for the delay in his contamination but one would expect others to have been similarly affected.
Back to the drawing board.
i’ve been banned from commenting to my Mp because i used sarcasm – it’s a feature of tory inadequacy that they can’t deal with
FFS, we are all going to hell, if we believe the leader of the right and her conspiriters!
How easy it is, for those who follow her like sheep, when it comes to the BS and lies that the right print and spout about Jeremy Corbyn and us on the left of reason and truth!
When the atomic bombs rain down, those who believe killing, is better than diplomacy, will wonder, what the “F***k are we going to do now”!
All you who believe in the above, better think again before it happens!
It’s no wonder the Russians are laughing at us, especially when the minister for school leavers, (who’s idea was it, to put this child WILLIAMSON incharge of our war machine) stands up and threatens, in his sqeeky little boy voice, RUSSIA!
I, GET IT, HE’S TRYING TO KILL THEM WITH LAUGHTER”!
“Kill them with laughter”! Now that IS funny!!!
I’m sure they were shaking in their boots! (with laughter, that is)