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What you want to say – 11th April, 2018 April 11, 2018

Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.
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As always, following on Dr. X’s suggestion, it’s all yours, “announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose”, feel free.

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1. lcox - April 11, 2018

The full programme’s now up for “The (re)birth of Marx(ism): haunting the future”, May 4 – 5 (Karl’s 200th) in Maynooth. Celebrating the diversity and continuing relevance of Marx’s work today.

Keynotes from Toni Negri and Jodi Dean: opening session with Paul Murphy and Joan Collins, closing discussion on the future of Marxism in Ireland with Kieran Allen, Marie Moran and Michael Pierse. Another 50+ academic and activist presenters on economics, politics, culture and social movements. Social programme includes the Chelsea Manning Street Preachers, a Freddy Engels Memorial Buffet and a Dublin inner-city walking tour with Terry Fagan.

€10 for unwaged, low waged, precariously employed and students, €30 for non-institutionally funded academics and €60 for institutionally funded, incl 2 lunches and teas / coffees. Free to Maynooth students and the Toni Negri keynote (Friday evening) is free to everyone.

Full details on https://hauntingthefuture.wordpress.com/ and registration at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-rebirth-of-marxism-haunting-the-future-tickets-42097430548

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WorldbyStorm - April 11, 2018

I’ll post that up as a full post if you like.

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lcox - April 11, 2018

Please! That’d be great. We’re doing our best to have a wide range of Irish Marxists there. Thanks a million!

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Daniel Rayner O'Connor - April 11, 2018

Sorry, Icox, but I have a previous engagement. Had I known about your bean feast earlier, I could have put it first.

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2. Alibaba - April 11, 2018
Alibaba - April 11, 2018

‘She also said a decision by her former special adviser Andrew Crawford to pass confidential government plans for cost controls to family members may well be a breach of several codes of ethics.’

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-43728717

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Alibaba - April 13, 2018

I think it unlikely there will be a negative assessment of Arlene Foster’s behaviour during the RHI scandal because of the absence of hard evidence. The problem is this: minutes of key meetings weren’t taken, including one where a senior civil servant alleges she made Foster aware of scheme problems. How convenient one might think.

The fact remains that DUP Minister, Jonathan Bell, was suspended after he accused Foster of ordering Stormont staff to alter documents to reduce her responsibility for the scheme’s failures. He also alleged that special advisors played crucial roles behind the scenes. It will be telling to hear Bell’s testimony next June.

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3. Gerryboy - April 11, 2018
4. Ghandi - April 12, 2018

Being Seán.

I’m sure this will probably merit a thread of its own

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5. Alibaba - April 14, 2018

The Syrian crisis deepens with the launching of air strikes.

It is blindingly obvious that Trump’s military commanders were thinking, but not saying to him: “Congratulations, you have lost us the element of surprise. Twat! Now we will tell you how to put it right.”

It would be laughable, if it wasn’t so tragic.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/14/syria-air-strikes-us-uk-and-france-launch-attack-on-assad-regime

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makedoanmend - April 14, 2018

(Just a general reaction to one point about President Trump’s modus operandi.)

Trump giving the Russians the heads up, whether intentional or not, has been one of the few goods things he has done as POTUS. Does anyone really want to start a shooting match with Russia over completely unfounded allegations? Has the UN become redundant? Is naked military capability the only way to resolve these never ending crises?

It sure seems so.

Also, I can’t leave out that President Trump shot off his mouth about wanting leave Syrian and lo-and-behold another alleged gas attack occurred just as Syria-Russia were driving the last of the jihadists from the Damascus area. Had he conviction rather than a giant ego, he would have ordered it done. Instead, he order the opposite. Why.? Why are we subjected to the virtual whims of the Trumps, Mays and Marcons of this world?*

The West, under neoliberal ideology contorted by neo-con war mongering on a vast scale, has become non agreement-capable imo. This begun in earnest with Bush II and accelerated under Obama. Trump is just a continuation, albeit a most unstable continuation.

However, it is being reported that no Russians were killed. So this might have all been a big PR exercise to placate the egos of the West. And the Skripals, apparently recovered from lethal poisoning, have disappeared from front page news.

*No, I don’t like Putin, Assad, the direction Russia is taking or how Assad operates in Syria. However, I hate innocent people being slaughtered on a daily basis by all the parties involved, and I detest the near complete way the West has decided ignore the norms of international engagement by deciding to become judge, jury and executioner backed by a compliant, wealth owned media that rarely questions anything about the “official” narratives. Or has the Western media become the official narrative?

Elderly capitalism sucks.

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ar scáth a chéile - April 14, 2018

“completely unfounded allegations”
unproven allegations surely

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makedoanmend - April 15, 2018

I’m just riffing (jazz style) off your idea – nothing more.

I suppose we could quibble. Let me rise you this:

In order for one to be accused of a crime, a crime has to be committed. We could then allege that a suspect committed the the crime. But, do we know a crime has been committed? Do we have any prima facie circumstantial evidence indicating a crime? We, I contend, do not. They don’t even pretend to send a USA general up the UN with some nifty charts to create a prima facie case. MSM reporting seems to be enough these days.

I would contend we know nothing except what the MSM and a few select governments have alleged occurred. I for one, suspect their stories and motives for making allegations. If no “chemical/gas/nerve agent event occurred, there would be no crime from which allegation would spring.

From what I read recently, France/Marcon is claiming their proof of a crime comes from internet sources.

General Mattis claimed in testimony that previous allegations of chem attack #1 was never definitively proven to have occurred.

Colour me skeptical after WMD, tv directed missile shows and the skripals.

The West has gone mad. When the US and the UK were provoking most of the shenanigans, I was worried. Now that an EU* country has taken centre stage with the fools, I have become more worried since there has been talk of destroying any semblance of Irish neutrality and de facto creating a EU military force.

I definitely remain open that the Syrian government could use chemical weapons. I want facts and verification before we start talking about war. It’s what used to occur when Europe knew what war meant. And France considered itself a nation rather than a member of the neoliberal hive collective.

*Since the UK is leaving, I’m not counting them as EU at the moment.

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6. Paddy Healy - April 14, 2018

Sinn Féin -Fine Gael Coalition???
A wide discussion on my facebook page (Paddy Healy) is taking place on this topic. There have already been approximately 100 comments and replies. This is an extract.
Michael Mcdonald Before this debate goes any further ask yourselves two questions 1 Who first mooted this notion? 2Who benefits from this notion?As I see it if I wanted to damage SF before the next election this is a mighty fine notion to do it with Ask the questions
Paddy Healy This debate is far deeper than an attempt by anybody from the left or right trying to damage Sinn Fein electorally. While that may be happening as well, it is not the main source of the controversy. Many years ago Gerry Adams infamously said that if SF can be in an executive with unionists in Stormont, he couldn’t see why SF could not be in coalition with any party in Dublin.This was subsequently modified at a Sinn Féin Ard-fheis on the proposal of Eoin O Broin. SF could only enter coalition in Dublin as the majority party. At a more recent Ard-Fheis the “majority party” precondition was dropped. That ,understandibly, fuelled comments by political analysts that SF was actively pursuing coalition in Dublin.
What is more recent is the suggestion that the more likely coalition is Sinn Féin with FG rather than FF. While I had predicted this before the last election partly based on my knowledge of the Clann na Poblactha experience in 1948, it has got more general currency recently fuelled in part by praise by Gerry Adams for Leo Varadkar’s approach to Brexit . This included the failure of SF to strongly object to the postponement of the resolution of the “hard” border issue to a later phase of the Brexit talks at the EU .
The entire history of the issue up to the present can be read on my blog https://wp.me/pKzXa-tR
To dismiss the whole issue as FF and some left wingers (not me) simply trying to damage SF electorally doesn’t stack up.
By the way my strongest disagreement with Solidarity(SP) and People Before Profit(SWP) is their failure to campaign for a united, sovereign, and independent Ireland as Connolly did. This was typified by their undertaking to take Irish seats at Westminister in the most recent British General Election .

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7. Tomboktu - April 14, 2018

Jackson and Olding have been sacked by Ulster and the IRFU.

I wonder if either will sue.

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Tomboktu - April 14, 2018

The Sunday Times is reporting that the IRFU & Ulster ‘review’ of Jackson’s situation was a negotiation over ending the contract and not disciplinary proceedings.

Not satisfactory.

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8. Tomboktu - April 14, 2018

Meanwhile, RTÉ…

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9. Paddy Healy - April 14, 2018

“Symbolic Attack on Syria” (RTE NEWS) in “Showbiz” War
Thankfully it appears that the nature of the attack by US, UK, France Was Agreed in Advance with Russia- though ,of course, the strikes were in breach of international law
Official Reports and Statements by US, UK andFrance Dont’t Make Sense
Dogs that didn’t Bark in the Night
1 Nobody Killed-This suggests that Russia knew in advance what was to be attacked and were able to remove all Russian personnel from the targets so that they would not be compelled to retaliate
2 No Russian Rocket launched to intercept a missile or an aircraft. As a research physicist, I know that if a British Tornado aircraft carrying air to ground rockets left it’s base in Cyprus and entered Syrian air space within an hour, it could have been blown out of the air by the Russian Super-power. The satellite detection systems possessed by Russia, the modern radar systems, and the guided rocket systems (ground to air, air to air) would make the shooting down of such an aircraft a simple tax.
3 No chemical agents released due to bombing of alleged chemical weapons factories. The story about precision bombing of chemical warfare industries is just a story to cover up the fact that no military bases defended by Russian missiles were targeted.
4 Promised Russian retaliation against the sources of the attacks(eg Nato base in Turkey, British Base in Cyprus) has not taken place

“Showbiz” wars are far better than real wars! But “games of chicken” can go horribly wrong! This warmongering must stop and Ireland must lead the campaign!!

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10. EWI - April 14, 2018

Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said the allied airstrikes “took out the heart” of Assad’s chemical weapons arsenal. He said the missiles hit the “sweet spot,” doing the expected level of damage while minimizing the unintentional release of toxic fumes that could be harmful to nearby civilians.

When pressed, he acknowledged that some unspecified portion of Assad’s chemical arms infrastructure was not targeted.

“There is still a residual element of the Syrian program that is out there,” McKenzie said, adding, “I’m not going to say they’re going to be unable to continue to conduct a chemical attack in the future […]”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-syria-strike-weapons-remain-mission-accomplished

Of course not. Always handy to be able to claim unprovable chemical attacks. Wouldn’t want to spoil that.

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11. Paddy Healy - April 15, 2018

Bombing Syria- “Showbiz” War-Not Real War Thankfully!
Irish Times:”The limited nature of the bombardment reflects the political reality that there is little appetite in the US, France or Britain for any significant military engagement in Syria. And the Pentagon appears to have persuaded the White House that the attack had to be narrowly targeted to avoid striking Russian and Iranian military personnel in the country.”
As I said in my earlier post, it is clear that the form of the strike was agreed in advance with Russia!!!

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EWI - April 15, 2018

“Allies launch UN bid for chemical weapons investigation”

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0415/954599-attacks-on-syria/

‘Allies’ is a very loaded term for RTÉ to be using (the WWII Allies were all five UNSC members, after all). Also, we’ve already seen with the Iraq War how such investigations only serve a purpose to keep populations on the boil for war, and a negative finding will just be ignored.

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12. Michael Carley - April 15, 2018
WorldbyStorm - April 15, 2018

Good overview and very depressing.

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Michael Carley - April 15, 2018

It’s frightening to think how fundamental the issues are. This isn’t about feeling in control, or some sense of a nation, it’s about having enough to eat, as a country.

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WorldbyStorm - April 16, 2018

+1 And when it is that basic… the space for error is miniscule.

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13. dublinstreams - April 16, 2018

Seanad nominations finally published http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=-1&CatID=71&m=s 3 FF’ers nominated in the Oireachtas Sub panel a 2 FF’s and 2 FGs nominated for nominating body panel and Niall Blaney FF nominated for both Seanad vacancies. Ian Marshall Leo’s NI anti-brexit suggestion and Mary Redmond RDS nomination.

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14. CL - April 16, 2018

‘ A dance party has erupted in the streets outside a courthouse in Philadelphia as the city’s district attorney says rapper Meek Mill’s convictions should be vacated and he should have a new trial.’
time.com/5241638/meek-mill-probation-violation-sentence/

‘Jailed rapper Meek Mill has spoken out from prison, telling Page Six he is a “political prisoner,” a victim of a flawed criminal justice system that keeps black men in jail for crimes they didn’t commit….
“I am a political prisoner.’
https://pagesix.com/2018/04/13/frustrated-meek-mill-speaks-out-from-prison-i-am-a-political-prisoner/

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Daniel Rayner O'Connor - April 17, 2018

This should be in ‘Signs of Hope’.

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CL - April 25, 2018
15. yourcousin - April 17, 2018

In a previous incarnation of this thread I was guided to read the writings of Craig Murray. I had read him before (as he is regularly posted commentor of folks here). I was not impressed. Here are a few articles that hew more roughly to my world view. I will not pretend that I have the answers, or a quick fix for a hereditary dictator allied by despotic regimes opposed by other despotic regimes for their own interests or by hand wringing empires. Nor do I claim to be a champion of the Syrian people, whatever that means. I am, like I assume most folks here are, simply an accomplice. But I’m not going to wrap my inaction in an ideology or flag.

View at Medium.com

https://www.google.com/amp/s/leilashami.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/the-anti-imperialism-of-idiots/amp/

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FergusD - April 17, 2018

Reports from Ghouta from journalists who actually got in there and talked to residents:

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2018/04/real-reporting-on-syria-by-publius-tacitus

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/syria-chemical-attack-gas-douma-robert-fisk-ghouta-damascus-a8307726.html

Odd that the US/U.K./France would bomb a facility they claimed stored chemical warfare agents, wouldn’t that disperse them to the surrounding population?

As for the Skripal story – farce.

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yourcousin - April 19, 2018

Yes, because a website toting civil war time travel science fiction with a random link totally addresses and is the definitive word on the issue. It also totally undercuts the plethora of links embedded in the Medium piece above.

I would note the constant trolling of the white helmets (as demonstrated by Fisk) is poor taste at a minimum.

Also neatly ignored is the main thrust of the pieces I posted which critique folks for treating Syria as a great game”esque” arena where you line up behind a power like a sporting team rather than acknowledge the objective fact that a hereditary dictator is butchering his own people and has been for years. Even if you deny chemical attacks you really can’t deny things like barrel bombs, food used as a weapon, i.e. Starving rebel areas, targeting civilians and medical staff specifically etc. and going for a “Grozny rules” approach and a whole litany of other “unpleasant” things that are equally repugnant.

But the reality is that by listening to folks here, you’d think the west was doing the lions share or killing in Syria and was driving the war.

As for the Skripal. Hey man, you do you. Quite frankly it seems like ideology is driving most people on that one.

To be honest I know I’m very much out of sync with folks here on this.

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16. Tomboktu - April 17, 2018

Should we tell Left at the Cross?

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Joe - April 17, 2018

Another incredible, cunning plot twist which I’m sure can be traced back to the Man in the Hat.

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alanmyler - April 17, 2018

I’m pretty sure that story circulated a few years ago too. I can’t comment further as I’m deeply under cover and have joined FG as an entryist into the Irish branch of the New Workers’ Party.

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17. Paddy Healy - April 17, 2018

Read Also Médcin Sans Frontiére Statement Below http://www.msf.org/en/article/libya-when-france-becomes-accomplice-very-crimes-it-condemns

Through Operation Sophia Ireland is Colluding With the Return of Refugees to Torture Camps in Libya – EU Countries Complicit in Torture-Amnesty International

Full Amnesty Report here Media Bias in Favour of Rich and Powerful https://wp.me/pKzXa-Kd

“Those are who are intercepted on their way to Europe are sent to camps run by the Libyan general directorate for combating illegal migration (DCIM), where torture for the purposes of extracting money is almost routine”, Amnesty reports. Irish Times Dec 12 2017
But RTE Misleads to Cover This UP!!
RTE News 15/04/2018: The LE Samuel Beckett has left to join Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean; The operation seeks to rescue refugees from the Mediteranean and to prevent people smuggling from Libya
The Report omitted that Operation Sophia is also returning refugees to what Médcin Sans Frontiére has described as “torture camps” in Libya .The previous operation Pontus landed rescued refugees in Italy Irish naval personnel did great work in that operation but the Irish Government has now sullied our name by agreeing to join the entirely different Operation Sophia
Report on RTE Website
LÉ Samuel Beckett taking part in mission to disrupt human trafficking

Thierry Allafort-Duverger, General Director of MSF France November 28,2017
http://www.msf.org/en/article/libya-when-france-becomes-accomplice-very-crimes-it-condemns
Refugees are now being Returned to Torture Camps in Libya
Report From Médcins Sans Frontiére ILLUSTRATES HORRORS OF DETENTION CAMPS TO WHICH REFUGEES ARE BEING RETURNED
Libya: When France becomes accomplice to the very crimes it condemns
Thierry Allafort-Duverger, General Director of MSF France November 28,2017

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EWI - April 20, 2018

How long until someone, completely out of the blue but of course, suggests that the new ‘Sophia’ to be effective, must include EU raids and bombing campaigns against Libya?

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Paddy Healy - April 20, 2018

Correct! Macron has already publicly suggested that a new invasion of Libya should be considered. The objective? To stop the human rights abuses in the detention camps to which he is returning fugitives!!!!!!!

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18. CL - April 19, 2018

“For fifty years, the events of May–June 1968 in France have had a collective hero: the striking students and workers who occupied their factories and universities and high schools…
Huge marches that included both students and workers were held, starting May 13, when the workers joined the students on strike. But the unity was deceptive….
it was the Communist Party, and not the smaller left-wing groups or the Socialist Party, that had the strongest working-class presence in 1968….
rank-and-file workers who pushed for the strikes and occupations to go further than they did and seek wider social change were met with resistance from their fellows…
To the students and the far left, the acceptance of the Grenelle Accords, which ended the strikes by granting wage gains of 35 percent in the minimum wage and a 10 percent rise in salaries, was a betrayal rammed through by the union leadership.”
http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/19/1968-when-the-communist-party-stopped-a-french-revolution/

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19. Paddy Healy - April 21, 2018

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Confirms My Contention that The Form of The US Missile Attack on Libya was Agreed with Russia in Advance!!!
Defend Irish Neutrality https://wp.me/pKzXa-Ut
US respected Russia’s red lines in Syria during air strikes, says Minister Lavrov- Irish Examiner Friday, April 20,
“We told them where our red lines were, including the geographical red lines,” Mr Lavrov told Russian state television. “The results have shown that they haven’t crossed those lines.”
Mr Lavrov also revealed that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of visiting each other’s country when the US president rang up Russian counterpart last month to congratulate him on his re-election.

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WorldbyStorm - April 21, 2018

Agreed. It does look incredibly stage managed.

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20. Alibaba - April 21, 2018

Concerning the INM controversy, it just came to my notice that Denis Naughten and the lobbyist share the same surname.

Is this terribly uninteresting or is something else going on here?

Other thoughts from Miriam Lord:

‘If you were cynical before hearing this week about Naughten and Ó Neachtain, you’ll be a bit more cynical now.’

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-some-people-can-just-lift-the-phone-and-talk-to-the-right-people-1.3468931

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21. Alibaba - April 21, 2018

It believe that next May Day a monument commemorating the 1913 Lockout will be unveiled by Michael D in the Presidential gardens.

It seems the monument will reference Sean O’Casey and maybe a scene from his works. I am very curious to know what language will be used, as monuments tend to have moderate statements, robbing the items of their radical content.

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WorldbyStorm - April 21, 2018

That almost invariably seems to happen. They rob them of meaning and power in doing so.

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