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https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2029741548791853331 WTF is this?
I did get a wry smile out of the USA begging Ukraine for help with equipment to defend against shaheds after a year of bemoaning about they had to help Ukraine, while pandering to every Russian demand in their ‘peace attempts’.
March 3, 2026 at 11:18 pm in reply to: Yet another…’what have you been listening today?’ Thread #317048I am highly sceptical of how this will lead to an improvement and agree with much of what is said in Iron-Awe’s post. There have already been reports of Trump reaching out to people in the regime to work with and neither he or Netanyahu are motivated by humanitarian concerns, so won’t prioritise it, and have not displayed competence. I am happy Europe didn’t join in with the main operation, but there is also the fact that Trump has aided Russia against our and Ukrainian interests, threatened Denmark and NATO over Greenland and insulted us for war dead when we came to their aid in Afghanistan after 9/11. We aren’t their puppets and mutual support loses weight when Trump decides to wreck relationships.
I am, however, unconvinced what passes as international law today serves much good. International law would have had us abandon Kosovars to what befell the Bosniaks. It didn’t help in Rwanda when no-one did anything to prevent the genocide. This could be argued to be a failed case of international law being applied, but when this has so often happened, it shows it is already a busted flush. With Russian veto powers on the UN security council, any action of any kind in Syria’s civil war would no doubt have been against international law. Yet I would argue that this meant allowing Syrians to put up with chemical warfare and 500-600,000 dead. When Qasam Soleimani was killed there was talk of how this was wrong, against international law and that maybe he could have been brought to justice by other means. I don’t know how; it would have been impossible to have him arrested without a regime collapse and it helped neuter Iran, and help Syrians when he was killed.
None of this is me trying to force others to my beliefs. Others have different intepretations and that is fine. I could be wrong, so could everyone else. It would be good if international law did count for something, but right now it isn’t strong and only those with more democratic and liberal outlooks partake. Some might say that this is good because why lower to others’ level, but it creates an imbalance that favours dictatorships in enforcing their will. I am not saying we should abandon all forms of morality in foreign policy and act like an Iran, Russia or China, but I am less bothered about legalism over whether a no fly zone over Syria would have been illegal or not when it could very well have helped Syrian lives. Same here with Iran. Also, I agree that American adherence to more humanitarian bounds to conflict will likely decrease further with Trump and all concerns about where this ends up and deterioration are valid.
I just wanted to put forward a different perspective about this because it is my view and I have my concerns that the current situation has already worsened because of a more standoffish approach over the past 15 years that allowed Russia to strengthen, involve itself in Syria and then attack Ukraine, as well as Iran to attack Syria and spearhead wars against Saudi in Yemen and Israel with its proxies. Though, I do appreciate that this is complex and the failure of non-intervention does not mean intervention is the best course of action.
That is fine, but I suspect it very much won’t and discussions online and elsewhere will devolve into bad faith accusations against others. Given the nature of Reform, Restore, Kemi Badenoch’s Tories and the Greens, I very much doubt the political sphere will be without this too.
International law is very toothless and has done very little to prevent historical misdeeds from tyrants and it leaves democracies hamstrung. The actions against Serbia in the 90s were against International law, but I am very glad we took action to prevent Kosovo becoming another Bosnia. The UN’s legalism hindered in Bosnia and Rwanda in the 90s. None of this means that the current actions are good and I think they will likely make things worse. However, I think the main concern should be over the latter – about what’s best for the people in the region. One thing that hasn’t helped has been allowing Iran to gain a foothold within the region, where it has fermented and participated in war with Israel, Syria and Yemen, alongside its severe domestic tyranny.
My big problem with Bowen is that he lets his own bias sway his output. Best exemplified when a weapons arsenal was found in a Gazan hospital and he did an earnest “in Palestine, it’s not uncommon for weapons to be anywhere” take. Which got him deserved mockery because, while I have no doubt that weapons are more profiligate there, I doubt stashes of AK-47s, grenades and other weapons are in every home for ordinary Palestinians and it’s not an excuse for weapons stashes in hospitals. Plus, he seems pig headed when it comes to errors. Errors happen, but I always have more respect for those who own it and learn over those who act like those who pointed it out are the real problem.
That said, I don’t have much of an issue with his article here. I have no trust that any of the Israelis or Americans have a knowledge of how to push for stability. It seems more chaotic than Iraq in 2003 and that didn’t end up well, despite early successes. The British stance of not getting fully involved, but backing our citizens and allies from Iranian strikes is probably the right one though.
One thing which will become frustrating is the seemingly inevitable polarisation of this topic, which I suspect will become like the Israel-Palestine or trans rights public debates. One side will say if you don’t back Israeli-American action you’re not a patriot and want the Iranian regime to continue to oppress its own citizens and ferment war elsewhere, even if you aren’t one of the shameless lickspittles for the Ayatollah. And the other will say if you find any joy in the Iranian regime failing, hoping for some positive change there and criticise protests with Ayatollah pictures (there have been some previously) and Iranian regime flags, you’re a warmonger and a white supremacist.
One thing this has shown is that the real loser since Oct 7th in terms of geopolitical standing has been the Islamic Republic. They have never been so weak, only offering pitiful retaliation, but retaliation aimed at countries not involved with the current war efforts. The rest of the Middle East have turned against them, not Israel-USA so far. Even the most hospitable towards Iran, in Qatar, have now cut off all ties with Iran. It’s isolated and its proxies have never been weaker.
Probably because those fasting benefit from hydration when they can, there shouldn’t be anything offensive about a short drink break and outrage over small things is tedious.
I don’t think we should judge Muslim players based on the actions of some in their religion. I don’t see what the Maccabi farce has to do with a short drinks break for players.
Online his use of the word “defensive ” what a tool.
Yes, that’s what happens when Iran launch strikes at all and sundry. We weren’t initially involved, but strikes against uninvolved allies and we can defend them and their people. It doesn’t mean this is the only correct course of action, but to make a solid and reasonable argument against it, it can’t be based on nonsense about how the UK have caused the escalation.
No doubt you’ll ” understand” when Iran starts a genocide.
Nice of Keith to put us in the line of fire ,Lol at the idea that Iran are just innocents who weren’t warmongering and engaging in genocidal actions before.
“Understanding genocide” are for those who want to chant “globalise the intifada” or said “Oct 7th was justified”.
Iran have been launching attacks by its known proxies for years and have been supporting cyber and in real life terrorism, as stated by British intelligence about many foiled plots against us. They aren’t at all innocent in stirring conflict and are a key, if not the most major factor, in whipping up war in Palestine, Lebanon and Yemen. Never mind their own involvement in Syria and support of Russia in Ukraine (a big reason why Ukraine came out to back the operation yesterday).
The status quote has allowed Iran to cause tensions and they will continue to do so unless challenged in some way, because they have their own motivations and aren’t merely responding to the west. If this can somehow make Iran change, we have the chance for less tension in the Middle East, fewer warmongering Islamist groups fermenting tension in Lebanon or Palestine against Israel or in Yemen against Saudi Arabia. I am not saying it will lead to utopia, as I acknowledge that Israel and Saudi Arabia have their own regime problems, but it will be better if so.
Though, I do share grave worries that the optimistic scenario doesn’t always take place, and with the people involved, the chances of true change are less likely. Trump did just remove Maduro in Venezuela and left the regime to oppress its citizens, after all.
That will be the Iranian regime that has fermented terrorism and war for decades, have recently slaughtered thousands of thousands of Iranians for protesting, with allegations of extreme torture (including gang rape of women, who had their uteruses ripped out and their dead bodies mailed to family members), hanging of gay people from cranes and women imprisoned for clothing.
Does this mean I think the current military action is wise? No. We don’t know how this will spiral, Trump is an idiot and neither he or Netanyahu are motivated by human rights. There are celebrations within Iran and the diaspora for a reason and not because they are ‘racists’. The death of the Ayatollah, who is worse than Trump and Netanyahu (no, that is no more of an endorsement than saying Stalin was better than Hitler), opens an opportunity, perhaps slim, of improvement and I cannot begrudge anyone for cheering his demise. It’s not racist for do so either, unless it’s racist to not want to live under Islamist fascism.
I have had the fortune of knowing several Iranians in my life. All despised the regime and will show some degree of happiness now, none of them ‘fascist’, they support women and gay rights, and I hope for them something good happens for their country. It would be good for the world too, with their warmongering proxies cut off from their main backer.
I think it’s too early to say definitively and I don’t like the idea of volunteers who want to safeguard elections having motives unfairly questioned. I don’t think we can say the result of the by-election should be questioned, but we absolutely should take accusations of malpractice, like observed family voting, seriously and without ascribing motivations to them when there us no evidence of such. It was bad enough when the Tories hurled accusations of lefty lawyers with agendas, it would be bad here to do so against election observers, with no known ties to any party. It would be one way to sow discord and distrust in a system. And if we let standards slip, it opens doors to more accusations and them getting traction.
If anything went wrong with officials on the day, it wouldn’t necessarily be because of anything malign.
They released a report that was picked up by the press.
That may be the case; I was trying to be optimistic. The subject at hand has been highly polarised, is divisive, used as a means to attack communities on either side* and many Greens have leant into it, as seen with recent party motions and a deputy leader who was justifying Oct 7th straight away. Though, Labour have previously pitched campaigns to community concerns, so any criticism of that aspect is hypocritical. And now we have Reform leaning into “the Muslims rigged it” narratives. I am fairly despondent about the state of our politics and most parties (maybe not the Lib Dems so much, though I may be wrong) have played their part.
*Typically represented by Bill Maher and Mehdi Hasan this week. Maher calling a more left Democrat a ‘minister for Palestine’, which was called out as racism by Mehdi. Which was correct of him, but many were pointing out that Mehdi had done the same to others by calling them ministers for Israel. Both no doubt think accusations against them are ‘smears’, but the similar accusation against the other is true.
I see Farage was straight on social media after the Gorton result claiming corrupt voting procedures and poo pooing postal ballots as being anti democratic, straight out the Trump playbook and no serious evidence to back any of it up. A well regarded group ( according to Farage ) of observers noted some family voting taking place in Gorton, volunteers at polling stations would not allow that to happen as it is illegal and neither the GMC or the police have had any reports of wrongdoing, try again Nigel you lost fair and square, get over it.
The group in question are funded by the Rowntree foundation, and are reputable. Farage and co are seizing on it to sow doubt and paranoia, but let’s not denigrate volunteer groups serving a valuable purpose. These groups are independent and have less incentives to lie than party volunteers at polling stations (not actually accusing any of foul play, just stating they are more independent) and ensuring no foul play in elections is good. I doubt any family voting pressures held much sway, but any instances should be stamped out. We shouldn’t accept declines in standard because some want to use it to destroy trust for an agenda.
I was in favour of Burnham standing but now I’m not so sure he’d have won it anyway. The level of Green campaigning and visible support was off the scale. Never seen anything like it. I suspect the amount of voting in the Gorton side from the more liberal, left leaning young voters and disenfranchised older Labour voters, including a portion of the Muslim vote unhappy about the government’s stance on Gaza outweighed the fairweather fascists over in Denton. Thankfully the anti fascist vote wasn’t split allowing Reform in. Local elections I suspect Labour losing Wards to both Reform and Green.
I think Burnham wouldn’t have necessarily won, but he would havecstood a better chance. There were other issues. Gaza being one, but there is a risk of pigeon holing the Islamic vote as being monofocussed, which plays into the hands of anti-Muslims. I think things like cost of living also played a significant role too.
Along with the emails from those involved. Some of the most powerful people and they thought candid emails wouldn’t bite them on the backside. Idiots.
*involved. Not bullied.
I haven’t disputed that Starmer was an idiot for involving himself with Mandelson. I thought it was a stupid decision at the time, but this doesn’t mean he or every more centre Labour person who interacted with him knew the specifics. Not like that exonerates Starmer for poor decisions.
It’s not a case of evil centrists compared to morally pure leftists. Epstein had people of all persuasions bullied. It has seemingly been Gordon Brown who has been open in detailing what he knows about Mandelson, even if he might have a personal motive for this.
I see. Guilt by association through being a fan of more moderate politicians.
Funny how damping Corbyn for association with Press TV or Holocaust deniers like Paul Eisen was a smear, but merely preferring more centrist Labour is bad because they may have interacted with Mandelson.
We all have biases, but I am not shoehorning this into your hatred of centrists. Now trying to go into broad brush statements about motives of anyone opposing Saint Jeremy. I may have my biases, but I haven’t stretched that far in this thread; my agenda is far less clear and lop sided as yours.
I have no care for Mandelson – he was a creep and a dodgy git before all this, but no doubt that will be me trying to protect him again.
Well, at least no-one can say you don’t have an agenda.
Butler made a rod for his own back with his tetchy comments to fans, but to call for his head is ridiculous. The manner of this blip is alarming, but chopping and changing so impulsively has failed in the past and it seems some have been desperate to stick the knife into Butler after the hysteria of the start of the 24-25 season, the blip in form in the winter and again now.
There’s only one Dave with the controversial moniker and it isn’t Positivity Dave.
It’s funny how some bemoaned the ‘toxicity’ of Bru to go to the Facebook group and it’s worse.
On a lighter note:
February 10, 2026 at 4:31 pm in reply to: Yet another…’what have you been listening today?’ Thread #316217I have to be honest in that I am majorly disappointed in the government. I thought Starmer would have some degree of competence, from being head of the CPS and some apparent mastering of detail in opposition when scrutinising Sunak and co, even if charisma was never his strong point. Turns out that was just a charade for his overly lawyerly style, where he has no seeming personality or vision, along with questionable decisions and flailing under pressure.
I think some of his previous comments when spoken of leadership ambitions were undermining. It is the nature of politics and there are a lot of comments of support currently that I think have tactical undertones, not just from Burnham, but from Streeting and some of the rest of the Cabinet. And given how unpopular and weak Starmer is, I don’t think it is fully without reason.
Again, it doesn’t make them bad, but I don’t think it’s high principle. I am not totally against Burnham, but he very much has a political gamesmanship mind, as do many of them. I find it funny when it is said Starmer was previously playing games, but Burnham hasn’t been doing. As a social media joke goes: “A Blairite, a Brownite and a Corbynite walk into a bar. The barman says “what are you having today, Mr Burnham?””
Bit of an odd fanbase. They seemed to get triggered by Scunny fans praising their performance in the previous game and one on there is making out that we have some big hatred of them. Team with no rivals trying to find some beef somewhere because Preston will never care about them.
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