article o’ the day: Israel and the art of sophistry

John McCarthy, yoFrom John McCarthy in the Independent, which I really should read more often. Why in god’s name the home page is made to look as trashy as it is, is a mystery. If it didn’t look so US Weekly, I might actually read the damn thing.

I was pointed to the article over on the BoJo flamewar by Wobbly. And you thought they were extinct, didn’t you?

In any case, there is an interesting amount of debate going on in the press, and this is an article I keep coming back to. Well worth reading, if only for the information that Israel kidnapped two Palestinians the day before the kidnapping of Corporal Shalit, the official excuse for the current war.

In Tony Blair‘s speech in Los Angeles last Tuesday, he said he was sickened by what was happening in Lebanon but went on to effectively absolve Israel of responsibility for the devastation there. He urged: “Just for a moment, put yourself in Israel’s place.”

In that one phrase, our Prime Minister summed up everything that is wrong with our policy for the Middle East.

And before you accuse the author of mindless anti-Semitism and knee-jerk pro-Palestinianism, check the bio notes:

John McCarthy was kidnapped in Lebanon in 1986 and held for five years

John McCarthy makes the cover of Time

Typepad on Tomlinson

Tomlinson. Not a happy puppy right now.Got an answer about Richard Tomlinson’s blog, although it’s not much of an answer. No, he didn’t take it down because his conditions had been met; it was taken down by Typepad itself, for TOS violations. Here’s the email:

Hi,Thank you for contacing us. Mr. Tomlinson’s weblog was suspended due to Terms of Service violations. We’re not at liberty to discuss the matter beyond that.Thanks,
Colleen
TypePad Technical Services
Six Apart, Ltd.

and here is a link to their Terms of Service. Looks like he fell afoul of #7. The “not at liberty” seems to indicate there are lawyers involved, don’t it?

For those of you who don’t know, Tomlinson is the former MI6 member and blogger who has been jousting with law-enforcement types for several years now. Probably most notorious for his claim that MI6 assassinated Princess Diana and he can prove it, he’s probably more dangerous for publicly posting a database containing the names of those he claims to know are/were working for Special Services. I blogged about his blog here. It was abruptly shut down on the 4th, as he was negotiating the return of some of this things (including his PDA and the computer of a friend) with the law.

making fun of Europeans

Some people do it better than others; better, even, than AA Gill. With a little help from Europeans, that is. EU States Lose, from Logged Hours via Gawker.

EU States DESERVE to lose, dammit!

4.) Jean-Jacques was so excited to come to LoveParade that he didn’t stop home to change after his rehearsals for Chippendale’s Easter Extravaganza.

quiz o’ the day: which West Wing character are you?

No big surprise here

Smart, sexy, and sassy, both the press and other staffers know not to mess with Claudia Jean. A natural at her job, the press secretary is sensitive toward women’s issues and stands up for ‘the Sisterhood.’ Her wit and one-liners along with her lip synching ability are known across the land.

:: Which West Wing character are you? ::

Via Guido

So NOW can I have George Stephanopoulos? Can I? Can I? I promise to feed and water him and take him for walks and brush his coat and…

blog comment o’ the day: A (suggested) Statement from David Cameron

Although it’s actually from Susan Thorpe, over in the BoJo Flamewar. Dream on, if you think any politician has what it takes to sign something like this, brilliant though it is.

“I am not the Prime Minister of Great Britain, but I have high hopes of one day achieving this exalted office. Until that time, whilst I may sway the incumbent government’s policies, I am only able to influence our government and not implement policies of my own. However, even though I do not enjoy governmental pre-eminence, I offer, on behalf of Britain, my deepest condolences and sympathies to the peoples of Lebanon and Palestine. I would like to add that I hope that we can work together in the future to rectify and repair relations between Britain and the Middle East.

Insofar as Britain was the last nation to govern the territory of Israel and Palestine prior to resolution 181 of the United Nations, I consider the difficulties in Israel and Lebanon to lie, to a certain extent, at our doorstep. As a consequence of this historical obligation I feel it behooves any British government to do its utmost to expedite peace in this region; even if such actions may strain our relationship with our allies, the United States and Israel.

To this end I call for impartial international re-assessment of the activities of Israel in the occupied territories of Palestine and a similar examination of its recent military activities in Lebanon. I also recommend that Britain withdraw diplomatic relations with Israel until the leaders of that country comply with all outstanding UN resolutions and rectify any officially recorded abuses of humanitarian rights in the occupied territories and Lebanon.

I recognize that this statement will cause anger and dissent in the ranks of the elected members of my party and those many members of the Conservative Party in the community. I further recognize that this standpoint may cost me the leadership of this party. Regardless of these dangers, I am no longer prepared to stand by and, through inaction, condone the chronic and intolerable abuses being perpetrated in this region. I can no longer, in all honour, sit in silence while such transgressions persist without any word of condemnation or action from the international community.

If this standpoint causes me to lose electoral votes, so be it. The votes it costs are well spent in raising public awareness of the gross violations of international law perpetrated by the Israeli government daily. In the event that sinister influence causes me to lose my leadership and perhaps my seat in the house, I trust that my replacement will take up this issue with the same desire for investigation, reconciliation and, ultimately peace.”