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Thursday, February 20, 2014

All washed out- what the floods reveal about the UK's political elite



The UK government- more interested in funding  'rebels' in Syria and protecting bankers' bonuses than in flood defences at home. My new column for RT.com OpEdge.

The terrible impact that the ongoing floods have had over large parts of Britain - and the government response to the disaster - tells us much about the political system we now live under and in whose interests our government acts.

You can read the whole piece here.

11 comments:

brian said...

neonazi coup in ukraine:

Mark Sleboda
Follow · 6 hours ago

To all who try to pretend that the decisions of this new coup's majority in the Rada are in any way legitimate or legal. This is an elected deputy of the Rada being dragged through a mob gauntlet to "vote...See More
To all who try to pretend that the decisions of this new coup's majority in the Rada are in any way legitimate or legal. This is an elected deputy of the Rada being dragged through a mob gauntlet to "vote" today in Kiev.

- picture from the Guardian
"Anti-government protesters attack a deputy of the Party of Regions Vitaly Grushevsky outside the Ukrainian Parliament building in Kiev. Photograph: VASILY FEDOSENKO/REUTERS"
----------------
Ukraine's autonomous Crimea region leans towards Moscow
This autonomous republic is traditionally close to Russia, and as demonstrations continue to wrack Kiev and other regions more than two months after anti-government protests erupted, local lawmakers have asked Moscow for protection against what they qualify as "extremists." http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/syria-and-ukraine-kindred-nations.html

brian said...

Anonymous Ukraine releases Klitschko e-mails showing treason
Vitaly Klischko
Photo: EPA
Vitaly Klischko

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Anonymous Ukraine is battling the forces in Ukraine that are funded and directed from the West and attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government of the sovereign country of Ukraine...
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_23/Anonymous-Ukraine-releases-Klitschko-e-mails-showing-treason-3581/

brian said...

Crowds gather in Sevastopol to demand reunification with Russia
Main square of Sevastopol, home of Russian Black Sea fleet: protest demanding reunification with Russia #ukraine
https://twitter.com/shustry/status/437224480495370240/photo/1

brian said...

Nina Byzantina ‏@NinaByzantina 56m
Protesters in #Ukraine = "opposition." Protesters in #Nantes = "pillaging anarchists" (as per MSM like ABC) (video http://goo.gl/WuHcKU )

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 15
US Bobsledder D. Robinson compliments #Sochi2014 http://goo.gl/49eM14 /Открытое письмо амер. бобслеиста о #Сочи2014 http://goo.gl/6IYpzL

the good american? contrast with Amnesty pious hyateria

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 17
3X #Sochi2014 biathlete champ D Domracheva of #Belarus: "I consider #Russia my native country" http://goo.gl/UPkhUa pic.twitter.com/OjbOpaFZo2

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 13
@akarlin88 Unlike Saakashvili, my Georgian ancestors recognized the Russians' role in saving their people from physical extermination.

brian said...

Nina Byzantina ‏@NinaByzantina 56m
Protesters in #Ukraine = "opposition." Protesters in #Nantes = "pillaging anarchists" (as per MSM like ABC) (video http://goo.gl/WuHcKU )

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 15
US Bobsledder D. Robinson compliments #Sochi2014 http://goo.gl/49eM14 /Открытое письмо амер. бобслеиста о #Сочи2014 http://goo.gl/6IYpzL

the good american? contrast with Amnesty pious hyateria

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 17
3X #Sochi2014 biathlete champ D Domracheva of #Belarus: "I consider #Russia my native country" http://goo.gl/UPkhUa pic.twitter.com/OjbOpaFZo2

Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina Feb 13
@akarlin88 Unlike Saakashvili, my Georgian ancestors recognized the Russians' role in saving their people from physical extermination.

brian said...

what sort of government would the ukrainian insurgents form? here is a clue:

"Democracy" at a gun point in the hands of the fascist Right Sector in Ukraine. While the Western media and leaders are telling us one thing, this is what is happening NOW on the ground in Ukraine. The video is from the session of the regional government in Roven in Western Ukraine. An armed leader of the Right Sector, Sashko Biliy is explaining the nuts and bolts of the new fascist system: 1) all opposition parties are now outlawed, 2) the Right Sector will not be disarmed, 3) he challenges any unarmed civilian present to try it, 4) force will be used with extreme prejudice; 5) confiscations of property and apartments of all the undesirables will be carried out, 6) the Right Sector will be making all the decisions, 7) no opposition will be tolerated, 8) new order and discipline will be enforced, 8) complete obedience is expected or else. He also fought on the side of the separatists in Chechnya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xpVXi3kPbAs The video is in Ukraine, though apparently with Portuguese subtitles ...

brian said...

A video has emerged from Kiev, showing members of Berkut carrying away from the stand-off with the "peaceful demonstrators," actually fascist stormtroopers, a decapitated body of their colleague. Now, the same forces have been put by the new regime in charge of the police, the army, justice, and courts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vTzZM7GSCCE

brian said...

comment by an american in ukraine

'Clearly things are not going well. A default looms. Now let's hear what reader Jacob Dreizin has to say.

Ukraine - The Full Scoop
Hi Mish,

The last Ukrainian government was awful, but as someone who speaks the language and has been reading the local news for hours each day, I want you to know there are two sides to this story.

The Western media is not reporting accurately and in a balanced way as to what’s going on in Ukraine, both in the run-up to the fall of the regime, and now, in the aftermath.

There is a “reign of terror” in Kiev and some other areas right now.

Offices and even private homes associated with the former ruling party and its communist allies have been ransacked or burned by militias even though Yanukovich’s mansion has been left alone.

An independent member of parliament who critiqued certain positions of the main nationalist party was assaulted and had to go to hospital with a concussion. Also, some public officials in the central/western regions have been detained and beaten-up.

Other pro-Russia citizens have been rounded up and taken away by militias, with no warrant. We have no idea if, how, or where they are being held.

The ultra-nationalist umbrella groups that direct the militias have just announced they will essentially take charge of Central Elections Commission HQ and monitor its work during the upcoming national vote. How fair will the vote be?

Riot police returning to their bases in western Ukraine were forced to attend public assemblies in which they had to get on their knees and beg forgiveness (whether or not they were involved in any abuses.) Some have already fled their homes and are living as refugees.

Also, one of parliament’s very first post-revolution decisions was to revoke the right of local governments to do business in non-Ukrainian languages, such as Russian. Another law has been proposed to effectively ban the broadcast or rebroadcast of television or radio from Russia. There are still other proposed bills aimed at provoking and oppressing the Russian or Russian-speaking population.

Lastly, while the new legal authorities are investigating the killing of around 70 protestors, no one is looking into the deaths of at least 13 policemen (at least 10 from gunshot wounds) or several ruling party workers who were killed in an attack on their office.

It’s much easier to pretend this is about democracy, human rights, the peoples’ choice, etc. while looking the other way now that “our guys” have won. We have seen this movie before. And I fear it will only get worse from here.

Yes, the former government led by President Viktor Yanukovych was corrupt. But the leading opposition figure, who was just released from jail was named by U.S. Federal prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator in the massive corruption schemes of a former Ukrainian prime minister who served time in U.S. Federal prison for money laundering and other charges after having made off with what is believed to be hundreds of millions of dollars, much of it not yet recovered.

Feel free to use my name. I put in my time in uniform, and I’m not afraid that some pro-war, pro-intervention chickenhawks might call me a traitor for supporting the “wrong” side. I have earned my right to say whatever I want.

All the best,

Jacob Dreizin

Read more at http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/02/inside-ukraine-mish-reader-who-speaks.html#hbpm7Ip3yKXY6S0V.99

brian said...

Vladimir Suchan via BERKUT - Ukraine
A German investigative blogger shows pictures and information that documents previous training of the Ukrainian neo-fascists, who spearheaded the Euromaindan protests in Kiev at a NATO base in Estonia. His report begins at 1:24 (and is in German, but otherwise still quite understandable for the photos speak much for themselves). The beginning of the video is an RT material from the Maidan which shows similar fascist troops training their fight against the police.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbxQG-_hZws

brian said...

OK: israeli 'journalist' currently in Crimea..,says to jews No worries: its mostly Putin propaganda:
Anshel Pfeffer ‏@AnshelPfeffer Feb 25
The dilemma of the Jews in #Ukraine - warn against anti-Semitism and play into Putin's hands? my report @haaretzcom
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/.premium-1.576372 … ........................
another 'journalist' seeks to whitewash the coup, make it seem nobel (prize winning) and legitimate and not full of racists.

Neil Clark said...

Hi Brian,
Many thanks - all very interesting. sorry for delay in getting comments up- keep them coming in.