Iraq v Lebanon

While we are all struggling, struggling I say, to get a ceasefire in Lebanon, Omar at Iraq the Model seems to be more concerned with what's going on there.
"We are getting used tothe appalling nonsense we hear from the leaders of al-Qaeda every now and then but we still do listen to their hateful speeches in order to understand more about how those criminals think and to know more about their intentions and plans, so while these audio or video statements they keep sending through al-Jazeera can add nothing to help al-Qaeda, they can be a source for free information to us…"

"There was nothing significant new about what Zawahiri said in his last message that was aired a few days ago but one line struck me as ironic. He was talking about "jihad against the Americans and the Zionists" and how Muslims must rise up and fight back then he mentioned Iraq and considered Iraq's proximity to Israel an advantage that makes Iraq the best candidate country where "the Islamic Emirate can be established and the mujahideen would then move from this Emirate to Palestine to fight the Jews."

British Anti-semitism

Message to writers and commenters on Little Green Footballs:

The British this, the British that...
You all make the mistake of thinking that we act coherently, like the Americans. The Foreign Office is most definitely pro-Arab, the Balfour Declaration was heartfelt (by those who made it) and Blair despite his many idiocies, sees very clearly that Israel is "on the side of the angels"-so do many of the rest of us. However, unlike Charles Moore, whom your contributors libel most idiotically (can't you read, for heaven's sake?), the MSM in the UK is almost entirely on the left and pro any loonies who are anti-Israel.

I am always stunned by the sagacity and the level of subtle discrimination that you (contributors and authors) bring to bear on the US and its actions: my challenge to you is to try to do the same for the UK.

Satsuma writes for Times

Mary Ann Sieghart writes : "If this is a proportionate response, I’m a satsuma."
I, a simple man, ignorant of history, seek an explanation of the phrase `proportionate response'. It seems to mean "same number killed", at least amongst those of a fruity persuasion.

I really believe the bananas should express an opinion.

The Thunderer hijacked

I always said that Murdoch was a disaster. Now look at the sort of thing he's printing! Only his organ would dare to publish something so far beyond the realms of the credible. The article to which I refer has the temerity to suggest that "Hisbollah is Iran and Iran is Hisbollah".

Washington risks a wider conflict

This is surely not realistic! We' ve had the straight analysis from "BBC Correspondent Jim Muir, who has been reporting on the current conflict from the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre, [and] has covered the upheavals in Lebanon since the original crisis erupted there in 1975." We British know that we can trust implicitly the impartiality of the BBC and if they say that it's all Israel and the US's fault it must be true. It certainly couldn't be the case that Hisbollah want to destroy Israel, could it? .

Hizbollah's flag

Can anyone explain to me why the flag of the Party of God of the Religion of Peace has a hand raising a Kalashinkov on it?
I only ask in a spirit of enquiry-I'm sure there's some perfectly reasonable explanation.

Israel says world backs offensive

Perhaps they do, but the BBC thinks not. For goodness sake don't say it, even if it's true. It might embarass us.

Israel targets UNIFIL

So, it seems that the left-wing were right, as always: Israel simply wants to attack everybody in a sickening display of bloodlust and mindless violence. Pity poor Hisbollah, who try so hard to be above reproach.

It's so nice to see the Religion of Peace in operation

"Some bowed before a memorial to Hezbollah-linked suicide bombers who carried out the 1983 blast at Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. servicemen. An almost simultaneous bombing killed 56 French peacekeepers."

It's great to hear how religious freedom is in operation in Iran. In some of those pesky rule-obsessed, religion-denying Western countries the spontaneous volunteering for good works by hundreds of thousands (sorry, 60) of highly religious people would be discouraged or even stopped. In Iran however they go in their plastic and dress shoes. Caught up in rapture, one might say.

Our politicians are cheating, lying bastards

Our politicians are cheating, lying bastards and the only reason we don't vote them out of office is that we're sure the others are just as bad.

See, see Alan Johnson, the Education secretary, ranting about how we do down the youngsters of today when their grades are improving. See, see the York University Electronics Department report a drop in average marks on their introductory Maths tests (same bank of multiple choice questions): 78% in 1985 to 42% in 2000.

Hear, hear the constant sniping at private schools and selectivity, enunciated most often by privately educated, Islington dwelling `egalitarians' who send their children to private school or can afford to move into the catchment area of the best state schools.

See, see them hand control of the National Curriculum to a bunch of agenda driven bureaucrats (30 members on the panel for Maths: 1 teacher, 1 lecturer, 28 civil servants). I'm sorry, that should be `QCA develops the national curriculum, which defines the knowledge, understanding and skills to which children and young people are entitled. It is kept under review, to evaluate its appropriateness and relevance to the changing needs of learners and society'. I'm sorry? Children and young people are entitled to skills? Not `entitled to have people attempt to teach them skills' but just `entitled to skills'. Where did the hard work go? Where did the constant, ceaseless, tiring repetition which any aspiring sportsman would endure, go? Where did the fucking diligence necessary to acquire any skill-even nose-picking-go? What happened to constant practice? What kind of lying cheating bastards have we got for our bureaucrats? More sodding politicians by the sounds of it.

One minute they claim we are the closest allies the US have and to support Israel in its defense against Hisbollah and then this. They think we're so stupid. Come to think of it, we are, otherwise why do we tolerate them?