The legacy of Iraq
I'm not sure how I feel about the Iraq war. I was talking to Mr Camel and we both agreed that we were pretty much against huge amounts of missiles being fired on a country from a great distance. Calling it "Shock and Awe" was ridiculously stupid.
I was on the big march the other day, but not fully behind it. I don't see Iraq and Afghanistan as black and white issues. I also don't see those who think they lead moves for change in this country as credible. I heard George Galloway saying that the "movement" had "Maybe been a bit too law abiding and a bit too peaceful". OK George where were you when children tried to stop the country? Why did you leave them to be picked up by the throat like kittens? YOU SAID we were going to try and stop the country.
You're full of shit George. Don't worry, I didn't try and stop the country either. As I said, it's not a black and white issue. In 2003, as lots of bombs were being dropped, it was for school kids.
thanks to Flee
see also Where did the anti-war protest go?
and Gungho media
Showing posts with label george galloway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label george galloway. Show all posts
March 19, 2008
January 25, 2006
ENTERTAINMENT
Galloway is such a tosser. Yeah, I know everybody knew that but now EVERYBODY knows it, know what I mean? Even when he sees the tapes hes still going to say everyone else and the tapes are wrong and he is right. He's attacking a pathetic little popstar who was saying what a nice guy he was the whole time. He was caught CHEATING- and stabbing the poor little guy in the back, he calls him a “sneak and a liar”
Barrymore tries to point out that they all fell for Big Brothers game and Galloway resorts to attacking him about his drink problem.
“Poor me, poor me, pour me another..”
“That is low man!” shouts little popstar “Wanker!”
Talking about Barrymore and Maggot crying Galloway asks “What sort of men are they?”
Real men don't cry do they George? They just sit in chairs sulking and grinding their jaws.
A friend of mine who is involved with an “unnamed left wing magazine” told me years ago that it would be really easy to get Galloway to drop himself in it- just put a camera on him and say “Go George...” I'm so glad Channel 4 have done so. Tonight is going to be unmissable. Next time Galloway sets foot in the house of commons is going to be funny too.
------------------------------
OK. Monkeyboy thinks he is off on a side slant, “wheeler dealing” to ITN.
“She'll give us the equipment but she needs a premise.”
“Tell her the premise is this- the media say Finsbury park mosque is full of terrorists. I went down to check for myself and found THESE PEOPLE who said they believe THIS. The public get to hear from the tiny number of Muslims the jury aren't going to hear because they are too scared to stand up in court and say their friend is not a terrorist.”
“Can you make it a bit longer?”
“Don't help me. OK? Tell her anything you want, whatever. Just don't help me. I've been doing this for years now. Don't fuck it up. Do you remember the ITN guy you filmed bringing the FBI accusations to Hamza? That is who she sat next to downstairs. He is the Crime editor at ITN.”
“Yeah, she says he knows who we are. Called us “liberals””
“Really? Thats an American term isn't it? He's probably seen where I called him a wanker. Bollocks.”
“Look, maybe we can offer the boya's some money...they can say anything they like...”
“They are Islamists. They BELIEVE something. Do you understand? Its not a case of money. They work for ALLAH. This film will get made IF ALLAH WILLS IT- do you get it?”
“I think you are wrong. I know these people back in Brum...”
“Look mate, they like you. They feel comfortable with you and remember you from Finsbury park. Can you still suck on a mint and hold a camera straight?”
“Of course man.”
“Good. Don't do anything else.”
Days and days watching the humbling of an arrogant sounding preacher of a religion I don't share in front of a man in fur sleeves and a wig is stripping me down to the bare bones of what I think I am about, or what I am trying to do. Everyone thinks they've “got a terrorist”. I'm extremely worried that they may have “got” someone who might actually be an indispensable link in some sort of solution to the “War on Terr-r”. The more he talks the more I worry.
I question myself. What if people did watch those videos and then carry out bombings regardless of Hamzas intended meanings? I didn't like the tapes but I like this even less. I thought there would be more reporters downstairs watching him get his “comeupance”.
The only mirthful moment was when Hamza mistook Perry calling his house a “terraced house” and thought he said “terrorist house”. "I don't know why you call my house a terrorist house.." said Hamza, hurt and innocent sounding. Everyone on both benches laughed. The rest of it was textbook courtroom drama.
“Who gave you the “terrorist manual”? Where? Give me a name. Bumped into him? Where?” Perry attacks in waves. “Who prints your literature? Where? “ and about the missing “Volume 6”- “Who found it? Which child? Where? Who brought it to you?”
Hamza gave away no names. “All our community is refugees. We call each other Abu (father) this and Abu that. We all use aliases. There are spies everywhere. Anyone's parents could be tortured back home.”
“Am I in the pay of Zionists?” asked Perry. Hamza just stopped short of saying yes. I remembered how on the street he had shouted so confidently about Zionist judges and homosexual politicians. Whenever he thought Hamza was straying Perry said “Don't worry about” this or that...
“I have to worry.” he said answering a question about the state of Israel “The state of Israel it means my holocaust. My oppression. They use accusations of race hate to get away with this slow motion holocaust- are you supporting that?”
Hamza always tried to widen it to world issues the jury were not aware of- that the Americans originally propagated Jihadist theory, that MI-5 paid Lybian Islamists to try and assassinate Gadaffi, that the Zionist movement was banned as a terrorist movement by the UN, Lobbyists had secured Israel in America and in this country, The US was in debt to Zionist moneylenders to the tune of 36 trillion dollars and had sacrificed its own foreign policy with this debt.
I'm not as angry about “moneylenders” as Hamza is but the more I think about “usury” the more I agree that it is fundamentally wrong for our species.
After seeing Hamza preaching on the street I don't believe for a second he is anti-Semetic, but also he does not realize what concern his actual words cause. He seems wrapped up in the concept of martyrdom blaming it all on the Zionist media hounding him.
Perry: The foreign office is controlled by Jews?
Yes.
The media?
Yes. If a Muslim doctor had killed his patients the first thing you would have heard was that he was a Muslim, but when a Jewish man kills 250- Dr. Shipman, not a single word is mentioned about his faith.
Christians are the third enemy of Islam?
I'm not talking about the followers of Jesus. I talk about those who change the book.
Hamza keeps saying that he hates the sin not the sinner. The “wrong action”.
Churches are places of Black magic?
Yes I have seen on documentaries. In Egypt and Africa churches are full of black magic. Not all of them, I am generalising.
What if a Christian priest is a homosexual?
We are not against the sinners. We are against the sin itself. The commercialisation and legalisation of the sin...
You could have preached tolerance to all
Only a fool preaches tolerance. If someone says I worship satan and have sex with children...
Are certain people beyond redemption?
Yes, they must be stopped at every level, campaigning, boycotts, I will not raise the sword unless they raise it. You don't crack a nut with a bulldozer.
How do we know what happened as a result of your speeches? Give me a name, any name, any speech any where...
Perry grilled him more about the supporters of Shareeah and his encouragment of children to undergo “Jihad training”. Were there Jihad training camps in this country? Bomb making camps?
Anyone who Supports Shareeah law is a Supporter of Shareeah. If kids want to train why not? People would be very stupid to do bomb making camps here.
Throughout Fitz is slightly turned away from Hamza, obviously used to seeing his defendants in this position. His solicitor Mrs Arani is transfixed on his face with an unreadable expression. What Mr. Hamza is saying is what I had always hoped British Fundamental Islam actually was. It sounds much better with the anger he displayed on the street taken out of it. Of course people will think he's lying to save his ass. I don't think so. He's not really the type of person to hide his beliefs.
After the break Perry comes back with lots of accusations about Hamzas support for the GIA who were targetting schoolteachers and suchlike. Hamza said it was very confusing what was going on but he always seemed to hope for the best of the GIA until they finally admitted massacres when he denounced them and folded the Al- Ansar magazine he ran in their support. He claimed to know nothing of any connection they might have to bombings in France. Because France had collonised Algeria he could neither condemn nor condone any actions the Algerians might take.
Perry suggested that Hamza denounced the GIA for opportunistic reasons as the trustees of Finsbury park mosque were threatening his position. This led Hamza to bring up all the allegations of financial impropriety of some Pakistanis who had made themselves "trustees for life" and the trouble between Arabs and Bangladeshis he was orginally brought in to help sort out.
At one point in the afternoon Perry accused Hamza of giving misleading evidence about when MI-5 had told him he was “walking a tightrope”.
I tell the truth! You are bringing evidence under the table.
Did you ask Special branch to protect you?
Never.
You never asked for their assistance with concerns for your saftey?
Never, never ever. My wife answered the phone they told her I should ring them. She said- you have his mobile number. They told me they were concerned for my safety. I said I was not.
This is crazy, I don't know what to write down. I wonder how people will think about this trial in 50 years from now. Will Muslims think of Hamza as a martyr who stood up for the dream of an Islamic “Kalifa” or a firebrand who gave his religion a bad name? Is a “Kalifa” coming? Everyone in the courtroom seems like they are from another time except the jury.
“He'll get off you know.” said one of the journalists I knew from Finsbury park. The Muslims always hated him because his stuff goes in the Sun (with a little embelishment).
“Really? That was the last thing I would think, how do you know?”
“Oh, I've seen a few of these trials, I can see how this one is going...”
He's always been very encouraging to me.
Right at the end of the day Fitz and Perry argued before the judge without the jury about an expert witness Fitz intends to call.
“If the defendant is encouraging people to go to Bosnia and fight in no more than self defense then he is not guilty. If it extends beyond that then he is guilty. Murder is murder even if it is morally justified. An exhortation to kill in Afghanistan if not in self defense is incitement.” said the Judge.
I can't surmise Fitz's answer but he quoted suppositions from the intifada and in the courtroom it felt like he had right on his side. It was the first time he actually impressed me. The Judges answer left me with a frown as I stood at the end. I felt as if he was saying that anyone with a just cause who came to the UK to publicise atrocities and mobilise ex-pat communities would be inciting to murder. I can't see how this would stand in any other case than this one. What if a plan had been hatched here to assasinate Saddam?
Hamza paints “Londonistan” as a haven for pious islamists who fight against tyrants for freedom and can't even tell each other their real names for fear of retaliation in their homelands. Is Londonistan over? After hearing what Hamza said on the tapes, and after 7/7 will anybody care? Probably not.
Barrymore tries to point out that they all fell for Big Brothers game and Galloway resorts to attacking him about his drink problem.
“Poor me, poor me, pour me another..”
“That is low man!” shouts little popstar “Wanker!”
Talking about Barrymore and Maggot crying Galloway asks “What sort of men are they?”
Real men don't cry do they George? They just sit in chairs sulking and grinding their jaws.
A friend of mine who is involved with an “unnamed left wing magazine” told me years ago that it would be really easy to get Galloway to drop himself in it- just put a camera on him and say “Go George...” I'm so glad Channel 4 have done so. Tonight is going to be unmissable. Next time Galloway sets foot in the house of commons is going to be funny too.
------------------------------
OK. Monkeyboy thinks he is off on a side slant, “wheeler dealing” to ITN.
“She'll give us the equipment but she needs a premise.”
“Tell her the premise is this- the media say Finsbury park mosque is full of terrorists. I went down to check for myself and found THESE PEOPLE who said they believe THIS. The public get to hear from the tiny number of Muslims the jury aren't going to hear because they are too scared to stand up in court and say their friend is not a terrorist.”
“Can you make it a bit longer?”
“Don't help me. OK? Tell her anything you want, whatever. Just don't help me. I've been doing this for years now. Don't fuck it up. Do you remember the ITN guy you filmed bringing the FBI accusations to Hamza? That is who she sat next to downstairs. He is the Crime editor at ITN.”
“Yeah, she says he knows who we are. Called us “liberals””
“Really? Thats an American term isn't it? He's probably seen where I called him a wanker. Bollocks.”
“Look, maybe we can offer the boya's some money...they can say anything they like...”
“They are Islamists. They BELIEVE something. Do you understand? Its not a case of money. They work for ALLAH. This film will get made IF ALLAH WILLS IT- do you get it?”
“I think you are wrong. I know these people back in Brum...”
“Look mate, they like you. They feel comfortable with you and remember you from Finsbury park. Can you still suck on a mint and hold a camera straight?”
“Of course man.”
“Good. Don't do anything else.”
Days and days watching the humbling of an arrogant sounding preacher of a religion I don't share in front of a man in fur sleeves and a wig is stripping me down to the bare bones of what I think I am about, or what I am trying to do. Everyone thinks they've “got a terrorist”. I'm extremely worried that they may have “got” someone who might actually be an indispensable link in some sort of solution to the “War on Terr-r”. The more he talks the more I worry.
I question myself. What if people did watch those videos and then carry out bombings regardless of Hamzas intended meanings? I didn't like the tapes but I like this even less. I thought there would be more reporters downstairs watching him get his “comeupance”.
The only mirthful moment was when Hamza mistook Perry calling his house a “terraced house” and thought he said “terrorist house”. "I don't know why you call my house a terrorist house.." said Hamza, hurt and innocent sounding. Everyone on both benches laughed. The rest of it was textbook courtroom drama.
“Who gave you the “terrorist manual”? Where? Give me a name. Bumped into him? Where?” Perry attacks in waves. “Who prints your literature? Where? “ and about the missing “Volume 6”- “Who found it? Which child? Where? Who brought it to you?”
Hamza gave away no names. “All our community is refugees. We call each other Abu (father) this and Abu that. We all use aliases. There are spies everywhere. Anyone's parents could be tortured back home.”
“Am I in the pay of Zionists?” asked Perry. Hamza just stopped short of saying yes. I remembered how on the street he had shouted so confidently about Zionist judges and homosexual politicians. Whenever he thought Hamza was straying Perry said “Don't worry about” this or that...
“I have to worry.” he said answering a question about the state of Israel “The state of Israel it means my holocaust. My oppression. They use accusations of race hate to get away with this slow motion holocaust- are you supporting that?”
Hamza always tried to widen it to world issues the jury were not aware of- that the Americans originally propagated Jihadist theory, that MI-5 paid Lybian Islamists to try and assassinate Gadaffi, that the Zionist movement was banned as a terrorist movement by the UN, Lobbyists had secured Israel in America and in this country, The US was in debt to Zionist moneylenders to the tune of 36 trillion dollars and had sacrificed its own foreign policy with this debt.
I'm not as angry about “moneylenders” as Hamza is but the more I think about “usury” the more I agree that it is fundamentally wrong for our species.
After seeing Hamza preaching on the street I don't believe for a second he is anti-Semetic, but also he does not realize what concern his actual words cause. He seems wrapped up in the concept of martyrdom blaming it all on the Zionist media hounding him.
Perry: The foreign office is controlled by Jews?
Yes.
The media?
Yes. If a Muslim doctor had killed his patients the first thing you would have heard was that he was a Muslim, but when a Jewish man kills 250- Dr. Shipman, not a single word is mentioned about his faith.
Christians are the third enemy of Islam?
I'm not talking about the followers of Jesus. I talk about those who change the book.
Hamza keeps saying that he hates the sin not the sinner. The “wrong action”.
Churches are places of Black magic?
Yes I have seen on documentaries. In Egypt and Africa churches are full of black magic. Not all of them, I am generalising.
What if a Christian priest is a homosexual?
We are not against the sinners. We are against the sin itself. The commercialisation and legalisation of the sin...
You could have preached tolerance to all
Only a fool preaches tolerance. If someone says I worship satan and have sex with children...
Are certain people beyond redemption?
Yes, they must be stopped at every level, campaigning, boycotts, I will not raise the sword unless they raise it. You don't crack a nut with a bulldozer.
How do we know what happened as a result of your speeches? Give me a name, any name, any speech any where...
Perry grilled him more about the supporters of Shareeah and his encouragment of children to undergo “Jihad training”. Were there Jihad training camps in this country? Bomb making camps?
Anyone who Supports Shareeah law is a Supporter of Shareeah. If kids want to train why not? People would be very stupid to do bomb making camps here.
Throughout Fitz is slightly turned away from Hamza, obviously used to seeing his defendants in this position. His solicitor Mrs Arani is transfixed on his face with an unreadable expression. What Mr. Hamza is saying is what I had always hoped British Fundamental Islam actually was. It sounds much better with the anger he displayed on the street taken out of it. Of course people will think he's lying to save his ass. I don't think so. He's not really the type of person to hide his beliefs.
After the break Perry comes back with lots of accusations about Hamzas support for the GIA who were targetting schoolteachers and suchlike. Hamza said it was very confusing what was going on but he always seemed to hope for the best of the GIA until they finally admitted massacres when he denounced them and folded the Al- Ansar magazine he ran in their support. He claimed to know nothing of any connection they might have to bombings in France. Because France had collonised Algeria he could neither condemn nor condone any actions the Algerians might take.
Perry suggested that Hamza denounced the GIA for opportunistic reasons as the trustees of Finsbury park mosque were threatening his position. This led Hamza to bring up all the allegations of financial impropriety of some Pakistanis who had made themselves "trustees for life" and the trouble between Arabs and Bangladeshis he was orginally brought in to help sort out.
At one point in the afternoon Perry accused Hamza of giving misleading evidence about when MI-5 had told him he was “walking a tightrope”.
I tell the truth! You are bringing evidence under the table.
Did you ask Special branch to protect you?
Never.
You never asked for their assistance with concerns for your saftey?
Never, never ever. My wife answered the phone they told her I should ring them. She said- you have his mobile number. They told me they were concerned for my safety. I said I was not.
This is crazy, I don't know what to write down. I wonder how people will think about this trial in 50 years from now. Will Muslims think of Hamza as a martyr who stood up for the dream of an Islamic “Kalifa” or a firebrand who gave his religion a bad name? Is a “Kalifa” coming? Everyone in the courtroom seems like they are from another time except the jury.
“He'll get off you know.” said one of the journalists I knew from Finsbury park. The Muslims always hated him because his stuff goes in the Sun (with a little embelishment).
“Really? That was the last thing I would think, how do you know?”
“Oh, I've seen a few of these trials, I can see how this one is going...”
He's always been very encouraging to me.
Right at the end of the day Fitz and Perry argued before the judge without the jury about an expert witness Fitz intends to call.
“If the defendant is encouraging people to go to Bosnia and fight in no more than self defense then he is not guilty. If it extends beyond that then he is guilty. Murder is murder even if it is morally justified. An exhortation to kill in Afghanistan if not in self defense is incitement.” said the Judge.
I can't surmise Fitz's answer but he quoted suppositions from the intifada and in the courtroom it felt like he had right on his side. It was the first time he actually impressed me. The Judges answer left me with a frown as I stood at the end. I felt as if he was saying that anyone with a just cause who came to the UK to publicise atrocities and mobilise ex-pat communities would be inciting to murder. I can't see how this would stand in any other case than this one. What if a plan had been hatched here to assasinate Saddam?
Hamza paints “Londonistan” as a haven for pious islamists who fight against tyrants for freedom and can't even tell each other their real names for fear of retaliation in their homelands. Is Londonistan over? After hearing what Hamza said on the tapes, and after 7/7 will anybody care? Probably not.
January 05, 2006
FINALLY
Finally I can blog about Big Brother! I've always resisted the urge as its such a personal obsession which is of no consequence- usually. I couldn't believe it seeing George Galloway walking in. This is going to be good.
My money, tommorow morning, will be on a guy called Maggot. If you've got UKTV its on from 1-3 am tonight.
Big Brother on Channel 4
I've always thought the potential of Big Brother in terms of politics and change to be completely untapped and I know that the producer, Mr Bazalgate has had opinions along those lines over the years. I proposed a program to channel 4 a long time ago suggesting locking the kids who protested (article, video) into the big brother house with an internet link and a phoneline to see if they could sort it all out by phoning world leaders while we watched, or if it would all descend into chaos.
"Nice try, was the reply. Not this time, but don't let it put you off trying!!!"
My money, tommorow morning, will be on a guy called Maggot. If you've got UKTV its on from 1-3 am tonight.
Big Brother on Channel 4
I've always thought the potential of Big Brother in terms of politics and change to be completely untapped and I know that the producer, Mr Bazalgate has had opinions along those lines over the years. I proposed a program to channel 4 a long time ago suggesting locking the kids who protested (article, video) into the big brother house with an internet link and a phoneline to see if they could sort it all out by phoning world leaders while we watched, or if it would all descend into chaos.
"Nice try, was the reply. Not this time, but don't let it put you off trying!!!"
September 15, 2005
Here's more than a whiff:
Galloway: "you know Hitchens you are a court jester at the court of the bourbon bushes"
Hitchens counters: "I suppose Mr Galloway we have to congratulate you for being absolutely consistent in your 100% support for unmentionable thugs and criminals"
It was the grapple in the Big Apple.
For almost two hours, Gorgeous George and the intellectual scruff his friends call Hitch hurled abuse at one another, British political theatre of the kind Americans rarely see.The two men continued to slug it out. Hitchens had this assault on Galloway's links with the Saddam regime:
"How can a man who is a business partner with this regime show their face in a city like this? The man's search for a tyrannical fatherland never ends. The Soviet Union's let him down. Albania's gone. The Red Army's out of Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia. The hunt persists!"
And Galloway on blisteringly good form accusing Hitchens of betraying the British left by supporting the Iraq war.
Galloway: "What you have witnessed. is something unique in natural history. The first ever metamorphosis from a butterfly back into a slug. You did write like an angel, but now you work for the devil and damn you and all your works."
from channel 4 snowmails
watch channel 4 news report here
Galloway: "you know Hitchens you are a court jester at the court of the bourbon bushes"
Hitchens counters: "I suppose Mr Galloway we have to congratulate you for being absolutely consistent in your 100% support for unmentionable thugs and criminals"
It was the grapple in the Big Apple.
For almost two hours, Gorgeous George and the intellectual scruff his friends call Hitch hurled abuse at one another, British political theatre of the kind Americans rarely see.The two men continued to slug it out. Hitchens had this assault on Galloway's links with the Saddam regime:
"How can a man who is a business partner with this regime show their face in a city like this? The man's search for a tyrannical fatherland never ends. The Soviet Union's let him down. Albania's gone. The Red Army's out of Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia. The hunt persists!"
And Galloway on blisteringly good form accusing Hitchens of betraying the British left by supporting the Iraq war.
Galloway: "What you have witnessed. is something unique in natural history. The first ever metamorphosis from a butterfly back into a slug. You did write like an angel, but now you work for the devil and damn you and all your works."
from channel 4 snowmails
watch channel 4 news report here
Mr Galloway and Mr Hitchens I presume...
from Anna:
WHAT'S LEFT? GALLOWAY VERSUS HITCHENS; PROGRESSIVES VERSUS OURSELVES
By Greg Palast
Man, it just felt so good watching George Galloway rip Senator Coleman an extra exit hole...
But before we rally 'round this stand-up guy from Britain, we should ask him a few questions of our own.Honorable Mr. Galloway, you met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad in 1994 and said,
"Sir, I salute your courage, your strength your indefatigability. And I want you to know that we are with you until victory, until victory, until Jerusalem."
After this effusive praise for Saddam, the two of you shared some Quality Street chocolates and some funny stories about Winston Churchill.
In 1990, Saddam executed a troublesome reporter, Farzad Bazoft, of the Observer newspaper of London. You complained about it at the time. Some time later, Saddam finished off about 100,000 Shi'ites and Kurds.My questions are,
"Are Quality Street chocolates your favorite brand? And did you forget the name of the reporter that Saddam executed? And how is it that you found the courage to challenge a bunch of US Senators but became such a pussy cat when confronted with a man whose killing spree easily exceeds theirs?"
WHAT'S LEFT? GALLOWAY VERSUS HITCHENS; PROGRESSIVES VERSUS OURSELVES
By Greg Palast
Man, it just felt so good watching George Galloway rip Senator Coleman an extra exit hole...
But before we rally 'round this stand-up guy from Britain, we should ask him a few questions of our own.Honorable Mr. Galloway, you met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad in 1994 and said,
"Sir, I salute your courage, your strength your indefatigability. And I want you to know that we are with you until victory, until victory, until Jerusalem."
After this effusive praise for Saddam, the two of you shared some Quality Street chocolates and some funny stories about Winston Churchill.
In 1990, Saddam executed a troublesome reporter, Farzad Bazoft, of the Observer newspaper of London. You complained about it at the time. Some time later, Saddam finished off about 100,000 Shi'ites and Kurds.My questions are,
"Are Quality Street chocolates your favorite brand? And did you forget the name of the reporter that Saddam executed? And how is it that you found the courage to challenge a bunch of US Senators but became such a pussy cat when confronted with a man whose killing spree easily exceeds theirs?"
May 29, 2005
Galloway and secret army of cabbies sieze control on Capitol Hill
"I've been in three taxi cabs since I've been here. All of them were driven by Muslims. All of them recognized me immediately. And all of them were huge supporters of everything I stand for."
article here thanks to omegaprojektet
article here thanks to omegaprojektet
May 17, 2005
SNOW SENATE
Hi there, a bit late today as it's so busy...
Strong denials from Respect MP Galloway
=======================================
Well George Galloway has done what was predicted. He's subjected a US
senate committee to a spectacle they may never experienced in their
political lives. Out on the front foot attacking on every quarter. Here's a
flavour:
"I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald
Rumsfeld met him. The difference is that Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell
him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns."
No great light but much heat. It's the best kind of theatre and is a
real televisual spectacle, but there is no clear sense as to whether the
committee will now retract the allegations they made against Mr
Galloway, which he denied vigorously and in person this afternoon. Jonathan
Rugman at seven.
snowmails
Strong denials from Respect MP Galloway
=======================================
Well George Galloway has done what was predicted. He's subjected a US
senate committee to a spectacle they may never experienced in their
political lives. Out on the front foot attacking on every quarter. Here's a
flavour:
"I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald
Rumsfeld met him. The difference is that Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell
him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns."
No great light but much heat. It's the best kind of theatre and is a
real televisual spectacle, but there is no clear sense as to whether the
committee will now retract the allegations they made against Mr
Galloway, which he denied vigorously and in person this afternoon. Jonathan
Rugman at seven.
snowmails
FIDEL GALLOWAY
Jesus I fuckin hate Galloway, but this is one of the best speeches I have ever heard in my life... Anyone who has seen Galloway speak knew that he was going to relish this opportunity. I didn't realise quite how much I would enjoy it too. I don't think he looked down to read notes once during the whole speech.
crooksandliars.com
crooksandliars.com
May 12, 2005
SNOW COMMENT
Galloway accused
===================
The new anti-war MP for Bow and Bethnal Green, George Galloway, is accused by a Senate investigating committee in America of being involved in the allocation for some 20m barrels of oil. Galloway strenuously denies the allegations.
Pressed by our correspondent, the chairman of the committee said that Galloway 'benefited from doing business with Saddam Hussein'. We are on the case, though the prime minister is not. When I asked him this morning, he seemed not to want to get involved. We have the latest at seven.
snowmails
Galloway is desperate to testify before the committee:
"Book the flights, let's go, let's give them both barrels...That's guns, not oil."
channel 4 news story here
Galloway to appear before committee in the states tuesday!
Putting his head in the lions mouth.
He's going to love this.
Now hes in power I am wondering how his constituents will react, and what he will actually do. Bethnal Green and Bow is a seriously kicking community in every way. If ever you are in London and have a chance to visit, do it. I spend a lot of time there.
===================
The new anti-war MP for Bow and Bethnal Green, George Galloway, is accused by a Senate investigating committee in America of being involved in the allocation for some 20m barrels of oil. Galloway strenuously denies the allegations.
Pressed by our correspondent, the chairman of the committee said that Galloway 'benefited from doing business with Saddam Hussein'. We are on the case, though the prime minister is not. When I asked him this morning, he seemed not to want to get involved. We have the latest at seven.
snowmails
Galloway is desperate to testify before the committee:
"Book the flights, let's go, let's give them both barrels...That's guns, not oil."
channel 4 news story here
Galloway to appear before committee in the states tuesday!
Putting his head in the lions mouth.
He's going to love this.
Now hes in power I am wondering how his constituents will react, and what he will actually do. Bethnal Green and Bow is a seriously kicking community in every way. If ever you are in London and have a chance to visit, do it. I spend a lot of time there.
May 09, 2005
MORE GALLOWAY BASHING
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown in todays independent:
Once, not that long ago, equality activists like myself would have condemned what happened in east London last week as nothing but white bigotry crushing black hopes. Oona King - female, mixed race (black and Jewish), young, clever, destined to rise, lost her seat to a seedy and manipulative middle-aged, middle- class man, George Galloway.
Much as I hate to defend Mr.G Yasmin is a bit too gliterati these days herself to play the race card on and on all the time and Oooooona suffered because she blatantly refused to represent her constituents, which was what she was elected to do after all.
Galloway in the Guardian here
"As the sun came up over Brick Lane on Friday a new dawn had truly broken over the East End of London — and over British politics." says Mr. Galloway about his own victory...
Once, not that long ago, equality activists like myself would have condemned what happened in east London last week as nothing but white bigotry crushing black hopes. Oona King - female, mixed race (black and Jewish), young, clever, destined to rise, lost her seat to a seedy and manipulative middle-aged, middle- class man, George Galloway.
Much as I hate to defend Mr.G Yasmin is a bit too gliterati these days herself to play the race card on and on all the time and Oooooona suffered because she blatantly refused to represent her constituents, which was what she was elected to do after all.
Galloway in the Guardian here
"As the sun came up over Brick Lane on Friday a new dawn had truly broken over the East End of London — and over British politics." says Mr. Galloway about his own victory...
May 07, 2005
SNOW RESPECT
On the road with Gorgeous George
======================================
The war was mentioned by 3% of opinion poll responders yet now we learn it was deeply embedded in so many ways. Nowhere more explicitly so than in the torrid campaign in Bethnall Green and Bow where the controversial 'Gorgeous' George Galloway swamped Labour's Blair loyalist Oona King. We have a wonderful film shot on Galloway's campaign that tells you
how this new outside, anti-war party did something that is almost
impossible in our system - Brreaking through to beat a conventional party.
snowmails
======================================
The war was mentioned by 3% of opinion poll responders yet now we learn it was deeply embedded in so many ways. Nowhere more explicitly so than in the torrid campaign in Bethnall Green and Bow where the controversial 'Gorgeous' George Galloway swamped Labour's Blair loyalist Oona King. We have a wonderful film shot on Galloway's campaign that tells you
how this new outside, anti-war party did something that is almost
impossible in our system - Brreaking through to beat a conventional party.
snowmails
May 06, 2005
A NEW DAY HAS DAWNED HAS IT NOT?
Bloody hell. They elected Galloway. And this was how they did it.
Err.. designed for non-English speakers innit?
You got to hand it to the SWP though. These guys have craved power for such a long time. Lets see what they do with it in Bethnal Green. If they can do anything to stop war I am up for it. Quite a result for such a new coalition.
It was certainly a live election on the streets of Bethnal Green last night with pubs full of switched on white people who either hadn't voted or voted lib-dem.
In the end the war definately did play an interesting part in the election and that is something to be pleased about.
Police were stationed outside each poling station. Pissed, cycling down brick lane with no lights the wrong way last night I asked two van loads of them to give me their assesment of the local Muslim threat.
"Very small and insignificant."
Forgot to ask the small group of bengalis wearing blue rosettes how the fuck they had managed to become tories.
Oh and mixmaster morris told me he'd voted Lib-Dem for the first time in his life.
George Galloway gave a speech like a tin pot dictator on TV about 4 am. I think he was declaring war on the local council and telling those who had run the election that they should hang their heads in shame.
Ooooona looked like she needed consoling. If she hadn't voted for the war she would probably have kept at least a thousand votes, her seat and possibly her conscience. I think the result can be read thus:
Her constituents believe she failed to represent their interests on an issue which mattered to them. I fucking hate Galloway but thats fair really isn't it.
May 04, 2005
PAX IN BETHNAL GREEN
Turns out I wasn't the only blogger at the Bethnal Green "hustings" the other day. (see LIBERAL EXTREMISTS?) Salam Pax, possibly the most famous blogger in the world included his footage from the event in a very interesting piece he did for newsnight on the BBC last night.
This included him ambushing George Galloway and the "I salute your indefatigability Saddam Hussain" speech. Interestingly the piece also includes a discussion he had with one of the local fundamentalists who believes voting is forbidden by Islam (a core belief of Abu Hamza and co, although I gather there is no love lost between the two groups) I haven't met the Bethnal Green mob but this guy didn't seem to have an obvious problem with Salam, even though he is openly gay.
The BBC article also includes a videoclip of the Socialist Workers party, sorry Respect party manifesto launch presented by a certain John Rees (SWP)
I asked John Rees about Mr. Galloways indefatigable comments once. I had brought a copy of my film DAY-X for them to show at a meeting of the Stop the War Campaign.
"Why did George Galloway say to Saddam "I salute your indefatigability?""
no answer.
"And why is he using a word like in-de-fat-ig-a-ble (I counted the sylables on my fingers) with someone who doesn't speak English?"
again no answer.
"And what does the word indefatigable mean?"
again no answer, and my film was pulled. 600 anti war activists missed a chance to see what children did, and they didn't. It's much more important to talk about stopping a war than actually trying to do it though isn't it?
Here is what George Galloway has to say about the Iraqi elections courtesy of Eric the Unread.
This included him ambushing George Galloway and the "I salute your indefatigability Saddam Hussain" speech. Interestingly the piece also includes a discussion he had with one of the local fundamentalists who believes voting is forbidden by Islam (a core belief of Abu Hamza and co, although I gather there is no love lost between the two groups) I haven't met the Bethnal Green mob but this guy didn't seem to have an obvious problem with Salam, even though he is openly gay.
The BBC article also includes a videoclip of the Socialist Workers party, sorry Respect party manifesto launch presented by a certain John Rees (SWP)
I asked John Rees about Mr. Galloways indefatigable comments once. I had brought a copy of my film DAY-X for them to show at a meeting of the Stop the War Campaign.
"Why did George Galloway say to Saddam "I salute your indefatigability?""
no answer.
"And why is he using a word like in-de-fat-ig-a-ble (I counted the sylables on my fingers) with someone who doesn't speak English?"
again no answer.
"And what does the word indefatigable mean?"
again no answer, and my film was pulled. 600 anti war activists missed a chance to see what children did, and they didn't. It's much more important to talk about stopping a war than actually trying to do it though isn't it?
Here is what George Galloway has to say about the Iraqi elections courtesy of Eric the Unread.
May 01, 2005
TORY WANKERS
After my experiences with Galloway and Robin Cook I've ben checking through the internet looking for similar Conservative "hustings" to attend.
Look at this.
Tickets £6, tickets £12, tickets £15...I could go dancing all night and get out of my head for that.
Look at this.
Tickets £6, tickets £12, tickets £15...I could go dancing all night and get out of my head for that.
April 27, 2005
GALLOWAY
Turns out the guy I met who was asking Mr. Galloway the wrong questions was an Independent columnist.
He (Galloway) has been telling the most alienated Muslim men in Britain that Tony Blair is "waging a war on Muslims ... at home and abroad". He is nudging towards a kind of inverse Powellism that tells the Muslim community it is under siege from a brutal terrorist state that will stop at nothing. Rivers of blood, he implies, are only months away.
Galloway has now called for Saddam's foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, to be released without charge. Not to an international court; just released. "An eminent diplomatic and intellectual person" held "without any justification," was how Galloway described the man he spent a very merry Christmas with in 1999.
I asked Galloway how many Muslims had been murdered by his friend Aziz. The correct answer: even more than have been slaughtered by Ariel Sharon, or by Israel in 38 years of occupying Gaza and the West Bank. Galloway said, "Why don't you go and take some more drugs, you druggie?"
Full articlehere
He (Galloway) has been telling the most alienated Muslim men in Britain that Tony Blair is "waging a war on Muslims ... at home and abroad". He is nudging towards a kind of inverse Powellism that tells the Muslim community it is under siege from a brutal terrorist state that will stop at nothing. Rivers of blood, he implies, are only months away.
Galloway has now called for Saddam's foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, to be released without charge. Not to an international court; just released. "An eminent diplomatic and intellectual person" held "without any justification," was how Galloway described the man he spent a very merry Christmas with in 1999.
I asked Galloway how many Muslims had been murdered by his friend Aziz. The correct answer: even more than have been slaughtered by Ariel Sharon, or by Israel in 38 years of occupying Gaza and the West Bank. Galloway said, "Why don't you go and take some more drugs, you druggie?"
Full articlehere
May 14, 2004
PITCHING AND BITCHING
When I first started filming in Finsbury Park, I had no serious intention of approaching TV companies with my story. I was just having fun. I suspected the media to be totally controlled. As I found out for myself that it didn't seem to be, the idea of approaching production companies became more serious. The most encouragement I got from the scene was from a newspaper journalist, who I sometimes caged ciggies off of, and who gave me a contact for documentary making. I asked him why he never asked Hamza questions one time, to be told that he was
“ Out of favour with the Muslim brothers. “
He was such a nice guy I thought about asking them to reconsider. I finally got round to asking him who he wrote for.
“ The Sun and The Express “ he told me.
With that statement the whole ludicrous nature of what I had become involved with seemed to spin full circle. One of the original reasons I had come down was because of The Suns coverage of this mosque, and the journalist I had received the most encouragement from wrote for them. Even though I had been at times flippant, I believed I had the other side of what the right wing press, and the London TV News had deemed to be one of the most important stories in the UK.
I joined a filmmakers website called shootingpeople and began answering production company calls for new documentary makers. My film about the kids protest had been well received by those who were in it, but totally mulched by a couple of serious film maker friends, some of whom actually seemed to be telling me off for making such a low quality film. Although I suspected this was out of frustration with their own lack of success I still became loath to show what I had to strangers.
I met was a guy who actually helped run the shooting people web site. He was great, we shared an interest in meditation and he lent me a book by a Canadian guy who worked on monster movies called Hardcore Zen. He wished me all the best. I think he would have loved to produce something involving a few peoples footage, and had his eyes on making the British Bowling for Columbine.
A couple of months later I answered a call from a Swedish production company working in the U.K. They thought the stuff I had amusing, but I rambled nonsensical stuff about how I wanted to make it really off the wall, and how I wanted to be painted red head to toe if I was going to present it. I watched some of the stuff they had made. Although it was socially conscious, it was a bit A B C in presentation, and they seemed a bit straight for what I was after, with no idea of Hamza's status in British society. They all looked down as I shook their hands when I left and I didn't hear from them again.
A company called Idealworld had put a call out. I phoned them, but stuttered so much I thought I had completely fucked my chances. After phoning back a couple of times to find them in meetings, I gave up, feeling sorry for myself. I wondered why I had dedicated so much time to all this.
I thought of what I would like to have in my documentary if money was no object. I wanted to include an interview with David Icke, and possibly a phone conversation with the guy who runs infowars where the allegation of George Bush worshiping an Owl God was actually made. I wanted to blue screen an image of George Bush on his lawn in front of his helicopter with me running into frame and falling over, hounding him with questions about his alleged owl god worship and child sacrifice.
In my Internet research I had come up with the name Yvonne Ridley. She was a journalist who had been captured in Afghanistan by the Taliban. She had been set free, without harm, speaking of having been well treated by her captors. She had later actually converted to Islam. I read in some of her writing that she had met Abu Hamza. They had both been guests at a student debating society. I thought what she would have to say might bridge the gap of understanding between Islam and the west.
I went to a small demo marking one year since the invasion of Iraq. I saw George Galloway but although I had my camera I still didn't ask him about his indefatigable comments. As I went round filming I bumped into a friend I had made who makes a living animating in 3D. He was standing next to Naz, a rapper from the band Fundamental who looks like a younger version of Bin Laden. He had grown up a Muslim in the north of England, had lapsed into western society and was now reclaiming his Muslim faith. I had earlier put him in my film about the kids and he was really complimentary about it. We were joined by an older woman who he introduced as Yvonne. She had a sharp sense of humour and the two of them obviously knew each other well and had a banter going.
" You know who this is? " said Naz.
" Yvonne Ridley! She was taken prisoner by the Taliban!"
" You don't know how long I have been wanting to talk to you. " I told her about my filming in Finsbury Park and switched my camera on hoping she would have something to say.
I had previously spoken to Naz about my frustrations getting Muslims to talk on camera about Fundamental Islam or Abu Hamza. I instantly had the same trouble with Yvonne, as she didn't like to be in front of a camera either.
I filmed Naz saying something like "The Taliban had to let her go because she was too much of an extremist for them."
She said that according to her religion, it was wrong to criticize fellow Muslims. I told her of my dislike for the seemingly power crazed lunatics who ran the stop the war movement and how I had no problem criticizing them. It was decided that we would go for a coffee, but I lost them all trying to film the stage through the spray of Trafalgar Squares fountains. I later heard from my friend that she had said of me
"I don't want to talk to that stone worshiper.“
Fair enough I suppose. I thought she would have something more useful to say than that though. It was interesting that only 3 of the Muslims I had met in Finsbury Park judged me by the way I looked, and yet a recent convert like Yvonne would be on my case so soon.
After about a month I got another call from Idealworld. The researcher who had originally contacted me left a message saying that a new documentary producer was on the scene, and they were eager to see what I had. The night before I was really nervous. A years work on the line, to be judged by the people who made Location, Location, Location seemed to be even more ludicrous than Finsbury Park. The meeting was good. They had got back to me because they had been reading the right wing press and realised how big a story I was on to. After a year standing in the cold with Islamists it was great to be sitting in front of a producer who was in a position to make this into a documentary who really wanted to do it.
We spoke of the politics surrounding the situation. With the predicted expansion of Muslim communities in Europe I wondered whether someone with Hamza’s views might one day be standing for mayor of Dusseldorf or something. They liked my approach, and wanted to see the human side of Mr Abdullah. I was relieved that they preferred to make a film about him rather than Hamza. They were totally up for it, but had to get a commission from Channel 4, and I have to get the agreement of Mr. Abdullah.
“ Out of favour with the Muslim brothers. “
He was such a nice guy I thought about asking them to reconsider. I finally got round to asking him who he wrote for.
“ The Sun and The Express “ he told me.
With that statement the whole ludicrous nature of what I had become involved with seemed to spin full circle. One of the original reasons I had come down was because of The Suns coverage of this mosque, and the journalist I had received the most encouragement from wrote for them. Even though I had been at times flippant, I believed I had the other side of what the right wing press, and the London TV News had deemed to be one of the most important stories in the UK.
I joined a filmmakers website called shootingpeople and began answering production company calls for new documentary makers. My film about the kids protest had been well received by those who were in it, but totally mulched by a couple of serious film maker friends, some of whom actually seemed to be telling me off for making such a low quality film. Although I suspected this was out of frustration with their own lack of success I still became loath to show what I had to strangers.
I met was a guy who actually helped run the shooting people web site. He was great, we shared an interest in meditation and he lent me a book by a Canadian guy who worked on monster movies called Hardcore Zen. He wished me all the best. I think he would have loved to produce something involving a few peoples footage, and had his eyes on making the British Bowling for Columbine.
A couple of months later I answered a call from a Swedish production company working in the U.K. They thought the stuff I had amusing, but I rambled nonsensical stuff about how I wanted to make it really off the wall, and how I wanted to be painted red head to toe if I was going to present it. I watched some of the stuff they had made. Although it was socially conscious, it was a bit A B C in presentation, and they seemed a bit straight for what I was after, with no idea of Hamza's status in British society. They all looked down as I shook their hands when I left and I didn't hear from them again.
A company called Idealworld had put a call out. I phoned them, but stuttered so much I thought I had completely fucked my chances. After phoning back a couple of times to find them in meetings, I gave up, feeling sorry for myself. I wondered why I had dedicated so much time to all this.
I thought of what I would like to have in my documentary if money was no object. I wanted to include an interview with David Icke, and possibly a phone conversation with the guy who runs infowars where the allegation of George Bush worshiping an Owl God was actually made. I wanted to blue screen an image of George Bush on his lawn in front of his helicopter with me running into frame and falling over, hounding him with questions about his alleged owl god worship and child sacrifice.
In my Internet research I had come up with the name Yvonne Ridley. She was a journalist who had been captured in Afghanistan by the Taliban. She had been set free, without harm, speaking of having been well treated by her captors. She had later actually converted to Islam. I read in some of her writing that she had met Abu Hamza. They had both been guests at a student debating society. I thought what she would have to say might bridge the gap of understanding between Islam and the west.
I went to a small demo marking one year since the invasion of Iraq. I saw George Galloway but although I had my camera I still didn't ask him about his indefatigable comments. As I went round filming I bumped into a friend I had made who makes a living animating in 3D. He was standing next to Naz, a rapper from the band Fundamental who looks like a younger version of Bin Laden. He had grown up a Muslim in the north of England, had lapsed into western society and was now reclaiming his Muslim faith. I had earlier put him in my film about the kids and he was really complimentary about it. We were joined by an older woman who he introduced as Yvonne. She had a sharp sense of humour and the two of them obviously knew each other well and had a banter going.
" You know who this is? " said Naz.
" Yvonne Ridley! She was taken prisoner by the Taliban!"
" You don't know how long I have been wanting to talk to you. " I told her about my filming in Finsbury Park and switched my camera on hoping she would have something to say.
I had previously spoken to Naz about my frustrations getting Muslims to talk on camera about Fundamental Islam or Abu Hamza. I instantly had the same trouble with Yvonne, as she didn't like to be in front of a camera either.
I filmed Naz saying something like "The Taliban had to let her go because she was too much of an extremist for them."
She said that according to her religion, it was wrong to criticize fellow Muslims. I told her of my dislike for the seemingly power crazed lunatics who ran the stop the war movement and how I had no problem criticizing them. It was decided that we would go for a coffee, but I lost them all trying to film the stage through the spray of Trafalgar Squares fountains. I later heard from my friend that she had said of me
"I don't want to talk to that stone worshiper.“
Fair enough I suppose. I thought she would have something more useful to say than that though. It was interesting that only 3 of the Muslims I had met in Finsbury Park judged me by the way I looked, and yet a recent convert like Yvonne would be on my case so soon.
After about a month I got another call from Idealworld. The researcher who had originally contacted me left a message saying that a new documentary producer was on the scene, and they were eager to see what I had. The night before I was really nervous. A years work on the line, to be judged by the people who made Location, Location, Location seemed to be even more ludicrous than Finsbury Park. The meeting was good. They had got back to me because they had been reading the right wing press and realised how big a story I was on to. After a year standing in the cold with Islamists it was great to be sitting in front of a producer who was in a position to make this into a documentary who really wanted to do it.
We spoke of the politics surrounding the situation. With the predicted expansion of Muslim communities in Europe I wondered whether someone with Hamza’s views might one day be standing for mayor of Dusseldorf or something. They liked my approach, and wanted to see the human side of Mr Abdullah. I was relieved that they preferred to make a film about him rather than Hamza. They were totally up for it, but had to get a commission from Channel 4, and I have to get the agreement of Mr. Abdullah.
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