Anti-Russian rhetoric

[Digby]

Joking aside, if it looks like a Russian duck, swims like a Russian duck, quacks like a Russian duck and murders a bunch of its fellow Russian ducks...

Yep, but you'd hope we'd have more than the agent used was developed in Russia in breach of the spirit of the ban on their use.

[rowan]

Joking aside, if it looks like a Russian duck, swims like a Russian duck, quacks like a Russian duck and murders a bunch of its fellow Russian ducks...

Yep, but you'd hope we'd have more than the agent used was developed in Russia in breach of the spirit of the ban on their use.

Looks like Russophobic idiots, swims like Russophobic idiots, quacks like Russophobic idiots and believes the Russophobic propaganda of its warmongering Russophobic leadership . . .

[Zhivago]

Given this is something involving spies, I do wonder if perhaps the double agent turned again and Mi6 did poison him and framed the FSB in the process.

Or indeed Russia is responsible.

Such intrigue is impossible to unravel in my opinion. People shouldn't be naive to the possibility that we did it though.

[Stones of granite]

Given this is something involving spies, I do wonder if perhaps the double agent turned again and Mi6 did poison him and framed the FSB in the process.

Or indeed Russia is responsible.

Such intrigue is impossible to unravel in my opinion. People shouldn't be naive to the possibility that we did it though.

Ok, news just coming in. I've been privy to a snippet of conversation that happened deep in the bowels of the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms between Theresa May and the heads of the Secret Intelligence Service and the Security Service.

PMTM: Right, you bastards, I am in deep doo-doo here with this fucking Brexit shambles, I want Mi5 to take out that cunt Boris.

Head of Mi5: er.... which Boris, we've got hundreds of the cunts

PMTM: The blond cunt with the floppy hair. Look, I've been looking through Margaret Thatchers playbook of how to get yourself out the shit, and I'm particularly enthusiastic about the chapter "Pick a war with a tinpot dictator". It seems she did pretty well with that one, so I want some of that. Boris
sounds Russian, make it look like the fucking Russians did it, then threaten to bomb the shit out the cunts.

Head of Mi6: Wait a cotton-picking moment here, according to my sources, the Russians have got lots of whiz-bangy stuff. Are you sure you want to go annoying them?

Head of Mi5: er,....I'm still not really sure which Boris you want topped, there are few blond Boris's.

PMTM: Look you dizzy cunt, if you can't find the right Boris, I'll give the job to Mi6.

Head of Mi5: but, but, you can't do that! Assassinations within the UK are my job!!!

Head of Mi6: I've got a better idea than topping Boris. We've got this cunt on the books, ex-Russian spy, costing us a fortune with his expensive eating habits, and if we slip him some Russian nerve agent that we recently acquired through nefarious means, then it will definitely look like the Russians did it.

Head of Mi5: wait, are you really sure you want to do that? For fuck's sake the Conservative party practically runs on Russian donations, and the property market in London will tank if the Russkies pull out.

PMTM: I don't give a fuck!! I need to create a smokescreen to cover this arsefucking I'm getting from the EU....Wait! Russian nerve agent? Any chance you could slip some to Michel Barnier?

rest of conversation is lost in noise.

[Stones of granite]

I'm in Nantes, France this week.
Last night I went into town for a meal and selected an Indian Restaurant for a change from fois gras and steak frites.
What a poor choice. The food was poor quality and bland, but wait! The Restaurant is owned by a French company!

What conclusion should I draw from this?

Clearly, all French cuisine is shite.

This message brought to you by the power of Rowan's branded stick-your-head-up-your-arse-and-talk-a-lot-of-shite logic algorithm.

[Mellsblue]

I think we can rule out an attempt to meddle in the Russian elections. Mainly as it’s not really an election but also because I doubt this would displease the supporters of the Putin strong man act, if anything they’ll be praising him. Even if it did persuade a few that he’s a nutter I doubt it would induce the collapse in support required. Even Nick Timothy couldn’t lose an election with a 97% rating in the polls.

I doubt it’s UK actors as it’s a ‘bit’ too headline grabbing. There are probably a hundred plus ways to make him disappear that wouldn’t trouble page 52 of the Guardian let alone lead the 10 o’clock news.

Luckily, Comrade Corbyn has decided to focus on Russian donations to the Conservative party, despite them being Russophobic.

Im suprised our friends on the left haven’t blamed it on the English/western hedge funded that served the Italian food, in a stodgy British way, and therefore, by extension, capitalism. It’s certainly more plausible than a few theories on here.

[rowan]

Given this is something involving spies, I do wonder if perhaps the double agent turned again and Mi6 did poison him and framed the FSB in the process.

Or indeed Russia is responsible.

Such intrigue is impossible to unravel in my opinion. People shouldn't be naive to the possibility that we did it though.

Good comments. We can't rule out anything, of course, and probably the real culprits will never be known for sure. Cui bono? I don't see a plausible motive for Russia doing it, while there is a plausible motive for Britain - wanting to demonize Putin on the eve of the Russian elections. He has thwarted NATO's rapacious plans in Syria, of course, which is the very reason Russophobic racism has reached fever pitch over the past couple of years.

Meanwhile, these guys still haven't got over the fact I proved them wrong about the restaurant being Italian.

[rowan]

Hmmm, what else has Theresa May been up to lately . . . ?

Saudi Arabia is near a long-delayed deal to buy 48 Typhoon fighters. The country’s military already have 72; some are being used in Yemen. The Campaign Against Arms Trade says the UK has licensed £4.6bn of arms sales to Riyadh since the bombardment began in 2015. Though Theresa May reportedly raised her “deep concerns” about the war with the crown prince, Britain boasts of providing humanitarian aid while supplying the weapons that fuel the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis and supporting the Saudi air campaign.

The UN says that 8.5 million Yemenis are at risk of famine. Its humanitarian chief describes conditions as “catastrophic”. The shattered health system battles diphtheria and cholera. The country’s new special envoy, former British diplomat Martin Griffiths, must try to revive the moribund attempts to find a political exit. Whatever the hopes of the Saudi crown prince, there is not a military solution.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... tains-duty

[Digby]

Why is dislike of a repressive oligarchy the same as dislike of a country the sods at the top are dictating to? I suspect many who have huge problems with Putin and Co aren't remotely Russia phobic.

[Digby]

I think we can rule out an attempt to meddle in the Russian elections. Mainly as it’s not really an election but also because I doubt this would displease the supporters of the Putin strong man act, if anything they’ll be praising him.

If anything they're just not that interested in the UK

[Mellsblue]

Hmmm, what else has Theresa May been up to lately . . . ?

Saudi Arabia is near a long-delayed deal to buy 48 Typhoon fighters. The country’s military already have 72; some are being used in Yemen. The Campaign Against Arms Trade says the UK has licensed £4.6bn of arms sales to Riyadh since the bombardment began in 2015. Though Theresa May reportedly raised her “deep concerns” about the war with the crown prince, Britain boasts of providing humanitarian aid while supplying the weapons that fuel the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis and supporting the Saudi air campaign.

The UN says that 8.5 million Yemenis are at risk of famine. Its humanitarian chief describes conditions as “catastrophic”. The shattered health system battles diphtheria and cholera. The country’s new special envoy, former British diplomat Martin Griffiths, must try to revive the moribund attempts to find a political exit. Whatever the hopes of the Saudi crown prince, there is not a military solution.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... tains-duty

The Yemeni govt asked for Saudi Arabia’s help, as did Assad ask Putin. Following your logic on Syria, the UK is helping a legitimate war on behalf of the Yemeni govt and it’s people.

[Mellsblue]

I think we can rule out an attempt to meddle in the Russian elections. Mainly as it’s not really an election but also because I doubt this would displease the supporters of the Putin strong man act, if anything they’ll be praising him.

If anything they're just not that interested in the UK

Probably not but if you’ve viewed Russian state news in the last few days they will be interested on this topic.

[Digby]

I think we can rule out an attempt to meddle in the Russian elections. Mainly as it’s not really an election but also because I doubt this would displease the supporters of the Putin strong man act, if anything they’ll be praising him.

If anything they're just not that interested in the UK

Probably not but if you’ve viewed Russian state news in the last few days they will be interested on this topic.

Just how drunk do I come across?

[rowan]

Hmmm, what else has Theresa May been up to lately . . . ?

Saudi Arabia is near a long-delayed deal to buy 48 Typhoon fighters. The country’s military already have 72; some are being used in Yemen. The Campaign Against Arms Trade says the UK has licensed £4.6bn of arms sales to Riyadh since the bombardment began in 2015. Though Theresa May reportedly raised her “deep concerns” about the war with the crown prince, Britain boasts of providing humanitarian aid while supplying the weapons that fuel the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis and supporting the Saudi air campaign.

The UN says that 8.5 million Yemenis are at risk of famine. Its humanitarian chief describes conditions as “catastrophic”. The shattered health system battles diphtheria and cholera. The country’s new special envoy, former British diplomat Martin Griffiths, must try to revive the moribund attempts to find a political exit. Whatever the hopes of the Saudi crown prince, there is not a military solution.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... tains-duty

The Yemeni govt asked for Saudi Arabia’s help, as did Assad ask Putin. Following your logic on Syria, the UK is helping a legitimate war on behalf of the Yemeni govt and it’s people.

The corrupt Saudi-aligned Yemeni government was actually overthrown. Saudi Arabia began bombing civilian targets in an attempt to restore it - with Britain's support (and American, naturally).

In Syria the US and its allies (including Britain, naturally) supported rebels/terrorists in an attempt to destabilize a secular government not yet under their control.

There is no logic to your thinking whatsoever...

[rowan]

Dr Nafeez Ahmed:


Yet these claims are contradicted by the OPCW [the UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] itself, which in September 2017 declared that the independent global agency had rigorously verified the completed destruction of Russia’s entire chemical weapons programme, including of course its nerve agent production capabilities. ...

At this point, neither the US nor Britain have offered any actual evidence as to why the OPCW’s verification process regarding Russia’s dismantlement of its chemical weapons capability should be disbelieved. They have provided no evidence that Russia retains any Novichok stockpiles.

The OPCW is, of course, the same agency whose independent investigations the West is relying on to determine culpability in major chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Why, then, would the OPCW’s conclusions on Syria be considered gospel truth, while its conclusions on Russia be rejected? ...

INSURGE just reported on an extensive US Army study published last year which not only stated quite unequivocally that NATO expansionism is the main driver of Russian belligerence, but that NATO’s main interest has always been to rollback Russia’s regional influence so that the West can dominate Central Asian natural resources and oil pipeline routes.

The document recommended that in 2018, the US should consider pursuing a concerted covert “information” campaign to undermine Putin. ...

The actual history of Novichok shows that out of the countries discussed here, Russia is the only state to have been certified by the OPCW as having destroyed its chemical weapons programme, including its nerve agent capabilities. The OPCW found no evidence to indicate that Russia retains an active Novichoc capability. The same is not the case for the US, Britain and Israel.

[Mellsblue]

If anything they're just not that interested in the UK

Probably not but if you’ve viewed Russian state news in the last few days they will be interested on this topic.

Just how drunk do I come across?

Drunk enough to rewatch the France v Eng debacle, ie very.

[Mellsblue]

Hmmm, what else has Theresa May been up to lately . . . ?

Saudi Arabia is near a long-delayed deal to buy 48 Typhoon fighters. The country’s military already have 72; some are being used in Yemen. The Campaign Against Arms Trade says the UK has licensed £4.6bn of arms sales to Riyadh since the bombardment began in 2015. Though Theresa May reportedly raised her “deep concerns” about the war with the crown prince, Britain boasts of providing humanitarian aid while supplying the weapons that fuel the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis and supporting the Saudi air campaign.

The UN says that 8.5 million Yemenis are at risk of famine. Its humanitarian chief describes conditions as “catastrophic”. The shattered health system battles diphtheria and cholera. The country’s new special envoy, former British diplomat Martin Griffiths, must try to revive the moribund attempts to find a political exit. Whatever the hopes of the Saudi crown prince, there is not a military solution.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... tains-duty

The Yemeni govt asked for Saudi Arabia’s help, as did Assad ask Putin. Following your logic on Syria, the UK is helping a legitimate war on behalf of the Yemeni govt and it’s people.

The corrupt Saudi-aligned Yemeni government was actually overthrown.

Not according Wikipedia. Now, I’m not one for citing Wikipedia, mainly as U.K. universities won’t allow you to and that’s good enough for me, but that has never stopped you before.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_A ... n_in_Yemen

[rowan]

It had origins in Houthi-led protests that began the previous month,[9] and escalated when the Houthis stormed the Yemeni capital Sana'a on 21 September 2014,[10] causing the resignation of Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa, and later the resignation of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and his ministers on 22 January 2015 - that's what I just read on Wiki.

Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi was a corrupt, US-backed dictator. No surprise you appear to have been in love with him . . .

[Mellsblue]

It’s irrelevant. He was the internationally accepted President, just as Assad was in. As you repeatedly remind us. Now, Assad was/is a corrupt, Russian backed dictator but that doesn’t seem to worry you in your protestations over Syria.

[rowan]

It’s irrelevant. He was the internationally accepted President, just as Assad was in. As you repeatedly remind us. Now, Assad was/is a corrupt, Russian backed dictator but that doesn’t seem to worry you in your protestations over Syria.

Only if you believe the warmongering, racist propaganda of your corporate media, which you obviously do. But to any neutral observer, Britain is a thousand times more evil than Syria. Britain murders civilians by the multitudes all around the world, then points the finger of self-righteous indignation at everyone else.

The fact the Saudi & US-backed dictator in Yemen was overthrown, leading to the wholesale bombing of the nation by Britain's close ally Saudi Arabia, targeting mainly civilians and leading directly to a cholera epidemic, is hardly irrelevant at all. Theresa May's abominable weapons sales to the vicious Saudi dictatorship might be the very reason she is so keen to manufacture a scandal to smokescreen it.

[OptimisticJock]

I don't believe I just read the last 3 pages. I'm utterly ashamed of myself. More ashamed than that drunken night with an 83 year old great granny

[Digby]

I don't believe I just read the last 3 pages. I'm utterly ashamed of myself. More ashamed than that drunken night with an 83 year old great granny

And you should be ashamed, though not as ashamed as anyone quoting Rowan

[rowan]

I don't believe I just read the last 3 pages. I'm utterly ashamed of myself. More ashamed than that drunken night with an 83 year old great granny

Exactly what I think whenever I'm bored enough to look at the Trump thread - and a few others...

[Mellsblue]

It’s irrelevant. He was the internationally accepted President, just as Assad was in. As you repeatedly remind us. Now, Assad was/is a corrupt, Russian backed dictator but that doesn’t seem to worry you in your protestations over Syria.

Only if you believe the warmongering, racist propaganda of your corporate media, which you obviously do. But to any neutral observer, Britain is a thousand times more evil than Syria. Britain murders civilians by the multitudes all around the world, then points the finger of self-righteous indignation at everyone else.

The fact the Saudi & US-backed dictator in Yemen was overthrown, leading to the wholesale bombing of the nation by Britain's close ally Saudi Arabia, targeting mainly civilians and leading directly to a cholera epidemic, is hardly irrelevant at all. Theresa May's abominable weapons sales to the vicious Saudi dictatorship might be the very reason she is so keen to manufacture a scandal to smokescreen it.

Do you just cut and paste this tripe or do type it out anew every time?

[Mellsblue]

I don't believe I just read the last 3 pages. I'm utterly ashamed of myself. More ashamed than that drunken night with an 83 year old great granny

And you should be ashamed, though not as ashamed as anyone quoting Rowan

I am ashamed, don’t you worry. I’m going to punish myself by reading your minute by minute breakdown of the France v England match.