George Galloway

[Mescalito]

We won't ever be able to adopt our customary tone of bemused perplexity over some of the fruit loops the good citizens of the USA elect to office ever again, will we?

Chris

[jackbarron]

Originally Posted by hokkaido

Two views on GG. The first by Ross McKibbin from the Social Democratic (Oxford) Left:

A first reaction to the Bradford by-election is one of anger: that a self-promoting blowhard like George Galloway, who was ejected by his Bethnal Green constituents after only one term, should be so acceptable to the electors of Bradford West; and anger at a political system that allowed this to happen.

And for balance this fulsome piece by Tariq Ali:

George Galloway’s stunning electoral triumph in the Bradford by-election on Thursday 29th March has shaken the petrified world of English politics.

Both are worth reading. Thanks very much!

Tariq Ali was the inspiration for The Rolling Stones 'Street Fighting Man' and John Lennon's 'Power To The People.'

He made sense in the Sixties and still does now.

I saw him talk at a showing of The Leopard and The Fox in 2007, which he did the screenplay for. It's about the last days of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who after a coup was executed in 1979 on the orders of General Zia-ul-Haq.

Jack

[Cav]

Originally Posted by Michael L

There is no doubt in any rational mind that the regime change is a very good thing.

That will be the UK and US politicians' rational mind? Cos no one else has such a thing?

[Michael L]

You seem bitter lately, Cav.

Are you seriously suggesting that you think the change of regime in Libya is a bad thing?

How very odd.

[avole]

Originally Posted by Michael L

You seem bitter lately, Cav.

Are you seriously suggesting that you think the change of regime in Libya is a bad thing?

How very odd.

Do you think it is the right of the US, UK and their allies to enforce regime change on ones they don't like?

[Cav]

Originally Posted by Michael L

You seem bitter lately, Cav.

Are you seriously suggesting that you think the change of regime in Libya is a bad thing?

How very odd.

"Bitter" must be your word of the month, having previously been "myopic".

I am not so arrogant as to assume I know what is best for other soveriegn states.

What is "odd" is people who do not live in those sovereign states, seem to think they know what is best...

[Michael L]

Originally Posted by avole

Do you think it is the right of the US, UK and their allies to enforce regime change on ones they don't like?

Whole nother question.

The original question asked if the Libyan regime change is a bad thing.

[Colin Barron]

Time will tell whether there will be a lasting improvement for the population in Libya or Iraq.
If we look at history the various tribes have been killing each other since before the crusades, so why should it change now. In both cases the most likely outcome will be the rise of despots who will need to use violence to survive.
Lets hope this is not true.

[avole]

Fair enough, Michael L, you don't want to answer.

[Michael L]

I'm asking a question of somebody else, no need to try to divert that as far as I can see.

Like I said, its a whole 'nother question. I'm sticking to the point, and so will decline your kind offer of a diversion.

[JimKempton]

Originally Posted by Michael L

You seem bitter lately, Cav.

Are you seriously suggesting that you think the change of regime in Libya is a bad thing?

How very odd.

That's a diversionary question as you well know. The correct question is was it right for others to make that decision. And the answer is still no.

[Michael L]

Ah, I see. I thought I was asking if any rational mind viewed the Libyan regime change as anything other than a good thing.

How silly of me.

[russel]

Originally Posted by Michael L

Ah, I see. I thought I was asking if any rational mind viewed the Libyan regime change as anything other than a good thing.

How silly of me.

The rational mind might well say we do not really know what has replaced it yet and wait and see.

An Iraqi said to me "Saddam was a bad man but Britain and America killed more people in three years than he did in thirty, how is this better?"

From a western oil supply security perspective its better, for the people? too early to say.

[TheDecameron]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_16...in-libya-grow/



Yes, Libya- a blow for freedom and democracy supported by the UK. The new rulers began by cutting Gadaffi a second arsehole as the Americans say. Except it was literally in this case. Then they moved on to the rest of the population. What Bradford shows is that a significant part of the UK population doesn't buy the pro-NATO propaganda about Libya, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

[Michael L]

Originally Posted by TheDecameron

What Bradford shows is that a significant part of the UK population doesn't buy the pro-NATO propaganda about Libya, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

It does no such thing.