The EU should be stronger and more united. Great Britain should belong to the Union.
Die EU sollte stärker und geeinter sein. Großbritannien sollte der Union angehören.
L'UE devrait être plus forte et plus unie. La Grande-Bretagne devrait appartenir à l'Union.
Monday, November 29, 2010
US Embassy Cables Leak Sparks Global Diplomatic Crisis
THE GUARDIAN: • More than 250,000 dispatches reveal US foreign strategies • Diplomats ordered to spy on allies as well as enemies • Saudi king urged Washington to bomb Iran
The release of more than 250,000 US embassy cables reveals previously secret information on American intelligence gathering, and political and military strategy. Photograph: The Guardian
The United States was catapulted into a worldwide diplomatic crisis today, with the leaking to the Guardian and other international media of more than 250,000 classified cables from its embassies, many sent as recently as February this year.
At the start of a series of daily extracts from the US embassy cables – many designated "secret" – the Guardian can disclose that Arab leaders are privately urging an air strike on Iran and that US officials have been instructed to spy on the UN leadership.
These two revelations alone would be likely to reverberate around the world. But the secret dispatches, which were obtained by WikiLeaks, the whistleblowers' website, also reveal Washington's evaluation of many other highly sensitive international issues.
These include a shift in relations between China and North Korea, high-level concerns over Pakistan's growing instability, and details of clandestine US efforts to combat al-Qaida in Yemen. >>> David Leigh | Sunday, November 28, 2010
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: 251,000 State Department documents, many of them secret embassy reports from around the world, show how the US seeks to safeguard its influence around the world. It is nothing short of a political meltdown for US foreign policy.
What does the United States really think of German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Is she a reliable ally? Did she really make an effort to patch up relations with Washington that had been so damaged by her predecessor? At most, it was a half-hearted one. The tone of trans-Atlantic relations may have improved, former US Ambassador to Germany William Timken wrote in a cable to the State Department at the end of 2006, but the chancellor "has not taken bold steps yet to improve the substantive content of the relationship." That is not exactly high praise.
And the verdict on German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle? His thoughts "were short on substance," wrote the current US ambassador in Berlin, Philip Murphy, in a cable. The reason, Murphy suggested, was that "Westerwelle's command of complex foreign and security policy issues still requires deepening."
Such comments are hardly friendly. But in the eyes of the American diplomatic corps, every actor is quickly categorized as a friend or foe. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia? A friend: Abdullah can't stand his neighbors in Iran and, expressing his disdain for the mullah regime, said, "there is no doubt something unstable about them." And his ally, Sheikh bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi? Also a friend. He believes "a near term conventional war with Iran is clearly preferable to the long term consequences of a nuclear armed Iran."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emissaries also learn of a special "Iran observer" in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku who reports on a dispute that played out during a meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. An enraged Revolutionary Guard Chief of Staff Mohammed Ali Jafari allegedly got into a heated argument with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and slapped him in the face because the generally conservative president had, surprisingly, advocated freedom of the press. A Political Meltdown >>> SPIEGEL Staff | Sunday, November 28, 2010
”Turkey hardly comes away any less scathed in the cables. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the cables allege, governs with the help of a cabal of incompetent advisors. Ankara Embassy officials depict a country on a path to an Islamist future -- a future that likely won't include European Union membership.”
”Often enough, the lesson of the documents that have now been obtained, is that the Arab leaders use their friends in Washington to expand their own positions of power.”
SKY NEWS: Arab rulers secretly lobbied the US to launch air strikes to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, leaked US diplomatic messages reveal.
Details from 250,000 leaked documents obtained by whistleblower website WikiLeaks have been published by a number of newspapers given advance sight of the material.
The Guardian says it will publish details later in the week of cables relating to the UK - including allegations of "inappropriate behaviour" by a member of the Royal Family which was said to have "startled" US diplomats.
The documents are also said to include "serious political criticism" of David Cameron and "devastating criticism" of British military operations in Afghanistan.
Potentially most seriously of all for the UK, the newspaper said that the cables included requests for "specific intelligence" about British MPs. (+ video) >>> Andy Jack and Richard Williams, Sky News Online | Monday, November 29, 2010
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Prime Minister is doing most things right, but he just can't capture the public's imagination, says Janet Daley.
David Cameron has succeeded in what has always seemed to be his chief political objective: he is not actively disliked by the majority of the population. In spite of being a Tory – and an Old Etonian – relatively few people hate him. Maybe this is as good as it gets.
But the great campaign to make Mr Cameron (and, by inference, his party) likeable – unthreatening, inoffensive, un-nasty – has an obverse side, which is now becoming clear. While almost none of the electorate violently detests him, nobody much loves him either. He is not repugnant – but neither is he inspirational. He is not malignant – but neither is he magnetic.
All of which may go some way to explain why, although many of his policies are getting a good press and some of them, such as welfare reform, are extremely popular, his party is still just level-pegging in the polls with Labour, whose state of disarray has reached embarrassing proportions. Even when the Cameron leadership is perceived to be going largely in the right direction, and doing quite brave things, it does not – as the saying goes – capture the public imagination. Listening to the Prime Minister speak arouses no passion in the collective breast of the nation. Why not? Read on and comment >>> Janet Daley | Saturday, November 27, 2010
THE INDEPENDENT: A mass exodus of North Korean workers from the Far East of Russia is under way, according to reports coming out of the region. As the two Koreas edged towards the brink of war this week, it appears that the workers in Russia have been called back to aid potential military operations.
Vladnews agency, based in Vladivostok, reported that North Korean workers had left the town of Nakhodka en masse shortly after the escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula earlier this week. "Traders have left the kiosks and markets, workers have abandoned building sites, and North Korean secret service employees working in the region have joined them and left," the agency reported. Read on and comment >>> Shaun Walker in Moscow | Saturday, November 27, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Pakistan: The Christian Woman Facing Death Over A Work Squabble
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The death sentence on Asia Bibi, a Christian woman in Pakistan, for blasphemy has set off a storm of debate about her fate.
Supporters of Pakistani religious party Jamat-i-Islami rally demanding execution of the Christian woman Asia Bibi in Karachi. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
It started as nothing more than a petty squabble: a group of Muslim women refused to sup from a bucket of water fetched by a Christian co-worker as they picked berries on a farm.
But within days the spat had escalated into a deadly storm, as imams whipped up an angry crowd accusing Aasia Bibi of badmouthing the Prophet Muhammad.
Today the mother-of-five is on death row, the first woman in Pakistan to be sentenced to hang for blasphemy.
Her tiny, stinking cell is now the centre of a political storm as liberals face off with conservative clerics over the country's barbaric blasphemy laws, which cuts to the heart of Pakistan's uneasy relationship between religion and democracy.
Hard-line Muslims have taken to the streets, warning the government not to cave in to foreign pressure to pardon her, and issuing death threats to her supporters, alarming the country's embattled Christian minority.
Meanwhile, from the prison where she is being held, Mrs Bibi, 45, has made one brief statement to proclaim her innocence. "The allegation against me is baseless," she insisted, speaking from behind a veil worn not as a concession to Islamic sensibilities, but simply to hide her identity. "We had some differences and this was their way of taking revenge." >>> Rob Crilly in Lahore | Saturday, November 27, 2010
This ideology is a curse on the civilised world, and nobody is prepared to do anything about it. It will lead us into a New Dark Age. – Mark
EDL and UAF Protest
LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH: THE English Defence League is holding a demonstration in Preston today against a planned new mosque.
A counter-demonstration against the EDL, organised by Preston Trades Council and Unite Against Fascism, will take place at the same time.
Police say they will have a 'highly-visible police presence throughout the day' to try to avoid the flashpoints of trouble that have occurred at similar events elsewhere, including Bolton. >>> Paul Cockerton, Web editor | Saturday, November 27, 2010
D-Mark-Münze: Rückkehr zu den alten Zeiten? Foto: Spiele Online
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In Europa macht ein Schreckensszenario die Runde: Bricht die Euro-Union auseinander? Kehren die Länder bald zu D-Mark, Franc und Lira zurück? Die Wahrscheinlichkeit dafür ist gering, trotzdem sind Experten alarmiert. Ein Comeback der nationalen Währungen wäre fatal - vor allem für Deutschland.
Hamburg - Eigentlich gibt es sie ja noch. Die D-Mark. Sogar in Massen. Auch fast neun Jahre nach der Einführung des Euro existieren 13 Milliarden Mark - in Verstecken, Sammlungen oder Omas Sparstrumpf. Und schenkt man Umfragen Glauben, dann wünscht sich fast die Hälfte der Bundesbürger die Mark als offizielles Zahlungsmittel zurück. So haben zum Beispiel die Meinungsforscher der EU-Behörde Eurobarometer festgestellt: "Die D-Mark war für viele Deutsche das Symbol für wirtschaftliche Sicherheit, Solidität und Prosperität."
Merkmale, die Euro-Skeptiker wohl nie mit der Gemeinschaftswährung verbinden werden.
Und ist es nicht wirklich so? Hat sich Europas Finanzkrise in den vergangenen Wochen nicht dramatisch verschärft? Nach Griechenland mussten auch die Iren unter den 750 Milliarden Euro schweren Rettungsschirm schlüpfen, der ein Auseinanderbrechen der Währungsunion verhindern soll. Und schon könnten weitere Pleitekandidaten folgen. Portugal zum Beispiel, zumindest spekulieren die Finanzmärkte darauf. Im schlimmsten Fall trifft es sogar Spanien - mit dem Euro in seiner bisherigen Form wäre es dann wohl vorbei.
Doch was würde bei einem Euro-Crash eigentlich passieren? Würden in Deutschland tatsächlich die guten, alten D-Mark-Zeiten zurückkehren? Oder drohen Chaos und wirtschaftliche Depression? >>> Von Jens Witte | Samstag, 27. November 2010
FRANKFURTER ALGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Schweiz entscheidet am Sonntag per Volksabstimmung über die automatische Abschiebung krimineller Ausländer. Ein Jahr nach dem Minarett-Verbot könnte das Land erneut weiter nach rechts rücken – Umfragen sagen jedenfalls einen Sieg der Abschiebungs-Befürworter voraus. Doch die Meinungen sind durchaus geteilt.
NZZ ONLINE: Nach dem Artillerieangriff auf die südkoreanische Insel Yonpyong hat Südkorea mit «tausendfacher Vergeltung» für deren Tod gedroht.
Auf der koreanischen Halbinsel haben am Samstag beide Seiten ihre Kriegsrhetorik verschärft. Der Kommandeur der südkoreanischen Marineinfanterie kündigte bei der Beisetzung von zwei getöteten Soldaten tausendfache Vergeltung für deren Tod an. Nordkorea dagegen nannte eine geplante südkoreanisch-amerikanische Militärübung eine «unverzeihliche Provokation». Das Regime in Pjöngjang warf dem Süden ausserdem vor, Zivilisten als menschliche Schutzschilde missbraucht zu haben. Weiter lesen und einen Beitrag abgeben >>> ddp | Samstag, 27. November 2010
Blair v Hitchens Debate: Is Religion a Force for Good?
BBC: Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has taken on the author and renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens in a debate on the value of religion.
Mr Blair, a convert to Catholicism, was arguing in favour of the motion "Religion is a force for good in the world" in the Munk Debate in Toronto.
Mr Hitchens, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, proposed that religion is the world's "main source of hatred". Watch BBC video >>> | Saturday, November 27, 2010
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Somali teenager has been arrested on suspicion of trying to set off a carbomb in the United States, police said on Saturday.
Mohamed Osman Mohamud, 19, was held after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van at an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. However, undercover FBI agents had been monitoring his plans and had ensured that the "bomb" was in fact incapable of exploding.
Mohamud, a naturalised US citizen of Somali descent, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Portland police around 5:40 pm Friday (0040 GMT Saturday).
"The threat was very real. Our investigation shows that Mohamud was absolutely committed to carrying out an attack on a very grand scale," said Arthur Balizan, a special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon. "At the same time, I want to reassure the people of this community that, at every turn, we denied him the ability to actually carry out the attack."
Court documents showed that since the summer of 2009, Mohamud had been in email contact with a suspected terrorist in Pakistan's lawless northwest frontier province, currently a haven for al Qaeda cells. After discussing the possibility of Mohamud traveling to Pakistan to engage in jihad, or holy war, the accomplice allegedly gave Mohamud contact details of a terrorist cell overseas with whom the plot would be hatched. >>> Colin Freeman | Saturday, November 27, 2010
Fury at £1m Taxpayer-funded Film Showing Thatcher as Has-been with Dementia
MAIL ONLINE: Tory MPs were furious yesterday after a film depicting Baroness Thatcher as a has-been with dementia was given a £1million taxpayer-funded grant.
The Film Council handed out the cash in what some see as a final insult to the Government days before ministers reveal how the quango will be wound down. Conservative MPs hit out at the use of taxpayers’ funds for what appears to be a political hatchet job.
The former Tory Prime Minister, now 85, is portrayed as stricken with dementia and full of regret over what many believe were courageous political decisions. She is also shown speaking to her husband Denis, not realising he has died. Read on and comment >>> Gerri Peev | Saturday, November 27, 2010
Singapore Water Polo Team In Hot Water Over Trunks Design
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Singapore's men's water polo team is in hot water over the design of their custom-made swimming trunks that have been deemed "inappropriate" by the city-state's government.
The red and white trunks feature elements of Singapore's national flag, five stars and a crescent moon jutting up from the groin, leaving a somewhat unfortunate impression. >>> Ian MacKinnon in Hua Hin, Thailand | Friday, November 26, 2010
Lichtermeer an der Bahnhofstrasse
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Nun brennt sie wieder, die Weihnachtsbeleuchtung an der Bahnhofstrasse. Dieses Jahr gibt es wieder ein neues Modell namens „Lucy“.
Schweizer Nationalisten wollen Ausländer loswerden
WELT ONLINE: Sollen kriminelle Ausländer abgeschoben werden? Darüber entscheidet die Schweiz am Sonntag. Dem voraus geht eine aggressive Plakatkampagne.
Die Schweizer Partei SVP will straffällige Ausländer sofort abschieben, zum Beispiel Ivan S., Vergewaltiger. Am 28. November 2010 findet darüber eine Volksabstimmung statt. Bild: Welt Online
Ein weißes Schaf versetzt einem schwarzen schwungvoll einen Tritt ins Hinterteil: Runter von der Schweizer Flagge, raus aus dem Land. Diese Plakate der rechtskonservativen Schweizer Volkspartei (SVP) stießen vor drei Jahren noch auf Proteste in breiten Teilen der Bevölkerung. Vor einer Volksabstimmung am Sonntag regt sich keiner mehr darüber auf, dass sie wieder auf Bahnhöfen und Plätzen im ganzen Land hängen – im Gegenteil: Inzwischen spricht sich die Mehrheit der Bevölkerung dafür aus, straffällig gewordene Ausländer bei schweren Delikten automatisch auszuweisen. >>> dapd/pku | Freitag, 26. November 2010
Al Qaeda Arrests in Saudi Arabia
Barack Obama Receives 12 Stitches After Being 'Elbowed'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: US President Barack Obama received 12 stitches in his lip on Friday after being hit in the face with an elbow during a basketball game, the White House said, stating that the injury was an accident.
"After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player's elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the president received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit," said spokesman Robert Gibbs in a statement.
The injury was caused by Rey Decerega, director of programmes for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the White House said. >>> Barney Henderson | Friday, November 26, 2010
Who Elbowed Obama?
US 'Bringing Korean Peninsula to Brink of War'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: America is bringing the Korean peninsula "to the brink of war" North Korea warned on Friday as tension continues to build ahead of a four-day US-South Korean joint war game that starts this weekend.
The latest broadside from the regime of Kim Jong-il was issued as a US carrier battle group led by the nuclear-powered USS George Washington steamed towards the Yellow Sea in a show of deterrent force to Pyongyang.
"The situation on the Korean peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war," warned a dispatch from the Korean Central News Agency said. "Gone are the days when verbal warnings are served only." All morning North Korean state television and radio blared out martial music interspersed with official statements about the shelling of South Korean's Yeonpyeong Island on Tuesday which left four people dead and destroyed houses and parts of a military base.
In a further show of US solidarity with Seoul, Gen. Walter Sharp, the US military commander in South Korea, visited the shelled island, touring burned buildings and stating again that the attack was a violation of the ceasefire that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. >>> Peter Foster, Beijing | Friday, November 26, 2010
A Bright Future for Pinky & Perky!
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats should continue after the next election and could lead to a permanent merger, according to Sir John Major.
The former Conservative prime minister said the Coalition could represent a “realignment” of politics and the two parties should “prolong” their co-operation beyond this parliament.
Sir John’s intervention will ignite a political debate about the future of Britain’s current party system. David Cameron has insisted that his deal with Nick Clegg’s party is a one-off arrangement and he will seek to form an all-Tory government after the next election, due in 2015.
But Sir John raised the prospect of the Coalition being maintained in the next parliament as the best way to implement long-term reforms. John Major: let's keep the Coalition after the next election >>> James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Friday, November 26, 2010
Un Saoudien décapité au sabre pour avoir tué sa fille de 5 ans
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: SENTENCE EXÉCUTÉE | Un Saoudien, reconnu coupable du meurtre de sa fille de 5 ans, a été décapité au sabre vendredi à Ryad, a annoncé le ministère saoudien de l’Intérieur.
"Mosleh bin Salim bin Eid al-Atawi a tué sa fille Bayan, âgée de 5 ans, en la frappant violemment avec un fil électrique, en la rouant de coups de pieds et en la giflant", a précisé le ministère dans un communiqué, cité par l’agence officielle Spa.
L’homme, toxicomane, a été décapité dans la ville de Tabouk (nord-ouest) en raison du "crime odieux" qu’il a commis, a-t-il ajouté. >>> AFP | Vendredi 26 Novembre 2010
Muslim Woman Banned From Roller-skating Rink Because She Was Wearing A Headscarf
MAIL ONLINE: A Muslim woman was banned from entering a roller-skating rink because her headscarf breached the ‘no hoods’ rule.
Marisol Rodriguez-Colon, 40, was ‘mortified’ when she turned up to the Ron-A-Roll rink in Vernon, Connecticut only to be refused entry.
When she asked why, security staff referred her to the venue’s rules which were posted at the entrance and read: ‘No Hats. No Headwear. No Exceptions.’
Mrs Colon and her female friend, who also wore a headscarf, were told they could either taken off the hijab - or wear a helmet over the top of it.
The pair refused and left in disgust, missing the birthday party for Mrs Colon’s niece which was taking place inside.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has now filed a complaint with Connecticut's Human Rights Commission against the rink, which is standing by its decision. Read on and comment >>> Daniel Bates | Friday, November 26, 2010
EU Rescue Costs Start to Threaten Germany Itself
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The escalating debt crisis on the eurozone periphery is starting to contaminate the creditworthiness of Germany and the core states of monetary union.
Credit default swaps (CDS) measuring risk on German, French and Dutch bonds have surged over recent days, rising significantly above the levels of non-EMU states in Scandinavia.
"Germany cannot keep paying for bail-outs without going bankrupt itself," said Professor Wilhelm Hankel, of Frankfurt University. "This is frightening people. You cannot find a bank safe deposit box in Germany because every single one has already been taken and stuffed with gold and silver. It is like an underground Switzerland within our borders. People have terrible memories of 1948 and 1923 when they lost their savings."
The refrain was picked up this week by German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble. "We're not swimming in money, we're drowning in debts," he told the Bundestag.
While Germany's public and private debt is not extreme, it is very high for a country on the cusp of an acute ageing crisis. Adjusted for demographics, Germany is already one of the most indebted nations in the world. Read on and comment >>> Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Islamisten drohen Karikaturisten mit "Schlachtung"
WELT ONLINE: In einer Videobotschaft rufen Extremisten zum Aufbruch ins Terrorlager auf und drohen dem Zeichner Vilks mit "Schlachtung".
In einem islamistischen Propagandavideo aus Somalia droht ein vermummter Dschihadist dem schwedischen Mohammed-Karikaturisten Lars Vilks. Das Ungewöhnliche daran – der Dschihadist selbst ist offenbar Schwede.
Das dschihadistische Video, das "Welt Online" vorliegt, zeigt neben Terrorausbildunglagern und Gefechtsszenen aus Somalia in erster Linie ausländische Kämpfer in den Reihen der somalischen al-Shabaab-Organisation. Zu sehen sind Dschihadisten aus Großbritannien, Pakistan, Sudan, Kenia und Tansania, die vor der Kamera ihre Landsleute aufrufen, sich dem Dschihad in Somalia anzuschließen.
Ein maskierter Islamist namens "Abu Zaid" spricht auf Schwedisch und ruft schwedische Muslime auf, nach Somalia zu reisen und sich Al-Shabaab anzuschließen. "Ich rufe euch auf, die Auswanderung in dieses Land zu machen", so der Extremist. Anschließend droht er dem Karikaturisten Lars Vilks mit dem Tod. >>> Autor: Florian Flade | Mittwoch, 24. November 2010
Britain and the UAE: Partnership for Our Times
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The partnership between Britain and the UAE has progressed enormously since the Queen's last visit there in 1979, writes Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Queen arrives in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, yesterday. Photo: The Daily Telegraph
Today, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the British Foreign Secretary William Hague and I will sign the 2010 Abu Dhabi Declaration, reaffirming the 1971 Treaty of Friendship between the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
This is much more than ceremonial. It is representative of a vibrant strategic partnership that has the potential not only to deliver real benefits to our two countries but to strengthen our ability to provide joint leadership on matters of global significance.
The strength and vitality of our relationship with the UK has been an important driver in the UAE’s development ever since Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, the founder and former President of the UAE, signed the original Treaty of Friendship in December 1971.
Today, there are more than 100,000 Britons living and working in the UAE. In four short decades our country has been transformed and the British have played an important role, helping to build our society and economy and in many cases making the UAE their long-term home.
At the same time, the UAE has been making an increasing contribution to life in Britain: tens of thousands of Emiratis visit the UK each year; we have collaborations with leading British institutions in education, health and culture, among many other areas; and we have diverse investments in the UK. >>> Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister | Thursday, November 25, 2010
Barack Obama's Grandmother 'Prays He Converts to Islam'
THEDAILY TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama's Kenyan grandmother has said she prayed for the US president to convert to Islam, according to reports.
Sarah Omar, 88, who was on hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, told the Al-Qatan Saudi daily: "I prayed for my grandson Barack to convert to Islam".
The paper said that Ms Omar was in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage along with her son, Mr Obama's uncle Saeed Hussein Obama, and four of her grandchildren.
Ms Omar told the newspaper that she could only discuss hajj matters and would not comment on Mr Obama's politics. >>> | Thursday, November 25, 2010
THE DAILY EXPRESS: THE Daily Express today becomes the first national newspaper to call for Britain to leave the European Union.
From this day forth our energies will be directed to furthering the cause of those who believe Britain is Better Off Out.
The famous and symbolic Crusader who adorns our masthead will become the figurehead of the struggle to repatriate British sovereignty from a political project that has comprehensively failed.
After far too many years as the victims of Brussels larceny, bullying, over-regulation and all-round interference, the time has come for the British people to win back their country and restore legitimacy and accountability to their political process.
Following the debacle of the Lisbon Treaty – disgracefully imposed upon the public without the referendum they were promised by the three main political parties – many had expected matters European to take a lower profile in British politics.
But the opposite has been true as those on board the European gravy train have mounted one power grab after another.
At a time of austerity throughout Europe they have expanded their bloated budgets, pushing Britain’s disproportionate contributions even higher.
And despite not being part of the failing eurozone, British taxpayers have learned that under Brussels rules agreed to by Labour after it had lost the election they are liable to help bail out economies wrecked by the single currency.
A payment of up to £10billion for Ireland is apparently just the start, with speculators now starting to target the embattled economy of Portugal.
Despite unemployment across Europe averaging more than 10 per cent, Brussels continues to propose new job-destroying regulations and conspire to turn the whole EU into a zone of high taxation.
It is also seeking to take an ever more dominant role in border control issues, leaving its member states powerless to control migrant flows not only from other EU countries but from Asia and Africa too.
The European Court of Human Rights has continued to trample on British justice, preventing the deportation of terror suspects and demanding that convicted prisoners are given the vote.
Withdrawal from the EU should be accompanied by a withdrawal from the jurisdiction of this alien, pan-European tribunal so that matters of British justice are decided once again in British courts. Get Britain Out Of Europe >>> The Daily Express | Thursday, November 25, 2010
This is a sad article indeed. Winnie must be turning in his grave! Of course, there is a lot of truth written here; but so much has been left out.
You have forgotten to write about the positive things Europe has done for Britain, preferring to concentrate on all that is negative.
The idea of a single currency is a wonderful one. Unfortunately, in their haste to get things done, the powers that be in Europe went the wrong way about it. They should have been a little more patient and let it grow country by country, bit by bit. They should have also realised that it is difficult to have a common currency where there is no common governance.
But the EU has enabled many people to move home to sunnier climes, And British travellers are entitled to free medical treatment in European countries. The EU has indeed at times been meddlesome; but it must also be said that it has ensured human rights for many, too. And think of the great variety of European goods in the shops, especially foodstuffs we had hitherto not been able to buy. I am old enough to remember having to go to a specialist delicatessen in a large town or city to get continental foods, whereas now it is possible to obtain them in any old supermarket in any old town or village.
We must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We must be careful not to turn inward and think that everything British is good and everything European is bad. And do we want to return to the bad old days when international strife was the norm in Europe? Don't forget that this was one of the main catalysts for its inception. Think of Churchill's Zürich Speech delivered in 1946.
This article, whilst in many ways rather convincing, has one serious omission, namely that we will not be a sovereign nation even if we come out. Only today was it reported that this craven government is allowing outside forces, namely the Gulf (for Gulf read the Islamic world) dictate our foreign policy. Islam is winning the day.
All right, I understand that many resent policy being dictated to by the EU. In many ways I do myself. But I resent even more my country’s policies to be dictated by an alien culture; and all in the name of appeasing our oil suppliers and grovelling for arms contracts.
Scholars at Cairo’s Al-Azhar Lift Ban on Dialogue with Jews
THE JERUSALEM POST: Statement drafted by Sheikh Fawzi al-Zifzaf, chairman of permanent committee for dialogue, read during gathering of senior faith and political leaders at Parliament in London, 'Post' learns.
Scholars at the oldest Islamic university in the world issued a proclamation on Tuesday that lifted an ancient ban on dialogue with Jews, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The statement drafted by Sheikh Fawzi al-Zifzaf, chairman of the permanent committee for dialogue at Al- Azhar University in Cairo, was read during a gathering of senior faith and political leaders at Parliament in London.
“And the point of origin of this invitation is Islam itself [calling for] brotherhood and mutual understanding and the strengthening of bonds between Muslims and followers of the other religions, and the establishment of bridges of dialogue with scholarly institutions in Europe and America,” Zifzaf wrote. Read on and comment >>> Gil Shefler | Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving 2010
Wishing all Americans a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving
New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key says his country is mourning after a second mine explosion ruled out any hopes of finding the 29 trapped miners alive. Video courtesy of Reuters.
British Foreign Policy to Change Reflecting Arab Concerns on Middle East
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British foreign policy will change to reflect Arab concerns over the Middle East peace process as part of the Coalition's efforts to seal a strategic agreement with the Gulf during the Queen's visit to the region.
That may mean yet further withdrawal of traditional British support for Israel, with criticism of its government already more marked under Mr Hague than it was under New Labour government. – The Daily Telegraph
Whitehall officials said Foreign Secretary William Hague's decision to reach out to Gulf states in an effort to secure better diplomatic and trade ties meant Britain had to "take on board" Arab foreign policy goals.
Requesting better ties would be a two-way street, not just plea for more defence contracts and exports, they said.
"It will be a six lane highway with movement in both directions," said one diplomat. "We have to respond to what Gulf States want. If we want a long-term partnership on foreign policy, then changes in our stance have to be part of it."
The Queen arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, at the start of a five-day visit that will also take in Oman.
Both countries are long-standing allies, where the royal family also has strong personal ties with local leaders. The United Arab Emirates end of the visit was rearranged after a planned tour last year was cancelled at the last minute.
The visit to Oman is to join the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Sultan Qaboos's ascension to the throne.
But the visit has taken on a more significant, and unusually political context both with the change of government in Britain and increasing tensions with Iran a short distance away on the other side of the Gulf.
Mr Hague set improving relations with the Gulf and India as his first policy goals, and both David Cameron, the prime minister, and Liam Fox, the defence secretary, visited Abu Dhabi within a month of taking office. >>> Richard Spencer in Abu Dhabi and Damien McElroy | Wednesday, November 24, 2010
So this is the new coalition government in action is it?
Our relations with the Gulf states has always been close and friendly HOWEVER it seems that the UK must now cringe and crawl and change our foreign policies and strategic partnerships to suit islam? What price does the UK have to pay for this new arrangement?
Are we really that desperate for Arab cash that they can now summon our Queen to go barefoot and covered into their mosque and make our fake foreign secretary crawl and creep to beg for money?
The UK is being islamised at an alarming pace now and the coalition are at the centre of it, not for them the dignity and pride of HM governments of old, these Quislings just have to abase themselves and us.
Isnt it funny how WE have to note and address THEIR concerns and adapt OUR policies and alliances and interests to suit THEIRS? Look on this visit with shame and humiliation as our government crawls and creeps and cringes and gives in to demand after demand. The truth is that these states need us more than we need them, they need our support in the face of their own regional threats and we do not need to creep and crawl to them at all.
A friendship that requires one side to change its other alliances or friendships or strategic goals is no friendship at all, a friend that bullies and threatens and demands obedience from the other is not a friend at all. We are either an equal partner where we stand up for our own interests or we are a stooge lackey lickspittle unfit to have a seat at the UN top table. Trade? They either wish to trade with us or they do not, they have NO right to dictate to us about our foreign policies and alliances and how we must change to suit their prejudices and hatreds. If that is the price of a trade deal then they should really go buy their stuff from North Korea or Russia. What would they say to us if we demanded that they change their policies and goals to suit us? Yeah! they would rightly tell us to piss right off and no mistake!
MAIL ONLINE: Shoeless and wearing a beekeeper-style shawl and hat, the Queen walked across the world’s largest carpet last night as she met Islamic students in Abu Dhabi at the start of her five-day state visit to the Gulf.
No sooner had the Queen and Prince Philip stepped off their chartered British Airways flight from London than they were taken straight to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the country’s largest.
The Queen in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Photograph: Mail Online
The floor of its main prayer hall is covered in a 35-ton carpet which took 1,200 Iranian women two years to stitch by hand.
In keeping with tradition, the Queen removed her shoes before entering and padded in in stockinged feet.
While other female members of the party wore a traditional 'abaya' or full-length cloak over their clothes and a 'sheela' or scarf, the Queen wore a gold brocade coat embroidered with Swarovski crystals over her matching dress, both designed by her dresser, Angela Kelly.
Irland benötigt voraussichtlich 85 Milliarden Euro
Regierung stellt Sparprogramm vor – Analysten rechnen mit höherem Bedarf
NZZ ONLINE: Der irische Ministerpräsident Brian Cowen hat die Höhe des internationalen Rettungspakets für sein Land auf voraussichtlich etwa 85 Milliarden Euro beziffert.
Über diese Summe werde verhandelt, die Zustimmung von Europäischer Union und Internationalem Währungsfonds (IWF) stehe aber noch aus, sagte Cowen am Mittwoch vor Abgeordneten in Dublin. Er bezog sich damit auf irische Medienberichte, in denen von diesem Umfang des Rettungsschirms die Rede war.
Europäischer Rekord
Wenige Stunden nach Cowens Äusserung stellte die irische Regierung ein Sparpaket mit einem Gesamtumfang von 15 Milliarden Euro vor, das Voraussetzung ist für die Hilfen von EU und IWF. Es ist die drastischste Haushaltskürzung in der Geschichte des Landes. Die Regierung will damit das Staatsdefizit bis 2014 auf die in der Eurozone geforderten drei Prozent des Bruttoinlandsprodukts senken. Die diesjährige Verschuldung Irlands beläuft sich auf einen europäischen Rekord von 32 Prozent. (+ Videos) >>> ddp | Mittwoch, 24. November 2010
VS Naipaul Withdraws From Turkish Event After Row Over Islam Comments
THE GUARDIAN: Turkish writers expressed outrage at Nobel laureate's invitation to European Writers' Parliament, after comments he made about Islam in 2001
The Nobel laureate VS Naipaul has pulled out of a literary event opening in Istanbul tomorrow, after Turkish writers threatened a boycott because of deeply critical comments he has made on Islam.
The row erupted after Naipaul was invited to give the opening speech at the European Writers' Parliament (EWP), the brainchild of novelists Orhan Pamuk and José Saramago, which aims to bring together authors from across Europe to debate key issues of the contemporary literary scene and opens today. But several Turkish writers expressed outrage at the invitation, citing hostile comments Naipaul made about Islam nearly a decade ago.
Naipaul, who was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 2001, caused controversy that same year by his remarks about Islam at a London reading from his book, Half a Life. The writer compared the religion to colonialism, saying Islam "has had a calamitous effect on converted peoples. To be converted you have to destroy your past, destroy your history. You have to stamp on it, you have to say 'my ancestral culture does not exist, it doesn't matter'." >>> Benedicte Page | Wednesday, November 24, 2010
More Violence Erupts At Student Protests
SKY NEWS: Students have smashed up a police van in London and there have been sporadic skirmishes during another violent demonstration against student fees.
Police moved to contain the demo by using the controversial "kettling" tactic - meaning large numbers of people could be held in one place for several hours.
But the Metropolitan Police has now said the policy has shifted to one of "controlled dispersal". >>> Rob Cole and Andy Winter, Sky News Online | Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Islamic Schools Should Be Banned
Islamic schools should be banned. They inculcate a sense of superiority, encourage their pupils to hate, teach that the West must be conquered, that the West is in a state of Jahilliyyah, or pre-Islamic chaos. To them, the world is split into two: the House of Islam (Dar ul Islam) and the House of War (Dar ul Harb). Jihad will be waged until the latter is turned into the former. Is this what we want British children to believe, regardless of their ethnic background?
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: PUBLICITÉ | L'acteur américain Bruce Willis est depuis mercredi le visage de la campagne publicitaire de la banque russe Trust, a annoncé la compagnie dans un communiqué.
Dans cette publicité pour l'instant limitée à l'internet, le visage de l'acteur spécialiste des films d'action est accompagné d'une phrase: "Trust est comme moi, sauf que c'est une banque".
"L'image de Bruce Willis est celle d'un homme respectable, sur lequel on peut compter", relève la banque dans un communiqué, précisant s'être payé les services de l'acteur pour un an. >>> AFP | Mercredi 24 Novembre 2010
