Search LBO-Talk Archives

16 [lbo-talk] Russian ambassador does get fired on -- rank: 1000

It comes to something when you really only have to add vigilance, and irony, to hit on the truth. On Sun Apr 06 2003 - 07:41:32 EDT I wrote in repsonse to Chris D >concerning the last point, the BBC has just reported, roughly midday GMT, >that a US plane has fired on some Russian "consular" cars heading towards >the Syrian border. > >But as they have just killed some of their special forces working with the >Kurds in northern Iraq, and wounded one of the most prestigi ...

Document Size:	5380
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Mon Apr 7 16:15:20 PDT 2003

17 [lbo-talk] Russian ambassador leaves Iraq - and gets fired on? -- rank: 1000

>From: ChrisD(RJ) (chrisd at russiajournal.com) >Date: Sun Apr 06 2003 - 04:33:35 EDT > > >Russia reduces staff at its Baghdad embassy, ambassador >heads out of Iraq > > MOSCOW (AP) - With the U.S. military closing in on >Baghdad, Russia's ambassador to Iraq is leaving the >country, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. > > Russian officials had long ago evacuated most of the >embassy's staff, but a core team remained, including the >ambassador. > & ...

Document Size:	6612
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sun Apr 6 04:41:32 PDT 2003

18 US: explanation of atrocity "speculative" -- rank: 1000

This morning a US spokesperson from allied HQ in Kuwait, Lt Col Cox of the US air force, was interviewed by the critical Channel 4 News programme (UK) He did not defend the original defence of the massacre of 7 women and children at 4:30pm yesterday local time. He referred to the claim that warning shots were fired as "speculative". When asked about the quote in the Washington Post that one of the solders was told he had just killed these civilians, he said, that is why we are having a ...

Document Size:	5318
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Mon Mar 31 23:16:56 PST 2003

19 US atrocities in Iraq -- rank: 1000

[The Sunday TImes is a very authoritative right of centre UK paper. This story was on their front page.] "The Iraqis are sick people and we are the chemotherapy," said Corporal Ryan Dupre. "I am starting to hate this country. Wait till I get hold of a friggin' Iraqi. No, I won't get hold of one. I'll just kill him." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-628258,00.html March 30 2003 US Marines turn fire on civilians at the bridge of death Mark Franchetti, Nasiriya THE l ...

Document Size:	28894
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Mon Mar 31 00:26:13 PST 2003

20 emerging levels of reality -- rank: 1000

Charles: > It is the issue of emergent levels or levels of organization of reality. plus materialistic dialectics, as I am sure Charles and I would agree, even if we cannot always agree on every political question. (Who can?) Chris Burford London

Document Size:	4773
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sun Mar 30 22:56:45 PST 2003

21 Hutton: Blair and the US hard right -- rank: 1000

I think in a way Will Hutton was not trying to paint a complete description of the American right but to say enough to argue a polemical case - that the moral basis of the present war is not only "barely" legitimate but that Blair had been fooled by the neo-Conservatives and got in thrall to them. I would not know how much Margaret Thatcher catalysed the right in the USA but she clearly had a symbiotic relationship. What I do not see coming out in the analyses was that neo-liberalism w ...

Document Size:	9163
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sun Mar 30 13:04:33 PST 2003

22 US atrocities against civilians -- rank: 1000

I cannot get the URL to work on this second story down from the web page of the right wing (UK) Sunday Times It is a vivid account of shocked US soldiers killing a large number of civilians over a significant period of time. Nothing like this has been on CNN or the BBC. It anyone else can get the link to work can they post details of how. The Sunday Times is a very authoritative paper. Chris Burford London http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,2086,00.html

Document Size:	5081
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sun Mar 30 12:25:56 PST 2003

23 Financial Services Authority (UK) - new chair -- rank: 1000

The Sunday Telegraph claims an exclusive that the new chair of the FSA is likely to be Callum McCarthy. "The FSA regulates the UK's financial services industry, one of the most important parts of the economy. With a staff of 2,500 and a budget of 200 million pounds, it watches over 10,000 institutions, including banks, building societies, stock brokers, life insurers, general insurers, financial advisers and fund managers." He would take over from Howard Davies who is to be the new dir ...

Document Size:	6066
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sun Mar 30 09:04:16 PST 2003

24 Hutton: Blair and the US hard right -- rank: 1000

>The rise and rise of American conservatism is neither well documented nor >well understood in Britain http://www.observer.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,925856,00.html Will Hutton is a particularly interesting progressive liberal strategic political economist. Is his analysis of the American right correct? Chris Burford London

Document Size:	4957
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Sat Mar 29 23:56:37 PST 2003

25 The innate goodness of Brits -- rank: 1000

I agree. Obviously in the UK we get special media coverage about the southern front where it is the Brits who have to win hearts and minds. They really do not know what on earth to do. Almost all of them think at best it is going to be like occupying northern Ireland. You can see how bad the British military intelligence sources coming out of Basra are. A senior defence ministry source was quoted by the BBC tonight as saying "we will win, but it won't be quick" The strategic theory in ...

Document Size:	5385
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Fri Mar 28 16:29:01 PST 2003

26 Fwd: hegemons lose this war -- rank: 1000

>Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 08:14:26 +0000 >To: pen-l at galaxy.csuchico.edu >From: Chris Burford <cburford at gn.apc.org> >Subject: hegemons lose this war > >There is so much evidence available in London this morning, that I can no >longer afford personally and professionally the time to detail it. > >I have the advantage of more sceptical media in the UK, and a personal >interest in the minutiae of tactics, and meaning, which IMO allows me to >see behind the ...

Document Size:	10177
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Fri Mar 28 00:32:20 PST 2003

27 Falling perles -- rank: 1000

The stated excuse for Perle's resignation as the guru of arrogant cynical US unilateralism, is likely merely to be a relatively face-saving formula that allows him to cooperate in his resignation. What we have to see is how far he loses in prestige. Perle lost many televised debates in the UK prior to the outbreak of war by his offensive manner and I would guess this resignation will mean he will get fewer invitations. His fall also removes a layer of political safety around Rumsfeld. Interestin ...

Document Size:	5397
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Fri Mar 28 00:28:44 PST 2003

28 Stalingrad - it's official -- rank: 1000

The British correspondent who was the source for concerns that this could turn into another Stalingrad, has turned out to be none other than Andrew Marr, the senior BBC political correspondent, who is at the height of his prestige and communicating ability. It is clear that Alistair Campbell deliberately dropped this word to him, in the plane as Blair flew to meet Bush. This is the highest level evidence there could be, short of being on the record, that Blair has flown to Washington because he ...

Document Size:	6231
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Thu Mar 27 11:02:52 PST 2003

29 Leninism -- rank: 1000

important debate and a sign of the maturity that this debate is taking place now at the time of dramatic political tasks, seriously and without flaming. but 3 points 1) anyone who wishes to identify themselves explicitly as Leninist surely will have read State and Revolution. I do not notice any mention of the "dictatorship of the proletariat" in the list of features of Leninism. That is unfortunate because the term "Leninism" may be used ambigously in contrast to Stalinism o ...

Document Size:	8074
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Thu Mar 27 00:31:49 PST 2003

30 "Stalingrad" -- rank: 1000

That word again! The official Downing steet statement on the Blair Bush meeting is that it is about the Middle East, post Saddam Iraq, and relations with the Arab nations. BUT The BBC reporter at the invading HQ, in Qatar, has a news story alleging a debate within the Pentagon with retired US generals questioning Rumsfeld's view that it is possible to win this war with many fewer troops than the Gulf War. AND the BBC reporter in the USA (Whashington?) this morning admitted that the talk about p ...

Document Size:	7802
Author:	Chris Burford
Date:	Wed Mar 26 23:50:23 PST 2003