Who is the 'winner' in Lebanon?

The Iranians and Hezbollah are, unsuprisingly, decalring themselves the winners in the South Lebanon spat. If that be true it would only be because the world community and the UN has colluded in an injustice against a sovereign democratic state - Israel. Already it seems that Hezbollah are 'choking' on the requirement to disarm and withdraw from South Lebanon. Remember, Hezbollah is NOT the army of the democratically elected government of Lebanon it is a private militia subject to the will of a foreign rogue nation, Iran. Do you see why the whole concept of the current ceasefire arrangements (which treat both parties as equals) ought to be alien to the understanding of a free democratic peoples?

Hezbollah should be told to disarm or else...be disarmed by a coalition force: preferably one led by France. It is about time they did something useful other than throw their diplomatic weight about. But it is noticeable how France and the other 'hot air' countries are suddenly oddly reluctant to put their troops where their vociferous big mouths are.

Also we keep hearing the mainstream media issuing reports that the 'Bush Doctrine' (for re-shaping the Middle East by democratizing it) is 'dead'. Norman Podhertz here comments on the alleged 'death. I agree with him. I don't think the Bush Doctrine is anymore dead than any other potential doctrine that continues to be a prospective solution. Whether it is or not, it led Libya to give up its WMD, took the most powerful pan-Arab rogue WMD-seeking leader (Saddam) and power (Iraq) out of the ball game and removed the Taleban fron power in Afghanistan, put pressure on Pakistan to reform...do I really need to go on? If this is failure then let's have more of it.

 As regards who is the winner in this Lebanese spat, we may be sure however that in a world where appeasement and short-term gains (ceasefires) are considered 'solutions' that it will not be justice.

Is 'less Europeans' the way forward for European security?

Now here's the real way forward for European security: a falling birthrate in Germany. If we can now achieve the same thing in France we will know we are on the way to tackling 1) recurring wars on European soil and 2) French influence in politics. thus nullifying the whole purpose of the EU.

Iranian prez launches a blog

Well if we in the West need to know what the Iranian president is up to these days all we need to do it seems is put an RSS feed on his newly launched blog. Given that his first posting is 2,300 words long however I would set aside a good portion of your day. For the blog itself go here. Of course, your may need an interpreter...

He didn't like Saddam Hussein very much and, surprising this, could not get through even one posting without referring to Amercia as the Great Satan.  I just can't help wondering if Islamic nutballs have somehow got the wrong wpelling froma dictionary and they mean 'Great Santa' for its largesse in bailing out most of their fellow Arab basket case economies. What think ye?

Shatner reprises Star Trek role

I see that Bill Shatner has reprised his James T Kirk (blessings be upon his name) role for a new Star Trek computer game. I was also amazed to find out that after that first 1960s series they made some more series without him and the rest of the crew. Something called Deep Space 9 et al. Now why 'on earth' would anyone do that. Anyway it seems that media prodcuers are now klingin-on to their sanity realising Shatner IS Kirk and Kirk IS Star Trek. 

Other series indeed! That's like re-making Dr Who without Wiliam Hartnell. Time-warp what time-warp?

Israel hamstrung by UN ceasefire

I will be amazed if the UN ceasfire holds - not least because the ceasfire itself does not even address the problem of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, the disarming of Hezbollah - a murderous terrorist organization bent on Israel's destruction - and because a UN-Lebanese force is bound to be toothless against Hezbollah's tactics.

Oh goody, France and Italy are threatening to send troops to bolster the elite UN-Lebanese White Flag-Wavers. They would have been better served going in to fight alongside Israel to finish off the job (we can dream can't we?) - showing the world community really is resolved to eradicate terrorist groups, even when their resident governments are not.

It will not happen. But neither will  Hezbollah be disarmed this way.  This could could very messy indeed. Like Oliver Cromwell I never 'want war'. But when war is inevitable it is best to fight it vigorously and with overwhelming force whenever possible, to finish it quickly. 

Tony Blair as UN boss?

I read this weekend that Tony Blair may be 'touted as the next UN boss'. But one minister was quoted as rubbishing such a suggestion on the basis that the next UN General Secretary "should be a proven leader." This surprised me. It has never been a qualification for the job before.

However, the top UN job is chosen by continent and it is Asia's turn next. That opens up some great possibilites for 'proven leaders' and 'human rights workers' like the Chinese, Indonesian and Burmese leaders. Sadly, Pol Pot - another Asian 'proven leader', is no longer among us.  For my money, I would give the job to Australian PM John Howard.

Why? Well because inevitably most UN leaders have to stand up and give speeches and here Howard has a distinct advantage. He would be the first vertebrate in the job for some decades.

How shall be deal with the Jihad Generation?

It has long been clear from polls among Muslims that less and less restraint is evident among young adults Muslims. We are all looking for a 'cause' in life. Their lack of experiecne in life generally and their non-intellectual acceptance of an evil creed has given them a cause, something to believe in. Many are now raised in the West and see the prevailing culture in society with values rooted in a religion other their own and they quickly learn to hate it. 

It is not surprise therefore that sympathy and action on behalf of radical Islam is spreading across Europe.  The liberal appeasers are out in force their backs till they bleed so that we may all see how hard done by these complainers and moaners are. Until we see that they are right and perceive the "wickedness of our foreign policy" ways. Our foreign policies however turn out to be of little consequence given their capacity to hate. For they demand special treatment in our education, judicial and social system - with the whole of society 'bowing' and scraping so as not to offend them and their perpetually offended god. 

The growth of the movement may be seen as a chilling trend because it means we shall be constantly at war with this ideology. But, as with the UN's perverse understanding of the need for a ceasefire in Lebanon for the sake of a 'proportional' response to the evil of Hezbollah is preserved, so to we make a mistake by giving gro9und and appeasing evil ideology. Anidoelogy which, ilke all tyrannies, can only be defeated by resolution and...overwhelming force in a right cause.  

It seems our society has to re-learn the great lesson of the past. That evil must be faced and defeated never appeased.  

Why the "Cromwellian" Anglosphere supports Israel

It is not often these days, especially after the departure of Mark Steyn, that the Daily Telegraph publishes a column of such genuine insight and depth it should be framed and put up on walls. But I was amazed at the historical astuteness of Daniel Hannan's perception that real conservatives tend to be democracy lovers, Eurosceptic and 'Cromwellian' all at once - and thus the rump of those who support Bush and Blair in their support for Israel. I could not agree more. Here is a taster:

"The Euro-sceptic/Zionist Conservatives are heirs to the Roundheads. They believe in democracy, however messy its outcomes. They distrust elites and their opinions, and want power devolved to the lowest practicable level.

The Euro-enthusiast/Arabists are Cavaliers. They think that democracy sometimes needs to be tempered by good sense, order and seemliness, and worry lest the wisdom of generations be overturned by a transient popular majority.

The Roundhead is philo-Semitic: it was Cromwell himself who brought Jews back to England. When he looks at the Middle East, his sympathy - in the literal sense of fellow-feeling - is with Israel, a state that, even while fighting for its survival, has retained a boisterous parliamentary system, a free press and independent courts.

The Cavalier, by contrast, regrets the displacement of a traditional, hierarchical society by a brash and consumerist one. His sympathy is with the simple Bedouin in his flowing robes. He admires Glubb Pasha and T. E. Lawrence, and believes that Britain has obligations to its old friends - Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf monarchies."

All profoundly true.  The UK's place in the modern world is indeed with the Anglosphere (the English speaking group of nations). It is no coincidence that they are all conservative-minded at present (Blair, that is, on the key issue of global terrorism) - and is doing the right thing in supporting a truly democratic state against murderous totalitarianists.  This really is a great piece. Go here to read the 'When we question Israel, we question democracy itself''.

How can you fight an ideology without an ideology?

The latest news suggests the terrorist were intent on detonating their plastic drinks bottle bombs downing the planes over American cities. It seems this coming weekend was to provide a dry run.  The liberal mind and those who do not know what is at the heart of Islamic Teaching (whether moderates and liberal Muslims ignore it or not does not lessen the reality that radicals simply follow the teachings of Mohammed and the Traditions).

We know well enough we have to fight 'fight with fire'. But it seems we have failed to learn the lesson of history: the need to fight ideas and ideology with ideas and ideology. Ignorance it seems reamins bliss to the homespinning philosophers of the liberal mindest. Secular Liberalism is feeble, incoherent and pathetically appeasing. It can't stand the intellectual heat.  The Judeo-Christian tradition alone is an ideology - a pattern of principles which sponsors policies - which alone has stood the test of time in the annals of Western civilization.

 

"We must have an ideology. The other side have got an ideology they can test their policies against. We must have one as well." 
Lady Margaret Thatcher.  

"Mass murder on an unimaginable scale"

It is not often you get senior British security forces using this kind of dramatic language.  Given the scale of the potential carnage that would have been wreaked on American airlines flying from the UK it is perhaps highly accurate. Now its liquid explosives in plastic bottles being set off by mobiles.  But this time they didn't get away with it.  This 'bust' perhaps represents the foiling of the greatest terrorist operation to date. As President Bush rightly referred to the British security forces: they have been 'plot-busters'. 

It is also noticeable that TV news has gotten over its feear of language today. Sky and the BBC have used the term 'Islamic fascists' - the term many of us have been using from some time.  No concern when a crisis arises over the use of politically-correct langauge. That stage will be next week when the Islamo-liberal axis sets to work.  

We must also thank Pakistan's intelligence (and President Musharaff) who apprently provided a great deal of help. Let us keep a persepctive here. Iran is pulling most of the strings. Anything that diverts them from having their nuclear programme under scrutiny is what this is all about. Divert us enough and they will have their WMD. Then they won't need diversions anymore...

One other point, if the Israelis moving into the Bekaa Valley I understand they may find something of huge interest: Iraq's WMD. Many of us have long said it was in Syria and perhaps Lebanon. Would it not be ironic - not to say, Western-liberal gob-smacking - if they did? 

But right now, let us applaud the intelligence services for getting this one absolutely right.  Good job.  Good job.

Send Cameron to sort out Lebanon crisis

Okay, forget the UN. Forget watered-down, anti-Israel resolutions. I have THE the solution to the Middle East crisis: send Green Tory leader David 'Forrest Gump' Cameron as a UN negotiator. Riding around on his non-carbon emitting bike I believe Cameron alone is uniquely gifted to convince the Israeli to unilaterally lay down their arms and withdraw (standard UN and Western liberal policy) thus allowing a to return to the stats quo with Hezbollah resuming lobbing over occasional guided missile.  As he will point out, the critical issue is not what Israel and Hezbollah think it is at all. Rather, it is that the whole conflict is emitting far too big a carbon footprint - and is upsetting environment worshippers. 

Cameron alone I think is equipped for the role. He has the slithery presence and acomplete absence of guile (and wit) to convince both sides that giving up ideology, policies and views of any substance - along with carbon emissions (through both sides laying down and not moving) -  is the way to go.  of course, he might have trouble getting a plane out there today...but he has got a bike.

 Please, no applause...Kofi will think I'm after his peace prize nomination.

Did you know 'fundamentalism' was the enemy?

Finishing my 'Aerobics Oz-style' TV exercises this morning I put down my Falun Gong newsletter and switched over to Fox TV News to get America's take on today's serious news about the grounding of British aircraft flying to the US. With a very serious terrorist threat (to six, initial reports said 20, planes) it looks like this may be one-up for the good guys. But whose was the first face I saw being interviewed about the crisis on Fox (via Sky  News in fact)? Simon Hughes! Oh no, Liberal Democrat leader-in-waiting, raconteur, and alround ("I want to make it clear I am not a practising homosexual and I demand to be taken seriously") illogician (is that a word?).

 Now I want to make it clear to any Americans who saw this interview that Simon Hughes is NOT in fact British, nor is he human. He is from the Planet Zog. In squinting profusely (why does he do that?) and succeeding in looking terribly furtive he did he climbed onto his P & O sponsored  soapbox (Pompous and Obscure) to deliver a warning diatribe against...fundamentalism. Islamic fundamentalism? No, just "fundamentalism".   What non-Muslim fundamentalist threat was he referring to? I don't know. He never explained. So here's SH's message to the world today: "Watch out for fundamentalism - especially in the hand luggage of multicultural flyers."

If I ever want to get in touch with my feminine side (and it is radically overdue, I fear) I often read the Liberal Democrat Party manifesto. 

Photoshop of Horrors

The Reuters fake photograph (aimed at discrediting Israeli clams for concern to avoid hitting civilians) prompted a BBC TV News yesterday to whitewash the issue generally (and there's a big problem here) - and then go on to attack the culture of  'right wing American bloggers' for attacking the mainstream media. Ironic, is it not? Those who pursue Truth - and force the MSM to face it - end up villified by the BBC.  Remember in this instance as in other similar instances in recent years, it has been the 'right wing bloggers' who have singly been responsible for exposing these frauds and errors in the MSM - not the MSM itself.  That should tell us all we need to know about the ethics and ideology of some BBC editors - and the growing efficacy of online, politically-incorrect, news analysis.

I  raised the whole issue of wordlview 'baggage' that this incident throws light upon - and the relationship between the MSM and bloggers in my latest piece published today over at TCS Daily.   Where debate already seems to be flowing...

So where is David Cameron on the Middle East?

Simon Heffer, once more, is spot on this morning in asking just where Tory leader David Cameron is on important matters  such as the Middle East. Cameron does indeed prefer riding bikes wearing silly hats and prattling on about the long-term weather forecast, as Heffer points out here. Cameron's silence on the Middle East has indeed been deafening.

Heffer concludes: "Many natural Tories feel entirely unrepresented, and many others feel ignored, patronised and ill-led. It is that, at this time of danger, when the poor conduct of foreign policy by the Government has ensured our nation's voice counts for little in the world, there is no strong, coherent, respected, serious body of parliamentary opinion against it - except, paradoxically, from within the ranks of Labour itself. That, though, must be inevitable, in a political world where the Leader of the Opposition wants most of all for us to get on our bikes, and cares most deeply that we should be able to ablute in comfort once we have ridden them."

Regular readers will know I am no fan of David Cameron.  He reminds me too much of an eel in a suit.  An unfair allusion you might think? True, I apologise unreservedly...to any offended eels.

Leftwing cant at a Maggie state funeral

MP Rosie Cooper  (who?) is up in arms at the prospect of Lady Thatcher receiving a state funeral. Now I was an adult in the mid-1970's (just) and  I can remember only too clearly where Britain was in the world pecking order  - and how leftwing socialism had reduced our nation to an unpleasant blob  sliding down the toilet-pan of economic history.  Admit it or not, it was Margaret Thatcher's policies that turned the nation's fortunes around. 

I would give Maggie a state funeral. Next to Churchill no one in recent times has deserved it more. And note this: neither Churchill nor Maggie were Left of the political spectrum. How many leftwing politicians even have their names linked with the prospect of a state funeral?  That should tell us a great deal.

 But whether Maggie is granted one  or not, small-minded liberal ingrates like Rosie Cooper might at least have the good grace to keep their miserable nit-picking traps shut until the Lady is at last 'ready for turning'.