The France 24 live blog link is here.
In the meantime, the fallout seems to be spreading from the North African meltdown, including the sudden resignation of the French foreign minister.
The British, with what remains of their military, demonstrated their grit and pluck by extracting 150 of their countrymen from the desert yesterday. Wonder if someone in London regrets decommissioning that aircraft carrier and abandoning all those Harriers yet?
The Canadians, on the other hand, sent a plane to the airport for their people, and took off with the plane still empty. Oh, Canada!
Gaddafi has taken a page from Castro's and Arafat's playbook: When the going gets tough, create chaos. A full-blown refugee crisis is in the making, food distribution is breaking down, and the harbor and airport are full of ships and planes trying to get their foreign nationals the hell out of Dodge City while they still can. Chaos provides cover if one is determined to win at all costs, or barring that, get out with one's skin and a few billion and the harem to keep one warm.
Also interesting to see just how many people, beginning with Chavez and Gordon Brown, have been in bed with this monster for how many years. More on that latuh, ya'll...
In the meantime, Gadafi's world seems to be getting smaller by the day.
However, he could still book it to the southern regions, with plenty of cash, arms and mercenaries, and create chaos as a warlord.
Now, OS will spend some time heading down Memory Lane this week, looking for all those 'statesmen' who condemned Reagan for sending the US Navy after this monster in the 80's. How many lives would have been saved, had our boys managed to knock him off?
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gordon Brown. Show all posts
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, July 16, 2010
BP And Lockerbie, Blair and Ghadaffi
This broadcast on BBC on July 14.
It deserves a close listen.
If this is true, a lot of people in high places have a lot of blood on their hands.
This is very, very bad stuff. One can only hope it is not true.
Condolences to the families of the murdered, as they have to be dragged through their grief once more.
This is very, very bad stuff.
It deserves a close listen.
If this is true, a lot of people in high places have a lot of blood on their hands.
This is very, very bad stuff. One can only hope it is not true.
Condolences to the families of the murdered, as they have to be dragged through their grief once more.
This is very, very bad stuff.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Unelected Prime Minister
...departs office, still unelected, a permanent asterisk in the history books.
Text of his resignation announcement here.
His fate was sealed, not by the financial meltdown and its aftermath, but by agreeing to assume the role of Prime Minister without earning the privilege via the electoral process.
It was only a matter of time, and it could only end in tears. At least, the UK is a civilized country, where power passes from one hand to another with one person's resignation, and another's visit to speak with the Queen. Most times and places, transitions are bloody and tumultuous.
If some good thing can be salvaged from this heartbreak, perhaps it will be the object lesson that power must be 'derived from the consent of the governed', lest it be unavoidably viewed as illegitimately gained and exercised.
Text of his resignation announcement here.
His fate was sealed, not by the financial meltdown and its aftermath, but by agreeing to assume the role of Prime Minister without earning the privilege via the electoral process.
It was only a matter of time, and it could only end in tears. At least, the UK is a civilized country, where power passes from one hand to another with one person's resignation, and another's visit to speak with the Queen. Most times and places, transitions are bloody and tumultuous.
If some good thing can be salvaged from this heartbreak, perhaps it will be the object lesson that power must be 'derived from the consent of the governed', lest it be unavoidably viewed as illegitimately gained and exercised.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The 'Slap-O-Meter': A Satisfying Web Experience
The Grin of the Day: The Slap-O-Meter, which gives the voters of the UK the ability to express their true feelings about the political leadership, while remaining safely out of jail.
Now, all we need is a US edition!
OS has a few candidates, from both parties, to nominate as 'Slappees'.
The floor is open for nominations below.
No profanity, y'all, even tho' we all feel like cussin' these days.
Now, all we need is a US edition!
OS has a few candidates, from both parties, to nominate as 'Slappees'.
The floor is open for nominations below.
No profanity, y'all, even tho' we all feel like cussin' these days.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Horizontally Challenged Soprano Has Begun To Vocalize
The anecdote (perhaps apocryphal) goes like something this: The old-time city mayor was attending the opera, which he hated. One of his aides, noticing his exasperation, suggests they slip out quietly. The crusty old mayor replies, 'It ain't over until the fat lady sings!'
Well, for Gordon Brown, The Horizontally Challenged Soprano Has Begun To Vocalize.
Today's Daily Mail helps stick the wooden stake in his political heart.
Stick a fork in 'im.
He's done.
Well, for Gordon Brown, The Horizontally Challenged Soprano Has Begun To Vocalize.
Today's Daily Mail helps stick the wooden stake in his political heart.
Stick a fork in 'im.
He's done.
Monday, June 8, 2009
To Quote Austin Powers...'Yeah, Baby, Yeah'!
Dan Hannan wisely chose to refrain from Shakespeare tonight. Gordon Brown doesn't deserve to have good words like that wasted on his sorry self.
Hannan instead called upon Dr. Suess.
How very appropriate. Even Gordon Brown and his followers can understand the good Doctor.
Hannan instead called upon Dr. Suess.
How very appropriate. Even Gordon Brown and his followers can understand the good Doctor.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Words for Our Times, and All Places, from Daniel Hannan
Like so many millions around the world, I was mesmerized by Daniel Hannan's public disembowlment of Gordon Brown in front of the European Parliament this week.
The God of Providence smiled upon us again, as this week one brave man stood up and said the things that needed saying, at just the right time and place, and those words were heard around the world.
They are words that merit repetition in every workplace, restaurant, church, civic club, golf course, and school athletic event in these United States. And every soul in any position of authority, be it in government, academia, business or the ecclesia, needs to hear them repeatedly, from all quarters.
These words from last week aren't the only moment of eloquence from Mr. Hannan. I've taken the liberty of transcribing his ninety seconds of truth-telling at the European Parliament on March 11, 2009.
I hope Mr. Hannan doesn't object--they are his words, after all, and he owns them. I've taken care to transcribe accurately, and I urge you to follow the link to his YouTube posting, and hear him speak them as well.
His words carry weight whether read or spoken--the true sign of a wordsmith. His poetical references are derived from Richard II.
Hannan's words now follow:
Once again, Madame President, we are indulging the fantasy that you can spend your way of out debt and legislate against recessions.
At best, we are engaging in self-deceit; at worst, we are deliberately perpetrating a deceit against our electorate.
The truth is that nothing can stop this correction. Interest rates were held too low for too long, and now that the air has been pumped into the balloon, it's going to come out again.
We could try and rescue some of the victims, but instead we engage in this pretense that we can stop the thing happening;
and the debt will paid by our children yet unborn and unbegot;
and nowhere more than in my country, where every child is now born with a debt of thirty thousand pounds,
because the incompetence and incontinence of its government.
As our national poet says:
This land of such dear souls
This dear, dear land is now leased out
(I die pronouncing it) like to a tenement or a pelting farm.
And now on top on that national debt, we are expected to
contribute to these European recovery programmes!
I close again with the words of our national poet:
Prevent it, resist it, let it not be so;
lest child, child's children cry against you 'Woe'.
[end transcription]
The God of Providence smiled upon us again, as this week one brave man stood up and said the things that needed saying, at just the right time and place, and those words were heard around the world.
They are words that merit repetition in every workplace, restaurant, church, civic club, golf course, and school athletic event in these United States. And every soul in any position of authority, be it in government, academia, business or the ecclesia, needs to hear them repeatedly, from all quarters.
These words from last week aren't the only moment of eloquence from Mr. Hannan. I've taken the liberty of transcribing his ninety seconds of truth-telling at the European Parliament on March 11, 2009.
I hope Mr. Hannan doesn't object--they are his words, after all, and he owns them. I've taken care to transcribe accurately, and I urge you to follow the link to his YouTube posting, and hear him speak them as well.
His words carry weight whether read or spoken--the true sign of a wordsmith. His poetical references are derived from Richard II.
Hannan's words now follow:
Once again, Madame President, we are indulging the fantasy that you can spend your way of out debt and legislate against recessions.
At best, we are engaging in self-deceit; at worst, we are deliberately perpetrating a deceit against our electorate.
The truth is that nothing can stop this correction. Interest rates were held too low for too long, and now that the air has been pumped into the balloon, it's going to come out again.
We could try and rescue some of the victims, but instead we engage in this pretense that we can stop the thing happening;
and the debt will paid by our children yet unborn and unbegot;
and nowhere more than in my country, where every child is now born with a debt of thirty thousand pounds,
because the incompetence and incontinence of its government.
As our national poet says:
This land of such dear souls
This dear, dear land is now leased out
(I die pronouncing it) like to a tenement or a pelting farm.
And now on top on that national debt, we are expected to
contribute to these European recovery programmes!
I close again with the words of our national poet:
Prevent it, resist it, let it not be so;
lest child, child's children cry against you 'Woe'.
[end transcription]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)