Showing posts with label UK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UK. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Friday, September 14, 2007
Russian warplanes breach NATO airspace - USATODAY.com
Russian warplanes breach NATO airspace - USATODAY.com:
What kind of game is Russia trying to play with the west. It recently tested a new bomb as well. The world has had one cold war, and that was one too many. Russia cannot win a cold or a hot war against the west, if it goes nuclear we all lose. What does Russia gain by reverting to these cold war tricks? It isn't going to improve its relationship with the EU or NATO. These two relationships are very important to the success of Russia in the future. Russia has a lot to lose playing these games, and nothing to win except a marginal national pride.
"LONDON (AP) — British and Norwegian jets intercepted Russian military aircraft
Friday after they breached NATO airspace close to the U.K. and Finland, defense
officials said. Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen demanded an explanation
from Moscow over the violation of Finnish airspace, the latest in a spate of
recent incursions."
What kind of game is Russia trying to play with the west. It recently tested a new bomb as well. The world has had one cold war, and that was one too many. Russia cannot win a cold or a hot war against the west, if it goes nuclear we all lose. What does Russia gain by reverting to these cold war tricks? It isn't going to improve its relationship with the EU or NATO. These two relationships are very important to the success of Russia in the future. Russia has a lot to lose playing these games, and nothing to win except a marginal national pride.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
BBC NEWS | UK | All UK 'must be on DNA database':
BBC NEWS UK All UK 'must be on DNA database':
My first thought on this, was why not. Having all the DNA of every person in the country means they would be able to track all DNA evidence found at a scene. I am not sure how this could be abused, but there probably are ways. If it is abused, those people who have abused the system should be punished. Lots of things are abused, but still useful. The benefits of having the data base in my mind out weigh the slight chance that it could be abused.
It is also an interesting point about the equality and fairness of the system. If I commit a crime with a weapon, and my DNA is on it - not on file, and a convicts are on it - and on file. The police will focus on the convict and may never investigate far enough to identify me as a suspect.
"The whole population and every UK visitor should be added to the national DNA
database, a senior judge has said. Lord Justice Sedley said the current
database, which holds DNA from crime suspects and scenes, was 'indefensible'
because it was unfair and inconsistent.The whole population and every UK visitor
should be added to the national DNA database, a senior judge has said. Lord
Justice Sedley said the current database, which holds DNA from crime suspects
and scenes, was 'indefensible' because it was unfair and inconsistent."
My first thought on this, was why not. Having all the DNA of every person in the country means they would be able to track all DNA evidence found at a scene. I am not sure how this could be abused, but there probably are ways. If it is abused, those people who have abused the system should be punished. Lots of things are abused, but still useful. The benefits of having the data base in my mind out weigh the slight chance that it could be abused.
It is also an interesting point about the equality and fairness of the system. If I commit a crime with a weapon, and my DNA is on it - not on file, and a convicts are on it - and on file. The police will focus on the convict and may never investigate far enough to identify me as a suspect.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
lgf: Gordon Brown: Don't Say Terrorists Are Muslims
lgf: Gordon Brown: Don't Say Terrorists Are Muslims:
The more you use the terms Muslim and terrorist like they are one and the same, the more that these groups will act like they are one in the same. It may be easier perhaps for people in the UK to understand this, because they have had problems with terrorists for decades, christian terrorists. The reality is that the terrorists want Muslims to believe the west is against them, in order to counter that we must behave inclusively.
"“Let us be clear – terrorists are criminals, whose victims come from all walks
of life, communities and religions. Terrorists attack the values shared by all
law-abiding citizens. As a Government, as communities, as individuals, we need
to ensure that the message of the terrorists is rejected.”"
The more you use the terms Muslim and terrorist like they are one and the same, the more that these groups will act like they are one in the same. It may be easier perhaps for people in the UK to understand this, because they have had problems with terrorists for decades, christian terrorists. The reality is that the terrorists want Muslims to believe the west is against them, in order to counter that we must behave inclusively.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Glasgow: First obligatory media report of feared anti-Muslim backlash spotted
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Glasgow: First obligatory media report of feared anti-Muslim backlash spotted:
The strategy in Iraq, which it could be argued in based on tactics used against Israel, appears to be at work in these attacks in the UK. The tactic is that you set up attacks, that don't have the goal of killing people, as much as isolating the Muslim community. Any community that is isolated from the whole is a breeding ground for groups that want to train operatives for future and larger attacks. In Iraq the attacks by terrorists were not focused so much on death, but on the establishment of a civil war. A goal that they have reached.
With Israel, I believe the tactic is less successful. There the attacks are done in order to generate a response by the Israeli forces. Launch enough small missiles into Israel, that Israel has no other choice that to retaliate, when it does their retaliation is used as excuse for further attacks against Israel, claiming that they are defending themselves.
It is a tough tactic to counter, except that the greatest weapon we have to offer the hearts and minds that we are competing with terrorists for is freedom. Freedom, and diversity are the ideas of the west that we have to offer them, and terrorists have control, fear and hatred. If we stick to our values, the terrorists will lose.
"Muslim anger was directed at the terrorists — but also at a society some felt
singles Muslims out for scrutiny whenever there is a terrorist attack.“We are
seething with anger about this,” said Osama Saeed, Scottish spokesman for the
Muslim Association of Britain.“As a community not only are we just as likely to
be victims as anyone else, but we are also looked to in order to provide
direction and in some respects take responsibility for this,” he added.“We are
sick of being defined as a community by terrorism and having to answer for it.”"
The strategy in Iraq, which it could be argued in based on tactics used against Israel, appears to be at work in these attacks in the UK. The tactic is that you set up attacks, that don't have the goal of killing people, as much as isolating the Muslim community. Any community that is isolated from the whole is a breeding ground for groups that want to train operatives for future and larger attacks. In Iraq the attacks by terrorists were not focused so much on death, but on the establishment of a civil war. A goal that they have reached.
With Israel, I believe the tactic is less successful. There the attacks are done in order to generate a response by the Israeli forces. Launch enough small missiles into Israel, that Israel has no other choice that to retaliate, when it does their retaliation is used as excuse for further attacks against Israel, claiming that they are defending themselves.
It is a tough tactic to counter, except that the greatest weapon we have to offer the hearts and minds that we are competing with terrorists for is freedom. Freedom, and diversity are the ideas of the west that we have to offer them, and terrorists have control, fear and hatred. If we stick to our values, the terrorists will lose.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Blair knew Bush not prepared for post-war Iraq - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth
Blair knew Bush not prepared for post-war Iraq - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth:
There has been a lot of talk about Blair knowing that Bush had not planned for the post invasion of Iraq. From this information comes a lot of speculation about how Blair was weak for standing with Bush on this issue. What I don't see people asking is what Blair was supposed to do about it. From reports I have read, he pushed Bush to be prepared, Bush did not take that advice, but is that the fault of Blair? I think it is easier to throw stones at those in the seats of power, than it is to understand the position they are in.
Maybe he should have kept his country out of the war. As Americans having this discussion though, that has little effect on our involvement in the war. I think that the UK had as much to gain from the overthrow of Saddam as the Americans have.
"With the end of the Blair era arriving this week there is no shortage of
reviews of his tenure as PM. Some very interesting information is now coming out
and it confirms what others were saying years ago, though were publicly
dismissed by Blair and Bush, with those even suggesting such information
attacked and smeared. Even when given the option to opt out of military
involvement, Blair - obviously confident in Bush's ability to win in Iraq and
probably dreaming of a Churchill-like position in modern Britain - said 'no' and
insisted in being part of the military program. "
There has been a lot of talk about Blair knowing that Bush had not planned for the post invasion of Iraq. From this information comes a lot of speculation about how Blair was weak for standing with Bush on this issue. What I don't see people asking is what Blair was supposed to do about it. From reports I have read, he pushed Bush to be prepared, Bush did not take that advice, but is that the fault of Blair? I think it is easier to throw stones at those in the seats of power, than it is to understand the position they are in.
Maybe he should have kept his country out of the war. As Americans having this discussion though, that has little effect on our involvement in the war. I think that the UK had as much to gain from the overthrow of Saddam as the Americans have.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
