How will the Far Left anti British BBC greet the birth of a new State – The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ? As the BBC is largely supportive of all things Muslim – or ignores – at best – crimes committed in the name of Islam – it may welcome it as a new friend .
Current affairs programmes will greet taliban spokesmen with due regard – unlike – of course – anyone from a disapproved political view . Further – will the BBC continue to give overwhelming support to Joe Biden – who is responsible for the current turmoil ?
Weekend Thread 21 August 2021
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First, with a question. How long will Biden last now CNN and even the BBC have appeared to dump him?
If that is the case, then its possible they have intimation that the 2020 election was a fraud, which will give reason to remove Biden. Of course it will be done for genuine concern for the health of a person.
The Afghanistan debacle is tearing the security of the West. Biden’s act has torn NATO to shreds. The occupation of Afghanistan was not about that country but a reason for the continued existence of NATO ,to prevent a major 9/11 type attack on the West.
Too, the alliance with Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Australia are now mere scraps of useless paper.
The reason for NATO is a combined desire for corrupt poorly paid politicians to gain access to the Middle Eastern oil money.
We invade countries at the behest of countries like Saudi Arabia, and politicians are given hundreds of millions for their assistance.
That too.
“If that is the case, then its possible they have intimation that the 2020 election was a fraud, which will give reason to remove Biden. Of course it will be done for genuine concern for the health of a person.”
You think the BBC and CNN have “dumped” (aired criticism of) Biden’s handling of Afghanistan because they’ve discovered the election was a fraud (move on?), and Biden will now be removed by 25th amendment ..which requires the approval of his cabinet and/or a Democrat majority Congress?
Seems unlikely to me
True. It is unlikely as the only thing standing between them and jail is Biden in the WH.
Biden has surrendered. He not only surrendered America but NATO as well to Taleban. And in keeping with the norms of surrender, he has put down all weapons in theatre to the Taleban.
I wonder where the surrender ceremony will be? Kabul or Potomac.
If Biden is dumped, does that mean the US gets Kamala. I don’t think it would be any better.
If Biden is dumped, so will the entire Biden coterie. Will go Thoroughly modern Milley and the likes.
But I have the feeling that America never wanted to be a nation involved in foreign wars. It always has been isolationist at heart.
So if we want a Western security alliance, it will have to be the UK in concert with Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This group has a huge land mass, and spans the entire globe.
Most important, keep the USA out, as it never wanted to be involved in foreign entanglements.
If you read the BBC web page, you’d think that Kabul was the place to go to for a holiday.
And of course, they totally ignore mr buydon’s (13, Acacia Gardens), incredible, disastrous mistakes, a normality where the W1AA crowd are concerned.
But Canada, Australia and New Zealand have gone to the woke side.
Canada and NZ I can understand. But Australia?
It must be Climate Change that is affecting regions above and below the tropics.
Affecting people’s brains, perhaps.
“So if we want a Western security alliance, it will have to be the UK in concert with Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This group has a huge land mass, and spans the entire globe.
Most important, keep the USA out, as it never wanted to be involved in foreign entanglements.”
I can’t see New Zealand’s armed forces, as formidable as I’m sure they are, holding Afghanistan. Nato countries had an opportunity to fill the US void and didn’t. Trump signed the deal in Feb 2020 with the Taliban for US forces to leave by May 21. So they had a year and a bit. There isn’t the will among the other Nato nations. Nor to finance it.
Having a large land mass doesn’t really help much in a war, unless you’re in danger of invasion. These countries do not span the globe.
US military operations 2020 to present:
Somalia
Iraq
Syria
Afghanistan
Libya
Yemen
Thaddeus
What America has done while in the middle of a global war, is unforgivable. They cannot be trusted. It will be worse when the going gets tough.
Its better to have a void in a position then an unreliable partner, who will desert at any moment.
BBC Online News:
“Nine Afghan girl robotics team members safe in Qatar”
“They have been widely praised as a shining example of the potential of women’s education in Afghanistan.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58286398
Another of many examples as to how our Woke Western culture, typified by our BBC, has perverted the West’s role in Afghanistan.
The West has become a joke among the Afghan people and the Taliban.
Yet more illustrative example that women’s freedom can exist only if strong men preserve and protect it.
Exactly, NCBBC!
The bigger disaster is that Western allies in NATO and the far East, have lost faith in the USA. What is coming out is that relying on America is a mistake for America will cut and run when the going gets tough. No staying power.
Emotional wounds have been ‘torn open’, says Afghanistan veteran Tom Tugendhat MP
Please watch it.
PS : He got a standing ovation. This is what he is saying too. The UK has to lead, once more, to defend freedom and liberty, of like minded nations.
Boris Johnson, an admirer of Churchill, has the opportunity to stand.
NCBBC,
“Boris Johnson, an admirer of Churchill, has the opportunity to stand.”
Not on his track record so far, otherwise we would be out the EU having torn up their NI agreement and telling same to ‘get stuffed’.
Like most Western countries, we need a ‘Leader’, a ‘proper’ one.
G
Tragic it is.
Protect it from whom?
Did they draw a cartoon of a god?
BBC Online News:
“The devastating human cost of rising gun violence in the US”
” ….gun violence in many US cities has been on the rise since 2018. That includes the nation’s capital, Washington DC, despite the city having some of the nation’s toughest gun laws.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-58207384
The video makes it clear that in Washington, the deaths are black on black.
The cause? Clearly racism, says our BBC.
Ah – the incredible changing BBC headlines. Yesterday that same article was:
‘What’s behind the rising gun violence in the US?’.
I expect that headline was ditched because it indirectly pointed a finger at those doing it.
I couldn’t watch any more after the virtue-signalling academic said:
‘The stark rise in gun violence has disproportionately affected the neighbourhoods that experience the worst consequences of structural racism’
It has a link to a ‘BBC Reality Check. report called ‘US crime: Is America seeing a surge in violence?’
https://www.bbc.com/news/57581270
From what I’ve read elsewhere, it seems a hugely disproportionate amount of this violent crime is by the black community. And I strongly suspect it has been driven by the BLM protests where black people are now less afraid of the police.
So how can any kind of ‘reality check’ totally avoid any mention of race when it is THE major factor ?.
What a farce that team is.
Black faced white people?
You mean Justin Trudeau?
THe First Black Faced President in the World!
DS,
“The cause? Clearly racism, says our BBC.”
That would be, ‘Race within a race’ would it not?
You know things are really bad in Kabul – and Washington – when even American Beauty Jon Sopel expresses criticism of BBC darling Biden.
Or perhaps darling no more? Maybe the rats at the beeb know that ship is sinking and are abandoning it?
Afghanistan, Covid, Inflation, the economy, the Mexican border… not looking good. Maybe, like royal courtiers of old, the flatterers at the beeb will start shifting their allegiance to Queen Kamala, who, let’s face it, has always been their real love.
Black AND female? Orgasms all round.
Maybe the wokerati are concerned that they are going to be blamed for the fall of America.
Quick. Declare the 2020 election a fraud. Put Trump back in the WH, and then blame all on him.
It must be obvious to even Sopel that Harris isn’t fit to be a ‘chair’ of a Parish Council let alone the head of the USA! The vice-president that no-one wanted except the spin-machine.
I don’t know if the constitution allows it but by rights Biden and Harris should resign and the US should get to vote again.
Biden is very clearly taking ALL the blame onto himself for that very reason. He’s trying to leave the rest of the government clean.
Notice how is is completely alone for these press briefings.
God help America if they allow Harris to be President.
Woke meets reality and the result is disaster.
Biden is very clearly taking ALL the blame onto himself for that very reason.
That is not through his free will. He is being told to take the blame.
The demos see a bigger debacle – they might lose power and Trump is back with a vengeance. Who knows what is afoot in the armed forces, behind even the backs of the woke generals in the Pentagon.
What the UK should c0nsider is a defensive alliance of the English speaking Commonwealth. Relying on America is not a good idea.
JimS,
If JoeBama and One Hump or Two both resign, under the US Constitution Pelosi becomes President until January 20, 2025.
There’s no provision in Constitutional Law for a bye election for President.
Declare the 2020 election null and void on grounds of large scale fraud.
It must depend somewhat on the reporter.
I just read the main article which is trying to show Biden is as positive a light as possble with phrases like:
“Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,” said Mr Biden, who cut short his holiday to address the crisis.
Unless they are held hostage Joe.
The president also pushed back on the suggestion that events in Afghanistan had tarnished the US reputation on the world stage, insisting there had been “no question of our credibility from our allies around the world”.
There is now BBC !!. Joe destroyed all credibility overnight.
On Friday, Mr Biden again rejected the notion of an intelligence failure, saying there was a “consensus” among officials that the Taliban surging to power this quickly was “highly unlikely”.
Sorry BBC, but that is EXACTLY what an intelligence failure is.
Joe Biden struck a note of compassion during his speech, and said he did not think anyone could “see those pictures and not feel pain”.
His remarks sounded like the old Biden, so long depicted by admirers as an empathetic figure.
Then do the right thing Joe and resign. It’s all YOUR fault.
What really, really bugs me about this is how they used every trick they could to discredit Trump. I can’t even begin to imagine how different the tone would be if Trump were still President. The point being I suppose we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.
A point the BBC will never concede.
That’s alright then.
When asked by reporters, Ms Harris said she believed the women who spoke out against her now-running mate.
“I believe them, and I respect them being able to tell their story and having the courage to do it,” she said.
Multiple women accused Mr Biden of inappropriately touching them, including one Nevada politician who said the former vice president came up to her at a 2014 campaign stop and kissed the back of her head. This encouraged Mr Biden to release a video addressing the allegations against him.
https://www.independent.co.uk/us-election-2020/kamala-harris-police-joe-biden-sexual-assault-law-and-order-2020-election-a9666131.html
I think you are right but we can also throw into the mix Biden’s long standing relationship with China. Nigel Farage has been saying onGBN that there are huge deposits of Lithium in Afghanistan and that China wants them to be able to dominate the battery market of the future as the dubious green juggernaut gathers pace. The US quitting Afghanistan is very convenient for the Chinese and it was Biden’s call. In this case does two and two makes four.
Worth listening. Mark Steyn
https://www.steynonline.com/11619/who-are-these-guys-working-for
The bleeding hearts on BBC Londonistan spent today emotionally blackmailing us into feeling sorry for Londoners who are either caught in Afghanistan or whose families are caught there.
But then I discovered this was not confined to London. The BBC are playing this game regionally. Try this.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58283007
‘Afghanistan: Relief as trapped Nottingham family get to airport
A father had spoken of his relief after his wife and children made it to safety in Afghanistan.
The wife and children, who are British nationals, were in the country to care for sick relatives but were trapped by the Taliban’s rapid advance……….
Their father said he was “so happy” when he got a call to confirm they had reached the allied controlled airport.
The group, who include the mother, her 24-year-old daughter, and her two youngest children – a five-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl – are not being named for security reasons.
Taliban fighters had moved swiftly to take control of the country after the US and Nato forces withdrawal earlier in August and cut access to the airport.
Their father Raghib said: “For the past week we have been so worried about them, especially the kids…….’
Now this raises all sorts of questions.
1. Why are they travelling at all to a covid red zone country?
2. Why are they travelling to a country against the very strong advice of the FCO and…….
3….. presumably therefore without travel insurance.
4. Why are two children under 10 required to care for relatives?
In other words what the hell was this family thinking?
But this being the BBC, none of these obvious questions are asked. No, the sentimental personal nonsense tugging at the heartstrings, hoping by inference to classify the UK government as unfeeling and implicitly to demand an unlimited open door refugee policy, that is the BBC’s seditious strategy.
Rape of “unprotected” girls is common in Afghanistan. In Germany, 90% of rapes of German girls are by Afghan men.
Well done Merkel.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8580315/Outrage-Germany-Afghan-migrant-rapes-two-girls.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53517022
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2021/08/19/tucker_carlson_why_is_it_our_unique_moral_burden_to_take_in_afghani_refugees.html
This disaster is gold for the latest BBC trick of trying to make us all feel empathy and love for Muslim’s with heartbreaking human stories blown completely out of perspective.
We don’t hear so much about the torture and murder though. Those articles are slipping through the main pages like someone greased them. As I speak, they have all gone and we just have the emotion based ones which are not actually news at all.
BBC has been sympathetic to Muslim rapists rather then female victims for the last 30 years at the least.
BBC R4 midnight News starts off the 4th day -or is it the fifth- of its pathetic witch hunt for Raab’s scalp. The same old, same old boring story, this time presented by Susan Hume. Biased? Abuse of the licence fee payer?
Pym drones on about the terrible pressures on the enhaychess. I have an idea: why don’t we import tens of thousands of Afghans? (The odd terrorist among them) Why should we not encourage more boat people, who arrive every day?
Common sense? Don’t expect any.
I find the attack on Raab interesting. I wonder if, having got Matt Hancock’s scalp, the BBC in league with the civil service and the MSM are now going for Raab in an attempt to bring down the whole government. If it is, we get into more dangerous times. I noticed Amanda Platell in the DM also going for Raab.
Who released the information that Raab refused to make the phone call? I presume a civil servant, but on whose authority? If it is in response to a question, who inspired the question?
Only a few days ago the BBC was reporting that Kabul might fall in 90 days and apparently it was the US was telling the U.K. government. If that was in the reports Raab was getting, then he would not see any urgency. It was probably after he had gone on holiday that reports were saying Kabul would fall in 30 days. Even if Raab had said he didn’t want to be disturbed I expect there would have been a caveat either real or implied of ‘unless there was an extreme emergency ‘. Somebody within government took the decision not to disturb him.
Deborah, the Daily Mail obviously have an insider contact at the F&CO.
The nature of the cockup by America is so great, its not possible for anyone to be so stupid. Even Biden and his gang in the State department and Pentagon.
It must be that the USA has decided that it wants nothing to do with the rest of the world. Therefore it is burning its links with NATO allies in the West, and it allies in the Pacific rim.
Historically, America and its people never wanted any ties with the rest of the world. Never did they want to fight foreign wars. This is evident.
This came up on my YT recommendations, the reminiscences of an American ex-soldier about his unit’s occasional interactions with the Afghan National Army. Nothing sensationalist, sounds pretty authentic.
Surely the U.S. military talk to their soldiers about their experiences, and that knowledge filters into government? How could they not know the true nature of the ANA? (13 mins 39 secs)
Regard their epic feet-dragging in WW2, a mistake which cost many, many lives.
A narrow view. Apt.
The next JonDon arrives.
Can”t wait for the book.
BBC Radio 4 runs a major story.
Meet Velma: a cat with attitude.
Does you cat judge you?
***
8hrs and a nation of 35 responds, mainly about poof reading.
It is the weekend.
Here’s a conspiracy theory to enjoy…
Dominion fixed the US election to get mr buydon, of 13, Acacia Gardens, in with a weedy nobody like Kamilla Park-n-ride, then once the old fool is in with his commode at his side, get the Chinese virus to the top of the agenda again and join it with a shithole story in Afghee, so the old fool topples, (narrowly missing the commode) and Billary gets the job for some silly reason, which will make President Trump a cert for the next presidency!
Work that lot out, CNN, WAPO, Huffpo etc…
Oh, yes, and the awful BBC can try as well, but don’t expect miracles!
Brunettes have more fun.
BBC Radio 4
What’s your best restaurant story? At the table or in the kitchen, we want to hear them all!
***
Two comments per hour. 15 hours. National broadcaster to a nation of 70,000,000.
Didn’t check but maybe the one about wiping willies on Brexiter plates was off putting?
Someone senior in editorial getting dragged back from the Cornish second home?
Listening to Al Beeb and the MSM traffic this morning, they all appear to have ‘egg on their face’ now that they realise they have backed the wrong horse in the USA.
Not just backed.
Should – that’s you word of the day on the frontpage of the Guardian. Not the word should as a measure of probable future outcome this time, since the BBC’s sister source isn’t quoting speculative dire warnings from SAGE or from the Remainers. This is should expressed as an obligation and as a criticism:
‘“We should all hang our heads in shame”‘ – what did we do now? This is Emma Graham-Harrison on Afghanistan spreading the blame liberally. I’m sorry Emma, I personally, wasn’t given that much of a say-so when Biden took his advice from the Pentagon. So I’m damned if I’ll hang my head in shame.
Our Emma is an award winning foreign journo which probably tells you she revels in bleeding-heart-rending anguish porn: ‘Kabul’s airport gates were a path not to escape but to hospital for one Afghan human rights activist‘ – I do hope her photographer remembered to pack the scorched teddy and the bloody plimsoll [Trademark : Drop The Dead Donkey]
Fearless old school Fleet Street hack Kelvin MacKenzie notably tangled with the liberal foreign correspondents on BBC Newsnight criticising their affection for what he termed “Foreign Bang-Bang” and he riled up the Channel 4 and BBC staffers arguing that the British public had had enough of it. Well, now we’re set for a basin full.
A pal of Emma’s on Twitter (profile “Arts, Activism, Research, Human Rights“) gives exactly the response our Emma desires as she appreciates her reports and in particular the tone of broad criticism of the west: “for naming our failings so clearly”
Here’s the issue. Having extirpated the perpetrators of 9/11 as best they could, given that Pakistan harboured their boss for years, the US mission became one of long-term policing duty to see the terrorists didn’t return.
We in the post-colonial west have to tell ourselves stories of girls going to school to justify such a mission. Think of Afghanistan as your local high street – given the coming surge in mass immigration that may not be too difficult. There comes a time when due to budget cuts or lack of purpose the local high street police station has to close – and you know what happens with crime then.
You may argue what we should have done was to commit to an open-ended policing commitment. Biden made the call. Don’t blame us.
More shoulds from the Gruan: ‘Schools should teach incel risk, say ministers‘ – seems to me education is now overwhelmingly based on the Guardian’s Three R’s: ‘Respect for women‘; ‘healthy relationships‘ (anything goes, mind you); and generally anything that happen to be “right on” this week.
Another newsy should in the press this morning: in sport: ‘Why Kane should be furious with City‘ (Telegraph)
And that nagging little story that – ignore it all you may – it just won’t go away: ‘Covid lab leak: the evidence piles up‘ (‘i’) Props to the ‘i’ for persisting with this one.
BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour star Emma Barnett turns up in the ‘i’ with a weird mix of clickbaitiness and self-deprecation: ‘Things I’ve been doing wrong all my life. The way I breathe… to knickers under pyjamas‘ – there’s something to think about over the weekend, I’m sure.
The Sun goes route one with a Love Island report. The appropriately named Liberty provides an exclusive – I wonder if her parents were thinking of the brand name of that upmarket furnishings store or of the US statue?
‘“I had to quit show because Jake didn’t fancy me enough.. but I still love him“‘
There’s an kind of metaphor for the West’s relationship with the Afghanistanis.
We had to leave them to the Taliban because they didn’t fancy western values enough to help us to keep the Taliban at bay. But now we’re happy to welcome tens of thousands of them over to our little Love Island of Britain because we love them.
Almost works.
Like our NHS heroes almost work: ‘GPs flouting rules on appointments in person despite end of lockdown‘ (Telegraph) – slow hand clap this Thursday, anyone? – Those medics, eh? They do like lockdowns. Watch out for them demanding more this winter. Tik-Tok… what’s that? Time running out for the NHS as we knew it.
AsISeeIt
“Time running out for the NHS as we knew it.”
Especially with 20,000 new ‘customers’ on the way from the Middle East and 5,000 from across the Channel thanks to the Home Office and Border Farce.
20,000?
More like a million when chain migration is taken into account. Also take into account that all Muslims in that area, right to Eritrea, will now suddenly will become Afghans, all under 16.
This is not an Afghan disaster. Afghanistan was a disaster from the git-go. On the contrary, this has turned out a lottery for Afghans and the Islamic world, as they pour into the West.
The disaster is really us. The end of the West.
The UK, now hurrying toward the magic figure of 20% of immigrants: the normally accepted level where major deleterious changes for the indigenous population escalate. That’s what the Patel/Johnson rush to get them in, ‘Hell for Leather’ is all about. World circumstances falling into their lap – or planned?
Asiseeit – I notice you left out the biggest press story of the day – the passing of Peter Corby – the inventer of the trouser press- at the age of 97.
One of the great inventions of our age. The god of creases will be celebrating Today.
god of creases, Fed? Or will it be Madness in Muswell Hill writing an anthem for the funeral?
“Hey… great news… Jen’s on holibags….”
Hugs all round.
A few days later…
“Guess what, even better news… you’re up!”
I heard a stat – in the initial period of his Presidency where Biden has up to now given 6 media interviews Trump gave 60 and Obama gave 100.
Make of that what you will.
This is not the Biden presidency but Obama Third. This is a continuation of Obama’s hatred of America, and Britain on which its founded.
Is Obama really American? He was never too keen to salute the flag.
America has dived into the Rabbit hole world of the Looking Glass, where up is down, and everything is the reverse of reality. It will take more then King Trump and his horses to put Humpty Dumpty America together again.
You have to understand that the BBC is in a quandary over
Afghanistan. Basically it’s a story about Islamists behaving
badly , which is a touchy subject for the BBC.
They are much more interested in pushing their agenda on
LGBT issues, women’s sports etc. Men dancing together in
“Strictly” trumps anything going on in Afghanistan. Gays once again being thrown off roofs. Women committing adultery ,being stoned to death.Girls not being allowed to go to school. Better keep “stum” about that. It
doesn’t fit their Islamic agenda.
They know the can even go further in their regional services
where in places like London where the indigenous population
is in a minority, Here the BBC can attack institutions such as
the police for having the temerity in trying to stop black drugs
gangs going about their business. All that’s missing in the
Londonistan studio is a statue of Mark Duggan.
If you are interested in what’s really going on in Afghanistan.
And not with the blinkered BBC take. Watch GB news.
John Humphrys writes a mildly interesting piece on the BBC in today’s Mail, though he actually seems to think that BBC News ‘don’t have an opinion’ (are impartial) and are highly trusted. Also that we’ve never needed BBC News more than we do now.
But much worse, he makes the terrifying suggestion that in future the BBC should be funded from taxation.
No, no, no.
The very notion must be killed stone dead before it gains traction.
The Humph stays mostly impartial on Classic FM. Frankly Global News does more than he ever could.
But as a DJ he is about the most tedious, pompous one in the BBC retirement alumni set, and that is no mean feat.
On opinion, I prefer Doug in the Tel.
Murray is excellent as usual. The article is paywalled, but the opening paras contain the gist.
“Biden was always unfit to be president but his Left-wing media cheerleaders didn’t dare admit it.
The craven behaviour of the USA’s court media has hidden for too long the president’s deep flaws
The world appears to have woken up to an important truth this week: which is that Joe Biden is a truly terrible president. It is a shame that it took America gifting Afghanistan back to the Taliban for so many people to realise this….”
PS. We here have known it all along, of course.
Since you mention the article – here it be
STARTS
The world appears to have woken up to an important truth this week: which is that Joe Biden is a truly terrible president. It is a shame that it took America gifting Afghanistan back to the Taliban for so many people to realise this.
To be charitable, there were perhaps two reasons why this had not become more obvious before. The first is that Joe Biden is not Donald Trump and for a lot of the planet that seems to be recommendation enough to occupy the Oval Office. A break from the Trump show appealed to an awful lot of people.
But the second reason why too few realised what the world was going to get from a Biden presidency is that the US media simply didn’t ask the questions it needed to ask. Before the election a near entirety of the American media gave up covering it and simply campaigned for the Democrat nominee.
It was the same with the Big Tech companies. So persuaded were they (Twitter in particular) that they had been responsible for Donald Trump’s election in 2016 that during the 2020 race they did everything they could to get Biden in. That included – and this cannot be said often enough – effectively muting America’s oldest newspaper: the New York Post’s story about Hunter Biden’s laptop, which contained serious allegations of corrupt tail-coating by Hunter and other members of the Biden family when Joe was vice-president. But Big Tech restricted the story from being shared and almost no other journalists bothered to follow it up.
Instead, they just hung on his every incoherent sentence and accepted his pronouncements (generally beginning with “Look”) as if they had any more idea than he did about whatever point he was forever struggling to make. Worse was the strange sort of cooing that journalists made whenever Biden appeared in public ahead of the election. They would thrill when he jogged over to speak to one of them. They were flattered when he made even a wave in their direction. Then there was the most irritating Biden schtick of all – the one he has of going to ice-cream parlours. The US media can never get over the novelty of this miraculous type of excursion. It is as though nobody in high office ever eats such a thing. “What a crazy down-to-earth guy,” they think. “He likes ice cream!”
Whenever he exits one of these joints and emerges solemnly with his cone, the US media can be relied upon to shout questions about which flavours he has chosen. He will say “double-choc-chip cookie” or whatever it is that day and the court media will “ooh” or applaud and make notes as though Dorothy Parker had just offered them an epigram.
Until you see it up close you just cannot believe the cravenness of most of the American media. Last month the CNN presenter Don Lemon was selected to quiz Biden at a “town hall” event before the cameras. Biden was, as usual, meandering and unfocused as though lost in the fog of his own sentences. But Lemon would not press him properly. Rather, you could see him urging the president on, willing him to get to the end of the sentence or to reconnect with one of those trains of thought that been left derailed several clauses or sentences back. It wasn’t journalism. It wasn’t even kindness. He was rooting for the president.
The footage this week from Afghanistan has at least exposed the some of the problems that have resulted from this lack of critique. Not least the fact that the Commander in Chief appears unfocused on the serious questions.
Just last month the president had assured the nation that, following the withdrawal of American troops, there would be absolutely no collapse of the Afghan army or government. He said that there would be no reason to compare events with Vietnam and he even specified – in what turned out to be his worst hostage to fortune – that there would be no Saigon-like airlifting from the roof of the US embassy.
Yet all these things, and far more, occurred this week. And the footage from America’s defeat in Vietnam looks positively orderly by comparison. Afghan women trying to push their babies over barbed wire to US troops so that they will take them out. Men trying to hold onto the sides of the last planes heading out of Kabul. Bodies falling from the sky as their attempt to hold on fails thousands of feet up in the air.
What was Biden’s response to all this? It was to give a belligerent press conference explaining that all this was perfectly as it should be, and as he had expected, and that he stood by his decision. And what did Biden do after he’d just about managed to read that teleprompter script? He walked away without taking any questions. That was it. If Donald Trump had done any such thing, let alone after such a catastrophe, the US media would have declared it the work of an unaccountable dictator.
Eventually Biden did give an interview, late in the week, to George Stephanopoulos of ABC. During that interview, granted no doubt because the White House knew it would be lenient, Stephanopoulos quizzed the president as much as the protocol of the sycophants’ circle allows. As ever, it showed its limits.
At one stage the interviewer asked about the footage that had come out of Afghanistan. “We’ve all seen the pictures,” he said. “We’ve seen those hundreds of people packed into a C-17. You’ve seen Afghans falling …” An angry, bug-eyed, blustering Biden interrupted his interviewer. “That was four days ago, five days ago,” he said furiously, in one of the most heartless non-sequiturs I have heard for quite some time. And what did Stephanopoulos do? Certainly, he did not do what an Andrew Neil or an Emma Barnett would have done.
Stephanopoulos didn’t even pause to notice the psychological weirdness of this reply. He did not ask what needed to be asked, which was: “What the hell does that mean? What has something happening four days ago got to do with what I’ve just asked you? Does the passage of five days make something ancient history in the fog of Biden head?”
The ABC interviewer did none of this. Instead, he asked Biden what he thought when he had seen these pictures and allowed Biden to boast that US personnel had got on top of the situation at the airport.
This is just one week in the life of Joe Biden, but you could select almost any other week in his career and find a similar soup of certainty, unknowingness, falteringness and arrogance. It is what you get when you have spent a career with a court media asking you about your choice of ice cream and reached the highest office in the land because you weren’t the other guy.
The world always gets serious again. And it just got serious on Biden’s watch and has shown something that should have been revealed during the primary season long ago: that the man who is now commander-in-chief is not remotely in command of his brief.ENDS
I think Douglas Murray misses a lot out about Biden –
1 he didn’t mention the election fraud
2 he didn’t mention how they kept Biden in the bunker before and after the stolen election
3 they didn’t criticise the choice of Vice President
4 he didn’t mention the dementia
5 he didn’t mention his failure to read from an autocue
6 he didn’t mention his balance problem
I could get to 10 but can t be bothered – and if I know this as an English foreigner – what the hell is the whole MSM doing ?
The shocking reality is how much torture and death this one man is directly responsible for – purely from appalling judgement.
There should be some huge consequences for him about it. It seems to take the media a week or two to catch up with what’s under their noses – so I’ll wait with baited breath.
Hopefully they’ll put Harris in as President and we can watch the whole show disintegrate. Then the whole world can see the truth about the woke left.
I have to say I’m enjoying watching the media – and the BBC in particular – squirming over this.
Trump is in his element at the moment – and after the outrageous persecution he has suffered, he deserves to be. Kama is a beautiful thing sometimes.
JohnC
I agree on the ‘popcorn ‘ aspect – the trouble is – it’s real lives – and the consequences of even more destabilised foreign policy is a whole list of ‘unknown ‘ unknowns – then again the collective realisation on both sides of the Atlantic that those 20 years of death and pain and money was for nothing -in fact it may have made the world a worse and more dangerous place .
( apologies – long sentence disease )
Vlad – that it the danger – the future of the BBC is either
No change
Subscription
General Taxation
Unfortunately at the moment the fashion seem to be ‘it’s only 4 billion ‘.
One wonders too about the ;secret income of the BBCs commercial arm which is not made public – if the BBC offered this up to the government in return for increased general taxation what could we do ?
Actually – I think by the time the charter review comes the public finances and general economy is going to be in such a poor state that they govt won’t be able to through 4 billion directly at the BBC and sale would be more attractive – the price of the coming C4 will be an indicator …
TOADY Watch #1 – we can afford that
The Bee Lady, I think, interviews a contributor about this new antibody treatment for Covid-19 virus. Prof (I think) Peter ?, whose family name I have forgotton already, tells us all how it works. Funny thing, it seems to work like a vaccine. Maybe that’s why the vaccines everyone has been given so far have not worked so well or so much as expected and vaccinated people, such as Sajid Javid, have become ill with Covid-19?
It is an expensive drug to make, apparently, estimated cost of £1000 per person. Martha’s enthusiasm is not dented. If you are a Beeboid with an income of £150,000 to £250,000 you probably have a disposable income of half that (or more) and maybe private health care on top, so no problem affording it if required. The Bee Lady is happy, smiles all round.
Except maybe not at the Department for Health and the Treasury
Even as we speak the LeftMob virtue-signallers are just waiting to advocate a mass rollout to as many people as possible and will then cite ‘NHS cuts and underfunding’ to pursue their strategic aim of destroying the free market economy.
Sluff, or maybe they will even end up destroying the thing they love so much: the NHS. It could reach the point where it boils down to a choice: fund the NHS as it desires and claims to need or cut everything else including Universal Credit, Disability Benefits, support for genuine Asylum Seekers, support for Illegal Immigrants, free school tuition to 18 years, devolved Parliaments and all the other bits of taxpayer funded hand-outs.
If the Left (The Wrongists) think we had austerity, from 2010 until the Pandemic and Lockdown, then they will have an even bigger shock and dose of reality, pronounced; ‘REAL AUSTERITY’ when the NHS becomes unaffordable.
It is not far off that point already.
Up2
I’m always grateful for any readers who vote up my contributions.
But I have noticed that my criticisms of the NHS regularly garner a lower level of support than other topics. And our discourse here barely registers even though the issue of state-funded drug costs versus benefits should not be swept under the carpet (is £1.79m to improve ( not cure) a very poorly little child justified – I ask but do not offer an opinion).
So my fear is that many otherwise independent readers of this esteemed site have themselves, sadly, been cowed and propagandised into believing the NHS is indeed a saintly and untouchable organisation for which critical evaluation is unacceptable.
Gosh, I hope I’m wrong.
Sluff
I’m at the extreme end with the NHS – 1.7 million employees – the medical mafia – corruption – fraud – reliance on sentiment – I’d privatise as much of it as possible – prioritise those who have paid for it – and many many more ideas which will never happen ….
But then again I’m a small state enthusiast – a belief very unfashionable …
And sluff – I’ve given you an ‘uptick ‘ – I barely notice them…
Fed, speaking of up-ticks, do you as Moderator get to see who is ‘liking’ individual posts? My reason for asking is that I suspect friend maxincony up-ticks his own posts and relies on the other two or three to like his drive-by-snipings as well.
The scary part about Biden being replaced is the line of succession. After Harris we have Pelosi, Leahy and the wonderful Antony Blinken marvellous. Making that lot sound anywhere near honest and competent would be a challenge for anyone in the BBC. Beyond even Lurch’s capability to polish the proverbial turd.
Gb
It’s frightening that Harris would choose a Vice President on ‘woke ‘ qualifications rather than ability – so the likes of AOC must be waiting for the call …..
If you recall – when the election was stolen there was talk of ‘coups ‘- the US military must be in a ‘difficult ‘ place now …
Fed, AOC is too young at present, but in 2024 ……
……. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeK!
Up2
I think you under estimate the madness . I might have a look on the paddy odds to see if either are quoted as next vice of president …
Although it is possible either could declare all currencies illegal and demand days be longer
Hands up all those who believe that if Trump had been the POTUS and had done what Biden has done in Afghanistan, the BBC coverage and tone-of-voice and opinion pieces would be exactly the same as now.
Now let me see……yes …….no-one!
Douglas Murray –
“Why did the BBC bury this detail about a homophobic attack?”
“Can the successes of the anti-media mujahideen be seen in stories like this?”
“People wonder why there is so little coverage of the so-called ‘grooming gang’ cases that keep going on….?
If you focus on details about the perpetrators’ background – or what religious views they may or may not have – you could get reported on. This has repercussions, as the complainants know will be the case, and as they want to be the case.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-is-the-bbc-burying-this-detail-about-a-homophobic-attack-in-birmingham-
Sadiq Khan to help build Afghanistan in the image of Islam using his knowledge of how to turn London into a peaceful city …
“London chose me as their mayor, not just an ethnic minority, not just a religious minority, but a Londoner of Islamic faith.” – Sadiq Khan, {cnn.com sep2016}
Or as a donkey with a red rosette?
BBC Drag Queen to be set in Afghanistan …
“In Afghanistan women are not allowed to dance in public, but boys can be made to dance in women’s clothing – and they are often sexually abused.
It’s after midnight. I’m at a wedding party in a remote village in northern Afghanistan.
There is no sign of the bride or groom, or any women, only men. Some of them are armed, some of them are taking drugs.
Almost everyone’s attention is focused on a 15-year-old boy. He’s dancing for the crowd in a long and shiny woman’s dress, his face covered by a red scarf.
He is wearing fake breasts and bells around his ankles. Someone offers him some US dollars and he grabs them with his teeth.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11217772
20K Afghans to enter the UK … with their superior culture …
‘This is an ancient tradition. People call it bachabaze which literally means “playing with boys”.
The most disturbing thing is what happens after the parties. Often the boys are taken to hotels and sexually abused.’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11217772
Yes the MSM gives itself away fairly often . Omission is difficult unless you are tuned to it – and the vast majority are not because they are busy living their lives
However – as an example – the murder of the 30? Year old lady by an off duty plod received huge over the top coverage – yet so many deaths – of all types and circumstances – receive little or none .
Some lives matter – a lot don’t in MSM world …
All cultures are equal … as Afghans come to the UK … repeat … all cultures are equal, but some are more equal than others …
“Some people like dog fighting, some practice cockfighting. Everyone has their hobby, for me, it’s bachabaze,” he says.
When we leave the party at two in the morning a teenage boy is still dancing and offering drugs to the men around him.
Zabi is not especially wealthy or powerful, yet he has three bachas. There are many people who support this tradition across Afghanistan and many of them are very influential.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11217772
heresy … heresy … heresy …
Even asking the question bordered on heresy a year ago, when catching Covid for the first time could be deadly, especially for the elderly or people already in poor health.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58270098
Prince Harry to fly back into Afghanistan and tell the Afghans that they need to worry about their mental health and climate crisis?
“Prince Harry served in the Army for ten years, rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan. He continues to work in support of his fellow servicemen, promoting support for wounded men and women as they adapt to life post-injury. ”
https://www.royal.uk/prince-harrys-military-career
Newsnight
BBC Two, 20 April 2021
We conflated the vaccination rates for Israel’s Palestinian citizens and Palestinians in the occupied territories when we said the roll-out rate was half a percent.
In fact, within Israel it was then estimated to be around 67%.
We also said the “Palestinian population has not been inoculated at anywhere near the rate of the Israeli population.”
To be clear, this was because of vaccine hesitancy.
16/08/2021
https://www.bbc.co.uk/helpandfeedback/corrections_clarifications
The BBC are so useless.
They reply to a complaint but they don’t know the difference between innoculation and vaccination. Allow me.
Innoculation would be to give somebody the actual covid virus but hopefully in a controlled small quantity, enough to get the antibodies working. It predates Jenner.
Vaccination (where Jenner came in – cowpox hence vaccine cf French vache, a cow) is to give somebody something other than the virus itself , such as a relevant inert part of the virus) also gets the antibodies working (and T cells?) but as a process is more controllable and thus safer.
Thus the Palestinians have indeed not been innoculated ….and neither has anyone in Israel.
If thickos like me can get this how come a £4bn organisation cannot?
Orthodox Jewish chap punched to the ground in an unprovoked attack by (The usual media waffle follows regarding the assailant’s mode of dress ) a mullah. The media quite happy to identify the victim and then go into pc mode regarding the scumbag attacker. Yes, 30’s Germany here we come, effectively condoned by the media and it’s foul cheerleader – the BBC. Look no further for the real racists.
From order-order comments …
I think imran Khan has to come out with mad Muslim stuff to keep the suicide bombers away …
I have a theory, it is my own.
But it is a conspiracy, so Springster can get excited.
There are, what, around 650 MPs? Yet the BBC only fields less than 10% or even 5% of them. And most are certifiably insane, often with quirky physiologies or psychological ticks of box ticking.
Is it in hope that no matter how bat guano what they come out with is, their evident sideshowness should be enough to offer fellow loons enough material from careless sane posters to move away from the content to a comfort zone of how they are sweet, caring and inclusive and people working for a living seeking sensible leadership are heartless beasts.
Just saw some bizarre creature from an NGO something to do with making money out of Afghanistan who had, at the very least, been poorly advised at Specsavers, amongst much else.
Seems beeboid gardeners are getting a clobbering with their gardening ‘guru’ getting a bit of a forking-over…
https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1479546/monty-don-news-furious-brexit-rant-complete-nonsense-ridiculous-gardeners-world-spt
I thought they’d already decided that gardening was waycist, so what do they expect when their Monty shows his true colours…
Gardening progs of old were so good, today’s lot are pathetic, and yes, weedy!
TOADY Watch #2 – and in other news, oh back to Afghanistan
An American gentlemen is a contributor to this item. No doubt to try to create some air of ‘impartiality’ for the BBC, it is pointed out that this man was an Obama Administration appointee but also worked for Former President Donald Trump, described as merely ‘Trump’ by the Bee Lady. At the end of the interview, Martha rather garbled his name as ‘Byden’ (or Biden or Bryden) McKinley. He is, in fact, P. Michael McKinley and was the US Ambassador to Afghanistan for two years to the end of the Obama Administration.
He talks some sense about the place, as well as International Islamic Terror Groups worldwide and the current situation in Afghanistan although I cannot recall now any key points he made. One thing interests me, though. If the goal of going to Afghanistan was the ‘War on Terror’ and the bringing of Osama bin Laden to justice, why – when ObL was killed in May 2011 – did not the Americans and their NATO and other Allies, pull out of Afghanistan? The Bee Lady did not think to ask.
I wonder why?
The other night, I think on BBC Londonistan, there was one of the old chestnuts – the lack of women in ‘male’ professions like engineering. It was a double whammy as the spokesperson was BAME.
I can’t help noticing a distinct lack of wimmin’ among the US and UK troops at Kabul airport, yet miraculously the BBC does not seem to be advocating this as an area where equality is required, nor do I see any wimmin’s groups campaigning in the streets.
Surely the BBC’s selective amnesia should be treated.
This seemed fun, even if i mistook the image for the Churchill quote.
And on FB, the money quote…
“Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely, so I’ve come on Instagram to share their stories.”
***
Hearts and minds, love.
Plus a top notch PR op.
#CCBGB
Never mind Afghanistan: here’s the REALLY BIG news.
“Former U.S. Women’s Soccer Player Accuses Megan Rapinoe of Bullying Team into Kneeling During Anthem”
By Warner Todd Huston, GFlag and Cross, August 18, 2021:
“Former U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo is finally speaking up and saying that woke national anthem hater Megan Rapinoe bullied the team.
Former U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo is finally speaking up and saying that woke national anthem hater Megan Rapinoe bullied the team into taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem.
“I think the rhetoric surrounding this team has been both divisive and inclusive. I guess it’s kind of where we are in politics in this day and age,” Solo told Goal.com.
“I think the kneeling thing can be very divisive,” Hope said. “I’ve seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way.”
“I think that’s really hard being on the main stage right now with so many political issues for athletes, there’s a lot of pressure,” Hope added.
Solo retired from the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team in 2016, but she played with Rapinoe for a decade before that. Indeed, Solo competed with Rapinoe at the 2008 Summer Olympics where the USNWT won a gold medal.
But Rapinoe began pushing her anti-American protests since 2016 when failed NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began protesting against the country during the national anthem.
Solo seems to be the first to accuse Rapinoe of pressuring her teammates to kneel during the anthem.”
[From the Geller Report 21/08/2021]
Kamala scarpers (and Joe is turning orange… GIYF)
I read yesterday that it seems likely that enterprising local bandits are now selling the fuel that the US military abandoned at Bagram airbase to the planes using Hamid Karzai International…
Kamala Harris: putting the Ho back into the land of Ho Chi Minh.
[Sorry, couldn’t resist – my condition is a bit like Tourette’s!]
Usually it would be a quick Euro jaunt to make herself scarce, but given the UK is a bit near, not an option.
Hence, somewhere not involved out East, preferably not over faithy.
Bingo!
Probably find Timmeh! and Franny cowering there too. These seem their bolt holes when the doo-doo hits the fan.
Fed, if AOC was Veep to Kamala and Kamala croaked or was assissinated (probably by her ‘own side’) and/or Veep to Pelosi and Pelosi croaked or went insane, AOC could not take the Oath of Office – too young. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez can seek nomination for 2024 and probably will. I don’t think she will get it but I could be wrong on that.
The thought of someone like that with her hands on the nuclear launch codes is kinda scary. Earlier this year, she appeared to be certifiably insane. The BBC would not notice.
Up2
I didn’t realise there was an age restriction on becoming president or VP – the scenario of AOC becoming president is a reasonable one – in the current insanity .
There would be no worry of her having control of the nuclear button because I’d be long dead from a popcorn overdose or laughing myself to death …
Anyone who said AOC was unfit would be a racist and delisted from all social outlets ….
Yes, you have to be thirty-five years of age to be Prez. Born as Citizen in the USA. Resident for previous 14 years in the USA.
“Anyone who said AOC was unfit would be a racist and delisted from all social outlets …. ”
Oh, that’s me done for then.
Up2
Yes – looked it up – I am amazed that they could have been so wise so far back . But the democrats would just change the constitution … make it 16___
Alexa sez AOC is 31 …
Guest, Kamala could fly the other way – very short trip to the Far East from home in California – and just think of the Global Warming & Climate Cahnge saved.
Probs uses the same service Hal does.
When short on time.
ONe way ticket?
How could anyone conclude that running off on a jolly to the nam is credible whilst their own country is in crisis ?
Maybe this is the bit where Biden becomes ‘ unwell ‘?
BBC … Could our ‘number twos’ be the answer to some of the world’s biggest problems? The average adult flushes away 730 litres of urine and around 91kg of faeces every year. From modern treatment plants able to convert our never-ending supply of poo into biogas to power homes and vehicles, to recycling sewage to extract valuable minerals such as phosphorus which is vital for fertilising soil – can poo help us save the planet? Made in partnership with The Open University.
Less
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09rdtrr/rethink-the-future-series-1-7-the-extraordinary-power-of-poo
“No sh*t, Sherlock!”
Interesting that the market has been suspended
[url=https://ibb.co/LgpXdmn]
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did you get a wager on?
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said Libyan city Sirte could be the new Dubai, adding, “all they have to do is clear the dead bodies away”.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41490174
ALL AFGHAN NEEDS IS A GAY PRIDE DAY AND IT WILL BE THE LGBTQ CENTER OF ASIA ….????
Facebook no, Twitter yes: which tech firms let the Taliban post?
Analysis: Twitter has faced criticism for allowing members to post, while Facebook has taken harder line
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/18/how-are-tech-firms-dealing-with-taliban-social-media
Pakistan: man sentenced to death for blasphemy on Facebook
Taimoor Raza was found guilty of insulting the prophet Muhammad during an argument on social media with a counter-terrorism official
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/11/pakistan-man-sentenced-to-death-for-blasphemy-on-facebook
Too soon?
Jeremy Corbyn says he regrets calling Hamas and Hezbollah ‘friends’
This article is more than 5 years old
Labour leader tells home office select committee that with hindsight he would not have used same phrase
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/04/jeremy-corbyn-says-he-regrets-calling-hamas-and-hezbollah-friends
Prem league back – much kneeling and booing to be done . Methinks the booing won’t get much of a mention ….
Kneel for the Taliban?
The DNC nabobs listed at wikipedia are conspicuous by their absence…
Sadiq Khan says Taliban will love what he has done to the British Capital.