May 27 2007
A Life in Conflict
Author: Tim Collins
ISBN:0755313755 DDC: 956.70443092
See also: LibraryThing ; Revish ; Guardian’s digested read ; Interview in the Guardian
25 May 2003
The tip-off came from a Fleet Street contact that Saturday evening: something serious was brewing in the media, something ‘pretty big’. I’d been under the cosh for the last week after being accused of war crimes, so I wondered how much bigger it could get.
Apr 27 2007
Also, the idea of a blog by Eamonn Dunphy is a little scary.
Meanwhile them across the water are discussing whether or not some dude should go to war. I know, I know, the war is already over but there is still a bit of trouble over in foreign, sorry, furrin lands. So British soldiers are still being shipped off to be killed only now there is whole newspaper debated over one soldier. You all know that this isn’t any old soldier though, right? I mean he is the Queen of England’s grandson[1] and while I don’t care who he is related to the whole notion of Harry heading to war is resulting in plenty of discussion. Personally I don’t think any soldier from Britain should be in Iraq, but since they are there I’m inclined to believe that Harry, as a serving soldier, should be sent. But then I think, well, all the opposition forces[2] will probably know he is there. And think it quite a coup to kill/kidnap/whatever someone in line for the throne. And can you imagine the British tabloids if he did end up dead?
All this proves to me is that any form of state nepotism is just plain silly. If Britain didn’t have this monarchy thing then there wouldn’t really be much of an issue now would there? Course if we still lived in the days when younger sons were there purely to be replacements and not really important, well then it wouldn’t matter. Send him off to be cannon-fodder and sure if he dies, isn’t William the one really in line for the throne.
And while I’m discussing articles I saw on the news this morning, can I just add, people are insane. Insane I tells ya.
May 03 2006
The flatmate bought a shiny new dvd-harddrive-recorder thingy recently, and I have discovered that it will play at least one of my “borrowed” episodes of Veronica Mars , which is great, because the laptop won’t. But now I can still rewatch, and on the big screen of a tv as opposed to a little Pavlovian screen. Its also good news because I’ve sort of decided to put off buying a new laptop for a couple of months. I do want a shiny new one, but, they[1] do say that patience is a virtue.
Anyways, as the flatmate was out last night I recorded Desperate Housewives and so was flicking around the stations after BSG when my attention was caught by a programme on RTE about the hunger strikes in Northern Ireland.
And I was going to post something about them, and how although you have to respect their strength of conviction, it is hard to think about them without thinking about the fact that they were paramilitaries who murdered and bombed people. But I’m not going to. It is such a grey, emotive issue. But I will say that the programme was very interesting and well made, and I’ll have to remember to tune in next week for the second part.
However, am doing a bit of research into the Black and Tans for B#5 at the moment, as he is thinking of doing his special topic for the leaving Cert on them. And you know that old saying about the past repeating itself? Well, its amazing to read some of the views of the likes of Lloyd George and his views on the IRA back then. And whatever anyone says, the IRA/Volunteers of the war of independence are not the same thing as the IRA of the seventies and of today, not even close. In one article David Leeson[2] says that
The insurgency was defined as a threat to law and order. The insurgents were characterised as criminals…law and order had broken down in Ireland, threatening the conditions of civilised society. The men responsible for this breakdown were murderers, not soldiers ‘The very fact that an attempt is made to describe murder by another name, and to make excuses for it as if it were political action, must demoralise the whole life of any country where such excuses can be made’ [quoting PM Andrew Bonar Law, August 1920]
How easy would it be to replace Ireland with Iraq[3] And can’t war be described as mass murder with a political reason?
Obviously the situation in Iraq is very different to that of Ireland in the 1920’s, but I doubt very many of the Iraqi insurgents would see themselves as nothing but criminals. This doesn’t make their actions and less terrible or horrific, but wouldn’t you think that people could look at history and see that you can’t fight ideals with nothing but violence.
Well, from Desperate Housewives to suicide bombers, interesting[4] how that all happened. Feel free to ignore any of the political ramblings. We’ll get back to more interesting things by bring up Battlestar Galtactica. I mean, whats going on back on Caprica? Will Show Spoilers ▼
Feb 04 2006
Jarhead is the story of one young Marine as he goes through training and then into Iraq during the early 90’s. It isn’t an overtly political film, although Kruger has a few interesting, if throwaway comments to make. It is a personal view of the war, and how war changes people/
As a film I don’t think that this was anything special. It was entertaining enough, but both Gyllenhaal and Sarsgaard are better than the film. The relationship between the pair is really what is at the heart of the film, the rest is simply the set-up.
And this is fairly understandable, considering that the film is based on the memoirs of Swofford. Of course as a film about war, and Iraq it does have a political message, if you want to see one. If you don’t you can ignore all that.
Tags: 7 Stars, based on book, based on true story, Iraq war, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Jarhead, Lucas Black, Peter Sarsgaard, soldier, WarJul 14 2005
Obviously enough there has been a lot in the papers and on the telly and all over the shop in webland about terrorists and the bombings in London. (Slightly less on the continual attacks in Iraq itself, but that is a different issue) And a lot seem to be asking the question why did these “normal” young British men change. How does some one go from being “sound as a pound” to blowing himself up?
Many are pointing the finger at religion, and extreme fundamentalists. Others say the radicalisation is due to US, British and others role in Iraq, to the whole history of the west’s involvement in the middle east. (Which reminds me, Jon Snow’s Shooting History makes for very interesting reading).
I think that suicide bombers aren’t actually real Muslims. They have more in common with cult members than with members of any religion.
Tags: Iraq war, London, terrorismWhat is a cult?
- It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
- It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
- Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
- It believes ‘the end justifies the means’ in order to solicit funds recruit people.
- Its wealth does not benefit its members or society
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May 22 2004
Remember back when the whole “should the US invade Iraq” discussion was going on. And there were all those anti-french sites? And the google bomb thingy pointing to pages like this, well recently came across a response to those, and while some valid points are brought up about French victories that isn’t really why I’m mentioning it. Think of this paragraph as background information 
The point I was interested in was (1)Do people still use the term “glorious” when discussing military matters? and (2)Why should it be taken as given that people hate the French? I mean even if you were totally opposed to France’s stance, surely people can disagree fundamentally with each other and yet no hate each others? Maybe we should start to respect all people, no matter if they are our enemies?
Current track:Croi Croga by Clannad
Tags: Iraq, Iraq war, politics, WarMay 12 2004
Author: Mark Little
ISBN: 1904301525 DDC: 303.482730417090511
