A.J.Rimmer

I followed the Villa to Wembley, Highbury and Rotterdam... but I'm getting old and am not the fan I once was. I can't talk knowledgeably about the team, and I confess I was very keen on Lambert's idea of building a young side... sadly it did not work out. However, what I find intolerable, is his always insisting how well we played after yet another defeat. I'm afraid he's had his chance, but failed to take it. This is clearly relegation form... and he has to go!

That would be impossible by definition. The only side that ever mentions this word is Israel. They really should either get a better dictionary or stop trying to play a race card by the backdoor. It is typical of Israel to use such emotive language even though it is utterly incorrect. I’m sorry to disappoint anyone, but I am neither Jewish nor Israeli. I spent the early years of my life in Handsworth, hence my claret & blue blood. Nonetheless, I was disturbed by some of the invective thrown at Glarmorgan. [he was] open to discussing what Israel had done wrong and what they should be doing better. He is free to do this, as in Israel they don’t drag you out into the street and shoot you for disagreeing... yet despite his obvious intelligence and charm, he found not one supporter I’m aware of, which led me to join in this discussion. Glarmorgan may have been the first person to mention anti Semitism, but I was thinking it before he wrote it. The anti Semites amongst us are hardly going to say ‘I support Hamas ‘cos I hate Jews’... are they? For everyone else Israel could do no right and the Palestinians could do no wrong... but of course there is not a single anti Semite amongst them... they just want to protect children...or, more accurately, Palestinian children! Now I cannot provide mathematical proof of the point I am making, but I will attempt, albeit inadequately, to go some of the way... try this: Back on page 59 you will see Peterms posts a photo of yet another anti Israeli vote in the United Nations. It is passed by just one1 European country... Russia. Others voting in favour were: China Algeria Congo Ivory Coast Cuba ... Ethiopia Kazakhstan Kenya UAE Kuwait Morocco Saudi Namibia S. Africa Venezuela & Vietnam. ... Those who failed to support the motion, hid behind the USA, who they knew would use their veto. They were: Austria Czech Republic Estonia France Germany Italy Montenegro Japan Macedonia Romania Britain & Korea ... Now here is my one question, Bickster, do please try to answer it: How come just about everyone agrees with that ramshackle collection of ha ha liberal democracies headed by Russia... whilst I alone side with the civilised nations which best represent our society? Can you think of a convincing and intelligent answer other than anti Semitism? I can’t.

I couldn't agree more... what a pity that so many people don't recognise Hamas's "indiscriminate killing of all people from a section of the world" as a, and I quote you again, "mental deranged unjustifiable inhuman" aim that it clearly is, full stop.

trolling: 'trying to catch a fish by trailing a baited line through water behind a boat'... I don't think I was doing that... in case you hadn't noticed I'm on the side of the Israelis here, so Jew baiting is not my style. Godwin's Law: Good one... I confess I'd never heard of it before. However, certain aspects of this discussion could be associated with anti semitism, which along with killing Jews was one of the salient features that defined a Nazi... and Hamas. This was not a discussion about nurses pay, so I think Mr Godwin would have to give me this one.

That's either trolling or an entirely new definition of "valid", which on planet earth means reasonable, justifiable, rational, logical etc. Claiming validity for hitlers aims is the inverse of godwins law, I'd have thought. I'll go with trolling, I think. You're probably right... I didn't much like the use of 'valid' myself... I thought of 'legitimate', but that seemed even worse. That said however, if one believes the world would be better off without any particular race, it would at least seem 'logical' to get rid of them. I'm now off to look up what is meant by trolling, which I have heard of, and Godwin's Law, which I haven't.

I think I saw this little fellow on TV recently... he was singing Israeli hate songs and chanting 'Death to all Jews'... looks like they heard him. As for your above comment... oddly enough not too many Germans are Nazis nowadays and they have proved surprisingly reluctant to vote for Jew killers. SECURE THE SAME FUTURE FOR YOUR KIDS.... VOTE HAMAS

Thanks I'll take that as a compliment.

56 to 1350 and every single one of the 56 died invading another country not learning maths or playing on a beach or sheltering from bombs Not quite accurate, but I take your point. Now in WW2 the Germans lost some 5,500,000... but we lost a tiny proportion of that... from memory some 360,000. Do let me know if you and your friends wish to volunteer to even up the numbers a little... the Germans and I would feel so much better.

I've killed a man. Correct me if I'm wrong... but didn't JR survive?

Good post. I too am inclined to that way of thinking... not only in respect of this thread... but also with regard to Israel and Palestine. Perhaps David Owen was right when talking about the Balkans... 'the best solution is to fight it out'. Maybe we should allow that to happen in Palestine. I can already hear you all crying 'Ooo thats not fair, Israel is stronger'... well I remember 1967 when Israel was expected to lose, but she won... I remember the celebrations of 1973, when the Egyptians caught Israel by surprise during Yom Kippur... yet 3 weeks later were begging for a ceasefire. The fact is, the Arabs were stronger, much stronger, but as fighters they are even worse than the French. However well he started in 1939. after Stalingrad Hitler was sliding quickly down the tube... but credit where credit is due... did he winge... not for a moment. So in 1945 we closed in for an easy kill. I wasn't born then, but I do not remember my mummy and daddy telling me it wasn't fair on dear cuddly old Uncle Adolf. He sowed it and he reaped it.

wrong I guess I'm part of 'everyone'. What I want is for the Israeli military to stop murdering children and bombing UN shelters. Amen to that. The genuine empathy and support I had for Israel was demolished when the IDF started deliberately shelling UN refugee centres and murdering children. That doesn't make me a liberal it makes me a human being, furthermore it removes any claim your comrades in arms have to being better than the scum bags in surrounding countries who do the same. **** terrorists one and all. What deplorable and emotive language. To have any kind of reasoned discussion, we have to realise there are no murders going on here... no, not even by Hamas... there are just killings. I wonder how many of you here have actually killed anyone? Let's at least start by using the correct terminology and calling things what they actually are. If Hamas aims to killl every Jew on the planet, as did Hitler, that is a perfectly clear and valid aim... but as also happened with Hitler and his followers, there will be consequences...it's all the dumb feckers who snivel about it afterwards that I can't stand.

Today's 3 day ceasefire ended within 3 hours after what the UN, not famed for their support of Israel, described as 'flagrant breaches by Hamas'. These are the words of the BBC. Netanyahu has promised a crushing response. Some Tory MP on the radio, again described Israel's response as excessive, in view of the lesser damage caused by Hamas. But he forgot to tell us how many rockets Hamas should be allowed to fire without a reaction from Israel? How many Israeli deaths are acceptable without Israel trying to stop them. Perhaps some of you might come up with some figures...I'll gladly pass them on to Netanyahu for his consideration. This conflict will never end until the Palestinians take responsibility for their own people, territory, government, policy, call it what you will... but with Hamas there, it will not be easy. Hamas are not interested in working, they are not interested in wealth creation, they are not interested in improving the standard of living and they are certainly not interested in the lives of the people. Hamas are only interested in maintaining their power and swaggering about with their guns by prolonging the conflict and raising the death toll... not just this time, but all the other times yet to come... just like the Nazis. Did the Nazis give a shit about the German man in the street... I don't think so... they only cared about themselves... just like Hamas today. There were many days in 1945 when the allies killed more enemy civilians than we lost in the entire Blitz. Was that excessive, or did it have to be done? Finally, we crushed Nazism arid rid the German people of Hitler, something they had been unable to achieve themselves... let's hope Israel does the same for the poor Palestinians. Civilian casulties are regretable, but inevitable. I want Israel to finish the job... and it may not win many votes, but the responsible, democratic, I didn't say perfect, just democratic, governments of the world wish for the same.

Working with Arafat was no easy matter...and the Israelis tried. As for the Israeli military... yes, they are good... but the Israelis have no 'fail safe' mechanism. The iron dome is great, but far from perfect. Hamas insurgents still come through the tunnels and kill Israeli civilians... deliberately! I'm not sure of the latest count, but Israel aslo has some 50 dead... and they didn't die of old age. There is also such a thing as the fog of war... things happen which were unintended... and for sure there have been instances of Israeli soldiers deciding to take out some Gazan civilians, just because they felt like it... perhaps they had just lost some of their mates. This does not make it right... it is wrong... but it is also war... and whatever the instructions of the Israeli government, some soldiers will break the rules. It always happens.

Yes, Hamas were voted in... like Hitler... but they will not easily be voted out... like Hitler. Sadly democracy is no guarantee of making smart decisions... but to paraphrase many who went before me... it is the least unpleasant form of government. As for Israel having had their foot on Palestine... yes, you are quite right and in some, even many, respects that is very true. But not all the rights are on the side of Palestinians... there are also features of this conflict where right, if one can determine such a thing, is on the side of the Israelis. The problem is that if we trudge back through the history... where does it all end? That really would be a waste of time. As I said above, we have to make the best of the situation history has left us. It seems only reasonable to accept that Israel is now an entity which the world should accept. The alternative, and I remember David Owen saying this in the early 90's about Yugoslavia, is to fight it out and see who wins. Who knows? That may be the best solution... just don't fecking cry when they lose... either of them.

This could easily be applied to Israel. As per PMQ's... I refer you to my previous answer.