blandy

That's not so. The OPCW were held up by Syria and Russia, then when they initially gained access to the area, unidentified person(s) shot at them, hitting no-one. If as you claim the whole thing was "staged by ant-Assad white helmets and rebels" to get the West to react and topple Assad , why would they then attempt to deny access to the clearly identified UN/OPCW personnel to the site? Al jazeera summarises it thusly and this

Nope. I must admit I was hanging on to my 6 becauseof the headphone jack. When it went wobbly last year, I had to replace it, and I've not really missed the headphone socket. The 8 came with a dongle ( I think these new ones don't, which is bad of Apple) and I bought a charge pad thing for a tenner of the internet so I can listen while charging it, if needs be - and it's all good. The 8 is a whole distance better than the 6 overall, even without the headphone socket, which I wish they had kept, really. Incidentally, I recently got the duff 6 out of the box I'd put it in, did a reset and software update and it's behaving now, so I'm wondering if I was another victim of software glitches or whether the problem is a loose connector somewhere inside it.

Yes, they did Flee*. That's the reason Idlib, now, is "the last stronghold" with 3 million odd people there, many of whom have fled from elsewhere previously "liberated" by Assad forces and Iran/Russia. *obviously the dead people didn't flee enough, sadly.

The reply was to point out that as you'd implied Syria wouldn't have used them and it's all staged by the White Helments ...and because they're ineffective that the UN has documented multiple occasions where Syria did use them including in recent months. As I think Chindie said, the point of using chlorine gas, Sarin etc. is not to inflict so many casualties as to immediately "triumph", but simply to terrorise people into fleeing. Apologies for not quoting the exact sentence that would have made that more obvious.

Those two Russians could only troll more if they said they were "Present but not involved"

Love those old rear engine 92, 96 etc. SAABs. Still want one.

Thanks. That's pretty close to where I'm at, too. The IHRA definition + examples isn't perfect - no definition or examples ever will be, but for reasonable, balanced people, avoiding the definition and examples referenced when discussing or criticising Israel ought to be an absolute sinch. I mean how hard can it be just to not use the word "Nazi" or to avoid references to those responsible for the holocaust of 6 million + people 70+ years ago? etc. Not hard at all, unless you're an utter pillock is my guess. It just helps no one to go down that road. Well said.

They have. Really impressive. There's an awful lot being done very well right throughout Surrey CCC - the ground, the mens and women's teams. The one days stuff is not so hot, but they're doing a lot very well. While I'm being neutral(ish) Worcestershire have been good too, in their own way - more on day than 4 days, but on a small budget they've developed players and played exciting committed cricket. Having Moeen Ali as Captain has been good for them. Right that's quite enough of that. You Bears!

The UN doesn't think so And as an aside, seeing this is the Russia thread, it's now been analysed that 207,000 Civilians have been killed (never mind all those injured) in Syria. 94% of them by Syria Gov't/Iran/Russia forces. Further evidence of the nature of Iranian and Russian (and obviously Assad's) forces.

Russia's not even trying to hide the smirk, is it?

I did and I was mistaken, if I’m charitable that Emily Thornbury asked her question as a response to being asked to or prompted by Corbyn. I’ll be charitable and assume it was either a joint decision, or Corbyn decided what his foreign secretary should ask. Thanks for correcting me.

No, I read the linked metro article. Nothing in there about Corbyn or thornbury other than what I quoted back “ said he’d do what he could to help” or whatever the exact words were. I also googled “Corbyn make a formal request that the UK intervene in the case of nazirin” and found nowt from before Boris. Then repeated with Labour...ditto. Again nothing, apart from her MP. Even doing the search you suggest the result is from a year after her arrest and detention and then another from Boris time another stretch later. But I suppose if waiting from June 2016 ofvthe article and petition to March 2017 before Thornbury asks May to “show compassion ...and demand her release ” is doing everything he could, with all his Iran connections and all, then I’m not impressed.

Perfect. My excuse at last ?

I have a top tip, here. Simply procure one of those washing up brushes with the space for liquid inside and fill with colgate stripey toothpaste instead of Fairy liquid (if you prefer a minty taste) and open wide.

2 massive games coming up against the closest 2 challengers.

There's nothing remotely in the IHRA definition that covers criticising, however harshly, an opposition party for its policies. Or for calling out a named individual for horrible acts or statements or fascism. These are all things which are excluded as anti-semitic, because they could be made (and are) of other nations "However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic" further, the examples in the area of groups or individual specifically say that [we] should not "accuse Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group" and the letter goes nowhere near doing that - it keeps to the point about a specific party and persons. I concede that were the complaint to be made against a government the argument (and my point) is not so absolutely clear cut, but I still believe that the "criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country.. point means it would be fine. I agree you'd probably get people from lobbyists to others with an agenda anti Labour or whatever, claiming all kinds, but the definition would render that as exactly what you imply - propaganda with no genuine validity

in November 2017. Boris time as far as I could find. Credit to her Labour MP, though for battling pretty much alone, on her behalf for the 17 months prior to that.

1. Exactly. 2. Yes. Also fair comment. Yes, also agree. The whataboutery surrounding not just Corbyn (as exhibited repeatedly in this thread by some posters), but also in the wider world in general is infuriating. It's obviously what's led to COrbyn's followers being (some of them) called a cult - because every criticism is just wafted away with some excuse that MSM, or what about...? I confess it irks me greatly that people who are otherwise rational, right thinking people, appear to utilise whataboutery every time anyone criticises Corbyn (in this case) or more generally. And yes it definitely works both ways, no argument there.

Not to my reading, as the whole letter and criticism are of a political party and are commendably clear about who they are criticising and for what and why.

I have 2 objections. 1 of many things that Iran could be validly praised for, it's history of inclusivity, tolerance and acceptance of different faiths, traditions and ethnic groupings is not that which comes to mind, considering the, er, history of the last 30 odd years is the exact opposite of that, and before that, as you imply, The Shah ran a sort of unpopular, slightly cleptocratic, royalist dynasty that favoured, very much, some over others. So going back a long way Iran is not as Jezza wished there were more people to hear. But even if he were right about that, in the next minute, we're told he's a harsh critic of Iran's actions and Government...So he's both praising and then signing (albeit toothless and completely pointless) EDMs criticising Iran over the exact same areas. Hypocrisy much? Different type of Politician...man of principle...not like the others. It's like he's got this invisibility shield to hide his uselessness and double standards, his 1970s anti USA, pro IRA, anti western, pro Russian, student union standard, South American socialist revolutionary unsuitability for leadership of a book club. never mind a political party or the country. Ah, but he's got a vegetable patch...lovely old man.

What's untrue, exactly? It's nice if he signed the petition (though I thought you were implying that's less effective than signing an EDM a bit ago) it's nice that he said to the husband "that he'd do anything he could to help" A few kind words...What, exactly did he actually do? What tangible act of intervention, or involvement did he do? Given, after all, it's claimed that he's all so buddy buddy with Iran's top people to achieve consensus and accord and whatever, how did he use his , er, influence to help? or is he just a tool for Iran? I'll go with he's a tool. Why do you keep defending the cult?

It has about as much impact. Makes him feel all righteous, no doubt (who could be against a top up of one's aura of self righteous preaching, eh?. Look at me with all my virtue, I scathe the media with their impertinent questions) Where was he when Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe got locked up? Nowehere to be seen or heard. Only popped up when Boris Johnson dropped yet another bollock and he could have a go at the tories. Chocolate teapot.

"More than most "is the ludicrous part, as you will know. His principled criticism of was so strong that he took wedge to appear on their telly and say nothing critical at all about them, to their face. Meanwhile, in Iranian prisons, there rot genuine principled political opponents, who to my way of thinking might be a tad more deserving of your ridiculous claim. It's like me signing 50 internet petitions against fracking and claiming to have criticised fracking "more than most". It would be and is ludicrous. edit Amnesty

He packed it in eventually. As I linked yesterday The second sentence is "interesting". It would be a funny old world if that kind of caveating was made a rule. "I'm afraid your criticism of this thing is rendered low grade and is discounted, as you didn't sufficiently condemn a different thing" To clarify, again if Jeremy Corbyn wants to be friends with and praise Iran's governemnt and establishment, that's up to him. - It's often said to have the nicest people in the world and the worst government in the world, after all - But making friends with a racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, misogynstic, human rights suppressing zealot Government, being paid to appear on their state TV is going to bring some entirely valid cries of rampant hypocrisy. I will now validate this message by also criticising Lord Kitchener's introduction of internement camps in the 2nd Boer war circa 1901. The monster.

If I might stop you there. This is a completely ludicrous claim.