President Biden changed US policy towards the Middle East in 2020. He pulled out of Afghanistan too suddenly, losing a crucial air base and undermining Ā his allies. It led directly Ā to the Taliban taking the country over, after 20 years of the west losing lives and spending huge sums to stop them. He then tried to get a negotiated settlement with Iran. President Trump had negotiated successfully with the Gulf states to achieve their peace with Israel and to try to do the same with Saudi. All agreed Iran was a threat.
President Biden has ended up with worse relations with Saudi and the Gulf states, with OPEC pushing up oil prices by witholding production and now with US forces shooting down Iranian drones and missiles. Iran was always constructing a ring of hostile forces to the west with the Houttis in Yemen now firing on civilian cargo ships, with Hezbollah in Lebanon , Iraq and Syria and Hamas in Gaza.
The UK needs to be super vigilant to stop terrorists gaining access, to continue to work closely with allies to ensure good intelligence
April 15, 2024
Good morning.
Let me fill in the blanks.
This is a religious war between muslims and jews, and Sunni and Shia muslims. We here in the West are involved because we have oil and trade interests in the region.
Before President Trump the West was happy to appease Iran. When President Trump came into office he stopped all aid to Iran and its nuclear program. The EU and others were furious because they wanted Iranian oil.
We here have our own problems. If you thought the bombing of muslims in Gaza and the protests and threats was bad, just you wait until, The Little Usurper starts sabre rattling hoping for a ‘Falklands political bounce back’.
Fun times a head.
April 15, 2024
Conclusions of a report into vaccine related cancers in Japan.
Perhaps it is well past time for Sunak to come clean correct his false āunequivocally safeā assurance to the house and get the NHS, government statusticians and researchers to do some honest research into the vast levels of vaccine injury esp. in Cardio Vascular and Cancers. Rather than their current letās cover it up agemda!
Statistically significant increases in age-adjusted mortality rates of all cancer and some specific types of cancer, namely, ovarian cancer, leukemia, prostate, lip/oral/pharyngeal, pancreatic, and breast cancers, were observed in 2022 after two-thirds of the Japanese population had received the third or later dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-LNP vaccine.
These particularly marked increases in mortality rates of these ERĪ±-sensitive cancers may be attributable to several mechanisms of the mRNA-LNP vaccination, rather than COVID-19 infection itself or reduced cancer care due to the lockdown.
Researchers have reported that the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-LNP vaccine may pose the risk of development and progression of cancer.
Several case reports have described cancer developing or worsening after vaccination and discussed possible causal links between cancer and mRNA-LNP vaccination.
More details and links to the full report on the Dr John Campbell video yesterday.
April 15, 2024
The US is not a safe ally to engage in war/conflict with as we saw with Falklands, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Ireland, EU. Learn from experience! We know the US provide us an enormous amount of weapons, tech etc. The US also has marines based on both our air craft carriers. NATO cannot operate without the US. Despite all this the UK Govt. Should still act independently and not blindly follow. Particularly Afghanistan was at huge cost to life, limb and financially for absolutely nothing!
Ukraine support should be stopped immediately and seek a peaceful solution. Russia will want the west distracted on another front as will China so they can pursue their global goals. Another reason to cancel net stupid as it benefits both China and Russia. Again, govt. idiots.
Cannot blindly enter conflicts around the world at the behest of the US while your govt.ās mass immigration/open border policy allows in terrorists and spies to cause us harm. Your party has legislated through equality rot to help the confidence of those at home to harm us, our way of life annd culture, idiots.
First action is to sack Cameron, wrong person for the job in every way. An incompetent bored self entitled fool who is in love with himself and kudos of his position. You and other leavers need to watch and be vigilant what Cameron, and his Plebgate mate, is doing in giving away Gibralta to EU. Cameron cannot be trusted, same for Sunak, Hunt and EU one nation fools. Do not get distracted. UK does not want another EU sell out, it caved in last year over trivial Red Arrows flying over Gibralta as it might upset Spain!
April 15, 2024
This post vaccine harm data on excess deaths in Cancer, Cardio Vascular… is coming out from all around the World Sunak so you cannot hide from or distort the ONS Stats. Not even for the 8 months or so until the election when you will be kicked out.
So best correct the record now Sunak, do the decent thing, be honest for a change and start to find out how this vaccine harms disaster can be best mitigated and investigates. Ditch the lunacy of net zero so we can pay for all this vaccine disaster mitigation.
April 15, 2024
I really donāt see how he can.
Coming clean would worsen his + partyās situation x goodness knows how many! ( IMO)
A person with such involvement should not have been allowed within a million miles of leadership.
April 15, 2024
Endlessly showing his “unequivocally save” assurance to the house, made long after the evidence was abundantly clear that this was totally untrue as more and more die or develop cancer, heart issues…many of which will be shown clearly to relate to the Covid “Vaccines”.
April 15, 2024
“I really donāt see how he can.”
He should never have said it given that is was clearly totally wrong at the time. But the sooner he comes clean and corrects the record the better. There is no way he can cover it up the facts up worldwide. I myself know directly three people who have had heart arrythmias brought on shortly after vaccinations one needed an expensive ablation operation. Many others will know people personally too. The are also tests that can determine if caused by the vaccines rather than “long Covid” or other causes.
Major never said sorry for his ERM fiasco and he duly buried the Tory partly as a result this despite a recovering economy (post the exit from the ERM). Sticking to lies like “interest rates will have to go up further if we leave the ERM” & “if it is not hurting it is not working” did not do him any good. Even now he has not said sorry for his moronic and predictable ERM fiasco.
Sunak is is a far worse position too as the economy is in a mess, his policies on tax, growth, net zero, the size of government, immigration levels, the vaccine lies are all 180 degrees out. The only thing going for Sunak is that Starmer is totally useless too – even slightly worse.
April 15, 2024
LL,
Today we read the idiot in charge of NHS has a unfurled a banner with 21 genders on it! This is our taxes being wasted! Atkins needs to sack the stupid woman in charge and use her sacking as an example to other public sector heads that wasting taxpayers money is not acceptable when they provide a pitiful service. Get back to providing the service they were intended for. Get out of left wing political posturing, nothing to do with them.
DEI, S.172 company act need scrapping immediately along with equality rot, ECHR and All diversity and inclusion jobs. Their roles easily undertaken by HR depts as a minor ancillary role. JR, take back control.
April 15, 2024
Makes me sad to be british ….all the things we gave the world, I feel ashamed how far we’ve fallen
April 15, 2024
+++
April 15, 2024
Indeed she showed how useless (and out of her depth) she was within a few days of being appointed on a salary of about 6 times some junior doctors – yet she has a degree in Modern History. Another excellent Dr John Cambell Video with the excellent Prof Angus Dalgleish see also the excellent book “The Death of Science” that he edited.
Little sign that Victoria Atkins a lawyer is any better.
April 15, 2024
Greece is the First Nation predicted to suffer āpopulation collapseā as unexpected deaths from heart failure, strokes and blood clots soar across the nation. Fertility rates have plunged to levels lower than experts previously thought possible.
April 15, 2024
Not āpopulation collapseā but āpolitical collapseā
April 16, 2024
One follows the other. The EU bankrupted Greece and of course – the tidal wave of immigrantsā¦
April 15, 2024
Total (France), Repsol (Spain), Statoil (Norway) and Royal Dutch Shell left Iran in the 2000s. Only BP and ENI stayed a little longer but have essentially ceased working with Iranian oil in the 2010s.
Even The Times of Israel (17/03/2024) says so.
April 15, 2024
The Biden/Obama regime is appeasing Iran at Israel’s expense because they want fossil fuels to make the extra electricity for their green revolution.
April 15, 2024
Who is working with them since 2010 Hefner?
April 15, 2024
According to The Times of Israel it is essentially domestic. Iran has large reserves but the actual oil production is relatively small. It comes 7th behind the USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iraq, and China.
timesofisrael.com āIran signs big contracts with domestic oil companies amid sanctionsā.
April 18, 2024
I checked after I asked you the question to see what was on google, the top 3 picks were a piece by reuters that said:
‘In January-March 2021, China increased its imports of Iranian oil to almost 800,000 bpd in January and almost 1 million bpd in March, although imports dropped again in April of that year.2 days ago’
Another source estimates that nearly all Iranian petroleum exports go to China (Figure 1). Source: United Against Nuclear Iran, data compiled using multiple sources.28 Feb 2024 CRSreports
Brisk Chinese demand is encouraging Iran to ramp up production. Roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports went to China, data from European research firm Kpler shows. Iran has been hit by American and European sanctions over its nuclear development and human rights violations.31 Jan 2024 Nikkei Asia
April 15, 2024
Iran kicked out all the foreign oil companies in the aftermath of the fall of the Shah, 20 years before that, having had much of their shareholding nationalised by NIOC long before that. Their production fell sharply, and only recovered somewhat later with the assistance mainly of the Chinese. NIOC sold oil to the West and Asia mainly via trading companies prepared to run the risks of sending tankers to load at Kharg Island during the Iran Iraq War.
Involvement with Iran ever since has been largely peripheral, and often suspended altogether due to sanctions. Perhaps the biggest push was after the lifting of sanctions in 2015, when many agreements of intent were signed, only to be frustrated by the Trump sanctions. Some of these were partly resurrected after Biden dropped sanctions again.
April 15, 2024
And your point is what exactly hefner?
The world’s total oil output is what affects oil barrel prices.
Not who the outlaw state of Iran manages to sell to.
April 16, 2024
S, It was simply to illustrate that Mark Bās premise was likely incorrect. But I guess you did not bother to read the various posts.
April 16, 2024
Yes I did bother h.
Some, by the way, were published after me.
PS
No real counter to my post I note
April 15, 2024
We need to be super vigilant my arse, letting thousands of undocumented males in every month.
If that’s being vigilant I’m a China man.
April 15, 2024
The religion is on the Muslim side. Most Israelis are non-religious, just like the UK.
For religious reasons Hamas and Iran desire the destruction of Israel and ethnic cleansing of all Jews. They believe that once Islamic Ottoman Empire rule of Palestine means the region belongs to Islam forever, and it’s legitimate to wage war to recover it. Israel is a secular democracy and that’s anathema to Hamas and Iran.
Once they achieved their aim, they will continue their Sunni-Shia conflct.
April 15, 2024
Those muslim countries surrounding Israel could choice to ignore Israel or even build a wall around it ā¦.but no they choice to flatten Israel, to destroy it, to eradicate it from history
April 16, 2024
+1. And this is the ancient land of the Jews. Iām all for people remaining in their ancient lands – Russians in Donbas, Odessa, Kiev, etc need to be in Russia (taking their ancient lands with them), Serbs in Kosovo where 9th century Christian churches stand. British people must be safe and secure in these islands.
April 15, 2024
According to Nikkei Asia,31/01/24,Iran’s oil exports hit a five year high last year with c90% going to China.So no need to use the Red Sea/Suez canal.
April 15, 2024
It was the Mamluks(a ferocious military caste of former slave soldiers from the North Caucasus who deposed their former masters and took control of Egypt,Syria and w Arabia in 1250) who wiped out the christian Crusader states at the end of the 13th century,ruling Palestine until they were in turn defeated by the Ottomans in 1517.
Iran does not seek the destruction of Jews-only the state of Israel.Historically,Jews lived safely in Iran/Persia and much more safely in muslim lands generally than in christian lands.
April 15, 2024
It is interesting to note that both the Jordanian and Saudi airforces took part in shooting down drones and cruise missiles aimed at Israel. Some useful target practice. It is after all not that long ago that Iran attacked Abqaiq, the pumping nerve hub of the Saudi oil and gas system using drones, and despite some rapprochement with Iran the Houthis still remain a Saudi enemy.
April 15, 2024
@Mark B – as an aside, Embassies are considered home territory of a foreign nation. If you bomb a foreign embassy in a foreign country to kill someone that might be visiting under what seems to be protocol that can be seen as an act of war. My understanding Damascus is in Syria a bombing raid on an embassy there killing 16 is what most of us see as deliberately and unprovoked stoking a ‘hornets nest’
The media tying in one indecent in one country to another in another is sometimes stretching what may have been the thinking. The only connection between Gaza and Syria is that they are what we term as being in the middle east
April 15, 2024
It wasn’t an embassy or a consulate. It was a military HQ from which the IRG co-ordinated their Ring of Fire. They were doing it there and then. The diplomatic building was unharmed.
April 16, 2024
It was an Embassy, but they were using it as a Military HQ, Israel acted in self-defence.
April 16, 2024
It was part of an embassy complex. You can’t violate the Vienna Convention, under which embassies are not legitimate targets, by your own unilateral decision. Unless you’re Israel, of course, or the US which ‘accidentally’ bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in NATO’s 1999 war on Serbia.
Israel hasn’t admitted hitting the Iranian consulate in Damascus because it knows that violating the Vienna Convention is crossing a red line.
April 16, 2024
No, it was the IRGC building, used for military purposes, and not a consulate: it was for top level meetings of the IRG, for shifting weapons, directing operations, co-ordinating terror groups, etc. The embassy was next door and was unharmed.
April 17, 2024
PS Even if it had been a consulate, it lost its immunity as such the moment it was used as a military base, in the same way that the mosques, hospitals, and schools of Gaza have.
April 15, 2024
The US has probably suffered more attacks on its diplomatic premises since WW II than any other country, with the biggest being the bombs at Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, killing hundreds. US retaliation has not always been in military fashion.
April 15, 2024
@ Ian B ” Embassies are considered home territory of a foreign nation” – true enough only so far as the hosting country is concerned: not so for third countries. Clearly though, embassies would in the normal course be considered as civilian rather than military and so fall beyond the list of legitimate targets in war. Recall in 1999 the US bombed the Belgrade embassy of China so events of this type are not unknown.
April 15, 2024
Geo-strategically Iran was always more important to the USA than Israel but it has lost Iran ;the Russia-Iran ‘strategic partnership’ is a force multiplier for both.You will soon see a direct,seamless railway link from Arctic Murmansk down to Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf using the Russian gauge.Iran already has access to four of Russia’s North Caspian ports(it has a majority interest in one of the smaller ones and is building a container terminal there).When complete it will be possible to get goods from St Petersburg to Mumbai in just 10 days.
April 15, 2024
Actually, if you pay attention to what they say, which we never seem to with our enemies, it is not just a religious war between moslems and Jews. First of all, Jews don’t want a war. They want to live in peace and prosperity. They have tried to make peace over and over again. But they and we are up against a death cult which regards them and us as the Little Satan, and America as the Great Satan. This death cult has been seeded in all our major cities so it is no good saying it is nothing to do with us. Just look at how quick they were to co-ordinate the hate marches all over the world, on a sort of terror franchise, with similar placards, similar slogans, similar fancy dress.
For five generations the children of Gaza, Judaea and Samaria, have been brought up to hate and kill Jews, to become martyrs. UNRWA hsa been effecting this through the UN schools and aid programmes we pay for. The object is to kill all Jews, all Christians, all infidels, and all apostates. Then to impose a worldwide Caliphate. HAMAS is just one of the tentacles of the octopus which resides in Iran. Hezbollah, which has a base (illegally now) in London, and also in Mexico, is another.
April 15, 2024
Yet again I don’t agree with conventional opinion that wants to avoid retaliation against Iran. Rather I see this as a perfect opportunity to practically destroy Iran’s development of nuclear weapons (as Israel did so effectively with Saddam Hussein’s nuclear development programme in Iraq decades ago) as well as their factories that are creating drones and other equipment for Russia against Ukraine and anything else that is causing us a major problem. So a big well directed retaliation far from being a bad idea could be both useful and a lesson to all the West’s enemies.
April 15, 2024
OK, Geoffrey, suppose we do as you say, and do what Israel wants. And then Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers. How much do you want us to pay for petrol? Or perhaps you have an EV and don’t care?
April 15, 2024
Iran won’t close the Gulf if we provide enough assets to stop them
As with NATO any country not willing to pull its weight should pay a premium for gas and oil
April 15, 2024
The French have withdrawn their frigate from the area.The captain is reported saying they are not accustomed to “this level of weapons and violence” with the Yemenis “perfecting their technique.The more they fire,the more accurate they become.”
April 15, 2024
The price of oil (which Iran can only affect temporarily since other countries such as America have plentiful reserves) is less important than restraining the most rogueish state in the world and preventing that state ruled by Islamist fanatics from acquiring nuclear weapons
April 15, 2024
The flow through Hormuz is not easily replaced or diverted. Perhaps 15mb/d , and the US already ran down its strategic reserve.
April 15, 2024
An increase in oil cost can be moderated by help from Saudi – will they show responsibility to assist the West?
And then the real concern about escalation in ‘war’ is some nutter in sheets, near his death in Iran pressing the nuclear button! Better to obliterate that threat now if it is thought it can be done.
April 15, 2024
Well the EV will be charge using gas generator so that would go up too.
April 15, 2024
What with? Geoffrey. A couple of cricket bats! Our great forces are unarmed by the servants of the WEF.
We should, years ago have left a few foreign invaders to die in the channel as a deterrent! We do not now who is in our midst!
April 15, 2024
How does our military compare with Israel, manpower, firepower, spending?
April 15, 2024
I suspect they have distributed their weapons production, so it would need a comprehensive bombing campaign to do any damage. Anticipate a major loss of civilian life.
Always in war the wrong people die. The bravest and best lose their lives whilst the cowards hide in their bunkers.
April 15, 2024
The Osiris research reactor in Iraq was a very soft target , easily destroyed by a couple of fighter bombers in 1981. Neither Dimona in Israel nor Natanz in Iran are easy targets, being built well underground and designed to survive all but the most extreme attacks.
April 16, 2024
They would if they could but they canāt. Is easier to attack than defend in this new paradigm.
April 15, 2024
Yes Biden was useless regarding Afghanistan and left huge amounts of military kit behind when he suddenly pulled out.
Trump talked a more sensible isolationist approach to foreign affairs like the paleoconservatives. Yet Trump was daft enough to hire John Bolton – the warmongerās warmonger. There is never a war Bolton is not keen to join – or start. Yet Bolton himself dodged service in Vietnam.
Britain should not get involved in any wars involving Israel and Iran. Nor should it be supplying arms. Let other countries fight their own battles. We are no longer the worldās policeman.
We will continue to supply arms of course because it is big business. That does not make it right however.
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
Well said Peter!
April 15, 2024
Well said. Middle East at moment just minefield in every sense, including moral.
Regarding Afghan, fine. But what were we doing there in first place. Recently flew back over Afghan and is one giant snowy mountain after the hour for miles and miles and miles.
A young British soldier from Salford whose just trained on Salisbury Plain is way, way out of his league against the mountains of Afghan. Only go in as a last resort (and Special Forces not regular army unless its a world war or something).
April 16, 2024
When Commons voted for Blair’s dangerously daft decision to go into Afghan, how many MPs had actually heard of the Hindu Kush (mountains) in Afghan. Let alone all the other solid reasons – both military and geopoloitical – for avoiding the place at all cost, except the possibility of a short-term, well-planned, special-forces operation. Crazy.
April 15, 2024
I heard an anti Trump monologue rant from Bolton on radio news recently. Pure propaganda: I was surprised it was broadcast. It was not repeated the next hour, despite being second item previously.
April 15, 2024
If Iraq is now run by people favourable to Iran, whose fault is that? I remember an American general saying back at the time, “Saddam may be a sonofabitch, but he’s our sonofabitch!” Under him, Iraq kept Iran in check. He was overthrown by Bush and Blair, but not enough thought was given to the consequences once the Western military pulled out, as they inevitably would. Back at the time of George Bush senior, who understood geopolitics, there was a balance of opposing forces in the Middle East between regimes that didn’t trust each other, especially Saudi, Iran and Iraq. Iran was quiet and not throwing its weight around. Now there is an anti-US coalition in the ME that’s growing in strength and effectiveness each year that passes. For that we have to thank the pigmy politicians in Western capitals that lack the knowledge and experience of leaders we once had. Their idea of governing is just posturing for the news headlines. When you have the likes of David Cameron posing as an international statesman, you know how far we’re fallen.
April 15, 2024
Clough
Excellent comment. Lest we forget, Cameron was also with Obama in overthrowing the Libyan regime, leaving a lawless country for migrants to pour through to Europe and UK.
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
And he wanted to do the same to Syria. Miliband stopped him by not supporting the Parliamentary vote (I believe he had previously indicated he would). Obama then had to pull back from the policy because “The Brits weren’t coming.”
April 15, 2024
They crossed into Europe because we opened the door ….and that door is still open
April 15, 2024
legally and illegally.
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
+++
April 15, 2024
Oilprice.com,9/4/24:”US’s new hopes in Iraq are dashed as it signs longest ever gas deal with Iran.”
April 15, 2024
We lost Kissinger a few months ago. Of Iran and Iraq he famously said “It’s a pity they can’t both lose”. He did his best to keep them fighting each other, by tilting the scales behind the scenes if one side looked like winning.
April 15, 2024
“The UK needs to be super vigilant to stop terrorists gaining access”
Sorry Sir John, but this comes across as gas-lighting.
How many undocumented, unchecked and quite often extremist/violent criminal migrants did your Government import over the weekend when the weather in the channel was calm?
It’s been about 100,000 over the last 3 years – for a life of “free everything” courtesy of British taxpayers.
And at the same time, your Government has deliberately run down our Defence.
April 15, 2024
Govt. definitely canāt claim it wasnāt warned.
This is what comes of having global ambitions.
Like Jim Kirk trying to fight an intergalactic war.
It just canāt be done because of physical constraints.
Too late to close the borders now.
April 15, 2024
@Donna +1
April 15, 2024
I don’t think we have up to date numbers for potential terrorists on the MI5 watch list, it it is probably now approaching 50,000. Nearly as big as the Army, and way beyond monitoring capability. Clearly there is heightened risk that they might act in sympathy in a more organised fashion than the recent isolated incidents of knife murder where Gaza has been claimed as motive.
April 15, 2024
Donna ;
Correct.
But not just “imported” but deliberately āwelcomedā by collecting in French waters, bringing across the Channel and housing in 4 star hotels (and now even new houses and flats) with all accommodation and healthcare paid plus Ā£40/week pocket money and the freedom to roam our streets and take black market jobs.
There are now more unidentified illegal immigrants of fighting age in the country than similar UK army personnel.
How can this be considered by our Parliament as looking after the safety and security of our country? What is going to be the inevitable result?
April 15, 2024
534 yesterday; the highest daily figure.
6265 so far this year.
And we have no idea who they really are; where they really come from ….. or what their real intentions are.
April 16, 2024
More than a years worth of deportations to Rwanda.
April 15, 2024
Western leaders love this type of conflict. It makes them feel like war leaders, feeds their egos, makes them feel useful and defiant. Only Trump put in policies whose aim was to avoid conflict. No wonder NATO leaders despise him
April 15, 2024
Very good for the coffers too?
April 15, 2024
The big PROBLEM Dom is those like BLIAR who push for the horrors of war will never face those horrors, its always left to others- just look at Fat Johnson were is he now?after encouraging death and destruction in Ukraine!
April 15, 2024
Agree ā neither Israel and Hamas have requested a ceasefire ā¦.let them battle it out, other countries calling for a ceasefire is ego
April 15, 2024
You don’t want to be worrying about what Iran may or may not do. You need to be worrying about what all the Iranians you’ve allowed into the UK may or may not do.
April 15, 2024
Couldnāt agree more!
April 15, 2024
Allowed in then paid for their hotels often cost them them more than a Junior Doctors Salary per person. Not just them either but many others are a serious risk too. 1 rogue might easily kill more than 100+ people in just bombing incident.
April 15, 2024
We already have ‘Palestian Protests’ in London every weekend. Now we’ll have Iranian ones too!
What idiot sold the water cannons for scrap?
April 15, 2024
20 Nov 2018 ā Sadiq made a decision to sell the cannon in December 2016, after revealing that the previous Mayor had paid the German Federal Police Ā£85,000…
However, it was Theresa May 15 Jul 2015 ā Home secretary snubs London mayor and refuses to allow water cannon to be used by police anywhere in England and Wales.
April 15, 2024
Bur Iranians follow the religion of peace ā¦even No10 is celebrating Eid
April 15, 2024
Old Albion :
Correct.
April 15, 2024
“President Biden changed US policy towards the Middle East in 2020.”
Well it certainly needed to change, but it took a Biden to make it worse.
So far policy has involved endless attacks, invasions and wars instigated, provoked, supported, and executed by the US and its obedient client states in the West. Most of them due to neocon ideology, hubris, and greed. Forcing US corporatist democracy on once-stable countries by destroying them has destabilised the world. On the western side, money and careers are made, on the middle Eastern side, economies are laid waste and “terrorists” are made. Currently the rest of the world looks on as the American hegemon thrashes around in its death throes, and hopes it doesn’t trigger WW3.
I agree that:
“The UK needs to be super vigilant to stop terrorists gaining access, to continue to work closely with allies to ensure good intelligence.”
But we shouldn’t work with these “allies” (I think that’s the wrong word to describe our relationship with the US and EU) beyond Intel. In theory we can defend ourselves against full blown attack via our nuclear deterrent. It’s no use against terrorists, whether overseas or coming here amongst all the illegal immigrants we let in.
We need a foreign policy based on the premise that we don’t interfere in other countries any more than we would mind them interfering in ours. And we need a secure border. Pull up the drawbridge.
April 15, 2024
Agreed. But It’s worth noting that it was Mr Trump who negotiated the Afghan pull-out agreement with the Taliban in the last year of his presidency
Trump made an even worst policy blunder when he pulled America out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in the first months of his presidency. As a result of this rash move, the Ayatollahs no longer felt obliged to maintain the restrictions on Uranium enrichment that this agreement specified. The Western intel community considers that Iran may by now have produced roughly 120kg of highly enriched Uranium. It only needs to convert 15kg of that into Uranium metal to manufacture a crude but effective Hiroshima type bomb of the “Little Boy” design, an enriched uranium gun-type fission weapon.
Fortunately, they do not appear to have tested their design during the weekend attack on Israel
Reply Trump kept a big base and airstrip to reinforce. The Taliban did not take over the country on his watch. The Iran Agreement left out many features of Iran’s growing arsenal and was impossible to enforce.
April 15, 2024
John, I would be interested in hearing on all the various reasons so many companies are delisting from the London Stock Exchange. It appears that Capitalism has reached a tipping point and is in free fall in London and Europe.
April 15, 2024
Amongst other reasons I dare sayā¦
They are going bust.
Thirty year high of companies going under apparently.
Not surprisedā¦very difficult to do business if you are under legal constraint not to trade.
As they might say ā Shut up shopā¦profits dropā
A very simple concept I would have thought?
April 15, 2024
I second that request.
It is not just companies delisting, it is market liquidity draining away. It would help to get an assessment of the parts played by excessive, intrusive, unnecessary regulation, taxation and the apparent ignorance of too many politicians of the consequences of their actions on the UK’s equity markets.
April 15, 2024
Not enough longer-term investment, was the reason I saw mentioned when this started to be noticed a year or two ago. Short-term thinking has been this country’s problem for a long time, of course, but now it’s caught up with the Stock Exchange.
April 15, 2024
..investing in UK? – what with these fools we’ve had at the tiller for consecutive terms?
April 15, 2024
Javelin
Perhaps it is as simple as they go where they feel they are wanted, where there is less hostility, more flexibility with fewer regulations and cost.
The Uk Government should take note, companies and wealthy people do not have to stand still, they can go where they want to go, when they want to go.
The golden eggs and the geese that lay them sometimes get fed up with forever being milked and told what to do.
I would agree would be nice to hear JR’s reasons as it seems to be a growing trend.
April 15, 2024
Listing are too expensive and have far too much red tape to make much sense for many situations. Wealthy individuals and hedge funds etc. are better owning outright and extracting value with far less scrutiny, costs, the bother of small shareholders, the stock exchange or all that red tape.
April 15, 2024
The listing is just to raise money but cheaper are better ways are available.
April 15, 2024
Not so much a tipping point Jav, more a contrived policy by anti capitalists to make London an impossible place to visit travel around or do business in.
Why would anyone even think of associating themselves with London in any way, while the likes of Khan and other anti capitalists are actively taking the once vibrant city down?
People are not only avoiding listing, they are leaving the City. They are doing that because the authorities there are making it an undesirable place to be.
Wealth flight is happening.
April 15, 2024
“London sees output boom as demand picks up in December” Jan 24
https://www.cityam.com/london-sees-output-boom-as-demand-picks-up-in-december/
“11 Mar 2024 ā London remains UK’s strongest region as capital powers country out of recession. ” https://www.cityam.com/london-remains-uks-strongest-region-as-capital-powers-country-out-of-recession/
So god help the rest of the UK
21 Mar 2024 ā London is narrowing the gap with New York for the title of the world’s top financial centre, according to a new survey. https://www.cityam.com/london-closes-in-on-new-york-as-worlds-top-financial-centre-with-square-mile-set-for-rebound/
April 15, 2024
UK is uninvestable now, with all the box ticking going on at companies. Quotas for etnics, women, and many many other special interest groups. Far better to invest in areas of the world where only the best people are working at and running companies.
April 15, 2024
Regulation and taxation in all its forms. From doing business, to profits confiscation, Corporation taxes. Squeezed to death by the Tory’s. Valuations are significantly lower here than all other markets, take look at the share price difference of Rio Tinto here and Australia, about Ā£20 per share. Tory’s don’t do capitalism but ESG and DEI, wokism in all board places checked out by the non Equality reporting laws. What’s not to like?
April 15, 2024
āSuper vigilantā?
But arenāt unknowns entering ( being ushered into) the country daily by their hundreds?
And many have already faded into the background, one imagines.
April 15, 2024
Agreed Everhopeful. Unfortunately for our host his comment is the joke of the day.
April 15, 2024
Indeed. And letting anyone arrive here illegally and putting them up in hotels is a very good way of being vigilant, sorry āsuper vigilantā.
April 15, 2024
+1
April 15, 2024
And not knowing who they are. Same day returns is the only solution or immediate deportation, not Rwanda rubbish.
April 15, 2024
Bidenās Presidency has been a calamity for America and the world. Open borders have rendered America, the EU and UK wide open to terrorists infiltrating and causing atrocities. Open borders have undermined Western economies, cultures and religion. In short Biden and his European puppet āpartnersā have destabilising the West and we are now reaping the result. Say what you like about President Trump but with him the world was a safer place.
April 15, 2024
I agree and he is sounder on the evils of Net Zero!
April 15, 2024
+1. And uniquely he did not start a single war!
April 15, 2024
Not to mention the Russian war in Ukraine. Where are the US reinforcements now? Is the UK ready for war with Russia , now or in five years time. Could we mobilise the UK in time? What is the strength of the UK army? These are overwhelmingly the issues for the next general election.
April 15, 2024
We are going to have to ally with Russia and China to defeat Islam. Get used to this fact: Russia is capitalist, Christian, Caucasian and educated. They are not the enemy, that are not pushing the old German politics of corporatism and political appointment rather than election.
April 16, 2024
Russia and China are not going to enter into conflict with the Islamic world,other than against Islamism within their own borders.
It’s the same deluded wishful thinking as the late medieval popes believing they could co-opt the military power of the Mongols against the Islamic forces then assailing the Holy Land and the Balkans.
April 15, 2024
‘Ready for war wth Russia’? You cannot be serious, James. No way would anyone but a bunch of deluded neocon warhawks want that to figure in the next general election, or any election after that.
That’s the whole point of having a super-expensive nuclear deterrent, I thought. It keeps us safe.
Doesn’t it?
April 15, 2024
Thereās no doubt the world was a safer place with president trump, absurd and outrageous as was his refusal to accept the result of the us election.
Biden is proving a disaster on many levels
April 15, 2024
You are not following the court cases where Trump is winning. Dead people are NOT allowed to vote in elections, for example. Postal votes are NOT allowed to be filled in by machine with no electors name and address attached.
April 15, 2024
It looks like Sunak is getting enough material for the ‘War!’ chapter of the autobiography he’ll be writing in his man-cave at the end of the year. Still, at least he’s doing better than indecisive-and-eventually-wrong Starmer would be.
April 15, 2024
A loss is a loss. Nothing to brag about. Especially after the sums expended on sherbet apparently. Iran spent USD 300,000 on itās attack, Israel spent USD 1.3 BILLION on its failed defence.
Only Socialist believe that the more money you spend the better things are. We not have a failed NHS and the west defeated in Ukraine and Israel as proof.
April 16, 2024
The Americans are now saying that those attacks did more damage than the Israelis admitted to.As you suggest,Iran has not yet used the more sophisticated weapons in its well-stocked arsenal.
April 15, 2024
man-cave? probably in the Californian sunshine!
April 15, 2024
With the introduction of Ayatollah Khomeini as the supreme leader of Iran in 1979, theyāve been at undeclared war with the west by proxy ā¦.we just havenāt realised and still donāt ….and Sunak doesn’t want to rock-the-boat without orders from high
April 15, 2024
“The UK needs to be super vigilant” A good starting base would be to have a proper military, one that is more than just a local defence force that can be overwhelmed by any tin-pot despot.
The UK cant and shouldn’t be reliant on the US coming to the rescue, the US being the Worlds Policeman. A basic equation would be the UK in population terms is 1/5 the size of the US so its armed forces should be at 1/5 of the US’s.
Our Parliament, our MPs our so-called Government need to stop crossing their fingers and hoping. We need to become resilient, self-reliant and capable for what ever is thrown at us. We need a Government that is working for the UK first.
April 15, 2024
The USA is no longer trustworthy – It is no longer looking after itself. Like our government it is engineering its own destruction, so once things get serious it is unlikely they would help us.
We are on our own.
April 15, 2024
I agree. We have though a population that is being told our country is something to be ashamed of, leaving those proud of their country reluctant to sign up so they can save the skin of others.
This indulgence in belittling the country has to stop. When the enemy comes over the hill, which they will do if they perceive the country is weak, it will be our daughters the invading forces will rape and our houses they will pillage. There will be no redress, because they are in charge.
So regain the initiative that this country is one to be proud of, which we will all rally to defend. If you don’t believe this, then get out.
April 15, 2024
On 1 April 2024, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the Iranian consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, killing 16 people.
15 April 2024 Israel has told the UN it has āevery right to retaliateā against Iran after Saturdayās barrage of more than 350 drones and missiles.
Someone hasn’t got their story in the right order – “right to retaliate”
In The UK and the US what nowadays passes as leadership is instead kindergarten bullies wanting to win favour with one group ahead of the up and coming Elections. they daren’t say boo in case one sector of the electorate goes to the rival gang.
I couldn’t even start to rationalise the situation, as each can or worms opens another one. But what we all do know is this Conservative Government has forced us to be unprepared and is forcing similar issues on our streets though malicious refusal therefore neglect of their duty to the UK Citizen. We are invaded daily and that is OK as the Conservative Government and their pals in Parliament want to turn us into another ‘Gaza’, when the could just take on their management responsibilities and do what is right for the UK – 14 years and still refusing
April 15, 2024
So we need to be vigilant yet we still fail to deport migrants in any great number.
April 15, 2024
We are constrained by the Ā£150k cost of each ādeportationā and the fact that said deported individual can be returned if they are dangerous enough.
April 15, 2024
At least if we have to go to war we have a readymade host of young men to conscript into the Army and as a major you will be expected to lick them into shape.
April 15, 2024
The withdrawal from Afghanistan also encouraged Putin to invade Ukraine. He saw weakness and he still does. The appeasers who are afraid to send troops into Ukraine are Neville Chamberlain-style weaklings who allow fear to dominate foreign policy. Putin would not use nuclear weapons, the West should have been into this at the start, citing the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.
I’m not sure it’s “Biden” doing any of this. If Reagan had trouble finding Afghanistan on a map, Biden has trouble finding the map, or if he happens to stumble across a map, he has trouble knowing what it’s for. Someone behind the scenes is pulling the strings in the USA and by putting up a senile old chap for re-election it is clear that they don’t plan to let go of their shadowy power.
What a choice, Biden or Trump. Trump would force Ukraine to cede territory, ignoring his country’s obligations under the Budapest Memorandum – signatories being USA, UK, Russia (post Soviet Union).
April 15, 2024
Biden has yet to be held responsible for the disaster that was the very sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan — it shows he was and is unfit to be a president, as well as his lack of morals.
It seems Biden is also doing all he can to support Middle Eastern states, and hence putting more pressure on Israel. The issues will only get worse while he is in the Whitehouse.
It’s interesting that this diary entry recognizes at last that it was Trump who brought a period of sanity to the Middle East, before the election was stolen.
But, Yes – we need to be aware that as we support America all too often, Iran would see us as an easy target.
April 15, 2024
Let me get this straight.
A huge nation of over 80 million people that possesses one of the world largest military forces i.e. Iran, launches hundreds of drones cruise missiles and rockets at a small nation of 5 million people that are constantly being attacked by Iranian proxy forces based in Gaza and Lebanon.
The UN immediately calls upon Israel to show constraint and not retaliate. The UN does not immediately urge sanctions on Iran, The UN does not immediately close all trade activities with Iran. What it does is pressurise Israel via the USA to not respond. Biden even goes as far as to say to Israel, “You had a win” !!?
Now that is what chutzpa is all about eh?
April 15, 2024
Biden is an aged mistake . He has stumbled over so many things and his leadership is a laugh to the rest of the world . Equally Trump offers threats to NATO and necessary stability to the Western world – China and Russia must be cheering in their boots . Middle East tensions must be overcome but it is difficult to see where the change initiative will come from and can be relied upon . These are tricky times .
April 15, 2024
534 (maybe Iranians) yesterday in 10 boats …..no threats here, only doctors & engineers – and yesterdays count would fill the number of Rwanda available places
April 15, 2024
If you can send them to Rwanda you can send them to the Hebrides
April 15, 2024
What threats from Iran? You cannot mean the 300 missles just fired at Israel, a smoke and mirrors show of form over substance if ever there was one?
Iran likely endowed Hamas with the capability to launch the 7 October attack from Gaza and encouraged same. So far so prima facie bad but what is now clear (perhaps even to Hamas) is that in the strategic manoeverings Hamas was seen as wholly expendable (the IDF saying some weeks ago two-thirds of Hamas had been eliminated). As went Hamas, so (soon) goes Hezbollah with the alledged bonus for Iran that a number of its troublesome Quds commanders might be victims too.
It must be doubted that either Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel or Iran amongst many seek perpetual conflict in the region although other actors do. Iran has materially rewarding prospects from trade with and investment from China, all hazarded by outbreaks of conflict.
Iran can see as plainly as the rest of us the history of Western military and subversive involvement in the region (and your earlier thoughts about that might usefully be relayed now to the dangerous and maladroit Cameron and his bicycling friend Mitchell). It is little wonder it is not cosying up to the foolish Biden and his pals.
As for the UK being vigilant, yes of course, but the enemies are within now.
April 15, 2024
Royal Stoke Hospital. 19 Board members including two medically qualified, the Medical Director and a Non-Exec University Professor and a Chief Nurse; also a Professor of Human Rights and Gender Justice Practice (for all 21, presumably).
April 16, 2024
As the Crown Prince of Iran said, too many in the West simply do not understand Iran under the Mullahs.
Western politicians and commentators ate going out of their way to claim Iran’s attack was mere shot across the bows of Israel. The correct response, as Col Richard Kemp argues is to hit Iran hard to demonstrate determined deterrence. Anything less is cowardly and confirms to Iran it can proceed with further attacks without fear of a response from the Westother than the strictly defensive action in the air. Politically it was a success for Iran. The West will do nothing until the next attack and will then respond the same way. Iran is reported to be capable of producing nuclear warheads within weeks. Perhaps, now that it has confirmed its assessment of the lack of political will in the West, the next attack will be nuclear.
Israel, understanding this, will make its response even stronger than it otherwise would. The West is not a reliable ally.
April 16, 2024
“He pulled out of Afghanistan too suddenly, losing a crucial air base and undermining his allies. ”
1. They pulled out of Afghanistan just in time to fund and supply their next proxy war in Ukraine.
2. If you think the USA has any allies in Europe, you are a fool, we in the UK are an occupied country with the last time I counted, thirteen bases on UK soil. Germany is in a similar condition.
But in any case, without sufficient funding for European forces, our governments better shut up! The British have cut, cut, and cut again, we have basically one battle ready battalion. Why ? Because of David Cameron. Fourteen years of useless Tory administration.
And now the repulsive liar was caught out on the Sky news interview with Kay Burley doing what he is best qualified to do, lying.
April 18, 2024
I believe that the UK has bought US F35s for it’s air wing flying off HMS Prince of Wales, and HMS Queen Elizabeth?
What do you as a British MP have to say about the revelations from the US congress, that less than thirty five percent (35%) are operationally capable ?
Given the warmongering of our porcine foreign secretary, do you think you should be sending British Navy and the naval air arm into a potential conflict when less than 35% of its aircraft are operationally capable ?
Reply I have no knowledge of such a problem with UK planes
April 18, 2024
JR: I have no knowledge of such a problem with UK planes
Start here,
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106703
Reply This is a US report re US maintenance costs