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West’s sound and fury may signify nothing to stop Putin in Crimea

Written By: Adel Darwish 5 March 2014

Published: March 7, 2014 Last modified: March 5, 2014

President Barack Obama’s attempts to isolate Russia by freezing all military co-operation and threatening to boycott the next G8 summit in Sochi in response to its armed intervention in Crimea, appeared to be unilateral, as the United States’ European allies show no appetite for imposing sanctions on Moscow.

Britain, supposedly the most reliable partner, is the least able to respond, according to documents held by a Cabinet Office official on his way to Number 10, who accidently exposed it to cameras waiting in Downing Street for just such an opportune moment.

The documents outline Britain’s options in response to Europe’s worst crisis since the end of the Cold War. We should not attend any Nato meetings to consider military actions, nor should we rush into trade sanctions or close financial institutions to the Russians, as this would harm Britain economically. Russian oligarchs invest billions in the City, and in property in wealthy parts of central London. There is also considerable British trade with and investment in Russia.

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John Major Energy-Bills initiative: Headache or Opportunity for Osborne?

A bold suggestion by former Tory Leader Sir John Major can either be a headache or an opportunity for Chancellor George Osborne.  The challenge of popular policy thrown by former conservative Prime Minister  to Chancellor  Osborne  could turn into his advantage by subtle pressure on energy companies which could increase David Cameron’s government popularity.

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Practical Aid for Syrian Refugees Was Made Possible by August Commons Vote

This an editorial I did for the Norwegian magazine Perspective last month. not sure if it is available in UK, but here is the editorial now the magazine is out  

The House of Commons vote on Syria, 29 August, triggered a chain of events not only thwarting a war that seemed inevitable that day but also set higher ethical and democratic standards beyond Britain’s shores. Instead of focusing on getting public to back attack on Syria’s despotic regime, western leaders began working with the Russia and United Nations ( which finally got Security Council to agree on the strongest resolution  available)  to end a bloody civil war by a political settlement  and to get an ambitious humanitarian aid programme into action.

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Details of Judicial Review of Muslim Brotherhood Status NOT BBC false Egypt Reporting

Once again fellow hacks in various sections of British media were quick to report rumours and gossip on streets of cairo and Egyptian social media as factual news, namely a false claim that the Egyptian government banned or outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood.  This led to Egyptian government quickly denying  media nonsense. Below are the full details of the judicial review, its recommendation and the background to who asked for the review, which was a group of Egyptian MPs, activists, women groups and others  who have nothing to do withe the government. Several court case to challenge the MB charitable status were filed some 14 months before June 30 movement that ousted them from power with help from the army and both Muslim Church ( Azhar) and Christian Church ( coptic) as well as all other political parties, trends, NGOs and trade unions  ina national council meetings 1-3 July 2013 . Below are the details.

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Misleading & Factually Inaccurate Egypt Story in the Guardian

Whether it was a deliberate fabrication (given the guardian ideological stance) or laziness by the Guardian  hackette, Lisa O’Carroll; the story on an Egyptian court ruling on some TV channels was factually inaccurate, contains errors and leaves out vital information which misleads readers and can cause violent reaction on the ground in Egypt.

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Fabrication or Laziness? Appalling Errors in The Daily Telegraph Cairo Report

Once Fleet Street greatest paper on accuracy and checking facts thoroughly, the Daily Telegraph, unfortunately following the Guardian and the BBC in overlooking facts reporting rumours or views based on second-guessing as factual news.

Take today’s telegraphs report from their Cairo stringer, free-lance hackette Lousia Loveluck. entitled “Egypt’s Islamist crackdown intensifies” . The report contains some  factual errors which would fail A level media study students.

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William Hague Mustn’t put EU Before UK national Interests

If we follow foolish European Union Foreign Policy (God knows why they should have a foreign policy department, commissioner and team financed by our taxes) over Egypt, we risk a great deal of our interests being badly damaged, not just in Egypt but among Egypt powerful, rich influential allies like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman as well as Jordan ( they are also essentially part of wider historic British interest in Middle East and the Gulf region).

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British Public Misled by Journalists’ Failure to research Muslim Brothers Terrorism

Not only our news organisations, Broadcast and Fleet Street ( and the American ones across the pond)  covering Egypt failed to do any research on Muslim Brotherhood history of and association with terrorism, they also omit, from their copy or videos, historic facts, personalities and information vital to the narrative thus misleading British listeners, viewers and readers.

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Buying into Media-set Egypt Narrative, Willam Hague Risks British Interests

By constructing false and untrue narrative of the Egyptian Crisis the BBC, followed by other liberal left media, then copied by nearly all, is harming long-term British interests in Egypt and the Middle East region, especially with our Foreign Secretary William Hague unwisely following a foolish European course threatening Egypt while Cairo  influential and rich  Gulf allies led by Saudi Arabia have already warned the  European Union against such folly. It seems that BBC  led other left-wing/liberal media in setting the agenda to convince the British chattering classes and the larger political establishment of a false narrative of the crisis in Egypt. A false narrative and analysis which is not only misleading and doesn’t reflect reality on the ground, but also causing anger and resentment among the vast majority of Egyptians and their interim government, which, alongside the military, enjoys huge public support. Even the perception of policy that Egyptians might interpret as racist, demeaning or hurts their pride, poses a  danger to  our long term  interests in Egypt and in the Arab world, especially UK Britain economic interests in the important markets of the Gulf and security interest in the Middle East region that could  be damaged beyond repair.

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The Independent Cairo Hack Accused of Fabrication- Legal Trouble Ahead ?

Looks like the Independent is heading for a costly and damaging liable case about to be launched by  two, and possible three Egyptian publishers and media companies, unless the Inde  prints a humiliating apology and retraction, although the injured party, being a publisher and media savvy  himself, tells me he is adamant the apology printed to the same space of the offending piece.

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