Steely Dan

Make no mistake Lebannon is now a puppet state controlled by Iran, the international commission set up to investigate the death of Rafiq Hariri will be dropped due to pressure from Hizbollah and their leaders who are complicit in his murder will escape any sanction. I can sense another middle east war is brewing as the internet Jihadists have stepped up their campaign of lies, distortion and scapegoating. I do squarely blame Obama's dithering in letting this happen and now unfortunately it's sadly only a matter of time.

Ah, An accounting error, I knew it!

Maybe we should take him up on it and save a lot of money. Considering the timing, this could be a blessing.

Yes, let them fail unaided, I think the forces there are needed for forthcoming action to the west of Afghanistan, and north of Iraq.

Japan is a "hi-tech" well organised country, that has spent a lot of time, thought and money on dealing with earthquakes....

Imagine if this happened in another country with nuclear power plants!

Yeah.. like the one they are building in THAILAND

... a Thai nuclear power palant.... mai pen rai.. run for the hills!

I don't want my Ba Mee to glow green, except when I go to MK of course.

Japan is a "hi-tech" well organised country, that has spent a lot of time, thought and money on dealing with earthquakes....

Imagine if this happened in another country with nuclear power plants!

Warning, the bearded anoraks are out! BBC just interviewed a chap with a beard and an anorak saying that this should mean no more nuclear power plants and the existing ones should be de-commissioned! No doubt we shall get some balance with an interview with a nuclear power advocate? Personally, I suspect that Mitsubishi Heavy's reactors are rather more robust than their Russian counterparts......

The bearded anoraks are the second sign of the apocalypse, I'm grabbing a tin-opener and heading for cover.

No twisted logic. I condemn the terrorist attack unreservedly.

And then blame the victims.

Only the parents, probably the father, whom I don't see as a victim but someone who started a chain of provocative events that could be expected to have a violent outcome. Sure, he's got to bear some of the responsibility. That doesn't mean the murderers aren't murders. i hope they are caught and hung.

So let me get this straight you actually do blame the victims, I suppose you could also blame the parents of any children killed by the Tokyo earthquake for conciously living on an a geological fault line. Just for a second cast your jaundiced eye at a map of the world, most every border you find will have blood spilled over it because land was disputed at one time or other. You could blame the parents of Coptic Christian children in Egypt or yes indeed Buddhists living in Yala by your peverted reasoning.

I do note your weasel words and mealy mouthed expressions of regret which would indeed do the Palestian authority proud.

I see the people of Gaza have something to celebrate and dance on the rooftops about, just as they did after 9/11.

http://www.israelnewsagency.com/itamarisraelwestbankterrorismmassacremurderpalestinianidfhamasgazairanislamicjihadjewishbabieschildrennetanyahufogelfamily48031211.html

There is no justification for murdering children. Just as I can see no possible justification for parents to put their children at risk by moving them into legitimately disputed territories.

That's a crafty way of putting it. I guess that's a compliment of sorts but it raises a question. I hope you aren't suggesting there is an equivalency in those separate actions.

No, not at all, but I doubt those children would be dead at the hand of those terrorists if their parents hadn't made them pawns in an illegal land grab scheme.

By your twisted logic you could level the same question against the parents of Buddhist children living in Thailand's southern three provinces as they are 'disputed' in the eyes of Islamofascists if nobody else. Of course cold blooded murder whether in Israel or Yemen or Egypt or wherever is exactly that and there is never any justification or excuse for it as BKKarim would no doubt agree.

Yes it's amazing how seven years of threats, intimidation and in at least one case death can cloud the recollections of witnesses. The phrase agency capture comes to mind when examining the Thai judiciary.

Finally on any given day dozens or Arabs are killed or tortured by their own government but never a word is mentioned at the U.N...

They have lots of oil money so it is OK.

Unlike the Coptic Christians in Egypt. 13 Killed the other day and 21 late last year.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/11/spencer-at-copts-rally-at-un-against-muslim-persecution.html

Incidentally I note that Pavlov's dog got up early today. Woof Woof.

It is time for the U.N to step in and take action against Israel even if it means by force. What they are doing here is truely barbaric.

Richard Falk is another politically motivated wack job who has somehow managed to avoid getting kicked out of the U.N, he still went to far for Ban Ki-Moon for his despicable comments alledging 9/11 was organized by president Bush.

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?ID=205192&R=R1

I trust as ever that you also support the compensation for loss of property suffered by the 800,000 to 1,000,000 Jews in Arab Countries who were forced to leave after the 1967 and 1973 wars.

Finally on any given day dozens or Arabs are killed or tortured by their own government but never a word is mentioned at the U.N but when a Palestinian home is demolished theres an enormous stink kicked up in spite of the fact the Israelis have actually demolished more Jewish settlers homes this year than those of Palestinians.

In the 2010 survey of press freedom by Country Iran ranked 175th out of 178, I think you would have to be on drugs yourself to believe Iran's version of events in preference to that of the Dutch.

It has just occured to me that one thing actually does surprise me, that being this thread is still open and references to the hotel name and pictures of it not removed. I would like to suggest that perhaps the best way to resolve this little issue is to change the name of the hotel to the Uptown inn, which will only need four letters removing and two new ones adding which should be inexpensive.

George.W.Bush was a complete and utter liar. The evidence being his total fabrication of evidence presented to the UN security council for his reason to invade Iraq. And had the audacity to send Gen Colin Powell to the assembly to do his dirty work for him.

Which of course makes him ultimately responsible for the murderous slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians (a death toll Gaddafi will come noweher near) and without doubt a war criminal.

And what about Obama? who does exactly the same things like Bush, but just having a different rhetoric.

Meanwhile Bush would simply admit something like waterboarding,

Obama would promise Change! but continue to do so. If get caught he would turn on his two teleprompters, apologize sorry sorry, say a prayer together with Michele and promise it would never happen again, but continue to do so. if get caught he would turn on his two teleprompters ...

If a 'Bush' condemns Gadaffi demands his depature not many would bother to say 'How can he dare' not much to argue about.

And when Obama does the samenoone objects and some pseudolefty philosemites get all excited to launch the next War on some Arabs as soon as possible.

Hey!

We are all forgeting one important point here when it comes to Obama. He won the noble peace prize.

Hmmm, Puts him in the company of other great men of peace such as Yasser Arafat I remember at the time thinking <deleted>, not because he had been particularly warlike, but had done nowhere near enough to earn such an award. The trouble is now I suspect he is trying to live up to his own press and this has led to a dithering approach which has been seized on by sundry fanatics who have pushed their agendas further than would have otherwise dared. I'm referring to Iran, Pakistan and North Korea here.

Very stupid decision. Nothing was settled. If Gaddaffi perseveres, France has just lost its oil vendor. It sends a message that civil wars are acceptable. Yes, Gaddafi is evil, yes there should be a regime change, but the French should have waited. Now Gaddaffi can say the west is declaring war on Libya. The results will not be pleasant. If other western nations have any street smarts, they will hold off on official announcements.

This is a good way to terrify the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Qatar, Oman etc.. Don't look for OPEC to smile kindly upon the French.

I disagree in part. There is no love lost whatsoever between Gaddaffi and many Arab states, Saudi Arabia especially have a large bone to pick after an assasination attempt on their king which Libya were implicated in. I'm not convinced that this action is as unilateral as it first appears, perhaps it was decided that a U.S or U.K declaration would be less palatable than a French one to Arab oppinion, I await further announcements.

What's this Abbas will be pissed!

France has become the first country to recognise the Libyan rebel leadership, the National Libyan Council (NLC), as the country's legitimate government.

It comes as Nato is set to discuss military options in the Libyan conflict including a possible no-fly zone.

There is growing concern about the bombing of rebel-held areas by the forces of Col Muammar Gaddafi.

A BBC team which were detained and beaten up in Libya witnessed widespread mistreatment by the security forces.

In recent days pro-Gaddafi forces have tried to regain ground in the east, and have bombarded rebel forces in the town of Zawiya, 50km (30 miles) west of Tripoli.

The Red Cross president said on Thursday there was a marked increase in civilian casualties in what he called a "civil war".

The step was announced by the French presidency, a day after Euro-MPs urged the EU to recognise the rebels.

On Thursday the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said France regarded the NLC as Libya's "legitimate representative".

Earlier EU foreign affairs chief, Baroness Ashton, said she was not mandated to take such a step herself. An NLC envoy has been lobbying Europe for support.

EU diplomats told the BBC: "We need to see who these people are and whether they are truly representative of the opposition."

They added that it was important to work in conjunction with the Arab League.

The conflict in Libya has raged since mid-February when opponents to his 41-year rule seized many towns and cities in eastern Libya, following successful popular uprisings in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt.

For those 'oppressed' by Nato occupation perhaps there is hope as those kind Iranians are trying to smuggle more sophisticated weapons to the Taliban to aid them in their campaign to keep Afghanistan in the dark ages.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12694266

The foreign secretary has condemned Tehran's "completely unacceptable" behaviour after British Special Forces seized a shipment of suspected Iranian arms intended for the Taliban.

The 48 rockets are understood to have been intercepted in Nimruz Province, in southern Afghanistan, on 5 February.

UK officials say technical analysis showed they had come from Iran.

You certainly missed the multiple suicides in a short timespan in pattaya several years ago where the victim had a plastic bag over his head,taped around his neck and his hands tied behind his back.

Please tell me you re joking

Welcome to the forum newbie.

Meanwhile Iran, hypocritical to the last are caught red handed shipping arms to terrorists in Afghanistan whilst warning the U.S/U.K not to intervene in Libya.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12694266

Some are naive, some are deluded, some are insane, some are just plain bad guys.

The problem with your " theory " as to who is a " radical loon" is that

it is very embarassing when it is a former Israeli government

Minister that appears to be a " radical loon" ?

IT'S A TRICK, WE ALWAYS USE IT says former ISRAEL MINISTER

I see that you continue to post exclusively about Israel which is off topic for this thread, but I'll humour you once more.

Well what do you expect when Israel's neighbours have consistently used it as a scapegoat, different sides of the same coin.

http://www.feenjan.com/2011/01/09/an-egyptian-journalist-publish-on-feenjan-his-article-about-the-use-of-israel-as-a-scapegoat-by-the-arab-world/

God’s Curses Upon Israel

By: Midhat Kalada

God’s Curses upon Israel, the source of our mistakes and for our radicalism. God’s Curses upon Israel, the Devil’s messenger and servant. God’s Curses upon Israel that think it has the right to do whatever it wants. Israel that kills and murders and slaughters in the name of faith. God’s Curses upon Israel that chooses the Egyptian conservatives that are inspired by Taliban Ideology.

God’s Curses upon Israel, the planner and executor of murders and massacres in the name of faith. God’s Curses upon Israel for its Wahabi influence over the minds of the Egyptians. God’s Curses upon Israel, the head of the venomous snake and the one responsible for all the destruction that surrounds us politically, economically, and environmentally.

God’s Curses upon Israel, the stage and space for the channels of hatred and extremism. God’s Curses upon Israel, the father and the mother to worldwide terror organizations. God’s Curses upon Israel for it is the cause for the lack of security for the minorities in Egypt and in the Middle East. God’s Curses upon Israel that presents itself as a modern civilized state, but it is really a racist, religious, gangster state. God’s Curses upon Israel that made us act like parrots each time a bloody attack or event takes place, we condemn and threaten, but we do nothing about it.

God’s Curses upon Israel, they are the reason that the Copts in Egypt are oppressed, discriminated against and deprived of equal rights. God’s Curses upon Israel, they are the reason that 700 years of Copt History in their native country Egypt, has been dumped in the garbage.

God’s Curses upon Israel for it is the major reason for the global terror attacks in NY and London and Paris and Madrid. God’s Curses upon Israel, he sponsor of all the global terror organizations. God’s Curses upon Israel, it is they that are responsible for the dehumanization of the Copts in Egypt that are deprived of the right to build a church….

God bless Israel the scapegoat that allows us to kill and to slaughter and to butcher all those who think differently than us.

“God will help the sheep if their judge is the wolf” – A Danish Phrase

Looks like they are trying desperatly to obfuscate. Unfortunatly that appears all too similar to what happend with the deaths in Phi Phi.

When you have a track record like that people assume you guilty until you prove yourself innocent. Good Luck Chiang Mai Governors family and TAT.

They will continue to delay and obfuscate and the problem will be buried, it always has been in the past. I can see why the Thai authorities treat outsiders like idiots because we deserve nothing better as there is never the will or coordination between effected parties to obtain satisfactory answers from the Thai authorities under pain of consequences serious enough to force someone to take ownership of the issue.

I am referring here to diplomacy at international level not the attempts of bereaved to get answers, as they are serially let down by those who purport to represent them.

I am a bit surprised you nominated The UK Guardian as being a reliable source

in view of these comments :-

" The British newspaper, the Guardian, has been described as waging a high-priority campaign against Israel in its pages and on its popular website. "

Since 2000, the paper has attracted increasing criticism of its anti-Israeli bias with Lord Greville Janner QC, former chairman of the Board of Deputies of British Jews (from 1979 to 1985) describing it as “viciously and notoriously anti-Israel,”[2] and journalist Julie Burchill, who left the Guardian for the Times in 2003, citing a “striking bias against the State of Israel”[3] as one of her reasons for doing so. The Economist named the Guardian, together with the Independent, as one of the main examples as to why “[m]any British Jews are of the opinion that press reporting on Israeli policy is [so] spiced with a tone of animosity 'as to smell of anti-semitism'.”[4]"

http://www.gloria-center.org/meria/2010/06/sela.html

By the law of averages you were bound to get one right eventually the Guardian is well known for it's rabid anti-Israel stance, but still apparently manages to be part of a conspiracy with Jews to frame Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/world/europe/02assange.html?_r=3

As it always was and always will be, when in serious bother blame it all on Israel, there are enough people out there who will bend over backwards to believe it however far fetched the story may be.

After all the (ahem) interesting links from white supremacists, fringe loons and the oh so reputable Iranian Press TV it might be as well to remember the OT was about Iran accusing the US and UK of conspiring to get rid of Gadaffi to further their own strategic interests, before it was hijacked by some posters intent on blaming Israel for supposedly wanting to do the opposite by propping up the Kadafi regime. Well you can't have it both ways chaps and as for the fruitcake who alleges the U.S tried to keep Kadafi in power how do you explain the U.S bombing his residence and killing his daughter - Perhaps Washington warned him in advance they were planning to bomb his house for appearances sake and could he arrange to have a token relative there to make the deception more convincing.

Pakistan is rapidly becoming a failed state if it isn't one already, and a failed nuclear state at that.

U.S. policy on North Korea and Iran has not changed since the previous Bush administration. This is due in large part to the continuation of key state department staff. It is difficult to change these diplomats and negotiators due to their knowledge of the respective regimes.

The Obama administration has indeed spoken out against North Korea and Iran. However, bear in mind that North Korea does not react well to threats and U.S. policy on North Korea is in large part influenced by the two allies that would bear the brunt of conflict, South Korea and Japan. Keep in mind that there are U.S. nationals held by Iran and the U.S. is trying to obtain their release.Angry rhetoric from the USA will not facilitate the U.S. nationals release.

I do not understand why the focus is on the USA. Libya's oil exports are mostly to the EU. The USA isn't going to suffer from the gas pipeline closure between Italy and Libya. Yes, oil prices have increased, but it is France, italy, UK and Spain that import the oil not the USA. It is Russia and China that have billions of $$ invested in Libya, not the USA.

And this in a nutshell is why Russia and/or China will be reluctant in the extreme to see their investment in Libya unravel - which lends credence to speculation they would block UN military action.