The flotilla continued, and a couple of other things

The Gaza flotilla
More links to add to the ones here and here. Modernity (1 & 2), Moriel Rothman, Michael Walzer, Gershom Gorenberg, Meretz USA, George Friedman Tom Berman, Gadi Taub, Leon Wieseltier, Amos Oz, Jo-Ann Mort (all on what Israel should and shouldn't have done), Jo-Ann Mort again (on the blockade), Joshua Teitelbaum (on Turkey), Dan Kennedy, Mark Gardner (both on Helen Thomas and her ilk), Conor Foley (on the humanitarian narrative), Meir Javedanfar (on Iran), Toby Greene (on the blockade), Norman Geras (on sanctions), Norman again (on rogue states), and again (on boycotts), Mira Vogel (on boycotts), Judeosphere (on rogue states).

In case it's not obvious, given that they contradict each other, I do not endorse all of the opinions in those links. My own view of the incident is set out here.

Ken versus Oona
There are many reasons to support Ken Livingstone as mayor of London. His opposition to "the" war is, however, not one of them. Jeremy Corbyn, Walter Wolfgang and others wrote a letter to the Grauniad saying:
The war in Iraq has done so much to rupture public trust in the Labour party, we believe it would be a retrograde step for Labour not to select a candidate for mayor of London who opposed the war. Labour's backing for the war caused millions to be alienated from the party and ruptured our relations with voters in communities who had always previously shown strong support for Labour. Selecting a candidate who supported the war against a candidate who opposed it would send the wrong signal to Londoners.
This strikes me as utterly silly gesture politics, as international relations and military policy are emphatically not within the Mayor's remit. A candidate should be chosen who will do a good job of being the Mayor.

On Oona King's pro-war stance, however, see this post by Norm.



Immigration politics
A good post by David Osler on Labour's bid to be the anti-immigration party.

Global politics
For change in Egypt. For change in Syria. Totalitarianism in Iran. For change in China. Repression in Bengal. Caste violence in Madhya Pradesh. Repression in Zimbabwe. [Some via Ent.]


Islamism



Bob's beats

Comments

Martin said…
Bob - Completely agree about Ken, Oona and Iraq. It's a sly move by Corbyn and others to hobble 'anyone but Ken' before selection process even takes place. But it's not just about foreign affairs being beyond the mayor's remit. Something similar is happening around the Labour leadership (Corbyn involved again) - trying to make it a single-issue election - i.e. which way did you vote on Iraq, or are you willing to renounce your previous position (Ed B)? Making Iraq - or worse, what people are prepared to say about the war now, never mind what they said back then - a litmus test like this would be disastrous for Labour...it's the revenge of the Stoppers.
Martin said…
Bob - Completely agree about Ken, Oona and Iraq. It's a sly move by Corbyn and others to hobble 'anyone but Ken' before selection process even takes place. But it's not just about foreign affairs being beyond the mayor's remit. Something similar is happening around the Labour leadership (Corbyn involved again) - trying to make it a single-issue election - i.e. which way did you vote on Iraq, or are you willing to renounce your previous position (Ed B)? Making Iraq - or worse, what people are prepared to say about the war now, never mind what they said back then - a litmus test like this would be disastrous for Labour...it's the revenge of the Stoppers.

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