tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22403989.post5640755557307202086..comments2024-01-18T10:54:54.459+00:00Comments on Iain Macwhirter Now and Then: iain macwhirterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14486911281896217461noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22403989.post-69188239307152574772011-08-03T23:05:20.818+01:002011-08-03T23:05:20.818+01:00""Norway provided a text book demonstrat...""Norway provided a text book demonstration of how a civilised country should respond to these rare and random acts of unspeakable barbarity – with stoicism and measure.""<br /><br />But such acts are not rare in Britain. You seem to have forgotten that Britain had 30 years or so of the IRA's sustained bombing campaign on mainland Britain and then almost straight from that into the terrorism of 7/7. <br /><br />So when you compare Britain's response to terrorism, i.e. the attempt to increase detention without trial etc.which were thankfully unsuccessful, with Norway's apparently more measured response you are not comparing like with like.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22403989.post-3880975323186604222011-08-03T21:42:49.069+01:002011-08-03T21:42:49.069+01:00The Oslo attacks were acts of terrorism. They ha...The Oslo attacks were acts of terrorism. They have not been referred to as such because the offender was white and Bush and Blair redefined the word to mean acts committed by Muslims. <br /><br />I, personally, find that quite disgusting. <br /><br />We should call terrorism, terrorism and those who commit such acts terrorists. Breivik is a terrorist.Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22403989.post-75858073043459621152011-08-02T16:27:43.982+01:002011-08-02T16:27:43.982+01:00Excellent piece Iain - is it published for a wider...Excellent piece Iain - is it published for a wider audience ?Willieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07765667672875629955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22403989.post-25341643428705406432011-08-02T11:40:46.224+01:002011-08-02T11:40:46.224+01:00Yes, Ms Phillips ire is as predictable as it is re...Yes, Ms Phillips ire is as predictable as it is repellent over her discomfort that, well, the man is white for a start. Quite hilarious that she protests she was only mentioned twice in Breivik’s manifesto. Twice Ms Phillips? Really. You have made an impression on the man. His kind of mad men are just the type who are impressed by Melanie Phillips form of vituperative outpourings. <br /><br /><br />Phillips does epitomise the worst elements of intolerance and double standards. She would not appreciate being likened to recent Labour governments but, yes, they both share(d) the narrow-minded hysteria which provokes division and misunderstanding. By contrast the measured response of the Norwegian people has been striking. There are a lot worse things for a state to be than ‘boring’.<br /><br /><br />An interesting link into the Murdoch influence helping create extreme responses to attacks on society rather than deal with the event and try to understand the causes. While Blair was clearly a man easily led – we have the dodgy dossier confirming this haven’t we? – and easily flattered by Rupert Murdoch, Blair was also desperate to stride out on the world stage and fawned at the feet of Bush. <br /><br /><br />It would be wonderful to learn from Norway but the UK doesn’t learn from anywhere else. The modern UK staggers from crisis to crisis not listening, not seeing, not believing, not knowing how to respond in any situation. <br /><br />Something is rotten in the state of Britain.lenathehyenahttp://lenathehyena.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com