When I was a youngster, there were a lot of cowboy films. Cowboys and the US Cavalry fought and killed Indians, sheriffs gathered posses and pursued bad guys. With the occasional exception of a film like 3.10 to Yuma, the old Western movies didn’t go in for court cases much. The normal climax was where the sheriff or good guy confronted the bad guy and filled him full of lead. And we cheered.
I thought of this last night as I watched a tape of Thursday night’s Question Time, with David Dimbleby in the chair. A constant assertion from the programme’s panel and audience was that the people of France and the West generally must defend the democratic system of free speech from the brutality of what happened at the Charlie Hebdo offices. They want us to react like them and we must resist that. That was before yesterday’s bloody finale.
All of which prompts questions to which I don’t have the answer but which are worth asking.
1. What possessed one of the gunmen who killed twelve journalists, that he brought his ID card with him? Not just that, but that he dropped it at the scene of the crime?
2. Having been firebombed not that long ago, the Charlie Hebdo people would have been very security conscious. How then did the gunmen get into the building, which presumably had protective coding as you moved from one area to another? How was it that the gunmen were able to burst in on an editorial meeting despite this and other security?
2. Could the French police – or the French version of the SAS – have captured any of the gunmen so they could be put on trial for their actions? Perhaps it was impossible. But one hostage was freed so maybe it was possible. As in the old cowboy movies, was this a response by the French police/SAS to the killing of three policemen over the past few days: you kill ours and we’ll kill you.
3. As I mentioned above, much was made on Question Time of the need to maintain the standards of democracy against these killers. Yet there are few who can have doubted that, if located, the killers would themselves be killed. However heinous the crime, capital punishment has been outlawed in most Western countries, including France (but not the USA). Summary execution runs counter to Western democratic values.
4. Will the conclusion of this bloody debacle make it less likely that Islamic extremists will want to mount attacks on the West (including, incidentally, Ireland, for its support of US rendition flights at Shannon)? Or will it make such attacks more likely?
5. Finally, why have so few commentators given the back story of this obscene affair? It was left to Islamic extremists to provide it. That is, Western forces in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, in Iraq and probably a few other countries are bombing and killing men, women and children on an almost daily basis. Because we don’t hear much about it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. If that back story is provided, the motivation of the Paris killers becomes a lot clearer: you butcher our people, we’ll butcher yours. Primitive in the extreme but not too hard to understand.
Jude,
I wonder if the attacks had occurred here in Ireland if you would be so balanced in your understanding of primitive violence? The Irish Republic and / or Northern Ireland as constitutionally within the UK are part of the ‘Western’ world, indeed our politicians (North and South) love getting together with the powerful ‘elite’ who head Western democracy, and rubbing shoulders. They wallow in the fragrance of the Capitalist Aristocracy. Little Ireland plays an active part, usually through it’s non condemnation, in these resource & control wars.
I guess what I’m saying is that the 2 gunmen (who where French) and not raised in some developing country occupied by foreign powers used religious dogma combined with age old political (Jihad) propaganda to justify the murder of innocent civilians. Civilians who shouldn’t have to hide behind security because they practice an Art or in the later incident (by copycats) civilians who where simply buying food. The murders are wrong, completely self defeating for Islam or the Muslim peoples and the murderers should be, rightly, ostracized for killing innocents.
I only hope and pray that our small Island never faces the aggression of Islamic western-phobes who would have no hesitation in killing you or I because we value democratic freedom.
I find it hard to disagree with anything you say, Glenn. I gather the gunmen who attacked Charlie Hebdo offices were French-speaking and presumably French; but that doesn’t mean they can’t be motivated by the slaughter they see in countries with which they have links. Think Irish-Americans, although the parallel isn’t exact I know. I’m simply saying we’re fools to air-brush out the background motivation of these people and denounce it as a barbaric act by psychopaths. We had enough of that here and it did us little good.
There was no chance of those people being taken alive.
If they were guilty did they deserve anything less?
If?
Isn’t the right to a fair trial one of the basic rights of our Western “Democracy”.
But in these cases it seems that Democracy must do what needs to be done not what should be done.
On your last point, no one had any justification for killing innocent unarmed people.
Sam – how do you know there was ‘no chance of those people being taken alive’? What are the sources of your information”
‘If they were guilty did they deserve anything less?’ If you believe in democracy – and I’m assuming you do – they deserved a fair trial, not summary execution without a trial – as you yourself concede. Only then you add ‘But in these cases it seems that Democracy must do what needs to be done not what should be done.’ What’s that supposed to mean? That a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do? This isn’t a John Wayne film.
On your last point I’m in total agreement and I hope I didn’t suggest anything to the contrary. I’m against butchery. All butchery.
Jude
You can put the conspiracy theories away, al qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
So no, the French police did not execute 17 of their own citizens and plant evidence pointing at Muslims, all so they could demand more resources as the fanciful Wolfe Tone has suggested.
Well if you disagree with Wolfe Tone, direct your remarks to him, gio. I did not offer what you call ‘conspiracy theories’ (btw, why is it that any alternative to the official one is consigned to a ‘conspiracy theory’ – i.e., bonkers?). I asked a number of questions about what happened. If anyone should know, we should know that the state is perfectly capable of lying to its citizens. I don’t know if you remember official accounts post- Bloody Sunday but I do. I’m not saying this wasn’t an al qaeda attack – I’m asking for explanations of odd features in the attack. Should I not do that? Or should I sit quietly and accept everything I’m told by the authorities?
Gio, Al Qaeda has claimed the attack you say? The same group the CIA created?? Brilliant.
Maybe these bungling idiots also had the good luck to run into the same armed response unit that managed not to kill those other two fanatics that killed your man Rigby in England? These highly trained armed response cops managed not to use the ‘inverted t’ method they are trained to dispatch when confronted by armed gunmen even when the two idiots were shooting at them! No,all the cops managed to do was shoot the gun out of their hand lol. Wow another two lucky jihadis it seems. Mark Duggan never had that good luck unfortunately.
If you know any armed response police officers; ), you can perhaps ask them would they have shown such restraint if they were in a position of a gunman running at them and firing a gun? If you don’t know any, cough, you can ask william fay if he knows of any?
Alas just like the Rigby fiasco the Paris fiasco has managed to foment hatred for all things Islamic and that is just dandy in the corridors of power in britland and other European States. In fact it is almost a welcome distraction for these corrupt European States as it takes focus away from their greedy and vile policies they inflict on their own people be it austerity or sex with kids. Ruling by fooling? Slan.
Wolfe
I am simply pointing out that as Al Qaeda claimed the attack it seems like a moot point to wonder about the leaving of the ID card. Rather than being planted as part of a false flag operation it seems quite clear it was simply left behind either by accident or as a calling card.
And if you are suggesting that Al Qaeda is currently controlled by the CIA well who knows you might be right. Is there any evidence? That is all I ask for.
Glenn, as I recently learned and thought you should know:
French police said the two men were of “Algerian origin”. The Algerian war for independence, in which perhaps a million and a half Arab Muslims and many thousands of French men and women died, remains an unending and unresolved agony for both peoples. Just over half a century ago, it almost started a French civil war.
Maybe all newspaper and television reports should carry a “history corner”, a little reminder that nothing – absolutely zilch – happens without a past. Always it’s the “who” and the “how” – but rarely the “why”
Jude
What then is the relevance of your question about the ID card? He either dropped it through his own carelessness or it was planted by someone else presumably to leave evidence of who did this.As al qaeda have claimed responsibility there is no reason that I can see to suspect anything other than carelessness.
As it is the first question on your list you must think it significant. Is there some other scenario you want to offer?
You’ll really have to pay attention, gio, or you’ll find yourself in the lower class…I haven’t offered alternative scenarios – I leave that to superior minds ( e.g, yours). I simply find it AMAZING that guys who were trying to hide their identity and who were by everyone judged highly professional should leave an ID card behind them…I mean really. What this signifies I don’t know but it smells funny.
Jude
Pay attention yourself! I’m asking you is there another scenario in your mind
Occam’s razor seems apt here. The attack has been claimed, the perpetrators were known to the authorities. They would have expected,indeed probably wanted, their identities to be made known after the event, so the leaving of the ID card seems irrelevant.
What is funny about it? What could it mean?
As for you not proffering any alternative scenarios, I quote;
“the thought has just struck me – cui bono? Who gains by these killings? The right-wing, anti-Islam constituency of Le Pen. The attackers spoke with French accents. Could it be…? It’s conceivable.”
Fair enough, gio – I concede that you’re right – I have offered a possible alternative. It still is possible. We’re told al qaeda have claimed the attack. That may be so. It’s also conceivable they didn’t – governments often bend information to suit their causes. It’s also true that whoever carried out the attack, the Le Pen way of thinking about Muslims got a great boost when those unfortunate journalists were slaughtered. I reserve the right to doubt; I’ll hand you the comfort of certainty.
Jude
I have no certainties. I just want to see a rational argument put forward based on evidence.
So possibly someone kidnapped the 2 Kouachi brothers, tortured them to find the exact details of their plan, carried out their plan, in the process planting an ID card, then staged a chase and shootout in which the brothers were supposedly killed after having supposedly spoken to the media. At some point the bodies of the real brothers were presumably placed in the building to be found when the security forces entered.
The deception was so well carried out that Al Qaeda themselves believed it was the 2 brothers all along carrying out their plan.
I guess that is what happened alright. There is no other feasible explanation.
Though if this someone had just let the brothers do it all themselves as they had planned, it would have been simpler I think.
Good points Brónach
For the less enlightened who are somtimes to be found accidentally grazing in Jude’s parish here is some food for thought from the excellent website “Information Clearing House” which is always worth a look at before automatically following the MSM “line ” on any issue-
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40651.htm
Its often been said that the best way to reduce such attacks is to reduce the millions of deaths caused by the “west”.
Here is some more-
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40647.htm
Thanks for your time.
Keep up the good work Jude. GRMA
D
Dickens,
Although I can see where you are coming from, upon reading the article in “Information Clearing House” by “Saker” I was quite disgusted by his comments:-
“The folks at Charlie Hebdo had it coming to them”
The author gives the impression of being some type of left wing intellect but in truth his comment shows he is no better than those he proports to criticise for supporting the deaths of civilians in places like Syria, Iraq, Afganistan and Ukraine.
It is people like Saker who undermine the cause of free thinkers who are brave enough to stand up against and challenge the accepted narrative from Neo-Liberals.
Justifying the deaths of others because they criticised a concept held dear by others is the akin to Facism!
It would be a good time to remember, Jude ,that the old cowboy films are and were always a storyteller’s illusion. The Old Wild West was never how it was portrayed by Hollywood film makers. They used to call them “oaters” or “oat operas” and they were just that … costume dramas with horses .The very “cowboy” costume of the low- hung gun and the classy stetson was all make-believe , cobbled together by costumiers. Good guys /white hats …bad guys/black hats. Even the Red Indians were faked . Gunfights in reality are not very dramatic affairs of the quick draw. They were random , fumbling affairs when the the guy who could fire off an accurate round , calmly usually won . In the Old West you were more likely to die of disease or malnutrition in any case.
As for the murderous attack on these journalists and cartoonists . ..It doesn’t take a lot of bravery to shoot down a group of unarmed people when you’ve got an automatic weapon and your opponent is holding a pencil. Whether the two killers thought they’d get away with this attack is one to ponder.Realistically , in their agenda they wanted their names known to one and all so that they’d appear somehow “heroic” and as martyrs to some illusory belief . The identity cards were probably dropped on purpose. Why they didn’t commit suiciide right there is the mystery. Did they have a change of heart and want to get away? They certainly didn’t seem to have an escape plan in place that made any sense.Maybe they were’t that bright and had conflicted ideas. They mightn’t have considered that escape would be difficult.
They’re dead and gone now ,anyway , but what what could anyone do in terms of security against killers like that. If a crazy, motivated person wants to kill someone, they’ll find a way.The brutal truth is that their dead bodies will be buried here on planet earth and their atoms will gradually break back down into the ground and the atmosphere and eventually drift towards the sea. They ain’t going anywhere else.Micro-particles of them might fall as rain sometime in a later century. They’ll just be a small historical footnote in history.
I think the whole thing was a pointless exercise.It’s the kind of thing that could happen at any time if the lunatic asylums were uncorked and some of the inmates had access to high -powered weaponry. It’s really not much different.You have to remember that not everyone wants to kill.It’s always a minority who take up guns with the notion they can solve a problem. Why are these killers any different from the lone gunmen who attack schools because they have been slighted by a girl .
Finally… in a hostage situation ..all bets are usually off as far as Capital Punishment is concerned . That’s a unique situation where the hostage’s safety is paramount and any action to ensure that safety will be used . There’ll be no pussy-footing there because it’s usually clear and certain that it may be the only option. It’s one of those situations where there is a suspension of rights , if you like.You just have to take your chances because ther’ll be precious little sympathy involved.
The chances of your questions being answered, Esteemed Blogmeister, in the Free Southern Stateen organs of opinion are roughly the same as those of Elvis Presley’s plectrum picking out a toon from the ornamental guitar on the gate of Gracelands, Memphis, Tn.
Which is, ca va sans dire, no relation of Memphis, Egypt,
One question, however, not unrelated to the topics you raise, need not remain unanswered. To wit: why was the Foreign Minister of the FSS not present in person at the French Ambassador’s Residence during the week.?
Pourquoi?
The answer is simple: Charles Flanagan (for it is he !) has put his ‘Je suis Charlie’ days behind him, firmly. As behoves one who now moves in the exalted groves of La Vie Diplomatique his current carnation-wearing incarnation wishes to be addressed in tones both pin-striped and formal: thus, son Carte d’Indentite se lit: ‘Je suis Le Grand Charles’.
His place on the lawn at 36 Ailesbury Road was amply filled by no mere gawm, but by An Yawnaiste herself,no less. Now, though the soporific contralto of same normally achieves an effect the polar opposite of ‘Nessun Dorma’ nonetheless such was the solemn solidarity of the occasion that none of those assembled are reported to have nodded off.
Given the address that was in it, Free Southern Stateen is not, perhaps, le mot juste. Au contraire, the Republic of Irony / La Republique d’Ironie might be le tad more appropriate.
For those, unlike Le Warbeck, who are not au fait with L’Avenue du Ailesbury perhaps un mot or two of l’explanation are necessaire.
This leafy road in Dublin 4 is not exactly unknown for Le Snobbism, replete as it is with the residences of the Sons of the Profit and other Embassies of the Kingdoms of Dosh. .(Tell Perkie’s inner mott, aka Posh, about it).
Which is not to say that this shadow-dappled road of leafy Dublin 4 is the stamping ground of the Sons of the Profit solely. Cue the entry of irony into the soul of L’Avenue du Ailesbury a ce moment.
For, on the 4th day of November, in 19 and 22, who happened to be in unlawful residence on the road only – mon Dieu ! ….none other than the Sons of the Prophet themselves.
And the residence being used as a ‘safe house’ none other than – Sacre Coeur ! – Number 36 itself. And the caliph of this die-hard cell ? Ernie ‘Ali” O’Malley, lui meme.
This caused an entirely regrettable raid on this residence by the lawful forces of the FSS and resulted in a shoot out which involved the shedding of blood and the discovery of a cache of Republican weaponry (lethal) in the de rigeur back-garden shed. Craftily concealed among the finger tools (green), the flower pots, cans of insecticide, hoes, secateurs, wellingtons (green) and a stack of back numbers of ‘Country Life’.
It is all to be read about in the book which Ernie ‘Ali’ O’Malley subsequently wrote about his experiences as a die-hadist dedicated to the destruction of the Free Southern Stateen. Titled ‘The Singeing Flame’. The adjective being related to ‘singe’ rather than ‘sing’. (A darling world ‘singeing’, Joxer).
All of which back-story has led An Yawnaiste to be outrageously lampooned for her attendance at this safe-house manque. Perkie, naturellement, is not numbered amongst that carping lot of charicaturists. .
For he knows that as An Yawnaiste is a trained accountant, with all the charisma of a cash register, she can scarcely be expected to have heard about the nuances of nationalism, which is nasty, brutish and above all, innumerate.
Yes, the IRA, nouveau et ancien, are numbered among the Sons of the Prophet. Sir Oracle, aka The Unionist Times says so, and so, let no infidel dogs bark.
In a touching, tear-shirking piece in that organ of record their staff cartoonist, Martyn Turner, namechecked both Muslim extremists and the IRA, cheek by jowl. Curiously, D.A.M.,( the Dublin and Monaghan bombers) were not damned or even tarred with the same brush. That this momentary lapse in concentration might be down to M. Turner’s place of birth and upbringing is neither here, there or anywhere..
Come to think of it January is a good month for Englishmen name of Turner in Dublin, FSS. An other water-colourist, with the initials JMW has his annual exhibiiton at the,yes, National Gallery on Merrion Square. (The M stands for Mallord, m’lud). One good T deserves,etc
By way of conclusion, Esteemed Blogmeister, you should not be too sanguine re your chances of your q. being answered south of Le Dyke du Cochon Noir.
Least of all in The Unionist Times. Space considerations, for starters. Did one mention that a former Military Attache of TUT, Brigadier K. Myers of the Leicester Rifles (or the Leicester Jesters ,as they were known, for they always went into battle with a quip on their lips) has his trenchant tome ‘The Great War of the Irish’ serialisted at, erm, great length today.
That would have been the Donkey Derby 14-18 under whose hooray henry hooves countless thousands of towel-heads and other unmentionables were trampled.
And not
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No.
Brónach,
Socio-economic-political history can, off course, always play a motivating factor in any act of violence: that always cuts all ways. 1 persons freedom fighter is another persons terrorist; 1 persons oppressor is another person’s liberator or protector.
Al-Qaeda have claimed this attack – pre planned and orchestrated to create terror and suffering.
Recently a radical Muslim cleric was calling on Ireland to be targeted. He was alleging that al-Qaeda should attack Ireland because we have civil aviation links with the USA and Shannon is used by the USA for refueling. The radical cleric stated “..the Irish are provoking and poking and prodding the Muslim community and insulting the thing which they hold dearest to them, which is the prophet Mohammed, knowing that full well that in Islam this carries capital punishment.reason in that we permit…”
I don’t believe that anyone here (North or South) is provoking or poking the Muslim community anywhere. I don’t believe Irish Citizens should be butchered because of some historical context with Muslims or Islam and yet someone is calling on al-Qaeda to attack the innocent peoples of this Island?
As stated earlier, I hope and pray these Western-phobes filled with hate for the democratic freedoms we value (and take for granted) never come to these green shores to kill you or I.
Who are these “Western-phobes filled with hate for the democratic freedoms” you speak of? Or do you equate criticism with hatred? (Btw it’s ‘you or me’. Grammar is such a tyrant.)
Ha ha…it’s bringing the pedant in me out of the trick bag…It’s also “of course” and not “off course” , too, Jude …he’ll lose… {not loose }… another mark for that !!!
Apologies Jude for the poor grammar. I guess my grade B in NI GCE O’Level in English Language didn’t follow through to much use in adult mid-life.
The western-phobes I’d relate to are simply those extreme clerics (and followers) whose detestation of democratic freedoms make them call on the destruction of innocent people who value Western Democracy and the benefits it brings.
In the specific of the Muslim cleric calling on Ireland to be attacked by al-Qaeda, it was Anjem Choudary.
Sorry Glenn – the pedant in me occasionally is uncontrollable. Like you I don’t fancy having attacks occur in Ireland. However, Ireland has implicated itself by giving a green light to US troops and rendition flights through Shannon. That makes us complicit in the horrors of Guantanamo. You can see why the extremist Muslims might feel justified in visiting slaughter here too.
Rien ne pese tant que un secret.
A peaceful demonstration in Paris on 17 October 1961 ended with the deaths of demonstrators. It is not known how many individuals died with estimates ranging between 100 and 200. Many died when they were violently herded by police into the River Seine. Police officers involved in the attacks took the precaution of removing identification numbers from their uniforms.
On the 9 January 2015 the Senior Coroner was again unable to proceed with an inquest into the shooting of the Chairman of GAA Club Bellaghy in May 1997. The PSNI have ‘lost’ the relevant files. Quelle surprise.
When the state and its agents act outside the law, secrecy and denial contaminate the body politic. Repression and violence from whatever source undermine fundamental human rights at a cost to us all.
I am going to try to answer Jude`s questions, here goes…
1. Funny that, dropping your id card. Almost as weird as the 9-11 killer`s passport being found in the rubble of the twin towers.
2. Apologies if I am mistaken but did I read that the policemen guarding the offices were unarmed? Is that the case? If so that is bizarre in the extreme.
3.The Americans also made sure Osama Bin Laden did not go on trial, too embarrassing, too messy. Much better to rub these guys out.
4. More such attacks are, sadly, more likely.
5.The slaughter carried out on an industrial scale by western forces is ignored, and the military are worshipped. Help For Heroes, Poppy Days, Armed Forces Day, British military personnel carrying the FA Cup on to the pitch on Cup Final Day. The people who murdered the cartoonists differ from the people who send drones in that they are quite rightly condemned as religious fanatics whilst the pilots and sailors who send drones into weddings in Pakistan are praised. There are literally thousands of western youths who have been brain washed to join in these squalid little sectarian wars, they are to be found within the ranks of the British, American and indeed French armed forces.
AJ
Again on the ID card I don’t see the significance or what is weird about it.
We know who the killers were. They made a statement to the media. Al Qaeda in Yemen has claimed to be behind the attack.
Is there any doubt about their identity or their actions?
giordanobruno, it just seems strange that a fundamentalist jihadi killer would even bother to carry his id card with him. And the passport of one of the 9-11 killers being found in the rubble of the twin towers is a bit weird. I have no doubt about the hatred these people feel for the west, but some things don`t make sense.
I believe it is common to carry ID like this in Paris especially if you are from an ethnic minority. Perhaps if you are driving to the intended target you would not want to be stopped by the police and found to have no ID.
But again I have to say I don’t see the possible implications that Jude and others are hinting at, but no-one is able to spell out.
Surely there is no doubt about their ID or their actions, when Al Qaeda has claimed the attack?
Israel is furious with France a major European power, over it’s recognition of a Palestinian state. Now France is awash with islamophobia, how convenient.I bet they are laughing in TelAviv or maybe congratulating.
Dr C
First of all, yes EVERYTHING deserves questioning, otherwise you’ll just accept the offerings of opportunists, politicians and other such false prophets. A recent example for me (if I may) is that of the low oil price.
At first I accepted the ‘shit happens’ economics view.
Then someone suggested that it’s about Saudi Arabia wanting to strangle the relatively infantile shale-energy industry.
THEN a chap called George (from Georgia) told me that it was an American initiative designed to hurt Russia because of their efforts to remove the dollar from oil sales transactions in some countries.
Two different views of the same thing.
Now, with regards to yer own questions:
1/ “1. What possessed one of the gunmen who killed twelve journalists, that he brought his ID card with him? Not just that, but that he dropped it at the scene of the crime?”
He’s a man. Give a man a shopping list of 100 items and he’ll return with 99 of them. Give him two items to remember and he’ll recall one.
You’re addressing this from the perspective of “if I were a Jihadist I would do this, then that then the other”, you’re not accommodating the real life factors of people who find themselves in such situations.
Yes, the “Dummies guide to Fatwa” might state “We recommend a hearty (halal) breakfast before embarking on a jihad against the infidel and key to success is the removal of ID tags as Allah does not require such items”.
They might have been expecting more of a fight and ergo a ‘warrior’s death’ in which case an ID card would be an escalator to martyrdom.
Another aspect is human error, if you’ll forgive the indulgence I’d like to use the example of a deceased Scottish friend of mine:
Said deceased was patrolling near Derry in the early 70’s. His detachment passed over a concrete pipe stream that went under the road. This was a ‘redner’ moment as it was a well known Provo trick to stuff such culverts with explosives and send said fellow British citizens/forces of oppression to meet their maker.
After discovering said blunder they checked the culvert and found fertiliser bombs, command wire, a dark streak in the field that eventually led to a (plunged) detonator.
The detonator was and activated they traced the malfunction to formerly severed command wire that was ‘repaired’ in the form of a ‘bow’ knot (NOT an electrical connection).
The aforementioned dark line was upside down sod.
The Ra had obviously told some local eejit to bury wire under the sod.
They did not explain the necessity of returning the sod to it’s natural topography nor repairing the wire in a conductive fashion.
Ergo, no explosion, ergo my friend scaped unharmed (for a few months at least)
Never under estimate the human capacity for stupidity or thoughtlessness.
In fact, I’ll leave the other points for later, this one was rather long winded….
“A well known provo trick”.Are you related to Captain Mainwaring by any chance?
You have a point, it’s not an appropriate term and I don’t know if it was really a well known MO at all, I just retell the tale as he told it….
That’s the thing Am Ghob….some readers get hung up on some little flip aside that everyone else takes for granted ….re. the bombs in the culvert business…all that was a common occurrence, as we all know who listened and read the daily news….the little dark jokes and bits of foolishness by the various opponents is something you’ll only hear down in the pub , but they are the stories you remember….. it was the real kind of human , silly stuff that was happening. amid the mayhem…..right?
In relation to leaving the identity cards …there could be as many reasons as there are different personalities . He might have been a clumsy bugger , for example . He may have dropped them as a statement of finality.They may have just slipped out of his pocket when he fumbled for his fags.We’ll never know ….
michael c
Now what in heaven’s name is wrong with that comment from AG? Even I knew about that one and I’ve never been south of the Glenshane.
http://dissidentvoice.org/2015/01/je-suis-charlie/
A bit more in the Paris fiasco here.
A very well written, thought-provoking piece!
Pretzolligic, lighten up a bit. Captain Mainwaring often referred to “a dirty Nazi trick” that “our chaps” would never countenance !
michael c
I’m assuming that reply was addressed to me. Forgive me as I am a little stressed out.Think I need a few shots of poitin or something.