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Trump takes on Hamas

BBC News 6/3/25"Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas as US confirms direct hostage talks" 'US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a "last warning" to Hamas to release the hostages being held in Gaza."I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say," Trump said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.Hamas accused the US president of encouraging Israel to break the ceasefire deal currently in effect between the two sides.Trump's statement came just hours after the White House confirmed it was holding direct talks with Hamas over the remaining hostages.Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with the group, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with entities it lists as terrorist organisations.In his social media post, Trump said there would be "hell to pay" if the hostages were not released, while not specifying the nature of the support he was sending Israel."Release all of the hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," he added."For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance."He also appeared to issue a wider threat: "Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!"At last perhaps the force required to crush these terrorist killers and the destruction of their craven leadership not already hiding in exile.

John Hawkes ● 611d16 Comments ● 611d

Arab leaders approve $53bn alternative to Trump's Gaza plan

Previously I posted a report of Trump's plan turn Gaza into a holiday resort: away from being a base solely for Hamas Palestinian terrorists intent on annihilating Israel and its Jewish citizens.Though I commented it being somewhat fanciful I did feel that the concept was a good one for both civilising the area and providing meaningful employment for Gazans.An alternative to murder, kidnapping and digging tunnel repositories for arms and the corpses of its captives.I have also commented on the fact that near by Arab states with great wealth have kept their distance from the 'freedom fighting' of their Palestinian, Iranian and Syrian neighbours.And particularly had not offered to invest their wealth for the betterment of all. However, on BBC News today -'A $53bn (£41.4 billion) reconstruction plan to rival President Donald Trump's idea for the US to "take over Gaza" and move out more than two million Palestinians has been approved by Arab leaders at an emergency summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo."The Egypt plan is now an Arab plan," announced the secretary general of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the end of this hours-long gathering.Without referring specifically to President Trump's ideas, he underlined that "the Arab stance is to reject any displacement, whether it is voluntary or forced".Good news.An Arab solution to an Arab problem and no displacement of peace seeking Gazans.I wonder how Hamas will respond ?

John Hawkes ● 612d3 Comments ● 612d

Thought on a new world order ...

I've been pondering what Trump and Putin are up to and Steve Rosenberg (BBC's Russian correspondent) brought my ideas together - he proposed they want a "Yalta 2" to determine the future world order. Appears it's essentially what they're trying to do in Ukraine, and Trump is attempting for in Gaza. However, I can't see how they do this and not include Putin's far east ally, Xi, so tariffs and canal disputes with China don't fit. I guess North Korea and Israel would follow them for their own self interest? I guess the EU, UK, Saudis and others in the middle east would just be sidelined if they ignored the new order? Basically a new world order governed by oligarchs? But does alienating all your friends and neighbours help?A slight issue is there's a lot of internal backlash to many of Trump's internal moves inthe US; there's talk of withholding federal taxes because of the emasculation of some federal agencies - no taxation without representation ... would Trump risk internal conflict?There's another aspect to this; perhaps Trump really does hate war? I'm not sure criticising his miraculous bone spurs is altogether fair. Going back to that time, there was a strong anti Vietnam war movement in the US and elsewhere. (I was glad Wilson and others didn't involve the UK.) Aside from not wanting to get killed many didn't feel the US should be there for reasons of conscience - and eventually the US had to pull out. Perhaps, that's given him a particular viewpoint, although the Russian aggression against Ukraine doesn't seem comparable with the US in Vietnam? Mind you, my memory of those days is a little distant!Alternatively,  perhaps Trump's only plan is Buckingham all the world's wealth into his control and Russia's a useful vehicle for that?

Michael Ixer ● 613d7 Comments ● 612d

I Want My Country Back ~ Lee Anderson MP

I want my country back.Just sat on the train scribbling a few notes.Tell me what you think
'What exactly do you mean when you say you want your country back?' 
This is the question every wet, woke and weak left leaning liberal individual asks me. The response they want is based on the colour of a person's skin, their ethnicity, or their religion. These people are the race baiters who love nothing more than to describe anyone who does not agree with them as a 'racist.
So here are a few examples of what I mean.I remember a time when children went to school and were not told that they could be a different gender, or they may have to use a different toilet and they did not have to sit down and watch a drag queen reading them stories. If people had been told this would happen 30 years ago then they would have been told you that you were insane. Yet it has been happening under our watch.I want this nonsense to stop, let kids be kids and let them grow and develop as they have always done. Just because a little boy picks a doll up it doesn't mean he wants to be a girl and every girl that kicks a football does not want to be a boy.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Imagine telling people just 20 years ago that over 130,000 illegal migrants would cross the English Channel in three years and would be picked up by British boats then placed in 4-star hotels, given free legal advice, and then allowed to settle in our country. Then tell the same people from 20 years ago that over 90% of these arrivals would be voung men destined for a life of crime and and some would go on and murder and rape British citizens.Imagine telling them that the government of the day would pass three Acts of Parliament to try and stop these crossings, but the young men kept coming and coming.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Many people remember the 1970s when East German female shot-putters had to undergo a sex test to see if they were really females. Have no fear as sex tests are not needed these days. A six-foot 6 hairy arsed bloke can put on an ill-fitting wig, a charity shop dress, and a bit of lippy and enter sporting competitions alongside women. To make matters worse on his way home he can then nip into a lady's boutique and try on a pair of size 16 stilettos whilst sat in a lady's changing room.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Back in the 80s and 90s if you applied for a council house you would get the choice of three houses but nowadays you have literally no chance of even being considered for one, yet we are letting over 1 million people a year into this country. That's hundreds of thousands of people putting extra pressure on our public services and whilst decent hard-working Brits struggle to get a GP appointment, a dental appointment, a school place for their kids the politicians tell them that immigration makes us all better off.
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.
Back in the day if we had civil unrest on our streets, you could be rest assured that our boys in blue would be quickly on the scene to get stuck in so as decent folk could go about their daily business. Imagine telling folk on the picket lines of the 80s that in the future that a load of under nourished grey-haired vegans in their 60s could turn up in their Jesus sandals and bring London to a standstill whilst the Met police stood by and did nothing?
I want my country back and the country I am talking about would not tolerate this stupidity.Don't even start me on the pro-Palestinian marches.I want my country back.
WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK 

Sue Hammond ● 614d23 Comments ● 613d

Doubleplusgood Newspeak

"The Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee chair instructed GOP staff to refer to the West Bank by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria.The term is still used by Israel’s government to refer to territory of the West Bank along the Jordan River, claimed by both Israelis and the Palestinians. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), chair of the committee, wrote in a staff memo that all “formal correspondence, communication, and documentation” would refer to the territory of the West Bank as Judea and Samaria. The term is often used by Israel’s religious and political right to emphasize Israel’s claim over the territory. Mast said he was making the change to recognize the “inherent right of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland” and demonstrate the U.S.’s “unbreakable bond with Israel.”https://thehill.com/homenews/5165472-gop-house-committee-west-bank-name/"In the U.S., the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has officially updated “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.” As we announced two weeks ago and consistent with our longstanding practices, we've begun rolling out changes to reflect this update.10 Feb 2025""President Donald Trump appeared to make a U-turn on his opinion on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denying he ever called him a dictator.When asked about that comment, he told reporters in the Oval Office: 'Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question.'" (Daily Mail)"‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."" (1984)

David Ainsworth ● 613d0 Comments ● 613d