"The Evil Has Landed" - Or Was He Already Here?

The visit to the United States by Ahlmadinejad prompted the predictable outrage by the American public. Headlines in national papers had a field day with their attacks on the America's latest bogeyman. The New York Daily News, for example, chose the fear-inducing:

"The Evil Has Landed"

Patriotic, yet fear-mongering, the perfect news headline. However, when taking an objective view of recent events across the globe, it is hard to sympathise with the current US position in the Middle East, and particularly in relation to Iran.

The current obsession of the US administration has clearly been the so-called nuclear threat that Iran may provide in the near future. They base this assessment, they claim, on Iran's aggressive policies in the region. If we look beyond the knee-jerk reaction to guffaw loudly at this belief, it is not hard to expose this standpoint for the ludicrous claim that it so clearly is. Since the Iranian revolution of 1979, the Iranian government has only been involved in one armed conflict, the Iran-Iraq war. It is worth pointing out at this point that Iraq were the aggressors on that occasion, supported by many Western powers as well as various Communist nations and Arab allies. The war itself was particularly costly for Iran. There were an estimated 1 million casualties on the Iranian side, a huge of chunk of which were killed due to the use of those infamous 'weapons of mass destruction'. The use of chemical weapons, with the tacit support of the West (including the US) led to the deaths of over 100,000 Iranians. As usual, the US tried their best to render the United Nations utterly useless. On 21 March 1986, the United Nations Security Council made a declaration stating that:

"members are profoundly concerned by the unanimous conclusion of the specialists that chemical weapons on many occasions have been used by Iraqi forces against Iranian troops and the members of the Council strongly condemn this continued use of chemical weapons in clear violation of the Geneva Protocol of 1925 which prohibits the use in war of chemical weapons."

The United States was the only member who voted against the issuance of this statement. The US refused to condemn the use of weapons of mass destruction on the Iranian civilian population, a refusal that caused much anger across Iran. Iran thus became one of the biggest victims to the use of these forms of weaponry in history.

This really highlights the hypocrisy of the current US position. Iran is apparently a threat and a danger to the world. However, they have only been the victims in any conflict, not the aggressors (they have never invaded a neighbour, despite the fact that many Arab nations backed Iraq in the long running war). Not only have they never been aggressors, they have also been the victim to one of the most horrendous examples of mass civilian casualties in history. Now, backers of Bush will claim that although Iran hasn't invaded her neighbours, she has been involved in covert action across the Middle East. This may well be the case, but hasn't the US been guilty of the same. Didn't the US government attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government in Venezuela in 2002? Hasn't American history throughout the post-war period been characterised by interference in other countries' affairs? Of course. Yet when it is the US they are benevolent, and when it is a foreign nation with a competing ideology they are malevolent and evil. Again, taking an objective view, wouldn't it be fair to say that when using Iran as a yardstick, the US government also appears to be a malevolent entity in global affairs? Bush alone has overseen two bloody wars of aggression (not to mention the failed coup attempts). What wars have the Iranians instigated in the past seven years?

Now, I am no defender of Iran (I am an atheist and therefore cannot support any state built on religious grounds) and I find some of Ahlmadinejad's statements a little unsavoury to say the least (note his comments about homosexuality in Iran at the recent college debate). However, I see no evidence that he is any more 'evil' than George W Bush (who hasn't exactly been noted for his liberal social views either). Perhaps before lobbing venom at the President of Iran, American people should look a little closer to home to see an establishment that is all to eager to utilise weapons of mass destruction, or encourage its use by proxies. After all, sixty-two years after the end of the war, only one nation has taken full advantage of its abilities to launch weapons of mass destruction and it's not Iran.

Cottage Given Two Years

With thanks to 5cc in comments:

A former British National Party (BNP) candidate who stored a collection of explosive chemicals at his home has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Robert Cottage, 49, of Talbot Street, in Colne, Lancashire, had pleaded guilty to possessing the chemicals.

Police found the stockpile at his home, which he had been hoarding in anticipation of a civil war.

Cottage was cleared after two trials at Manchester Crown Court of conspiracy to cause explosions.

He has already served more than 10 months in jail and is likely to be free within six months.
[BBC]

Six months?? Remember that the next time a Muslim house is raided for 'chemical explosives'.

Quite Possibly The Worst Excuse In The History Of The World.....Ever.

A BOMB plot accused claimed chemicals he bought from the internet were for cleaning false teeth and unblocking drains — not making explosives.

Ex-BNP candidate Robert Cottage and former Grange dentist David Jackson stand accused of conspiring to cause explosions intended to endanger life.

School bus driver Cottage, 49, of Colne, Lancashire, told Manchester Crown Court yesterday he thought some of the other chemicals could be used to protect him from bird flu and purify water if supplies were cut off during civil unrest — two of his greatest fears.

Under cross-examination, Cottage said it was a coincidence he had bought a batch of chemicals just days after printing off recipes for explosive devices from the internet.

He told prosecutor Louise Blackwell QC he downloaded the Anarchist Cookbook and then printed off sections out of “idle curiosity”. He could not explain why he had detailed instructions for making a Molotov cocktail, a pipe hand grenade and dynamite.

[North West Evening Mail]

It all seems so plausible......

Right-Wing Community Not Doing Enough To Distance Themselves From Terrorists

Slowly, but surely, the mainstream media are catching up on the story that has been buried under an avalanche of Islamophobia. From The Guardian's website:

Two British National party members plotted to make bombs in readiness for a "civil war between races", a court was told yesterday.

A former candidate for the party stashed boxes of chemicals at his home after buying them online at the instruction of a local dentist and fellow BNP member, jurors at Manchester crown court heard.

However, the hoard amassed by Robert Cottage, 49, of Colne, Lancashire, came to light when his wife told her social worker she was scared that Cottage and 62-year-old David Jackson were planning to test chemical weapons in the local countryside.

"He had just lost the plot - he just started acting really strange," Kerena Cottage, 29, told the court via videolink. "What he was saying - it sounded to me as if he was delusional."

Prosecutor Louise Blackwell QC told the jury Cottage had emailed orders for the chemicals, which could be combined to make crude bombs, in September 2006.

Four months earlier, he had tried to win a seat on Colne council for the second time.

Ms Cottage said her husband had been very enthusiastic in the BNP, rising through the party's ranks during three years as a member and becoming a friend of its leader, Nick Griffin.

From Pendle Today:

A FORMER British National Party election candidate and friend of party leader Nick Griffin plotted to make bombs as he predicted a civil war between Asians and white people, a court heard.

The wife of Robert Cottage (49) said her husband's involvement with the BNP had made him "really radical" and destroyed their marriage. "He just lost the plot, he started acting really strange," Kerena Cottage (29) told a jury at Manchester Crown Court.

She said: "He thinks there's a war going to happen with the culture, the Asian culture and the white culture and Tony Blair and President Bush are scheming against people."

Cottage was anti-immigration and "didn't like" other cultures, she said. He believed the Government needed to get a tighter grip on the influx of foreigners if civil war was to be avoided.

Under cross-examination Mrs Cottage said Jackson did not agree a civil war was imminent. The court heard a wooden target bow and a nuclear protection suit were found at his house.

And yet, those that sympathise with some of the views held here ('clash of civilisations' ring any bells here???), are strangely quiet. Why aren't they distancing themselves from these people?? Why don't they speak out about the crimes being committed? After all, they would expect the same from the Muslim community, would they not?

Terrorism - It's In The Eye of the Beholder

From The Telegraph:

Obviously, all Muslims should not be branded as potential terrorists, but, for present purposes, all terrorists are likely to be Muslims.

TWO Pendle men have appeared before Pennine magistrates accused of having "a master plan" after what is believed to be a record haul of chemicals used in making home-made bombs was found in Colne.

Mrs Christiana Buchanan, who appeared for the prosecution in Jackson's case, alleged the pair had "some kind of masterplan".She said a search of Jackson's home had uncovered rocket launchers, chemicals, BNP literature and a nuclear biological suit. (Pendle Today)

White, Christian Terrorists - The Double Standard

While the country's media is focused on the terrorist threat posed by so-called 'Islamists', a trial is currently in progress relating to another planned terrorist attack. This story, however, is unlikely to hit the front pages in quite the same way as an possible trial of those suspected of the latest attempts to cause disruption in the UK. The reason? One of the protagonists is a white, middle-aged Christian.

You may remember sometime ago that a story broke about a Robert Cottage. Cottage was found to have the largest haul of chemical explosives ever found in the UK. According to Pendle Today,

.....a search of Jackson's home had uncovered rocket launchers, chemicals, BNP literature and a nuclear biological suit.

And yet, there was a noticeable silence from the mainstream media. So much so, that myself and several other bloggers were moved to write to various outlets (including the BBC) asking why they did not cover the story. In fact, you can read their reply to me query here. To be fair to the BBC, although they gave a pretty poor response, they did cover the court case first time around. As the trial recommences, the media's silence is once more noticeable.

Whilst commentators like Melanie Phillips witter on about 'a major escalation of the Islamist war being waged against us,' another terrorist threat goes unnoticed. Whilst they are happy to stand up to the 'evils' of 'Islamism', they do not have the courage to speak out against a growing tide of Christian extremism. According to the ongoing trial, Cottage

became "radical" in his religious and political views.

The Burnley Citizen, practically the only newspaper to cover the story, reported the prosecutor as claiming:

"
"He became more religious and controlling of [his wife].

"He removed the aerial from the television so she couldn't watch what he described as the brainwashing material being put out by the government."

She also argued that:

"At the start of the relationship [with his wife Kerena] all was well but it degenerated.

"Robert Cottage met a member of the BNP and both he and Kerena joined the organisation.

"Kerena says some times they would go to meetings very regularly, at which times she described his attitude as radical.

"He stood on two occasions for the local elections and wasn't selected.

"Through his membership he met his co-defendant, who wasn't a member but attended

meetings.

"Kerena Cottage describes her husband beginning to discuss Asian and white cultures and began listening to what she considered radical radio broadcasts over the internet."

A radical, religious agenda supported by explosives? Sounds familiar, doesn't it? And yet, while the focus remains on the easy target of 'Islamists', Christian fundamentalism lurks in the shadows ready to take advantage of the current climate. It has already had its successes in the United States, now it wants to start winning victories in the UK. Neal Horsley, a man behind various terrorist attacks on abortion clinics in America, has already inspired fundamentalists in this country to take up his cause. How long before we have a Prime Minister so eager to invoke evangelical sentiments? Not long if the media continues to turn a blind eye to Christian fundamentalism. Where are the commentators of courage who are prepared to stand up to this rising tide of 'Christianists'? All I see before me are those prepared to act as appeasers and foot soldiers for the Christofascists. The current situation reminds me of a comment made by Glenn Beck:

"There is a double standard in the world today. Treat Christians one way, but heaven help you if you try that with anybody else's religion."

It would certainly appear that Christians are treated in a very different way. Whilst Muslims that are accused of plotting terrorist attacks are all over the front pages, a Christian fundamentalist accused of wanting to assassinate the Prime Minister and of storing the largest amount of chemical explosives ever discovered in the UK, warrants barely a mention.

We Don't Need No Education (Unless it involves chemical warfare.....)

After the largest discovery of chemical explosives ever found in this country, David Jackson's defence council has a perverse sense of modern-day education:

Mr Nuttall added that Jackson showed an enthusiasm for chemistry "that we would wish a teacher at our children's schools to have."

Although perhaps they wouldn't want a teacher to have quite such an 'enthusiasm' for

a nuclear protection suit, air rifles, crosssbows, petrol, gas canisters and recipes' from The Anarchist Cookbook which detailed how to make petrol bombs and grenades.

Just guessing.