What Really Goes On Behind The Scenes?

When the recent attempted coup took place in Turkey there was a lot of anti American sentiment expressed, but now the USA is providing air cover for Turkish tanks crossing into Syria. Ostensibly they are there to attack IS, but we all know that President Erdogan's government really wants to attack the Kurds.

The Kurds have actually been very effective in combating IS and they are a distinct people with a distinct culture. Their rights have long been paid scant regard. The USA and the West choose to recognise the right of Israel to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people, the USA and the west chose to recognise the sovereignty of Kosovo, surely the Kurds, who have done as much to help us as to help themselves deserve a homeland too.

One wonders what goes on behind the scenes and it gets my goat that yet again politicians seem to do that which they see as expedient and not that which is plainly ethical and right.

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But What Do The People Think?

A member of the IOC has already said what a success the games in Rio were, which they were from a sporting perspective, despite half the Russians being disqualified for cheating before the get go and some dodgy judging decisions.
He suggests Africa soon. Did he not notice the empty seats, did he not hear the voices of people who couldn't afford to go, did he not see the protests from people living with open sewers and seeing their money spent on a one off event they had no interest in? At least not compared with a healthy environment for their kids.
Then there's the insult Brazil has thrown at disabled athletes who've trained just as hard and just as long as the able bodied, what is the IOC saying to them?
It would be great to see the games held in Africa, it would be even better to see everyone there have adequate clean sewers, healthy drinking water, a healthy diet, security and effective policing without corruption and access to education and healthcare. Learn the lesson from Rio, don't crow.

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Sports Mad Brazil

So the Team GB 4 x 400 metres relay team won their heat in the third fastest time but got disqualified. Footage of the race shows no infringement AND the organisers have not offered any explanation. This now allows the home team to advance, well they love their sport in Brazil - so long as you're not disabled. Whiff of corruption anyone?

Malcolm Snook is a writer and photographer.

Ever Thought the Government Is Out Of Touch?

The TV ads for the so called workplace pension have resumed. The same old message 'don't ignore the workplace pension', now it even features nannies or child minders, whose 'employer' could well be a working mum.

Yes, we need pension provision, yes Gordon Brown destroyed the pensions we all invested in years ago, yes there was a baby boom after the war and yes the economy is in chaos following the lunacy of Brexit.

BUT, there's a reason people are ignoring the 'workplace pension', because the government got it all wrong!

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Chilcot

Chilcot has told us in a scholarly and detailed way what we already knew, and some of us remember clearly. Weapons Inspectors were not finished when Blair and the Tories rushed headlong into line behind the Yanks. Yes we were appalled at 9/11, it doesn't mean two wrongs make a right, it doesn't mean that when America says jump we ask how high? The peaceful options had NOT been exhausted FACT,.

British troops had inadequate equipment, fact. I remember how one soldier was killed after lending his body armour to a comrade. DISGRACEFUL.

There wasn't a plan to win the peace. Obvious to us all by now. Al Qaeda weren't in Iraq till we opened the door, let alone IS. And by the way Bush Junior (never was an epithet more fitting) gave the so called rebuilding to his buddies to profit from, stripping the job from the more experienced State department. A fine friend eh Tony.

I'm not knocking Chilcot, just saying we knew it really. Chilcot stops short of calling for Blair to be prosecuted, but the one really good thing to come from his report is that never again can a British Prime Minister afford to be so blind, so stupid, so arrogant as Tony Blair, because they will be scrutinised and may be prosecuted.

The 'special relationship' just got a little thinner and if Trump gets in (not that Hilary's so great either) then thank goodness for that.

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Worth The Cost

Whether Chilcot clears Blair of criminal intent or action he still ignored all the protests, cost 179 British service men and women their lives and spent ten billion pounds to bring about 150,000 Iraqi deaths and the chaos of IS terror. Would you have him as an after dinner speaker?

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End The Wild West

What will it take for America to learn that the free and easy availability of guns costs innocent lives. Last year there was more than one mass shooting per day in the USA, 173 I believe so far this year, so nothing has changed and it's only in the news because a terrible record has been broken, no doubt tomorrow or the next day someone will try to break that record.

I've heard some American interviewees saying the answer is more guns so they can shoot it out with the bad guys, heaven help anyone in a pram that's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm all for personal rights and personal responsibility but the wild west is history and they didn't have assault rifles back then either. It's not my country, but please end the carnage, most Americans I know are lovely, lovely people and I'd rather they stayed around. Whole.

Malcolm Snook