Talking Iran
ON THURSDAY, I joined the Spiked podcast to discuss the Iran war, digital ID, the attack on trial by jury, and the introduction of a new ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ speech code.
The episode can be viewed below.
A reminder that you can follow me on ‘X’: @PaulEmbery
That was an interesting discussion and thanks for posting it up Paul.
1. I thought you were spot on in your criticism of Trump's war on Iran and it was odd hearing the other man saying how 'the left supports the regime' when you were clearly saying that you are on the left, that you oppose the regime and that you want it overthrown - but crucially that it needs to be overthrown by the Iranian people and not by external war.
Surely the best help we can give Iranian people is to provide serious material support to the oppositionists to assist them in their own struggle. Not bomb them.
2. Reducing trial by jury is a terrible idea and I strongly agreed with everyone in their criticisms on that subject.
David Lammy seems to be arguing that reducing the right to trial by jury is primarily to tackled the backlog of cases. But if our law courts are facing a backlog of cases then the answer is to resource the legal system better. We wouldn't close down the NHS because of waiting lists would we? He does seem and extremely ignorant man, making a foolish argument.
3. Digital ID is a horrible prospect and will only benefit the big companies who will provide the tech for it. (And of course those who will be getting kickbacks from those companies.
It will not impact on illegal migration - it will actually help the people who run these illegal migration rackets as they have IT skills and will easily be able to fake digital IDs. By contrast, law-abiding citizens who struggle with tech will lose out.
If we are serious about stopping the small boat people-trafficking, the only serious way to do this is by deploying the Royal Navy to track, intercept and seize the vessels and return the passengers to their shore of departure. Not with cruelty, but being firm but fair.
4. On the Islamophobia regulations, again, I agree with what was said in the discussion. There are already laws against those who would discriminate or stir up hatred on grounds of religion, so there is no need for these regulations at all. Yes the regulations will stifle free speech and will seem like a blasphemy law.
Meanwhile, our government could be (and should be) focussing efforts on rebuilding our manufacturing sector, building houses, renewing our infrastructure, teaching trade skills to our youngsters...etc...
Yes all very interesting, however, how old were you in 1987 Paul? Personally I was 17 and in Sept of 1987 I sailed onbard HMS Brazen from Plymouth (Guz) on my first active deployment, where too? Gulf of Oman (GOO), why, because the fanatical regime of Iran was blowing up tankers, oil rigs threatening shipping and all nations interests going through the Straits. I saw them, rigs and ships burnt out, ones on fire, missile holes in their sides. I went there just after the USS Stark was hit, only person to see the missile launch, the Starboard missile sight operator my job at the time, the same. The Straits, every inch of sea covered by Silkworm missile sites, google them also, ship killers. At 17 when you hear the warning alarms that your ship has just been target acquired by those sites you near shit yourself. Especially when a messmate got sunk on HMS Antelope during the falklamnds conflict, at the same age as you!
Those patrols were called Armilla, people can google them if they like. Not old enough to vote or drink, legally, but die because of Islamist nutters. So what is happening now is not new. the only difference we had ships with air defence capability to conduct escort duties round the clock 12 months a year. 3 were in theatre at any one time from around 1984 to 95 ish.
You say this war is ill thought out. So the Iraq War which was a blatant like that claimed many of our troops lives, not least of all becasue they were sent to war with crap equipment, was just? That was the branchild of Blair. Afghan, intially to get Osama, lasted 20 odd years, how many deaths? Yet here we are 2 weeks in and already certain quarters are desperate to see the US and Israel fail.
As for legallity, every conflict zone I have ever been in in my 30 years Royal Navy career was because of Islamist nutters, not Christians, Hindus, Buddhist, Islamist. Iran has funded global terrorism from Africa, every kept quiet about the genocide in Sudan and other places, Boko Haram, Cape Horm Pirates, yup I've chased them also. Literally across the globe where Islamist have conducted terroism the regime in Iran has been at it's core. Attacks across Europe including the Manchester arena and heres people protesting in support of Iran in Westminster, sick!
People need to understand that the US and Iran have been at war since the late 70's, this isn't new. Either by proxies or direct, bombing the French and US bases in Beirut, USS Cole and Stark. So is this war legal, absolutely yes. As for the rule of law when did Iran ever apply that? Did they when they opened fire on their own people!
Now we get onto that coward Starmer, the fact that we don't have any capability to assist in the GOO helps him out. But it also shows how weak we have become, Russia China and North Korea must be pissing themselves. Too ready to crty legaility instead of backing our best strongest longest and closest allies. Utter traitor! To busy currying favour with his Muslim Brotherhood backers to do what is right for this country.
What people should be more concerned with is what has happened to this country, especially in the last 18 months, what was it he said recently, "Muslims are the face of modern Britain", Tells you all you need to know about where this country is heading. The man is a coward, not where his Ukranian rent boys are concerned, that went very quiet very very quickly!
Anyone wants to really see the state of our military, take a dockyard tour boat of Pompey dockyard, that and Guz used to be packed with warships, including those out on deployments lieterally around the world. Both are now ghost towns! We can't even defend our own shores from the 5th column coming in weekly by dinghy, although that is Gov aided!