The Alaska Summit
Here we go again. It was supposed to be over in 24 hours from when Donald Trump became President. This was apparently a figure of speech. Nevertheless, Mr Trump could do with a win, as most of his initiatives both domestically and abroad have been inconclusive at best apart from India / Pakistan. But going into the summit next week there are certainly hurdles which appear to be insurmountable. The most obvious is what to do with the territory that Russia has already seized? Even more important is the position of both Zelensky and Putin. Both need to be able to walk away from the summit, not only with the heads held high, but with the prospect of keeping their heads. We know from most war situations, the main reason they continue, is because ending them would end the reign of the leaders involved. Even Churchill found this out. For instance, it is difficult to believe that Netanyahu has any exit strategy that allows him to stay in power should the Gaza situation be resolved once and for all.
In addition to the position of the chief protagonists, there is also the issue of all the politicians on the world stage attempting to add their penny’s worth. While he has little importance, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has demanded that there is a ceasefire before talks begin, something he told US Vice President Vance. Of course, if Trump has so far not been able to get the two side to down swords, it is very unlikely that Lammy will prevail. Other things that probably will not happen, because they have been suggested, are a “land swap” as suggested by the US. But again, it is difficult to see how Russia / Putin have any incentive for peace apart from cementing the land they have already gained.
The Epstein Conspiracy
Conspiracy theories have since the JFK assassination become one of the more ghoulish spectator sports / hobbies with people with time on their hands. At the same time for journalists their constant re-surfacing tends to provide a bankable and consistent source of copy during the quieter times of the year.
This year the summer silly season has provided us with even greater dirt and sleaze regarding Prince Andrew, just when you thought there was no more that could possibly be scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Coincidentally, this has arrived to become part of the latest revival of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein saga, one that looks as though it will be interminable. It also looks as though unlike other horrors which are conspiracy theory laden (some say he may not have committed suicide), this one may not get the whitewash treatment the likes of JFK, or Princess Diana had delivered to them. For instance, we can safely assume if both of these events were as per the conventional narrative, reams and reams of pages of information were redacted. Indeed, that is what could happen in an analogue age. Therefore, releasing “all” the papers / evidence regarding them will provide us with nothing new, as anything of value either never made it to the records, or was shredded in the interim The misfortune of those attempting to cover up the Epstein saga is that it overlapped into the digital age. There are trails that are not so difficult to erase, and given the apparent industrial scale of it over an extended period of time, to much information to supress.
The main hope for those involved and those attempting to cover up is that there will either be a plethora of contradictory sources, or more importantly, the great and the good who were involved have the power and influence to ensure that everything is piled onto scapegoats or the obvious alleged protagonists such as Ghislaine Maxwell and the late Jeffrey Epstein. Nevertheless, the latest “what the butler saw” allegations as reported in The Telegraph will be not be easy to brush under the carpet. At the end of the day, matters such as the Epstein affair were something which in the 20th century could have been covered up / turned a blind eye to, but in the more transparent 21st century such matters have a tendency to run and run until the truth comes out.
Palestinian Action vs Recognising Palestine
With people apparently totally divided regarding support for Israel or Palestinian, not necessarily evenly split numerical, but in terms of fervour, we seem to be heading for the abyss. This was illustrated by hundreds being arrested at yesterday’s rally at Westminster. Not only were they arrested in the “normal” way, but given that PA is a proscribed group, the 466 unlucky to have their collar felt by a rather larger turnout of police that you normally see on the streets, are effectively terrorists. This means that grannies, kids, and even ordinary Lefties are now could now be prosecuted as terrorists, and head off to a fate worse that Lucy Connolly. She was sentenced to 31 months in jail, and was not even a terrorist.
Of course, adding extra spice to the situation was the presence of a person actually accused of being a member of al-Qaeda, Moazzam Begg. He spent a year at Guantanamo Bay, although his future accommodation may not be quite so tropical. But the real twist here, and one that has not been highlighted enough is the recent promise from Sir Keir Starmer, that if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire and a two-state solution, the UK will recognise Palestine. Of course, no one cares what Sir Keir says, not the Palestinians and especially the Israelis, a point underlined by the way they are moving to take over the Gaza Strip anyway after his warning. Everyone knows the US will never recognise Palestine, and therefore, every other country in the world can, and it will make no difference. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that the way things are going there will be no Palestine to recognise, even if the US said yes.
Nevertheless, the contradiction remains, how can a protest group protesting on behalf of a country which could be with us legitimately (by order of the Prime Minister) in just a few weeks be a terrorist organisation? One would like to offer a historical analogy, the most obvious being the Zionist movement in the 1940s. However, should Palestine be recognised next month, one wonders whether PA will still be a terror group. One wonders if the 466 arrested might also be let off?
It can be seen that the government has rather boxed itself into a corner, with Southport, migrant protests, and Palestine. The situation seems to be akin to a leaky boat of dissent, with the holes getting larger and larger, and more draconian measures required to keep it afloat. In this Praetorian Guard atmosphere, even referring to shoplifters as “scumbags” is not tolerated. What can be said is that the slippery slope we are on is not sustainable, something which is actually a good thing as matters should come to a head sooner rather than later. Indeed, the petition for an immediate general election has crossed half a million signatures. Usually, as in the case of the last such petition which gained over 3m signatures at the turn of the year, they can be shaken off. However, the government’s skill in alienating as many disparate groups as possible, be they farmers, entrepreneurs or pensioners, must mean even with the welfare dependents, it is running out of road. Being told by the Americans that we should be mindful of how our free speech is going, is embarrassing. But not for the reason of being told off like a naughty child. Instead, because the ship (leaky or not) sailed a long time ago.
