https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/22/uk-to-seek-european-maritime-mission-to-counter-irans-piracy
Jeremy, I hate to point it out but this is so ironic it hurts.
You cannot talk radical nonsense about the need to leave Europe with a no deal at the first opportunity while simultaneously pushing for increased cooperation in anti-piracy. You will not get anywhere.
If you want to have a proper say in Europe, you have to be inside its decision making organisation (or at the very least remain on solid terms with it following Brexit rather than pandering to the right wing press).
Other comments about strengthening the Navy to prevent this happening again are similarly insane. If Boris gets in and lowers taxes to please the wealthy at the same time as we ditch our main trading partners we will have far, far more pressing economic concerns.
While my thoughts go out to all those involved (and to all the others mistreated or detained by Iran) this is a direct reaction to our seizure of an Iranian vessel in Gibraltar. Our special forces seized the ship in accordance with US policy in the context of the deliberate American torpedoing of a nuclear arms deal that we are still supposed to support. The fact that EU sanctions were also being broken hardly warranted our sticking out our noses in such a reckless way.
A moment of forethought could have predicted the consequences. Except, oh wait, all of our experienced diplomats are quitting or being forced out by the Brexiteers.
Government ending cock up before the government has even been formed.
Showing posts with label Nuclear Weapons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear Weapons. Show all posts
Monday, 22 July 2019
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
The Heavy Water Coup of 1940
Now this is a story that deserves to be as well known as the legendary activities of the Norwegian commandos and British bombers that destroyed the heavy water production capabilities of the German nuclear program.
These actions explain why the Germans were unable to make use of Norwegian heavy water after 1943 but of course the plant had been open for nearly a decade before that. One of the reasons why the Germans didn't find a nice cache of heavy water waiting for them on the occupation of Norway is that the French government had already obtained the entire world stock, approximately 40 gallons, on the instructions of Lew Kowarski and Hans von Halban.
In the chaos following the fall of France and amidst the installation of the Petain government the two scientists smuggled all of the heavy water by automobile and British ship to the United Kingdom where it could be commandeered by the Allies. For a characterful and idiosyncratic account of this adventure read sections II and III of this interview with Kowarski in 1969:
http://www.aip.org/history/ohilist/4717_1.html
... and just in case that doesn't grab your attention the captain of the boat that recovered the heavy water was a wonderfully piratical, bomb-diffusing Earl of Suffolk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Howard,_20th_Earl_of_Suffolk
These actions explain why the Germans were unable to make use of Norwegian heavy water after 1943 but of course the plant had been open for nearly a decade before that. One of the reasons why the Germans didn't find a nice cache of heavy water waiting for them on the occupation of Norway is that the French government had already obtained the entire world stock, approximately 40 gallons, on the instructions of Lew Kowarski and Hans von Halban.
In the chaos following the fall of France and amidst the installation of the Petain government the two scientists smuggled all of the heavy water by automobile and British ship to the United Kingdom where it could be commandeered by the Allies. For a characterful and idiosyncratic account of this adventure read sections II and III of this interview with Kowarski in 1969:
http://www.aip.org/history/ohilist/4717_1.html
... and just in case that doesn't grab your attention the captain of the boat that recovered the heavy water was a wonderfully piratical, bomb-diffusing Earl of Suffolk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Howard,_20th_Earl_of_Suffolk
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Another Cold War near miss .....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24183879
Confirmation has arrived that a malfunctioning aircraft almost led the Americans to nuke their own country in 1961.
"There has been no official comment to the newly declassified details."
Well of course there hasn't. The American military complex doesn't have a great track record on accepting when it has done wrong, is still doing wrong or maybe should think about stopping doing wrong.
Confirmation has arrived that a malfunctioning aircraft almost led the Americans to nuke their own country in 1961.
"There has been no official comment to the newly declassified details."
Well of course there hasn't. The American military complex doesn't have a great track record on accepting when it has done wrong, is still doing wrong or maybe should think about stopping doing wrong.
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Chomsky speaks out
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/04/us-disaster-race-noam-chomsky
Interesting article by Chomsky on the responsibility of the most affluent and powerful countries of the world for the environmental and nuclear threats to civilization as we know it.
Some bits are more on the mark than others. Chomsky is openly and publicly anti-American and sometime underestimates the extent to which the anti-Americanism of other can be mistaken for a genuine concern for the environment. Projects like Ecuador's Yasuni are fantastic and should be supported strenuously but in many cases there is a big difference between making a speech about the environment in order to embarrass powerful neighbours and actually acting to bring in green policies.
However, when he moves on to nuclear warfare he is absolutely on the button. The West cannot adopt the moral high ground on Iran or North Korea's minuscule weapons programs while turning a blind eye to Israel's plausibly deniable stockpile and tendency to destroy any installation that they have suspicions about. If nuclear weapons are to be banned effectively, and in the interests of humanity they should be, then it must be done without favour or prejudice. Any other method merely encourages back sliding and shows of nervous aggression by those who feel unfairly treated by the USA and its allies.
Interesting article by Chomsky on the responsibility of the most affluent and powerful countries of the world for the environmental and nuclear threats to civilization as we know it.
Some bits are more on the mark than others. Chomsky is openly and publicly anti-American and sometime underestimates the extent to which the anti-Americanism of other can be mistaken for a genuine concern for the environment. Projects like Ecuador's Yasuni are fantastic and should be supported strenuously but in many cases there is a big difference between making a speech about the environment in order to embarrass powerful neighbours and actually acting to bring in green policies.
However, when he moves on to nuclear warfare he is absolutely on the button. The West cannot adopt the moral high ground on Iran or North Korea's minuscule weapons programs while turning a blind eye to Israel's plausibly deniable stockpile and tendency to destroy any installation that they have suspicions about. If nuclear weapons are to be banned effectively, and in the interests of humanity they should be, then it must be done without favour or prejudice. Any other method merely encourages back sliding and shows of nervous aggression by those who feel unfairly treated by the USA and its allies.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
The dangers of mixing nuclear power and submarines
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19940049
Maybe time for a rethink about the whole putting dangerous nuclear reactors in submarines idea? Germany and Japan have taken admirable steps in the direction of cutting down usage of civilian nuclear power but neither are nuclear states or are well known for their outgoing defence policies. If such prudent policies can be adopted in regards to civilian power use, which has the potential to be an economic and workable alternative to fossil fuels, then surely the US and British naval forces could give up the use of these submarines that simply allow for provocative militaristic posturing and risks environmental and diplomatic disaster?
http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/187a93e1-db4c-474e-9be8-038bb7a64edb/Drowning-Stability--The-Perils-of-Naval-Nucleariza
Similarly the prevalence of the even more terrifying nuclear capable submarines is shown by this article in the American Naval War College Review journal which focusses on the ubiquity of such marine armaments in the deterrence policies of nuclear armed nations. A very interesting read about naval diplomacy between India and Pakistan, a simmering conflict that seems to have barely warranted any mainstream news coverage in recent years.
Maybe time for a rethink about the whole putting dangerous nuclear reactors in submarines idea? Germany and Japan have taken admirable steps in the direction of cutting down usage of civilian nuclear power but neither are nuclear states or are well known for their outgoing defence policies. If such prudent policies can be adopted in regards to civilian power use, which has the potential to be an economic and workable alternative to fossil fuels, then surely the US and British naval forces could give up the use of these submarines that simply allow for provocative militaristic posturing and risks environmental and diplomatic disaster?
http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/187a93e1-db4c-474e-9be8-038bb7a64edb/Drowning-Stability--The-Perils-of-Naval-Nucleariza
Similarly the prevalence of the even more terrifying nuclear capable submarines is shown by this article in the American Naval War College Review journal which focusses on the ubiquity of such marine armaments in the deterrence policies of nuclear armed nations. A very interesting read about naval diplomacy between India and Pakistan, a simmering conflict that seems to have barely warranted any mainstream news coverage in recent years.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Hiroshima Memories
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/feb/03/hiroshima-peace-memorial-park-japan
An extremely interesting article on the memory of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. I have nothing but praise for the postwar mayors of Hiroshima - the tradition of protesting every nuclear test is a necessary reminder of the consequences of ignoring such militaristic lunacy.
An extremely interesting article on the memory of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. I have nothing but praise for the postwar mayors of Hiroshima - the tradition of protesting every nuclear test is a necessary reminder of the consequences of ignoring such militaristic lunacy.
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