Go to the link for a Guardian "Comment is Free" piece which gives Hamas a ridiculous number of big brownie points for its role in the release of Alan Johnston:
...it was the "Islamists" ... who made the difference in terms of bringing relentless worldwide appeal as well as action on the ground, and led to his eventual release. Indeed had the Hamas leadership had its way, Alan Johnston would have been freed many weeks ago, but its self-restraint and discipline in dealing with this matter as well as its tenacity, has brought about this welcome resolution.Even the Guardian's commenters find this hard to take:
hahaha - you're a joke. Are you talking about the same Hamas organisation that only 3 weeks ago were throwing their fellow muslim brothers off 10 storey buildings, or going into hospitals tying men and kids up and shooting them in the back. All the while screaming Allah Acbbbarrrr...Or this:
Any sensible and decent person would be very happy that Johnson has been freed, but I don't see how it changes anything. Hamas still believes in the destruction of Israel, still has Shalit, still launches rockets at Israel, and so on. Just because they did something good (which was for their benefit anyway, hardly altruistic) doesn't mean they have ebcome good.
"We must seize the opportunity of these groups coming out clearly against terrorism and violence, and work to cultivate the common ground."
There is the problem. Hamas, Muslim brotherhood et all have not come out against violence nor will they anytime soon.
3 comments:
SCENE: The office of the blogs editor of the Guardian. He/she is casting a keen eye over the latest piece for the blogs, a small whinge by Howard Barker about public funding for his unpopular theatre company being cut.
EDITOR: Hmmm. Won't be needing this!
Editor picks up a large sheaf of papers called 'Intelligence' and throws it into the bin.
The editor next turns to a little rant by Richard Flanagan about Australian Government policy about indigenous child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory.
EDITOR: Well. I've been wanting to do this for a while.
Picks up a disorganised sheaf of papers titled 'Accuracy and Truthfulness', and tips it into the paper shredder.
The editor turns next to the current piece by Anas Alkatiri about the release of Alan Johnston. After considering it for a few seconds, he turns to several documents entitled, in turn 'Integrity', 'Fairness', 'Balance', 'Morality', etc.
EDITOR: At last! I've been needing to clean this place up!
He proceeds to set all of the documents on fire, feed their ashes through the shredder, and through the scraps in the bin before feeding them to a bunch of kittens he keeps in the cupboard.
Just then, the Reviews Editor sticks her head through the door.
REVIEWS EDITOR: Actually, E., ever since we published a piece in the 60s favouring Chairman Mao, we pretty much haven't had to worry about any of those things.
BOTH: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Long pause.
EDITOR: You're fired.
END
I'm so proud of this that I might actually have to post an edited version on my blog....
Maybe since you published it here first, I can then sue you for breach of copyright? It's the only way I can see to make money out of blogging!
(Actually, I quite liked it, go right ahead.)
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