SECURITY BEGINS AT HOME, NOT IN AFGHANISTAN OR IRAQ

Posted by Caledonian Jim in Daily Posts

Britain’s Armed Forces (above, in Afghanistan) need to be be overhauled drastically to counter the terrorist threat to the country, a senior defence minister warned yesterday. The role of the services in fighting international terrorism and other threats will be looked at closely in the defence review that will take place after the next general election, according to Mr Bill Rammell, the Armed Forces Minister. He warned that, while the Armed Forces needed to maintain their ability to fight a conventional war, a major shift in emphasis was imminent. “We have to be prepared to consider deep and wide-ranging changes to our Armed Forces,” Mr Rammell said.

He continued : “We will need to rebalance our investment in technology, equipment and people to meet the challenge of irregular warfare over the next decade while still retaining our ability to respond to emerging state-led threats and other military challenges.” What does he suggest ? Because the way things are going, the best method of avoiding terrorist outrages in the UK may well involve military patrols in the inner-city areas (example above) of Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester, where – and sorry to be so politically incorrect – misguided notions of multi-culturalism and diversity have created breeding grounds for urban terrorism much more serious than anything happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. The 7/7 suicide bombers weren’t from Helmand – they were from Leeds.

Of course maybe the police have got inner cities under control. After all, in Sheffield, Yorkshire last week 2 female sergeants and a lady community support officer dressed in head-to-foot burkhas, jilbabs, hijabs and niqabs (all pictured above) - with only narrow eye slits to see through as they accompanied 4 Muslim women. This was a police exercise which saw female officers spending a day dressed in full Muslim dress. Another officer wore Muslim dress and a head scarf showing her face as part of the scheme, called “In Your Shoes” (except, presumably, inside mosques), organised by South Yorkshire Police. Sergeant Deb Leonard, Sergeant Deb Pickering and PCSO Helen Turner put on the dress to “help them learn more about Islam and the issues affecting Muslim women”. I’m sure all the victims of crimes that took place in Sheffield during this piece of inclusive nonsense are suffused with enthusiasm for this multi-cultural bollocks. And whoever it was that organised and/or authorised this puerile inter-faith public relations banality at public expense should be fired.

Now I don’t want Caledonian Comment to be seen to be whingeing about race and immigration issues all the time, but some of the ideas of this New Labour government we’re saddled with defy belief. The latest “initiative” dreamed up by these clowns would see migrants who take part in anti-war demonstrations or fail to integrate into “the British way of life” seriously affecting their chances of getting UK citizenship and a passport (above) under proposals announced yesterday. Tens of thousands of migrants who enter the country to work would subsequently be awarded citizenship based on points linked to skills, potential earnings and whether they have special artistic, literary or scientific attributes. There would also be a new 2-stage test before a migrant is awarded a passport.

The existing test in which a person must know English and the practicalities of life in Britain would be bolstered by an examination on UK history, its constitution and government (I wonder how many of our current cabinet members would pass such an exam?). Points would be deducted if an applicant failed to integrate, for criminal or anti-social behaviour or in “circumstances where an active disregard for UK values is demonstrated”. Sorry if I appear thick, but if a foreign visitor to these shores can’t speak English and is behaving in any of these ways, why the bloody hell did we let him in and why haven’t we thrown him out ? Or are they allowed to vote for New Labour before they get a passport ?

Former Hitler Youth and Nazi anti-aircraft gunner Pope Benedict XVI has condemned the “senseless attack” in Pakistan in which 7 Christians were burned alive. Hundreds of Muslims torched and looted Christian homes in Gorja (pictured above). A man, a woman and 4 children were burned to death in their house, and 2 other men were shot dead by the rioters. The killings began after false rumours that the Koran had been defaced spread through a city in Pakistan. Some 40 homes were burned down in total. Whilst of course any sectarian violence anywhere is to be deplored, it’s a refreshing historical change to hear that the Roman Catholic church condemns the burning alive of people of different faiths. The Prussian Pontiff may not care to remember, but that wasn’t always the case.

Homeowners who produce more than one wheelie bin (examples above) full of waste will be fined, say a local council which has introduced fortnightly collections. Bin police in Oxford will fine residents £80 if they try to throw away more rubbish than fits in their 240-litre rubbish bins. It means that anyone holding a party, or throwing out large items will be slapped with the fine. And the city council also revealed it is employing “rubbish police” to go around to people’s homes and lecture them on what they are throwing away. “Waste Education Officers” will empty homeowner’s bins for them and explain which items they could be recycling. Officials at the city council said yesterday that the bin fines will stop people producing so much waste but residents say rubbish would pile up in gardens instead. Councillor John Tanner said: “There are still people across the city who are not playing by the rules and leave piles of rubbish next to their wheelie bins. We are getting tough on excess rubbish because it is messy and costs us money.” Someone needs to tell this arrogant idiot, who seems to have forgotten he’s supposed to be a public servant, that that’s why people pay Council Tax.

A former world champion haggis (pictured above) maker yesterday defended Scotland’s claim to inventing the dish after an English food historian said the first recipe she could find for the dish was in an English book. Catherine Brown has caused consternation by citing the first printed reference to haggis as being in a book called “The English Hus-Wife”, from 1615 – allegedly before the first Scottish mention of haggis in 1747. Ms Brown claims the book, by Gervase Markham, indicated haggis was first eaten in England before being popularised in Scotland. Robert Patrick, from the butchers Patricks of Camelon, in Falkirk, said: “I find it hard to believe. I think we can still call it Scottish. There could well be some recipe in England that’s similar. But the things that go in it are Scottish. There’s a lot of mutton and oatmeal in the product.” And there’s another attendant necessity for haggis the English didn’t have – whisky. Or did they invent that too ?

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