Tuesday 17 July 2007

Suspension of disbelief

Why is everyone so horrible to George Galloway? Less than 2 weeks after he was heckled during a meeting at Marxism, the political Establishment are now planning to suspend him from the House of Commons for 18 days.

His crime? To defend himself against a smear campaign that he was acting dishonestly in relation to the Mariam Appeal, of which he was involved. (If you are unaware of the Mariam appeal, you can find more details about it on Wikipedia). And to make his accusers look like the muppets they are!

Mr Galloway's response can be found on the Respect Coalition website. To put things into context, it helps if you bear the following in mind:

Firstly, the Mariam Appeal was not a charity, nor was it set up as one. It was a campaign against the sanctions on Iraq (which banned many medical items, even insulin!), by highlighting the suffering they caused to children with cancer (such as Mariam).

Secondly, the Oil For Food programme in Iraq was not managed or overseen by Saddam Hussein's regime or the ruling Baath Party. It was instigated by the USA, was a tool of the Western Establishment, and had to follow strict rules - notable on what Iraq could or could not import.

Thirdly, the fact that the Mariam Appeal may or may not have received donations from people who may have been less than perfectly honest, does not detract from the appeal's aims or motives. I seem to remember that, before his death, the pensions thief Robert Maxwell was famous for his charitable donations. Are all the charities he donated to, now to be investigated??? Much more recently, Labour Party fundraisers now seem to welcome criminals ... not to mention a convicted rapist :-(

As for the claim that George Galloway is bringing the House of Commons into disrepute ...

It doesn't need his help, mate!