News Stories

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

In bold: Thomas Edward Lawrence already failed that almost a century ago after he helped Arabs getting rid of the Ottoman Empire. Honestly, I don't see what they really want because that would be total utopia if that's what they are aiming at.

Correct me if Im wrong but weren't the Ottomans at their peak essentially this (well, not utopia, but a more or less unified islamic country - with christians and jews being second class citizens, yet still able to practice) over a massive area.

[maplehurry]

Originally Posted by JokerD

While in broad terms I go agree with the stripping of citizenship for radicals, I do think that it is a slippery slope to go. Would you strip people who were tricked or forced into going? People who repented? Will there be a court of law that decides this? Or can the gov strip citizenship from anyone who joins a cause that the gov doesn't like?

BTW, I'm no expert but I'm not aware of any constitution that prohibits this. Well in my country (SG) with the ruling government having a super-majority in parliament, they can just change the constitution anyway (except for specific clauses where they need to put it to a vote, which to my knowledge never happened since independence before)

A new law in Canada says one can lose the Canadian citizenship if it's a dual citizen who engaged in serious crime, terrorism, etc.

So for the most part, it mainly affects those who were immigrants with dual citizenship.

[Anh_Minh]

What if the other country has a similar law? Can the guy lose both citizenships at once?

[Nerroth]

With the Scottish independence referendum almost upon us, The Guardian has posted an animated explanation of things for non-UK-people:

Meanwhile, a well-known Scottish expat has his own thoughts on the matter:

EDIT: And John Oliver chimes in from across the Atlantic:

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

What if the other country has a similar law? Can the guy lose both citizenships at once?

Currently the UN state that it is a human rights violation for a citizen to lose his or her only citizenship. Mostly because a stateless person can easily get abused legally, and the UN would rather that nations don't go around cancelling citizenship to any citizen they want to.

[Libros]

YouTube

https://youtu.be/mBC0mLFz91o

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Does not discuss the euro.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

The way I see it as an outsider, it doesn't matter if Scots would be better off voting yes or no; which ever way they vote, they deserve the outcome. If they vote yes but then realised they can't keep the Pound, that's their choice and they can learn to live with it. At this point the Scots see the English as the enemy, and as such if they want to go England is better off without them. By the time one half of a relationship wanted a divorce, the relationship is already over. Better make a clean break and both sides end up with what they deserved.

I see the Scots as being delusional thinking they are better off voting Yes for economical reasons. I disagree strongly. I believe Scots should vote Yes only if they want to be independent for independence's sake, economic suffering be damned.

You want to be free? Then be free. But don't pretend it is going to earn you a pot of gold.

[Fireminer]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

The way I see it as an outsider, it doesn't matter if Scots would be better off voting yes or no; which ever way they vote, they deserve the outcome. If they vote yes but then realized they can't keep the Pound, that's their choice and they can learn to live with it. At this point the Scots see the English as the enemy, and as such if they want to go England is better off without them. By the time one half of a relationship wanted a divorce, the relationship is already over. Better make a clean break and both sides end up with what they deserved.

I see the Scots as being delusional thinking they are better off voting Yes for economical reasons. I disagree strongly. I believe Scots should vote Yes only if they want to be independent for independence's sake, economic suffering be damned.

You want to be free? Then be free. But don't pretend it is going to earn you a pot of gold.

An answer that is expected from you.

On the other hand, I'm more interesting on the Britain, Wales and Northern Ireland's side. What do the common folks in the UK feel about the situation?

And how surely would an "Yes" outcome would overthrown the PM from his seat?

[SeijiSensei]

Without Scotland to deliver Labour seats in Westminster, it's hard to see the Tories losing a General Election in the remainder of the UK for the foreseeable future. In the 2010 election, Labour won 41 of the Scottish seats, and the Conservatives just one. (The rest were split between the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party.) The Tories won 305 of the 573 seats in England and Wales compared to 217 for Labour.

Perhaps the LibDems can overcome their current flirtation with power and become a stronger competitive force in England and Wales once again.

So, even if Scotland votes "yes," I can't see Cameron losing his position unless he is forced to by the Conservatives in Parliament.

[SaintessHeart]

Islamic State shows captive British journalist in new video

(Reuters) - Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria released a video on Thursday that they said shows British journalist John Cantlie in captivity saying he will soon reveal "facts" about the group to counter its portrayal in Western media.

The Islamic State, which controls territory in Syria and Iraq, has already beheaded two American journalists and one British aid worker in recent weeks in what it said was reprisal for U.S. air strikes against it in Iraq.

But in the new roughly three-minute video posted on social media sites, the man identified as Cantlie appears in good health and promises to "convey some facts" in a series of "programs," suggesting there would be further installments.

"Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'He's only doing this because he's a prisoner. He's got a gun at his head and he's being forced to do this.' Right?" the man in the video, wearing an orange shirt and closely-cropped hair, says.

"Well, it's true. I am a prisoner. That I cannot deny. But seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of the Islamic State, I have nothing to lose."

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he had heard reports of a video on social media and said authorities would look closely at any material released online.

"These videos can be very distressing for the families of the individuals involved," he told reporters during a visit to Copenhagen.

U.S. President Barack Obama has been trying to build an international coalition to destroy Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim extremist group which has exploited the chaos of Syria and Iraq to seize swathes of territory in both countries.

The United States has already carried out scores of air strikes against the group in Iraq and Obama said in a policy speech he would not hesitate to strike it in Syria as well.

In the new video, titled "Lend Me Your Ears, Messages from the British Detainee John Cantlie," the man identified as Cantlie says he was captured by the Islamic State after arriving in Syria in November 2012.

He says he worked for newspapers and magazines in Britain including the Sunday Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph.

"After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict?" the man says in the video.

"I'm going to show you the truth behind the systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the Western media, the very organization I used to work for, can twist and manipulate that truth for the public back home."

Cantlie said other Western governments have negotiated for the release of their hostages but that the British and U.S. governments chose to do things differently.

"I'll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State, and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other European country," the man in the video says.

"They negotiated with the Islamic State and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind," he says.

PREVIOUS CAPTURE

The United States resumed air strikes in Iraq in August for the first time since the withdrawal of the final U.S. troops from the country in 2011.

The raids followed major gains by Islamic State fighters who have seized a third of both Iraq and Syria, declared war on the West and seek to establish a caliphate in the heart of the Middle East.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Wednesday Obama's plan to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels in a message of support for his military campaign to "degrade and destroy" Islamic State

Britain has delivered humanitarian aid, carried out surveillance, given weapons to Kurds and promised training in Iraq. On military action, Britain supports U.S. air strikes and British Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly said Britain has ruled nothing out except combat troops on the ground.

Cantlie had previously been taken hostage in July, 2012 along with Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans while working near the Syrian border with Turkey. They were released the same month after a group of "Free Syrian Army" fighters freed them.

Cantlie told media after his release they were threatened with death unless they converted to Islam, and both were shot and slightly wounded when they attempted to escape. He was shot in the arm, Oerlemans in the leg.

At the time, Cantlie wrote in the Sunday Times that the group of about 30 militants had been made up of different nationalities, many British and none Syrian, and that the British jihadists had treated him the most cruelly in captivity.

On Saturday, Islamic State released a video showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines. A black-clad man in the video said another hostage, identified as Alan Henning, would be killed if Cameron continued to support the fight against Islamic State.

Thursday's video made no mention of Henning.

"Maybe I will live and maybe I will die," the man identified as Cantlie says. "But I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that, if you contemplate, might help preserving lives."

Bottom line is that the ISIS is trying to disengage the rest of the world from the coalition - divide and conquer. Considering now they are beaten back, they need to reestablish themselves by sowing discord so that their conquest will be left alone.

Media war is going to be interesting.

P.S Note that being a war journalist, your life is automatically forfeit, same as when you are a soldier. Don't expect to be rescue when you are captured.

[FlareKnight]

Goes to show how I haven't paid attention to world politics when I got surprised by this Scottish Independence issue coming up.

It looks like the No has prevailed from the current information. In the end they made their call and I can't say it's a bad idea.

[SaintessHeart]

Scots vote no to independence, unionists win 55% to 45%

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Huh, I was expecting more in favor of independence.

[SaintessHeart]

The government bribed them. More autonomy........one day it will be like Australia/NZ/Can.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

The government bribed them. More autonomy........one day it will be like Australia/NZ/Can.

More like the Yes vote went too far, trying to claim that there are economic benefits to independence.

I say they should have been honest about how voting yes would lead to hard times, but that arguing it is worth the costs anyway. To claim they would be better off economically is a promise they can't really keep, and I think the voters noticed that.

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

The government bribed them. More autonomy........one day it will be like Australia/NZ/Can.

It will never go that far so long as Scotland remains in the United Kingdom. Australia/NZ/Can are all independent nations, just with a shared head of state.

A lot more economic, political, and cultural activities are shared by the UK experience. Canadians don't claim JK Rowling (a Scot, coincidentally) as their own.

It will be quite interesting to see the effects of the referendum on the upcoming general elections, and whether the three major UK party leaders -- none of whom come out of this very kindly -- will deliver on their promise for federalism. Will Gordon Brown's return to prominence as the man who saved the Union change Labour's electoral fortunes, or would Ed Milliband's mishandling of the NO campaign leave further doubts on Labour leadership? How will English voters react to Scotland's referendum? Why can't the Lib-Dems find better leaders than that tool Nick Clegg? Will the Tories and their media friends allow themselves to take the blame for allowing the YES campaign to come this far in the first place?

(the last one is obviously a no, but heh.)

In any case, if some magician can take the constitutional opportunity to destroy First Past the Post in the UK Parliamentary vote, or bypass it by setting up a proportional English assembly, unlikely prospects at best, it will be a massive victory of democracy south of the border, too.

As for the EU perspective, a lot of people in Brussels are sighing with relief now. While Scotland very affirmatively declared their pro-EU stance and would have sought to remain in it either way, an independent Scotland in the EU is just the right stuff to galvanize the UKIP types to knee-jerk the UK out of the EU and potentially destroy the union. Catalonia stands as the next challenge.

Finally, 'Muricans be like "Scotland did wut?" and/or "BRAVEHEART FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOM."

[Sides]

Next time I'm going to just draw a hairy penis on my ballot paper.
Honestly, I was really looking forward to help built a new nation. Of course this means many years of rough times, but it would be worth it, for my future children and generations down the line.
Seeing some comments I really think some people do not know what is going on in the UK. Scots don't really give a f**k about the english, welsh, irish nor europeans, our concern is the broken political system down south is. The current system doesn't benefit anyone besides Londoners. if you travel to northern parts of england you will see what i mean.
Having an independent Scotland would mean we won't be bound by the corrupt system down south anymore. It was never about Scots vs English, as the media have portrayed, or FREEDOM, if was trying to have the chance to be equal by govern ourselves.

[SaintessHeart]

Rand Paul casts his first vote for military action

Wow. Just wow. But not surprising considering the fact that the FRENCH, of all people, rejected the white flag for the red pennant.

From beautiful little boys crossdressing to look like lolis, and Scotland wanting to secede from UK, and to this, the world has gone crazy. Help.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Sides

Next time I'm going to just draw a hairy penis on my ballot paper.
Honestly, I was really looking forward to help built a new nation. Of course this means many years of rough times, but it would be worth it, for my future children and generations down the line.
Seeing some comments I really think some people do not know what is going on in the UK. Scots don't really give a f**k about the english, welsh, irish nor europeans, our concern is the broken political system down south is. The current system doesn't benefit anyone besides Londoners. if you travel to northern parts of england you will see what i mean.
Having an independent Scotland would mean we won't be bound by the corrupt system down south anymore. It was never about Scots vs English, as the media have portrayed, or FREEDOM, if was trying to have the chance to be equal by govern ourselves.

You know, its kinda funny. Being an Englishman, I'm of course definitely relieved by the results but I can't exactly begrudge this sentiment. I am fully aware that independence for Scotland would definitely be bad for England, not just economically, but also politically as it would sink us all further into the hands of the right wing and by that extension the nutjobs that could destroy us all with their stupidity (*cough*UKIP*cough*). And at the same time I can't help but consider what I'd vote for if I were a Scot. I certainly don't begrudge your desire to wrestle yourself out of control from the corrupt cronies in Westminster and it would be an interesting experiment. But I guess the riskiness of such a radical change is what must have detracted a lot of Scots.

Well all I can say is that I'm definitely glad our independence moments are of the appropriate peaceful kind rather than the violent kind (e.g Kurdish movements) or just plain bullshittery kind (e.g Crimea).

[SaintessHeart]

From your term of Englishman, I recount what an old friend of mine said about his boss, who is supposedly, come from a long line of Englishmen :

"If the Scots ever leave us, we are all going to miss them. Heck, which good Englishman is manly enough to go with war in skirts and bagpipes?"