I remember getting annoyed at the grief Gordon Strachan took after David Fernandez inspired Dundee United to a draw at Celtic Park. It was disproportionate, despite the poor performance, and ignored the sporting reality that weaker teams can get it right and leave Celtic Park with a point. As well as a lot of credit for their efforts.
Positives first. Many things didn’t work for Celtic yesterday but James Forrest looked to be back to his best. There was only one occasion he didn’t get past the Killie fullback all day, and he recovered to dispossess two opponents and win the ball back.
For James, it’s all about fitness and confidence. Right now, he has both.
I looked at the clock: 3 minutes had gone, Jozo Simunovic was still on his feet. ‘We’re breaking new ground’, I thought. Kilmarnock defended their penalty area all day, so we were seldom troubled, but you and I have seen enough football to know that’s not the whole story. Jozo was immaculate, didn’t put a foot wrong, covered ground with pace and precision. Threw himself into tackles and won the ball.
The contrast with recent defensive performances could have scarcely been more marked.
Elsewhere it didn’t go so well. Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton were both inhibited. Stuart Armstrong prodded but seemed out of sync with his team-mates. Passes regularly found an opponent. From my seat, it looked like our movement and use of space was inefficient.
The last 30 minutes of the game saw Kilmarnock clear their lines and regroup under sustained pressure. During this period, I was confident the goal would come, it usually does. Maybe the extra dimension we hoped we’ve recruited in Carlton Cole, out ill yesterday, would have given our wing play more of a target.
Since writing on the subject on Friday night I’ve seen some of the sectarian abuse left on Facebook about our director, Ian Livingston, amid a diatribe against refugees and all sorts of people who are minorities in the UK.
Years ago I wrote that there are few values we can anchor the club to. Scotland is changing, as are peoples’ sense of identity, no more so than when it comes to religious identity. We can’t, nor should we, impose restrictions on who becomes a Celtic fan. Our demographic is largely left of centre, but a Lisbon Lion went on to become a Tory councillor, so there’s no political bar to supporting Celtic.
I also know an Ulster unionist, who for several years joined his family and friends as a Celtic season ticket holder. He was always made welcome, and didn’t find the celebration of Irish heritage at Celtic incompatible with his identity. As the generations pass, we’ll see more of this. People will care less about 20th century politics (not to mention 17th century) and your view on transubstantiation.
Our founding value is that we are open to all. You will find a welcome at Celtic irrespective of colour, race or religion, you don’t need to care about Scotland or Ireland, we have Poles, English, Norwegians, Americans, Aussies and many more. Few of them had an Irish grannie.
These values are under threat across Europe. We should take every opportunity to reinforce them.
I took some advice on whether to out those behind the racist abuse yesterday, but I’m glad Ian Livingston did so direct on the Affiliation site (and apologies for the direct quote appearing on a CQN article, I pulled it as soon as I saw it).
I was also challenged over the weekend for criticising the chairman’s right to use any available platform to call out racism. I don’t feel qualified to say that’s not allowed.
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That’s not a full moon, it’s the blumin Death Star coming to join in!
Weeminger,
The daily record was yours and everyone’s source at the time because propaganda was not taken as seriously at the time.
There are no moderate voices coming from the Middle East every voice has investment.
What is interesting is reading MSM takes of 10 years ago when they did not know how or who they would eventually align with.
Cameron wants to invade Syria and blame Syria for ISIS it’s all Russia’s fault. And there’s stupid fcuks out there that want us to believe this. Daily record readers obviously.
Canamalar
i always sh*t myself before a big game, you would think that after 50+ years supporting the tic i would know better.
On your earlier post i don’t know enough about some of the non football subjects posted on here to take part ( although it doesn’t stop most)
For those who are interested the Sep Blatter Documentry is on 5 at 9pm. H.H.
Mike…,
We’ve had the youngsters playing the same system for the last two years, they must be better than the mob that’s making an arse of it in the senior team, so I’d like to see sat least six youngsters in the Ajax game, the Dutch scouting team know what to expect from the senior players, give the BHOYS a chance. Oh and the BHOYS know how to play the system without prejudice.
Gene,
It doesn’t take much to know more than most, a bit of reading job done, just stay away from the British and American press.
Canamalar …..
I’m an old school Chomsky-ite … dont always agree with everyithing he says, but he is one of the few Americans who genuinely seem to think and talk honestly about foreign policy …. here is a short talk he gave at MIT recently ….
http://levantreport.com/2014/10/18/noam-chomsky-on-isis-and-current-middle-east-conflict/
on a slightly more controversial subject …… six youngsters on Thursday?! are you trying to cause a riot on here?!
:)
Timaloy 29………….Anthony Stokes has won everything in Scottish football and i hope he moves on to a new challenge, he is far too good to be in cold storage. Daryl Murphy moved to Ipswich and became the highest scorer in English football last season and has been great for Martin O’Neil in his ROI squad and is now heading to the European Championships in France. Hope Stokesy moves ASP and can still make France with Martin’s squad.
Celtic going nicely in the title race despite Saturday’s draw and glad to hear favourable reports about the new lad Simunovich. I know Celtic are hanging by a thread in the Europa but there is always something special playing in the big competitions and as usual really looking forward to Thursday night and an improved performance from the HOOPS after the Molde nightmare.
The fact that johansen and bitton are missing for thursday should be seen as an opportunity to freshen the midfield and introduce a forward thinking player. Too much slow predictable sideways football in previous rounds.
Yip, stay away from the Bitish and American press and you’ll miss fifty odd years of conflict………..
Maybe RD will surprise us all, including the Dutch, and play Griffiths with Cole !
Mike…,
Im a bit of a Chomsky fan myself., but I do believe most of what he says. I do to see any reason for him to hold back he lives the American dream, freedom to speak his mind. And for years the meeja have hated him, can’t be wrong if they don’t like it, it’s a reb thing :)
bcw
is cole elligible?
Big Cup Winners……………Cole not eligible, will be if Celts progress to the knockout stage.
Hankray
still can’t believe we lost twice to molde, we learned nothing from the first leg
BCW,
Interesting to go back 10 years of Brit and yank press though. 10 years before any current strife and you’ll fine they supported/financed the current revolutionaries. Go on have a look.
From Hezbollah to ISIS you’ll find there’s a NATO supporter.
Canamalar …. had the good fortune to meet him once …. one of the few times in my life hat I was genuinely star-struck …. could hardly get a word out … think I giggled and blushed like a school girl meeting david cassidy (or justin beiber, for the younger readers).
Thanks guys………….
Canamalar
they worked on the principle that my enemy’s enemy was my friend.
Gene………..Celts should have learned their lesson in the first game instead we were shocking.
Mike..,
Are you the dead john Lennon :)
Gene..,
That’s lazy Machiavelli, if fact that’s macavennie
Canamalar
well i was being Frank :))
If we were allowed to swear on here I could better express myself about how fed up I am with a CELTIC site being used for matters which have nothing to do with Celtic. I suppose, though, that if I am in the minority I will have to accept the situation.
On a matter more related to CQN than Celtic FC”
Bournesouprecipe said:
“Never understood it about the ones that happily tell you how crap Celtic are.”
It is my opinion, BSR, that many people , without realising it, feel that being negative makes it seem as though they are better judges of something than are those who enjoy events. They, the former, believe, albeit subliminally, that others will think more highly of them for their ability to be critical in a negative way.
JJ
Hankray,
I thought they went two up and forgot to be afraid, fear in football makes you more attentive, we went two up and thought we were world beaters the same with the Turks, let both back into the game and it was too much of a shock to step up.
Didn’t even look like we wanted to try, defeatist and failed, that’s why I want BHOYS in, even if they are out of their depth the BHOYS will die trying.
One last comment before I leave CQN for good, is QCN making money from the adverts? If so, maybe 000.1 a hit, I’d be more the willing to to pay a subscription to Paul67 or whoever is running the site, it’s just got stupid now, Hail Hail.
From the BBC website
” Mike Ashley has won a court order preventing Rangers shareholders from voting to limit his influence on the club at the annual general meeting.”
Is that significant or just another day in the Sevco Series of Court Cases?
JJ
There is some very good articals on this site, tho I wouldn’t read it if you believe the pish the BBC and Sky tell you :-)
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
21-5-79
I am hoping you will come back on to tell me what QCN is!
As regards the ads, I don`t think it has anything to do with generating money. They are just invading the site for free as far as I know and Winning Captain is trying to rid us of them. Using a desk-top, I do not experience these pop ups. I think it is only on `phones.
JJ
Camalar…………Agreed, fear concentrates the mind.
Big rumour flying about tonight saying Charles Green has won his legal fees case against Cheats FC!
Anyone shed any light on this???
JUNGLE JIM HOT SMOKED on 23RD NOVEMBER 2015 8:40 PM
Agree mate everyone has a moan about their team but the same 20/30 people on here spend all day Celtic bashing.
21-5-79
If you email me at david@cqnpublishing.co.uk we will resolve the issues you are having.
JJ I think you’ll find that since the site became one, selling books and TVs, I think there’s been a bit of a change, as for desktops, it’s 2015!
Camalar………….I was shaking in my boots the night we played Barcelona and probably no doubt so were the Celtic players but by God fear worked almost in the Camp Nou and certainly magnificently at Celtic Park.
WC, I’m an Apple man, iPad & iPhone, it’s terrible now. As I said, I’m willing to subcribe to the site plus a bit to any charity rather than they pop up adverts.
JJHs,
Maybe if you swore a bit more you’d be less frustrated, maybe you’d go look up an alternative argument and make it, rather than be so pathetically incipient and ready to tell people why you prefer to talk Celtic rather than discourage open discussion, I mean we have been discussing politics on here for over ten years and you’ve still only been able to bleat about no thinking your qualified to have your say. Fair enough dum dum if that’s your choice but we both know its choice rather than stupidity that makes you bite yer tongue. Now if you were Tony Donnelly your excuse would be accepted, but your no that stupid.
I’ve told plenty of people, kerrydale street is the blog you want if all you want is. thickasshit one subject discussion, I went there to find help for Res 12, I came back with the parasite we now know as Tony Donnelly. I apologise for that but that’s the risk you take when you extend the hand of friendship and ask for support.
There will be negatives and we will all suffer the donnellys but there are far more good people that actually make it worth while. Remember lice only survive in healthy conditions, just remember they are lice never let, never give parasites control, they don’t know how to handle it.
The Hama massacre (Arabic: مجزرة حماة) occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian Arab Army and the Defense Companies, under the orders of the country’s president Hafez al-Assad, besieged the town of Hama for 27 days in order to quell an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood against al-Assad’s government.[2][3] The massacre, carried out by the Syrian Army under commanding General Rifaat al-Assad, effectively ended the campaign begun in 1976 by Sunni Muslim groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, against the government.
Initial diplomatic reports from Western countries stated that 1,000 were killed.[5][6] Subsequent estimates vary, with the lower estimates claiming that at least 10,000 Syrian citizens were killed,[1] while others put the number at 20,000 (Robert Fisk),[2] or 40,000 (Syrian Human Rights Committee).[3][4] About 1,000 Syrian soldiers were killed during the operation and large parts of the old city were destroyed. Alongside such events as Black September in Jordan,[7] the attack has been described as one of “the single deadliest acts by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East”.[8] According to anti Syrian government claims the vast majority of the victims were civilians.[9]
According to Syrian media, anti-government rebels initiated the fighting, who “pounced on our comrades while sleeping in their homes and killed whomever they could kill of women and children, mutilating the bodies of the martyrs in the streets, driven, like mad dogs, by their black hatred.” Security forces then “rose to confront these crimes” and “taught the murderers a lesson that has snuffed out their breath”.[10]
Contents [hide]
1 Background
2 Attack by insurgents in Hama
3 Attack by government forces
4 Fatality estimates
5 Aftermath
6 See also
7 References
8 Bibliography
9 Further reading
Background[edit]
Main article: Islamist uprising in Syria
See also: History of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria
The Ba’ath Party of Syria, which advocated the ideologies of Arab nationalism and Arab socialism had clashed with the Muslim Brotherhood, a group with a conservative ideology, since 1940.[11] The two groups were opposed in important ways. The Ba’ath party was nominally secular, nationalist. The Muslim Brotherhood, like other Islamist groups, saw nationalism as un-Islamic and religion as inseparable from politics and government. Most Ba’ath party members were from humble, obscure backgrounds and favored radical economic policies, while Sunni Muslims had dominated the souqs and landed power of Syria, and tended to view government intervention in the economy as threatening.[12] Not all Sunni notables believed in fundamentalism, but even those who did not often saw the Brotherhood as a useful tool against the Ba’ath.[13]
Section of Hama before the government attack
The town of Hama in particular was a “stronghold of landed conservatism and of the Muslim Brothers,” and “had long been a redoubtable opponent of the Ba’athist state.”[11] The first full-scale clash between the two occurred shortly after the 1963 coup, in which the Ba’ath party first gained power in Syria. In April 1964 riots broke out in Hama, where Muslim insurgents put up “roadblocks, stockpiled food and weapons, ransacked wine shops.” After an Ismaili Ba’ath militiaman was killed, riots intensified and rebels attacked “every vestige” of the Ba’ath party in Hama. Tanks were brought in to crush the rebellion and 70 members of the Muslim Brotherhood died, with many others wounded or captured, and still more disappearing underground.
After the clashes in Hama, the situation periodically erupted into clashes between the government and various Islamic sections. However a more serious challenge occurred after the Syrian invasion of Lebanon in 1976. From 1976 to 1982, Sunni Islamists fought the Ba’ath Party-controlled government of Syria in what has been called a “long campaign of terror”.[13] In 1979 the Brotherhood undertook guerrilla activities in multiple cities within the country targeting military officers and government officials. The resulting government repression included abusive tactics, torture, mass arrests, and a number of massacres. In July 1980, the ratification of Law No. 49 made membership in the Muslim Brotherhood a capital offense.[14]
Throughout the first years of the 1980s the Muslim Brotherhood and various other Islamist factions staged hit-and-run and bomb attacks against the government and its officials, including a nearly successful attempt to assassinate President Hafez al-Assad on 26 June 1980, during an official state reception for the president of Mali. When a machine-gun salvo missed him, al-Assad allegedly ran to kick a hand grenade aside, and his bodyguard (who survived and was later promoted to a much higher position) smothered the explosion of another one. Surviving with only light injuries, al-Assad’s revenge was swift and merciless: only hours later a large number of imprisoned Islamists (reports say more than 1200) were executed in their cells in Tadmor Prison (near Palmyra), by units loyal to the President’s brother Rifaat al-Assad.
Attack by insurgents in Hama[edit]
The events of the Hama massacre began at 2 am on 3 February 1982. An army unit searching the old city “stumbled on the hideout of the local guerilla commander, `Umar Jawwad,” (aka Abu Bakr) and were ambushed. Other insurgent cells were alerted by radio and “roof-top snipers killed perhaps a score” of Syrian soldiers. Reinforcements were rushed to besiege Abu Bakr who then “gave the order for a general uprising” in Hama. Mosque loudspeakers used for the call to prayer called for jihad against the Ba’ath, and hundreds of Islamic insurgents rose to attack the homes of government officials and Baath Party leaders, overrun police posts and ransack armories. By daybreak of the morning of 3 February some 70 leading Ba’athists had been killed and the Islamist insurgents and other opposition activists proclaimed Hama a “liberated city”, urging Syrians to rise up against the “infidel”.[15]
Attack by government forces[edit]
Hafez al-Assad (right), president of Syria. His brother Rifaat al-Assad (left) supposedly supervised the operation
According to author Patrick Seale, “every party worker, every paratrooper sent to Hama knew that this time Islamic militancy had to be torn out of the city, whatever the cost…” The military was mobilized, and president Hafez al-Assad sent Rifaat’s special forces (the Defense companies), elite army units and Mukhabarat agents to the city. Before the attack, the Syrian government called for the city’s surrender and warned that anyone remaining in the city would be considered a rebel. Besieged by 12,000 troops, the fighting in Hama lasted for three weeks – the first week “in regaining control of the town,” and the last two “in hunting down the insurgents.”[15] Robert Fisk, in his book Pity the Nation, described how civilians were fleeing Hama while tanks and troops were moving towards the city’s outskirts to start the siege. He cites reports of high numbers of deaths and shortages of food and water from fleeing civilians and from soldiers.[16]
According to Amnesty International, the Syrian military bombed the old city center from the air to facilitate the entry of infantry and tanks through the narrow streets; buildings were demolished by tanks during the first four days of fighting. Large parts of the old city were destroyed. There are also unsubstantiated reports of use of hydrogen cyanide by the government forces.[17] After encountering fierce resistance, Rifaat’s forces ringed the city with artillery and shelled it for three weeks.
After the initial attacks, military and internal security personnel were dispatched to comb through the rubble for surviving members of the Muslim Brotherhood and their sympathizers.[18] Torture and mass executions of suspected rebel sympathizers ensued, killing many thousands over several weeks.[citation needed] Rifaat, suspecting that rebels were still hiding in tunnels under the old city, had diesel fuel pumped into them and set ablaze and stationed T-72 tanks at the tunnel entrances to shell people trying to escape from the tunnels.[19]
Fatality estimates[edit]
Initial diplomatic reports from western governments in 1982 had stated that 1000 were killed in the fighting.[5][6] Subsequent estimates of casualties varied from 7,000 to 40,000 people killed, including about 1,000 soldiers. Robert Fisk, who was in Hama shortly after the massacre, originally estimated fatalities at 10,000, but has since doubled the estimate to 20,000.[2][20][21] The president’s brother Rifaat reportedly boasted of killing 38,000 people.[22] Amnesty International initially estimated the death toll was between 10,000 and 25,000.[8]
Reports by Syrian Human Rights Committee claimed “over 25,000″[23] or between 30,000 to 40,000 people were killed.[4] The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood also suggested a figure of approximately 40,000 victims.[citation needed]
Twenty years later, Syrian journalist Subhi Hadidi, wrote that forces “under the command of General Ali Haydar, besieged the city for 27 days, bombarding it with heavy artillery and tank [fire], before invading it and killing 30,000 or 40,000 of the city’s citizens – in addition to the 15,000 missing who have not been found to this day, and the 100,000 expelled.”[3]
Aftermath[edit]
After the Hama uprising, the Islamist insurrection was broken, and the Brotherhood has since operated in exile while other factions surrendered or slipped into hiding. Government attitudes in Syria hardened considerably during the uprising, and Assad would rely more on repressive than on political tactics for the remainder of his rule, although an economic liberalization began in the 1990s.[24]
After the massacre, the already evident disarray in the insurgents’ ranks increased, and the rebel factions experienced acrimonious internal splits. Particularly damaging to their cause was the deterrent effect of the massacre, as well as the realization that no Sunni uprisings had occurred in the rest of the country in support of the Hama rebels. Most members of the rebel groups fled the country or remained in exile, mainly in Jordan and Iraq, while others would make their way to the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.[25] The Muslim Brotherhood—the largest opposition group—split into two factions, after giving up on armed struggle. One, more moderate and recognized by the international Muslim Brotherhood, eventually headquartered itself in the UK where it remains, while another for several years retained a military structure in Iraq, with backing from the government, before rejoining the London-based mainstream.
The Hama massacre is often raised in indictment of the Assad government’s poor human rights record.[14][26] Within Syria, mention of the massacre has been strictly suppressed, although the general contours of the events—and various partisan versions, on all sides—are well known throughout the country. When the massacre is publicly referenced, it is only as the “events” or “incident” at Hama.