tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post3689349744136824535..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: David Miliband, Avigdor Lieberman and 'damnfool questions'Tom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-29213666704878112272009-05-14T18:00:00.000+01:002009-05-14T18:00:00.000+01:00Thanks JJ for the critical feedback.
Well, its a ...Thanks JJ for the critical feedback.<br /><br />Well, its a silly little blog, and a 125 year old think-tank of which we are quite proud too.<br /><br />I am supportive of ex-extremists challenging extremism, but we all need to then debate how a democratic society does that. Ed Husain is a member of the Fabians and the Labour party. I've exchanged messages about this with him today, he's also since sent me a different piece this afternoon welcoming comments. I attended the one year debate of Quilliam Foundation. Ed has agreed to take part in a public exchange about these very issues at some future point.<br /><br />It is in the nature of political debate that we have constructive and critical engagement about issues - which involves agreeing and disagreeing. We challenge the government, while hope MPs, party members and others will debate our ideas and no doubt often argue that we have got it wrong. This is what civil society and democratic debate and interrogation is about.Sunder Katwalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06671411534003530927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-80370109109083003882009-05-14T16:58:00.000+01:002009-05-14T16:58:00.000+01:00Sunder,
You strike me as one of those guys who ...Sunder,<br /><br /> You strike me as one of those guys who never really managed to make a success of himself as a journalist and has instead resorted to jealosy- driven attacks against those who he wishes he was. <br /><br />What other reason could you possibly have to attack people who used to be involved in the most facsist and theocratic movement of our time and, realising the folly of their way, have resolved to spend their lives actually doing something to fight it. THEY are making a differece, YOU have a silly little blog that no-one cares about.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01719796920610956205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-91442721267888377332009-05-14T10:52:00.000+01:002009-05-14T10:52:00.000+01:00Thanks. I do think that is the natural reading of ...Thanks. I do think that is the natural reading of the release. In fact, I had not spotted that the call to bar is left implicit and thank you for pointing it out. To check, I have sent this message to QF, and we will publish any reply.<br /><br />---<br />Avigdor Lieberman: "I naturally read your press release to mean that he should not have been hosted by the government. That's an accurate description of your position, isn't it? Please advise if not".<br />---<br /><br />But we already know that QF themselves take a very strong position against the government engaging with or hosting extremists. They then call this case as inconsistent and a double standard. If you are right (perhaps there is a deliberate decision to not state clearly how they would resolve an inconsistency) one can also surely take into account their general 'don't engage extremists' raison d'etre which has been their central public argument across the year. (That is why I read them as building 'consistency credibility' for future calls for non-engagement which may well be aimed at extremist Muslim voices. I simply think they are wrong not to make relevant distinctions).<br /><br />So I stand by the post, but appreciate the points you make so we shall see if QF wish to confirm, correct or indeed clarify what it is they are calling for.<br /><br />If that isn't their position, I think the release would be stranger still, and a rather pointless intervention which would mislead many people, and not just myself.Sunder Katwalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06671411534003530927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-78934788710537460022009-05-14T09:56:00.000+01:002009-05-14T09:56:00.000+01:00Sunder - You write that Quilliam press release arg...Sunder - You write that Quilliam press release argues that "the British government should, for "consistency" have banned the Israeli Foreign Minister from the UK".<br /><br />I've read the Quilliam press-release and nowhere does it say this - instead it merely points out the inconsistencies in current government policy. It also does not say any of things that you subsequently read into it such as advocating "breaking off our diplomatic" links with a democratically elected government.<br /><br />As a result of mis-reading the Quilliam press release, your article begins on a entirely false premise and in consequence it quickly becomes entirely nonsensical.<br /><br />I would have expected better from the head of the Fabian Society.<br /><br />KhalidUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924800818321506874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-35440648275837884682009-05-14T09:47:00.000+01:002009-05-14T09:47:00.000+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924800818321506874noreply@blogger.com