Media thread 2022/23

[Father Paul]

The UAE is surely one of the more liberal Arab states. (OK it's not a Western democracy.) I wouldn't particularly want to live there, but if I had to live in an Arab state, which would be better? More liberal? More stable?

Anyone would think the UK was a perfect society, put in place by God as a sort of shining light to the Gentiles. What right have we to impose our standards (and imperfect systems) on people whose culture is entirely different? It isn't 1890 and we are not in the business of sending gunboats the 'civilise' other peoples.

Exactly. The new emerging Multipolar world will put an end to these gunboats for good.

 

[petrusha]

I am thinking [that McGeehan] is using City as a marketing tool, using whatever experience he has in his relevant field, to keep himself relevant. It's a bit sad, really.

This is exactly what he's doing. And he's figured out that the WhatsApp crew will lap up whatever negative viewpoint on MCFC's ownership he may care to present. It's a mutually beneficial relationship for them all. They burnish his reputation as a Middle East human rights expert: in no other context do his views attract much, if any, notice from the mass media. And in return, Delaney and his mates gain what they like to present as an intellectual basis for their criticisms of us. They thus claim academic expertise on their side while we're just "blinkered crackpots".

Except that some of us are blinkered crackpots who nonetheless see the whole thing for the stomach-churning charade of intellectual dishonesty it really is.

 

[Blue Mist]

You know what ? Who gives a flying one.


Fuck that is.

 

[LongsightM13]

This is exactly what he's doing. And he's figured out that the WhatsApp crew will lap up whatever negative viewpoint on MCFC's ownership he may care to present. It's a mutually beneficial relationship for them all. They burnish his reputation as a Middle East human rights expert: in no other context do his views attract much, if any, notice from the mass media. And in return, Delaney and his mates gain what they like to present as an intellectual basis for their criticisms of us. They thus claim academic expertise on their side while we're just "blinkered crackpots".

Except that some of us are blinkered crackpots who nonetheless see the whole thing for the stomach-churning charade of intellectual dishonesty it really is.

Exactly this. In the world of publishing and books, they refer to this mutually beneficial back scratching as ‘log rolling’ - each positively endorsing the other’s work for naked greed and financial gain
McGeehan and Delooney have built careers on the back of City, hence the former’s five year old pinned tweet

 

[LongsightM13]

Whether a country is run as a kleptocracy or not is something of an intellectual argument which is irrelevant in the geo-political world, imo. And it surely must have a negative connotation bearing in mind its etymology. But at the end of the day, labels are of no import. What is important is how that country behaves internally, and externally. Has the ruling elite in the UAE become very wealthy in the last 50 years? Yes, surely. Are they running the country with a view to betterment for its people and improved conditions in areas we in the west think are important. Probably, on the whole, if not as fast as some impatient types would like.

And to conclude, this has fuck all to do with football anyway.

Would a country where even a bone idle nonce like Prince Andrew is worth tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds be an example of a kleptocracy? Asking for an unsweaty mate…

 

[cookster]

The UAE is surely one of the more liberal Arab states. (OK it's not a Western democracy.) I wouldn't particularly want to live there, but if I had to live in an Arab state, which would be better? More liberal? More stable?

Anyone would think the UK was a perfect society, put in place by God as a sort of shining light to the Gentiles. What right have we to impose our standards (and imperfect systems) on people whose culture is entirely different? It isn't 1890 and we are not in the business of sending gunboats the 'civilise' other peoples.

Most of the cunts in press are stuck in our colonial past.

 

[Blue Mist]

I suppose its naturally to support the country you're born in but let's face it, there is no openly gay footballer in the Premier League so who are we to criticise other countries about LBGT ?
Human Rights, it wasn't long ago we left Afghans who had helped us against terrorists behind..... to die. Never mind an illegal war or kidnapping (rendition) of UK citizens.
All middle east countries run their countries according to a religion and are damned for doing so by us. Us that have paedophile vicars and priests.
We have masonic orders that run the police, councils and business, corruption and crime is rife, drug abuse is now normal and poverty accepted.
I mention all this because the U.S. shills tell anyone and everyone that Shiekh Mansour is a puppet for a corrupt regime. Well I hope, even if I wasn't a City fan, I could look beyond their hatred.

 

[Ithryn Luin]

The UAE is surely one of the more liberal Arab states. (OK it's not a Western democracy.) I wouldn't particularly want to live there, but if I had to live in an Arab state, which would be better? More liberal? More stable?

Anyone would think the UK was a perfect society, put in place by God as a sort of shining light to the Gentiles. What right have we to impose our standards (and imperfect systems) on people whose culture is entirely different? It isn't 1890 and we are not in the business of sending gunboats the 'civilise' other peoples.

It is ironic that the liberal anti Arab mob cannot see that their approach is no different to that of the old European imperialists who wanted to impose their values and culture on foreign states.

These Arab cultures have evolved over two Millennia. Having worked in two for 5 years it became apparent to me that there is little or no appetite for Western culture or our model of democracy right through the whole strata of class of residents in those states, it simply does not fit in with their way of life, beliefs and religion. The leadership of Iran and Lebanon tried to enforce Westernisation of their states in the 50's/60's. That did not end well in either case.

The assumptions made by McGeehan and his acolytes are deeply flawed!

 

[WRicko]

Well I'm no expert in politics. McGeehan refers his readers to an article defining a kleptocracy, and that article leads with this, after a brief introduction.

"Definition of a kleptocracy

Most explanations of kleptocracy – derived from the Greek for ‘thief’ and ‘rule’ – stress the aspect of ‘grand corruption’ whereby high-level political power is abused to enable a network of ruling elites to steal public funds for their own private gain using public institutions.

Kleptocracy is therefore a system based on virtually unlimited grand corruption coupled with, in the words of American academic Andrew Wedeman, ‘near-total impunity for those authorized to loot by the thief-in-chief’ – namely the head of state."

It goes on to explain other features of kleptocracies, all of which seem to describe the current Russian system.

This is the only definition of kleptocracy that I have read, so my understanding is based on this. Abu Dhabi is not governed in this way and I do not think it is fair to refer to it as a kleptocracy.

For a description of the political system of the UAE, have a look here: https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/the-uae-government/political-system-and-government.

Neither of us are experts on either kleptocracy or the UAE. So perhaps we should end this conversation however I always want the last word haha.

I think it’s irrelevant to how city are run anyway

My view is that whilst the UAE is probably not especially corrupt and so does not fit the part of the definition use your.

They do use natural resources / state enterprises and management positions within state enterprises to bribe the people and certain elites it just not direct cash payments These resourcs would in an ideal world would be more readily useable by the people all be it in a controlled manner i doubt anyone on here for example would be able to do a better job running an oil company than the people currently doing it in the UAE even if they got it through history and connections.

Russia is the best example of kleptocracy but both countries have lots of state enterprises that can be exploited and should ideal be used by the people more.

Even the UK perhaps has kleptocratic tendencies look at PPE contract the peerage and honors system. We are also probably the most corrupt country just happens a lot of the corruption is other people from outside the country being corrupt here

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Double page spread on the Rags in the DT. There's a notion that FakeRon's legacy and legendary status is gonna be tarnished by the manner of his upcoming exit. Mind, there's a wee glint of a silver lining on that cloud as the suggestion is made that in Ronnie's absence St. Bruno becomes a world beater. 'Kinell, the RDAHMeedya were wetting themselves with that goal he scored v Haringey, and then I saw it on BBCMANUreTV last night and I saw better at the weekend in L1 and L2!