Going back to finish the story behind the weaponise thread, the guys with the ricin apparently went to Manchester and, as a result of ‘intelligence’, the police went to arrest what they were told was one guy. Turned out there were three one of whom broke free, got hold of a carving knife, killed one policeman and injured three others before being subdued. Seems the one who died was a detective and they do not usually wear body armour. I guess had there been just the one he wouldn’t have got into the action.

This word 'intelligence' seems misapplied sometimes.

In this story "intelligence" was a buzzword for "information". I can well imagine that the
average Brit must bitterly regret the influx of so many bad eggs into UK.

I heard about that on the news, dxb--sad. But what I'd like to know is how the spy community came to use the word intelligence, meaning, at least some of the time, secret information. I suppose I can see it if you see one meaning of 'intelligence' as 'knowledge of facts', but. It still strikes me as odd, given the much wider use of the term in a different way.

In Jane Austen's novels, intelligence has its present-day meaning of mental ability, but it also meant news. For example:


"Are you well, my Emma?" was Mrs. Weston's parting question.
"Oh! perfectly. I am always well, you know. Be sure to give me intelligence of the letter as soon as possible."
Emma

Bingley

I can well imagine that the average Brit must bitterly regret the influx of so many bad eggs into UK.

I am sure that in Britain (as in many other countries besides) there were plenty of bad eggs there to start with. Terrorism is a personal philosophy - not a national one. These terrorists were Algerian but they number a few of the total population. In the bloody civil war in Algeria which still rages after more than a decade and which receives little or no mention in the press ordinary civilians are still massacred at the hands of their 'countrymen' not in the name of terrorism but to control power. Their tactics are terror so this bungs them in with the rest of the world's terrorists. The answer to this perpetual strife is not simple and is definitely not 'bomb the hell out of the country'. This will affect the ordinary person more than it does the terrorist. And this rationale applies to all countries - including Iraq. No, most of all Iraq.

The answer to this perpetual strife is not simple and is definitely not 'bomb the hell out of the country'. This will affect the ordinary person more than it does the terrorist. And this rationale applies to all countries - including Iraq. No, most of all Iraq.

Gosh Rubrick it's not like we're firebombing Dresden. We (The US and Great Britain) have no desire to colonize. If you lived in Iraq without hope under a madman who rules by a reign of abject terror would you not like the steel boot of tyranny removed from your country's head?

would you not like the steel boot of tyranny removed from your country's head?

[leaping-in-e] Um...no. Not at any cost, anyway.

Besides which, I tend to believe it ain't up to the rest of the world to leap into other countries and tell them how to run things. Everyone sees things differently. If Iraqis are happy with the way things are in Iraq, who are the States and the UK to tell Iraq they're wrong?

Besides....Reigns of terror don't last. The people get fed up with them and deal with them in a nation-specific appropriate manner. Outside influences are unable to do this because they just don't understand the culture of the places they are determined to "fix."

Or something like that.

If Iraqis are happy with the way things are in Iraq, who are the States and the UK to tell Iraq they're wrong?

Think. The Iraquis have no way to choose happy. God bless you in your innocence.
Milo.

Gosh Rubrick it's not like we're firebombing Dresden. We (The US and Great Britain) have no desire to colonize. If you lived in Iraq without hope under a madman who rules by a reign of abject terror would you not like the steel boot of tyranny removed from your country's head?

Milum,

1. It may be worse than firebombing Dresden. We have yet to see and undoubtedly be proved right.
2. I never mentioned colonisation. But puppet government seems more apt.
3. I don't live in Iraq and neither do you so why are you asking me? It is an empty question not even worthy of debate because we have no idea what it is like living in such conditions. Why don't you ask the Iraqis what they think? If they are happy with their lot then what's the problem? If they are not then let them sort it out for themselves.
Speaking of madmen ruling with abject terror let me tell you a story about a young lad from Texas who became the most powerful leader of the world without being elected by a mandate from the masses and who used a single event to trigger a draconian crackdown on naturalised citizens in his own country and to attack countries he just didn't like and which had nothing to do with this event.

Hmmmm..... Kettle. Pot. Black. Kettle. Pot. Black.

Is it just me, or is this thread treading dangerous ground? I don't think we can solve the problems of the world here, so maybe we should just let this thread sink. Words, anyone?

Agreed. Nothing good is going to come from continuing this. Consider my involvement on this thread at an end.

Agreed. Nothing good is going to come from continuing this. Consider my involvement on this thread at an end.

Ditto!

[blowing kisses to you last 3 post-ers]

hey! what about those of us that never got involved in the first place, knowing how it would turn out?

et wants you to blow him a kiss, too.

And he's my swan brother, so, even though I don't deserve one, give him one just because.

hey! what about those of us that never got involved in the first place
For you, my dear, a super-duper, lallapaloozer: [SMACK]! You're goofy, you know that? ;-)

ahhh... now my day is fulfilled...
thanks, J!

"And he's my swan brother......" Dear Faldage: That sounds like a Russian fairy tale I used
to read to my daughters. Except that would make you a little girl. Wrong fairy tale. Don't
let the black swans get you.

Don't let the black swans get you.

Modo sum corvo nigrior.

Ahh, you're just crowing, Faldage!

just crowing

Miser, miser modo niger,
et ustus fortiter.

Miser, miser modo niger,
et ustus fortiter.

Carmina betcha can do better than that! (But not very Orffen)

Arright you want the whole thang?

Even what Carl left out?

Olim lacus colueram
Olim pulcher extiteram
Dum cygnus ego fueram

Cho.
Miser, miser modo niger
et ustus fortitier

Eram nive candidior
Quavis ave formosior
Modo sum corvo nigrior

Cho
Miser, etc

Gyrat regyrat garcifer
Me rogus urit fortiter
Propinat me nunc dapifer

Cho.
Miser, etc.

Mallem in aquis vivere
Nudo semper sub aere
Quam in hoc mergi pipere

Cho.
Miser etc.

Nunc in scutella jaceo
Et volitare nequeo
Dentes frendentes video

Cho.
Miser, etc.


Carl left out 2 and 4, the best verses

I particularly like that Quam in hoc mergi pipere verse. Sounds like an old Yiddish shprichtvort.