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Jim Duffy ✍ An excellent idea at present, given our own lack of personnel and required ships. 

Long-term, as a sovereign state we need to be able to take on that role ourselves. Having Irish personnel embedded on the vessels policing our waters will build up practical experience of immense value to the state - but only if we then hold on to the personnel. We unfortunately cannot told personnel because of a disastrous pension change made by Michael Noonan in the Kenny government. Skilled personnel leave not because they want to, but because they cannot afford to stay under the pension rules. So the private sector snaps them up. Until the pension rule is changed we will continue to lose experienced people in the Defence Forces and the the Gardaí.
 
Peacekeeping millions were another means of building up practical experience, but the aim of Putin and Trump to collapse the UN means they intend to veto all future peacekeeping missions in the Security Council. So traditional style peacekeeping is effectively dead. The UN did make a significant change in peacekeeping at the start of the century. The lack of a UN standing army meant that it took months, sometimes up to a year, for a UN force to be assembled and implement a mission. Faced with the risk of genocides during the gap between the UN Security Council and boots on the ground, Kofi Annan adopted a procedure of asking international bodies with military forces, the African Union, NATO and the EU, to send in forces to implement the UN resolution until the UN peacekeepers could get there. Neutrals all served in these missions at the request of the Secretary-General, and then would transfer to the UN peacekeepers when they arrived.
 
With Putin and Trump determined to veto all missions, one option being reviewed to bypass vetoes is for the UN draft resolution, though vetoed, would be implemented by an international force as a 'draft resolution'. Ireland could not do this, because of the ridiculous Triple Lock as it requires resolution be approved by the Security Council. Every other neutral is perfectly happy to serve in a mission implementing a draft resolution. 

That is the reason the ridiculous Triple Lock needs to be binned. If it is, Ireland would be permanently barred from peacekeeping by Trump and Putin's vetoes. No other neutral has a triple lock. In fact every other neutral thinks it is bonkers. They cannot understand how any sovereign state can give a veto over the use of its armed forces to the US, UK, France, Russia and China on anything. The principle of sovereignty should give the state and nobody else control over its armed forces.

⏩ Jim Duffy is a writer-historian.

Bin The Triple Lock

Anthony McIntyre ⚽First home game of the new season, and on a chilly February evening we were there for it. 

Our season tickets this time around are for the Windmill Road side of the ground. That way we will always have shelter whereas on the other side where the Ultras gather it can be hit and miss. Arrive too late and the unfortunate fan can end up on the seats not covered by the roof. Not so bad when it is dry no matter how cold it might be. Different when it is raining.

The season tickets are on the phone whereas I liked having the physical card. Each year at the season end I place the by then redundant card in a Liverpool FC neck wallet as a memento. With luck, the hard copy of the ticket will still be available although there have been more than a few grumblings about the quality of service on offer from the club business and merch side of the operation. 

The Drogs had made a good start the previous Friday away to Galway, claiming all thee points after a last minute goal. It was an art they applied to perfection against Dundalk at Oriel Park Friday past when they salvaged a point with a very late equaliser. It means they sit on seven points after three games, a tally they hope to increase this week when they meet Shelbourne at Sullivan and Lambe Park in two days time. Paddy and Jay might not make it for this one, being abroad at the minute and maybe too pressed for time when they arrive back on Friday.

By coincidence I happened to be in Galway where the Drogs sealed their opener but it was on a different day and not for the match. I hope to make more away games this season but with Cork relegated, two visits to Turners Cross are definitely not on the schedule. Always a good place to go and meet up with Joe for a drink and a match. 

On this occasion five of us made the journey by car with Paddy at the wheel. Two of Jay's friends had tagged along. Jay predicted a 3-0 victory for the home team but it was something I never found out until the three predicted points were in the bag, having forgotten to ask him on the way over. He was so engrossed in conversation with his friends that both of us overlooked the traditional Jay prediction. While the margin of victory was a goal short of what he expected he was on the money about who would emerge on top. 

Prior to the kick off against Waterford, there was a minute's applause for Damien Byrne a Drogs legend from the 1970s where he had featured in an FAI Cup final. Within three minutes of the kickoff there was even ore applause, this time very noisy - the Drogs had scored with a Shane Farrell effort. Eight minutes later the home side were on target again, on this occasion finding the net from a Mark Doyle strike. If Waterford made the journey to Leinster with their tails up following a decent draw against Shelbourne in their opening fixture, things didn't work out as anticipated. It takes a formidable side to come back from a two goal deficit inflicted so early in the game. Waterford were not that side. 

While expectations of the claret and blue fans took a spike fuelled by a sense that Waterford might wilt having been stunned twice in quick succession and possibly facing a seven goal Sligo type collapse on an excursion to Sullivan And Lambe, the visitors pulled themselves together and steadied the ship. The scoreline remained the same for the next eighty minutes with Waterford at times seeming the more likely to find the net. Cian Barrett on loan from Shamrock Rovers was unfortunate to see his rasping effort from thirty years crash off the woodwork. Drogheda's main opportunity came from a surging run by substitute Dara Kareem. 

The bulk of the just over 2000 spectators left the ground happy. With a daunting away visit to Oriel Park still a week away, six points from the opening two games was the best that could be expected, which has now increased to seven. That leaves them in second position, behind Bohemians only on goal difference. A fine performance by Drogheda who might have been more dominant had Ryan Brennan been in the midfield and Warren Davis in attack. 

Next up, Shels. And the Dublin sides are never easy.

⏩Follow on Bluesky.

Drogs ⚽ Waterford ⚽ Early Strike

Seamus Kearney 🎤 The Internal Security Unit ( ISU) had become a refined killing machine by 1986, with the original team of British agents still firmly in place. 

Their main role was to observe, collect and funnel information back to the Task Coordinating Group (TCG), via their respective handlers, whether with Special Branch, Ml5 or the military Force Research Unit ( FRU). Every morsel of information was squeezed out of each agent to provide a profile on IRA members, along with political direction of the overall Republican Movement, including the identification of 'hawks and doves' inside the IRA. The 'hawks' would be singled out for assassination if the opportunity arose. For example, in the case of IRA Volunteer Larry Marley, who was targeted and assassinated in April 1987. Others would follow. The ' doves' would be allowed to flourish and hollow out the IRA from within as the TCG viewed it, and labelled 'assets', but not necessarily agents of the State.

Freddie Scappaticci was now in control of the ISU and would gain a certain amount of information from his handler, including who in the unit was an agent like himself. The handler would usually speak in cryptic form by advising Scappaticci to avoid certain IRA personnel who ventured into his sphere of interest, or by indicating that another was 'harmless' etc. Everything came through the handler and that applied to the others in the ISU.

One of the greatest threats to Scappaticci came in October 1987 when the UDA /UFF received accurate intelligence on him as a senior IRA member and set about his assassination. Brian Nelson, an Intelligence Officer with the UDA but also a FRU agent, attended the meeting and later informed his handler on the proposed operation to eliminate Scappaticci. When the FRU handler received the information he sent it up the chain of command to the TCG and all hell broke loose in Castlereagh.

An elaborate plan was conceived to steer the UDA / UFF away from Scappaticci and unto another target with the same Italian sounding name. Brian Nelson received the relevant information on the bogus target from his handler, and Nelson in turn convinced the UDA leadership that the real target was not Freddie Scappaticci but Francisco Notarantonio, a Republican from West Belfast. The UDA leadership swallowed the bait and on 9th October 1987 a Loyalist gun team broke into his home in Ballymurphy and shot him dead. Freddie Scappaticci was saved.

The Force Research Unit had proven their worth and loyalty to Stakeknife and he embraced the comradeship that was now formed. A set of rooms were built below ground in one of the headquarter buildings in Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, known as the 'Rat Hole'. Only a restricted number of senior NCOs, warrant officers and senior officers were permitted entry, and the rooms were not only guarded on a permanent 24 hour basis but were also continually manned. The 'Rat Hole' was air-conditioned and similar to a subterranean bunker.

For much of the time Scappaticci's meetings with his handlers followed the same pattern as most agents: a phone call, a pick up in a car watched by two other vehicles manned by armed officers and then a drive to a secret location. Most of the time Scappaticci carried a pager on his person to ensure 24 hour contact with his handler. If asked about the pager he would reply that he needed it for his clients in the building trade. On several occasions Scappaticci visited the 'Rat Hole' and was warmly received by his FRU team.

In an unprecedented move Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, was informed about the agent Stakeknife and the quality of his intelligence on the IRA. Eventually, at the weekly meetings of the Government's Joint Intelligence Committee, at No. 10 Downing Street, Thatcher would ask the head of Ml5 to read out extracts from Scappaticci 's Military Intelligence Source Reports ( MISRs), as she rated him so highly. She emphasised to her committee members that they must do everything in their power to protect Scappaticci, as he was the most important person working for the British against the IRA. It was Thatcher who suggested that the British Government should pay him a high sum ( starting at 75,000 and eventually reaching 80,000 pounds per year - tax free). The account was opened by Ml5 in a British bank based in Gibraltar.

For his part, Scappaticci explained on a number of occasions to his handlers that he despised the IRA leadership because they had steadily accrued wealth for themselves while they continued to urge the new recruits to give up their lives for the cause. He justified his treachery to the Irish cause by blaming everyone else, a typical trait of a traitor.

Seamus Kearney is a former Blanketman and author of  
No Greater Love - The Memoirs of Seamus Kearney.

Stakeknife 🕵 The Rise And Fall 🕵 Act ⅤⅠⅠ

Lynx By Ten To The Power Of One Thousand Nine Eight Hundred And Ninety Two

 

A Morning Thought @ 3069

Gary Robertson ⚽ Scottish cup action to start the week as fifth round matches delayed by the weather finally went ahead. 

Tuesday, and first up, Dundee Utd faced League Two promotion hopefuls Spartans. Barely 12 mins into the match, United's task was made more difficult when Lovu bodychecked Cammy Russell and off he went, the referee brandishing the red card. The right decision? Probably. However the Arabs were in no mood to suffer a cup exit and in the 31st minute a sumptuous in swinging corner from Ferry met the head of Graham and the hosts were 1-0 up. Halftime came and went, and on 55 mins Goodwins men had a cushion when a lovely through ball was left for Fatah to slide into the net. His reward for this finish was to be hooked two mins later and replaced by Stirton. It’s a strange old game. Spartans though played some nice football and at times looked very dangerous, and so it proved on 78 mins when a looping shot by Spartans' Stowe left Maynard-Brewer in United's goal stranded and it was “game on” Sadly though for the visitors there was to be no fairy tale, and despite constant pressure the home team kept them out. However, they can take heart from this performance as honestly there was little between the teams not just in score but in quality. I for one was impressed by the standard of football they played.

Wednesday, and an all Premiership tie between Aberdeen and Motherwell. This game certainly didn’t disappoint for action. Two mins on the clock, Aberdeen’s Cameron was brought down by Motherwell's Priestman, and John Beaton reached for red, giving the Fir Park side an uphill task. The resulting free kick was fired from 19 yards low and hard into the net by former Hibs striker Kevin Nesbit, and sent the Dons fans into delirium. Aberdeen continued to pile on the pressure and a shot from the aforementioned Aberdeen man looked net bound before a fantastic save from Motherwell's Connelly. Contention in the 23rd minute when the Dons' debutant Geiger made what can only be described as a “bloody stupid challenge” on the Well's Fadinger. Beaton having shown a yellow card was advised by VAR to take another look at the “tackle” and invariably this meant only one thing, early bath for Geiger, and, honestly, rightly so. 

How JB in the middle thought this was only a yellow again brings into question refereeing in Scotland again. Others may think differently and I look forward to your thoughts but for me 100% red all day long. Ten men apiece and a debut that lasted 23 mins. Parity however didn’t last long. 48 mins on the clock and Gordon of Motherwell brings down Olusanya. Initially deemed worthy of a yellow again Beaton was called to the monitor and Motherwell were down to 9. 63rd minute and a bullet from Dons captain Shinnie from all of 23 yards settled the match and sent the home fans off happy looking forward to the next round and fighting to retain their trophy.

I don’t want to talk about Thursday but I suppose I’ll have to. I mean times a healer right so … let’s open some wounds

Celtic lined up against Stuttgart in the first leg of the UEL knockout. Another European night at Celtic Park and another chance for wonderful memories to be made. A tennis ball protest against the board halted the game almost immediately after kick off and chants of “all Celtic fans against the board” could be heard around the stadium along with “The Celtic board have got to go.” The fans in attendance certainly made their feelings known. Not sure what they’ll do with the balls but if you’ve a dog I guess you could ring up the stadium and see if they’ll send you a few. It didn’t take too long for Celtic to shoot themselves in the foot and a shot from El Khannouss eluded all-at-sea Schmeichel to put the visitors ahead. 

Nygren soon levelled the score in the 28th minute when a mix up in the Stuttgart defence presented the chance on a plate to the goal hungry Swede who managed to swerve the keeper before sliding the ball into an empty net. Hope springs eternal or, at least, so it’s said, but it’s also the hope that kills you right? 28 mins and that hope was extinguished as El Khannouss headed a shot past the hapless Schmeichel and from there on the German side dominated a poor poor Celtic. 

Awful defending from Celtic was the theme of the night and a save in the 30th minute from Schmeichel prevented the away team furthering their lead. Half time 1-2 Stuttgart. 58 mins and questions asked of Celtic's keeper yet again as Leweling made it 3, and already fans were leaving. A fourth for the away side was deemed to be offside in the 60th minute but in all honesty by this point there was nothing to celebrate. A smart save by Stuttgart's keeper prevented Nygren getting his second of the night in the 63rd minute. Whilst Celtic did improve somewhat in the second half it was always an uphill battle and a fourth was added in stoppage time by Tomas. 

A night strewn with errors and one to forget for fans and team alike. Boos and jeers rang out around the stadium at full time mostly directed at Kasper, whose errors gifted the away side the match and probably the tie. It’ll take a miracle of epic proportions to overturn this in Germany. I won’t be holding my breath. In the words of Forrest Gump “that’s all I got to say about that.”

Friday saw Championship leaders St Johnstone dropping points away to Raith Rovers. A match that ended 0-0 and not the result the away team would be hoping for.

Saturday saw their nearest pursuers, Partick, close the gap to 3 points with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Airdrie. A solitary Stanway goal enough for Thistle.

Inverness kept their 5 point advantage over Stenhousemuir with a 1-1 draw at home in this top of the table League One clash.

League Two, and East Kilbride stretched their lead to 5 points over their closest rivals Clyde and Spartans who both have 2 games in hand and the league title rather like the Premiership is looking interesting.

So to the Premier League. With the Glasgow sides both playing on Sunday, league leaders Hearts were handed the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table if they managed to beat a determined Falkirk. This wasn’t a “classic” but it will be remembered as the day Islam saved Hearts. Islam Chesnokovs first goal for the club was all that separated the two and extended McInnes' side's lead at the top of table at least for 24 hours.

Dundee Utd and Kilmarnock fought out a 1-1 draw. Fatah, having missed a penalty for the home side in the first half, atoned for his sin in the second, scoring in the 74th minute. Kilmarnock, the “victims” of a stoppage time winner by Celtic the week before found themselves on the receiving end of luck this week as Watkins scored for the visitors in the 91st minute. A point apiece seemed about right and the biggest blot on paper being the sending off of Killie's Thomson in the 94th minute. A straight red adjudged to have denied a clear and obvious goal scoring opportunity the young man took “one for the team” for sure.

Motherwells’ impressive league form continued with a 5-0 drubbing of St Mirren, a five star performance underlining the truth that they are possibly the most exciting to watch team in the SPL.

Their first on 14 minutes, a speculative shot hard and low from Just that, after a slew of chances for the visitors found, itself in the net. The game looked destined for more as wave of attack after attack followed but it was the men of steel who doubled their lead on the 30th minute when Zimbabwean international Maswanhise was brought down by the Saints keeper. The big number 18 took the resulting penalty and fired it into the net leaving George grabbing at fresh air and putting ‘Well in a comfortable position going into half time. Controversy is never far away in Scotland and once again a VAR decision for the time being at least saved St Mirren. In the 38th minute Gogic brought down Slattery and Ref Scott brandished a red card to the St Mirren defender. Nick Walsh on VAR (one of our better referees in my opinion) called Scott to take another look and the red was downgraded to a yellow. Probably the right decision in fairness.

Second half and the wave of attack from Motherwell was relentless. Their third was dispatched by Said's deflected shot on 49 minutes. As I said “controversy”, and on 52 mins St Mirren's Richard King was shown a red card for merely flapping at Callum Slattery who deserves an Oscar for his “man hit by missile” performance as he lay on the ground, and the need for a priest was looking inevitable. However, the midfielder made a recovery of Lazarus proportions and managed to complete the match. How blessed we are to see such miracles.

So down to ten and facing an onslaught. Well's fourth wasn’t far away, and defender Longelo slotted away this time. However once again VAR. First judged to be offside the goal was ruled out only for it to be reinstated after a meeting of the men in black and their technology. Possibly the best goal of the match was the last when a beautiful cross for the dependable and talented Priestman was volleyed into the net by Bjorgolfsson to round off what was a perfect evening for the Fir park faithful.

Aberdeen v Dundee didn’t stand out as a “must watch” over the weekend. However, the match itself “wasn’t too bad”

An early goal awarded to Kevin Nesbit (although I’m pretty sure Olusanya got the last touch) put the Dons ahead on 15 mins. Things looked good at this point for the home side but sometimes the fates conspire to punch a hole in your football coupon and so it proved on 39 mins when Aberdeen's Morrison brought down Dundee's Yogane and after (yet another) VAR check was shown a straight red card and Dundee were awarded a penalty. Bulleted into the net by Dundee Captain Murray we had parity, for five mins when just before half time when Aberdeen keeper Bratveit made a mess of a Congreve shot that was bundled into the net by Cotterill to give the boys from Dens a 2-1 lead.

Second half, and without doubt goal of the match - a free kick from easily 25 yards that Aberdeen's Nesbit dispatched over the wall past the keeper and into the net. 2-2.

It has to be said at this point that if it hadn’t been for some outstanding keeping from the Dons Bratveit the scores would have been very different. Although beaten by a speculative long range shot by Hamilton in the 84th minute the lad definitely deserves some plaudits for his performance (mistake aside he was assured and solid in goal).

Sunday didn’t happen

No really it didn’t

We all suffered from some mass delusion probably brought on by eating that cheese you found in the back of the fridge Saturday night.

You’re not buying it are you?

Guess I’m going to have to talk about it then ….

Celtic v Hibs

Livingston v Rangers

Both 3pm kick offs on a miserable damp and dreary February afternoon

Let’s start with Celtic.

I have to be honest here, they’re a very poor team at the moment and no one fears coming to Celtic Park anymore.

Before the match I had told my son I didn’t expect to win this game. I didn’t expect to lose but to me at least a draw looked most likely. In retrospect I’d have taken the draw at 3pm. Don’t get me wrong: there were flashes of brilliance from a few players and some very questionable VAR decisions but Celtic got what they deserved.

After an impressive start to the match a Nygren shot flying just past the post it looked like perhaps the “old Celtic” were back. Just before this however came the first controversial moment when Cvancara was hauled down in the box - no penalty, no VAR review.

24 mins on the clock and a sumptuous cross by Hibs Cadden was met by the head of onrushing Passlack and the men from Easter road were 1-0 ahead. Once again the Celtic defence hardly covered themselves in glory.

We do though still have a few players in this team that play for the jersey and one is Nygren who’s header from a Tierney cross found the net - the Bhoys were level. 1-1 at half time. As good as we could have hoped for I guess.

The second half though was somewhat reminiscent of the Nancy days at Celtic.

Min 74 and the usually reliable Trusty lashed out at Hib's McGrath and was (after the inevitable VAR decision) shown a red card. A 3 game ban awaits. Moments later and Scales was hauled down by Hib's Iredale and what looked like a stonewall penalty to Celtic was adjudged to be worthy of no such punishment by VAR and the game resumed. Other than the most biased of Rangers fans and the VAR team no one in the world watching that thought it was anything but a penalty. This of course sent social media into overdrive and once again calls for consistency have fallen on deaf ears. My last word on this incident - 100% a penalty and a massive “mistake” made by VAR. Mistake 🤔

By this time while Celtic appeared to be going through the motions Hibs smelled blood and a strike from Andrews in the 84th minute past the statuesque Schmeichel sealed the points for Gray's men and a damaging (and in my opinion title ending) defeat on O’Neill's shower of misfits. I wanted away - why should I bother when most of the team aren’t bothered types. Is this the worst Celtic team I’ve ever saw? Honestly, yes, and I’ll be very very surprised if we win any silverware this season. Whilst others including Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell and Hibs are improving and moving forward, Celtic are regressing and need a complete overhaul over the summer or it’s going to be a long season 26/27.

Rangers on the other hand are a different story

A short trip along the M8 awaited Rohl's men and a match against championship bound Livingston.

Three points looked certain for high flying Rangers who, having found form at just the right time, are stringing results together and are easily within catching distance of Hearts.

However the fates decided otherwise and to the surprise of everyone watching it was Livi who took the lead an unstoppable shot from Kabongolo in the 14th minute had the home faithful celebrating (something they haven’t had to do much this season in fairness so who can blame them?) Rangers pressed and pressed for an equaliser but some tremendous keeping from Prior and the Livi defence kept the score at 1-0 at half time. Could we be about to see the shock of the season? Again social media was abuzz with “Livi are winning” posts, and both Hearts and Celtic fans found themselves rooting for the little guy.

Second half and the fans at the Set Fare looked set fair to collecting 3 points as a series of saves and blocks from the Livi defence kept the Rangers at bay. Then an extraordinary moment. The 55th minute and Livingston's Smith found himself in acres of space to fire home past Butland and put Bartley's boys 2-0 ahead. Absolute pandemonium online followed and in the stands a miracle of biblical proportions unfolded before the eyes of West Lothian’s finest.

But this is Danny Rohl's Rangers team and one thing they are is resilient. A never give up attitude that their neighbours across the city could do well to adopt. Livingston of course contributed to their downfall as they have done many times this season, and a clumsy challenge by Montano on Gassama and the red card was shown. With this the rain arrived and so did Rangers first a tremendous shot by Fernandez thundered past Prior and gave the visitors a glimmer of hope in the gloom. 88 mins and just when it looked like Livingston might hold on for all 3 points a wonderful cross by Tavernier was glanced home by Moore and the Rangers fans who braved the weather celebrated enthusiastically knowing just how important a point this might be in the title race. Stoppage time (of which there was 11 mins all in) and a potential penalty to the Rangers was brushed aside by Referee Ryan Lee after what seemed an eternity. The match ended 2-2 and whilst Livingston will feel aggrieved they didn’t hold on they were once again the architects of their own downfall. Rangers however after being two behind have increased the gap between them and third place Celtic and look set to be Hearts biggest title rivals.

Next weeks Glasgow Derby at Ibrox is now a must win for Celtic. Anything but a win and even the most optimistic of fans must accept our title aspirations are over (although as I said before I am already firmly in the camp of “write this one off please”)

I’m off now to watch re-runs of the Ange years … when Celtic were a team and not this massive pile of garbage we’re forced as fans to endure.

Til next time ….

🐼 Gary Robertson is the TPQ Scottish football correspondent.

Rhymes With “Ducking Trap”

Friendly Atheist ★ The following is a guest post by Libby Bliss, the Camp Director for Camp Quest Chesapeake.

I’ve been an atheist since I was a kid. In my decades of non-believing, I’ve never really felt like I was missing anything. But when upsetting things in the world are happening, sometimes I do wish I could pray and feel like it would do something.

I may not have prayer, but I do have concrete action. When I was 16, I attended my first sleepaway summer camp, part of the nationwide Camp Quest network. (You’re reading this post on the Friendly Atheist because I found out about CQ from a post Hemant made 15 years ago. Thanks for changing my life, Hemant!)

Since the 90s, Camp Quest locations have been working toward a vision of the world where children grow up exploring, thinking for themselves, connecting with their communities, and acting to make the most of life for themselves and others.

Attending Camp Quest Chesapeake in 2011 gave me, for the first time, what a lot of people find in church: a community of people who share my beliefs and values. It also gave me confidence to develop as a leader . . . 

From Camper To Director 🪶 How Camp Quest Changed My Life

Barry Gilheany ✍😔 The scenario that so many medical professionals and public health officials feared is coming to pass in the recent outbreak of a measles virus North London but is no less disturbing for that inevitability. 

There were 83 diagnosed cases in the last month according to the UK Health Service Authority. Most are children under 10 living in the Borough of Enfield, which has one of the lowest rates of vaccine uptake in the country. Not coincidentally, parts of Enfield including Edmonton, the epicentre of the outbreak, score highly on most indices of deprivation. Because they have not been vaccinated against measles, experts have warned that more children are expected to be diagnosed with fatal neurological complications from measles. These include subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare neurodegenerative condition that usually appears around six to ten years after a measles infection. In the words of Professor Benedict Michael, a professor of neuroscience and chair of charity Encephalitis International’s scientific advisory panel “It’s a gradual but relentlessly progressive brain damage” and “Despite all of our drugs that we throw at it – immune drugs, antivirus drugs – it’s basically universally fatal.”[1]

Between 2000 and 2016, there were only five diagnoses of SSPE in the UK. Six children were diagnosed between 2017 and 2019 and experts such as Professor Ming Lim, a consultant paediatric neurologist at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, who has treated multiple children with SSPE, expect the number to rise. Prof Ming is certain that his junior resident colleagues will be taught to recognise SSPE purely because of this resurgence. In his words “If you see one case, you will never want to see another case of SSPE in your lifetime. It is a devastating condition.”[2]

The case of Sarah Walton is vivid example of the horrors of SSPE. She contacted measles at her nursery in 1979 at the age of 11 months, before children usually receive the vaccine. Her mother Jo reports that she recovered well but in 2004 at the age of 25 Sarah developed a myoclonic jerk – an involuntary spasm – that sometimes left her unable to walk. Eventually, she was diagnosed with SSPE and about two months later and a week before she was scheduled to wed her boyfriend, she suffered a massive seizure. In the words of her mother, “She went into the hospital walking and talking. And four weeks later, when she came out, she couldn’t speak and she couldn’t swallow.” Sarah required 24-hour care for the next 20 years and in February 2025, after several bouts of pneumonia, she died in her father’s arms.[3]

Measles: Risks And Protections

It may seem incredible to have to spell out what measles is and its attendant risks in an era where such diseases had been consigned to the medical history books but the long-term, cumulative effects of Dr Andrew Wakefield’s fraudulent research on the supposed links between the MMR vaccine and autism; the incessant anti-vaccination misinformation pumped out by “alternative” health influencers and the resultant culture of vaccine hesitancy makes this an essential and potentially life saving task. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can spread very easily among people who are not fully vaccinated. It usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed a few days later by a rash that starts on the face then spreads to the body. The spots, which are not usually itchy, are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches.

Measles is spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. One case can generate 18 secondary infections. Nine out of ten non-vaccinated people will catch it if exposed. A person is infectious from when they first have symptoms (about four days before the rash appears) until four days after they get the rash. Health experts recommend opening windows and doors to help reduce its spread, frequent handwashing and immediately binning used tissues.

While many people recover, the risks of measles are serious complications such as pneumonia or brain inflammation. In rare cases, measles can result in long-term disability or death. Babies and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk. Measles can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth, premature birth, and low birthweight.[4]

There is no specific treatment for measles, only the vaccination to prevent catching it, which is part of the measles, rubella, varicella (MMRV) injection that replaced the MMR jab in the UK’s routine childhood programme last month.

Dimensions Of The Measles Crisis

Last month, the UK lost its measles-free status, granted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) where there has been an absence of endemic cases in a country for at least 12 months (isolated cases will always occur, but the transmission chain must be broken). In the UK, transmission did stop in 2016 and 2017 but restarted again in 2018. The pandemic brought another lull, but since 2023 transmission rates have risen alarmingly. In 2023 there were 481 cases, a dramatic spurt from 63 the previous year. In 2024, the outbreak rate hit quadruple figures with 3,681 UK-wide, with 2, 911 in England. Last year, outbreaks were smaller, amounting to 957 cases, but remained continuous. The majority of cases were in children aged 10 and under, and half were in London.[5]

Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA describes how the return of measles “kicked off towards the end of 2023 with outbreaks in Birmingham and Coventry”. Through 2024 it “seeded virtually all the other regions in the country” but the largest outbreaks remained in Birmingham and London. She found that importation of measles found unvaccinated pockets and spread like wildfire. In January 2024, it was reported that more than 50 children had been admitted to Birmingham’s children’s hospital triggering the declaration of a national incident by the UKHSA.[6] The UKHSA has said modelling of a large measles outbreak in London suggests that between 40,000 and 160,000 people could be affected.[7]

Even in high-income regions, measles causes fatality in about one in 5,000 cases. There were two UK deaths in 2025: one an adult, one a child with an underlying immunological problem. In 2024 another child dies similarly; and four adults also died, one from the viral condition SSPE mentioned early, a fatal side-effect that emerges up to eight years after measles in about one in 50,000 cases. As also referred to previously, other complications of measles include severe diarrhoea, pneumonia, ear infection and hearing loss, blindness, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). 

In the case of two year old Ezra Barrett from Walsall who contracted measles in the West Midlands outbreak and who was rushed to A&E after the appearance of a rash on his body, the consultant struggled to insert an IV drip as “His body’s too shut down” due to his raging temperature and ended up being on high-flow oxygen. Ezra has recovered well after a week’s stay in hospital, but his speech is delayed and he is being monitored for hearing loss. His mother Davina Barrett also fears SSPE, and when she first shared Ezra’s story, she received messages challenging her, “saying it’s not true, that the MMR would not have helped Ezra.”[8]

This sadly not unknown anecdote leads to the nub of the contemporary measles resurgence: the critical drop-in vaccination rates and the explanatory factors. The WHO states that herd immunity driven by community-wide vaccination is the only way to prevent measles. This is high due to the very infectious nature of the disease, remaining contagious in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours. The first measles vaccination was offered in the UK in 1968, and the combined MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella in 1988. Last month it switched to MMRV, including protection for varicella (chickenpox). It is offered in two doses, first at 12 months and, from last month, topped up at 18 months (formerly the top-up was scheduled when the child was three years and four months old). Having both doses gives immunity for about 99% of people. The UK’s average coverage in 2024 was 92.3% for the first dose, but 84.4% for the second, falling since the pandemic.[9]

Enfield has one of the lowest MMR vaccine uptake rates in the country, according to UKHSA figures from August 2025 that showed just 64.3% of five-year-olds in Enfield had received both doses of the vaccine in 2024-25. The Sunday Times reported that more than 60 cases of measles had been reported by seven schools and a nursery in Enfield. A message posted on the NHS Ordnance Unity Centre for Health GP surgery’s website described a fast-spreading measles outbreak.” It added: 

During this recent outbreak, one in five children have been hospitalised due to measles and all of them had not been fully immunised.[10]

The social demographics of the parts of Enfield, and indeed the West Midlands, that are being ravaged by the measles outbreaks – working class, BME preponderance, single parenthood – contrast so much with the New Age, Wellness Woo, Natural Health milieu in which the High Priest and Priestesses of the anti-vaccination movement reside – the grift economy of the faux sisterhood of wealthy white women with their pyramid business model for selling “alternative” health products, that it is tempting to view this ongoing public health disaster as a victory for the “pureblood” ideology of this anti-public health movement. The tragedy is that the bogus anti Big Pharma message they promote has found some traction, in the words of Prof Azeem Majeed, the head of primary care and public health at Imperial College, London, “among certain communities” which have “distrust of authority because of bad experience with councils, in health, education, welfare or housing.” For all the main factors likely to affect vaccine uptake are present in Enfield according to Prof Majeed – the prevalence of people from ethnic minorities who had also lower levels of education, deprivation, and how often people moved between different addresses and countries.

The MMR and autism has less purchase now; rather the main drivers of vaccine scepticism now is the wave of Covid 19 untruths disseminated by the Disinformation Dozen through social media and the influence of prominent US politicians such as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, compromised access to vaccines in areas of high deprivation must also be factored into the equation. Dr Saliba points to the major restructure of the NHS in 2013-14 which took away from health visitors the power to deliver vaccines. The year-on-year decline in vaccine take up overlapped with the austerity agenda which saw provision for health visitors and Sure Start centres, often venues for vaccinating, slashed. Boroughs like Hackney and Enfield are homes to diverse populations who need tailored engagement including translation services and cooperation of community resources such as mosques and temples with lots of communities.[11]

Finally, while no medicinal product is ever 100% free of side-effects, it is possible that vaccines have become “victims of their own successes” in that memories of the casualties of infectious diseases such as measles have faded. As anti-vaxxers promote their fairy tales of how natural immunity was gained by participation in measles or chicken pox parties, it is instructive to listen to the case of 60-year-old Alan Crowrher from Derbyshire who, born before the vaccine, caught measles when he was five; an experience he “felt normal.” However, the result was profound hearing loss and blindness caused by nerve damage. Today he has 15% of his hearing left. In his 30s, damaged optical nerves were diagnosed; he has 10% of his sight remaining. He has a simple message for parents reluctant to have their child vaccinated: “Come and sit with me.”[12]

References


[1] Phoebe Davis & James Tapper, 'Fears of rise in fatal brain disease as take-up of measles jab continues to fall.' The Observer. 22 February 2026 p.17

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid.

[4] Andrew Gregory, 'Precautions. What are the risks and how do you protect your child.' The Guardian. 17 February 2026

[5] Emily Retter, 'The alarming return of measles.' The Guardian G2 16 February 2026 pp.4-5

[6] Ibid, p.5

[7] Rachel Hall, 'Measles outbreak in London spreading via unvaccinated children, watchdog confirms.' The Guardian. 16 February 2026

[8] Retter, p.5

[9] Ibid

[10] Hall, op cit

[11] Ibid

[12] Ibid

⏩Barry Gilheany is a freelance writer, qualified counsellor and aspirant artist resident in Colchester where he took his PhD at the University of Essex. He is also a lifelong Leeds United supporter.

Return Of The Pox 🪶 Measles Resurgence In The UK And The Revenge Of The Wellness World

Lynx By Ten To The Power Of One Thousand Nine Eight Hundred And Ninety One

 

A Morning Thought @ 3068

Azar Majedi ✊ US/Israeli plot failed!

People’s just and angry protests against the Islamic Republic in Iran has become hostage in the hands of US/Israeli regime change agenda; such orchestrated plan to create chaos which resulted in more bloodshed and deaths.
 
  • But they failed. From the beginning they started exposing their plans in their official tweets and in mainstream media, especially the Israeli ones. 
  • From Mossad encouraging people to come to the street and promising to be on the ground beside them To former CIA director and secretary of foreign affairs Mark Pompeo wishing Mossad agents walking side by side Iranian people, happy new year
  • To numerous declarations by Israeli politicians and recently the US secretary of treasury in an interview in Davos, there are plenty of genuine proof of Mossad and CIA involvement in escalating the chaos and tension in Iran.
 
Apparently, this was supposed to raise the tension to such a level that a regime change plan could be implemented, another colour revolution-like regime change. Reza Pahlavi was being promoted like a star. He was explaining his immediate plan for a takeover; his plan was “majestically” dictatorial. He was claiming that people have shouted his name on the streets and have chosen him as their leader, so, he is the chosen one, so to speak!

It only took a few days for him to come back and put some basic demands on the table and forget about his kingdom fantasy. The rightwing Persian speaking media in the West, BBC for example brought Iranian CIA agents to explain where they went wrong, what happened and why they failed. It’s pathetic how they are trying to justify their blatant miscalculations, or reckless actions which led to much more bloodshed and ruin. However, this can raise the question, whether this was a miscalculation and bad planning or deliberate action to create such chaos as to justify military action? The future actions will show.

They had promised that “they will be there to help” but they only deepened the danger for the people. Everyone from different spectrum of politics, have seen how spineless, opportunistic, stooge and evil they are. They have no concern for human lives, people’s suffering and pain. They showed their callousness when they begged Trump and Netanyahu to bomb Iran. They failed badly. How many more times can Israel and US save this Royal parasite who has no idea of what it means to work for a living? Everyone knows he is a professional gambler living a super luxurious life with the billions his parents stole.
 
Iran has proven to be a tough case, but why? You find the answer in who the Iranian fascists see as their main enemy in the path to power: The left, the communist movement. Isn’t this a wild exaggeration? No. Just look at their propaganda. Their focus on the left and the energy they spend in trying to badmouth them is unbelievable. Thousands of fake and real accounts on social media are using the filthiest language against socialists, trying to demonise and criminalise them. They try to blame the left for the coming to power of the Islamic regime, which was in fact brought to power by their master, America. If the left is as insignificant as they claim to be why has such active anti- communist campaign become necessary? This is a very basic question.
 
The power of the left is not in the amount of their wealth or arms; under the repressive rule that dismantles any effort for organisation, it’s not in its organisational strength either. The strength of the left lies in the depth of the society. Socialism as aspiration, goals and ideology is rooted in the society. That is why the monarchists and their promoters have, with no success, actively been trying for more than 3 years to impose themselves as the only alternative. Their aim is to organise a regime change in Iran to revive the fallen monarchy, the one CIA dismantled in order for people’s revolution of 79 not to succeed. 

It’s become a joke how many times in these past years Reza Pahlavi has come forward as the next leader and then had to move back to a more “humble” position. He and his followers have had no chance with the people. They’re unwanted. This is one of the main dilemmas of the US/Israel plan.
The West's propaganda campaign was supposed to win the Iranian diaspora, people in Iran and the Western public opinion. It failed. All the public statements and bragging of Mossad and CIA interference and involvement and the intensity of violence and number of murders, were very quickly exposed. Their plan was widely condemned, so much so as they organised a damage control campaign by inviting so-called experts to their media outlets to analyse the errors.

Israel’s boasting of its involvement and praising Iranian people as “Westerners and white” did more harm to their project. It exposed their vicious and evil plan. People woke up to the truth that they were unwilling to accept. Unfortunately, it seems that people see two opposing enemies (Islamic regime and US/Israel) and call one the worst enemy and excuse the other. People start to “choose” the enemy according to which one has tormented them the most and is more hateful or simply according to how much they have been influenced by the dominant propaganda. This perspective creates myths and prepares our minds and the world for swallowing any lies and propaganda. This is the problem now.

People of Iran rightfully hate this brutal regime so much and have fought time after time to push it back and topple it, so they tend to see the other pole the US and Israeli terrorism as friend or not so fatal. This is a very sensitive and tricky situation. But even this stumbling block has been pushed back.
 
One of the characteristics of this round of protest movement in Iran was that it very quickly escalated to an unprecedented level. Moreover, there were abundant speculations about Mossad and CIA interference, something not seen before. That’s why it was exposed so quickly. A tragedy created by two evil powers, two criminal and brutal entities that care about nothing but their power and greed, both are evil psychopaths.

Israeli flag

Since 7th October 2023 the Iranian fascists have been appearing in pro-Israeli/anti-Palestinian demonstrations with monarchist flag of lion and sun side by side the Israeli flag. The pact was made between Netanyahu and Reza Pahlavi in Jerusalem a few months before the start of the genocide in Gaza; a pact between “the son of Ibrahim and the son of Cyrus!” (Apparently as Karl Marx once said, history repeats itself, first as tragedy second as farce; clowns posing as historical myths.) However, the presence of Israeli flags in most Iranian diaspora protests in the west (except those organised by the left) has created a great deal of antipathy and concern for their movement and cause, among both Iranians and wider public. They have become discredited very quickly. They have become forced to justify and minimise the consequences.

American and Israeli support has become their Achilles’ hill. The protest in Brussels where US ambassador was speaking was the height of dissonance, disconnect and irrelevance to the aspirations and wishes of the people in Iran. Demonstrators holding Israeli and American flags and shouting: USA.
 
This first act of US/Israeli regime change plan seemed to have failed and damaged their credentials to a great extent. However, they are choosing the opportunity to promote military attack more openly. We need to stop this. We need to call on humanity to try and stop threats and attacks on the Iranian people. Attacking Iran first and foremost is an attack on the people of Iran, in much wider scale than the 12 day war in June.
 
Hands off Iran
Down with the Islamic regime of Iran
Long live freedom, equality and prosperity for all

⏩ Asar Majed is a Member of Hekmatist Party leadership & Chairperson of Organisation for Women’s Liberation.

Israeli Flag Is Hurting Not Helping Israel

Counterpunch 🥊Written by Vijay Prashad.

I am heartsick.

As a young boy, I experienced horrific sexual violence, which I have written about before and which continues to mark me even decades later. It means that I cannot tolerate anyone who exploits young children in a way that is not merely moral but physical: I am utterly repulsed by anyone who harms children and shudder when I hear anyone who even disciplines a child. Two of my children are adults, and two are still children and with each of them I have felt and feel deeply about their fragilities and their futures. For me, there are no second chances for a person who violates a child.

I read about the Jeffrey Epstein case because it hurts me greatly to read about the dangerous violence inflicted on children and young people.

But of course, it was impossible to ignore the emails between my friend and collaborator Noam Chomsky and Epstein. I have read what I can, and I have seen what I need to see. Noam has been a great mentor for me, and we have made two books together. Both books were written around the time that he was in correspondence with Epstein. 

Continue @ Counterpunch.

On The Emails Between Jeffrey Epstein And Noam Chomsky

Dr John Coulter ✍ Last week’s Special General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) in Belfast to update ministers and elders on the safe-guarding crisis which has enveloped the denomination became a soundbite paradise for anyone either reporting on it, or making notes for their congregations.

As a Presbyterian minister’s son and PCI communicant member myself, while phrases such as ‘ecclesiastical earthquake’ and the Church is ‘in trouble, make no mistake about it’, were earth-shattering enough, it was a remark by Rev David Bruce, a retired minister and convenor of PCI’s general council, which - for me personally - stuck out the most.

Mr Bruce said: 

The church must be under no illusions that things will be said to us concerning our past and current practice in areas extending beyond safe-guarding and I have absolutely no doubt that this will be challenging for us to hear.

It was the word ‘past’ which hit me like a bombshell. While the current safe-guarding crisis relates to allegations from a period in the new millennium, could historical allegations dating back generations into the past 20th century now surface in the coming weeks and months?

Look at how the Catholic Church has been hammered over the years concerning allegations and cases of clerical sex abuse. Could a similar historical crisis now be facing PCI over safe-guarding?

One thing PCI cannot do in regard to any historical allegations which may surface is sweep them behind the pulpit under the excuse that many of those involved are now dead, so what’s the point in opening old sores and wounds?

When it comes to safe-guarding issues, PCI must not hide behind the Old Testament text of Isaiah Chapter 43 and verse 18: “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” (King James Version) In short, PCI must never adopt the view - let the past be the past and let us bury it completely and forget about it!

I recall my own upbringing as a PCI minister’s son in the north Antrim hills in the Seventies. Safe-guarding was a non-existent term for me; it was all about self-guarding.

As a young teenage born again Christian, I had at one time a theologically liberal elder for a Sunday school teacher. I learned nothing spiritually from his classes - except that I could be made an example of for being the preacher’s kid.

To lift the boredom of his class, myself and my fellow classmates would have a bit of craic. This elder was known for his short fuse and eventually he’d had enough of us misbehaving.

Rather than tell us to behave, his way of doing it was to punch me in the face in front of my chums, reducing me to tears. There is the problem we can look at this incident in the 1970s though 2026 eyes; imagine if a Presbyterian elder punched a teenager in a Sunday school class nowadays? Think of the legal action that would follow.

However, we must remember that in the Seventies, corporal punishment was still legal in Northern Ireland schools - and that also applied to Sunday schools. That liberal elder is now dead. I suppose if he was still alive, he’d be using the excuse that he needed to maintain discipline in his class and a good punch to the face of the preacher’s kid was one way of doing that.

No action was ever taken against that elder for the punch. Whilst I remain a born again Christian, I wonder how many other young folk have been put off church, and PCI in particular, and the Christian faith generally because of experiences they’ve had in a place of worship?

For me in the late Seventies, self-guarding became the key term in PCI. A particular thug in the community, known for his bullying, began to target me simply because I was the minister’s son.

What many of my chums took for granted - namely, walking from their parents’ cars to the church pew - I had to plan very carefully to avoid getting a beating from this thug. A number of my peers warned me about this thug.

I used to hide out in my dad’s minister’s room on Sunday mornings, then rush in to the church hall for the opening devotions before Sunday school and Bible class began. I kept this routine up for a number of months. Thankfully, nothing happened.

So one Sunday in the latter part of the year, I felt the coast was clear and I abandoned by routine and took my seat as usual in the church hall. I didn’t see the thug come up behind me. He landed - either by accident or by design - a well-placed kick into my lower back on the left-hand side. The pain was excruciating.

I managed to walk back to dad’s minister’s room where I collapsed on the carpet. I didn’t want a doctor called or to go to the then Ballymena Waveney Hospital as that would have given the thug the satisfaction of knowing how badly he had injured me.

This event happened around half a century ago. At first reading of this, you might conclude - you need to man up Coulter and remember Isaiah 43:18.

I wish I could, but twice a day, even now in my late sixties, I still have to take the medication as a result of that attack. It was a secret I managed to keep from that community until after both my parents passed away.

But as I take my pills for that injury, I wonder how many other folk over the years had to keep it a secret about their experiences either when safe-guarding failed, or when safe-guarding simply did not exist.

At least as a working journalist, I have a voice. I can write about my experiences. Many have chosen to remain silent. But for their own peace of mind, they need to come forward and share their experiences, current or historical.

There has been much talk in Northern Ireland about legacy issues and dealing with the past. For PCI, the past must never remain buried when it comes to safe-guarding and other issues. Now is the time for total transparency, no matter how bitter the medicine to swallow.

Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter
John is a Director for Belfast’s Christian radio station, Sunshine 1049 FM. 

Safe-Guarding, Not Self-Guarding, Must Be PCI’s Future Vision

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