Syria; imagine that - an academic declines to answer questions

[David Guyatt]

On the BBC 2 Radio 2 programme earlier this week (Thursday 3 December), discussing the vote in Parliament for the UK to go to war against ISIS, one of Vine's guests, the American academic, Professor Scott Lucas, stated a number odd things. These statements seemed to me to be so obviously inaccurate and propagandistic, that I immediately emailed him, using a pseudonym) to ask a small number of questions.

This is my email:

Dear Prof. Scott Lucas,

I listened with interest to your debate today on the Jeremy Vine BBC Radio 2 show.

During this debate you stated that there were over 70,000 fighters (referencing David Cameron's disputed figure). Are you able to tell me how many of this number are estimated to be Kurdish?

You also referenced that there were a considerable number of the Free Syrian Army fighters withing this 70,000 figure. However, General Lloyd J Austin III, recently stated that the US programme to train and equip these fighters have only resulted in "four or five militants? Robert Fisk, meanwhile, said in November last year that he belies the FSA is a "complete myth". And in March this year, Eric Banco in an article published by the International Business Times, concluded the the FSA has collapsed with members joining extremist groups like the Nusra Front.

I wonder how you respond to this?

Also, you stated that the Syrian government was responsible for the Sarin gas attack, but surely this claim has now been convincingly debunked by Seymour Hersh in his article published by the London Review of Books on 19th December 2013? What indisputable evidence is there that your claim is justified?

From your further comments I understood that by developing safe areas for fighters to congreate, you were suggesting or indicating a Balkanization of Syria? Is this the case?

Kind regards,

Professor Lucas sent a brief reply later that same day:

These are well-put, important questions. I am just out of a busy day of lectures and media work, so if you can bear with me, I will give a full reply tomorrow.

Best,

Scott

"Tomorrow" was last Friday. It is now Sunday. Looks like he's not going to reply to those important questions.

I think the figure of 70,000 fighters ready to fight ISIS used by David Cameron is his "dodgy dossier" moment. However, in those short number of years since Tony Bliar broke ground by telling direct lies to Parliament, the world has come a long way. Lies now form so much an integral part of the government case that I can't imagine that Cameron has the slightest worry about his moment of infamy. He's probably right too. His real moment of infamy arrived some while back when it was revealed that in his earlier days he had a love affair with a dead pig and publicly mimicked an act of fellatio with it.

[Magda Hassan]

This may have some thing to do with it David....carefully selected talking heads so only one voice is heard...

Jeremy Vine Sparks Outrage With 'Five-Figure' Speech To Arms Dealers

The Huffington Post UK | By Asa Bennett


Posted: 05/02/2015 11:54 GMT Updated: 05/02/2015 11:59 GMT








Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine has been accused of tarnishing the reputation of the BBC for speaking at a £246-per-head dinner for arms dealers.
Vine, who is going to play a leading role in the corporation's General Election coverage, is reported to have made the appearance at the ADS dinner earlier this week for a "five-figure" sum.
The controversial event, hosted at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London, was interrupted at the start by a speech by an anti-arms trade campaigner, who dramatically tore the assembled arms dealers, urging them to "think on what you do and reconsider your jobs!"

Senior politicians joined Vine at the dinner, including business secretary Vince Cable, who sat at the top table with the BBC presenter and also gave a speech.
He last year came under fire for failing to back an arms embargo against Israel in favour of a "very weak" threat to suspend 12 export licences if violence breaks out again in the region.
The Lib Dem minister sat with Labour's Vernon Coaker, the shadow defence secretary, and the heads of the ADS, the trade body for UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space industries.
Vine's appearance at the dinner sparked a backlash from anti-arms trade campaigners and social media users.
Andrew Smith, from Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: "The BBC is meant to stand for freedom of speech and high quality journalism, yet one of its best known personalities was speaking to a room full of arms dealers who profit from repression around the world.
''It's outrageous that the government actively supports and promotes this deadly trade. The fact that arms dealers were swilling champagne with over 40 MPs is a disgrace and shows the extent of the arms trade's connections and political lobbying."

Disgusting, inexcusable to profit from murderous arms trade, #JeremyVine. http://t.co/Ze5HXXNDUm
Sam Earle (@samraearle) February 5, 2015

Seriously BBC? http://t.co/me71hq43Fk what a pathetic stance you've taken. Your presenters should not be making speeches to the arms trade
Ben Miles (@BenMilesDavies) February 5, 2015

The BBC distanced itself from the presenter, with a spokesman telling the Huffington Post UK: Jeremy is a freelance presenter and so can make personal appearances without speaking on behalf of the BBC, as he did here.'

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02/...20034.html

[David Guyatt]

It's so sad to see that anyone with a dissenting view is simply hauled off so that those enjoying their pigout can do so without feeling guilty.

Anyway, thanks Maggie, I didn't know that about Vine. I just figured him to be another dumbed down journo.

[Magda Hassan]

It's so sad to see that anyone with a dissenting view is simply hauled off so that those enjoying their pigout can do so without feeling guilty.

Anyway, thanks Maggie, I didn't know that about Vine. I just figured him to be another dumbed down journo.

I think it is quite likely that Jeremy has an arrangement to have specially selected academics on his program as part of that payment.