A Slow News Day

There are very few new stories around today which probably means that either the media have had a glut of stories on the same subject or that so far there is no news anyone wants to share with us. There is of course the story of Iran and its race to build nuclear weapons and the story of the cynical acceptance by the Assad regime in Syria of the Arab League peace deal. Two huge stories in themselves which have had little coverage as a result of the focus on the G20 conference and the euro crisis. It makes me laugh to read that the Deputy Prime Minister of Syria Mr Ammura says that it is the 'responsibility of any government to protect its citizens from armed groups'. As far as we can see the only armed groups are the Syrian police or army attacking unarmed civilians who demand an end to the Assad reign. Mr Ammura is reported as saying detainees were going to be released on Friday or today and that they were working hard to abide by all aspects of the peace deal so long as there is a cessation of violence from any source.   Why do regimes which come to power at the point of a sword always represent themselves as the legitimate government? Who do they think they are kidding when we know that they are murderous despots, and as in the case of Assad pretending to be regular suburban blokes uninterested in anything other than their fellow countrymen, their families and earning their meagre salaries when they and their henchmen are stashing as much loot as possible away in Swiss bank accounts. The leaders of the regime in Iran, including the religious ones, are just the same. They are a bunch of ruthless greedy thieves and it is extraordinary that we deem it right to recognise these people. Look at Gaddafi and where dealing with him got us.