I am delighted by this comment from “Paskalis” (a relative newcomer to the blog). So much so that I am lifting it out of the comments section on the Georgia post and giving it its very own entry.

I feel it would serve as an excellent epitaph for me. If there is not enough room on my tombstone for the entire comment, then I would accept just the second sentence:

“Your comments and insights are thoughtful, insightful and intelligent and have as much weight as a ripe banana on this planet of the apes.

“You have turned geopolitics into a parlour game for the enfeebled while the men are in another room smoking their cigars.”

I think I may be some sort of genius. Six weeks ago - at the beginning of the Rugby world cup - I put £10 on England to win the tournament at 33-1. Now England are through to next weekend’s final against South Africa. Just one more win and I will have the satisfaction of picking up £340 from Ladbrokes of King Street, Hammersmith. I never bet online, since I like to see the look of defeat in the bookmakers’ eyes when they hand over the money.

I would not claim genius simply on the basis of this one bet. But I’ve done this sort of thing before. Before the 2002 soccer World Cup I made a winning bet on Ronaldo of Brazil to be top scorer at 25-1. (He was long odds because he had been injured for two years). I did it again at the 2006 World Cup, where I bet on Miroslav Klose of Germany, who was mystifyingly well-priced at 28-1. On that occasion - to my infinite satisfaction - the bookie actually said "well done, sir", as gave me the cash. If England beat South Africa, I may finally get the courage to abandon journalism and become a professional gambler.

(more…)

For any of you still harbouring the illusion that life might be fun under an Islamist regime, may I draw your attention to this dismal little tale from Somalia. Last weekend, a cinema in a small town in central Somalia put on a broadcast of the Manchester United-Chelsea match, live from Manchester. The fact that amidst the poverty and danger of modern Somalia, people are still watching live football from England is – to my mind - moving testimony to (among other things) the indomitable spirit of man, the true meaning of globalisation and the worldwide appeal of Premiership football. But the local Islamist government did not see things that way. They moved in and arrested all the fans, some of them as young as ten years old, and held them in prison.

Somalia’s Islamists are causing great concern in the west at the moment, where many fear that they are linked to al-Qaeda. But if so, the Islamic Courts Union might consider adopting a more tolerant attitude to soccer. For is there some evidence that Osama bin Laden is, in fact, a football fan himself. A book published in 2001 suggested that during a period living in London, he developed a strong affinity for Arsenal football club – and was a regular at the Clock End at Highbury.

Meanwhile, I am pleased to note that the backlash against the Baker report has already started – even though the report itself is not due to be published until next week. But I cannot see why anyone would be terribly surprised if Baker et al failed to come up with some brilliant new solution to the problems of Iraq. I was struck when Baker-mania was at its height, about a month ago, that the same phrase kept coming up in conversations I had about what the great man might recommend – “There are no new ideas.”  And, frankly, if there were any new ideas, Baker and Co. would not be the types you would expect to stumble across them. Without doubt, the Baker commission is full of intelligent, experienced and committed people. But they are also Washington insiders par excellence. “Thinking outside the box” is not their style.