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Daniel Hamilton
Recent Activity
Immigration officer places wife on 'no fly' list
Posted Feb 1, 2011 at Big Brother Watch
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Google's relationship with NSA under the spotlight
Posted Jan 31, 2011 at Big Brother Watch
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Why do you have a photograph of Ramzan Khadyrov as your profile picture? The man is a vile mass murderer.
Ministers mustn't be talked into backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (or anywhere else)
by Paul Goodman A fortnight ago, as Arabs staged their first-ever mass revolt for democracy, I quoted Burke, in a bid to capture the mix of wonder and fear that it sparked for some. Here are his words again, written in the early days of the French Revolution: "- What Spectators, and what actors...
Syria: Corruption, censorship, and the veneer of democracy
Posted Jan 11, 2011 at Big Brother Watch
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This isn't about liking the European Union or not. Please don't try and steer the debate on to that issue. The reality of the situation is the EU is an organisation which possesses the power to bring about sanctions against Belarus. If we want such to impose sanctions (and I appreciate that I do and you don't) this is one avenue we simply have to pursue in the present political climate. Withdrawing Eastern Partnership membership from Belarus would be a hammer-blow to the regime.
You mention George W. Bush's "illegal wars". Quite apart from the fact I would disagree with you that the wars he pursued were "illegal", I have also not suggest we wage "war" on Belarus but rather introduce trade and political sanctions against the Lukashenko regime.
Dan Hamilton: After years of vote rigging and human rights abuses, it’s time to get tough with Lukashenko's Belarus
Looking at the vibrancy of Eastern European states today, it’s hard to believe that just over twenty years ago much of the continent lay under a cloak of authoritarianism and communist oppression. The two decades that have since past are littered with inspiring examples of the power of democr...
Thanks for this.
Please don't misread the comments I have made as being somehow supportive of Thaci or his regime. Indeed, I have written a couple of times on this website alone about the gross human rights abuses that continue to take place against minorities in Kosovo (see http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2010/06/now-is-not-the-time-to-walk-away-from-kosovo.html and http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2010/05/europes-shame-the-treatment-of-roma-refugees-in-kosovo-.html) and remain critical of the precedent set by the ICJ's ruling on the legality of the declaration of independence (http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2010/07/the-international-court-of-justice-has-set-a-dangerous-precedent.html).
As much as I enjoy a good bit of EU-bashing, I don't necessarily think this is one you can drag the European Union or Baroness Ashton into. The UK's - and indeed the wider position of European governments - was formulated in conjunction with the United States as opposed to on an EU basis alone. We've made our bed and now it's time to lie in it - regardless of what may have been preferable in the past.
On your final point, I entirely agree. There is a strong base for Thaci joining Haradinaj at the war crimes tribunal to account for his actions. Hague should take Dick Marty's report extremely seriously and push for appropriate action.
As in so many other Balkan conflicts, it is uncceptable that only Serb war criminals have been prosecuted while, in the case of Kosovo, true acts of barbarism were carried out by the KLA.
Reflections on Kosovo’s first general election since independence
On Sunday, Kosovo held its first parliamentary elections since its declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. If exit polls are to be believed, the centre-left Prime Minister and former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK) is on course to be ...
In terms of sheer numbers, you are of course correct that recognition of Kosovo remains limited. The countries that *do* recognise Kosovo, however include the United States and every country in Western Europe aside from Spain. It's a reality. For what it's worth, I wish the United Kingdom hadn't been so gung-ho about recognising the declaration of independence, but it's done now. As I've said, we need to move on from arguments about whether or not Kosovo really exists as a state - it does, regardless of if one likes it or not - and to try and find the best way forward. Two starting observations: 1) Kosovo is still *far* too unstable for international troops to leave and 2) a full discussion about Kosovo's future borders should take place at the earliest opportunity.
Reflections on Kosovo’s first general election since independence
On Sunday, Kosovo held its first parliamentary elections since its declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. If exit polls are to be believed, the centre-left Prime Minister and former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK) is on course to be ...
I think we need to accept the realpolitik of this situation. Regardless of what could or should have happened following the 1998 conflict, the state of Kosovo is now here to stay. The question we have to address is how to draw its borders, especially as the current settlement is so profoundly unworkable. I agree entirely that the status of Kosovo ought to have been determined on the basis of 1244. Still, we need to deal with reality - and an independent Kosovo is an irrevocable reality. Common consent for a solution that satisfies both Belgrade and Pristina is a pipedream.
Reflections on Kosovo’s first general election since independence
On Sunday, Kosovo held its first parliamentary elections since its declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. If exit polls are to be believed, the centre-left Prime Minister and former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK) is on course to be ...
Flower arranger forced to resign after refusing criminal record check
Posted Dec 9, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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WikiLeaks: where do you stand?
Posted Dec 9, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Canadian privacy watchdog to investigate passenger treatment
Posted Dec 9, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Ifs and butts
Posted Dec 8, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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A victory for common sense
Posted Dec 8, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Microsoft to beef up Internet Explorer privacy features
Posted Dec 8, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Miss TSA
Posted Dec 7, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Technology being developed to disable mobile 'phones in cars
Posted Dec 7, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Airport security
Posted Dec 7, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Twitter: Who's reading your messages?
Posted Dec 7, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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US Senator plots body scanner privacy law
Posted Dec 7, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Are Republicans doing a David Davis?
Posted Nov 28, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Congratulations Martin!
Martin Callanan elected to lead the Conservative MEPs
By Jonathan Isaby Breaking news from Brussels: North East MEP Martin Callanan has just been elected to lead the Conservative delegation in the European Parliament. He won the three-way fight, beating Richard Ashworth and Charles Tannock, securing more than 50% of the vote on the first ballot. ...
Dr Charles Tannock is an excellent MEP. Sure, he's his own man and doesn't always follow as sceptic a line as some in the group - indeed, I disagree with him on a number of issues - but he's been one of the Parliament's leading experts on foreign affairs and is fair to a fault. To suggest he's some kind of rabid Europhile is just ridiculous.
Richard Ashworth, Martin Callanan and Charles Tannock set out their stalls in the race to lead the Conservative MEPs
Next week in Strasbourg three Conservative MEPs will stand for the leadership of the delegation of Conservative MEPs. ConservativeHome asked each of them to briefly set out their stall... Richard Ashworth has been an MEP for South East England since 2004 and deputy leader of the Conservative M...
Nothing left to the imagination
Thankfully, the sixteen hour journey the Big Brother Watch team have just undertaken in order to get to Taiwan involved neither body scanners nor an invasive pat-down. On the other side of the world, however, a fellow traveller has reacted in a, well, unconventional way to the procedure: "Amid the furore over airport security, Sam Wolanyk had a plan to avoid his second intrusive pat down in a week ... he stripped off. "But Mr Wolanyk, who had previously campaigned for the right to openly carry guns, was arrested. He stripped to his underwear at San Diego International Airport but... Continue reading
Posted Nov 22, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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BAD BOY OF THE WEEK - Airport security officials
Posted Nov 19, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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Increased smuggling?
Posted Nov 19, 2010 at Big Brother Watch
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