Keith:
I do not think I have ever witnesses such a blatent and disgusting attempt by anybody, certainly not on this forum, to prevent people from giving their opinion in order to steer the discussion away from uncomfortable areas of the subject - it is on par with any dictator that is under discussion here.
You have even attempted to involve others on this thread in order to prevent a full discussion of this subject - "Decent people are disgusted. Even your mates this time."
There is no such disgust here, disagreement certainly, but that's what these discussions are about.
This is as manipulately dishonest and about as contemptuous of your fellow forum members as you could possibly get.
To describe that past arming of other states involved in the Arab Spring and the continued arming of States which have been involved and could in future become the focus of pro-democracy demonstrations, as "thread drift" is crude, prejudiced manipulation of the subject under discussion because it deals with areas that conflict with your personal beliefs.
The accusation of "thread drift" has been use persistantly by you throughout this thread to avoid the fact that the West, including Britain, have armed, and continue to arm (via Arms Fairs) states which are undemocratic and oppressive - from the horse's mouth:

"We do trade with governments that are not democratic and have bad human rights records. We do business with repressive governments and there's no denying that".
Vince Cable, the Business Secretary in the coalition cabinet of David Cameron

To suggest that this cannot be part of a thread on massacres carried out during Arab Spring protests is utterly and completely ludicrously, yet you have put it forward throughout this discussion in order not to have to discuss Britain's part in the arms trade, particularly to states involved in the current disputes.
At the same time as you have claimed "thread drift", you have desperately attempted to divert this thread to dicussing Palestine in the hope of being able to once again distort my views on that subject, totally unrelated to the topic in hand - do you not think it is time that you seriously sought help?
One last time - THIS IS NOT YOUR FORUM - YOU HAVE NO RIGHT WHATEVER TO MANIPULATE IT - YOU HAVE NO SAY IN WHAT THE REST OF US HAVE TO SAY AND HOW WE SAY IT - IF YOU THINK THAT I OR ANYBODY YOU DISCUSS WITH ARE OUT OF LINE, REPORT US - STOP ACTING LIKE A GOOSE-STEPPING LITTLE DICTATOR, OR PERHAPS ONE OF US MIGHT CONSIDER REPORTING YOU - IN OTHER WORDS, G.F.Y.
Bruce:
No proof, no retraction, no apology - why did I ever believe there should be?
Congratulations; you have just qualified for inclusion in the trio along with the idiot and the gunner - I hope you enjoy each others company
Stringsinger - thank you for adding a clear headed and articulate blast of fresh air to this cess-pit.
Jim Carroll