You can censor if you're rich
October 1, 2007 5:36 AM Subscribe
Craig Murray censored for attacking Alisher Usmanov. Ex UK ambassador to Uzbeckistan; Crag Murray has had his blog dumped by fasthosts and the bloggers (302 so far) fight back. Euro MP Tom Wise repeats some of Murrays allegations which have been published on the European Parliament website. Lots of Shenanigans;
The controversy; An extremely rich man was accused of being a Vicious Thug, Criminal, Racketeer, Heroin Trafficker and Accused Rapist Oh, and he also wants to buy Arsenal FC.
Old Craig's quite a character... I like the way when he left Uzbeckistan he brought back a new girlfriend half his age. Are they still together?
Oh and he showed up the 'ethical foreign policy' for the big heap of spin it was. Not heard much about that recently have we?
I can't wait for the film.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:22 AM on October 1, 2007
Oh and he showed up the 'ethical foreign policy' for the big heap of spin it was. Not heard much about that recently have we?
I can't wait for the film.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:22 AM on October 1, 2007
Sell him the Mets
posted by altara at 6:29 AM on October 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by altara at 6:29 AM on October 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
Yeah, compared to Marge Schott, Steinbrenner etc..., this guy might not be enough of a bastard to own an American baseball team.
posted by jonp72 at 6:34 AM on October 1, 2007
posted by jonp72 at 6:34 AM on October 1, 2007
Vicious Thug, Criminal, Racketeer, Heroin Trafficker and Accused Rapist Oh, and he also wants to buy Arsenal FC.
In the US, we elect them to public office.
posted by doctor_negative at 6:42 AM on October 1, 2007
In the US, we elect them to public office.
posted by doctor_negative at 6:42 AM on October 1, 2007
sportsfilter ;)
posted by caddis at 6:49 AM on October 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by caddis at 6:49 AM on October 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
...Vicious Thug, Criminal, Racketeer, Heroin Trafficker and Accused Rapist
So, just your average Arsenal fan, then?
posted by Optamystic at 6:51 AM on October 1, 2007
So, just your average Arsenal fan, then?
posted by Optamystic at 6:51 AM on October 1, 2007
Who knew Russians would be so good at capitalism.
posted by srboisvert at 7:27 AM on October 1, 2007
posted by srboisvert at 7:27 AM on October 1, 2007
Sounds like Usmanov will be at home in the colourful Premiership owners club - we've already got shady Russian billionaires and exiled Thai politicians....
posted by Sifter at 8:33 AM on October 1, 2007
posted by Sifter at 8:33 AM on October 1, 2007
I was intrigued by something in the Wikipedia article about Murray (linked in adamvasco's comment above):
He collapsed during a medical check in Tashkent on September 2, 2003 and was airlifted to St Thomas' Hospital in London. After an FCO internal inquiry conducted by Tony Crombie, Head of the FCO's Overseas Territories Department, all but two of the charges (being drunk at work and misusing the embassy's Range Rover) were dropped. The charges were leaked to the press in October 2003.[11] Immediately upon his return to work in November 2003, he suffered a near-fatal pulmonary embolism and was again flown back to London for medical treatment. In January 2004, the FCO after a four-month investigation exonerated him of all 18 charges, but reprimanded him for speaking about the charges.
I wonder if there's any speculation he was poisoned or attacked in some fashion; he doesn't seem the sort to collapse under stress, and extrajudicial modes of dealing with critics are getting to be de rigeur in the former USSR.
posted by jamjam at 8:51 AM on October 1, 2007
He collapsed during a medical check in Tashkent on September 2, 2003 and was airlifted to St Thomas' Hospital in London. After an FCO internal inquiry conducted by Tony Crombie, Head of the FCO's Overseas Territories Department, all but two of the charges (being drunk at work and misusing the embassy's Range Rover) were dropped. The charges were leaked to the press in October 2003.[11] Immediately upon his return to work in November 2003, he suffered a near-fatal pulmonary embolism and was again flown back to London for medical treatment. In January 2004, the FCO after a four-month investigation exonerated him of all 18 charges, but reprimanded him for speaking about the charges.
I wonder if there's any speculation he was poisoned or attacked in some fashion; he doesn't seem the sort to collapse under stress, and extrajudicial modes of dealing with critics are getting to be de rigeur in the former USSR.
posted by jamjam at 8:51 AM on October 1, 2007
Fucking Uzbeks. Never met one I could trust, shifty bastards every last one of them. I am sure that somewhere out there, there exists a good honest hardworking Uzbek, but I haven't met him yet.
Remember SCTV, C3P-1 Television? "Don't give Uzbeks matches!". Even funnier as it turns out to be dead accurate.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:45 AM on October 1, 2007
Remember SCTV, C3P-1 Television? "Don't give Uzbeks matches!". Even funnier as it turns out to be dead accurate.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:45 AM on October 1, 2007
"Hey, Georgi! My car won't start!"
"Ah! Uzbeks drained my battery fluid!"
Seriously though, I don't care that Usmanov is an Uzbek. I also don't care that he seems to have done time in "the Zone" during the Soviet period (although I'd be curious to see his tattoos). I do care somewhat about the nature of some of the allegations against him, and the apparent sources of some of his money (which would put him on a level with Abramovich or Shinawatra).
What really bothers me though, is that David Dein seems to be using Usmanov's acquisitions as a means to securing his own return to the Arsenal board. Should this occur, it is likely that Dein and Usmanov will take the opportunity to go on an international shopping spree, something that Arsenal really doesn't need.
The Gunners seem to be doing fine without Henry, and they will continue to do fine without a Drogba or a Shevchenko (or a John Terry or Fat Frank, for that matter). Dein may have brought in Wenger, but it is Wenger who has ensured that Arsenal can create talent, rather than having to buy it.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:09 PM on October 1, 2007
"Ah! Uzbeks drained my battery fluid!"
Seriously though, I don't care that Usmanov is an Uzbek. I also don't care that he seems to have done time in "the Zone" during the Soviet period (although I'd be curious to see his tattoos). I do care somewhat about the nature of some of the allegations against him, and the apparent sources of some of his money (which would put him on a level with Abramovich or Shinawatra).
What really bothers me though, is that David Dein seems to be using Usmanov's acquisitions as a means to securing his own return to the Arsenal board. Should this occur, it is likely that Dein and Usmanov will take the opportunity to go on an international shopping spree, something that Arsenal really doesn't need.
The Gunners seem to be doing fine without Henry, and they will continue to do fine without a Drogba or a Shevchenko (or a John Terry or Fat Frank, for that matter). Dein may have brought in Wenger, but it is Wenger who has ensured that Arsenal can create talent, rather than having to buy it.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:09 PM on October 1, 2007
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posted by adamvasco at 5:39 AM on October 1, 2007