Beat a gong

It's not just me saying this you know.

Via Wretchard, who's added insight rises to his usual standard.

UPDATE: I think my recent pre-occupation with crime gangs may need explicit explanation.

In my opinion, domestic street gangs are themselves transitioning from being a local phenomenon with national (and limited international) commercial interests into truly trans-national enterprises as a result of their being recruited by established politically oriented criminal enterprises (like Hamas, Fatah and all the rest) which themselves have been transformed into non-governmental political action organisations through their financial (and other) support from a variety of countries over the past half-century or so. I believe this trend is accelerating as nation states seek out means to impose political and other influence over other countries (or their foreign interests) with some degree of plausible deniability at the international diplomatic level. Basically, the old Soviet/US spy-vs-spy game re-written in a multi-player, no-seat-in-the-UN-General-Assembly-required version. Call it the Qaddafi Conversion (or however his name is being spelt this week) if you like.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time developing research or linking to supporting sources. This is my blog written to express my opinion. Make of that what you wish. I make no pretense of scholastic standards nor professional expertise regarding the topics which attract my interest. Caveat emptor and all that.

That said, 40-odd years of experience near the fringes of low society in varied corners of the world provides one with a certain degree of perspective upon which to draw as the occasion warrants, don't you agree? Seems silly not to make use of it all; it wasn't a particularly remunerative experience gathering it, I can assure you.