We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

All hail the Bob Crow Brigade

Middle East Eye reports:

Bob Crow brigade ’30 miles’ from IS-stronghold of Raqqa in Syria

The Bob Crow Brigade (BCB), a group of British and Irish volunteers fighting in northern Syria named after a famous British trade union leader, are edging closer to the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.

A spokesperson from the BCB told Middle East Eye that the group was based on the “Raqqa front” around 30 miles from the IS group’s de facto capital.

The BCB is named after the late leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), who was known for his down-to-earth combative style and a staunch supporter of left-wing causes. He died in 2014.

I must confess that when I first heard of a brigade named after Bob Crow I thought it was a joke. It seems not. They are real, and they are really fighting some of the worst people in the world. Good luck to them.

Added later: Sure, they’re commies. And they support the strikers on Southern Rail. But they are doing it from Northern Syria while fighting Daesh. As Winston Churchill said during WWII, “if Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.”

17 comments to All hail the Bob Crow Brigade

  • In case it’s not obvious from that, the linked Wikipedia article makes it clear that they’re Commies. So, some of the worst people in the world fighting against some of the other worst people in the world. Just like the Spanish Civil War, all right.

  • Vinegar Joe

    So, some of the worst people in the world fighting against some of the other worst people in the world. Just like the Spanish Civil War, all right.

    I’m trying to see the downside. 🙂

  • Nicholas (Unlicensed Joker!) Gray

    The downside is, any survivors will be unkillable! Do we really want that?

  • Natalie Solent (Essex)

    “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.” – Winston Churchill

    Update: I think I’ll put that in the original post.

  • Vinegar Joe

    The downside is, any survivors will be unkillable!

    My Colt 1911A1 will kill anything that walks on 2 legs.

  • Alsadius

    At least until someone invents functional mecha.

  • As others have noted and indeed as I wrote long ago… it is hard to see the downside of this. It was great when Ba’athist and Hezbollah and Salafists were killing each other… so now communists are getting killed too? Damn, how cool is that?

  • Ian Bennett

    Someone once said that when [some evil bunch] are fighting [some other evil bunch], you don’t pick sides, you pray for a meteorite strike.

  • ragingnick

    Most of the Kurds fighting ISIS are commies as well, in this war there really are no ‘good guys’.

    I wish both sides all the very best of luck in wiping out the enemy 🙂

  • Most of the Kurds fighting ISIS are commies as well

    Not true. The YPG/YPJ in Rojava (Northern Syria) are commies, but the Peshmerga in South Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) are not, and are by far the closest to ‘good guys’ that you are going to find in this murky conflict.

  • Stonyground

    “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.”

    Having actually read the Bible from cover to cover, I would like to make some observations about the Devil. I would regard Satan as being mischievous rather than evil. In the Bible at least, he is always truthful and never lies. He is a bit of a bastard toward Job but the Hebrew God is just as complicit as the pair of them get together to torment Job for a bet. The Hebrew God is by far the most evil character in the Bible and possibly the most unpleasant character in any literature ever.

  • Nicholas (Unlicensed Joker!) Gray

    They do not get together to torment Job for a bet! Satan makes a claim, and God gives Satan permission to test the claim. God knows Job’s character better than Satan does, and Job passes the test with flying colours. Satan might have thought that Job would fail, and thus Satan might have not lied, but Satan was wrong about the outcome! A lot like climate alarmists- sincere, but don’t bet the way they say, or you’ll lose everything!

  • lucklucky

    Murderous communists against murderous islamists. Nice.

  • polidorisghost

    “The Hebrew God is by far the most evil character in the Bible and possibly the most unpleasant character in any literature ever.”

    That’s Jewish humour for you.

  • Edward

    So, we have the commie pieces of shit from the Bob Crow Brigade fighting against the fascist pieces of shit from Daesh.

    To quote the notorious Dr HAK, “it’s a pity they can’t both lose.”

  • jorb

    I think the name is quite appropriate. If they can do to the other side what Bob Crowe did to the UK, we’ll all be happier.
    Possibly best not to let them come home afterwards.

  • Paul Marks

    In the Middle East Marxists understand that the Islamists are their enemies.

    But here in the West the Marxists (stupidly) think they can “use” the Islamists.