Topic “Walthamstow”
Ah, the E17... (updated)
September 7, 2009 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 10:37am | 26 Comments
Two years ago, Londonstani convinced me to move to the Baker's Arms in between Walthamstow and Leyton, East London, to study counter-terrorism and counter-isurgency. Today, two of my former neighbors were finally convicted on charges relating to the 2006 transatlantic bombing plot. All the same, I really miss Walthamstow. Southeast DC, where I now live, is all about petty crime. When criminals in Walthamstow dream, by contrast, they dream big. Also, there is a beautiful side to Walthamstow I miss.
Update: A few readers took me to task for describing the crime in SE DC as "petty". This last weekend, a dude went after another man on my street with an ax. Right there on the street in front of everyone. Still, compared with blowing up airliners, this is petty crime. Also, some good-natured British readers described me as a "foreigner" or "tourist" living in East/east London. The former is true, but the great thing about the 'Stow is that, hell, half the borough is foreign-born! On the Victoria line early in the morning, it was me, the Poles, the Algerians, the Pakistanis and a few middle class English from Walthamstow Village. Oh, nostalgia...
Who knew the E17 was a strategic concern?
January 21, 2009 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 7:00am | 42 Comments
Well, that was quite a day. After enjoying the inauguration with several of my favorite fellow veterans -- all names to watch in the coming few years, incidentally -- I skipped the inaugural ball because a) Lady Muqawama remains in Palo Alto, doing her equations, and I didn't feel like flying solo and b) I've got work today, dammit. Serious work!
Speaking of serious, there is an article in the New York Times today on the way in which the war in Gaza has played out in France, which has a large North African population. About a year ago, a prominent UK defense intellectual traveled to Washington, DC and met with an equally prominent defense intellectual turned U.S. public official. Our British friend noted that it was harder for Europeans to actively support the war in Afghanistan -- much less Iraq -- because of the way it affected tensions in the large immigrant communities of Bradford, Birmingham, and my old haunt in Walthamstow. By prosecuting unpopular wars in Muslim lands, the Brit argued, we're running the risks of stoking the flames of insurgencies at home. The American response was, basically, a disinterested shrug: "It's not our fault you lot have had limited success integrating your immigrants into society," came the response, "and 'how things will play in Leyton' should not have an effect on collective defense requirements such as NATO obligations in Afghanistan. Your domestic political issues are your problem."
Now, you do not have to have an opinion about whether or not the concern raised by our British friend was legitimate. When the Brit related this story to me, I -- then hanging my hat in the 'Stow -- immediately understood both sides. On the one hand, you can do like the American and essentially tell the Europeans they're in this mess because they -- unlike we suddenly morally superior, Obama-era Americans -- can't integrate immigrant communities better. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that disgruntled immigrant communities in the nations of Western Europe are finding their voice politically. (Perhaps an indication they are growing more integrated into society.) And perhaps NATO planners should consider how that will affect both collective defense requirements and also the unpopular-in-Europe war in Afghanistan.
Thoughts from the crowd?
[I'm sure the one blogger who has not abandoned me, Londonstani, has some particularly good thoughts on this.]
Speaking of serious, there is an article in the New York Times today on the way in which the war in Gaza has played out in France, which has a large North African population. About a year ago, a prominent UK defense intellectual traveled to Washington, DC and met with an equally prominent defense intellectual turned U.S. public official. Our British friend noted that it was harder for Europeans to actively support the war in Afghanistan -- much less Iraq -- because of the way it affected tensions in the large immigrant communities of Bradford, Birmingham, and my old haunt in Walthamstow. By prosecuting unpopular wars in Muslim lands, the Brit argued, we're running the risks of stoking the flames of insurgencies at home. The American response was, basically, a disinterested shrug: "It's not our fault you lot have had limited success integrating your immigrants into society," came the response, "and 'how things will play in Leyton' should not have an effect on collective defense requirements such as NATO obligations in Afghanistan. Your domestic political issues are your problem."
Now, you do not have to have an opinion about whether or not the concern raised by our British friend was legitimate. When the Brit related this story to me, I -- then hanging my hat in the 'Stow -- immediately understood both sides. On the one hand, you can do like the American and essentially tell the Europeans they're in this mess because they -- unlike we suddenly morally superior, Obama-era Americans -- can't integrate immigrant communities better. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that disgruntled immigrant communities in the nations of Western Europe are finding their voice politically. (Perhaps an indication they are growing more integrated into society.) And perhaps NATO planners should consider how that will affect both collective defense requirements and also the unpopular-in-Europe war in Afghanistan.
Thoughts from the crowd?
[I'm sure the one blogger who has not abandoned me, Londonstani, has some particularly good thoughts on this.]
Goodbye to the 'Stow
August 24, 2008 | Posted by Londonstani - 7:50am | 0 Comments
One of Abu Muqawama's less appreciated achievements was to introduce a corner of London affectionately known as the 'Stow to the wider world. So, it's with a little saddness that Londonstani announces that the AM-'Stow connection will draw to a close at the end of August.
Sometime last year, when AM and Londonstani contemplated where they might call home for a year, the decision was settled by the number of Walthamstow locals arrested in connection to terror attacks. (OK, the price and quality of the Algerian coffee helped too). AM - were he to comment - might well say the 'Stow gave him an insight into London's multicultural modern reality that he would have found hard to come by living amongst foreign students on generous grants. Londonstani met many people who helped him gain a deeper understanding into the deep and depressing roots of urban British dislocation and dissatisfaction, which would have been a far more foreign and distant problem if he had been hanging out in fancy parties with poncy media types.
Things are changing in the 'Stow. The permanently empty Pakistani no-nonsense barbers has become a busy frills and lace Polish beauty salon. The Baker's Arms - once the R&B magnet of northeast London - stands near empty night after night following its transformation into a Polish pub.
However, some things remain the same. Londonstani and AM never did figure out where the hot Polish girls hang out. And sadly, desperation, frustration and anger are present - as always - in abundance; as this BBC story about the latest victim of London's teenage violent crime epidemic shows.
Stories that remain untold - probably rightly so; including AM's unfortunate run-in with a 12-year-old girl who threatened him with actual bodily harm, Londonstani's unexplicable popularity with large West Indian single mothers and the same sex Indian and White gerriatric couple who meet for amourous liasons at a bus stop.
But never fear, Londonstani might be moving to a slightly less grimey part of town, nearer to where he grew up but he will carry on doing his social life no favours by allowing himself to be drawn to snooker halls, kebab shops and crime infested public parks instead of cafes, gastro pubs and artisan bakeries.
Sometime last year, when AM and Londonstani contemplated where they might call home for a year, the decision was settled by the number of Walthamstow locals arrested in connection to terror attacks. (OK, the price and quality of the Algerian coffee helped too). AM - were he to comment - might well say the 'Stow gave him an insight into London's multicultural modern reality that he would have found hard to come by living amongst foreign students on generous grants. Londonstani met many people who helped him gain a deeper understanding into the deep and depressing roots of urban British dislocation and dissatisfaction, which would have been a far more foreign and distant problem if he had been hanging out in fancy parties with poncy media types.
Things are changing in the 'Stow. The permanently empty Pakistani no-nonsense barbers has become a busy frills and lace Polish beauty salon. The Baker's Arms - once the R&B magnet of northeast London - stands near empty night after night following its transformation into a Polish pub.
However, some things remain the same. Londonstani and AM never did figure out where the hot Polish girls hang out. And sadly, desperation, frustration and anger are present - as always - in abundance; as this BBC story about the latest victim of London's teenage violent crime epidemic shows.
Stories that remain untold - probably rightly so; including AM's unfortunate run-in with a 12-year-old girl who threatened him with actual bodily harm, Londonstani's unexplicable popularity with large West Indian single mothers and the same sex Indian and White gerriatric couple who meet for amourous liasons at a bus stop.
But never fear, Londonstani might be moving to a slightly less grimey part of town, nearer to where he grew up but he will carry on doing his social life no favours by allowing himself to be drawn to snooker halls, kebab shops and crime infested public parks instead of cafes, gastro pubs and artisan bakeries.
