The United States(!) of A
flollo wrote:When Ukrainian citizens were shot in the streets because they wanted to join Europe in 2014 the Europe did nothing to help them out. When Russians took Crimea the Europe did nothing to help the Ukraine out. When war in Donbas kicked off the Europe did nothing to kill it right there and then. They casually gave plenty of time to Russia to build up their military. When Russia invaded in 2022 the Europe would probably do nothing if it wasn’t for Biden who eagerly jumped in with huge amount of support. And to their credit, the UK. We can all thank Biden for his determination to fight the Russians.
Let’s see what happens this time around. Lots of fancy language but Ukraine needs weapons and troops. I still remember the disappointment I felt with the EU in 2014. Who will lead these efforts? The UK is definitely stepping up but they were involved from the beginning anyway and they’re not in the EU. Chances of the US/UK alliance breaking are zero. Macron probably. I reckon Macron can somewhat manage Trump. Germany is all talk but realistically, they’re in a recession and they’re going through an existential crisis. Maybe this new guy can turn it around but I doubt it if he takes the greens in. Spain, Italy? They’re useless and Italy never won a war anyway. Give it to the Polish I reckon.
In hindsight, Angela’s foreign and immigration policies were disaster for Germany and the EU. Can they turn it around? Their track record would say no but let’s hope so.
Insightful there Flollo. I reckon France is the emerging superpower, they never really decolonised (until Russian mercs routed their colonies in Africa in the last 3 years - nobody really reported on that either! I sense they will return...), they have the Foreign legion, carrier power, SSNs, SSBNs, fully independent nuclear deterrent, state backed shipbuilding and a history of acting in their own interests. No bad thing if they step up for Europe, which they will.
Within the UK defence blogosphere, they always doubt their own equipment/ability, but on the day have an uncanny knack of rising to the challenge and overcoming the threat no matter how shit condition the equipment is, or how many ships HM Treasury just scrapped. Eg took out the Italian line of battle with 20 or so obsolete biplanes at Taranto, or their Falklands response. If you look at the prepositioning and training for all those shoulder held anti-tank launcher things (NLAW), the Brit devices allowed the Ukrainians to decimate Russian tanks in those highway ambushes in the early Ukraine invasion. Other important role is diplomatic bridge over the Atlantic which Starmer has really risen to the occasion with.
Poland has armed to the teeth, but also watch for Finland (remained non-aligned and thus heavily armed with Russia on it's border and a memory of the 1940 war and WW2), Sweden is a defence powerhouse, Italy has strong naval construction. Spain has state owned Navantia which is a shipbuilding powerhouse, helped construct our LHDs, our AWDs, is re-booting historic Harland & Wolf's yards in Northern Ireland...
Germany has industrial muscle too, if and when it wakes up.
the strength of europe has been france and germany making sure they're on the same page before committing to anything potentially disruptive.
a quick segue away to France's recent travails in Africa:
and the ingenious currency that held it all together (2 years old now):
in those vids there's the background of a widespread ongoing jihad, stretching from the horn of Africa across to Nigeria (maybe even further south). Hence Christians being beheaded too. This is the other massive-scale disruption in play in Africa at present.
Just heard on ABC news while driving that Hamas are calling on the international community to condemn Israel stopping aid trucks.
Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/what-australia-is-doing/terrorist-or...
and our Australian Government owned ABC is saying this! What a time to be alive
3 days later, and i just can't get one burning(pun not intended) question out of my head,'
Why wasn't the bloody fire lit in the oval office behind them?? It's winter!!
No wonder things got heated!!
haha, apparently trump's vanity and ego give off a fair bit of heat. that ain't fake tan, the guy is cooked. smells like rendered duck fat I've heard.
Nothings more welcoming than walking into a room warmed by a fire.
It's a non negotiable when guests visit my place in winter.
I guess welcoming wasn't on the agenda.
good semiotic pickup on the fireplace
You still down your way on south coast SR?
fireplace seldom used, but is very occasionally. fun little 2 min news clip, head white house chimney sweep, jeff schmittinger, volunteered with a handpicked team to clean the 35 white house chimneys for 25 years, driven to quit by Trump in his first term.. https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/waukesha-man-about-to-retire-as-whi...
velocityjohnno wrote:good semiotic pickup on the fireplace
You still down your way on south coast SR?
Yes mate. Still here and a fireplace is a welcome relief in winter.
Love it.
basesix wrote:fireplace seldom used, but is very occasionally. fun little 2 min news clip, head white house chimney sweep, jeff schmittinger, volunteered with a handpicked team to clean the 35 white house chimneys for 25 years, driven to quit by Trump in his first term.. https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/waukesha-man-about-to-retire-as-whi...
Classic!
southernraw wrote:velocityjohnno wrote:good semiotic pickup on the fireplace
You still down your way on south coast SR?
Yes mate. Still here and a fireplace is a welcome relief in winter.
Love it.
Maybe we'll get the chance to do a walk down your way before we go, we'll see.
Because they’re so good at maths , the DOGE teenyboppers stealing of confidential data,
must be good for America .
Wrong their maths is hopeless, with wildly optimistically exaggerations and lies of the “savings” they made,
Now ordered to keep paying USAids and admitting they didn’t actually cut 5 programmes that they said they did.
velocityjohnno wrote:southernraw wrote:velocityjohnno wrote:good semiotic pickup on the fireplace
You still down your way on south coast SR?
Yes mate. Still here and a fireplace is a welcome relief in winter.
Love it.Maybe we'll get the chance to do a walk down your way before we go, we'll see.
Epic VJ. Didn't know you were nearish to the hood.
I'm pretty time poor at the moment (uni's just kicked off again and i'm already under the pump along with work) but would be great to catch up, if not this trip another.
Passed my details onto swellnet to pass onto you. Get in touch if you're down here and if i'm not flat chat i'll come say gday for sure.
Otherwise another time.
Cheers mate
southernraw wrote:velocityjohnno wrote:southernraw wrote:velocityjohnno wrote:good semiotic pickup on the fireplace
You still down your way on south coast SR?
Yes mate. Still here and a fireplace is a welcome relief in winter.
Love it.Maybe we'll get the chance to do a walk down your way before we go, we'll see.
Epic VJ. Didn't know you were nearish to the hood.
I'm pretty time poor at the moment (uni's just kicked off again and i'm already under the pump along with work) but would be great to catch up, if not this trip another.
Passed my details onto swellnet to pass onto you. Get in touch if you're down here and if i'm not flat chat i'll come say gday for sure.
Otherwise another time.
Cheers mate
OK that would be great, if possible. It was a goal last time for my eldest and I to do one particular walk, and he's keen and has time. We both got nailed with covid after festivities down south, recovering now, might still have time to head down that way and fit it in. Would be nice to say hi, a few things in common I reckon! Cheers.
Great stuff @vj.
Of course. I missed this one but it’s kinda obvious.
I’m starting to wonder whether Putin isn’t the only ‘Eastern European’ leader who has invested time and effort into personality profiling Donald Trump and developing strategies to manage his ego.
Septic Tanks are going to Septic Tank