adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Feb 25, 2022 10:01:27 GMT
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benaj
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Post by benaj on Feb 25, 2022 10:02:19 GMT
The intriguing question: Who can stop this aggressive bear with super power without losing an arm and a leg. Or is it better playing dead? youtu.be/kFKwVjgbv4ALet’s hope this bear is not too hungry and greedy, and wants more later. |
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Post by overthehill on Feb 25, 2022 10:02:57 GMT
If this isn't a rally call to the rest of the free democratic world to send weapons and support to help Ukraine defeat an evil dictator then the world is f*cked.
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Post by gramsky on Feb 25, 2022 10:03:14 GMT
Due to the large number of idiots on this thread this is my last post. Right now I have a new car (5 months old) being used by a family we don't know who in a basement carpark in a residential block of two towers each around 26 stories high - so a lot of people. This basement is being used as a bomb shelter at night and it gets very cold hence the need for folk to use cars for a little warmth and comfort. We also have just bought a flat for around $160K nearby. If Kyiv goes to Russia we'll likely lose a heck of a lot of that. Most important, we have a brother in law who is still there in a poor part of town. He is in his thirties and has mild learning difficulties. He is really worried (overly so perhaps). The mother in law is here with us in the UK and they're all very worried. I didn't think there would be a full scale invasion. I was clearly wrong. I think and hope there will be little resistance. What would be the point? Militarily Ukraine will lose to Russia and any resistance equals more death and destruction on both sides. Finally I say to RM and BB: In common with a lot of people, I have lost a lot of money in P2P. I was definitely influenced by posts on this website that you along with MrC were running. I personally have no ambition at this stage to find out who you are and pursue it but I would say people in glass houses don't throw stones. michaelc: I am very sorry to hear of your predicament and as the original creator of this thread apologise for any distress it has caused you. In trying to analyse the cause of the situation we now find ourselves in I am no way supporting Putin in what he is doing as some here think. I wish you and your family all the best for the future.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Feb 25, 2022 10:03:43 GMT
Germany and Italy blocked kicking Russia out of SWIFT.
Much as I'd like to see Putin and his regime severely punished for this war of aggression and conquest I'm not convinced that kicking Russia out of SWIFT is a good idea. Yes, it would hurt Russia. But more broadly the threat of kicking a country out of SWIFT is useful if it's never actually employed. First Russia has been developing its own payments infrastructure, which would alleviate some of the impact. Second it would push Russia more firmly into China's corner, and I'm not sure that's a good idea. Thirdly it would encourage the idea in other countries that they could be punished this way, and nudge them to seek alternatives (China again). Lastly it's a one shot thing. I guess you could argue "use it or lose it" but... strategically long term nobody except China benefits from an utterly isolated* Russia a la North Korea, snarling and bristling at everybody else. * I'm ignoring the likes of Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran etc
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Feb 25, 2022 10:09:25 GMT
Big test for the EU, if they turn out be hopeless and helpless against Russia what is the point of them What do you want "the EU" to do? There is, of course, no single EU military force, just 27 individual nations who control their own militaries, most of whom are also NATO members. There is an EU foreign and security policy - and that's been absolutely unequivocal. Josep Borrell, High Rep for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (also vice president of the Commission), has pulled precisely zero punches for weeks - and has been united with the US's Blinken on their condemnation. I'm not seeing the US wanting to get militarily involved, either. Or the UK. Or... twitter.com/JosepBorrellFWhat can anyone do if Putin threatens to Nuke anyone who helps Ukraine? A risk too far on brinkmanship for the West I would say.
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Post by gramsky on Feb 25, 2022 10:28:08 GMT
What do you want "the EU" to do? There is, of course, no single EU military force, just 27 individual nations who control their own militaries, most of whom are also NATO members. There is an EU foreign and security policy - and that's been absolutely unequivocal. Josep Borrell, High Rep for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (also vice president of the Commission), has pulled precisely zero punches for weeks - and has been united with the US's Blinken on their condemnation. I'm not seeing the US wanting to get militarily involved, either. Or the UK. Or... twitter.com/JosepBorrellFWhat can anyone do if Putin threatens to Nuke anyone who helps Ukraine? A risk too far on brinkmanship for the West I would say. If Putin nukes anyone it will not be the USA, he knows what he'll get back, he will choose England being the most belligerent of the European nations as punishment. He will not go for a city, but one of our military bases, somewhere like Portsmouth Dockyard as a demonstration and then sit back and wait for America's reaction. Then we will find out who our friends really are and whether all those years of being America's poodle (that has got us where we are today) finally pays off! Sorry, just trying to think as he will do.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Feb 25, 2022 10:29:50 GMT
What do you want "the EU" to do? There is, of course, no single EU military force, just 27 individual nations who control their own militaries, most of whom are also NATO members. There is an EU foreign and security policy - and that's been absolutely unequivocal. Josep Borrell, High Rep for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (also vice president of the Commission), has pulled precisely zero punches for weeks - and has been united with the US's Blinken on their condemnation. I'm not seeing the US wanting to get militarily involved, either. Or the UK. Or... twitter.com/JosepBorrellFWhat can anyone do if Putin threatens to Nuke anyone who helps Ukraine? A risk too far on brinkmanship for the West I would say. And therein lies the fundamental problem... We simply cannot trust him to do the rational thing. I don't think he will fire up the nukes. I think it far more likely that he takes more arms-length conventional action, which he can pretend wasn't him. Same as he spent weeks claiming that the forces around the Ukrainian border weren't an invasion, just exercises. More Skripal/Litvinenko/Berezovsky/Navalny, more cyber-attacks, more tweaking and poking. Will it be the UK on the receiving end? Well, he's already bought our political system, so does he need to?
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Post by bernythedolt on Feb 25, 2022 12:18:12 GMT
I think we need to make allowances. The intolerable strain michaelc and his family must have been undergoing these past few weeks must be worse than most of us have ever had to endure in our lives. He could well be saying things here that he might well regret with a clearer head. We don't make our best decisions when under immense strain. Given the circumstances, let's please cut him some slack. Totally agree, we should always remember there is a real person behind the avatar. However what are you doing posting at that time of night instead of being tucked up in a warm bed. Twenty years of 12 hour days and nights shift-working, one screwed body clock!
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Post by overthehill on Feb 25, 2022 12:47:24 GMT
The EU and other incompetent and corrupt european institutions are standing up to Putin, he must be quaking it ! UEFA officials sitting watching Zenit St Petersburg playing in the Europa League tonight and they will 'consider' moving the Champions League final. EU don't want to remove Russia from Swift right now, let's wait and see what happens. And to top it off, The Eurovision Song Contest will allow Russia to compete. The show must go on.
VAR has got the right idea at last. Huge sigh of relief from UEFA but one night less in luxurious hotels discussing what to do as if there was anything to discuss. F1 is surprisingly showing unselfish leadership for others to follow.
"Russian side Zenit St Petersburg had a last-minute goal disallowed by the video assistant referee as they were knocked out of the Europa League by Real Betis."
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benaj
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Post by benaj on Feb 25, 2022 13:41:51 GMT
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travolta
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Post by travolta on Feb 25, 2022 16:21:36 GMT
UK faced with the eventuality of evacuating their remaining forces out over the Carpathians , by helicopter, due to clogged border crossings.
(Just thought you might be interested).
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adrianc
Member of DD Central
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Post by adrianc on Feb 25, 2022 16:28:12 GMT
The EU and other incompetent and corrupt european institutions are standing up to Putin, he must be quaking it ! UEFA officials sitting watching Zenit St Petersburg playing in the Europa League tonight and they will 'consider' moving the Champions League final. EU don't want to remove Russia from Swift right now, let's wait and see what happens. And to top it off, The Eurovision Song Contest will allow Russia to compete. The show must go on. VAR has got the right idea at last. Huge sigh of relief from UEFA but one night less in luxurious hotels discussing what to do as if there was anything to discuss. F1 is surprisingly showing unselfish leadership for others to follow.
"Russian side Zenit St Petersburg had a last-minute goal disallowed by the video assistant referee as they were knocked out of the Europa League by Real Betis."
Never mind that, stuff* just got real. eurovision.tv/mediacentre/release/ebu-statement-russia-2022No Russians in this year's Eurovision.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Feb 25, 2022 17:17:16 GMT
I don't blame Ukraine for it one bit, but I can't help feeling that the arming of civilians is going to make this even more of a tragedy  . |
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Post by overthehill on Feb 25, 2022 17:46:44 GMT
Eurovision came to its senses, finally. I'm expecting to see a worldwide ban on Russia in all major sport, even ROC should go. They've been government sponsored cheating in just about every global event out there for years, remember the drug testing facilities with holes in the walls behind the cabinets. The awarding of premier world events like the Olympics make those organisations and people look like fools now. Chelsea is going to be interesting. Even Putin wouldn't survive a unaminous Russian Oligarch revolt, what would you do in their position?
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