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I dunno, but I'm just starting to feel a whisper of anxiety about stuff. Putin's eyeing the Baltics. The Ukraine is deep deep deep in shit. Europe won't do anything because it relies on Russian gas and oil. Now I read that, along with the Egyptians bombing Libya - a failed state in chaos, ISIS are going to take it over to launch an "invasion" of sorts into Southern Europe, on top of the current flood of refugees coming in through Italy.
Somebody reassure me, quick! 😐
(Note: that bomb picture won't do it, binns).
We've got over worse.
Google history- The Cuban Crisis and my 'favourite'...
Boris Yeltsin acting on intelligence from his staff was brought his nuclear briefcase, activated it then stopped. He averted world war three.
hora[b]Boris Yeltsin[/b] acting on intelligence from his staff was brought his nuclear briefcase, activated it then stopped. He averted world war three.
Now [i]there[/i] was a head of state.
Turn it around in your mind, you're Putin, next door all your buffer states, set by the west at the Yalta treaty have now gone, every recent time they've ever been invaded it's been by capitalist backed Europe. Corporate EU has now expanded it's market right up to and now into their back door, it's hardly surprising they're biting back.
How would we have felt if the West employed sanctions to stop us buggering about with the Irish?
They (the West) have no choice but to back off, the next thing is likely Greece turning to Russia if they keep up their bully boy Austerity crap to keep their banker driven books balanced.
As to Isis they're already here and all we're doing is trying to stop any more going to help, let them go if they want, just make it a one way trip, don't let them back in.
I was reading in the Economist that in the days of the Politburo Russia always said it would never be the first to use Nuclear Weapons. Putin's aides have said that is no longer the case and they are prepared to use a tactical first strike if provoked enough...
We are on the brink of fighting two wars on two separate fronts. One in the East as Russia and NATO come face to face for the first time in the modern age and one in the South as the ISIL forces move steadily towards the mediterranean.
Latvia will be next with the clear alignment of their harmony party with that of the United Russia Party. Their is not as clear a divide in Latvia as their is in Ukraine however this will not be much of a deterrent. Any move on Latvia or indeed Estonia will see Finland seek the bolstering of defence capability from NATO then we will see what happens next...
Ukraine was a perfect storm. It can't happen in the same clever way with other baltic countries.
What Putin can do though is claim a border incident with a neighbouring country and then say 'well they have the right to defend themselves'. etc.
What 'gets' me is news reporters still say 'Russian-back Rebels'.
No its Russian soldiers. Why cant they be clearer?
Ukraine was a perfect storm. It can't happen in the same clever way with other baltic countries.
Yes it can. Lots of other neighbouring states have large ethhic Russian populations which Mother Russia could chose to manipulate and then defend....
What the Kremlin wantsLast year Mr Putin lopped off Crimea, redrawing Europe’s map by force. The war he hallucinated into reality in eastern Ukraine has killed thousands. Even if the ceasefire scheduled for February 15th holds (unlikely, on past form), he seems certain to get what he wants there: a wretched little quasi-state in the Donbas, which he can use to stall and warp Ukraine’s development. Yet these incursions are only his latest bid to bludgeon former Soviet states into submission, whether through energy blackmail, trade embargoes or war. For Mr Putin the only good neighbour is a weak one; vassals are better than allies. [b]Only the wilfully blind would think his revanchism has been sated.[/b][u] Sooner or later it may encompass the Baltic states—members of both the European Union and NATO, and home to Russian minorities of the kind he pledges to “protect”.
Way too much news & info about everything these days
We were all going to die from Ebola a few months ago
1930's all over again innit so YES!!!
Yes, was going to recommend picking up a copy of the current Economist. There's a great deal of analysis.
Way too much news & info about everything these daysWe were all going to die from Ebola a few months ago
True- papers only sell/draw attention when its doom and gloom. Man saves 2 children on the front cover would sell sweet F.A.
I also hate the news clustering of stories so you feel there is a sudden and immediate problem.
Lots of other neighbouring states have large ethhic Russian populations which Mother Russia could chose to manipulate and then defend....
Knightsbridge better watch out.
Is it just me, or has the situation got so much worse since Obama decided that the USA would pull back from projecting power into the world?
Next domino about to fall over: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30838133
Well, I don't know about you all, but I feel perfectly safe here in my homemade bunker. As long as none of you find out about the stocks of food and craft beers, I have nothing to worry about.
[i]Somebody reassure me, quick! [/i]
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Don't worry. Cash in the Attic is on in a bit
Excitement adventure and really wild things.
We've been in the midst of our own modern day cold war for the last 4 months, she just wont leave the damn thermostat alone.
I'm hoping Uswitch will come in as a peacekeeper and find lower prices to enable a truce.
Meanwhile China sit back watch us all being a bunch of pricks and get on with business.
Taking over the world without firing a shot.
Hats off to them.
We're all doomed
Is it just me, or has the situation got so much worse since Obama decided that the USA would pull back from projecting power into the world?
As a (half) American, this is certainly the centiment coming out of the USA population. The big issue is that the Obama (Bush and all the previous administrations) created the problem.
Obama's view when he came into office was to pull back from World policing and try and get the USA seen in a more positive light and not the world aggresors that they had previously. From a domestic front it has made him look weak and from an international front (like it or not) it has also made the rest of the west look weak as there is no one at the front now making the decisions and leading the way (even if they were poor decisions previously).
The UN and NATO as organisations are weak and show no strategic leadership so the big question is should the US clean up the mess they started or should the UN / NATO or other countries take more of a decisive position? Tough choices ahead.
As an EDIT, with Ukraine you are playing chess with a grand master, provide arms to Ukraine - it is the move he is looking for to justify further acts incursions in to your territory. Stand back and do nothing and well, he may just swipe your queen when you're not looking.
Just put a Finish flag alongside the Ukranian ones- the Russians would shit themselves.
Saying all this- the Ukranians are slowly losing but they aren't losing that bad to a land-only war against Russia. Are the Russians that good at fighting?
Saying all this- the Ukranians are slowly losing but they aren't losing that bad to a land-only war against Russia. Are the Russians that good at fighting?
The Russians could sneeze The Ukraine aside if they really wanted to.
Clearly they need some practice and the Russian Army are a little bored, so evidently invading another country looks like a right hoot.
However, worried?
Nope.
Better things to worry about than something you've no control over.
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31530840 ]Muahahahahaa!!! Your puny defenses do not frighten us![/url]
Muahahahahaa!!! Your puny defenses do not frighten us!
Was there a classic airshow on down that way?
just asked my Lithuanian colleague what he thought. Complete BS was his response. Sounds like a lot of western propaganda to me
just asked my Lithuanian colleague what he thought. Complete BS was his response. Sounds like a lot of western propaganda to me
Propaganda
In this day and age, never.
Are we really meant to be worried by a couple of old bomber's out on manoeuvres?
It's obviously calculated to get us in a bit of a flap, but really what are they going to do? shower Newquay with napalm?
Just Keep Watching the Ukrainian border.
We're Gazprom's paying customers, The UK isn't going to war with a capitalist Russia, Putin can behave like a Dick but once his posturing really starts costing the oligarchy he'll be gone.
The real question is at what point do normal Russians tire of Putin's cock waving and elect a grown up?
Putin is behaving like he is to appear strong in front of his own people and cling onto power while his economy is diving. Internally he still has a surprisingly high level of approval despite the rest of the world thinking he's crackers. Classic diversionary tactics.
Defence minister raises fears of a bogey man during general election campaign. Shocker!
LHS - I love the malapropism.
"centiment" - how you measure emotions in metric.
The real question is at what point do normal Russians tire of Putin's cock waving and elect a grown up?
Tire of it? Have you seen his approval ratings? The Russian population seems inordinately impressed with him waving his willy about. Whether that holds as the economy collapses, we'll have to wait and see. But invading places is going down a storm.
Classic diversionary tactics.
#lasmalvinas
It'd be handy to identify a repeating factor
It is an ancient tactic, if all else fails start a war, if you can't afford it, start a pretend war. (Falklands Conflict, I am speaking to you)
Worked with a Russian business for a while, most of the Russians I encountered were well educated and not stupid but they all moaned about new Russia - drugs unemployment crime alcohol abuse etc and most said life for most people under the old regime was probably better - the value of freedom of speech (which really doesn't exist I Russia) is rapidly out weighed by being cold, unemployed and living in a ghetto.
The average Russian is not the average European - they will put up with lots more shit than we will, as someone pointed out it's the handful of rich Russians who will end Putins time in office but at the moment he is loved by the majority of ordinary Russians and more importantly lots of satellite Russian speaking peoples - contrary to western media few of the people in these states aspire to be European. They view us as arrogant and weak willed.
Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have booked that Baltic cruise on Cunard this summer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania
Putin could take the west single handed
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It's a natural occurrence with mankind culling themselves so no big deal.
Ya, according to scientific logic that's what mankind do.
If you are going to die or your time is up then nothing can prevent you from dying.
Why worry or why want to prolong your life after all dying is part of living.
🙄
They view us as arrogant and weak willed.
Well..to be fair...we are better than them...
...maybe...oh whatever