BoJo, Russia and diplomacy.

Calling for people to demonstrate outside the Russian embassy against Russia’s actions in Syria, is this really a grown up way to be conducting international diplomacy?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37614554

Nothing surprises me anymore with our current government

Meanwhile key ally of ‘pariah’ Putin is to meet our head of state.

Foreign Office approved, no doubt.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/queen-welcome-key-putin-ally-attracting-criticism-mps-1585455

Well he’s led us out of Europe so his next trick is to take us to war.

Bloody ridiculous ****.

DIY Boris

Probably trying to distract attention from the utter shambles he has brought down on us.

I doubt he gives a fig for Aleppo.

The pro-Putin mentality of some of the Brexit crew (and Trump) is one of the most disturbing things about the New, Nastier Politics. If BoJo has the decency to not fawn over Putin, that is to his credit.

I thought the (not incredibly subtle) point he was trying to make was that that the “stop the war” lot never march or protest against Russia (or the Syrian regime)?

A point which I recently found surprising but, on investigation, true.

Apparently interference or even outright war is only bad when democracies do it.

They have a series of excuses why not (we only protest against the UK because thats where we are etc.) but these excuses, weirdly, don’t seem to apply to protesting the actions of foreign governments like the USA or Israel.

Who’d a thunk it.

(Boris is still an unspeakable self serving oik, but, you know; even a busted watch etc.)

The pro-Putin mentality of some of the Brexit crew (and Trump) is one of the most disturbing things about the New, Nastier Politics

Guy at my work is well into his Breitbart, I mentioned the Trump cosying up to Put(a)in thing;

“Yeah but at least Putin is a strong leader”

(Boris is still an unspeakable self serving oik, but, you know; even a busted watch etc.)

^ This

It’s just BoJo realising how irrelevant the UK is and how little influence it really has when the only recourse is to slightly annoy the Russians.

What else can he do? Wave an empty aircraft carrier at them?

What else can he do? Wave an empty aircraft carrier at them?

Gather the support of the rest of the EU to impose further economic sanctions on Russia?

Oh, wait….

Stop The War are a complete shower. Although my FIL pointed out last night that if Putin made the same comments, we’d dismiss any resultant protests as ‘state organised’ and completely dismiss the validity of them…

Ex head of MI6 saying, Johnsons idea was not a good one on the radio this morning

next Putin (s lackeys) will be calling for demos outside our embassies in Russia, I reckon that could end up a lot worse than whatever stop the war would muster,

embassy protests can end very badly benghazi,iranian embassy siege etc?

I thought the (not incredibly subtle) point he was trying to make was that that the “stop the war” lot never march or protest against Russia (or the Syrian regime)?

There is nothing to stop Boris organising his own protest should he wish to. Blaming another organisation for not doing one seems a weird distraction technique.

Stop the War Coalition is an organisation created to point out the hypocrisy of “Western Democracies” love affair with bombing the shit out of brown people. It quite rightly points out that it can only really influence those countries, a demo against Russia would have little or no impact on them. It would be like asking CND to protest outside the North Korean embassy, they could, but it would have Eff all effect and would distract their limited resources away from what they better achieve.

Gather the support of the rest of the EU to impose further economic sanctions on Russia?

We are better out of the EU on this IMO, as Switzerland and Norway imposed sanctions against Russia while outside the EU. And yet some EU states were opposed to sanctions including Italy and Hungary.

This is one of the reasons Russia is pleased to see us leave the EU, we were seen as hawkish on sanctions against Russia

of course Johnson knows that brexit has strengthened Russia’s hand but would never admit it

he’d rather try and and stir up some sort of diplomatic incident and risk embassy staff than face up to the consequences of his lust for power

Our inactivity in Syria has left a space for Putin to exploit. He’s played a master stroke and now we’re watching him massacre people on a daily basis leaving us wondering what to do about it. we have no hard threat to base any negotiation from so Putin is sitting fat dumb and pretty doing what he likes.

So on the basis we wont do anything militarily now as it would mean going up against Russian forces, the softer more symbolic (and useless) actions like demonstrations is all we’re left with.

Political diplomacy and negotiation is only of use if we’ve a credible threat on the table, in this case we don’t have so that leaves us high and dry with no leverage with which to negotiate – rule #1 of negotiation, we have to have something the other side wants – in this case we have nothing. That is the price of inactivity in the face of oppression. And Putin is sitting back rubbing his hands with glee as Europe tears itself apart around the infighting on the issue of how to deal with the displaced refugees from Syria. He’s loving it and we’re giving it to him on a plate.

We wont seem hawkish on sanctions at all. We’ll be employing them in coordination alongside our allies for very specific reasons. Brexit has nothing to do with our collaboration with our allies. We’ll still work with the UN, NATO, individual EU countries and the EU as a whole.

Stop The ( some ? ) War coalition are on TV now saying that protesting against the Russians would only demonise them.

And that would be beastly.

oh so well still be able to inbfluuence EU policy, like this, after all wobbliscot?

https://europa.eu/newsroom/highlights/special-coverage/eu_sanctions_en

meanwhile Borris isnt bothered by UK made muntions being dropped on civillians in Yemen?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-wedding-bombing-15-year-old-survivor-tells-of-devastation-wreaked-on-family-party-a6697331.html

It’s appalling that we just sit round and do nothing while the Russians do this:

Oh … hang on a mo …

Blaming another organisation for not doing one seems a weird normal Tory distraction technique.

FTFY

eat_the_pudding – Member
(Boris is still an unspeakable self serving oik, but, you know; even a busted watch etc.)

Unless it’s digital. Then it’s just shit and needs to be twatted with a hammer and disposed of.

Any power cables nearby?

We should string him up again.

Go and protest outside the Russian embassy, but whatever you do, don’t go on strike, or complain unpatriotically about Brexit.

“It’s just BoJo realising how irrelevant the UK is and how little influence it really has when the only recourse is to slightly annoy the Russians.”

Pretty much. The UK was involved in the instigation of a massive war which has led to this situation in Syria, helped create an almighty **** up, and now wants to blame someone else. All Boris is doing, is a bit of willy-waving, without a willy. And looking like a right dick in the process. Unsurprising of him to then sneak a dig in at a left-wing organisation (Stop The War). That’s his level.

Meanwhile, the rest of Europe (and the world) is astounded we’ve got such **** as our government, and why we’ve allowed that to happen. They shake their heads, and walk away, thankful they won’t have to put up with us for much longer.

I thought the (not incredibly subtle) point he was trying to make was that that the “stop the war” lot never march or protest against Russia (or the Syrian regime)?

One marches to protest and change the opinion of our own government.
Marching against them is the very definition of futile and not what they are about.

Stop the War opposes the British establishment’s disastrous addiction to war and its squandering of public resources on militarism. We have initiated many campaigns around these issues.

Its basically a lame criticism

Back to the point its not wise for a master of diplomacy [sic] to advise this as a negotiation tool..the only part true in that sentence is that he is a tool

anyone want to buy a rifle? Yemen? anyone??

The thing about people like Boris, is that they are long gone (and much richer) by the time their antics are exposed and we’re all paying the price:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/14/sadiq-khan-thames-garden-bridge-boris-johnson-mayor-london

“The proposed bridge has secured vast sums of public money despite being initially promoted as entirely private-funded.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/taxpayers-face-22million-bill-if-boris-johnsons-garden-bridge-project-collapses-a7356181.html

One marches to protest and change the opinion of our own government.
Marching against them is the very definition of futile and not what they are about.

But that doesn’t tackle the point about why StWC were happy enough to protest the US & Israeli embassies, but not the Russian one

Why not email/write to StW and ask them?

ninfan – Member

But that doesn’t tackle the point about why StWC were happy enough to protest the US & Israeli embassies, but not the Russian one

That’s already been covered surely? Pointlessness, basically. Protests can potentially influence our government, and our allies (or other nations that want to be seen in a good light by the UK), and can draw public attention to matters. But protests won’t influence Russia and we already know they’re bams. So what’s the point?

I cycled past the russain embassay daily for a few years

There was some sort of protest going on outside most days, mostly ukrainian protestors, but also various other countries even pussy riot once, stop drilling in the arctic etc they just leave the barriers up over the road on a permanent basis

Borris’ comment was just a standard childish dig at the lefties, whilst also being spectacularly ill advised and potentially dangerous for British embassy staff in Russia as the ex head of MI6 pointed out

Its become quite apparent that Johnson’s acting of being the buffoon isnt an act after all

hes just a massive bell-end

Boris is a distraction but that doesn’t make the actions of Russia any more acceptable,

That said criticising them is like complaining about bears shitting in the woods, what else would you expect them too do given the shambolic and inept leadership we have in the US and EU. Russians being Russian.

I think theres also a weariness to public opinion about war in the middle east now, almost an acceptance it’ll happen one way or another until they stop with the god bothering nonsense.

Don’t know if anyone else caught Prof Brian Cox on the wireless recently when he said, its quite possible we (humans) are just not smart enough to run a planet.
He may have a point.

here are the protest barriers outside the embassy

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5098711,-0.1917978,3a,75y,342.26h,90.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7uKwLbdHJ-0eUFo94idg6Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I wonder if we will see Johnson down there with some placards?

until they stop with the god bothering nonsense

I think that may be a bit of a red herring. There’s oil money involved in Syria.

If anyone’s interested.. here’s a website containing the article’s deleted from the (other) stw website since Jezza became leader of the Labour Party.. link