Off Topic The Politics Thread

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Should the UK remain a part of the EU or leave?

  • Stay in

    Votes: 56 47.9%
  • Get out

    Votes: 61 52.1%

  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
I agree generally that virtue signalling has become a pastime in some parts of our society and can be sickening in its egotism.

But over Ukraine, I do believe people are genuinely sympathetic, outraged, angry and concerned that we have a nuclear power, albeit a poor and unsuccessful one, behaving as if this is 1939.
There is sympathy, outrage and anger and that is understandable and genuine. We are seeing multiple pictures and videos of the suffering in Ukraine - this is in contrast to the absence of such media coverage of the results of Nato bombings in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Belgrade. Or the thousands who have died as a result of US drone attacks since. We have a Serbian in my wife's family who was in Belgrade at the time and still bears the mental scars of it now - where was the intensive media coverage then ? At that time Nato did everything from the air. There are a number on here who have claimed Nato to be purely a defensive force - that is rubbish. All the outrage about invading another countries sovereign territory and how this is an international crime - it is - but it was also that in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia and Libya - all those places would be able to testify that Nato is not just a defensive organization. Naturally there were excuses for all those actions - are these any more valid than those used by Putin now ? Are you sure that they are ? Don't go away with the false idea that I am somehow a fan of Russia or Putin - he is a madman, and I condemn his actions, but the West has a share of the responsibility in his rise to power through Nato's encroachments right up to Russia's doorstep. Though naturally the World would be a safer place without him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Staines R's
Definitely a few on the far right will be fighting for their motherland….like the Azov Battalion for example.
Can also see many of Europes elite neo Nazis taking up arms “for the cause” like many did in the Balkans war…..
Pick a side.
There is sympathy, outrage and anger and that is understandable and genuine. We are seeing multiple pictures and videos of the suffering in Ukraine - this is in contrast to the absence of such media coverage of the results of Nato bombings in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Belgrade. Or the thousands who have died as a result of US drone attacks since. We have a Serbian in my wife's family who was in Belgrade at the time and still bears the mental scars of it now - where was the intensive media coverage then ? At that time Nato did everything from the air. There are a number on here who have claimed Nato to be purely a defensive force - that is rubbish. All the outrage about invading another countries sovereign territory and how this is an international crime - it is - but it was also that in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia and Libya - all those places would be able to testify that Nato is not just a defensive organization. Naturally there were excuses for all those actions - are these any more valid than those used by Putin now ? Are you sure that they are ? Don't go away with the false idea that I am somehow a fan of Russia or Putin - he is a madman, and I condemn his actions, but the West has a share of the responsibility in his rise to power through Nato's encroachments right up to Russia's doorstep. Though naturally the World would be a safer place without him.
Pick a side.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rangercol
Absolutely...I feel shock and disgust and fear.
It seems irrational to me...and I fear irrationality more than anything. Irrationality can lead to very serious situations for the whole world

It's the fear that Putin plays on. He's issued a very thinly-veiled threat of nuclear war if NATO intervenes. My conscience tells me that NATO should intervene, but I don't want it to because I'm scared of what the consequences might be. NATO leaders are scared too.
 
Zelenskyy giving his daily briefing, he's such an impressive guy to listen to. You can see why any Ukranian listening to him would be willing to lay down their life for their country. Wish we had a Prime Minister like that !
 
If western allies fire upon Russian forces we are, almost certainly, at WW3.

Let that sink in.

Of course my gut reaction is to put the full might of NATO into Ukraine, in the air and at sea.
In a conventional war, Russia would be decimated.

I now realise that Putin looks to have become unhinged, as well as ruthless.

Can we risk nuclear war over this?

It may be that he just keeps coming if he truly has lost it, which would force our hands anyway.
 
If western allies fire upon Russian forces we are, almost certainly, at WW3.

Let that sink in.

Of course my gut reaction is to put the full might of NATO into Ukraine, in the air and at sea.
In a conventional war, Russia would be decimated.

I now realise that Putin looks to have become unhinged, as well as ruthless.

Can we risk nuclear war over this?

It may be that he just keeps coming if he truly has lost it, which would force our hands anyway.
We would beat them. They are a dinosaur. I listened to the military analyst on CNN who collated all the data and said they are fighting a 20th Century war. Inferior equipment,crap tactics that havent been properly thought out.
However any idiot can press a button or fire a machine gun.
Makes you think about all the cuts in our military?
 
If western allies fire upon Russian forces we are, almost certainly, at WW3.

Let that sink in.

Of course my gut reaction is to put the full might of NATO into Ukraine, in the air and at sea.
In a conventional war, Russia would be decimated.

I now realise that Putin looks to have become unhinged, as well as ruthless.

Can we risk nuclear war over this?

It may be that he just keeps coming if he truly has lost it, which would force our hands anyway.

It's interesting that US and Russian generals have lines of communication and are still speaking. One would hope the latter might start exercising some discretion if Putin's orders became too extreme.
 
It's interesting that US and Russian generals have lines of communication and are still speaking. One would hope the latter might start exercising some discretion if Putin's orders became too extreme.
Funny you mention that as I heard the same last night. Hopefully the have sensible people on the line.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Goldhawk-Road
We would beat them. They are a dinosaur. I listened to the military analyst on CNN who collated all the data and said they are fighting a 20th Century war. Inferior equipment,crap tactics that havent been properly thought out.
However any idiot can press a button or fire a machine gun.
Makes you think about all the cuts in our military?

No one would win in a nuclear exchange.
 
You must log in or register to see images

Brilliant ! Well done Poland. Nice to see someone forcing FIFA'S hand for a change. Everyone needs to show Russia that they can't get away with it

FIFA will monitor the situation? What f*cking planet are Infantino and his lackeys on? Amazing that when the chips are down money still comes to the fore. Russia should be kicked out of every sporting event without exception, they've cheated at many in the past as if that wasn't a barometer of their psyche...