That's sort of my naive, ignore the facts, theory ... ... allowing him to take the land would've avoided all that destruction and death. If he ends up with the land anyway what happens next, nothing I expect.
I get what you are saying, I don’t agree that Putin should be allowed to get away with it, but we know he will and he has killed thousands and injured a million to get there. We either put up or shut up, we should have put up when NATO had the opportunity. We knew he was going to invade, we should have had NATO troops there already and see how brave the twat is. His military isn’t really all that so I’m not sure what we were afraid of
I’m now 87 years of age. During my lifetime there has almost always been trouble in the Middle-east, certainly since the end of ww2 when the UN decided to allow oppressed Jews to take land that for generations had been occupied by Arabs. This hot potato was thrown into the lap of the British. Previous to this ordinary Arabs had accepted British rule with some resentment but also respect. Now both sides hated the British. In other Arab countries dictators took charge and became a threat to peace in the area. Revolutions, inhumane treatment, threats, wars. But at no time was I ever worried about the possibility of it becoming a threat to world peace. I am now very concerned. Now, as at no other time in world history, there exist weapons that can destroy nations. And the means of delivering them over distances of thousands of miles to hit their targets with accuracy, but also the possibility of going rogue and hitting where they are not intended. Even worse, some of the people who control these weapons are religious fanatics who hate the west. I suppose that all we humble humans can do is to put our trust in our leaders. And those who have a god to pray and have faith in him. But not to worry. I’m sure everything will sort itself out ok as it has in the past.
Good post, I think there are two ways out of the conflict and neither result in Britain and the West being unscathed. Choose one side and you risk the dominos falling in such a way that Iran, Russia, China etc are activated and involved in regional wars, this could result in a civil war in many European countries also. Choose the other side ie true diplomacy, there is no political will to do this at the moment and would require an overhaul of political norms in Britain in order to bring it about, but could result in pole shifting in global politics where agreements are made, paperworks are revoked and mass movements of people to their ancestral homes are agreed upon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing
I'm enough of a qunt to believe we're all being a little cowardly. We've had a recent history of bravely marching into war zones, flags flying, around the world. But have now decided to keep out of a war which is the closest we've had and a European neighbour. I'd be willing to risk a nuclear wipeout rather that dither around watching Ukraine destroyed. If that happens Putin will keep going and other neighbouring countries put at risk. All we're doing is delaying the point where we have no other option but to make a stand. In the meantime Ukraine is fighting and losing a war I doubt they can possibly win imo.
I’ve generally been against Ukraine conceding any land but it does seem like it’s grinding to a stalemate. Perhaps it’s time for both sides to get around the negotiating table. Thousands are being killed on both sides needlessly. If Ukraine give up the Donbas and there’s a good portion of the population there actually want that, Russia would need to accept Ukraine will be joining NATO. That puts to bed any comeback argument that Putin would just move for more of the country further down the line. It’s easy for everyone to sit here, myself included and say Ukraine should keep fighting and not give up any land but it’s not our friends and family that have been and will continue to be killed.
I applaud you for having the character to admit when we need to change tact, but do spare a thought for the many who died in the interim whilst people are coming around to that realisation.
I agree, but I think the time has passed where we can do much about it. When we got wind of what would be happening or at the very start was the time to act. Mind I’m a nobody with only second hand opinions and don’t fancy the mushroom cloud over any country.
Slipping Ukraine ammunition and having David Cameron spout his highly polished 'diplomacy' isn't being brave and facing up to Putin in my opinion ... ... if you see a harmless neighbour being beaten up you don't just stand by shouting a bit of encouragement.
We even just sit there and listen to theirTV propaganda that if the UK does this does that they will nuke us. Forgetting that Russia would be obliterated too, ****ing tell them that man
Agree. Token gestures to be seen to be in support of Ukraine and against the Russians are meaningless in the long run. Unfortunately for Europe, it's what the EU is good at. They see themselves as a power in the world...the United States of Europe...but their foreign policy is dictated by naive liberalism. The French are almost the only member who is regularly willing to commit its' forces to confrontation. As for us, Cameron is of that same mindset, all mouth and no balls.....and Starmer won't be any different when he gets in later this year. Putin knows all of this and will continue to push his agenda. Token freezings of Russian assets will do nothing,whilst he is able to move his resources through China,for whom all this is Manna from Heaven. Whilst the West and the Russians are distracted and ****ing about with each other,they can continue their influence expansion unhindered.
Quite right, the Chinese have us by the testicles and all we can do is pretend they don't ... ... in the meantime we're pumping billions into China via the likes of Amazon and other suppliers of Chinese products.
We'll always go for cheaper products as long as they are of decent quality and not produced by slave labour. It's more their influence in the emerging markets in,eg. Africa and South America where they are going to clean up,and,because of the West's weak,incompetent and pathetic leadership,their consistent and stable purpose will see it through without significant challenge.
We don't let people shoot up heroin, maybe we shouldn't let people buy Chinese cheap products? Self harm, just on a societal level.
By far the most sickening spectacle in this whole thing was Boris Johnson smirking about the phone call he received from Putin ... ... it was like he'd just taken a call, from an ex-Eton chum joshing he'd put a ferret through Boris's letterbox. FFS, grow up you pathetic clown
I think he was elected class joker then people realised what they'd done. I doubt anyone can remember any big promises that came off ... ... fabulous new NHS, stop the boats, make everyone better off. 'Yes but I'm hilariously funny and Vlad calls me Boris."
It all depends on what the U.S. does. If they join in, we will follow, trotting obediently at their heels. If only we had a leader with the moral strength to say no, just as Wilson did when asked to send troops to Vietnam.
Don’t expect gratitude from Israel. As far as they are concerned no one came to their rescue during the Holocaust, they were persecuted by the British for trying to settle in Israel, the British supported the Arabs against them etc. It’s them against the world. I do not hate Israelis - to my knowledge I’ve never met one - but I despair at their ingratitude. I don’t know why we declared war on Germany. Some say it was to free the Polish people, others claim it was because this country had millions invested in the Polish coal mines. But it is a fact that every family in our land suffered hardship and loss to defeat the Nazis and one of the outcomes of this was the saving of the Jewish race on mainland Europe. But if our parents generation expected effusive gratitude, they would have been disappointed. Instead we received criticism for not doing more; our soldiers were vilified for trying to enforce the dictates of the United Nations. It wasn’t until years later that we got an apology for the St. David hotel explosion. Did we ever get an apology for the 3 British soldiers that were hanged by them? I don’t know, but I dont remember hearing one word of gratitude for our sacrifices, only condemnations for not doing more. I sympathise with their need of a country of their own but I also sympathise with the people who were turfed out of their homes to make way for them. I can’t blame the Israelis and I can’t blame the Arabs. This situation was was created by politicians thousands of miles away acting with haste. But then, how can blame be apportioned - what do you do with millions of homeless people?
