Off Topic Politics Thread

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A totally unbiased article from Jake Willis Simon. Not.
He was appointed editor of The Jewish Chronicle in December 2021, succeeding Stephen Pollard. In January 2025, he stepped down from the role to focus on writing books. He writes a regular column for The Telegraph and his work also features frequently in the Spectator, the New York Post, and the The Jewish Chronicle. He has faced allegations of Islamophobia due to specific comments and articles he has published.

So we should ignore him because he’s Jewish? Sorry, Jabbo, lost me there. You have to take opinion from both sides of an argument, and though hyperbolic in his presentation here, he’s making some very fair points about this.
 
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So we should ignore him because he’s Jewish? Sorry, Jabbo, lost me there. You have to take opinion from both sides of an argument, and though hyperbolic in his presentation here, he’s making some very fair points about this.
I was quite interested in rhe recent court case won by the American comedian Reginald D Hunter brought by the Campaign Against Antismetism where the latter were heavily criiticised for weaponising their legal claims of anti semitism. Care is needed in looking at these cases where the pursuit of claims for antisemitism are very subjective. You can read about this on BBC.

There is a lot of stuff being reported on line where a particular point of view or perspective is seen as representing the legitimate one. Not a fan of Iran's regime but too little being said about external influences and protesters
from outside the regional markets or even from outside states acting as agent provocateurs in stirring up protest. These reports have been corroborated by local traders. There is undoubtedly a genuine grievance from the Iranian people but the action of less than honest agents does not get widely reported in Western media even when noted by the protesters themselves.

The oeople portrayed as the good guys are not always spotless not are the villains 100% culpable for all the issues.
 
So we should ignore him because he’s Jewish? Sorry, Jabbo, lost me there. You have to take opinion from both sides of an argument, and though hyperbolic in his presentation here, he’s making some very fair points about this.
I didn't say ignore him and of course there are opinions from both sides to be listened to as those deciding to ban Maccabi fans must have done. It's a buggered if you do and buggered if you don't situation. Simon's history of Islamophobia needs to be aired in the context of this discussion.
 
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I didn't say ignore him and of course there are opinions from both sides to be listened to as those deciding to ban Maccabi fans must have done. It's a buggered if you do and buggered if you don't situation. Simon's history of Islamophobia needs to be aired in the context of this discussion.

His “history of Islamophobia” as far as I can see consists of a retweet about an attack in Bethlehem, which he deleted when it was shown to be wrong, and one of his freelancers writing an article with fabrications in it for the JC, which he took the fall for as editor (though he’d been deceived by the freelancer, he felt it lands on him).

Not really a Tommy Robinson style raging bigot there? As far as I can see.
 
His “history of Islamophobia” as far as I can see consists of a retweet about an attack in Bethlehem, which he deleted when it was shown to be wrong, and one of his freelancers writing an article with fabrications in it for the JC, which he took the fall for as editor (though he’d been deceived by the freelancer, he felt it lands on him).

Not really a Tommy Robinson style raging bigot there? As far as I can see.
But he does not like Mozart.
 
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His “history of Islamophobia” as far as I can see consists of a retweet about an attack in Bethlehem, which he deleted when it was shown to be wrong, and one of his freelancers writing an article with fabrications in it for the JC, which he took the fall for as editor (though he’d been deceived by the freelancer, he felt it lands on him).

Not really a Tommy Robinson style raging bigot there? As far as I can see.
Point taken. Difficult decision for those that had to make it particularly after the events in Amsterdam.
 
Erm...?!

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Remember a couple of smug users giving me stick for claiming Trump was a security threat a couple of years ago. Very difficult to not get personal about that type of person.

Reality is if they want it they will take it, the question will be what consequences can Europe visit upon the US for doing it.

Europe has the capability to at least crash a huge chunk of the US economy (at great cost to ourselves) and kick the US out of all of their current European bases.

But the problem is they can **** the Ukraine situation up for us in turn.

Very difficult, I would like to think if they go for this we can make life difficult for Trump in some way, but i'm not really sure how we can without hurting ourselves.
 
Remember a couple of smug users giving me stick for claiming Trump was a security threat a couple of years ago. Very difficult to not get personal about that type of person.

Reality is if they want it they will take it, the question will be what consequences can Europe visit upon the US for doing it.

Europe has the capability to at least crash a huge chunk of the US economy (at great cost to ourselves) and kick the US out of all of their current European bases.

But the problem is they can **** the Ukraine situation up for us in turn.

Very difficult, I would like to think if they go for this we can make life difficult for Trump in some way, but i'm not really sure how we can without hurting ourselves.

We seem to be entering an age of RealPolitik where the world is getting carved up into chunks of power for three or four nations. Sadly, Europe and the UK just are not major players any more. We're more militarily weak than we've ever been. It's thoroughly depressing. We have no real seat at the table to do much of anything.
 
We seem to be entering an age of RealPolitik where the world is getting carved up into chunks of power for three or four nations. Sadly, Europe and the UK just are not major players any more. We're more militarily weak than we've ever been. It's thoroughly depressing. We have no real seat at the table to do much of anything.
I read something a couple of years ago, I think it was around the time when JD Vance was just being confirmed as DJT's running mate, about how Vance (and Musk) had a shared belief in the growth of superpower technocracies, with 3/4 global super powers spreading and claiming key territories for natural minerals to power new tech, with the governments, industries and societies governed by unelected technical experts and billionaires...
 
I read something a couple of years ago, I think it was around the time when JD Vance was just being confirmed as DJT's running mate, about how Vance (and Musk) had a shared belief in the growth of superpower technocracies, with 3/4 global super powers spreading and claiming key territories for natural minerals to power new tech, with the governments, industries and societies governed by unelected technical experts and billionaires...

Yup. Think I posted about it on here. All the Peter Thiel and Curtis Yarvin stuff. It's very scary when you dive into it.
 
Boycott America, I've shelved plans for an extended visit as have others. There a number of boycott movements Canada in particular in Europe and elsewhere. There's also been a surge in Americans leaving the country with passport applications in Ireland, the UK and Europe rising.
 
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A little long, but a good video on the collapse of the Venezuelan economy over the decade of Maduros rule from Oil rich producer to Narco state.
 
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A little long, but a good video on the collapse of the Venezuelan economy over the decade of Maduros rule from Oil rich producer to Narco state.
i am sure that the allegations likely have some element of truth but has any evidence been forwarded to corroborate Maduro was directly involved in drugs.
 
Yep I just shake my head at this. So hard not to bring it up in my meetings.
I am shocked by this but i think the Greenland scenario will not raise as much concern in the Uk as when Trump sets his eyes on the Falklands to make the South Atlantic secure.


Just think that the invasion of Greenland will not go okay well with American voters. Cant see Trump lasting this term but i can see relationship with Europe / uk deteriorating further.
 
I am shocked by this but i think the Greenland scenario will not raise as much concern in the Uk as when Trump sets his eyes on the Falklands to make the South Atlantic secure.


Just think that the invasion of Greenland will not go okay well with American voters. Cant see Trump lasting this term but i can see relationship with Europe / uk deteriorating further.
Of course he will. The only way a sitting president doesn't complete a term is if they are unable to execute their duties as president, they are impeached or they die in office. Trump has survived 2 impeachment attempts and an assassination attempt so the evidence suggests he will see out his term . It doesn't matter if the American voters don't like what he's doing - he's already been elected and he can't serve any further terms so why would he care?