Off Topic The Politics Thread

[Hoops Eternal]

I completely agree that Bliar (subject to the fact that he should be inside) has a right to voice his opinions, flawed though they may be, but FFS the election was 8 months ago. It was won by the leave camp using the same democratic basis upon which Bliar won the general elections that saw him gain and retain power. One wonders what his reaction would have been to any Tory who tried to gain support for a new election based on the lies in the Labour party manifesto! If the democratic process was good enough for him to win power, it is good enough for us to leave the EU.

Ah, but the remoaners just won't concede defeat, and Tony Blair is still a cock.

 

[rangercol]

This is a difficult one to answer. I read some of that stuff and agree it would be hard, however I have seen and read enough stuff that suggests that Russia is not the power it was. I think they now have only one aircraft carrier? The ships are old cold war ones and rusting away. As for tanks, the gulf war proved that tanks are useless against airpower. The Iraq tanks were Russian ones as well. I guess Col I would have to disagree. Airpower wins wars and the US would take Russia apart in the air.

http://www.globalfirepower.com

The latest thinking suggests that Russia would move so quickly across Europe that NATO wouldn't have the fire power or manpower to stop them in time. Britain would probably be alone whilst the rest of Europe was over-run (again). I was referring to a war in Europe, which is the most likely scenario.
You're right that once the war became global, Nato would probably eventually win. It would be ridiculously drawn out though, hence the existence of Nuclear deterrents. These stop both sides from pushing their luck.

 

[GoldhawkRoad]

Probably, but so what?

I'm not supporting Blair in any way, Goldie. He's been the worst sort of amoral politician. I'm supporting his right to speak, though, despite not agreeing with him, and definitely not agreeing with some of his past actions.

Stopping people from speaking (subject to the law of the land, obv.) would be on a par with burning books.

Everyone has a right to speak, BD. It's using his so called elevated position to decry the democratic vote and patronise the Leave vote that I can't tolerate. And the fact that the man has no shame. If he want to go down to the pub and express his views, let him. But to use his (largely) ill-gotten wealth and tarnished influence is maddening when he should just **** off and avoid the media

 

[ELLERS]

The latest thinking suggests that Russia would move so quickly across Europe that NATO wouldn't have the fire power or manpower to stop them in time. Britain would probably be alone whilst the rest of Europe was over-run (again). I was referring to a war in Europe, which is the most likely scenario.
You're right that once the war became global, Nato would probably eventually win. It would be ridiculously drawn out though, hence the existence of Nuclear deterrents. These stop both sides from pushing their luck.

Agree, I thought you meant a war US/Russia. Europe wouldn't last 5 minutes if they invaded EU countries

 

[sheffordqpr]

Everyone has a right to speak, BD. It's using his so called elevated position to decry the democratic vote and patronise the Leave vote that I can't tolerate. And the fact that the man has no shame. If he want to go down to the pub and express his views, let him. But to use his (largely) ill-gotten wealth and tarnished influence is maddening when he should just **** off and avoid the media

Well said! I wish he would come to my local and voice his opinion!! He may find his popularity is not as big as he thinks it is.

 

[rangercol]

Everyone has a right to speak, BD. It's using his so called elevated position to decry the democratic vote and patronise the Leave vote that I can't tolerate. And the fact that the man has no shame. If he want to go down to the pub and express his views, let him. But to use his (largely) ill-gotten wealth and tarnished influence is maddening when he should just **** off and avoid the media

I thought Boris was superbly dismissive when he called Blair condescending and insulting to the people who voted to leave.
Blair is and always has been a twat and a lying, murderous twat at that.
I defend his right to speak, but the bloke is the most nauseating politician I've encountered in my adult life.

 

[Hoops Eternal]

I thought Boris was superbly dismissive when he called Blair condescending and insulting to the people who voted to leave.
Blair is and always has been a twat and a lying, murderous twat at that.
I defend his right to speak, but the bloke is the most nauseating politician I've encountered in my adult life.

Well him and one shade of grey John Major.

 

[kiwiqpr]

Country Active personnel Reserve personnel Total

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Albania 8,500 5,000 13,500

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Belgium 24,500 100,500 125,000

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Bulgaria 35,000 302,500 337,500

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Canada 68,000 27,000 95,000

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Croatia 18,000 180,000 198,000

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Czech Republic 21,057 2,359 23,416

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Denmark 20,003 63,000 78,000

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Estonia 3,209 60,000 63,209

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France 222,215 100,000 322,215

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Germany 180,676 145,000 325,676

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Greece 180,000 280,000 460,000

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Hungary 29,700 8400 38,100
Iceland 210 170 380
Italy 180,000 41,867 220,867
Latvia 6,000 11,000 17,000
Lithuania 15,839 4,550 20,389
Luxembourg 1,057 278 1,335
Netherlands 47,660 57,200 104,860
Norway 26,200 56,200 82,400
Poland 120,000 515,000 635,000
Portugal 44,900 210,930 255,830
Romania 73,350 79,900 153,250
Slovakia 16,000 16,000

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Slovenia 7,300 1,500 8,801

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Spain 123,000 16,200 139,200

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Turkey 620,473 429,000 1,041,900

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United Kingdom 205,851 181,720 387,571

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United States 1,369,532 850,880 2,220,412

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[TheBigDipper]

In my opinion you lecture fellow posters in a condescending way. You come across as hugely patronising at time imo.
You must be a very delicate flower if you find "condescending" and "lecturing" to be personal insults.

Get over yourself!

Implied insult that I'm a delicate flower?

No. I'm not the flower you think I am. Just someone with a point of view and able to argue my corner. I'm not mortified by what you've said. I like it when people with different views argue their corner in reply. Like I wrote before, ignore me or come back with something about what I've written, not how I've written it.

 

[TheBigDipper]

I completely agree that Bliar (subject to the fact that he should be inside) has a right to voice his opinions, flawed though they may be, but FFS the election was 8 months ago. It was won by the leave camp using the same democratic basis upon which Bliar won the general elections that saw him gain and retain power. One wonders what his reaction would have been to any Tory who tried to gain support for a new election based on the lies in the Labour party manifesto! If the democratic process was good enough for him to win power, it is good enough for us to leave the EU.

He's self serving and wouldn't get my vote. I'm only writing about his right to speak here, not about the topic he's speaking about.

Brexit is happening and we've got to get on with it. I'm fearful what else will slip under the radar at the same.

 

[durbar2003]

The latest thinking suggests that Russia would move so quickly across Europe that NATO wouldn't have the fire power or manpower to stop them in time. Britain would probably be alone whilst the rest of Europe was over-run (again). I was referring to a war in Europe, which is the most likely scenario.
You're right that once the war became global, Nato would probably eventually win. It would be ridiculously drawn out though, hence the existence of Nuclear deterrents. These stop both sides from pushing their luck.

Which what I just said however I think the would stop at France and the UK as they have the Nuclear option.

 

[kiwiqpr]

how could nato lose
we have albania on our side

 

[ELLERS]

Which what I just said however I think the would stop at France and the UK as they have the Nuclear option.

We live in dangerous times. Putin is a muppet and a power freak. He has proved like many other dictator types that he doesn't care about anything but himself. The UK needs to spend more dosh on its military which has been depleted under many governments (from all sides). The 2 new carriers will push us up the rankings because of the fire power. Let's just hope we have enough planes to put on them. We need to build up all the forces again so that we have enough to protect ourselves. Currently, I think we have about 190K personnel. The Ex-commander believes we need to make it around 250K That is 60K more. This should be a must for the protection of the country. I would even bring back National service.

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[KooPeeArr]

The nuclaer deterrent only stops countries using nuclear weapons. A land invasion against a country with nukes wouldn't remove the deterrent from either side and so they still couldn't be used.

 

[kiwiqpr]

We live in dangerous times. Putin is a muppet and a power freak. He has proved like many other dictator types that he doesn't care about anything but himself. The UK needs to spend more dosh on its military which has been depleted under many governments (from all sides). The 2 new carriers will push us up the rankings because of the fire power. Let's just hope we have enough planes to put on them. We need to build up all the forces again so that we have enough to protect ourselves. Currently, I think we have about 190K personnel. The Ex-commander believes we need to make it around 250K That is 60K more. This should be a must for the protection of the country. I would even bring back National service.

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United Kingdom active 205,851 reservist 181,720 total 387,571

 

[ELLERS]

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United Kingdom active 205,851 reservist 181,720 total 387,571

Stop reading Wikipedia.
Funnily I have just read this..

Each carrier can deploy up to 36 Lightning II aircraft - but Britain will have only one squadron of F-35s to fly off HMS Queen Elizabeth - about 16 jets - when it enters service in 2020.

 

[kiwiqpr]

Stop reading Wikipedia.
Funnily I have just read this..

Each carrier can deploy up to 36 Lightning II aircraft - but Britain will have only one squadron of F-35s to fly off HMS Queen Elizabeth - about 16 jets - when it enters service in 2020.

bloody wikipedia

The total strength of UK Forces Service Personnel (See Table 1) was 194,570 at 1 January 2015. For detailed information on the different sub-populations that contribute to this figure, please see Tables 1-4.

 

[Stroller]

I thought Boris was superbly dismissive when he called Blair condescending and insulting to the people who voted to leave.
Blair is and always has been a twat and a lying, murderous twat at that.
I defend his right to speak, but the bloke is the most nauseating politician I've encountered in my adult life.

Is this the same Boris who was a committed Remainer until he saw an opportunity to strengthen his leadership credentials by siding with Leave? The same Boris who refused to back down from the £350m a week lie when even Farage said it was not right? The same Boris who has been sacked twice for lying?

I have little time for Blair, but what he said today was correct. It's not condescending or insulting to Leave voters to say that they didn't know the terms of Brexit when they voted - they didn't and they still don't. We do however know a bit more about where Theresa May is taking us, and many may think that leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union was not what they voted for.

 

[kiwiqpr]

The trained strength of the overall Full Time UK Armed Forces was 145,690 at 1 January 2015, down from 152,440 at 1 January 2014. This was a 4.0 per cent deficit against the planned number of personnel needed (requirement) by the Armed Forces. All of the Services were below the requirement; the largest proportional shortfall was in the Royal Air Force (6.0 per cent deficit). In the 12 months to 31 December 2014:  The number of personnel joining the UK Regular Forces as intake was 12,340; a decrease of 2.8 per cent compared with the 12 months to 31 December 2013. (See Table 8a).  The number of Service personnel who left the UK Regular Forces as outflow was 18,820; a decrease of 20.0 per cent compared with the 12 months to 31 December 2013. (See Table 11). This decrease in outflow is related to the previous 12 month period including those personnel leaving under Tranche 3 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme. Future Reserves 2020  The trained strength of the Future Reserve 2020 (FR20) Volunteer Reserve was 23,920 at 1 January 2015, an increase of 930 compared to 1 January 2014.  4,620 have joined the trained and untrained strengths of the FR20 populations between 1 April 2014 and 31 December 2014, an increase of 80 per cent compared with equivalent figures for the same time period last year (see Table 9a).

 

[ELLERS]

Is this the same Boris who was a committed Remainer until he saw an opportunity to strengthen his leadership credentials by siding with Leave? The same Boris who refused to back down from the £350m a week lie when even Farage said it was not right? The same Boris who has been sacked twice for lying?

I have little time for Blair, but what he said today was correct. It's not condescending or insulting to Leave voters to say that they didn't know the terms of Brexit when they voted - they didn't and they still don't. We do however know a bit more about where Theresa May is taking us, and many may think that leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union was not what they voted for.

Bloody hell Stroller we are talking about aircraft Carriers! Why did you have to ruin it with the Boris rubbish? Plus you cannot compare Boris to that @@@@ Blair. Funnily when reading your first paragraph and talking about lies and opportunities, I thought you were talking about Blair.