We've discussed life as Airborne warriors before, think he was in the 'shot a few years before me
Off Topic The Politics Thread
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We've discussed life as Airborne warriors before, think he was in the 'shot a few years before me
I try to do my best to establish the facts, rather than relying on videos from bonkers conspiracy theorists, Roger.
In this case, I've seen the actual video footage of the incident - are you suggesting this is fake? - and heard the statements of witnesses on the street at the time. Should I believe my own eyes and ears, or the laughable attempted justifications from Noem and Trump?
Some questions for you, Roger - no obligation to answer.
Do you believe that Trump won in 2020?
Do you believe that there was a violent insurrection on January 6th 2021 intent on overturning the declared result of the election?
Do you believe that Trump encouraged this insurrection?
Do you believe that the Clintons were running a *****phile ring from the basement of a Washington pizza parlour?
Do you believe that Trump is an adjudicated rapist, and a *****phile who's all over the 99% of the Epstein files that they haven't released yet?
Do you agree with me that the 2026 US mid-term elections won't happen, or if they do, won't be free and fair?
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US Vice President JD Vance tours the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025 [Jim Watson/Pool via Reuters]
ByJohn T Psaropoulos
Published On 9 Jan 20269 Jan 2026
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US President Donald Trump’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 has emboldened him to proceed with the annexation of Greenland, a Danish-owned, self-governed territory, spelling the effective end of NATO and furthering Russia’s war aims in Ukraine, experts tell Al Jazeera.
The day after Maduro’s kidnap by US forces, Trump made Europe fretful – a sport of which he never seems to tire – when he told The Atlantic, “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said, “It has been the formal position of the US government since the beginning of this administration … that Greenland should be part of the United States.”
“The move on Venezuela illustrates the Trump administration’s determination to dominate the Western Hemisphere – of which Greenland geographically is a part,” said Anna Wieslander, Northern Europe director for the Atlantic Council, a think tank.
“Since the successful intervention in Venezuela immediately was followed with threats of using force against Greenland, among others in the hemisphere, it has in the short run, made it more likely,” she told Al Jazeera.
“Unfortunately, I think the American president should be taken seriously when he says he wants Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Denmark’s public broadcaster on January 4.
But she predicted it would spell death for the NATO alliance.
“If the United States decides to attack another NATO country, then everything would stop – that includes NATO and therefore post-World War II security,” Frederiksen said.
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Wieslander agreed.
“Should the darkest hour come and the United States uses military force to annex Greenland, the essence of Article 5 and collective defence within NATO would lose its meaning,” she said.
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Article 5 is NATO’s mutual defence clause, committing allies to come to each other’s aid.
Yet when Europe’s leaders met White House officials in Paris to design security guarantees for Ukraine, they said nothing in public about Venezuela or Greenland.
“The priority is Ukraine, European defence and European security, and keeping the Americans in,” international affairs professor Konstantinos Filis at the American College of Greece told Al Jazeera.
But Europeans see the writing on the wall, and are merely buying time, believed Keir Giles, Eurasia expert for Chatham House, a think tank.
Play Video
2:36
“The pandering to Trump has been an element of our strategy over the last year, leaving observers hoping, but not entirely trusting, that another element of the strategy is preparing urgently for the final rupture with the United States,” Giles said.
“The principle for deterring the United States from military miscalculation should be precisely the same as the one, which was available, but not applied for deterring Putin from invading Ukraine in February 2022,” he said.
A US armed invasion of Greenland would be doubly bad for Europe by playing into Putin’s hands in Ukraine, Giles said.
“The idea that larger powers can have a free hand in what they regard as their own back yard is very much to Russia’s taste,” he said. Invading Greenland, he believed, would amount to “potentially handing Moscow the greatest gift to the Trump administration has yet offered”.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told a symposium this week that the loss of common NATO values weakened the world order.
“It’s about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers,” Steinmeier said.
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Seeing these possibilities, European officials have been discussing military options.
When Trump mentioned his Greenlandic aspirations last year, France sent a nuclear submarine off Canada’s shores to put him on notice that the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon off Newfoundland are French sovereign territories.
This week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, “We want to take action, but we want to do so together with our European partners,” and was due to discuss plans with Germany and Poland.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told journalists, ”Since Denmark belongs to NATO, Greenland will in principle also be defended by NATO.”
Marco Rubio told journalists on Wednesday that he would meet the Danish government next week in the coming days, but refused to take military options against Greenland off the table.
“If the president identifies a threat to the national security of the United States, every president retains the option to address it through military means … we always preferred to settle it in different ways, that included in Venezuela,” he said.
Mearsheimer believed Trump’s track record of attacking Iran last June, Nigeria in December and Venezuela now elevated the chances.
“If you look at Trump’s pattern of behaviour, how willing he is to use military force when you can do it on the cheap and get away with it … the fact that … it could be portrayed as another pinprick operation, tells you there’s a really good chance that he could take Greenland,” he told political scientist Glenn Diesen.
Others disagreed. “Trump may want to strengthen the autonomy movement within Greenland and get them to ask for US help,” said Filis.
The leader of Greenland’s main opposition party on Thursday said Copenhagen should get out of the way and allow Greenland to come to an arrangement directly with the US.
“We encourage our current [Greenlandic] government actually to have a dialogue with the US government without Denmark,” said Pele Broberg, the leader of Naleraq. “Because Denmark is antagonising both Greenland and the US with their mediation.” Naleraq won 25 percent of the national vote last year, doubling its previous showing.
Giles agreed that “coercion, pressure, blackmail, direct or indirect subversive activities or extortion,” would be Trump’s opening moves.
Trump is considering bribing Greenlanders with a per capita sum between $10,000 and $100,000 to join the US, Reuters reported on Friday.
Trump, Rubio and Stephens all cited security, but Denmark gave the US full permission to establish military bases, bring in equipment and personnel, fly aircraft and sail ships in and out of Greenland in a 1953 treaty. The US operates a radar station in Pituffik, providing early warning of ballistic missiles flying over the North Pole from Russia.
Read More
00:09
03:12
A year ago, Trump told reporters that the US should absorb Greenland and resume control of Panama, because “we need them for economic security”.
“It’s to do with new sea routes as the Arctic opens up, and of course, security,” said Filis. “The Arctic Circle is going to be an area of competition among the great powers.”
Arctic sea ice has been melting, allowing the volume of commercial shipping across the North Pole to increase ninefold over the past decade, according to Putin. That leaves open the possibility that military shipping could also increase, especially with Russia and China holding more joint exercises at sea.
Panama, too, is a vital sea passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Along with Sweden and Greece, Greenland is also considered one of the European Union’s most promising sources of rare mineral resources.
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Europe should prepare for Greenland’s annexation and end of NATO: Experts
US and Russian ideologies would be in perfect alignment, leaving Europe as an island of liberalism, according to analysts.
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US Vice President JD Vance tours the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025 [Jim Watson/Pool via Reuters]
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ByJohn T Psaropoulos
Published On 9 Jan 20269 Jan 2026
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US President Donald Trump’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 has emboldened him to proceed with the annexation of Greenland, a Danish-owned, self-governed territory, spelling the effective end of NATO and furthering Russia’s war aims in Ukraine, experts tell Al Jazeera.
The day after Maduro’s kidnap by US forces, Trump made Europe fretful – a sport of which he never seems to tire – when he told The Atlantic, “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”
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list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Do Russia and China pose a national security threat to the US in Greenland?
- list 2 of 4Greenland allies vow action if Trump moves to seize world’s largest island
- list 3 of 4Why Trump says getting Greenland is about defence
- list 4 of 4‘Greenland is not for sale,’ lawmaker says amid Trump’s escalating threats
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said, “It has been the formal position of the US government since the beginning of this administration … that Greenland should be part of the United States.”
“The move on Venezuela illustrates the Trump administration’s determination to dominate the Western Hemisphere – of which Greenland geographically is a part,” said Anna Wieslander, Northern Europe director for the Atlantic Council, a think tank.
You must log in or register to see images
(Al Jazeera)“Since the successful intervention in Venezuela immediately was followed with threats of using force against Greenland, among others in the hemisphere, it has in the short run, made it more likely,” she told Al Jazeera.
“Unfortunately, I think the American president should be taken seriously when he says he wants Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Denmark’s public broadcaster on January 4.
But she predicted it would spell death for the NATO alliance.
“If the United States decides to attack another NATO country, then everything would stop – that includes NATO and therefore post-World War II security,” Frederiksen said.
Advertisement
Wieslander agreed.
“Should the darkest hour come and the United States uses military force to annex Greenland, the essence of Article 5 and collective defence within NATO would lose its meaning,” she said.
Get instant alerts and updates based on your interests. Be the first to know when big stories happen.
Yes, keep me updated
Article 5 is NATO’s mutual defence clause, committing allies to come to each other’s aid.
‘NATO would be a shadow of itself’
“You could argue that if you marry what’s happening in Ukraine to a possible invasion of Greenland, one could make the argument that it could be a deadly one-two combination that would basically ruin the alliance,” said Chicago University history professor John Mearsheimer. “NATO would be a shadow of itself. It would effectively be wrecked.”Yet when Europe’s leaders met White House officials in Paris to design security guarantees for Ukraine, they said nothing in public about Venezuela or Greenland.
“The priority is Ukraine, European defence and European security, and keeping the Americans in,” international affairs professor Konstantinos Filis at the American College of Greece told Al Jazeera.
But Europeans see the writing on the wall, and are merely buying time, believed Keir Giles, Eurasia expert for Chatham House, a think tank.
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“The pandering to Trump has been an element of our strategy over the last year, leaving observers hoping, but not entirely trusting, that another element of the strategy is preparing urgently for the final rupture with the United States,” Giles said.
The moral hazard for Europe
Giles told Al Jazeera that Europe’s best option was to place a military deterrent on Greenland now, believing that putting allied troops in the Baltic States and Poland after 2017 deterred a Russian attack there.“The principle for deterring the United States from military miscalculation should be precisely the same as the one, which was available, but not applied for deterring Putin from invading Ukraine in February 2022,” he said.
A US armed invasion of Greenland would be doubly bad for Europe by playing into Putin’s hands in Ukraine, Giles said.
“The idea that larger powers can have a free hand in what they regard as their own back yard is very much to Russia’s taste,” he said. Invading Greenland, he believed, would amount to “potentially handing Moscow the greatest gift to the Trump administration has yet offered”.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told a symposium this week that the loss of common NATO values weakened the world order.
“It’s about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers,” Steinmeier said.
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Seeing these possibilities, European officials have been discussing military options.
You must log in or register to see images
[Al Jazeera]When Trump mentioned his Greenlandic aspirations last year, France sent a nuclear submarine off Canada’s shores to put him on notice that the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon off Newfoundland are French sovereign territories.
This week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, “We want to take action, but we want to do so together with our European partners,” and was due to discuss plans with Germany and Poland.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told journalists, ”Since Denmark belongs to NATO, Greenland will in principle also be defended by NATO.”
Will there be a military intervention?
Experts were divided on what method Trump would use to acquire Greenland.Marco Rubio told journalists on Wednesday that he would meet the Danish government next week in the coming days, but refused to take military options against Greenland off the table.
“If the president identifies a threat to the national security of the United States, every president retains the option to address it through military means … we always preferred to settle it in different ways, that included in Venezuela,” he said.
Mearsheimer believed Trump’s track record of attacking Iran last June, Nigeria in December and Venezuela now elevated the chances.
“If you look at Trump’s pattern of behaviour, how willing he is to use military force when you can do it on the cheap and get away with it … the fact that … it could be portrayed as another pinprick operation, tells you there’s a really good chance that he could take Greenland,” he told political scientist Glenn Diesen.
Others disagreed. “Trump may want to strengthen the autonomy movement within Greenland and get them to ask for US help,” said Filis.
The leader of Greenland’s main opposition party on Thursday said Copenhagen should get out of the way and allow Greenland to come to an arrangement directly with the US.
“We encourage our current [Greenlandic] government actually to have a dialogue with the US government without Denmark,” said Pele Broberg, the leader of Naleraq. “Because Denmark is antagonising both Greenland and the US with their mediation.” Naleraq won 25 percent of the national vote last year, doubling its previous showing.
Giles agreed that “coercion, pressure, blackmail, direct or indirect subversive activities or extortion,” would be Trump’s opening moves.
Trump is considering bribing Greenlanders with a per capita sum between $10,000 and $100,000 to join the US, Reuters reported on Friday.
Why does Trump want it?
At the end of the day, though, Trump’s policy still amounts to pushing Europe out of what he sees as his hemisphere. Why?Trump, Rubio and Stephens all cited security, but Denmark gave the US full permission to establish military bases, bring in equipment and personnel, fly aircraft and sail ships in and out of Greenland in a 1953 treaty. The US operates a radar station in Pituffik, providing early warning of ballistic missiles flying over the North Pole from Russia.
You must log in or register to see images
Read More
00:09
03:12
A year ago, Trump told reporters that the US should absorb Greenland and resume control of Panama, because “we need them for economic security”.
“It’s to do with new sea routes as the Arctic opens up, and of course, security,” said Filis. “The Arctic Circle is going to be an area of competition among the great powers.”
Arctic sea ice has been melting, allowing the volume of commercial shipping across the North Pole to increase ninefold over the past decade, according to Putin. That leaves open the possibility that military shipping could also increase, especially with Russia and China holding more joint exercises at sea.
Panama, too, is a vital sea passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Along with Sweden and Greece, Greenland is also considered one of the European Union’s most promising sources of rare mineral resources.
Advertisement
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Unless you live or work in camden apparently
Key Takeaways From Our Research. year over year. Camden is the most dangerous place in Britain, with almost 195 offences per 1,000 people, and nearly a third of criminals going on to reoffend. Bath & North East Somerset has had the highest increase in crime, up 15.93% year-on-year (to 81.1 offences per 1,000 people).22 Aug 2025
Surely depends where in London you are quite a lot. Massive difference between Stanmore and Tower Hamlets.
I think the truth, as ever, is somewhere between the two extremes. It’s mostly… fine but I have the privilege of being a still young, still fit bloke.
London is safer than pretty much every American city you can think of. Yes, there are dodgy parts, but so there are in every city. The Trump/Putin/Farage **** is just propaganda aimed at destabilising London, the UK and Europe as a whole. They hate liberal democracy and want to see an end to it.
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Seems the MSM have finally cottoned on to what is happening in Iran...over 2000 dead....will this see the end of the Ayatollah? Rumours that all the top brass are ready to flee to Russua
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Meanwhile at home Sir Flip-Flop has performed U-turn No.13 binning his Digital ID plans. I thought the Tories were in a class of their own for incompetence but Starmer has clearly said "Hold my beer"...
Trump would have been for brexit
Would love bent cucumbers
Congress
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year calling for an immediate end to federal rules limiting the gallons per minute flowing through showerheads and other household appliances.Alex Brandon / AP
Jan. 14, 2026, 4:39 PM GMT+13 / Source: The Associated Press
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House on Tuesday advanced legislation aimed at fulfilling President Donald Trump’s long-running desire to “make showers great again” by voting to loosen federal efficiency standards for showerheads.
The bill — dubbed the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing, or Shower ACT — passed 226-197, with 11 Democrats crossing the aisle in support.
Republicans have argued the measure would wash away unnecessary regulations and allow more water to flow through showerheads. Democrats warn the relaxed standards could soak consumers with higher utility bills and worsen environmental impacts.
“If they want a nozzle that dribbles on their head, well then go get one of those. If you want something that slices an orange, well then go get one of those. That should be your choice as a consumer,” said GOP Rep. Russell Fry, sponsor of the bill.
The legislation is light on details, and its prospects in the Senate are uncertain as members of that chamber focus attention on government funding and foreign policy. Still, it’s part of a broader effort by House Speaker Mike Johnson to codify Trump’s executive actions in federal law.
In April, Trump signed an executive order calling for an immediate end to water conservation standards that limit the gallons per minute flowing through showerheads and other household appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. The House bill builds on that directive, seeking to reduce what Republicans view as overregulation by permitting stronger water flow in homes than current standards allow.
Environmental groups have criticized the proposal, warning it would increase water consumption and energy use. Democrats echoed those concerns and questioned why Republicans were spending time on the issue.
“Why on God’s green earth, on the first full day that this Congress is back in 2026, are the Republicans using the floor time — in the midst of armed conflict and daily corruption by this administration — to run a bill on rich people showers?” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., during debate last week.
During his first term, Trump relaxed that rule to allow each nozzle of a showerhead spray as much as 2.5 gallons. The Biden administration reversed Trump’s action in 2021.
Republicans defended the bill as a necessary corrective. GOP Rep. Michael Rulli of Ohio said Republicans are “worried about the working man.”
“You go on vacation, you go to a motel and you get a shower, it’s the worst shower you ever had. It’s cold. It’s dripping out there. The working man cannot even enjoy his daily life,” Rulli said.
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
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Would love bent cucumbers
Congress
House passes bill to codify Trump order to rinse away showerhead regulations
Democrats warn that relaxed standards could lead to higher utility bills and worsen environmental impacts. The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain.
You must log in or register to see images
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year calling for an immediate end to federal rules limiting the gallons per minute flowing through showerheads and other household appliances.Alex Brandon / AP
Jan. 14, 2026, 4:39 PM GMT+13 / Source: The Associated Press
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House on Tuesday advanced legislation aimed at fulfilling President Donald Trump’s long-running desire to “make showers great again” by voting to loosen federal efficiency standards for showerheads.
The bill — dubbed the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing, or Shower ACT — passed 226-197, with 11 Democrats crossing the aisle in support.
Republicans have argued the measure would wash away unnecessary regulations and allow more water to flow through showerheads. Democrats warn the relaxed standards could soak consumers with higher utility bills and worsen environmental impacts.
“If they want a nozzle that dribbles on their head, well then go get one of those. If you want something that slices an orange, well then go get one of those. That should be your choice as a consumer,” said GOP Rep. Russell Fry, sponsor of the bill.
The legislation is light on details, and its prospects in the Senate are uncertain as members of that chamber focus attention on government funding and foreign policy. Still, it’s part of a broader effort by House Speaker Mike Johnson to codify Trump’s executive actions in federal law.
In April, Trump signed an executive order calling for an immediate end to water conservation standards that limit the gallons per minute flowing through showerheads and other household appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. The House bill builds on that directive, seeking to reduce what Republicans view as overregulation by permitting stronger water flow in homes than current standards allow.
Environmental groups have criticized the proposal, warning it would increase water consumption and energy use. Democrats echoed those concerns and questioned why Republicans were spending time on the issue.
“Why on God’s green earth, on the first full day that this Congress is back in 2026, are the Republicans using the floor time — in the midst of armed conflict and daily corruption by this administration — to run a bill on rich people showers?” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., during debate last week.
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politics
For over three decades, federal energy law has outlined appliance standards that determine new showerheads shouldn’t pour out more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute (9.5 liters). The Obama administration refined the restrictions and applied those limits to the water that comes out of the entire showerhead, even ones with several nozzles.During his first term, Trump relaxed that rule to allow each nozzle of a showerhead spray as much as 2.5 gallons. The Biden administration reversed Trump’s action in 2021.
Republicans defended the bill as a necessary corrective. GOP Rep. Michael Rulli of Ohio said Republicans are “worried about the working man.”
“You go on vacation, you go to a motel and you get a shower, it’s the worst shower you ever had. It’s cold. It’s dripping out there. The working man cannot even enjoy his daily life,” Rulli said.
You must log in or register to see images
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
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Oh dear, looks like I might need to start digging out my old gear...
www.bbc.co.uk
Forget Dads Army, it'll be like Grandads Army
New rules make it easier to call up reservists for war
Reservists will remain on call for an extra decade, with a lower threshold for being called up.
www.bbc.co.uk
Forget Dads Army, it'll be like Grandads Army
Is that to make up for the 7000 soldiers dismissed over the last 8 years for taking drugs?Oh dear, looks like I might need to start digging out my old gear...
New rules make it easier to call up reservists for war
Reservists will remain on call for an extra decade, with a lower threshold for being called up.
Forget Dads Army, it'll be like Grandads Army
The article indicates the reserve is currently 95,000 strong, so replacing 7000 coke-heads and stoners shouldn't be a problem....unless those 95k are also stoners and coke-heads!
Why is there no rule about defectors having to stand in a new by election
The once-potential Tory leader has joined its arch nemesispublished at 05:52
Reporting from Reform UK's conference
“Britain is broken," declares Robert Jenrick as he arrives at this press conference, slightly missing the big reveal.
For all the drama of today, remember this is a big deal.
The man who narrowly lost the Tory leadership race not much over a year ago, has now left the party and joined its arch-nemesis on the right.
The once-potential Tory leader has joined its arch nemesispublished at 05:52
05:52
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Nick EardleyReporting from Reform UK's conference
“Britain is broken," declares Robert Jenrick as he arrives at this press conference, slightly missing the big reveal.
For all the drama of today, remember this is a big deal.
The man who narrowly lost the Tory leadership race not much over a year ago, has now left the party and joined its arch-nemesis on the right.
Surely Farage filling his party up with splitters and corrupt failures won’t get him votes from people who think these splitters and corrupt failures ****ed them over?