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Post by Zenrider on Mar 6, 2022 5:07:47 GMT
I was more referring to my own country, and perhaps a few others. We know Russia stopped having free and fair elections quite some time ago. Then again, in the USA with the laws Republicans are passing in the places they control, we aren't far behind. We need to pass the voting rights acts that should have been ratified so many decades ago. If the USA doesn't, I'm not sure the world can survive. Well, humans anyway. |
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Post by mikey on Mar 6, 2022 11:32:42 GMT
We have learnt so much over recent days, at least those of us who take time to read, watch, listen and fully digest the news and analysis we find. Sadly, so many are getting their news from sound bites originating from dubious sources, saw today that around a quarter of Americans get their news on TikTok, WTF! www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/05/tiktok-ukraine-russia-invasion-clips-get-views-whether-true-or-not?CMP=Share_iOSApp_OtherAlthough under Gorbachev and Yeltsin, Russia was cooling off and becoming more open to the West, it has been our common enemy for around two hundred years. At times not justified, intervention at the end of world war 1 was not right (White Russian forces would have been allowed to fire on British troops if they had laid down arms in support of their fellow ‘workers’). And do not ever forget that we were fighting Russia at the beginning of WW2, supporting Finland after Russia invaded Poland and murdered the Polish Officer class. With all its faults, NATO expansion is not at fault, at least, not if you believe in democracy. Putin and his Russian ideology is that elections reinforce their status but remain undemocratic (from removing any opposition to falsifying results). This is what he has done in Russia as well has interfering in former Soviet states, Syria and so blatantly in Belorussia. Can you blame the Poland and the Baltic states for joining NATO so quickly or Finland now? And NATO membership is not given freely, candidates must have a free democracy and human rights to apply. The BBC ukrainecast podcast has been really good at explaining each days news at it unfolds, with interviews with people caught up in this horror. Another podcast I can recommend is ‘conflicted’ co-hosted by a former Jihadist fighter turned MI6 agent. The last episode (recorded just before the invasion) talked about Putin and Ukraine, very interesting and insightful into what Putin may be thinking and why he feels threatened by NATO. Most of all, it shows how complicated it all is, from the Baltic, to the Balkan, to Ukraine, to The Caucases to Iran and Afghanistan it is all one big complicated picture with civilians caught up in the misery of it all. Zen, never a truer word, defend your democracy and vote, vote vote! Never take it for granted and remember how we have we have all benefitted by just having this one right. As Trump has shown, it can so easily be taken away. |
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Post by beef on Mar 6, 2022 13:23:04 GMT
I don't know how likely it is, but I am hoping that someone on the inside will have had enough and put a bullet through the bastard's head, and the madness ends.. sooner rather than later.
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Post by mikey on Mar 6, 2022 15:03:19 GMT
I don't know how likely it is, but I am hoping that someone on the inside will have had enough and put a bullet through the bastard's head, and the madness ends.. sooner rather than later. We all hope so and maybe it could happen. I am sure there are Russian Generals questioning his actions, especially when young Russian recruits return in body bags and families are compensated for their loss with 400 Roubles (approx £80). Prior to the invasion, Putin was publicly berating and humiliating some of his top advisors, on one hand it keeps people in line through fear, on the other they will become more resentful of what he is doing to the County. this photo sums up some of the feeling, two ‘close’ aides (Chief of the Russian Central Bank and Putin’s Economic Advisor) as they listened to Putin’s defiance over sanctions and knowing the harm this is doing.  |
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Post by Zenrider on Mar 6, 2022 15:19:24 GMT
I don't know how likely it is, but I am hoping that someone on the inside will have had enough and put a bullet through the bastard's head, and the madness ends.. sooner rather than later. We all hope so and maybe it could happen. I am sure there are Russian Generals questioning his actions, especially when young Russian recruits return in body bags and families are compensated for their loss with 400 Roubles (approx £80). Prior to the invasion, Putin was publicly berating and humiliating some of his top advisors, on one hand it keeps people in line through fear, on the other they will become more resentful of what he is doing to the County. this photo sums up some of the feeling, two ‘close’ aides (Chief of the Russian Central Bank and Putin’s Economic Advisor) as they listened to Putin’s defiance over sanctions and knowing the harm this is doing. View AttachmentUnfortunately, even with the Russians that are bravely protesting the invasion of Ukraine, many Russians believe the Russian propaganda machine that is there news, that Putin is saving Ukraine from Nazis. The irony is not lost that Putin is not acting a little like Hitler, but exactly like Hitler. Too bad he won't skip to the part where he kills himself in a bunker. |
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Post by mikey on Mar 6, 2022 17:52:39 GMT
We all hope so and maybe it could happen. I am sure there are Russian Generals questioning his actions, especially when young Russian recruits return in body bags and families are compensated for their loss with 400 Roubles (approx £80). Prior to the invasion, Putin was publicly berating and humiliating some of his top advisors, on one hand it keeps people in line through fear, on the other they will become more resentful of what he is doing to the County. this photo sums up some of the feeling, two ‘close’ aides (Chief of the Russian Central Bank and Putin’s Economic Advisor) as they listened to Putin’s defiance over sanctions and knowing the harm this is doing. <button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> Unfortunately, even with the Russians that are bravely protesting the invasion of Ukraine, many Russians believe the Russian propaganda machine that is there news, that Putin is saving Ukraine from Nazis. The irony is not lost that Putin is not acting a little like Hitler, but exactly like Hitler. Too bad he won't skip to the part where he kills himself in a bunker. Maybe he will, if he has a bad day on the golf course 😜 |
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Post by philspinynorman on Mar 7, 2022 16:08:46 GMT
The current conflict appears to be bringing a number of things together. For example, I was aware of a group called "Conservative Friends of Russia", but I wasn't aware that BoJo's curent Wife was a founding member of the organisation. It would appear that the organisation has now disbanded ... removing things like Tweets and such. A lot has been published about Russian funding of various Conservative MP's. Do you think that is why BoJo focuses on Russian banks and not the oligarchs? In my mind ... of course it is - him not wishing to bite the hands that feed his despicable party. I have read a report that talks about Putin's interference in western affairs. Perhaps no (all) true ... but certainly all believable. That Putin played a role in Brexit. That Putin played a role in Trump gaining power in the US. The former was intended to help de-stabilise the EU, the latter to help de-stabilise NATO. Neither has achieved either aim, so Putin has resorted to the current force taking place. In actual fact, Putin has achieved the opposite - both the EU and NATO will be a lot stronger now. I would think that Finland will almost certainly request membership of NATO ... amongst other countries that will feel at risk of Putin's force.
Ans still today BoJo is banging on about the security of this country ... still not willing to do what the EU has seen fit to do - allow refugees in without question. I feel so ashamed to be British right now. I don't know why BoJo doesn't come right out and say that he just doesn't want foreign nationals in this country. I despise what Thatcher did to this country, but I despise even more what BoJo is doing to it right now. And where exactly is the police report on his Covid parties? Surely it should have been published by now? There's far too many corrupt individuals in powerful positions right now.
-sigh-
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Post by beef on Mar 7, 2022 20:18:57 GMT
The current conflict appears to be bringing a number of things together. For example, I was aware of a group called "Conservative Friends of Russia", but I wasn't aware that BoJo's curent Wife was a founding member of the organisation. It would appear that the organisation has now disbanded ... removing things like Tweets and such. A lot has been published about Russian funding of various Conservative MP's. Do you think that is why BoJo focuses on Russian banks and not the oligarchs? In my mind ... of course it is - him not wishing to bite the hands that feed his despicable party. I have read a report that talks about Putin's interference in western affairs. Perhaps no (all) true ... but certainly all believable. That Putin played a role in Brexit. That Putin played a role in Trump gaining power in the US. The former was intended to help de-stabilise the EU, the latter to help de-stabilise NATO. Neither has achieved either aim, so Putin has resorted to the current force taking place. In actual fact, Putin has achieved the opposite - both the EU and NATO will be a lot stronger now. I would think that Finland will almost certainly request membership of NATO ... amongst other countries that will feel at risk of Putin's force. Ans still today BoJo is banging on about the security of this country ... still not willing to do what the EU has seen fit to do - allow refugees in without question. I feel so ashamed to be British right now. I don't know why BoJo doesn't come right out and say that he just doesn't want foreign nationals in this country. I despise what Thatcher did to this country, but I despise even more what BoJo is doing to it right now. And where exactly is the police report on his Covid parties? Surely it should have been published by now? There's far too many corrupt individuals in powerful positions right now. -sigh- Well said...and the tragedy being inflicted on the Ukraine has conveniently let Johnson off multiple hooks... even as he and co-dregs bullshit their way through this terrible crisis. I too feel embarrassed and ashamed by our so-called gov.uk |
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Post by beef on Mar 23, 2022 20:01:47 GMT
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Post by Zenrider on Mar 25, 2022 20:12:20 GMT
The rest of the world can only hope to show the kind of courage and resolve the Ukrainian people have.
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Post by mikey on Apr 14, 2022 12:26:37 GMT
Just come across this, an updated version of the Battle hymn of the Republic.
Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger's wealth is stored;
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
His lust is marching on.
I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
His night is marching on.
I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
Lo, Greed is marching on!"
We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;*
Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;
O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
Our god is marching on!
In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom—and for others' goods an itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
Our god is marching on.
Written by Mark Twain in response to the US Philippines war, but thought it also sums up what Putin and his thugs are doing to Ukraine right now.
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Post by beef on Apr 18, 2022 14:44:14 GMT
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Post by Zenrider on Apr 18, 2022 18:13:28 GMT
I worry with a Putin Puppet in the French elections that she may not only start a FREXIT, but attempt to leave NATO as well. Should France be silly enough, and they may just be, to elect her it will just create more division and more inflation. The stupidity of hate and greed has no bounds, so it would not surprise me if that is not her plan. |
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Post by beef on Apr 18, 2022 19:53:20 GMT
I worry with a Putin Puppet in the French elections that she may not only start a FREXIT, but attempt to leave NATO as well. Should France be silly enough, and they may just be, to elect her it will just create more division and more inflation. The stupidity of hate and greed has no bounds, so it would not surprise me if that is not her plan. I still can't get my head around how easy it is to sway people towards the far right - and I don't think they even recognise it as anything extreme themselves... just 'common sense' or 'protecting our country' etc... and any means are justified, however cruel and poorly conceived... as long as it makes a nice triumphant headline. |
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Post by philspinynorman on Apr 20, 2022 9:39:56 GMT
Hi All. A little while ago I started following Garry Kasparov on Twitter. I then purchased a copy of a book that he wrote in 2015 - "Winter is Coming", after the first Ukraine invasion. Reading the book (not yet completed) I recall the things that Putin has been responsible for in the last 20 years. I remembered hearing how Putin managed to become the dictator that he is ... the complete and utter bully that he is, and how he can be compared to Hitler. The contents of the book are disturbing, but not just from what Putin has done ... but also what "the West" has NOT done to stop / prevent his onslaught. Kasparov is based in New York now, and has been involved with Human Rights for a long time. Whilst sometimes perhaps he leans a little too far to typical Western views / values, he has solid knowledge of how Putin and his Kremlin works. The end has to be that Putin's power is somehow removed from him, but quite how that is going to happen I don't know. It should be the citizens of Russia that do that, but whilst Putin controls "law" and "order" so directly it is unlikely that that will happen, it probably has to happen from within the Kremlin. Meanwhile, if the Western democracies are too scared to directly intervene, then they / we owe Ukraine all of the hardware that we have to help defeat Putin in this battle that Ukraine is fighting on our behalf. If you want be more thoroughly depressed about the current state of the World then read this book! When I have finished it I have a couple of books about the history of Ukraine to read, and then perhaps I'll get one specifically about Holodomor ... Another aspect of reading the book is that it lends credence to everything that I have read about (mostly) members of the UK Tory party being funded in quite a big way by the Russian oligarchs. The links with those people and Brexit ... the links with those people and Trump being elected. That Brexit would de-stabilise the EU, and that Trump would take the US out of Nato that would allow Putin to rub his hands with glee. The situation in France is indeed also disturbing ... and being helped by Russian money. The World is such a mess  . |
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