tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post1644542969420472759..comments2024-03-29T11:07:51.893+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: A Fork In The RoadChris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-51231994503802452862018-03-25T14:45:04.410+13:002018-03-25T14:45:04.410+13:00David
"And yes the new appointments look gha...David<br /><br />"And yes the new appointments look ghastly. Wouldn't they fit beautifully with Pence taking over. Perhaps that will be the next move."<br /><br />My very thought. It's time to dig our shelters and stock up on canned food. <br /><br />"What if Trump knows very well that Pompeo and the war criminal torture lady who is replacing him as CIA head won't be accepted by the senate. What happens to them then? do they go back to their previous positions or have these been filled?"<br /><br />Good questions all. <br /><br />"You've got to grant I'm an incurable optimist really."<br /><br />I've mentioned that to you in the past. It's part of your charm.<br /><br />May I suggest, though, that optimism isn't a trait that Putin or many other Russians share to any marked degree. <br /><br />As for Maybot, BoJo et al, whilst I don't think they caused this crisis, I nevertheless think they've attempted to play it to convince the EU27 that it really needs the UK (with it's relatively large and battle-tested military establishment) as a mate and should, therefore, go easy in the Brexit negotiations. <br /><br />They are as facile, silly, confused and self-deluding a bunch as I can ever recall in charge of Britain's future, even if, like Eden or Blair, they haven't invaded anywhere yet. <br /><br />Have a good week.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-81590702884202436002018-03-24T13:05:01.119+13:002018-03-24T13:05:01.119+13:00Another desperate thought on the new appointments ...Another desperate thought on the new appointments though. What if Trump knows very well that Pompeo and the war criminal torture lady who is replacing him as CIA head won't be accepted by the senate. What happens to them then? do they go back to their previous positions or have these been filled?<br /> And the Bolton. He gets to be Trump's adviser . On past evidence that job would look like an agony of frustration. So the swamp may be being drained with a siphon from the top instead of a culvert.<br /> You've got to grant I'm an incurable optimist really.<br />Cheers D J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-87715924579715334112018-03-24T12:13:40.190+13:002018-03-24T12:13:40.190+13:00All fair enough possibilities Victor. And yes the ...All fair enough possibilities Victor. And yes the new appointments look ghastly. Wouldn't they fit beautifully with Pence taking over. Perhaps that will be the next move.<br /> It's possible that the brits in this issue are gullible patsies. They do look stupid enough. They are over playing their hand to the point of ridicule even if they turn out to be right.<br /> The Europeans are carefully couching their support in terms of accepting UK's judgement and solidarity, leaving themselves out of culpability if it turns out UK's judgement was bad.<br />Cheers D J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-48486138983418629002018-03-23T21:42:56.160+13:002018-03-23T21:42:56.160+13:00David
Anyhow, to send the doomsday clock even fur...David<br /><br />Anyhow, to send the doomsday clock even further towards Armageddon, we've now got John Bolton on the job! Who's next? Dick Cheney?Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-2666953697576816942018-03-23T18:06:20.378+13:002018-03-23T18:06:20.378+13:00David
Yes, the world is far more dangerous than b...David<br /><br />Yes, the world is far more dangerous than before Trump was elected. It's also more dangerous than before W started his Mid-eastern adventures. And it's more dangerous than before the Ukraine crisis and Moscow's seizure of Crimea or Russia's intervention in Syria, not to mention China's growing assertiveness. In fact, it's very dangerous indeed. <br /><br />But that, from a patriotic (and slightly paranoid) Russian standpoint, may be precisely why Putin needed to be reelected by a larger turnout than last time and why he needs to be viewed by his voters as someone who shows no mercy to traitors. That, to me, explains both the act and its timing perfectly. <br /><br />It also seems to me that the UK is a bit out on a limb over this latest issue and its allies aren't as carried away by it as Whitehall would like. So, on its own, this is not a crisis that will send the world to war. But, yes, it could yet form part of a mesh of circumstance that does. <br /><br />So, I still don't think this affair per se can do Putin a vast deal of harm, even if there was a trail discovered that led back to him. The same would, obviously, not be true if a trail was found that led back to Washington, let alone Whitehall. <br /><br />So my money's still on Russia, even if this offends against the New Zealand left's fideistic belief in the centrality of the US security services to every single act of skulduggery on the planet. <br /><br />But, of course, I might be wrong. I suspect we will never know for sure.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-75554142980950699882018-03-23T15:34:55.302+13:002018-03-23T15:34:55.302+13:00Victor
It's plausible enough Victor but no...Victor<br /> It's plausible enough Victor but not conclusive I think.<br /> "And what are the downsides? Well, Russia has survived economic isolation before and what's threatening it now is surely less than isolation"<br /> I think at least half the world, the half that has time to keep abreast of current affairs , would not agree with this.The doomsday clock is closer to midnight than it has been since 1953 and as close as it has ever been. Russia's security is totally implicated in this assessment.And that was back in January.<br /> The Skripal poisoning is just the latest in a series of disputed accusations and sanctions made by the west against them, none of them proven , all of them denied but sited as corroborating evidence of culpability when every new accusation is made.<br /> The Syrian situation , coupled with America's threatening of Iran has the potential to invoke a military confrontation between US and Russia at any moment. Nicky Haley has recently threatened to attack Damascus unilaterally to curb Syria's clearing rebels from Ghouta, and Lavrov has made it clear that such action would be met with the interception of missiles so directed and the annihilation of whatever facility they were launched from. There's not much doubt about what this action would lead to. Isolation is no comparison, in fact the isolation that has been imposed since the Ukraine conflict has arguably forced Russia to become self sufficient , and improved her security.<br />" Meanwhile, there's the small matter of disposing of traitors to the Motherland and also, perhaps, of preventing any folks in the know from offering harmful information to Robert Mueller or some such."<br /> It's pretty clear that in all likelihood Skripal has already supplied through Steele , all the information Mueller ever had to start his enquiry. It's at least as likely that what he might have had to add to or to qualify this information was an unacceptable possibility to Hillary Clinton's Democrats as causing embarrassment to Russia . And would be Killing two birds with one stone .<br /> Disposing of traitors an discouraging others is an argument though explaining the choice of timing and place given the abundance of previous opportunity needs a lot of explaining, and it would seem to eradicate the possibility of ever making a spy swap again.<br /> "So, really, how bad is this going to be for Russia."<br /> Potentially Really Bad. And not only for Russia. <br />Cheers D J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-32548893841666976642018-03-22T13:23:50.361+13:002018-03-22T13:23:50.361+13:00David
A further point is that both Trump and Junc...David<br /><br />A further point is that both Trump and Juncker have congratulated Putin on his electoral success.<br /><br />And, as previously suggested, the EU hasn't responded to Salisbury by weakening its stance in the Brexit negotiations, despite an ostensible need to keep the UK involved with Europe militarily. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Putin's most trenchant critic, Dr Merkel, has been severely weakened by her own electoral conundra.<br /><br />So, really, how bad is this going to be for Russia?Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-89439258831356490892018-03-22T12:00:56.638+13:002018-03-22T12:00:56.638+13:00David
What can I say? What I know of Russia and ...David<br /><br />What can I say? What I know of Russia and its history makes the UK's allegations highly plausible, although, still, unproven. <br /><br />Nothing would have counted more for Putin than getting back into office with an enhanced voter turn-out, thus enabling him to start establishing his legacy.<br /><br />And nothing was more likely to deliver that result than Putin again presenting himself to his people as a mixture of Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the Terrible (which is better translated as "Ivan the Grave"), Peter the Great and Alexander I, all of whom faced down formidable threats from the West. <br /><br />Nothing, moreover, more annoys many Russians than an outpouring of western self-righteousness, which was the inevitable concomitant of such an act.<br /><br />And what are the downsides? Well, Russia has survived economic isolation before and what's threatening it now is surely less than isolation. <br /><br />And, as to security, nothing, in the traditional Russian mindset, is more guaranteed to make the Motherland secure than a nation united behind a strong leader and filled with righteous anger against the wiles and slanders, real and alleged, of its rivals. <br /><br />Meanwhile, there's the small matter of disposing of traitors to the Motherland and also, perhaps, of preventing any folks in the know from offering harmful information to Robert Mueller or some such.<br /><br />Now, if all this seems implausible to you, it may be because you have always lived a long way from Mother Russia, a country which, btw, for all its manifold faults, I greatly admire. And, of course, what seems plausible to me remains, as I acknowledge, unproven.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-87545049606099401752018-03-21T22:15:36.932+13:002018-03-21T22:15:36.932+13:00Victor
There's no doubt that Mr Putin is ...Victor<br /> There's no doubt that Mr Putin is capable of ordering the execution of whatever action he deems necessary in the interests of the security of Russia. Three quarters of Russian voters seem to think so anyway. Just as any leader of any major military power is capable of , and does. Some far beyond what is necessary for their countries' security.<br /> But this action by this method is totally destructive of the security of Russia. And of Russia's commercial interests. He is doubtless forthright enough to have this enterprise performed , But can you really believe he is stupid enough? It doesn't work for me.<br />Cheers David<br />David Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-8285534961325466122018-03-21T18:07:38.994+13:002018-03-21T18:07:38.994+13:00Sorry for the typos.
'Corbyn' and 'Th...Sorry for the typos.<br /><br />'Corbyn' and 'Thornberry' and not as given.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-61742053089249639812018-03-21T14:55:15.170+13:002018-03-21T14:55:15.170+13:00Nick
A further point is that the UK government ha...Nick<br /><br />A further point is that the UK government has, in the last few days, more or less crumbled in the face of EU recommendations for post-Brexit transitional arrangements.<br /><br />So, if Maybot & co. have been deliberately playing the 'Defence' card in these negotiations, it doesn't seem to have worked.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-66784573293254080482018-03-21T13:18:33.590+13:002018-03-21T13:18:33.590+13:00David
'Have another look at the question put ...David<br /><br />'Have another look at the question put to Russia. It's a classic "when did you stop beating you wife" question.'<br /><br />I agree. Nicely described. But, to prolong your analogy, the question's being put to a multiple wife-beater who started his career as a member of a gang of full-time, "patched" serial abusers.<br /><br />He also had clear motive, though he may have that no longer, now that the main election's taken place. And, of course, he's a proven master of timing, with a sophisticated understanding of how both his own people and westerners are going to react. <br /><br />Yes, there are other possible explanations, of which the Uzbek angle is the most intriguing. But there's a hint of stubble for Occam's Razor about the others I've heard.<br /><br />I also think, after observing over many years the way Russian intelligence and propaganda services operate, that if there was any truth in one of these alternative scenarios, someone in the Kremlin would probably know about it and we'd be getting Moscow's account thereof full blast.<br /> <br />So, I continue to applaud Emily Thorberry's description of what's occurred as creating a prima facie case and no more. I also agree with her boss, Jeremy Corbin (of whom I'm no great fan) that there shouldn't be a rush to judgment.<br /><br />But, just try telling that to the average non-Corbinista Brit at the moment!<br /><br />And, I agree that the May government's response has been splenetic. But when is it anything else (other than hopelessly at sea over Brexit)? <br /><br />Nick<br /><br />See my response to David. <br /><br />May I add that diplomatic expulsions, more trade sanctions, closures of British Council facilities, nay even de-scheduling a visit to Moscow by Wills and Kate to witness England's inevitable disgrace at the World Cup, do not immediately suggest parallels with the kind of madness that led to the outbreak of World War One. They're certainly not going to have the great-grandsons of Stalingrad veterans shaking in their boots. <br /><br />I agree that NATO's advanced positioning in Eastern Europe might be seen by the Russians as unduly provocative and should, ideally, be scaled back at an early point. But NATO is there in strength, in part at least, because of the far from wholly unjustified fears of its easterly members, who, like the Russians, have long memories.<br /><br />It's time for everyone to take a deep breath and consider the trajectory they're on....and that includes Mother Russia!Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-21164029043282418442018-03-19T21:14:13.924+13:002018-03-19T21:14:13.924+13:00Victor, yes Putin is the best person to diffuse th...Victor, yes Putin is the best person to diffuse this. The reason why is because the leaders of the West and the media appear to have taken leave of their senses and appear insane in the manner of 1914.<br /><br />I would repeat hard evidence is required, I have not heard anything circumstantial that doesn't point elsewhere as well. Can't see what's in <br />it for Putin, meanwhile May and Boris are so badly stuffing up Brexit that a diversion like this is a godsend.<br /><br />I have no doubt Putin is no angel, I'd suggest if he was Russia would have crumpled in the face of the well documented policy of attempting to confine Russia away from the resources of central Asia and militarization of her western borders. Yes we need sanity and a de-escalation. A good start would be the withdrawal of western troops and missiles from the east.Nick Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-12772679238466421312018-03-19T15:42:10.365+13:002018-03-19T15:42:10.365+13:00pat
The only caveat I'd make to your position...pat<br /><br />The only caveat I'd make to your position is that Russia's population is primarily genetically European and our land-based exports are therefore likely to be pleasing to their digestive systems. <br /><br />Also, it's not a particularly affluent market and therefore one in which we should be able successfully to under-cut the Dutch, Danes and Irish, if and when they get fully involved again. <br /><br />But, I largely agree that it's not worth placing other, far larger markets at risk over. It certainly isn't a priority and I can't see why anyone imagines it should be when there are other fish to fry.<br /><br /><br />greywarbler<br /><br />Of course, Russia has suffered horrendously from western invasions and not just in the twentieth century. Many of its neighbours have suffered too, as a result of Russian occupation. Emotionally, they all have some pretty obvious skin in the game.<br /><br />It's also the case that the US and EU behaved provocatively in the lead up to the undeclared Russian war against Ukraine and that, after 1991, the West in general behaved with marked insensitivity to both Russia's physical plight and its deeply entrenched sense of vulnerability and wounded pride.<br /><br />But that in no way justifies Russia's unilateral revision of an international frontier which it had been a party to defining. Similarly, it's not in New Zealand's interest to readily agree with this or any other violation of international law. <br /><br />A heritage of suffering simply does not serve as an excuse for what would otherwise be inexcusable. And I write as someone who has precisely that sort of heritage. <br /><br />With it's terrible (and heroic) past, Russia deserves our sympathy and respect. It also deserves careful handling, in its interests and our own. But it doesn't deserve a free pass because no-one deserves that.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-9707936450386869742018-03-19T15:22:11.206+13:002018-03-19T15:22:11.206+13:00Victor
Have another look at the question put to...Victor<br /> Have another look at the question put to Russia. It's a classic "when did you stop beating you wife" question. " Did you do this hit ? Or did you fail to take care of your poison?" When if you have been reading whats out there you will have seen that the stuff was made (if it was ever made) in Uzbekistan under the Soviets and cleaned up with tho help and finance of the USA. Who disposed of the chemicals. If they were all disposed of.<br /> The chemist accredited with inventing the stuff defected to the US (he's a Uzbek ) and published the formula in a book. He claims the whole point of the concoction was that it could be made cheaply from commonly available ingredients in any fertiliser or insecticide making facility.<br />D J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-26440586130322161622018-03-19T14:48:48.496+13:002018-03-19T14:48:48.496+13:00Here's a scenario
We know Pablo Miller recru...Here's a scenario <br /><br />We know Pablo Miller recruited Skripal and Millers boss was Christopher Steele<br />When Skripal winds up in Salisbury, Miller is close by and they meet every week for lunch<br />This is also part of the public record<br />Mates, or is business still being done?<br />Miller's Linked-in profile showed he worked for Orbis Consulting..Steeles baby<br />Someone may still have a screenshot but the Linked in account has been scrubbed<br />Steele gets the call, --"make us up a dossier that dishes the dirt on Donald and smears him with Russia"<br />Steele hasn't been in Russia for yonks, his old contacts are no longer in power, he's lost touch<br />But he talks himself up and says he can do it<br />"Pablo," he says" that Sergei, would he be able to give us a few names a few acronyms, to make the thing look kosher?"<br />Sergei has been bitching about money...again!...he's got expensive tastes, so Pablo says he'll ask<br />Next week at the restaurant he asks Sergei<br />Sergei says "I don't know anything these days, Yulia just works at Pepsi, she can't help"<br />"Doesn't matter" Pablo says "Just make shit up , a few names , departments etc,acronyms, just make it look real"<br />So he does..gets a few things wrong, times have changed but who's really looking that close<br /><br />Time goes by <br />Sergei is lonely , missing Russia(so we are told by another ex pat Russian), no family in Britain.<br />Yulia is visiting regularly.<br />She's 33 <br />She wants to have kids some time soon, but she wants the kids to have at least one grandparent on her side.<br />She starts nagging Sergey<br />Sergey starts sniffing out the possibilities of coming home<br />He goes to the Russian Embassy regularly<br />They tell him , fuck off after what you did<br />He says "I've got some information you might be interested in"<br />About the Steele dossier , and a few other things"<br />He visits the Embassy some more(we also have this from the same expat Russian reported in one of the newspapers)<br />Someone sees him leaving the Embassy , and it gets back To Miller and Steele<br />"The bastard, he's only gone and flipped again!" says Steele<br />"He'll be blabbing his guts out"<br />"You fix this Pablo, and I don't want it pointing anywhere towards me, there's a lot riding on that bloody dossier, what with FISA warrants and all"<br />"Ok Boss" says Pablo<br />"Hang on a minute says Steele, "Do you think he's said anything to his daughter?"<br />"Dunno , probably"<br />"Well like I say , fix it and keep it well away from me"<br />"OK" says Pablo, he's got a few contacts at Porton Down , and a few ideas are starting to come together....<br /><br />Reenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211197157833766853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-84036995033635549292018-03-19T12:31:37.454+13:002018-03-19T12:31:37.454+13:00Nick J
I think the UK's Shadow Foreign Secret...Nick J<br /><br />I think the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry,has correctly stated the situation when she says that Russia has a prima facie case to answer.<br /><br />Thus far, it has failed to do so and has gloried in this failure. <br /><br />I agree there's no "smoking gun" here, but, even so, there's a large weight of circumstantial evidence, pointing either to the Kremlin's involvement or to that of a rogue Russian intelligence operation. Either way, the buck stops with Putin, whether or not he knew what was going on. <br /><br />There's also, contra some comments on this thread, no shortage of ascribable motive.<br /><br />No Kremlin leader facing re-election could lose more votes than he gained by portraying the Motherland as an eternal victim of western intrigue and self-righteousness and himself as its brave, stern and resolute defender and scourge of traitors. He'd have won anyhow. But a clear priority would have been to bolster his authority by arresting the decline in turnout manifested last time around. <br /><br />Further motive might, as always, have been the desire to intimidate other foes of the regime, both in exile and otherwise and, specifically, to discourage sources of information in the United States from spilling all to Robert Mueller. <br /><br />Should the UK government have stayed its rhetoric until the investigation was complete? Probably, particularly as its fulminations will only have boosted Putin's electoral prospects. <br /><br />But it's hard not to fulminate in the face of such a crime and of Russia's own grandstanding. And, obviously, a weak prime minster, such as Teresa May, would have felt under particularly strong pressure to "do something". <br /><br />Do such fulminations, along with the subsequent expulsion of diplomats, constitute a breach of international law? I'm not sure how you can argue this, as every sovereign government is free to say whatever it says and to expel foreign diplomats suspected of intelligence activities. It's how things have always worked. <br /><br />But, I would agree, it's important for both sides to de-escalate the situation and , following yesteday's vote, it might prove easier for Putin to do his part in this process.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-77356198845520114302018-03-19T10:36:37.734+13:002018-03-19T10:36:37.734+13:00Re Victor at 16.15
And, in the absence of armed fo...Re Victor at 16.15<br /><i>And, in the absence of armed forces powerful enough to defend New Zealand against all potential comers, we are ultimately dependent for our continued existence on the Law of States. So you could argue that we have "skin in the game". </i><br /><br />With reference to Russia going into Ukraine - wasn't it said at the time that Russia felt insecure and wanted to have a port at its border in the middle of the country. Presumably this was considering the size needed for an armed force powerful enough to defend Russia's wide borders against all potential comers united behind NATO, and possibly others. And no doubt oil and gas lines were tops in consideration; they certainly have been for the USA and Brits.<br /><br /><i>WW1 Between 900,000 and 2,500,000 Russians were killed. At least 1,500,000 Russians and possibly up to more than 5 million Russians were wounded. Nearly 4,000,000 Russian soldiers were held as POWs (Britain, France and Germany had 1.3 million POWs combined).<br />World War I casualties - Wikipedia<br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties<br /><br />World War II casualties of the Soviet Union from all related causes numbered more than 20,000,000, both civilian and military, although the exact figures are disputed. The number 20 million was considered official during the Soviet era. The Russian government puts the Soviet war dead at 26.6 million based on a 1993 study by the Russian Academy of Sciences. [1][2][3] this includes 8,668,400 military deaths as calculated by the Russian Ministry of Defense.[4][5][6]<br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties_of_the_Soviet_Union</i><br /><br />The Russians would think now that they have had enough "skin" lost in this world game for dominance and power. greywarblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-1469088342378768272018-03-19T09:27:32.922+13:002018-03-19T09:27:32.922+13:00@Victor
A couple of other points to note...Russia...@Victor<br /><br />A couple of other points to note...Russia's population is projected to quite significantly decline (and without the likelyhood of migration demand to offset)...and its current economic output is relatively small considering its population size when compared to the europeans.....but critically its economy is based on the export of oil,gas and coal.Soon to be stranded assets.<br /><br />If its an either or, and I suggest in the current climate it is, then where is the choice? Hell, even if there wasnt an either/ or position you wouldnt be rushing to do a deal with them....especially given the past problems with payment and realstic expectations around enforcement.pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08727942156598555852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-31339735035871650732018-03-17T17:58:01.493+13:002018-03-17T17:58:01.493+13:00Pat
Thanks for that figure of 143,972,049 for the...Pat<br /><br />Thanks for that figure of 143,972,049 for the Russian Federation's population.<br /><br />In the EU, Germany on its own has a population of 82 million and France of just under 68 million, which, combined, makes them a bigger market than Russia, even before we add in the post Brexit EU's other 25 member countries. <br /><br />So we're not comparing like with like and it would be absurd to sacrifice the greater gain for the considerably smaller, particularly as the EU's FTAs are, these days, designed to avoid the types of negativities associated with the CPTP et al and, instead, factor in high labour standards,consumer protection and environmental safeguards.<br /><br />A few days ago, it seemed as if we could have our cake and eat it. Now it seems we can't. So it's obvious where our preference should lie.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-22532703258242031332018-03-16T17:37:18.641+13:002018-03-16T17:37:18.641+13:00/Anonymous Ron
Keep up with the sex scandal and th.../Anonymous Ron<br />Keep up with the sex scandal and then you can give us detail about it when appropriate. Meanwhile there are important things to consider and wonder and ponder about also. Then we will be covering all aspects and not getting caught out and out of touch ourselves.greywarblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-37405754299233605282018-03-16T15:27:03.539+13:002018-03-16T15:27:03.539+13:00G S
Thats the other option OK. I don't fav...G S<br /> Thats the other option OK. I don't favour this one but it's viable. What's not viable is the concept that either the Russian state or whoever did it not being totally clear in their mind who would be blamed. Either Russia did it derisively, deliberately leaving their calling card, or someone else did it with Russia being blamed as either part of or the whole reason for doing it.<br /> No one did it thinking that no one would notice what the poison was. Do we agree on that? <br />Cheers David J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-58389449677020304102018-03-16T10:30:58.540+13:002018-03-16T10:30:58.540+13:00Another thought on the Russian spy issue. I see it...Another thought on the Russian spy issue. I see it like the accusations of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.<br /><br />I think we need to get our heads around the rule of law, and in particular the legality of accusations that are made without evidence that will stand up in court. The journalists and politicians of the West do our institution of freedom no favours in acting as kangaroo courts. If I was to openly impinge upon a fellow citizens freedom to maintain good reputation by accusing them, with no hard evidence of a crime I would expect to be sued for libel.<br /><br />Others may in the rush to bash Putin think it is acceptable, I'd suggest it is a slippery slope that undermines our freedoms. Worse is the UK government threatening Russian property with confiscation based upon accusation and supposition, not proven fact. That in my mind is criminal. Not a good look for a "free democracy".Nick Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-10390464739883520852018-03-16T09:58:58.601+13:002018-03-16T09:58:58.601+13:00We live in a dangerous world at the end of Pax Ame...We live in a dangerous world at the end of Pax Americana. Whilst we focus on Chinese growth we may have missed the Russians nullifying American ability to encroach into eastern Europe by establishing MAD with next gen missiles. This is a hugely dangerous moment,we must as part of the U.S. block tread very carefully.<br /><br />To me I can only state we need to become misaligned. That is a problem in its own right.Nick Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-29595920109713191212018-03-16T09:51:19.815+13:002018-03-16T09:51:19.815+13:00"Ron
"the fork in the road"
a sex ..."Ron <br />"the fork in the road"<br />a sex scandal<br />Wonderful !<br />Some people do have trouble with their vowelsReenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211197157833766853noreply@blogger.com