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A Ukraine boost for Johnson in the exit date betting? – politicalbetting.com

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  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,163
    I can't get my head around this 40 mile convoy. Three vehicles across. So if a vehicle is 10m long:

    10 x 1609 x 40 = 193080 vehicles

    Is that plausible? Perhaps this 40 mile convoy isn't actually back to back vehicles but with various gaps. Even so.

    There is a rumour (hopeful) that it is really a 4 mile convoy 40 miles from Kiev.
  • Options
    WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,716
    edited March 2022

    A senior US defence official has said that 80% of the combat power that had been staged around Ukraine' border is now inside the country


    ..and not doing terribly well, by the looks of it.
  • Options
    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,745

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Blowing up the TV tower is pretty good evidence of working off a 1990s at the latest game plan
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    biggles said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
    I sold mine very cheaply. I reckon I could buy it back.
    You know the rouble/dollar spread?

    Tight as a hamster's fanny compared to souls.
  • Options
    WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,716
    edited March 2022

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    Hmm..the Daily Mail was absolutely flooded with "and now comes the moment that the EU collapses" messages , around the time of the Brexit handover. Thousands and thousands of them.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,928
    IshmaelZ said:

    Blowing up the TV tower is pretty good evidence of working off a 1990s at the latest game plan

    My live streams of “Ukraine 24” and “Kyiv TV” are both still working just fine and HD.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,745

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    Hmm.. the Daily Mail was absolutely flooded with "and now comes the moment that the EU collapses" , around the time of the Brexit handover. Thousands and thousands of them.
    Thankfully you don't get that kind of guff on PB.
  • Options
    IanB2 said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed

    I heard that too and thought he was very good. I have a couple of caveats regarding his thesis.

    First, how current is his information and to what extent is it based on military rather than economic considerations?

    Second, Ukraine has begged us to intervene. How could we possibly refuse to help them as much as we have? That would be poiltically intolerable, here and throughout the free world.

    You notice however that at the end he said he thought Putin was toast, within a year at most, whatever he does now. Would have been nice to hear him elaborate on that a bit, but time was short.
    Yes. The flaw in his argument is that it assumed that our providing support was encouraging more to fight. Whereas if the Ukrainians would fight anyway, but with inferior weapons and old kit, his argument falls, since the better equipped they are, the fewer their casualties. Although I guess he would argue back that a more evenly matched war will last longer and kill more in total.
    At the outbreak of war I heard a German (Minister?) say that it wasn't worth supporting the Ukranians because they would be defeated in a day and we shouldn't do anything to extend the agony. It was a deeply unfashionable view at the time and he was pilloried for it. Personally I thought it was a rational and realistic assessment. It was of course no more than a version of the thesis Richards just put up.

    We are however in Day 6 of the war. The Ukranians are fighting like hell. The West has united in their support. The Russians are looking distinctly flaky.

    I was wrong. Richards may be too.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,649

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
    A week has proved an INCREDIBLY long time in German politics.
  • Options
    EPGEPG Posts: 6,384
    The three extreme-right candidates in the French presidential election have qualified for the first round. The Trot Philippe Poutou also received 99 signatures today, but he is still 158 short with a few days to go.
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Sandpit said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Blowing up the TV tower is pretty good evidence of working off a 1990s at the latest game plan

    My live streams of “Ukraine 24” and “Kyiv TV” are both still working just fine and HD.
    Gil Scott-Heron eat your heart out.
  • Options
    Sandpit said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Blowing up the TV tower is pretty good evidence of working off a 1990s at the latest game plan

    My live streams of “Ukraine 24” and “Kyiv TV” are both still working just fine and HD.
    They missed, apparently. The casualties were civilians passing by.
  • Options
    @BartholomewRoberts
    'It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed. '

    True, but it includes Putin, so that's a bit of a problem.
  • Options
    FishingFishing Posts: 4,595
    Sandpit said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.

    Governments of left and right politically,

    Members and non-members of NATO,

    Members and non-members of the EU,

    It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
    I for one can't wait to get back to talking about trans bathrooms, tampon taxes and whether the Prime Minister spent a few minutes at a pissup.
  • Options
    RogerRoger Posts: 19,283

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    Edward de Bono an advertising guru (as well as the guru for many other creative professions) in his talk to agencies begins with a very simple concept. He picks up a stick and snaps it in half. He then picks up 27 sticks (an invented number) and asks if any of the gathered creatives would like to try breaking them.
  • Options
    Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,967
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    DougSeal said:

    eek said:

    DougSeal said:

    stjohn said:

    Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.

    Well done!

    A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.

    A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.

    Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.

    Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
    I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
    There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria

    Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
    Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
    @HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.

    These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
    Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.

    In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
    Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
    your post is wankerism

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:

    EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest

    Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret


    https://twitter.com/conor_matchett/status/1498580109221056514?s=21

    Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
    They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
    They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
    That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.

    Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?

    Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
    You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.

    Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
    Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
    Come on - you can do better. 5/10
    Made old gammonny foreskin have apoplexy, shoiuld be more than a 5
    Lol, I think you make the gammon stereotype rather better than I.

    I imagine everytime I mention Alex-described -by-his-QC-as-bully-and-sex-pest-Salmond as such I imagine your sweaty fat little body goes a very bright puce and you have to reach for yet another drink.

    How does it feel to be an apologist for a man that is not only described as such by his QC and his successor, but is also (via RT) on the payroll of the Kremlin? That makes you a second degree Putin apologist. Or have you now demoted your very gullible and inarticulate self to No2 fan after Mr Putin?
  • Options
    Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,967

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    I do recall that you were one of the many Brexity types on here that seemed to revel in any misstep that the EU made. It is good that you have moved back from that position.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,101
    Seen on Twitter:

    Why are you reading Pravda, you’re not a communist!

    I’m checking the obituaries.

    But the obituaries are on page 16, not page 1!

    The obituary I’m waiting for will be on page 1.
  • Options
    boulayboulay Posts: 4,700
    Fishing said:

    Sandpit said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.

    Governments of left and right politically,

    Members and non-members of NATO,

    Members and non-members of the EU,

    It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
    I for one can't wait to get back to talking about trans bathrooms, tampon taxes and whether the Prime Minister spent a few minutes at a pissup.
    Or that other boring story that led the news for what seemed like two years. Some sort of flu called “covid”. Whatever happened to that?
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,644
    darkage said:

    biggles said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed

    Thank God we never went to war with him in charge.
    I didn't hear this interview, but it is not an entirely stupid way of looking at the situation. How are Ukraine ultimately going to hold out against this attack without vast loss of life and destruction of property etc through the bombing that has started going on? Its only ultimately going to end one way.

    Why not just let Russia march in to Kiev, put all their flags up, declare victory, and then take them all down and start fighting back?
    That's the "Munich was a good idea" thesis in a nutshell.
  • Options

    A senior US defence official has said that 80% of the combat power that had been staged around Ukraine' border is now inside the country


    ..and not doing terribly well, by the looks of it.
    PB's Military Experts will be along later, I trust, but isn't it just a little bit reckless to commit so much of your Armed Forces to one spot?

    Would this not be an opportune moment for Finland to encroach a little?

    Come on Khazakstan, here's your chance!

    And so on....
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,745

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
    A week has proved an INCREDIBLY long time in German politics.
    Certainly long enough to see who is crap at judging a whole country (and who is crappy enough to make such a judgment).
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,745

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
    When the facts change, I change my mind, what do you do sir?

    Its Germany that has changed, not me. I approve of how Germany has changed.
    Not use hoary old clichés as a response?
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,887
    Fishing said:

    Sandpit said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.

    Governments of left and right politically,

    Members and non-members of NATO,

    Members and non-members of the EU,

    It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
    I for one can't wait to get back to talking about trans bathrooms, tampon taxes and whether the Prime Minister spent a few minutes at a pissup.
    But Putin invading Ukraine doesn't resolve the issue of having a PM unfit for office.
  • Options

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    Hmm..the Daily Mail was absolutely flooded with "and now comes the moment that the EU collapses" messages , around the time of the Brexit handover. Thousands and thousands of them.
    If you pay even a scintilla of attention to below the line comments on sites like the Daily Heil then more fool you.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 45,644
    boulay said:

    Fishing said:

    Sandpit said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.

    Governments of left and right politically,

    Members and non-members of NATO,

    Members and non-members of the EU,

    It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
    I for one can't wait to get back to talking about trans bathrooms, tampon taxes and whether the Prime Minister spent a few minutes at a pissup.
    Or that other boring story that led the news for what seemed like two years. Some sort of flu called “covid”. Whatever happened to that?
    https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/02/majority-of-ukrainian-hospitals-could-run-out-of-oxygen-today-as-omicron-rages-who/
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,887
    edited March 2022
    New thread.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,163

    A senior US defence official has said that 80% of the combat power that had been staged around Ukraine' border is now inside the country


    ..and not doing terribly well, by the looks of it.
    PB's Military Experts will be along later, I trust, but isn't it just a little bit reckless to commit so much of your Armed Forces to one spot?

    Would this not be an opportune moment for Finland to encroach a little?

    Come on Khazakstan, here's your chance!

    And so on....
    China has an historic claim to 1.5m square km of Siberia.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,101

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months,
    SEVEN years…..

    https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/operation-orbital-explained-training-ukrainian-armed-forces-59405d32d604
  • Options
    bigglesbiggles Posts: 5,239

    biggles said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
    I sold mine very cheaply. I reckon I could buy it back.
    Never sell your soul. This crystallises a profit, incurring a tax liability, immediately.

    Instead naked short *someone else's* soul, with proper financial structuring.

    Done right, you cheat the Devil and make a profit.


    Trafigura approve of this message and offer an exclusive soul market opportunity to forward looking investors
    Good point. Maybe CFDs in souls actually - no one seems to want to regulate them. I reckon there’s a market to be made in the City.
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 26,112

    The BBC 6 o’clock is dreadful. No analysis in any depth. What happened?

    What's new? Sky which is normally useless has had better coverage of the crisis as has ITV. GB News has had far superior analysis.

    I have been dipping in and out of GB News. If it is as good as Mr Dunn claims it is unfortunate then that on those few occasions I have watched it, the analysis has been absolute garbage.
  • Options
    AslanAslan Posts: 1,673

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
    A week has proved an INCREDIBLY long time in German politics.
    Certainly long enough to see who is crap at judging a whole country (and who is crappy enough to make such a judgment).
    When the facts change, I change my mind. German was acting deeply immorally while they were keeping NS2 and arms blocks to Ukraine. Now they are doing the right thing, they deserve credit.
  • Options
    bigglesbiggles Posts: 5,239

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    Yup. “With but not of. Interested but not involved”.
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,163

    The BBC 6 o’clock is dreadful. No analysis in any depth. What happened?

    What's new? Sky which is normally useless has had better coverage of the crisis as has ITV. GB News has had far superior analysis.

    I have been dipping in and out of GB News. If it is as good as Mr Dunn claims it is unfortunate then that on those few occasions I have watched it, the analysis has been absolute garbage.
    They have a few good people on and quite a lot of duffers from when I've checked in. The picture quality still seems quite poor and even though I'm hardly a fan of the latest university social justice buzzwords they do tend to lay it on a bit thick.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 50,928
    Fishing said:

    Sandpit said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Another benefit of brexit is that UK cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU.
    https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435

    Why repost a crass and stupid comment like that?
    Cos it's funny. And true.

    Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
    It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
    Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
    The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.

    By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.

    I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
    The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.

    Governments of left and right politically,

    Members and non-members of NATO,

    Members and non-members of the EU,

    It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
    I for one can't wait to get back to talking about trans bathrooms, tampon taxes and whether the Prime Minister spent a few minutes at a pissup.
    It’s Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, but at a bigger scale.

    We all just got kicked down a couple of notches, as we did during the pandemic. No-one is listening to those going on about self-actualisation, when there’s an actual war not far away.
  • Options
    AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    biggles said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Column: When Ukraine reaches out to "Europe" it is invoking an idea that a generation of British politicians has treated with denial and derision. That will now have to change. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/russia-ukraine-war-politics-europe-britain

    Not remotely. Plenty of people, including for instance the PM have long advocated that the EU is very suitable for other European nations, just not the UK. Especially those European nations without our domestic track record of democracy.

    It's only a very strange tiny minority who don't want the EU to succeed.
    Yup. “With but not of. Interested but not involved”.
    Yep. Even without our history of democracy, I might feel differently if we shared a border with autocratic Russia.
  • Options
    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed

    It’s not a game of flipping cards, what does he mean by “fold”.
    Fold was me, not him

    Negotiate an outcome not worse than the one which would in his view be the end result of carrying on the war. Which basically means allow themselves to be annexed.
    I tell you what fold is, letting a genie out a bottle we can’t put back in.

    All along I have been asking why. Why? And if we knew why we could tackle it. And then I remembered the other day, Soviet flag on Russian tank, and wondered if we can explain why that is there, does it explain why this is happening?

    Soviet Flag on Russian tank. What does it mean? I mean, what does it mean to them?

    What do you think?

    All the military and Russian leadership are open about their love for Lenin and Stalin? Don’t they remember the horrors of the Communist rule - they were poor, a basket case, no prestige or place in this world till they overthrew that.

    Do they think of that era fondly now, for reasons we can’t comprehend, and wish to turn the clock back - you know, are they thinking they are going to take back control, take back what they think belongs to them, to make Russia great again?

    If I’m right, a genie is out a bottle.

    image
    It is more of a "Make Russia Great Again" thing, harking back to the glory days of the Great Patriotic War etc, rather than a commitment to restoring Marxism-Leninism which probably wouldn't go down to well with the klept. The Russian Army has maintained a lot of the traditions and culture from the Soviet Army: IIRC a lot of units that can trace their lineage back to before 1991 still use Soviet-pattern unit banners (like colours in the British Army) with the hammer and sickle. cf Putin restoring the Soviet national anthem with non-communist lyrics.
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,101
    Scottish Govt confirms policy on pensions in SINDY unchanged from 2013 (Scotland pays) and Blackford and Forbes were blethering:

    https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/update_to_the_scottish_governmen?nocache=incoming-1986075#incoming-1986075
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 93,571

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    kinabalu said:

    Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte

    https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1498693158208741376

    I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.

    If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.

    This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
    Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
    Yes. Very much happier. 👍

    I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
    Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
    Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!

    (apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
    Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
    Did I miss something?
    A mere week ago Barty stated very unequivocally that Germany had sold its soul for Russian gas over decades and should be a pariah state. A week is a long time in EUrophobe land.
    A week has proved an INCREDIBLY long time in German politics.
    Certainly long enough to see who is crap at judging a whole country (and who is crappy enough to make such a judgment).
    People don't see to have a problem juding their own countries so quickly.
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 34,525
    IshmaelZ said:

    Why? We never vetoed anyone in the 40+ years we were in the thing. Which faction do you think would have made Ukr the first one?

    The Faragists who are currently stopping their refugees
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,529
    edited March 2022

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    TOPPING said:

    DougSeal said:

    eek said:

    DougSeal said:

    stjohn said:

    Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.

    Well done!

    A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.

    A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.

    Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.

    Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
    I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
    There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria

    Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
    Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
    @HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.

    These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
    Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.

    In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
    Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
    your post is wankerism

    Carnyx said:

    Carnyx said:

    In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:

    EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest

    Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret


    https://twitter.com/conor_matchett/status/1498580109221056514?s=21

    Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
    They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
    They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
    That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.

    Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?

    Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
    You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.

    Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
    Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
    Come on - you can do better. 5/10
    Made old gammonny foreskin have apoplexy, shoiuld be more than a 5
    Lol, I think you make the gammon stereotype rather better than I.

    I imagine everytime I mention Alex-described -by-his-QC-as-bully-and-sex-pest-Salmond as such I imagine your sweaty fat little body goes a very bright puce and you have to reach for yet another drink.

    How does it feel to be an apologist for a man that is not only described as such by his QC and his successor, but is also (via RT) on the payroll of the Kremlin? That makes you a second degree Putin apologist. Or have you now demoted your very gullible and inarticulate self to No2 fan after Mr Putin?
    You get sadder with each post , red faced, bulging eyes , union jack dirty underpants on fire. Jog on loser. @foremain
This discussion has been closed.