The only practical way of ending the conflict quickly is to give Russia a way to climb down.
This is not attractive to those who see the war as a titanic battle between the Forces of Good and the Forces of Darkness (which is almost 80 per cent of pb.com).
Ukraine has a number of options: they are either unpalatable, or disastrous, or cataclysmic, or world-ending.
The correct thing to do is to choose the unpalatable (as the Czechs did in 1968).
Ukraine should pick the least bad option now.
And NATO should make it clear that it will not intervene militarily. If Ukraine believes the West will come to their aid, they will never make the unpalatable choice & more of their country will be destroyed.
Because nothing lasts forever, and eventually Putin will be gone. And the unpalatable choice can be re-visited.
Because Prague finally did get its spring and its summer in 1989.
While I agree with the general gist, I have to take issue with "This is not attractive to those who see the war as a titanic battle between the Forces of Good and the Forces of Darkness (which is almost 80 per cent of pb.com)."
Who are the twattish 20% who don't believe that? Aside from the silly attempt to use hyperbolic language, this is exactly what it is. Or do you think that bombing civilians and brutal repression of dissent can somehow be justified?
I am part of the 20 %.
Because I reject the idea that if you are not for us, then you are against us.
I am not for anyone in this conflict, which is one of the stupidest ever fought since Jenkins lost his ear.
You've been quite clear Vlad on whose side your sympathies lie.
The Ukrainians fighting to defend themselves against invasion is not "stupid" and they are the forces of good not because they're on their own side, but because they are valiantly fighting to defend themselves.
That you can't see that and want to perceive this about "for us" or "against us" shows your own prejudices not others.
"You've been quite clear Vlad on whose side your sympathies lie."
My sympathies lie entirely with ordinary people caught up in this.
I want the fighting stopped as soon as possible.
And you think it's not possible for Russia simply to end the attack?
From a Western perspective a couple more weeks of Russian equipment losses and troop demoralisation would be quite handy. Hopefully if vehicles are bogged down Ukraine can turn its attention and drones to the artillery batteries that are shelling the cities.
Other oligarchs have been sanctioned alongside Roman Abramovich today, including Oleg Deripaska - an industrialist worth £2bn who has had close links with the British political establishment.
The list includes:
Roman Abramovich: owner of Chelsea FC and has stakes in steel giant Evraz and Norilsk Nickel; Oleg Deripaska: has stakes in En+ Group; Igor Sechin: chief executive of Rosneft; Andrey Kostin: chairman of VTB bank; Alexei Miller: chief executive of energy company Gazprom; Nikolai Tokarev: president of the Russia state-owned pipeline company Transneft; Dmitri Lebedev: chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Rossiya
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "Today's sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society. With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
"The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.
"Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not stop in this mission to ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine."
What does she mean "once again"? Oligarchs and kleptocrats absolutely have a place in our economy and society and her party have done all they can to promote the interests of these people.
Its 100% in our interests to have everyone having a place in our economy yes, in peacetime. The fact that the UK is a financial superpower and that our potential enemies harbour their money in our country is a very welcome fact.
It means that when we have a conflict, like this, their cash is in our jurisdiction in order to sanction it. That's a powerful weapon.
No cash in our jurisdiction in peacetime, and we have nothing we can sanction during conflicts.
What part of that do you struggle to understand?
The part where she says "once again". You are right in what you post - we have let Russian money wash through London and buy its way into Parliament. But when she says "Today's sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society" I scratch my head.
Oligarchs and kleptocrats have absolutely been welcomed as you point out. At the highest levels - Conservative Friends of Russia, Johnson skips JIC security briefing on Salisbury to go see his friend Lebedev, Johnson has JIC security concerns about Lebedev Jnr dropped so he can be ennobled etc etc
So "once again" is a lie. A stupid lie. Told because they think people believe everything they say.
Not a lie, it is once again, since its not the first set of sanctions since this conflict began.
What happened before the conflict began is completely moot. You keep bringing up historical things that happened while we had peace, but surely you fully understand that you act differently in peacetime and times of conflict?
Just as Germany paying for Russian gas during peacetime, but not doing so during conflict is the right thing to do - the UK treating oligarchs differently during peace time and during conflict is equally appropriate too.
You have had an interesting defensive position to protect the oligarchs so I doubt we are arguing different sides here. Oligarchs and Kleptocrats have been welcomed into the UK so saying they haven't as Truss did is just stupid.
What are you talking about? This is the quote again, emphasis added:
"Today's sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society. With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
"The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.
"Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not stop in this mission to ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine."
Which Oligarchs and Kleptocrats were welcomed after the war in Ukraine began?
The war in Ukraine is the trigger for this. She's saying so explicitly and repeatedly. Anything before the trigger, doesn't count, that's how time operates.
Riiiiiiight
So what oligarchs were welcomed after the war in Ukraine began? I'm waiting ...
You harping on about stuff that happened before the war in Ukraine began is completely idiotic as anyone complaining that Germany was buying Russian gas before the war in Ukraine began, when they've stopped buying it now.
You act different in peacetime to conflicts, that's only logical.
You do. But that's not what she said. Anyway, you go dance on a pinhead if you want.
It is what she said. She said they have [present tense] no place in our economy or society due to the war in Ukraine.
Please quote the exact words she used to say they had [past tense] no place in the past?
"once again". As in something had been the case in the past. She is not solely talking about the last 10 days.
They've taken actions in the past 10 days, so it is again.
Anything beyond that is your own fevered imagination and hatred.
Mr. Sandpit, I wonder how the cooling is on the Mercedes.
Yeah, exactly what I thought. F1 engines cooking themselves used to be a regular occurrence and this design looks to be inviting it to happen.
That's what is so fascinating about it. Mercedes know their stuff, and they know their engine. They wouldn't have done this if they didn't think it wouldn't work. So how does it work? I await Scarbs...
However, in the first 'test' they ran a traditional sidepod arrangement, so it might be they have that as a backup.
But if this works, it might be another step in the evolution of F1 cars. Rear engine, wings, no sidepods...
Comment on Twitter suggests that the original design was even more extreme and it failed the side crash test.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Of the 4 you name, only 2 are actually SNP.
When it comes to Tory on Tory action there is a cast of thousands.
The only practical way of ending the conflict quickly is to give Russia a way to climb down.
This is not attractive to those who see the war as a titanic battle between the Forces of Good and the Forces of Darkness (which is almost 80 per cent of pb.com).
Ukraine has a number of options: they are either unpalatable, or disastrous, or cataclysmic, or world-ending.
The correct thing to do is to choose the unpalatable (as the Czechs did in 1968).
Ukraine should pick the least bad option now.
And NATO should make it clear that it will not intervene militarily. If Ukraine believes the West will come to their aid, they will never make the unpalatable choice & more of their country will be destroyed.
Because nothing lasts forever, and eventually Putin will be gone. And the unpalatable choice can be re-visited.
Because Prague finally did get its spring and its summer in 1989.
While I agree with the general gist, I have to take issue with "This is not attractive to those who see the war as a titanic battle between the Forces of Good and the Forces of Darkness (which is almost 80 per cent of pb.com)."
Who are the twattish 20% who don't believe that? Aside from the silly attempt to use hyperbolic language, this is exactly what it is. Or do you think that bombing civilians and brutal repression of dissent can somehow be justified?
I am part of the 20 %.
Because I reject the idea that if you are not for us, then you are against us.
I am not for anyone in this conflict, which is one of the stupidest ever fought since Jenkins lost his ear.
You've been quite clear Vlad on whose side your sympathies lie.
The Ukrainians fighting to defend themselves against invasion is not "stupid" and they are the forces of good not because they're on their own side, but because they are valiantly fighting to defend themselves.
That you can't see that and want to perceive this about "for us" or "against us" shows your own prejudices not others.
"You've been quite clear Vlad on whose side your sympathies lie."
My sympathies lie entirely with ordinary people caught up in this.
I want the fighting stopped as soon as possible.
So call on the Russians to stop fighting, not the Ukrainians to stop defending themselves.
The ordinary Ukrainians caught up in this want to defend their homeland. Good for them.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
I think the talk about nuclear war is being overdone - there is a very nasty but very localised war, with no sign that anyone wants to extend it anywhere else. Because it all feels so close and 24/7 coverage is focusing on the worst scenes, it feels more End of Days than it actually is. It's horrible but it's not obviously leading to a global meltdown as some have been suggesting.
On the domestic side, some selections which show where the Opposition is initially targeting as we gear up for a possible election:
Thats fine Nick and I agree with you as far as the war currently goes. Do you think that will still be the case if NATO start bombing targets inside Russia in support of a No Fly Zone?
If Nick Palmer is right then SKS's stance (and other European opposition parties) is inexplicable. Let's say that Biden, Boris et al have cold feet at an outside risk and so take the line they do. If they were obviously wrong on the basis of confidential briefings to opposition leaders Labour would have an open goal to urge the government to back NATO in getting involved, with emotional support from the public as they watch maternity hospitals being attacked.
SKS, and others, are not. They think solidarity in the west too important + the risks of NFZ etc are too great. Sadly I think we should trust their judgement for now.
Have to say I think Nick P's statement is extraordinarily naive. This is not just a horrible but local war with no sign that anyone wants to extend it. Incredible statement. I am stunned frankly.
Mr. Sandpit, I wonder how the cooling is on the Mercedes.
Yeah, exactly what I thought. F1 engines cooking themselves used to be a regular occurrence and this design looks to be inviting it to happen.
That's what is so fascinating about it. Mercedes know their stuff, and they know their engine. They wouldn't have done this if they didn't think it wouldn't work. So how does it work? I await Scarbs...
However, in the first 'test' they ran a traditional sidepod arrangement, so it might be they have that as a backup.
But if this works, it might be another step in the evolution of F1 cars. Rear engine, wings, no sidepods...
Isn't there quotes from the Mercedes Racing Engines guy expressing his own surprise at the car they are placing his engine in? Whilst they know "their" engine remember that its a stand-alone division - a breakdown in communications has happened before - witness the Honda F1 debacle when they were with McLaren. Honda didn't seem capable of getting a consistent line internally, so McLaren had no chance.
A Journalist asked - “How do you justify bombing a Maternity Hospital” Lavrov said: “With regards the Maternity hospital it is not the first time we see pathetic outcries concerning the so called atrocities perpetrated by Russian military” https://twitter.com/JimMchargj/status/1501867965423235074
I thought it was interesting that his excuse wasn't that the hospital had been hit by accident, but that it was being used by "radicals". The implication is that it was deliberately targeted.
Then again, maybe by "radical" he means "not a homicidal maniac".
'Russia Regulations' license also prohibits Chelsea spending more than £20,000 on any away game travel, which asks serious questions of Champions League logistics, starting with Lille away next Wednesday
The Home Office seems to be a longstanding disaster area, and beyond the ability of any minister to put right. Not helped that the minister presently in charge is Ms Patel.
Very interesting article in ConHome by Andrew Gimson here:
"The appointment on Tuesday of Richard Harrington as Minister for Refugees, working for the Department for Levelling Up as well as the Home Office, suggests a well-founded lack of confidence in the latter department, and indeed is humiliating for the ministers already there.
"On Wednesday morning, Harrington was seen having breakfast with Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up.
"An adviser who until recently worked in the Home Office agreed that its ministers are at present quite unable to exercise proper oversight of the department’s multifarious responsibilities. There is almost no oversight of the security services, while the police are expert lobbyists who run rings round civil servants in their mid to late twenties.
"This adviser said the department is so overtaxed by its present responsibilities that it ought to be split in two. One department would deal with national security and policing, while the other would concentrate on borders and immigration."
The Home Office is not fit for purpose? It was broken up by "Doctor" John Reid so it must be fixed now, unless these Whitehall reorganisations are just cover for politicians without a clue.
Aha. The Thug Reid. “Home Secretary” of a nation that did not contain his own constituency. A constitutional abomination.
I miss ‘The Scottish Mafia’ slurs. Those were the days when the Tories really knew how to Jock-bash.
Mr. Sandpit, I wonder how the cooling is on the Mercedes.
Yeah, exactly what I thought. F1 engines cooking themselves used to be a regular occurrence and this design looks to be inviting it to happen.
That's what is so fascinating about it. Mercedes know their stuff, and they know their engine. They wouldn't have done this if they didn't think it wouldn't work. So how does it work? I await Scarbs...
However, in the first 'test' they ran a traditional sidepod arrangement, so it might be they have that as a backup.
But if this works, it might be another step in the evolution of F1 cars. Rear engine, wings, no sidepods...
Someone got a picture of the Aston Martin minus the engine cover, and showing the huge side pod as being pretty much empty.
'Russia Regulations' license also prohibits Chelsea spending more than £20,000 on any away game travel, which asks serious questions of Champions League logistics, starting with Lille away next Wednesday
I’m not a Chelsea fan, but I can imagine they would think this is unfair. They are the ones being punished, Roman obviously still has so many loopholes, such as trading portfolio for international art, he will be hardly touched won’t he?
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
At some point the stormtroopers will not be able to browbeat the majority and there will be a bunfight. Gender one is going to destroy them especially, Sturgeon is pigheaded on it due to it being favourite of her coven. Many will be thinking about their jobs being on the line come the election.
Mr. Sandpit, I wonder how the cooling is on the Mercedes.
Yeah, exactly what I thought. F1 engines cooking themselves used to be a regular occurrence and this design looks to be inviting it to happen.
That's what is so fascinating about it. Mercedes know their stuff, and they know their engine. They wouldn't have done this if they didn't think it wouldn't work. So how does it work? I await Scarbs...
However, in the first 'test' they ran a traditional sidepod arrangement, so it might be they have that as a backup.
But if this works, it might be another step in the evolution of F1 cars. Rear engine, wings, no sidepods...
Isn't there quotes from the Mercedes Racing Engines guy expressing his own surprise at the car they are placing his engine in? Whilst they know "their" engine remember that its a stand-alone division - a breakdown in communications has happened before - witness the Honda F1 debacle when they were with McLaren. Honda didn't seem capable of getting a consistent line internally, so McLaren had no chance.
A good point, but Honda were re-entering the sport after seven or eight years out. Mercedes have been top of the pile (constructors wise, and nearly drivers wise) for six or seven years. I'd expect the engine bods and the chassis peeps to be used to working well together.
(Incidentally, many of the chassis people *are* the old Honda chassis people, via Brawn.)
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Why are you asking a bunch of unemployable dorks sitting in front of a filthy laptop in their underpants at lunchtime? They don’t know their arses from their elbows.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
1) Conquer Ze Whole Vurld!! HA! HA! HA! 2) Make! Russia! Great! Again! 3) Steal lots from Ukraine 4) Make NATO look small, so they won't dare make any more jokes about Putin's tiny pee-pee
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Can't be bothered looking up quotes. But I seem to remember Nicola lavishing praise on Eck while Cherry was regularly lauded to the sky until she fell out with Nicola on gender.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
1) Conquer Ze Whole Vurld!! HA! HA! HA! 2) Make! Russia! Great! Again! 3) Steal lots from Ukraine 4) Make NATO look small, so they won't dare make any more jokes about Putin's tiny pee-pee
Mr. Sandpit, I wonder how the cooling is on the Mercedes.
Yeah, exactly what I thought. F1 engines cooking themselves used to be a regular occurrence and this design looks to be inviting it to happen.
That's what is so fascinating about it. Mercedes know their stuff, and they know their engine. They wouldn't have done this if they didn't think it wouldn't work. So how does it work? I await Scarbs...
However, in the first 'test' they ran a traditional sidepod arrangement, so it might be they have that as a backup.
But if this works, it might be another step in the evolution of F1 cars. Rear engine, wings, no sidepods...
Isn't there quotes from the Mercedes Racing Engines guy expressing his own surprise at the car they are placing his engine in? Whilst they know "their" engine remember that its a stand-alone division - a breakdown in communications has happened before - witness the Honda F1 debacle when they were with McLaren. Honda didn't seem capable of getting a consistent line internally, so McLaren had no chance.
A good point, but Honda were re-entering the sport after seven or eight years out. Mercedes have been top of the pile (constructors wise, and nearly drivers wise) for six or seven years. I'd expect the engine bods and the chassis peeps to be used to working well together.
(Incidentally, many of the chassis people *are* the old Honda chassis people, via Brawn.)
Interview with the chassis guy and the engine guy.
(Just ignore the engine and the chassis in the video. The engine they admit is an old one, and the chassis we now know was the first shakedown one, not the new chassis they are testing today).
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Why are you asking a bunch of unemployable dorks sitting in front of a filthy laptop in their underpants at lunchtime? They don’t know their arses from their elbows.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Can't be bothered looking up quotes. But I seem to remember Nicola lavishing praise on Eck while Cherry was regularly lauded to the sky until she fell out with Nicola on gender.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
An SNP expert as I live and breathe!
Amazing how many times not having the evidence to hand or can’t be bothered crops up on here.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Can't be bothered looking up quotes. But I seem to remember Nicola lavishing praise on Eck while Cherry was regularly lauded to the sky until she fell out with Nicola on gender.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
I’m a true believer, and I’d have crossed the street if I saw Fergus coming. Even back in the 90s.
We are members of a political party. We haven’t exchanged marriage vows.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Can't be bothered looking up quotes. But I seem to remember Nicola lavishing praise on Eck while Cherry was regularly lauded to the sky until she fell out with Nicola on gender.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
An SNP expert as I live and breathe!
Amazing how many times not having the evidence to hand or can’t be bothered crops up on here.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
His mum was royalty. Her offspring are marginal figures.
Instant promotion from Yoons when SNPers are perceived as causing problems for the SNP.
Ewing SNP royalty Salmond the best PM that the UK never had Cherry the best Westminster leader the SNP never had Sillars SNP elder statesman
I’d hope that the news that Sillars donated £2000 to Jackie Baillie’s re-election campaign means that he’ll stop being quoted as any authority on independence or the SNP, but I fear I must hope in vain.
Those four lines were, of course, time-honoured Nat tropes not so very long ago.
And, yes, you probably do hope in vain.
Any quotes to support that hypothesis?
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Can't be bothered looking up quotes. But I seem to remember Nicola lavishing praise on Eck while Cherry was regularly lauded to the sky until she fell out with Nicola on gender.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
An SNP expert as I live and breathe!
Amazing how many times not having the evidence to hand or can’t be bothered crops up on here.
Seem to have touched a nerve...
House!
You’re usually quite good at finding headlines from years ago.
soulgoodman @soulgoodman82 Replying to @farrowbrownj13 and @LDNFootbalI dont think you had your thinking cap on mate youtube.com Keir Starmer asks why Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has not been hit...
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
I can’t see what objective they thought they could achieve or what exit strategy if it went wrong. I don’t think they had the basics in place, clear achievable military and political objective and war gamed exit strategy. They are now war criminals and will be pursued as such, and for this they are all pariahs. They have no way out now. It should have been obvious before they went ahead. Unless I am missing something?
'Russia Regulations' license also prohibits Chelsea spending more than £20,000 on any away game travel, which asks serious questions of Champions League logistics, starting with Lille away next Wednesday
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
It looks like -
- Blitzkreig move of land forces to cut off the Ukrainian army in the south, leaving the north of the country relatively undefended. - Establish air superiority - Elite paratroopers to take Hostomel airport by the second day, use this as a base to send kill squads into Kyiv to decapitate the Ukrainian government. Remainder of government flees to the West. - Waltz into all other cities with the Ukrainian government in disarray - Install Viktor Yanukovych led puppet government by end of week - Conscript army columns along with riot police used as crowd control to establish police state and suppress any resistance.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
At some point the stormtroopers will not be able to browbeat the majority and there will be a bunfight. Gender one is going to destroy them especially, Sturgeon is pigheaded on it due to it being favourite of her coven. Many will be thinking about their jobs being on the line come the election.
FYI: Leslie Evans is refusing to give evidence to Holyrood committee. On THREE MONTHS paid leave until she steps down. Condemned for discourtesy by committee chair. Didn't realise civil servants could do that. Presumably frightened about being asked questions about SalmondGate.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Given the famous map shown by Lukashenko, and the attempt to capture Hostomel airport, I think we can surmise it would have been something like this.
Day 1 - Capture Hostomel airport and begin flying in troops and equipment. Capture Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Melitopol.
Day 2 - Capture and execute Zelenskyy as part of capture of Kyiv. Amphibious landing near Mariupol. Capture Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Day 3 - Capture Mariupol, completing land bridge to Crimea, as destruction of Ukrainian central government leads to a collapse of resistance. Armoured columns head towards Dnipro from NE and S, to encircle Ukrainian army in Donbas. Amphibious landing near Odessa to combine with column from Crimea.
Day 4 - Capture Odessa and Dnipro, cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea and dividing remaining Ukrainian forces.
Day 5 - Destroy any elements of Ukrainian army in the Donbas that continue to resist. Accept surrender of Poltava.
Day 6 - Establish puppet government in Kyiv. Announce plebiscites in southern provinces on joining Russian Federation. Capture remaining nuclear power plants near Rivne.
Day 7 - Announce ceasefire with de facto division between West Ukraine, capital Lviv, bordering NATO, and East Ukraine, bordering Belarus, Russia and Moldova/Transnistria
Anyone heard anything on this? The claim was that they could make cooling systems lighter and smaller.
No, that would breach the technical regs, which strictly limit what can be done with heat exchange systems. The cost cap means that exotic technologies can't pop up all over the place.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
If you were the Russian spy in Kiev, observing and noting that the Ukranian army were getting trained up by a bunch of British special forces, were amassing large supplies of weapons from Western countries, and that the mood was becoming very hostile towards Russia, you’d be mighty peeved that the word that got back to the top man in Moscow was rather different.
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
At some point the stormtroopers will not be able to browbeat the majority and there will be a bunfight. Gender one is going to destroy them especially, Sturgeon is pigheaded on it due to it being favourite of her coven. Many will be thinking about their jobs being on the line come the election.
FYI: Leslie Evans is refusing to give evidence to Holyrood committee. On THREE MONTHS paid leave until she steps down. Condemned for discourtesy by committee chair. Didn't realise civil servants could do that. Presumably frightened about being asked questions about SalmondGate.
Scared she will end up doing time more like. I am just amazed that someone has not spilled the beans on it all outside the UK where they cannot be jailed for life for being honest.
Remember the recently detained Yelena Osipova, who survived the siege of Leningrad? She's back in action, protesting publicly in St Petersburg "🇷🇺 soldier, drop your weapon - and you'll be a real hero!" Banners are painted by herself. Don't know about you, but we love her! 💙💛
Mr. G, I never expressed support for a no fly zone.
I expressed dismay at discounting an argument based not on flaws within it, but by disparaging the one making said argument.
MD , ok I will let you off on that one.
Good morning Malc - I assume you support the rumour that Blackford is to stand down
Morning G, absolutely delighted but he will be replaced by one of the other posterior licking Sturgeon sychophants. Of the small handful of decent MP's none will be considered. All it needs is it to be Oswald who is completely talentless.
Sadly, the spash that Blackford is going seems overstated. He has issued a denial.
Even so, there are certainly stresses and strains. On gender, and oil 'n' gas.
Fergus Ewing MSP, former minister, and member of SNP royalty, pretty damning of energy policy and alliance with Greens. Worth a look.
At some point the stormtroopers will not be able to browbeat the majority and there will be a bunfight. Gender one is going to destroy them especially, Sturgeon is pigheaded on it due to it being favourite of her coven. Many will be thinking about their jobs being on the line come the election.
FYI: Leslie Evans is refusing to give evidence to Holyrood committee. On THREE MONTHS paid leave until she steps down. Condemned for discourtesy by committee chair. Didn't realise civil servants could do that. Presumably frightened about being asked questions about SalmondGate.
"Scot Gov outgoing Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans has angered MSPs by refusing to appear at a Holyrood committee while on "leave" before she retires with her £90k-a-year pension & £260k lump sum. Scot Gov docs also show her salary is approx £175k. But parliament can go whistle.."
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
I can’t see what objective they thought they could achieve or what exit strategy if it went wrong. I don’t think they had the basics in place, clear achievable military and political objective and war gamed exit strategy. They are now war criminals and will be pursued as such, and for this they are all pariahs. They have no way out now. It should have been obvious before they went ahead. Unless I am missing something?
I don't think you are. My joking post below was actually semi serious.
Everyone assumes serious people, sitting in a serious conference room, watching a serious presentation of 500 slides about the structure and objectives of Operation Ukraine. Then solemnly, Putin signs off on the Great War Plan.
Given the chaos and stupidity on show with the execution of the "plan" - it seems to have either been non-existent or totally made up in la-la land.
I read about what went on in the Trump Whitehouse - was that what was happening in the Kremlin? Putin ignoring the professionals and cooking up something between him, his interior decorator and a mate from school?
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
The Russians are quite familiar with MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
If you were the Russian spy in Kiev, observing and noting that the Ukranian army were getting trained up by a bunch of British special forces, were amassing large supplies of weapons from Western countries, and that the mood was becoming very hostile towards Russia, you’d be mighty peeved that the word that got back to the top man in Moscow was rather different.
In the beginning, there was a plan, And then came the assumptions, And the assumptions were without form, And the plan without substance,
And the darkness was upon the face of the workers, And they spoke among themselves saying, "It is a crock of shit and it stinks."
And the workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a pile of dung, and we cannot live with the smell."
And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying, "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, Such that none may abide by it."
And the Managers went unto their Directors saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide by its strength."
And the Directors spoke among themselves saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plants growth, and it is very strong."
And the Directors went to the Vice Presidents saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor Of the company With very powerful effects."
And the President looked upon the Plan And saw that it was good, And the Plan became Policy.
soulgoodman @soulgoodman82 Replying to @farrowbrownj13 and @LDNFootbalI dont think you had your thinking cap on mate youtube.com Keir Starmer asks why Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has not been hit...
Very strong words from Truss.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "Today's sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society. With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression. "The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.
The danger for the Conservatives their own words apply respectively, not just from now the weeks, months years before Putin invaded.
Like when Labour in power, banking system crashed, they were weak to Osbornes “you should have fixed the roof when the sun was shining, rather than cuddle soon to be jailed crooked bankers” line.
Governments lose votes to opposition parties because, policies much the same, but only one was in power so they are the ones who own it?
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
I can’t see what objective they thought they could achieve or what exit strategy if it went wrong. I don’t think they had the basics in place, clear achievable military and political objective and war gamed exit strategy. They are now war criminals and will be pursued as such, and for this they are all pariahs. They have no way out now. It should have been obvious before they went ahead. Unless I am missing something?
I don't think you are. My joking post below was actually semi serious.
Everyone assumes serious people, sitting in a serious conference room, watching a serious presentation of 500 slides about the structure and objectives of Operation Ukraine. Then solemnly, Putin signs off on the Great War Plan.
Given the chaos and stupidity on show with the execution of the "plan" - it seems to have either been non-existent or totally made up in la-la land.
I read about what went on in the Trump Whitehouse - was that what was happening in the Kremlin? Putin ignoring the professionals and cooking up something between him, his interior decorator and a mate from school?
So the weak plan, the stupid plan, was born out of nepotism?
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
I can’t see what objective they thought they could achieve or what exit strategy if it went wrong. I don’t think they had the basics in place, clear achievable military and political objective and war gamed exit strategy. They are now war criminals and will be pursued as such, and for this they are all pariahs. They have no way out now. It should have been obvious before they went ahead. Unless I am missing something?
I don't think you are. My joking post below was actually semi serious.
Everyone assumes serious people, sitting in a serious conference room, watching a serious presentation of 500 slides about the structure and objectives of Operation Ukraine. Then solemnly, Putin signs off on the Great War Plan.
Given the chaos and stupidity on show with the execution of the "plan" - it seems to have either been non-existent or totally made up in la-la land.
I read about what went on in the Trump Whitehouse - was that what was happening in the Kremlin? Putin ignoring the professionals and cooking up something between him, his interior decorator and a mate from school?
So the weak plan, the stupid plan, was born out of nepotism?
If the reports we are hearing are true - that FSB and other professional groups were disregarded and shut out in the planning - then this would follow the pattern that has been seen, historically, in other dictatorships.
The Big Boss listens to a smaller and smaller group that is chosen on loyalty, rather than competence. Indeed, competence is often seen as dangerous in that context.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
Explains the total misreading of the Western reaction, too. Not convinced they understand the Chinese. Or even Venezuela. Spectacular failure of intelligence. Which is unsettling for where this goes next.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Why are you asking a bunch of unemployable dorks sitting in front of a filthy laptop in their underpants at lunchtime? They don’t know their arses from their elbows.
Fascinating thread on what went on in Kremlin when planning this war:
Alexander Gabuev 陳寒士@AlexGabuev🧵Two weeks ago, as Vladimir Putin was declaring his vicious war on Ukraine, he called the West an "Empire of Lies." In fact, the Kremlin's disastrous move was itself rooted in lies, misconceptions and giant lapses of expertise & intelligence. 1/
Visa centre in Lille will be a 'pop-up'. It will NOT offer appointments or walk-in access for those seeking to come to the UK. The most vulnerable cases in Calais will be taken there for biometrics but Home Office will not publicise location and capacity will be small. I understand those who are not deemed to be vulnerable and who turn up at Calais anyway will be told to go to Paris or Brussels to fill out correct forms. (You might ask who isn't vulnerable after fleeing a war zone, really?)
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
The whole thing has the hallmarks of... Stable Genius.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
I can’t see what objective they thought they could achieve or what exit strategy if it went wrong. I don’t think they had the basics in place, clear achievable military and political objective and war gamed exit strategy. They are now war criminals and will be pursued as such, and for this they are all pariahs. They have no way out now. It should have been obvious before they went ahead. Unless I am missing something?
I don't think you are. My joking post below was actually semi serious.
Everyone assumes serious people, sitting in a serious conference room, watching a serious presentation of 500 slides about the structure and objectives of Operation Ukraine. Then solemnly, Putin signs off on the Great War Plan.
Given the chaos and stupidity on show with the execution of the "plan" - it seems to have either been non-existent or totally made up in la-la land.
I read about what went on in the Trump Whitehouse - was that what was happening in the Kremlin? Putin ignoring the professionals and cooking up something between him, his interior decorator and a mate from school?
So the weak plan, the stupid plan, was born out of nepotism?
If the reports we are hearing are true - that FSB and other professional groups were disregarded and shut out in the planning - then this would follow the pattern that has been seen, historically, in other dictatorships.
The Big Boss listens to a smaller and smaller group that is chosen on loyalty, rather than competence. Indeed, competence is often seen as dangerous in that context.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
The Russians are quite familiar with MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge.
Wouldn't be the first time that people in government "adopt:" a solution, but actually do the reverse.
Some years ago, when I was young and naive, I tried lobbying my MP about creating a version of DARPA for the UK. He came back, interested. He just wanted to make some small changes.....
Instead of a spread of small projects at research level, the government should pick winners and spend billions on carrying them all the way to production.
He wanted to do DARPA - just without the DARPA......
Russia and Belarus are “mightily close” to default as western sanctions cripple their economies, the World Bank has warned.
Telegraph business blog
The Belarus domino falling is the one I am watching. There was already a robbed election, an illegitimate leader, a mighty pissed off population.... Now they are chained to the corpse of Putin.
Chinese FM calls for the "war" to stop. Would be interested if the translation is accurate, but assuming so, and no reason to doubt, that is another sign that they are shifting position.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
Explains the total misreading of the Western reaction, too. Not convinced they understand the Chinese. Or even Venezuela. Spectacular failure of intelligence. Which is unsettling for where this goes next.
One minor aspect of the Salisbury affair was the impression given by the two FSB blokes in their 'not me guv' interview. They looked & sounded like a couple of heavies used to put the frighteners on a rival drug operation, not superagents charged with a difficult and dangerous task; the shambles they made of it suggests that was their level. I did think at the time that Russian seceret services may now not be quite at the Karla level.
Chinese FM calls for the "war" to stop. Would be interested if the translation is accurate, but assuming so, and no reason to doubt, that is another sign that they are shifting position.
That quote from the Chinese FM should be kept in a drawer in case they ever try anything in Taiwan
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
Explains the total misreading of the Western reaction, too. Not convinced they understand the Chinese. Or even Venezuela. Spectacular failure of intelligence. Which is unsettling for where this goes next.
One minor aspect of the Salisbury affair was the impression given by the two FSB blokes in their 'not me guv' interview. They looked & sounded like a couple of heavies used to put the frighteners on a rival drug operation, not superagents charged with a difficult and dangerous task; the shambles they made of it suggests that was their level. I did think at the time thast Russian seceret services may now not be quite at the Karla level.
Yeah, that was pointed out at the time. A question is if it was unplanned incompetence, or whether it was "We don't give a f*** if you know it's us." by the Russians.
Given the Litvinenko poisoning was also fairly incompetent, even if it worked, I might be tempted by the former.
However, a book highlights that lots of Russians, or people linked to them, have met interesting deaths in recent years. Haven't read it though. But the following article has some:
I think the talk about nuclear war is being overdone - there is a very nasty but very localised war, with no sign that anyone wants to extend it anywhere else. Because it all feels so close and 24/7 coverage is focusing on the worst scenes, it feels more End of Days than it actually is. It's horrible but it's not obviously leading to a global meltdown as some have been suggesting.
On the domestic side, some selections which show where the Opposition is initially targeting as we gear up for a possible election:
Thats fine Nick and I agree with you as far as the war currently goes. Do you think that will still be the case if NATO start bombing targets inside Russia in support of a No Fly Zone?
If Nick Palmer is right then SKS's stance (and other European opposition parties) is inexplicable. Let's say that Biden, Boris et al have cold feet at an outside risk and so take the line they do. If they were obviously wrong on the basis of confidential briefings to opposition leaders Labour would have an open goal to urge the government to back NATO in getting involved, with emotional support from the public as they watch maternity hospitals being attacked.
SKS, and others, are not. They think solidarity in the west too important + the risks of NFZ etc are too great. Sadly I think we should trust their judgement for now.
I agree (and agree with both front benches) that an NFZ would make the war no longer localised. That's why we're not doing it. As I said, I don't think either the West or Russia have any interest in spreading it. I don't follow @algarkirk's reasoning, unless you feel that NATO intervention would not bring other countries into the conflict. Of course it would - every NATO country intervening would be another country involved. If, for example, Polish air bases were used to launch attacks on Russian aircraft in an NFZ, then Russia would attack the bases, then we'd attack them in turn, and WW3 would have arrived.
But it's not happening, so the predictions that we are about to have a nuclear war are, I feel, too alarmist, and I was concerned about some of the despairing posts here. Is it a bad situation? Yes. Is the invasion a crazy aggression? Yes. Is it an impending nuclear war? No.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Given the famous map shown by Lukashenko, and the attempt to capture Hostomel airport, I think we can surmise it would have been something like this.
Day 1 - Capture Hostomel airport and begin flying in troops and equipment. Capture Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Melitopol.
Day 2 - Capture and execute Zelenskyy as part of capture of Kyiv. Amphibious landing near Mariupol. Capture Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Day 3 - Capture Mariupol, completing land bridge to Crimea, as destruction of Ukrainian central government leads to a collapse of resistance. Armoured columns head towards Dnipro from NE and S, to encircle Ukrainian army in Donbas. Amphibious landing near Odessa to combine with column from Crimea.
Day 4 - Capture Odessa and Dnipro, cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea and dividing remaining Ukrainian forces.
Day 5 - Destroy any elements of Ukrainian army in the Donbas that continue to resist. Accept surrender of Poltava.
Day 6 - Establish puppet government in Kyiv. Announce plebiscites in southern provinces on joining Russian Federation. Capture remaining nuclear power plants near Rivne.
Day 7 - Announce ceasefire with de facto division between West Ukraine, capital Lviv, bordering NATO, and East Ukraine, bordering Belarus, Russia and Moldova/Transnistria
But even that hymn of military optimism doesn't have an endgame. An exit plan. It just presumes the Ukrainians will accept all this, and that they won't resist, and cause terrible problems for the "occupiers". How do you repress 44m people, forever, even if you do somehow install a puppet government?
History has a million examples of this going wrong. It is extremely hard to occupy and repress sizeable countries which do not want to be occupied. Russia knows this from Afghanistan, as does the USA. Vietnam says Hello
So there must have been a fundamental misperception from the start. Vlad really believed his own propaganda that Ukraine is not a real "nation" ; Putin really thought Ukrainian identity was a mirage, and that many - most? - would welcome the Russian troops
I think the talk about nuclear war is being overdone - there is a very nasty but very localised war, with no sign that anyone wants to extend it anywhere else. Because it all feels so close and 24/7 coverage is focusing on the worst scenes, it feels more End of Days than it actually is. It's horrible but it's not obviously leading to a global meltdown as some have been suggesting.
On the domestic side, some selections which show where the Opposition is initially targeting as we gear up for a possible election:
Thats fine Nick and I agree with you as far as the war currently goes. Do you think that will still be the case if NATO start bombing targets inside Russia in support of a No Fly Zone?
If Nick Palmer is right then SKS's stance (and other European opposition parties) is inexplicable. Let's say that Biden, Boris et al have cold feet at an outside risk and so take the line they do. If they were obviously wrong on the basis of confidential briefings to opposition leaders Labour would have an open goal to urge the government to back NATO in getting involved, with emotional support from the public as they watch maternity hospitals being attacked.
SKS, and others, are not. They think solidarity in the west too important + the risks of NFZ etc are too great. Sadly I think we should trust their judgement for now.
I agree (and agree with both front benches) that an NFZ would make the war no longer localised. That's why we're not doing it. As I said, I don't think either the West or Russia have any interest in spreading it. I don't follow @algarkirk's reasoning, unless you feel that NATO intervention would not bring other countries into the conflict. Of course it would - every NATO country intervening would be another country involved. If, for example, Polish air bases were used to launch attacks on Russian aircraft in an NFZ, then Russia would attack the bases, then we'd attack them in turn, and WW3 would have arrived.
But it's not happening, so the predictions that we are about to have a nuclear war are, I feel, too alarmist, and I was concerned about some of the despairing posts here. Is it a bad situation? Yes. Is the invasion a crazy aggression? Yes. Is it an impending nuclear war? No.
Can I just put down a "So much for your bloody assessment!" now, as I won't have a chance once I've been incinerated.... Easy thing to say. Can never be called out.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Given the famous map shown by Lukashenko, and the attempt to capture Hostomel airport, I think we can surmise it would have been something like this.
Day 1 - Capture Hostomel airport and begin flying in troops and equipment. Capture Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Melitopol.
Day 2 - Capture and execute Zelenskyy as part of capture of Kyiv. Amphibious landing near Mariupol. Capture Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Day 3 - Capture Mariupol, completing land bridge to Crimea, as destruction of Ukrainian central government leads to a collapse of resistance. Armoured columns head towards Dnipro from NE and S, to encircle Ukrainian army in Donbas. Amphibious landing near Odessa to combine with column from Crimea.
Day 4 - Capture Odessa and Dnipro, cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea and dividing remaining Ukrainian forces.
Day 5 - Destroy any elements of Ukrainian army in the Donbas that continue to resist. Accept surrender of Poltava.
Day 6 - Establish puppet government in Kyiv. Announce plebiscites in southern provinces on joining Russian Federation. Capture remaining nuclear power plants near Rivne.
Day 7 - Announce ceasefire with de facto division between West Ukraine, capital Lviv, bordering NATO, and East Ukraine, bordering Belarus, Russia and Moldova/Transnistria
But even that hymn of military optimism doesn't have an endgame. An exit plan. It just presumes the Ukrainians will accept all this, and that they won't resist, and cause terrible problems for the "occupiers". How do you repress 44m people, forever, even if you do somehow install a puppet government?
History has a million examples of this going wrong. It is extremely hard to occupy and repress sizeable countries which do not want to be occupied. Russia knows this from Afghanistan, as does the USA. Vietnam says Hello
So there must have been a fundamental misperception from the start. Vlad really believed his own propaganda that Ukraine is not a real "nation" ; Putin really thought Ukrainian identity was a mirage, and that many - most? - would welcome the Russian troops
The intelligence suggesting all was planned in a tiny group of individuals suggests Vlad does believe exactly that - bullshit
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
They believed their own propaganda about "the Kiev regime" and thought Zelensky would flee to the west, the army would surrender and the people would welcome them with open arms.
If so. That would explain the FSB being unhappy. Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored? At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Some thoughts on the FSB's problems from the Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov in this article:
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
Explains the total misreading of the Western reaction, too. Not convinced they understand the Chinese. Or even Venezuela. Spectacular failure of intelligence. Which is unsettling for where this goes next.
One minor aspect of the Salisbury affair was the impression given by the two FSB blokes in their 'not me guv' interview. They looked & sounded like a couple of heavies used to put the frighteners on a rival drug operation, not superagents charged with a difficult and dangerous task; the shambles they made of it suggests that was their level. I did think at the time thast Russian seceret services may now not be quite at the Karla level.
Yeah, that was pointed out at the time. A question is if it was unplanned incompetence, or whether it was "We don't give a f*** if you know it's us." by the Russians.
Given the Litvinenko poisoning was also fairly incompetent, even if it worked, I might be tempted by the former.
However, a book highlights that lots of Russians, or people linked to them, have met interesting deaths in recent years. Haven't read it though. But the following article has some:
Russia has a long history of murdering exiles/defectors - the first such cases cropped up in the 1920s in Paris. Exotic poisons figured from the start.
Andrew Lilico @andrew_lilico · 1h If it's true that Putin has committed 65% of his land forces to the invasion of Ukraine, are there any non-Ukraine territorial implications for him if they are annihilated there? Could he struggle to hold disputed territories in central or east Asia, anywhere? Or the Caucasus?
Even 33% with Yougov today would still be higher than the Tories got in 1997, 2001 and 2005, so hardly finished
I think he means out of office
I would not forecast GE24, far too many variables as this war has changed the whole narrative with parties having to address the inflation and the cost of living crisis, the sourcing of energy within the UK over a long transition to net zero, the demands on increased investment in the NHS and now defence, and all at a time when there is absolutely no money
Extraordinarily dangerous few days coming I think. WH briefing that intelligence suggests Putin is planning chemical attacks in Ukr. Could all be part of the mind games. But if he does launch one I can see the pressure on Biden and co. to do the NFZ will become too great. And then its full war. Which may suit Putin as it distracts from the smaller failing Ukr war and he can go straight to nuclear without passing 'Go'.
Let us pray his senior generals take him out before he kills us all.
Given the US and western nations did not launch strikes even on a much weaker Assad after he launched chemical weapons on Syrian rebels and hit children in a hospital, I highly doubt even the use of chemical weapons by Putin in Ukraine will lead to a western response beyond more sanctions.
You are probably right, but I think a NATO response would become more likely if Russia used CW on a massive scale.
FWIW, Russia is a party to the CWC, and destroyed its former CW stockpile under the supervision of the OPCW. (The person who was D-G of OPCW was at the meeting I was at in the UK last week). This means, at least in theory, that Russia does not have CW agents beyond the small amounts needed for defensive research.
However, of course, the USSR used the entry-into-force of the BWC to trigger its clandestine BW programme in 1975. And the novichock incidents rather indicate that they have been conducting more than defensive CW research since the CWC came into effect.
I think the talk about nuclear war is being overdone - there is a very nasty but very localised war, with no sign that anyone wants to extend it anywhere else. Because it all feels so close and 24/7 coverage is focusing on the worst scenes, it feels more End of Days than it actually is. It's horrible but it's not obviously leading to a global meltdown as some have been suggesting.
On the domestic side, some selections which show where the Opposition is initially targeting as we gear up for a possible election:
Thats fine Nick and I agree with you as far as the war currently goes. Do you think that will still be the case if NATO start bombing targets inside Russia in support of a No Fly Zone?
If Nick Palmer is right then SKS's stance (and other European opposition parties) is inexplicable. Let's say that Biden, Boris et al have cold feet at an outside risk and so take the line they do. If they were obviously wrong on the basis of confidential briefings to opposition leaders Labour would have an open goal to urge the government to back NATO in getting involved, with emotional support from the public as they watch maternity hospitals being attacked.
SKS, and others, are not. They think solidarity in the west too important + the risks of NFZ etc are too great. Sadly I think we should trust their judgement for now.
I agree (and agree with both front benches) that an NFZ would make the war no longer localised. That's why we're not doing it. As I said, I don't think either the West or Russia have any interest in spreading it. I don't follow @algarkirk's reasoning, unless you feel that NATO intervention would not bring other countries into the conflict. Of course it would - every NATO country intervening would be another country involved. If, for example, Polish air bases were used to launch attacks on Russian aircraft in an NFZ, then Russia would attack the bases, then we'd attack them in turn, and WW3 would have arrived.
But it's not happening, so the predictions that we are about to have a nuclear war are, I feel, too alarmist, and I was concerned about some of the despairing posts here. Is it a bad situation? Yes. Is the invasion a crazy aggression? Yes. Is it an impending nuclear war? No.
One thing that doesn't help is retired (and therefore now armchair) Generals providing aggressive quotes-for-cash for newsmedia clickbait.
Comments
Anything beyond that is your own fevered imagination and hatred.
My main point is that the actual volatility in the polls is less than the perception because there is a lot of shuffling between those 3 parties.
When it comes to Tory on Tory action there is a cast of thousands.
The ordinary Ukrainians caught up in this want to defend their homeland. Good for them.
As it happens I campaigned with Sillars for a couple of days in the lead up to the last referendum and while he was effective with a megaphone from an open top bus, nuance and strategy were not his strong points.
Then again, maybe by "radical" he means "not a homicidal maniac".
I miss ‘The Scottish Mafia’ slurs. Those were the days when the Tories really knew how to Jock-bash.
https://thumbsnap.com/s/kB9EQee1.jpg
They’ve managed to make the engine tiny, let’s just hope they can get enough cooling to it.
When Putin and his team and his generals devised this war, at that time, before the first cruise launch, what was their objective and exit policy?
Visegrád 24
@visegrad24
Vladimir goes to hell, but gets a day pass for good behaviour. He goes to Moscow, and drops into a bar.
He asks the barman:
-Is Crimea ours?
-Ours.
-And Donbas?
-Also ours.
-And Kiev?
-It's ours.
Satisfied, Vladimir drinks up, and asks:
-How much do I pay?
-A 100 hryvnia.
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1501883925395824641
(Incidentally, many of the chassis people *are* the old Honda chassis people, via Brawn.)
2) Make! Russia! Great! Again!
3) Steal lots from Ukraine
4) Make NATO look small, so they won't dare make any more jokes about Putin's tiny pee-pee
I think it was at that level, basically.
And the Ewings always had a special place in the hearts of true-believers (until recently).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=S0gCHFlLtuk
(Just ignore the engine and the chassis in the video. The engine they admit is an old one, and the chassis we now know was the first shakedown one, not the new chassis they are testing today).
Now send her to the back benches
Amazing how many times not having the evidence to hand or can’t be bothered crops up on here.
We are members of a political party. We haven’t exchanged marriage vows.
Why pay for spies when, at best, they are ignored?
At worst, not allowed to report their assessment.
Maybe hanging out with Donald Trump has got Putin infected with his stupidity.
There seems to be a phenomenon that people who deal with or ally with Trump become dribbling QAnon grade loons, even if they had a previous track record of being semi-house trained. I jokingly wonder whether it's a virus....
You’re usually quite good at finding headlines from years ago.
https://twitter.com/farrowbrownj13/status/1501871454857711617
JB
@farrowbrownj13
Replying to
@LDNFootbalI
Voting Labour from now on.
https://twitter.com/soulgoodman82/status/1501876515365134337
soulgoodman
@soulgoodman82
Replying to
@farrowbrownj13
and
@LDNFootbalI
dont think you had your thinking cap on mate
youtube.com
Keir Starmer asks why Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has not been hit...
The side pods are still there - just oriented the other way up to everyone else.
Anyone heard anything on this? The claim was that they could make cooling systems lighter and smaller.
- Blitzkreig move of land forces to cut off the Ukrainian army in the south, leaving the north of the country relatively undefended.
- Establish air superiority
- Elite paratroopers to take Hostomel airport by the second day, use this as a base to send kill squads into Kyiv to decapitate the Ukrainian government. Remainder of government flees to the West.
- Waltz into all other cities with the Ukrainian government in disarray
- Install Viktor Yanukovych led puppet government by end of week
- Conscript army columns along with riot police used as crowd control to establish police state and suppress any resistance.
Hasn't gone well for them, has it?
Though to be fair Putin may have just been watching too much Simpsons. https://youtu.be/z77JFw2D6f8?t=35
FYI: Leslie Evans is refusing to give evidence to Holyrood committee. On THREE MONTHS paid leave until she steps down. Condemned for discourtesy by committee chair. Didn't realise civil servants could do that. Presumably frightened about being asked questions about SalmondGate.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c38e002a-9fc8-11ec-a33b-e5ebed659a52
"They are narrow-minded people. They are not like MI6 officers who have been to Cambridge and are supposedly the cream of the crop. They have left school and been educated at the FSB academy."
Day 1 - Capture Hostomel airport and begin flying in troops and equipment. Capture Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Melitopol.
Day 2 - Capture and execute Zelenskyy as part of capture of Kyiv. Amphibious landing near Mariupol. Capture Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Day 3 - Capture Mariupol, completing land bridge to Crimea, as destruction of Ukrainian central government leads to a collapse of resistance. Armoured columns head towards Dnipro from NE and S, to encircle Ukrainian army in Donbas. Amphibious landing near Odessa to combine with column from Crimea.
Day 4 - Capture Odessa and Dnipro, cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea and dividing remaining Ukrainian forces.
Day 5 - Destroy any elements of Ukrainian army in the Donbas that continue to resist. Accept surrender of Poltava.
Day 6 - Establish puppet government in Kyiv. Announce plebiscites in southern provinces on joining Russian Federation. Capture remaining nuclear power plants near Rivne.
Day 7 - Announce ceasefire with de facto division between West Ukraine, capital Lviv, bordering NATO, and East Ukraine, bordering Belarus, Russia and Moldova/Transnistria
The cost cap means that exotic technologies can't pop up all over the place.
@mbk_center
Remember the recently detained Yelena Osipova, who survived the siege of Leningrad? She's back in action, protesting publicly in St Petersburg
"🇷🇺 soldier, drop your weapon - and you'll be a real hero!"
Banners are painted by herself.
Don't know about you, but we love her! 💙💛
https://twitter.com/mbk_center/status/1501822751031578627
Everyone assumes serious people, sitting in a serious conference room, watching a serious presentation of 500 slides about the structure and objectives of Operation Ukraine. Then solemnly, Putin signs off on the Great War Plan.
Given the chaos and stupidity on show with the execution of the "plan" - it seems to have either been non-existent or totally made up in la-la land.
I read about what went on in the Trump Whitehouse - was that what was happening in the Kremlin? Putin ignoring the professionals and cooking up something between him, his interior decorator and a mate from school?
And then came the assumptions,
And the assumptions were without form,
And the plan without substance,
And the darkness was upon the face of the workers,
And they spoke among themselves saying,
"It is a crock of shit and it stinks."
And the workers went unto their Supervisors and said,
"It is a pile of dung, and we cannot live with the smell."
And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying,
"It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong,
Such that none may abide by it."
And the Managers went unto their Directors saying,
"It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide by its strength."
And the Directors spoke among themselves saying to one another,
"It contains that which aids plants growth, and it is very strong."
And the Directors went to the Vice Presidents saying unto them,
"It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him,
"This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor
Of the company With very powerful effects."
And the President looked upon the Plan
And saw that it was good,
And the Plan became Policy.
And this, my friend, is how shit happens.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "Today's sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society. With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
"The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.
The danger for the Conservatives their own words apply respectively, not just from now the weeks, months years before Putin invaded.
Like when Labour in power, banking system crashed, they were weak to Osbornes “you should have fixed the roof when the sun was shining, rather than cuddle soon to be jailed crooked bankers” line.
Governments lose votes to opposition parties because, policies much the same, but only one was in power so they are the ones who own it?
If the reports we are hearing are true - that FSB and other professional groups were disregarded and shut out in the planning - then this would follow the pattern that has been seen, historically, in other dictatorships.
The Big Boss listens to a smaller and smaller group that is chosen on loyalty, rather than competence. Indeed, competence is often seen as dangerous in that context.
Not convinced they understand the Chinese. Or even Venezuela. Spectacular failure of intelligence.
Which is unsettling for where this goes next.
Alexander Gabuev 陳寒士@AlexGabuev🧵Two weeks ago, as Vladimir Putin was declaring his vicious war on Ukraine, he called the West an "Empire of Lies." In fact, the Kremlin's disastrous move was itself rooted in lies, misconceptions and giant lapses of expertise & intelligence. 1/
https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexGabuev/status/1501713416574193673
Some years ago, when I was young and naive, I tried lobbying my MP about creating a version of DARPA for the UK. He came back, interested. He just wanted to make some small changes.....
Instead of a spread of small projects at research level, the government should pick winners and spend billions on carrying them all the way to production.
He wanted to do DARPA - just without the DARPA......
Telegraph business blog
The Moscow mayor, for a 'new' face? The defence minister, for a continuation of Putinist policies, if not the war?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Sobyanin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Shoigu
Someone else?
Would be interested if the translation is accurate, but assuming so, and no reason to doubt, that is another sign that they are shifting position.
March 10! Somehow it is always March 10, the second week of March, the true end of winter.
Life is still shit, but, hey, spring. That's something
Given the Litvinenko poisoning was also fairly incompetent, even if it worked, I might be tempted by the former.
However, a book highlights that lots of Russians, or people linked to them, have met interesting deaths in recent years. Haven't read it though. But the following article has some:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43299598
London
Lab 55%
Con 26%
LD 11%
Grn 6%
Ref 1%
Rest of South
Con 41%
Lab 31%
LD 13%
Grn 8%
Ref 5%
Midlands/Wales
Lab 39%
Con 35%
Grn 7%
LD 7%
Ref 6%
PC 3%
North
Lab 49%
Con 28%
Grn 9%
LD 7%
Ref 3%
Scotland
SNP 44%
Con 22%
Lab 21%
Grn 6%
LD 5%
Ref 1%
(Sample Size: 1,700; Fieldwork: 8- 9 March 2022)
But it's not happening, so the predictions that we are about to have a nuclear war are, I feel, too alarmist, and I was concerned about some of the despairing posts here. Is it a bad situation? Yes. Is the invasion a crazy aggression? Yes. Is it an impending nuclear war? No.
But yes, if it wasn't for the Ukraine situation, it'd be a great day. Damn you, Putin!
Nuclear War 61% (+18%)
Global Warming 41% (-1%)
Pandemic 29% (-1%)
Meteor 25% (nc)
Volcano 18% (-5%)
Bees dying out 16% (nc)
https://twitter.com/YouGov/status/1501893049089150976?s=20&t=U5v3vnWGKdUFKBfAaHOnNA
Telegraph
Love the deadpan use of the word 'unpalatable' there. LOL
History has a million examples of this going wrong. It is extremely hard to occupy and repress sizeable countries which do not want to be occupied. Russia knows this from Afghanistan, as does the USA. Vietnam says Hello
So there must have been a fundamental misperception from the start. Vlad really believed his own propaganda that Ukraine is not a real "nation" ; Putin really thought Ukrainian identity was a mirage, and that many - most? - would welcome the Russian troops
That there's some foreign sprog that is for ever Boris
Including murdering Ukrainians - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohdan_Stashynsky murdered https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lev_Rebet and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepan_Bandera
@andrew_lilico
·
1h
If it's true that Putin has committed 65% of his land forces to the invasion of Ukraine, are there any non-Ukraine territorial implications for him if they are annihilated there? Could he struggle to hold disputed territories in central or east Asia, anywhere? Or the Caucasus?
I would not forecast GE24, far too many variables as this war has changed the whole narrative with parties having to address the inflation and the cost of living crisis, the sourcing of energy within the UK over a long transition to net zero, the demands on increased investment in the NHS and now defence, and all at a time when there is absolutely no money
FWIW, Russia is a party to the CWC, and destroyed its former CW stockpile under the supervision of the OPCW. (The person who was D-G of OPCW was at the meeting I was at in the UK last week). This means, at least in theory, that Russia does not have CW agents beyond the small amounts needed for defensive research.
However, of course, the USSR used the entry-into-force of the BWC to trigger its clandestine BW programme in 1975. And the novichock incidents rather indicate that they have been conducting more than defensive CW research since the CWC came into effect.