@SimonStClare I would imagine the BBC will want government confirmation of events before bunging it on the news.
The story is actually 18hrs old and has been covered extensively by the Telegraph and the Guardian. The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has already spoken to the PM wrt the incursion and the story has now moved on to Russia claiming it was an AID convey.
The BBC has blanked the story - simples.
It is astonishing and worrying at the tiny amount of attention in the main media on this Russia Ukraine incursion. I tuned into R4 news at 5pm opening and heard nothing. i switched to BBC News and Sky and it gets minimal mentions.
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer.......
Published 12 minutes ago - and not even on the home page of top 10 stories. Perhaps they took note of Andrew Neil's tweets and got their arses into gear?
In general it's in both Ukraine's and Russia's interest to play up events, since it portrays them as fighting the good fight to their fans. I'd be wary of anything that isn't independently confirmed.
Baldrick: The thing is: The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?
Edmund: Do you mean "Why did the war start?"
Baldrick: Yeah.
George: The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire-building.
Edmund: George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganyika. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.
George: Oh, no, sir, absolutely not. [aside, to Baldick] Mad as a bicycle!
Baldrick: I heard that it started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry.
Edmund: I think you mean it started when the Archduke of Austro-Hungary got shot.
Baldrick: Nah, there was definitely an ostrich involved, sir.
Edmund: Well, possibly. But the real reason for the whole thing was that it was too much effort not to have a war.
George: By Golly, this is interesting; I always loved history...
Edmund: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other's deterrent. That way there could never be a war.
Baldrick: But this is a sort of a war, isn't it, sir?
Edmund: Yes, that's right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.
George: What was that, sir?
Edmund: It was bollocks.
Baldrick: So the poor old ostrich died for nothing.
@SimonStClare I would imagine the BBC will want government confirmation of events before bunging it on the news.
The story is actually 18hrs old and has been covered extensively by the Telegraph and the Guardian. The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has already spoken to the PM wrt the incursion and the story has now moved on to Russia claiming it was an AID convey.
The BBC has blanked the story - simples.
It is astonishing and worrying at the tiny amount of attention in the main media on this Russia Ukraine incursion. I tuned into R4 news at 5pm opening and heard nothing. i switched to BBC News and Sky and it gets minimal mentions.
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer.......
Was 1939 or 1914 like this?
Of course, Britain and the US have never invaded another country, ever
Meanwhile on the BBC, and I apologise if this has been posted before (I've been doing all sorts of other things today) "Cliff Richard leak denied by police South Yorkshire and Thames Valley forces say they didn't tip off the BBC about search in relation to sexual abuse claim"
Thames Valley also deny they tipped off the media. So clearly South Yorks told someone, because it's beyond doubt that someone did.
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
“In the last three days a convoy of three T-64 tanks, several BM-21 or Grad multiple rocket launchers and other military vehicles crossed from Russia into Ukraine near the Ukrainian town of Snizhne,” said spokeswoman Marie Harf. “This is unacceptable.”
@SimonStClare I would imagine the BBC will want government confirmation of events before bunging it on the news.
The story is actually 18hrs old and has been covered extensively by the Telegraph and the Guardian. The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has already spoken to the PM wrt the incursion and the story has now moved on to Russia claiming it was an AID convey.
The BBC has blanked the story - simples.
It is astonishing and worrying at the tiny amount of attention in the main media on this Russia Ukraine incursion. I tuned into R4 news at 5pm opening and heard nothing. i switched to BBC News and Sky and it gets minimal mentions.
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer....... Was 1939 or 1914 like this?
Of course, Britain and the US have never invaded another country, ever
Neither country has extended their border into a neighbour for 50+ years. This is no comparison to Russia who signed up to protect the integrity of Ukraine in return for Ukraine giving up nukes. Remind me about those who say giving up nukes is a good move in the modern world?
@SimonStClare I would imagine the BBC will want government confirmation of events before bunging it on the news.
The story is actually 18hrs old and has been covered extensively by the Telegraph and the Guardian. The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has already spoken to the PM wrt the incursion and the story has now moved on to Russia claiming it was an AID convey.
The BBC has blanked the story - simples.
It is astonishing and worrying at the tiny amount of attention in the main media on this Russia Ukraine incursion. I tuned into R4 news at 5pm opening and heard nothing. i switched to BBC News and Sky and it gets minimal mentions.
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer....... Was 1939 or 1914 like this?
Of course, Britain and the US have never invaded another country, ever
Neither country has extended their border into a neighbour for 50+ years. This is no comparison to Russia who signed up to protect the integrity of Ukraine in return for Ukraine giving up nukes. Remind me about those who say giving up nukes is a good move in the modern world?
So you're saying the North Koreans should give theirs up?
First item up on ISIS and Iraq - UK to send arms. Sleeping policeman. Cliff tip off.
Nothing on Putin's soldiers visiting the bright lights across the border.
There was another incursion in June.
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
@SimonStClare I would imagine the BBC will want government confirmation of events before bunging it on the news.
The story is actually 18hrs old and has been covered extensively by the Telegraph and the Guardian. The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, has already spoken to the PM wrt the incursion and the story has now moved on to Russia claiming it was an AID convey.
The BBC has blanked the story - simples.
It is astonishing and worrying at the tiny amount of attention in the main media on this Russia Ukraine incursion. I tuned into R4 news at 5pm opening and heard nothing. i switched to BBC News and Sky and it gets minimal mentions.
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer....... Was 1939 or 1914 like this?
Of course, Britain and the US have never invaded another country, ever
Neither country has extended their border into a neighbour for 50+ years. This is no comparison to Russia who signed up to protect the integrity of Ukraine in return for Ukraine giving up nukes. Remind me about those who say giving up nukes is a good move in the modern world?
So you're saying the North Koreans should give theirs up?
Avast Cap'n Doc! As an Englishman, I say of course North Korea should give up any nuclear programme (I don't believe the actually have a deliverable weapon system yet). The country is run by a thirty-something nutter of a meglomaniac who might actually use them, or even worse given them to an organisation like ISIS. If I were one of the elitle in Pyongyang, I would say North Korea should push ahead with its programme to develop a nuclear weapon that can be delivered anywhere in the world and do so as quickly as possible because nuclear weapons are our defence against being taken down. If I was a North Korean peasant I'd say, "Can I have enough food for my family, please"
It is all a matter of perspective and self-interest.
Total economic hostilities - of the kind that might "deter" Putin - would crush the German and EU economies, when they are already dreadfully feeble, because any remaining confidence, such as there is, would be wiped out. People would hunker down. Deflation would become entrenched. Investment would collapse.
That would mean millions more unemployed, bigger and nastier deficits. Ain't gonna happen. I hope.
The thing is Sean, sometimes you have to do something and worry about the consequences later. Allowing Putin to run riot in Eastern Europe and annex land from a sovereign nation deserves a tough response regardless of the consequences. The problem we have is that the Germans are so dependent on German gas and Merkel is unwilling to put her people through even the slightest amount of hardship that Putin has carte blanche do as he pleases without provoking a reaction. Pur foreign policy has turned into a joke with Islamists in the Middle East able to rum riot for weeks and months killing and beheading non-Muslims before the US intervene (note that our PM was too weak to recall Parliament and defend minorities in Iraq). Putin can annex as much of Ukraine as he wishes without worrying. Western power is valued at an all time low because of thos idiotic EU soft-power obsession and trying to make former enemies into customers or suppliers without realising that China and Russia would be more than willing to put their people through almost any kind of hardship to support foreign policy goals.
The west has become soft and flabby, too attached to our material wealth and niceties, and the governments are too scared to tell people that this is not sustainable in the face of foreign aggressors like Putin and ISIL.
Pity his ideas have no chance of being adopted, they after all only a variation of what was proposed by a parliamentary committee in the 1870s. But still Luke 15:7 and all that. One day we might get there.
In general it's in both Ukraine's and Russia's interest to play up events, since it portrays them as fighting the good fight to their fans. I'd be wary of anything that isn't independently confirmed.
If everybodys wants to do a grand wag-the-dog style fake war to keep the nationalists and nutjobs happy instead of having a real one I'm happy to help out with made-up eyewitness reports.
Russian T-90 tanks now trundling down Danziger Strasse, one broken down and blocking the bicycle lane just past Frankfurter Tor. Please RT.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Also it's quite funny that we threaten sanctions and whatnot with Russia but not the despicable Saudis that are most responsible for Al Qaeda, ISIS etc.
The two British medical students who were senselessly murdered in Borneo last month have been awarded honorary degrees by their university. - a pleasant gesture to their families, but such a waste of two fine young men.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Max, I think Iraq, Afghanistan post 2006 and Libya demonstrated to the world two things:
1. The west couldn't give a toss about the UN and international law. Whoever has the might can do want they want.
2. The West has no stomach for to really fight for what it says are its interests or friends. Cause enough casualties and the West will run away (this is of course an old lesson dating back to the sixties but we repeat it every so often just so it doesn't get forgotten).
People like Putin have learned from our behaviour.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Ukraine are saying that they have destroyed an incursion of Russian vehicles last night with artillery. I also read that the largest oil company in Russia wants a $45 billion govt loan. Many other companies are queuing up for bail outs. The notion that Putin 'has won' is a bit tenuous.
I think this Ukrainian statement is as believable as all their other claims.
Personally I would like to the see British government withdraw the substantial financial support we are providing the Kiev government until the ceasefire, previously negotiated with Russia and Europe, is implemented. US backed NGOs and 'advisers' should leave. Crimea should be recognised as part of Russia with financial reparations duly paid. Finally Ukraine should be declared a non aligned country, not allowed to join NATO ala Finland, Austria etc. as well as referendums held in the East to see how they view their future rather than their currently being shelled by heavy weaponry. Close to 1 million refugees the UN have indicated.
Quite why we are supporting the US and their bizarre drive to isolate Russia and have Ukraine join NATO I do not know. It is Europe who are paying the price.
Also it's quite funny that we threaten sanctions and whatnot with Russia but not the despicable Saudis that are most responsible for Al Qaeda, ISIS etc.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Ukraine are saying that they have destroyed an incursion of Russian vehicles last night with artillery. I also read that the largest oil company in Russia wants a $45 billion govt loan. Many other companies are queuing up for bail outs. The notion that Putin 'has won' is a bit tenuous.
If true then Ukraine will have the exact coordinates of the wreckage as those are the coordinates their artillery must have been firing at.
The reality is the campaign in the East is increasingly unpopular in Ukraine, the banking system is bankrupt, the economy has collapsed (Russia's grew 0.8% last quarter), there is no money and conscription has had to be imposed.
The war in the East is being fought by using heavy weapons such as artillery and the airforce shelling urban, civilian populated areas, to soften up the rebels but the actual fighting is being done by thugs, paramilitary Neo Nazi types like the Right Sector and the Azov unit, criminals and football hooligans. Just as in the Balkan wars of the 1990s were largely fought not by draftees or normal volunteers as the various Balkan governments had a hard time getting the average young man to show up even when he was conscripted. These 'soldiers' might like fighting but they aren't professional and have a propensity to commit atrocities.
If the Russian military, professionals with extensive combat experience and well equipped, did get involved then they would wipe the floor with the Ukrainian forces.
Various comments on Ukraine. Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save. Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Ukraine are saying that they have destroyed an incursion of Russian vehicles last night with artillery. I also read that the largest oil company in Russia wants a $45 billion govt loan. Many other companies are queuing up for bail outs. The notion that Putin 'has won' is a bit tenuous.
If true then Ukraine will have the exact coordinates of the wreckage as those are the coordinates their artillery must have been firing at.
Yes? Meantime of course the Russians deny the column exists so is hardly going to war over its phantom destruction. You pays your money.
"Ukraine applied to join the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2008.[2][3] On December 3, 2008 NATO decided it will work out an Annual National Programme of providing assistance to Ukraine to implement reforms required to accede the alliance without referring to MAP.[4] Plans for Ukrainian membership to NATO were shelved by Ukraine following the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election in which Viktor Yanukovych was elected President.[5] President Yanukovych opted to keep Ukraine a non-aligned state."
Madness is expending any time or effort investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
Why should I care if one dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy annexes part of another dodgy Eurasian quasi-democracy, especially when there is strong evidence that bits of the country being annexed rather want to be annexed.
Ukraine is full of bad guys, so is Russia. I see no black and white here. As things stand it's not worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier, nor a crash in the London property market. Putin will not threaten us.
ISIS is different. They are evil, they are genocidal, they are a mortal danger to us, and we have the means to stop them. So we should.
OK off for a drink. What a fecking summer!
It sets a poor precedent. Putin has called our bluff and won. Our foreign policy is worth nothing. We are weak and have been beaten by an ex-KGB thug. Doesn't bode well for any future conflict with the Islamic State...
Ukraine are saying that they have destroyed an incursion of Russian vehicles last night with artillery. I also read that the largest oil company in Russia wants a $45 billion govt loan. Many other companies are queuing up for bail outs. The notion that Putin 'has won' is a bit tenuous.
If true then Ukraine will have the exact coordinates of the wreckage as those are the coordinates their artillery must have been firing at.
Yes? Meantime of course the Russians deny the column exists so is hardly going to war over its phantom destruction. You pays your money.
Poroshenko says there was an armored column destroyed by Ukraine artillery so it will be easy to prove as if their artillery shelled it they will have the precise map coordinates.
Madness is expending any time or effort investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
Proven investigations into how VIP or MP child abuse in the past was covered up as a matter of standard practise will change the balance of believability for victims in the future.
"Yanukovich fled Ukraine amid the Euromaidan uprising in February 2014. As a result of this revolution, the interim Yatsenyuk Government came to power in Ukraine.[58] The Yatsenyuk Government has stated it does not have the intention of making Ukraine a member of NATO"
Sorry Mr. Flag I might be missing something but that article you quoted mentions no drive to get Ukraine to join NATO.
Ukraine applied to join the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2008, however plans have not moved forward over the interim 5 years due to public opinion. A poll showed NATO was regarded as a threat by 40% - Since the Russian conflict however, public support for Ukrainian membership in NATO has risen greatly. As of June 2014, nearly 50% of those asked voice support.
No plans afoot as far as I’m aware, but that could change in light of recent events.
Madness is expending any time or effort on investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
It is not madness.
Without assuming any guilt against Cliff Richard or anyone else:
Some people are still affected by abuse decades later. It is pernicious - they survived the original event, but live with the consequences. Sometimes with people they see their abuser in the street, or on their TV screens.
Are you saying that those victims do not deserve justice?
Even better, such investigations tells people who might just be thinking of abusing their position today, that their actions will cast a long shadow not just in the lives of their victims, but also their own. That may directly help prevent other offences.
Madness would be saying that someone should not be investigated because they are too famous, or it was too long ago. That mindset would have seen Clifford, Harris and Hall still on the streets, and directly allowed Saville to escape worldly justice.
Various comments on Ukraine. Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save. Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Donbass is most of the Ukrainian economy, the IMF loans are dependent on them taking it. For Russia these are Russians so must be protected.
Again it seems most , except Kiev with their Lvov backers and the US, would be happy to federalise with the East given substantial autonomy. Putin would like to also know why federalisation is not acceptable.
Madness is expending any time or effort investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
Officialdom always goes for the soft and easy option; for anything really difficult they keep on doing risk assessments until either the problem has gone away, or someone else has solved it or it is then too late to do anything anyway.
If you've been following the fighting you'll know Poroshenko has a habit of announcing victories before they happen so it's also possible there was a Russian convoy taking supplies to the rebels in Ukraine - man-portable anti-tank weapons for example as they get through them pretty fast* - and Poroshenko simply added the destruction bit.
(*although why they'd not use civilian trucks for that i don't know)
Thanks for that Mr. St Clare. Frankly NATO would be loopy to accept Ukraine as a member even if it asked, it would be utter insanity to come up with some secret-squirrel plan to get it on board.
NATO has already destroyed what tatters of credibility it had left by expanding Eastwards from the original states. Does anyone seriously expect that Western Europe would go to war to protect Poland? After all we did that once and it didn't work out well. Then there is the fiasco of the NATO deployment in Afghanistan, which simply proved what many suspected - that not all NATO countries are prepared to fight, and those that do will run away if they suffer too many casualties.
Various comments on Ukraine. Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save. Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Donbass is most of the Ukrainian economy, the IMF loans are dependent on them taking it. For Russia these are Russians so must be protected.
Again it seems most , except Kiev with their Lvov backers and the US, would be happy to federalise with the East given substantial autonomy. Putin would like to also know why federalisation is not acceptable.
Various comments on Ukraine. Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save. Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Donbass is most of the Ukrainian economy, the IMF loans are dependent on them taking it. For Russia these are Russians so must be protected.
Again it seems most , except Kiev with their Lvov backers and the US, would be happy to federalise with the East given substantial autonomy. Putin would like to also know why federalisation is not acceptable.
Coal, which is getting more expensive to extract. Its also very poluted. http://www.dw.de/the-significance-of-the-donbas/a-17567049 ''The Donbas is Ukraine's industrial heartland. But its coal-based economy is a heavily-subsidized millstone for Ukraine, not a powerhouse, no matter how important its arms exports might be to the Russian military. ''
None of which precludes swapping around borders. It won't happen, of course I know that. But what are lives worth?
Madness is expending any time or effort investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
I thought you were saying Suggs & co were part of the instigating team
Sorry Mr. Flag I might be missing something but that article you quoted mentions no drive to get Ukraine to join NATO.
When he says 'do your own research' I think that is a pointer to the fact that he was talking rubbish. I think its much the same when he pretrends that most of Ukraine want to give in to russia
Madness is expending any time or effort investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine.
I thought you were saying Suggs & co were part of the instigating team
First item up on ISIS and Iraq - UK to send arms. Sleeping policeman. Cliff tip off.
Nothing on Putin's soldiers visiting the bright lights across the border.
There was another incursion in June.
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
And there have been regular incursions by the Ukrainians into Russia, as well as stray shells that have caused more than one Russian civilian death. To which the Russians have been models of decorum -compared to when Turkey was struck by (almost certainly rebel) shells and retaliated by bombing Syrian targets for days, or when shells strayed into Israeli Golan and they did the same. None of which seems to have made the LA Times.
Ooops, Bloody Gove does it again, his term in education was an unmitigated disaster, unless you happened to be a bright child in a crap area:
"For the first time in 32 years, the overall pass rate for A-levels has dropped, and the percentage of those achieving an A* or A grade has also dipped slightly. One part of the country that has bucked the national trend is Newham. And in particular, the borough’s London Academy of Excellence – a brand new sixth form free school.
Just under two years ago, this sixth form opened its doors to students in one of the most deprived boroughs in the country for the first time. Set up by a coalition of eight leading independent schools – including Eton, Highgate and Brighton College amongst their number – its goal was a straightforward one: to improve the record of university entry in the borough.
And it was a pretty low base. In 2010, just three children in Newham secured a place at Oxford or Cambridge. Yesterday four students from LAE secured their places at Oxbridge. In 2011, only 39 children in Newham secured places at Russell Group universities. This year the figure from LAW alone was 68."
No wonder the educational establishment hate him so much.
Ooops, Bloody Gove does it again, his term in education was an unmitigated disaster, unless you happened to be a bright child in a crap area:
"For the first time in 32 years, the overall pass rate for A-levels has dropped, and the percentage of those achieving an A* or A grade has also dipped slightly. One part of the country that has bucked the national trend is Newham. And in particular, the borough’s London Academy of Excellence – a brand new sixth form free school.
Just under two years ago, this sixth form opened its doors to students in one of the most deprived boroughs in the country for the first time. Set up by a coalition of eight leading independent schools – including Eton, Highgate and Brighton College amongst their number – its goal was a straightforward one: to improve the record of university entry in the borough.
And it was a pretty low base. In 2010, just three children in Newham secured a place at Oxford or Cambridge. Yesterday four students from LAE secured their places at Oxbridge. In 2011, only 39 children in Newham secured places at Russell Group universities. This year the figure from LAW alone was 68."
No wonder the educational establishment hate him so much.
The overall pass rate for A Levels dropped by only 0.1% . The kids are taking more "traditional" subjects such as mathematics. Many regard Gove's reforms as bearing good fruit (except those who want to criticise anyway).
(imo) The main reason the rebels in Ukraine have been losing much slower than they ought to given the odds is because the rebel side is full of bods like this. Donbass is West Virginia with anti-tank weapons.
"Madness is expending any time or effort on investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine."
Round up the usual suspects. You wouldn't want anyone taking the South Yorkshire police force seriously would you?
First item up on ISIS and Iraq - UK to send arms. Sleeping policeman. Cliff tip off.
Nothing on Putin's soldiers visiting the bright lights across the border.
There was another incursion in June.
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
And there have been regular incursions by the Ukrainians into Russia, as well as stray shells that have caused more than one Russian civilian death. To which the Russians have been models of decorum -compared to when Turkey was struck by (almost certainly rebel) shells and retaliated by bombing Syrian targets for days, or when shells strayed into Israeli Golan and they did the same. None of which seems to have made the LA Times.
Russians models of decorum? Some, including kippers, would support Putin even if he tried to invade Britain. An enemy of the EU is their friend. The EU is a basket-case but we should have a sense of proportion.
Various comments on Ukraine. Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save. Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Donbass is most of the Ukrainian economy, the IMF loans are dependent on them taking it. For Russia these are Russians so must be protected.
Again it seems most , except Kiev with their Lvov backers and the US, would be happy to federalise with the East given substantial autonomy. Putin would like to also know why federalisation is not acceptable.
Federalisation may or may not be acceptable but it should be arranged by negotiation, not by Russian force of arms.
The overall pass rate for A Levels dropped by only 0.1% . The kids are taking more "traditional" subjects such as mathematics. Many regard Gove's reforms as bearing good fruit (except those who want to criticise anyway).
Indeed and many of those will be horrified by a free school in Newham which recruits from the most deprived postcodes in the borough actually out performed Millfield and other £30K a year public schools.
Its easy to see why the educational establishment hates Gove and why they want free schools abolished. If bright poor kids get a good education and fulfil their potential, where does that leave the educational theories they have been pushing for the past fifty years?
Comments
Staggering.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28810622
BBC News at present is dwelling on the killing of a black guy in USA. PM on R4 is dwelling on mental health matters and the lack of a police mental health officer.......
Was 1939 or 1914 like this?
The Causes of WWI
Baldrick: The thing is: The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?
Edmund: Do you mean "Why did the war start?"
Baldrick: Yeah.
George: The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire-building.
Edmund: George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganyika. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.
George: Oh, no, sir, absolutely not. [aside, to Baldick] Mad as a bicycle!
Baldrick: I heard that it started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry.
Edmund: I think you mean it started when the Archduke of Austro-Hungary got shot.
Baldrick: Nah, there was definitely an ostrich involved, sir.
Edmund: Well, possibly. But the real reason for the whole thing was that it was too much effort not to have a war.
George: By Golly, this is interesting; I always loved history...
Edmund: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other's deterrent. That way there could never be a war.
Baldrick: But this is a sort of a war, isn't it, sir?
Edmund: Yes, that's right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.
George: What was that, sir?
Edmund: It was bollocks.
Baldrick: So the poor old ostrich died for nothing.
"Cliff Richard leak denied by police
South Yorkshire and Thames Valley forces say they didn't tip off the BBC about search in relation to sexual abuse claim"
Thames Valley also deny they tipped off the media. So clearly South Yorks told someone, because it's beyond doubt that someone did.
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-ukrainian-forces-mariupol-rebels-20140613-story.html
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
“In the last three days a convoy of three T-64 tanks, several BM-21 or Grad multiple rocket launchers and other military vehicles crossed from Russia into Ukraine near the Ukrainian town of Snizhne,” said spokeswoman Marie Harf. “This is unacceptable.”
Pssst: BlackAdder is a TV comedy show, not a history documentary.
First item up on ISIS and Iraq - UK to send arms.
Sleeping policeman.
Cliff tip off.
Nothing on Putin's soldiers visiting the bright lights across the border.
Baldrick's version seems as good as any of the other ones I have read.
In Washington, meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed a report from Ukrainian officials this week that tanks had crossed into their territory from Russia.
“In the last three days a convoy of three T-64 tanks, several BM-21 or Grad multiple rocket launchers and other military vehicles crossed from Russia into Ukraine near the Ukrainian town of Snizhne,” said spokeswoman Marie Harf. “This is unacceptable.”
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-ukrainian-forces-mariupol-rebels-20140613-story.html
If a Russian armored column existed and was destroyed by Ukraine artillery
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ukraine-russia-parry-russian-aid-convoy-24983163
then they'll know the exact coordinates of the wreckage.
If there's no wreckage then then the story was concocted as a pretext for if/when the humanitarian convoy in the white trucks crosses the border.
It is all a matter of perspective and self-interest.
Else.
The west has become soft and flabby, too attached to our material wealth and niceties, and the governments are too scared to tell people that this is not sustainable in the face of foreign aggressors like Putin and ISIL.
I did read somewhere that it was an emu and not an ostrich, but the sources were suspect.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/11034052/We-desperately-need-to-restructure-our-whole-education-model.html
Pity his ideas have no chance of being adopted, they after all only a variation of what was proposed by a parliamentary committee in the 1870s. But still Luke 15:7 and all that. One day we might get there.
Russian T-90 tanks now trundling down Danziger Strasse, one broken down and blocking the bicycle lane just past Frankfurter Tor. Please RT.
1. The west couldn't give a toss about the UN and international law. Whoever has the might can do want they want.
2. The West has no stomach for to really fight for what it says are its interests or friends. Cause enough casualties and the West will run away (this is of course an old lesson dating back to the sixties but we repeat it every so often just so it doesn't get forgotten).
People like Putin have learned from our behaviour.
Personally I would like to the see British government withdraw the substantial financial support we are providing the Kiev government until the ceasefire, previously negotiated with Russia and Europe, is implemented. US backed NGOs and 'advisers' should leave. Crimea should be recognised as part of Russia with financial reparations duly paid. Finally Ukraine should be declared a non aligned country, not allowed to join NATO ala Finland, Austria etc. as well as referendums held in the East to see how they view their future rather than their currently being shelled by heavy weaponry. Close to 1 million refugees the UN have indicated.
Quite why we are supporting the US and their bizarre drive to isolate Russia and have Ukraine join NATO I do not know. It is Europe who are paying the price.
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/06/isis-saudi-arabia-iraq-syria-bandar/373181/
Now people with the sh!ts...
Good grief!
Is there a drive to get the Ukraine to join NATO? I have not heard of one. Could you provide a source, please?
The war in the East is being fought by using heavy weapons such as artillery and the airforce shelling urban, civilian populated areas, to soften up the rebels but the actual fighting is being done by thugs, paramilitary Neo Nazi types like the Right Sector and the Azov unit, criminals and football hooligans. Just as in the Balkan wars of the 1990s were largely fought not by draftees or normal volunteers as the various Balkan governments had a hard time getting the average young man to show up even when he was conscripted. These 'soldiers' might like fighting but they aren't professional and have a propensity to commit atrocities.
If the Russian military, professionals with extensive combat experience and well equipped, did get involved then they would wipe the floor with the Ukrainian forces.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/apr/23/project-syndicate-robert-skidelsky-kennan-revenge-russia-ukraine
Reading through the reports its Russian vehicles which have been shelled not Russian 'forces'. Putin does not have much face to save.
Clearly Russia are supplying vehicles etc all the time and Ukraine are trying to destroy them and the rebels all the time. Quite why east Ukraine is worth all this blood for is a mystery. Why can't they simply realign the border swapping around a bit and moving people. Harsh but it keeps them alive.
As for the Russian aid convoy many of the trucks which have been checked on the border are empty. Now there's a funny thing.
Meantime of course the Russians deny the column exists so is hardly going to war over its phantom destruction.
You pays your money.
"Ukraine applied to join the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2008.[2][3] On December 3, 2008 NATO decided it will work out an Annual National Programme of providing assistance to Ukraine to implement reforms required to accede the alliance without referring to MAP.[4] Plans for Ukrainian membership to NATO were shelved by Ukraine following the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election in which Viktor Yanukovych was elected President.[5] President Yanukovych opted to keep Ukraine a non-aligned state."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine–NATO_relations#Euromaidan_and_beyond
"Yanukovich fled Ukraine amid the Euromaidan uprising in February 2014. As a result of this revolution, the interim Yatsenyuk Government came to power in Ukraine.[58] The Yatsenyuk Government has stated it does not have the intention of making Ukraine a member of NATO"
although
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/ukraine-may-ask-us-congress-for-non-nato-ally-status-to-help-solve-security-issues-says-poroshenko-357234.html
No plans afoot as far as I’m aware, but that could change in light of recent events.
Without assuming any guilt against Cliff Richard or anyone else:
Some people are still affected by abuse decades later. It is pernicious - they survived the original event, but live with the consequences. Sometimes with people they see their abuser in the street, or on their TV screens.
Are you saying that those victims do not deserve justice?
Even better, such investigations tells people who might just be thinking of abusing their position today, that their actions will cast a long shadow not just in the lives of their victims, but also their own. That may directly help prevent other offences.
Madness would be saying that someone should not be investigated because they are too famous, or it was too long ago. That mindset would have seen Clifford, Harris and Hall still on the streets, and directly allowed Saville to escape worldly justice.
Again it seems most , except Kiev with their Lvov backers and the US, would be happy to federalise with the East given substantial autonomy. Putin would like to also know why federalisation is not acceptable.
Shame the journalists witnessed them crossing then really.
(*although why they'd not use civilian trucks for that i don't know)
NATO has already destroyed what tatters of credibility it had left by expanding Eastwards from the original states. Does anyone seriously expect that Western Europe would go to war to protect Poland? After all we did that once and it didn't work out well. Then there is the fiasco of the NATO deployment in Afghanistan, which simply proved what many suspected - that not all NATO countries are prepared to fight, and those that do will run away if they suffer too many casualties.
http://www.dw.de/the-significance-of-the-donbas/a-17567049
''The Donbas is Ukraine's industrial heartland. But its coal-based economy is a heavily-subsidized millstone for Ukraine, not a powerhouse, no matter how important its arms exports might be to the Russian military. ''
None of which precludes swapping around borders. It won't happen, of course I know that. But what are lives worth?
I think its much the same when he pretrends that most of Ukraine want to give in to russia
"For the first time in 32 years, the overall pass rate for A-levels has dropped, and the percentage of those achieving an A* or A grade has also dipped slightly. One part of the country that has bucked the national trend is Newham. And in particular, the borough’s London Academy of Excellence – a brand new sixth form free school.
Just under two years ago, this sixth form opened its doors to students in one of the most deprived boroughs in the country for the first time. Set up by a coalition of eight leading independent schools – including Eton, Highgate and Brighton College amongst their number – its goal was a straightforward one: to improve the record of university entry in the borough.
And it was a pretty low base. In 2010, just three children in Newham secured a place at Oxford or Cambridge. Yesterday four students from LAE secured their places at Oxbridge. In 2011, only 39 children in Newham secured places at Russell Group universities. This year the figure from LAW alone was 68."
No wonder the educational establishment hate him so much.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/08/what-two-years-and-a-free-school-can-do-for-exam-results/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvPEmzcVMqk&list=UUrwsRZxt-PCh_8Y7e5ZZWCg
"Madness is expending any time or effort on investigating Cliff Richard in the 1980s rather than facing up to current potential dangers such as Ebola, ISIS, Ukraine."
Round up the usual suspects. You wouldn't want anyone taking the South Yorkshire police force seriously would you?
Its easy to see why the educational establishment hates Gove and why they want free schools abolished. If bright poor kids get a good education and fulfil their potential, where does that leave the educational theories they have been pushing for the past fifty years?