Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
It's only the tory party it's not like cutting up your Tescos card or anything drastic.
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
I'd advise you not to listen to Adam Finn on the radio if you're in favour of maximum vaccination.
The data on vaccine waning isn't looking good, before we consider that current vaccines don't reduce transmission if a vaccinated individual gets infected.
The presumption (and vs alpha), it was nearly impossible for a break through infected individual to pass it on, so the virus would quickly run out of people.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
Chile was an ally of the UK in the Falklands War, so we would just go to Santiago
Depends, of course, on which side of the Drake Passage the ship starts. If it's in the Pacific, fine; if not about the nearest friendly port is Port Stanley and, I stand to be corrected, but I don't THINK that's really suitable.
It's irrelevant anyway as the UK would never risk a carrier around Cape Horn. They are bringing HMS QE back the long way from the Western Pacific rather than do that.
Yes; notorious stretch of water. Still amazes me that clipper ships went that way, apart from wind direction.
This is a curious thread. It seems much of the West wants simultaneously the US to be the worlds sole policeman but also resents it playing that role. No wonder the US pivots between playing it and stepping back every other generation.
Like it or not, the world will always have hegemonic powers, and for all its flaws, the USA has been more benign than any other hegemonic power in history.
Plainly, the UK has nothing like the resources to be a hegemonic power, and the European nations definitely don’t have the will to be, collectively. But we should at least be boosting our defence expenditure, to something like 3% of GDP.
Bung up inheritance tax. That’ll delight the base.
WRT IHT, one can just let rising property prices do the work of dragging more estates into the net. Or alternatively, cut the rates, but abolish most exemptions and reliefs. In reality, it's the most painless of taxes.
Lovely to know that all that hard-earned wealth mum and dad built up over their lifetimes is going to be spaffed up the wall by The Clown and his little care assistants.
IHT is a rounding error.
It raises about £5bn a year. That is approx 0.6% of UK Govt tax raised.
By comparison £30bn a year is spaffed each year on making house price rises into free money for the house owners.
Not taxing something is not the same as spending. And residential property stamp duty in a normal year raises over £15bn, so you need to rework your numbers.
The loss of £30bn a year that should be in the Treasury's bank account is exactly the same, unfortunately.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
Chile was an ally of the UK in the Falklands War, so we would just go to Santiago
Santiago that's c.3000km up from the Horn and 50km inland? Lol.
Edit: the pro beat me to it
Or further south, Chile goes right down to the Horn after all.
Not that there is much likelihood the Queen Elizabeth would be sailing around South America anyway, even if on occasion it goes to Port Stanley as a show of force
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
Given you’re a sensible commenter on such matters, unlike a few here, and not given to overly melodramatic twaddle why do you say that about winter ?
Vaccines are being updated and we have been told they can be tweaked. Be interesting to know how it is going.
The data is showing significant waning of protection after 6 months and double whammy that a break through infected individual is just as infectious as an unvaccinated person. Both of these factors weren't true / thought to be true vs original or alpha variant.
Add on the start point for the winter will be fairly high levels of covid in society, as we have seen during the low season, i.e. summer + schools out, the background level of covid aren't disappearing like last year.
We keep being told the vaccines can be tweaked, but it doesn't seem we will get them this winter (MaxPB knows a lot more about this than me).
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not as good, in terms of sorting everything out, as the Treaty of Vienna, then.
I sometimes wish I'd done History instead of Pharmacy!
The Washington Naval treaty worked just fine.
The demented fascists in Japan & Germany then started a war. Because they really, really wanted one.
Which released the US (in particular) from limits on naval construction. Which then built enough ships to pound the various members of the Axis into the sea bottom.
For a start, I would like to know how many interpreters etc (plus families) each country was involved with in Afghanistan.
I cannot find even vague estimates of this online - anyone?
The last significant number of troops from an EU nation in Afghanistan were Poland who left in 2011. So not many would be my guess.
There were 1300 Germans in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission in February this year according to Wikipedia.
In June German foreign minister Heiko Maas said Germany would have to give visas to 20000 people if they included not only those who worked for the German military, but also those who worked for German aid agencies etc.
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
Given you’re a sensible commenter on such matters, unlike a few here, and not given to overly melodramatic twaddle why do you say that about winter ?
Vaccines are being updated and we have been told they can be tweaked. Be interesting to know how it is going.
The data is showing significant waning of protection after 6 months and double whammy that a break through infected individual is just as infectious as an unvaccinated person. Both of these factors weren't true / thought to be true vs original or alpha variant.
We keep being told the vaccines can be tweaked, but it doesn't seem we will get them this winter (MaxPB knows a lot more about this than me).
Hence the boosters this autumn I guess.
Vaccines are tweaked, the flu jab is tweaked every year.
I wonder if it is just the Pfizer one that wanes or all of them.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
Given the option that a vote for A N Other gives Trump the Presidency, I wouldn't read too much into that poll. Surprisingly close otherwise under the circumstances.
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
Given you’re a sensible commenter on such matters, unlike a few here, and not given to overly melodramatic twaddle why do you say that about winter ?
Vaccines are being updated and we have been told they can be tweaked. Be interesting to know how it is going.
The data is showing significant waning of protection after 6 months and double whammy that a break through infected individual is just as infectious as an unvaccinated person. Both of these factors weren't true / thought to be true vs original or alpha variant.
We keep being told the vaccines can be tweaked, but it doesn't seem we will get them this winter (MaxPB knows a lot more about this than me).
Hence the boosters this autumn I guess.
Vaccines are tweaked, the flu jab is tweaked every year.
I wonder if it is just the Pfizer one that wanes or all of them.
My understanding is the ones ordered for the autumn are the same formulation.
The data appears to show that Pfizer appears the wane more rapidly than AZN, but AZN starts at a lower level of protection.
The most worrying data was from the ZOE app on this, it didn't look good at all. Previously we had put Israel being worse due to statistical anomalies and 3 week dosing strategy. But ZOE is obviously UK only.
Interestingly there is some indication that Moderna is the total package, highest levels of protection and less drop off.
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
Its very possible that its better to come into contact with Delta now than in a few months.
Especially for those who had the diminishingly effective Pfizer.
I'd suggest a masks off campaign but the masks most people wear, often incorrectly, aren't going to keep out Delta in any case.
Exactly right on Masks. Most are pretty ineffective. Just badly fitting pieces of cloth poorly covering the nose and mouth. Rcs1000 talked about processes and standards to get outcomes earlier. Well we have all been told to wear masks but never been told which types, which designs or how to wear them. They just give people a false sense of security.
I sad earlier in the week my wife and I both have Covid. Diagnosed the start of the week. We both are pretty glad to have it now. We will get it sometime so now is a better time than in the winter.
I've backed Biden for the nomination a 2.9 and sold him for the presidency at 4.6 this morning.
The implied 1.58 feels too short right now.
Depends if they pay out on the result or the big lie!
Both with Smarkets, I'm betting at Betfair also but more to lay also-rans (DeSantis currently) there rather than directly back Biden. Backing Biden at Betfair for the presidency isn't something I've done yet based off their nonsense in the previous election.
Ben Wallace on R4 stoutly defends Raab - "a phone call on Friday would not have made a blind bit of difference".
Well that clears that up.
Raab clearly was wrong, but also Biden was on holiday and took days to appear, and just as a matter of interest UVDL seems to have disappeared altogether.
Has anyone heard from the EU who I understand now have a problem of refugees crossing into the EU from Belarus
As the EU does not have any skin in the game in Afghanistan what specifically do you think she failed to do?
One of the biggest security crisis in the world and you try to excuse the EU from any responsibility takes the biscuit
How many EU members were involved in Afghanistan by the way and more importantly just how many EU countries are going to accept refugees, how is the commission going to organise that, and how are they going to deal with the mass arrival of Afghans at their borders
Lol - the EU member states who were involved in Afghanistan were involved as NATO members, not as EU members. Same as us. The EU is not in Afghanistan. Are you saying that prior to Brexit the UK PM/Defence secretary should have deferred to the EU commission with regards to our military?
Laughable. I know you want to try and find a pro-Brexit angle, but really. As for refugees, check the number taken by non-UK EU states, then how many we have. For all that we have this "crisis" of migration we take far less than France or Germany. As you well know.
How many Afghan refugees from this crisis has each member state of the EU declared they will accept
You could start with France
I'm struggling with the logic here. The British had no say in the twenty year operation as they were just gofers for the Americans but did it to maintain our special relationship as America's 'Top Poodle' ......
........but those European countries 'shackled to the EU' who chose to have nothing to do with it should now clean up the mess?
Are you serious?
Most EU countries were involved in Afghanistan in some form or other and are you suggesting that on humanitarian grounds alone, the EU should turn its back on the dispossessed from Afghanistan
I am saying no such thing. We left the EU because we wanted our sovereignty back and what that includes is taking responsibility for our own actions.
We have just broken ties with our most reliable friends and allies. We better learn to deal with it because from now on we have little choice.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
Chile was an ally of the UK in the Falklands War, so we would just go to Santiago
Depends, of course, on which side of the Drake Passage the ship starts. If it's in the Pacific, fine; if not about the nearest friendly port is Port Stanley and, I stand to be corrected, but I don't THINK that's really suitable.
It's irrelevant anyway as the UK would never risk a carrier around Cape Horn. They are bringing HMS QE back the long way from the Western Pacific rather than do that.
Yes; notorious stretch of water. Still amazes me that clipper ships went that way, apart from wind direction.
My wife and I crossed it, and throughout the 48 hours in storm force 10, and eating a full breakfast unsurprisingly almost alone in the dining room
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
That’s got to be correct. He has been around long enough for voters to know his strengths and flaws.
Looks like we need updated vaccines ASAP.....winter is going to be bad.
Its very possible that its better to come into contact with Delta now than in a few months.
Especially for those who had the diminishingly effective Pfizer.
I'd suggest a masks off campaign but the masks most people wear, often incorrectly, aren't going to keep out Delta in any case.
Exactly right on Masks. Most are pretty ineffective. Just badly fitting pieces of cloth poorly covering the nose and mouth. Rcs1000 talked about processes and standards to get outcomes earlier. Well we have all been told to wear masks but never been told which types, which designs or how to wear them. They just give people a false sense of security.
I sad earlier in the week my wife and I both have Covid. Diagnosed the start of the week. We both are pretty glad to have it now. We will get it sometime so now is a better time than in the winter.
It was always debatable quite how much different masks make in the real world, especially cloth ones that people spend half the time pulling up, but verus delta even more so. You need a proper fitting FFP3 one. I personally have a respirator one when i need to go near high risk situations.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
I knew he was a doddering old fool but the doddering-ness is now dialled up to 11. In that brief, appalling clip he gets the Taliban forces and Afghan forces mixed up twice in about 15 seconds
He should not be in command of a TV remote let alone the USA
And his interjection when asked about the Afghans falling from planes -
‘But that was four days ago! Five days ago!’
Actually, Joe, it was 2 days ago. And, also, WTAF. Is he really trying to minimise a terrible, avoidable tragedy on the grounds that several hours have passed?
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
To get me to change my vote a party has to convince me on covid, the economy and brexit and so far I do not see an alternative
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
That’s got to be correct. He has been around long enough for voters to know his strengths and flaws.
This cannot, surely, shock people.
He was never a towering colossus, but since his time as a solid steady VP under Obama, he has gone downhill significantly. There are just so many clips of him acting like a confused old man unable to remember what he is supposed to be doing or where he is supposed to be going.
What is equally worrying is with the ditching of Trump it was supposed to ushering back in the professional political operators who are if nothing else reasonably competent.
"With a few noble exceptions, the House of Commons yesterday was narrow, insular and deluded.
Its worst tendency was to blame Boris Johnson for the debacle in Afghanistan, and the shameful spectacle of desperate Afghans trying to get onto planes at Kabul airport.
God knows, the Prime Minister has made his fair share of mistakes, as many including me haven't been slow to point out. But the disintegration of Afghanistan can't be pinned on him.
The heart-rending developments of the past few days had their roots in decisions either made before he entered No. 10, or else arrived at unilaterally in Washington without the Government being consulted.
And yet to hear many MPs speak, you'd think he was the sole author of the fiasco. In a point-scoring speech, Sir Keir Starmer idiotically accused the Government of 'staggering complacency' about the 'Taliban threat', and of 'betraying the Afghan people'."
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
There are horrible videos of the Taliban beating people at one of those organised ‘gates’ of which the hapless American general boasts. The shitshow continues
There was a debate last night whether this is Saigon or Suez for America. I think it’s a bit of both, a humiliating defeat - like Saigon - the shaming of a post-imperial elite - like Suez. But it’s also sadder, because it didn’t have to be this way. America was bound to suffer relative decline as the poor world got rich. But it seems determined to worsen this decline, unnecessarily, with its own pointless culture wars and truly appalling leadership
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
There are horrible videos of the Taliban beating people at one of those organised ‘gates’ of which the hapless American general boasts. The shitshow continues
There was a debate last night whether this is Saigon or Suez for America. I think it’s a bit of both, a humiliating defeat - like Saigon - the shaming of a post-imperial elite - like Suez. But it’s also sadder, because it didn’t have to be this way. America was bound to suffer relative decline as the poor world got rich. But it seems determined to worsen this decline, unnecessarily, with its own pointless culture wars and truly appalling leadership
Maybe it was better when we couldn't see what was going on in war zones, except in news reports from established broadcasters.
Astonishing that people still support going back in
Hardly surprising 41% of British voters support sending troops back in if it prevents future terrorist attacks on Britain on those Yougov numbers
The 1001 post from you claiming Islamic terror is seeded and financed from Kabul rather than Riyadh.
Did Bin Laden launch 9/11 from Saudi Arabia? No Al Qaeda's training camps were in Afghanistan and then he fled to Pakistan where special forces killed him.
Bin Laden may have been born in Saudi but he pursued terror from Sudan, then Afghanistan then lastly Pakistan not Saudi Arabia
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
That’s got to be correct. He has been around long enough for voters to know his strengths and flaws.
This cannot, surely, shock people.
He was never a towering colossus, but since his time as a solid steady VP under Obama, he has gone downhill significantly. There are just so many clips of him acting like a confused old man unable to remember what he is supposed to be doing or where he is supposed to be going.
What is equally worrying is with the ditching of Trump it was supposed to ushering back in the professional political operators who are if nothing else reasonably competent.
He's surprised most people in Congress with his handling, party management and success with legislation , so far. The difference was that this wasn't his initiative, so arguably this is a legacy of Trump's most confused gestures as much as anything else.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
Astonishing that people still support going back in
Hardly surprising 41% of British voters support sending troops back in if it prevents future terrorist attacks on Britain on those Yougov numbers
The 1001 post from you claiming Islamic terror is seeded and financed from Kabul rather than Riyadh.
Did Bin Laden launch 9/11 from Saudi Arabia? No Al Qaeda's training camps were in Afghanistan and then he fled to Pakistan where special forces killed him.
Bin Laden may have been born in Saudi but he pursued terror from Sudan, then Afghanistan then lastly Pakistan not Saudi Arabia
Speaking of Pakistan, did you hear about Imran Khan welcoming the Taliban takeover?
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Er, the one you live in is your first, and the one on AirBnB is the second.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Er, the one you live in is your first, and the one on AirBnB is the second.
Except that it is nearly never that simple. AirBnB for example - quite a few people live for large chunks of the year in their Cornish properties (for example). They rent them out at ludicrous rates for the summer, when pays for their summer holidays around the world.
Isn't there a bit of a contradiction if the same people say "we've got to get out of the EU because it's a superstate" who then say "the EU should be doing more in Afghanistan"?
The EU is doing nothing in Afghanistan because it isn't a superstate.
Fair enough to point out the difficulties the EU has of having any consistent kind of "foreign policy", and to have a pop at EU pretensions that do have one. But can you both criticise the EU for becoming too much like a superstate, and then demand that they behave much more like one? Seems a bit dodgy to me.
No one is saying the EU should do more in Afghanistan.
They are saying that either the EU, or possibly just individual EU countries, should do more to help Afghanistan refugees fleeing the Taliban. This is in no way contradictory with believing the EU should act less like a superstate - in part because it's a domestic policy issue, not a foreign policy issue.
Well maybe I misunderstood things, but the discussion was kicked off when an apparent criticism of the British Foreign Secretary being missing in action was countered by asking where UvdL was.
I guess at this point it really is up to individual countries rather than the EU to help people fleeing the Taliban, so in that sense I think my point still stands. Because if you think individual countries that happen to be in the EU should be doing more and you want UvdL to somehow force those countries to do more, then you are asking the EU to act more like a superstate, no?
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
That’s got to be correct. He has been around long enough for voters to know his strengths and flaws.
This cannot, surely, shock people.
He was never a towering colossus, but since his time as a solid steady VP under Obama, he has gone downhill significantly. There are just so many clips of him acting like a confused old man unable to remember what he is supposed to be doing or where he is supposed to be going.
What is equally worrying is with the ditching of Trump it was supposed to ushering back in the professional political operators who are if nothing else reasonably competent.
He's surprised most people in Congress with his handling, party management and success with legislation , so far. The difference was that this wasn't his initiative, so arguably this is a legacy of Trump's most confused gestures as much as anything else.
That interview with Biden is nothing to do with ‘Trump’s legacy’, it’s a sad, inept, bewildered old man trying, and failing, to justify a foreign policy calamity of his making. It makes me depressed and deeply frustrated as a westerner. God know what it says to American voters
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
I can't read the article, but it seems obvious to me that if the Taliban (or anybody else) allowed all those Afghans wishing to flee unfettered access to the airport then there would be utter chaos; a recipe for disaster. The process needs to be managed, and people let in once flights are available. Rather like the authorities close Victoria tube station every morning when the platforms are overcrowded.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
Chile was an ally of the UK in the Falklands War, so we would just go to Santiago
Santiago is 30 miles inland and a convenient 1,600 miles by sea from the Drake Passage. 👍
HYUFD is a geographic revisionist of long standing.
The US position on the Falklands wasn't clear-cut, either. Certainly not at first.
The US had to strike a very delicate balance over the Falklands as Argentina are a key strategic partner on whose goodwill they rely when moving carriers between the Atlantic and Pacific. (CVNs won't fit through the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.)
Does that mean that the HMS Queen Elizabeth would require permission from Buenos Aires to pass round Tierra Del Fuego?
No but it means it may need a substantial naval port in the vicinity in case of suboptimal weather in the Drake Passage.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
Don't hold your breath.
The LD position on second homes is going to be about other people's second homes, just as their policy at by elections is about not building other people's new houses, spoiling the view from your new house.
Astonishing that people still support going back in
Hardly surprising 41% of British voters support sending troops back in if it prevents future terrorist attacks on Britain on those Yougov numbers
The 1001 post from you claiming Islamic terror is seeded and financed from Kabul rather than Riyadh.
Did Bin Laden launch 9/11 from Saudi Arabia? No Al Qaeda's training camps were in Afghanistan and then he fled to Pakistan where special forces killed him.
Bin Laden may have been born in Saudi but he pursued terror from Sudan, then Afghanistan then lastly Pakistan not Saudi Arabia
Speaking of Pakistan, did you hear about Imran Khan welcoming the Taliban takeover?
Yes but the problem with Pakistan is Khan knows he may have to do that to stay in power.
Get rid of Khan and you may well get someone even worse, though Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal, now leader of the PPP party, would probably be the best Pakistani PM from a western point of view.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Er, the one you live in is your first, and the one on AirBnB is the second.
Except that it is nearly never that simple. AirBnB for example - quite a few people live for large chunks of the year in their Cornish properties (for example). They rent them out at ludicrous rates for the summer, when pays for their summer holidays around the world.
Well they don't need the home in London then do they in that case.
Afghanistan crisis: Biden says US troops may stay past withdrawal deadline
'Chaos was inevitable', Joe Biden told ABC News
US President Joe Biden has said US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond his withdrawal deadline, as armed Taliban fighters kept desperate evacuees from reaching Kabul's airport.
Mr Biden wants US forces out by the end of this month, but up to 15,000 US citizens are stranded in the country.
The US president told ABC News the turmoil in Kabul was unavoidable.
Foreign governments are ramping up the airlift of Western citizens and Afghans who worked with them.
Washington has pledged to evacuate all remaining American citizens, along with 50-65,000 Afghans - such as former translators for the US military.
In total, America has evacuated more than 5,200 people to date, including 2,000 in the last 24 hours.
The Pentagon has told reporters it aims to expand the airlift to 9,000 people a day.
About 4,500 US troops are in temporary control of Karzai International Airport in the nation's capital, but Taliban fighters and checkpoints ring the perimeter.
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
To get me to change my vote a party has to convince me on covid, the economy and brexit and so far I do not see an alternative
Abstain! Spoil your ballot paper! If you don't fancy the alternatives then at least don't vote for this lot.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Er, the one you live in is your first, and the one on AirBnB is the second.
Except that it is nearly never that simple. AirBnB for example - quite a few people live for large chunks of the year in their Cornish properties (for example). They rent them out at ludicrous rates for the summer, when pays for their summer holidays around the world.
In which case you only have one home, and the question doesn't arise?
Farron is specifically talking about people evicting longstanding tenants because of how lucrative income from tourists can be, so your example is specifically excluded.
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
I can't read the article, but it seems obvious to me that if the Taliban (or anybody else) allowed all those Afghans wishing to flee unfettered access to the airport then there would be utter chaos; a recipe for disaster. The process needs to be managed, and people let in once flights are available. Rather like the authorities close Victoria tube station every morning when the platforms are overcrowded.
Yes, if you look at the videos of Talib fighters horsewhipping Afghans or pointing guns at fleeing Americans it’s very reminiscent of the way TfL handles rush hour at Oxford Circus
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
That’s got to be correct. He has been around long enough for voters to know his strengths and flaws.
This cannot, surely, shock people.
He was never a towering colossus, but since his time as a solid steady VP under Obama, he has gone downhill significantly. There are just so many clips of him acting like a confused old man unable to remember what he is supposed to be doing or where he is supposed to be going.
What is equally worrying is with the ditching of Trump it was supposed to ushering back in the professional political operators who are if nothing else reasonably competent.
He's surprised most people in Congress with his handling, party management and success with legislation , so far. The difference was that this wasn't his initiative, so arguably this is a legacy of Trump's most confused gestures as much as anything else.
I am equally concerned (as i stated on here weeks ago) his "we have solved inflation in the west, so we are going to borrow like crazy and worry about paying it back in 15 years" policy.
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
To get me to change my vote a party has to convince me on covid, the economy and brexit and so far I do not see an alternative
Abstain! Spoil your ballot paper! If you don't fancy the alternatives then at least don't vote for this lot.
You really are being rather silly
Boris will not be there forever and the conservatives are my choice for covid, the economy and brexit
Isn't there a bit of a contradiction if the same people say "we've got to get out of the EU because it's a superstate" who then say "the EU should be doing more in Afghanistan"?
The EU is doing nothing in Afghanistan because it isn't a superstate.
Fair enough to point out the difficulties the EU has of having any consistent kind of "foreign policy", and to have a pop at EU pretensions that do have one. But can you both criticise the EU for becoming too much like a superstate, and then demand that they behave much more like one? Seems a bit dodgy to me.
No one is saying the EU should do more in Afghanistan.
They are saying that either the EU, or possibly just individual EU countries, should do more to help Afghanistan refugees fleeing the Taliban. This is in no way contradictory with believing the EU should act less like a superstate - in part because it's a domestic policy issue, not a foreign policy issue.
Well maybe I misunderstood things, but the discussion was kicked off when an apparent criticism of the British Foreign Secretary being missing in action was countered by asking where UvdL was.
I guess at this point it really is up to individual countries rather than the EU to help people fleeing the Taliban, so in that sense I think my point still stands. Because if you think individual countries that happen to be in the EU should be doing more and you want UvdL to somehow force those countries to do more, then you are asking the EU to act more like a superstate, no?
Sure, but not in foreign policy terms. Just on immigration, which is already an EU competence.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Yamato's last voyage was the biggest suicide mission in history:
I expect the Business Secretary acted after reading about it on pb, or possibly in the Daily Telegraph.
ETA from the Telegraph link posted the other day:- Britain’s decline as a global power has been a long one, but you can still see it happening in real time. Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, seems determined to seal this country’s fate with the wholesale sell-off of our defence and aerospace industry to America. Buyers are being allowed to swoop on vital home-grown defence suppliers with impunity. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/16/defence-sector-sell-off-final-nail-coffin-uk-foreign-policy/ (£££)
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Yamato's last voyage was the biggest suicide mission in history:
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Good trivia (perhaps contra the idea that the welfare of sailors wasn't an issue)
'The ship is seen firing salvos from its main batteries aimed at approaching US aircraft on several occasions, while lots of the crew are visible on deck, manning the light AA guns as well as performing other duties. While the big guns were in fact used fending off aircraft, at least during the last battle off Okinawa, the shock wave from the blast of the nine 460 mm barrels (the biggest ever on a warship) could kill or severely injure an unprotected sailor, it was therefore forbidden to remain on deck on such occasions.'
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
Er, the one you live in is your first, and the one on AirBnB is the second.
Except that it is nearly never that simple. AirBnB for example - quite a few people live for large chunks of the year in their Cornish properties (for example). They rent them out at ludicrous rates for the summer, when pays for their summer holidays around the world.
In which case you only have one home, and the question doesn't arise?
Farron is specifically talking about people evicting longstanding tenants because of how lucrative income from tourists can be, so your example is specifically excluded.
In Scotland the rental laws were changed a couple of years back or so to e.g. prevent landlords from evicting tenants for the summer tourist season - particularly in Edinburgh at Festival time. I wasn't paying much attention so I don't know the details, but I must admit I didn't expect what happened next: a huge ourburst of howling from the artistic/dramatic tendency who feel it is essential for them to be allowed to displace the local inhabitants every August.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
I knew he was a doddering old fool but the doddering-ness is now dialled up to 11. In that brief, appalling clip he gets the Taliban forces and Afghan forces mixed up twice in about 15 seconds
He should not be in command of a TV remote let alone the USA
And his interjection when asked about the Afghans falling from planes -
‘But that was four days ago! Five days ago!’
Actually, Joe, it was 2 days ago. And, also, WTAF. Is he really trying to minimise a terrible, avoidable tragedy on the grounds that several hours have passed?
....and to think we ditched our most reliable friend and partners who shared all our liberal values so we could tart ourselves round the globe to the likes of Saudi Arabia and even doddery old men who can't tell the difference between Taliban and Afghan.
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
I'm a LD and I have a 2nd home, although in my defence it is really for my wife to escape from me and see her family who live there also. I would not have bought it. We do not rent it out, although we considered that, but we do let friends and family use it for free.
If we did rent it out we could make it a business, not pay council tax but business rates, but the business rates on that level of business is zero. Many try and exploit this, we didn't.
Houses prices in Southwold are huge because of the 2nd home owners, but also they are in effect almost the entire economy of the town.
How much is the US subsidising the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system? Trident is 100% dependent on the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, in Georgia. What if ‘America First’ means that they are no longer happy with puppet states holding the trigger on their (extraordinarily expensive) weapons system?
The UK made a strategic error when it abandoned its independent nuclear deterrent and became dependent on US goodwill. That goodwill was always going to run out some day.
How else could the UK deliver nuclear warheads?
- heavy bombers? - tank rounds? - mortar rounds? - drone? - Boris Bikes?
I'd be delighted if the US would rid us of Trident, but I suspect Britain would find a way. One option would be to work more closely with the French, with whom we already have a close bilateral defence relationship.
Given the scenario you posit would almost certainly involve the US leaving NATO, a much closer defence relationship with France in response would be inevitable. Doesn't seem like a stretch for that to include burden-sharing on a nuclear deterrent.
A more left-field option would be Japan. One could imagine that a scenario where the US stepped away from Europe would leave its Pacific allies nervous about the reliability of the US as a protector against China. Although Japan might be willing and able to develop a nuclear deterrent alone, they might find it easier politically to do so as part of a partnership with Britain.
"Alabama Has Run Out of I.C.U. Beds, Officials Say"
NYTimes
The unvaxxed in Southern GOP states starting to overwhelm the system.
They'd rather choke on their own lung tissue than take any of that democrat poison.
The shocking thing is even when in the hospital with COVID, so often they still won't change their mind on vaccinations. Sam Harris put it well, it is like a religious belief, no amount of evidence will dent the faith (in not being vaccinated)
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I thought the inspiration for Japanese oxygen powered torpedoes came from their study of UK experiments with partially oxygen powered torpedos.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Good trivia (perhaps contra the idea that the welfare of sailors wasn't an issue)
'The ship is seen firing salvos from its main batteries aimed at approaching US aircraft on several occasions, while lots of the crew are visible on deck, manning the light AA guns as well as performing other duties. While the big guns were in fact used fending off aircraft, at least during the last battle off Okinawa, the shock wave from the blast of the nine 460 mm barrels (the biggest ever on a warship) could kill or severely injure an unprotected sailor, it was therefore forbidden to remain on deck on such occasions.'
That was because, due to scaling laws, the blast effect of the main armament on the Yamato class was lethal at a fair distance.
Killing your own sailors for no actual benefit was a bit extreme, even for the IJN.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
Otoh I've read that the IJN had a notably more brutal attitude to its own servicemen than the other Japanese arms. On the basis that brutalised troops pass it on to those they encounter, probably a good thing that these lads were mostly at sea.
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Good trivia (perhaps contra the idea that the welfare of sailors wasn't an issue)
'The ship is seen firing salvos from its main batteries aimed at approaching US aircraft on several occasions, while lots of the crew are visible on deck, manning the light AA guns as well as performing other duties. While the big guns were in fact used fending off aircraft, at least during the last battle off Okinawa, the shock wave from the blast of the nine 460 mm barrels (the biggest ever on a warship) could kill or severely injure an unprotected sailor, it was therefore forbidden to remain on deck on such occasions.'
Quite so. IIRC Yamato and Musashi had to have blast-tight armoured covers fitted over at least some of these Japanese equivalents of Oerlikons and pom-poms. An example from the film set.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
I knew he was a doddering old fool but the doddering-ness is now dialled up to 11. In that brief, appalling clip he gets the Taliban forces and Afghan forces mixed up twice in about 15 seconds
He should not be in command of a TV remote let alone the USA
And his interjection when asked about the Afghans falling from planes -
‘But that was four days ago! Five days ago!’
Actually, Joe, it was 2 days ago. And, also, WTAF. Is he really trying to minimise a terrible, avoidable tragedy on the grounds that several hours have passed?
....and to think we ditched our most reliable friend and partners who shared all our liberal values so we could tart ourselves round the globe to the likes of Saudi Arabia and even doddery old men who can't tell the difference between Taliban and Afghan.
What a country the Leavers have left Us!
Our most reliable friends who were happy to kill UK grannies, just to cover up their f##k up over vaccine procurement? And to push a fake narrative about another vaccine, that could be saving 100ks of lives now....those reliable friends?
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I thought the inspiration for Japanese oxygen powered torpedoes came from their study of UK experiments with partially oxygen powered torpedos.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
I knew he was a doddering old fool but the doddering-ness is now dialled up to 11. In that brief, appalling clip he gets the Taliban forces and Afghan forces mixed up twice in about 15 seconds
He should not be in command of a TV remote let alone the USA
And his interjection when asked about the Afghans falling from planes -
‘But that was four days ago! Five days ago!’
Actually, Joe, it was 2 days ago. And, also, WTAF. Is he really trying to minimise a terrible, avoidable tragedy on the grounds that several hours have passed?
....and to think we ditched our most reliable friend and partners who shared all our liberal values so we could tart ourselves round the globe to the likes of Saudi Arabia and even doddery old men who can't tell the difference between Taliban and Afghan.
What a country the Leavers have left Us!
As a Leaver, I have to confess it is unfortunate that just as we quit the EU to cleave closer to our Anglophone allies, the leading power, the USA, decides to jump off a cliff of insanity
Mind you the EU seems to have dwindled, too. Not as dramatically, but it visibly shrinks in competence and authority
Meanwhile Canada is led by a man who says "she-cession" and "she-covery" and Australia and NZ have decided to lock themselves in a tiny cupboard for the next six years
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
To get me to change my vote a party has to convince me on covid, the economy and brexit and so far I do not see an alternative
Abstain! Spoil your ballot paper! If you don't fancy the alternatives then at least don't vote for this lot.
You really are being rather silly
Boris will not be there forever and the conservatives are my choice for covid, the economy and brexit
You are quitting the party because of Boris. Are you seriously saying that if Boris is PM in 2024 you will vote Conservative? In which case never mind quitting the party you may as well start donating money to them.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I thought the inspiration for Japanese oxygen powered torpedoes came from their study of UK experiments with partially oxygen powered torpedos.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
Honestly Biden didn't seem that doddering in the election or primaries. A bit, sure, there were clips which stood out, but when even a BBC article referred to him as 'gaffe prone Biden' none of that looked especially worrying as part of a decline. And his defeat of other challengers showed either their weakness (other than Buttegieg, who was so unknown it was impressive to do so well) or that he had more strength than given credit.
But given he's disliked by progressives on top of Republicans, he is more vulnerable than some if even a few more on his side start questioning his mental state.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I thought the inspiration for Japanese oxygen powered torpedoes came from their study of UK experiments with partially oxygen powered torpedos.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
Yes - the British experiments ended up with limited use of enriched air on the torpedos specially built for Nelson and Rodney.
The Russians just wanted to totally disarm Japan.
Insane having oxygen torpedoes. Like not bothering with self-sealing fuel tanks in their naval fighters and bombers. But they got the lethal range and speed that way.
Biden won the election because he wasn't a lying corrupt fool happy to bring down the republic to stay in power. That he is a doddering old fool himself was surely priced into the equation.
Honestly Biden didn't seem that doddering in the election or primaries. A bit, sure, there were clips which stood out, but when even a BBC article referred to him as 'gaffe prone Biden' none of that looked especially worrying as part of a decline. And his defeat of other challengers showed either their weakness (other than Buttegieg, who was so unknown it was impressive to do so well) or that he had more strength than given credit.
But given he's disliked by progressives on top of Republicans, he is more vulnerable than some if even a few more on his side start questioning his mental state.
Don't forget the election campaign he spent most of the time in his basement. His appearances were limited and carefully managed. Being president, it requires decisions 24/7, otherwise things go south quickly.
My guess is that when he gets tired, he starts to get confused and doesn't function very well. Election, they made sure he was well rested before his appearances. As POTUS you can't choose when you need to be doing things.
Did we not once have a close relationship with Japan...... ancient, long lasting monarchies with significant hang-overs from feudalism and all that......, before first the USA rather spoiled it and then the militarists took control in the twenties.
The ending of the alliance with Japan was because such alliances were held to be one of the reasons that WWI happened - arguable, but the belief at the time.
The idea was to construct a New World order of a balance of power in naval terms. Without alliances, the US, UK, France, Italy and Japan couldn't defeat each other in the event of naval conflict, if they all held to the Washington Treaty.
As Yamamoto observed, the Washington Treaty gave Japan near absolute protection - it restrained the US from building a fleet that could crush Japan like a nut.
The belief that it was an Evul Wacist Treaty was the pitch of the Japanese Black Dragon types. This leaves out the fact that it
a) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than either France or Italy b) Gave Japan a bigger Navy than Japan could afford c) Limited everyone else to having a smaller presence in the Pacific than Japan.
Not to mention that the biggest opponent of spending more money on the Japanese Navy was the Japanese Army.
I understand Japan choosing to ally with the UK in late Victorian as being because RN was hegemonic at that point, and UK had the best technology / strongest industry.
Yup - the UK was the World Naval Power (singular). Everyone wanted a Navy Like That One.
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
It's fascinating how Togo at Tsushima hoisted a signal to emulate Nelson, the IJN was an ally with the UK in WW1 and its first dreadnought(s?) was UK-built. The Master of Sempill was tasked with providing assistance to the IJN to build up its air arm in the 1920s - just a shame he got a bit enthusiastic over how much info, and how long he carried on doing it ... wasn't keeping up with current affairs was he?
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I thought the inspiration for Japanese oxygen powered torpedoes came from their study of UK experiments with partially oxygen powered torpedos.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
I happen to agree with Tim about second homes in Cumbria and elsewhere -- but, I wonder, how many LibDems have at least two homes?
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
He has a petition on it, which says: The Liberal Democrats will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy To exercise your legal data rights, email: data.protection@libdems.org.uk.
We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
How do you stop second homes? Which is your first home and which is your second?
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
I'm a LD and I have a 2nd home, although in my defence it is really for my wife to escape from me and see her family who live there also. I would not have bought it. We do not rent it out, although we considered that, but we do let friends and family use it for free.
If we did rent it out we could make it a business, not pay council tax but business rates, but the business rates on that level of business is zero. Many try and exploit this, we didn't.
Houses prices in Southwold are huge because of the 2nd home owners, but also they are in effect almost the entire economy of the town.
None of this is an easy problem to resolve.
Is it really that difficult?
Council tax on second homes at 3x, Third homes at 5x Tax AirBnB type revenue at additional 25% with tax going to local council Stop subsidising property prices through QE, stamp duty holidays and housing benefit Stop inheritance tax loop holes
What I hope comes out of this debacle is greater realism on the part of the UK government. That means: Accepting that the US is no longer the reliable friend it was pre Trump. Accepting that as a result NATO is a busted flush and can no longer be the central strand of our defence.
Unfortunately it's going to take a few more harsh lessons before the tories come to terms with these realities.
Big G resigning every year should do the trick.
You may just have little more respect for a decision I have not taken lightly
You are quitting the party. I respect that. You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
To get me to change my vote a party has to convince me on covid, the economy and brexit and so far I do not see an alternative
Abstain! Spoil your ballot paper! If you don't fancy the alternatives then at least don't vote for this lot.
You really are being rather silly
Boris will not be there forever and the conservatives are my choice for covid, the economy and brexit
You are quitting the party because of Boris. Are you seriously saying that if Boris is PM in 2024 you will vote Conservative? In which case never mind quitting the party you may as well start donating money to them.
I am relinquishing my membership and as such can criticise HMG as I wish and hope that Rishi takes over
What happens in 2024 is for then, and very much dependent on me not forgetting my daily pills
Astonishing that people still support going back in
Hardly surprising 41% of British voters support sending troops back in if it prevents future terrorist attacks on Britain on those Yougov numbers
The 1001 post from you claiming Islamic terror is seeded and financed from Kabul rather than Riyadh.
Did Bin Laden launch 9/11 from Saudi Arabia? No Al Qaeda's training camps were in Afghanistan and then he fled to Pakistan where special forces killed him.
Bin Laden may have been born in Saudi but he pursued terror from Sudan, then Afghanistan then lastly Pakistan not Saudi Arabia
Speaking of Pakistan, did you hear about Imran Khan welcoming the Taliban takeover?
Yes but the problem with Pakistan is Khan knows he may have to do that to stay in power.
Get rid of Khan and you may well get someone even worse, though Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal, now leader of the PPP party, would probably be the best Pakistani PM from a western point of view.
Comments
Vaccines are being updated and we have been told they can be tweaked. Be interesting to know how it is going.
The presumption (and vs alpha), it was nearly impossible for a break through infected individual to pass it on, so the virus would quickly run out of people.
Especially for those who had the diminishingly effective Pfizer.
I'd suggest a masks off campaign but the masks most people wear, often incorrectly, aren't going to keep out Delta in any case.
https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1428100689692090371?s=21
https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1428078568794382336?s=21
https://twitter.com/richardgrenell/status/1428096454782951435?s=21
Not that there is much likelihood the Queen Elizabeth would be sailing around South America anyway, even if on occasion it goes to Port Stanley as a show of force
Add on the start point for the winter will be fairly high levels of covid in society, as we have seen during the low season, i.e. summer + schools out, the background level of covid aren't disappearing like last year.
We keep being told the vaccines can be tweaked, but it doesn't seem we will get them this winter (MaxPB knows a lot more about this than me).
The demented fascists in Japan & Germany then started a war. Because they really, really wanted one.
Which released the US (in particular) from limits on naval construction. Which then built enough ships to pound the various members of the Axis into the sea bottom.
All 12 - 15 vaccinated
All 50+ boostered (+ vulnerable)
2 weeks following
No app pinging, no isolation requirement for Covid (Unless you feel sick).
A max vaxxed & big bang approach to the virus as it were.
Certainly, the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems does.
As does every second Lib Dem on pb,com
The implied 1.58 feels too short right now.
In June German foreign minister Heiko Maas said Germany would have to give visas to 20000 people if they included not only those who worked for the German military, but also those who worked for German aid agencies etc.
Vaccines are tweaked, the flu jab is tweaked every year.
I wonder if it is just the Pfizer one that wanes or all of them.
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, said that the United States was pressing the Taliban to let Afghans flee through the airport after violations of their promises. “We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their commitments, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave,” she said.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/planes-leaving-half-empty-after-taliban-set-up-ring-of-steel-6rdvp2wdb (£££)
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/august_2021/election_regrets_most_wouldn_t_vote_to_reelect_biden
You remain a Conservative voter and thus are being laughed at by Liar and the rest of them for your "not taken lightly" decision.
Unless you withhold your vote, they will continue doing what you don't like.
The data appears to show that Pfizer appears the wane more rapidly than AZN, but AZN starts at a lower level of protection.
The most worrying data was from the ZOE app on this, it didn't look good at all. Previously we had put Israel being worse due to statistical anomalies and 3 week dosing strategy. But ZOE is obviously UK only.
Interestingly there is some indication that Moderna is the total package, highest levels of protection and less drop off.
I sad earlier in the week my wife and I both have Covid. Diagnosed the start of the week. We both are pretty glad to have it now. We will get it sometime so now is a better time than in the winter.
We have just broken ties with our most reliable friends and allies. We better learn to deal with it because from now on we have little choice.
This cannot, surely, shock people.
He should not be in command of a TV remote let alone the USA
And his interjection when asked about the Afghans falling from planes -
‘But that was four days ago! Five days ago!’
Actually, Joe, it was 2 days ago. And, also, WTAF. Is he really trying to minimise a terrible, avoidable tragedy on the grounds that several hours have passed?
If Dominic Raab doesn't have the decency to resign, the Prime Minister must show a shred of leadership and sack him
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58265160
https://twitter.com/lisanandy/status/1428292534984396805
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We will include your name and address when submitting the petition to the Government
That would be better off on the Parliamentary Petition website.
What is equally worrying is with the ditching of Trump it was supposed to ushering back in the professional political operators who are if nothing else reasonably competent.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9906501/STEPHEN-GLOVER-Point-scoring-MPs-pin-blame-Kabul-Boris-Johnson-utterly-deluded.html
"With a few noble exceptions, the House of Commons yesterday was narrow, insular and deluded.
Its worst tendency was to blame Boris Johnson for the debacle in Afghanistan, and the shameful spectacle of desperate Afghans trying to get onto planes at Kabul airport.
God knows, the Prime Minister has made his fair share of mistakes, as many including me haven't been slow to point out. But the disintegration of Afghanistan can't be pinned on him.
The heart-rending developments of the past few days had their roots in decisions either made before he entered No. 10, or else arrived at unilaterally in Washington without the Government being consulted.
And yet to hear many MPs speak, you'd think he was the sole author of the fiasco. In a point-scoring speech, Sir Keir Starmer idiotically accused the Government of 'staggering complacency' about the 'Taliban threat', and of 'betraying the Afghan people'."
The Japanese Navy was a bit of a stronghold of relative sanity - the Army was a bit special... I mean, these were people who seriously considered conquering Korea and all the nice bits of China *and* taking on America and the UK (plus others) was a plan...
There was a debate last night whether this is Saigon or Suez for America. I think it’s a bit of both, a humiliating defeat - like Saigon - the shaming of a post-imperial elite - like Suez. But it’s also sadder, because it didn’t have to be this way. America was bound to suffer relative decline as the poor world got rich. But it seems determined to worsen this decline, unnecessarily, with its own pointless culture wars and truly appalling leadership
Bin Laden may have been born in Saudi but he pursued terror from Sudan, then Afghanistan then lastly Pakistan not Saudi Arabia
Hilariously, many of the proposals for this would stop... immigration... to the "protected" areas.
And of course the IJN sat up and took a great interest when the RN torpedoed the Italians in harbour at Taranto. The rest is history.
I guess at this point it really is up to individual countries rather than the EU to help people fleeing the Taliban, so in that sense I think my point still stands. Because if you think individual countries that happen to be in the EU should be doing more and you want UvdL to somehow force those countries to do more, then you are asking the EU to act more like a superstate, no?
The LD position on second homes is going to be about other people's second homes, just as their policy at by elections is about not building other people's new houses, spoiling the view from your new house.
Get rid of Khan and you may well get someone even worse, though Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal, now leader of the PPP party, would probably be the best Pakistani PM from a western point of view.
He has already attacked Khan over his Taliban comments
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/bilawal-bhutto-slams-pakistan-pm-imrans-u-turn-on-afghanistan-crisis-calls-out-terrorism.html
That film does imply such (I think it's Pacific Battleship Yamato in the English version). But (apart from reflecting what Dartmouth/Osborne and Shotley were like in the RN) I couldn't say how the IJA compared.
Afghanistan crisis: Biden says US troops may stay past withdrawal deadline
'Chaos was inevitable', Joe Biden told ABC News
US President Joe Biden has said US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond his withdrawal deadline, as armed Taliban fighters kept desperate evacuees from reaching Kabul's airport.
Mr Biden wants US forces out by the end of this month, but up to 15,000 US citizens are stranded in the country.
The US president told ABC News the turmoil in Kabul was unavoidable.
Foreign governments are ramping up the airlift of Western citizens and Afghans who worked with them.
Washington has pledged to evacuate all remaining American citizens, along with 50-65,000 Afghans - such as former translators for the US military.
In total, America has evacuated more than 5,200 people to date, including 2,000 in the last 24 hours.
The Pentagon has told reporters it aims to expand the airlift to 9,000 people a day.
About 4,500 US troops are in temporary control of Karzai International Airport in the nation's capital, but Taliban fighters and checkpoints ring the perimeter.
NYTimes
The unvaxxed in Southern GOP states starting to overwhelm the system.
Farron is specifically talking about people evicting longstanding tenants because of how lucrative income from tourists can be, so your example is specifically excluded.
Boris will not be there forever and the conservatives are my choice for covid, the economy and brexit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ten-Go
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/kwasi-kwarteng-ultra-electronics-london-advent-british-b951352.html
I expect the Business Secretary acted after reading about it on pb, or possibly in the Daily Telegraph.
ETA from the Telegraph link posted the other day:-
Britain’s decline as a global power has been a long one, but you can still see it happening in real time. Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, seems determined to seal this country’s fate with the wholesale sell-off of our defence and aerospace industry to America. Buyers are being allowed to swoop on vital home-grown defence suppliers with impunity.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/16/defence-sector-sell-off-final-nail-coffin-uk-foreign-policy/ (£££)
'The ship is seen firing salvos from its main batteries aimed at approaching US aircraft on several occasions, while lots of the crew are visible on deck, manning the light AA guns as well as performing other duties. While the big guns were in fact used fending off aircraft, at least during the last battle off Okinawa, the shock wave from the blast of the nine 460 mm barrels (the biggest ever on a warship) could kill or severely injure an unprotected sailor, it was therefore forbidden to remain on deck on such occasions.'
What a country the Leavers have left Us!
If we did rent it out we could make it a business, not pay council tax but business rates, but the business rates on that level of business is zero. Many try and exploit this, we didn't.
Houses prices in Southwold are huge because of the 2nd home owners, but also they are in effect almost the entire economy of the town.
None of this is an easy problem to resolve.
I have in my head that the Japanese Officer who ran the programme for the Japan Navy torpedoes had been on secondment in the UK as part of one of the aforementioned cooperation in the 20s (?).
I like the irony that the only British built (Barrow) battleship preserved anywhere is the Mikasa, the Japanese flagship at Tsushima, which is preserved at Yokosuka. The Russians tried to get it broken up after WW2 for some reason.
https://www.themilitarytimes.co.uk/history/the-one-remaining-british-built-battleship-left/
Killing your own sailors for no actual benefit was a bit extreme, even for the IJN.
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/can-anyone-give-me-information-with-the-yamatos-armoured-25mm-mounts.378171/
The Russians just wanted to totally disarm Japan.
We promised.
Mind you the EU seems to have dwindled, too. Not as dramatically, but it visibly shrinks in competence and authority
Meanwhile Canada is led by a man who says "she-cession" and "she-covery" and Australia and NZ have decided to lock themselves in a tiny cupboard for the next six years
Not great days for the West. Not great at all
The only other survivor from the WW1-era is the dreadnought Texas, preserved at San Jacinto.
But given he's disliked by progressives on top of Republicans, he is more vulnerable than some if even a few more on his side start questioning his mental state.
My guess is that when he gets tired, he starts to get confused and doesn't function very well. Election, they made sure he was well rested before his appearances. As POTUS you can't choose when you need to be doing things.
Council tax on second homes at 3x, Third homes at 5x
Tax AirBnB type revenue at additional 25% with tax going to local council
Stop subsidising property prices through QE, stamp duty holidays and housing benefit
Stop inheritance tax loop holes
What happens in 2024 is for then, and very much dependent on me not forgetting my daily pills