Brexit, for once some facts.

[Mrs Honeyman]

Yes and no. Russia certainly can't defeat Ukraine now, given all the help the West is giving. It's a proxy war now, Russia versus the West

But dictators actually tend to last for a very long time,far, far longer than democratically elected leaders, and the disadvantage for us will show in the way Russia is unwisely being driven eastwards. The world is splitting into two halves.
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My main concern is that in Putin, we have a dying and cancer ridden old man with a gigantic ego suffering humiliation. How will he react? It could be a global catastrophe.

As much as it grinds my pipe, the way out of this with minimum loss of life, is to give Putin / Russia a face-saving way to climb down and for him to escape war crimes proceedings. Then assassinate him if the cancer doesn’t eat him first. Rubbing his nose in it (the Liz Truss & Cowardly streak of pi$$ approach), is dangerous.

 

[oyster]

My main concern is that in Putin, we have a dying and cancer ridden old man with a gigantic ego suffering humiliation. How will he react? It could be a global catastrophe.

As much as it grinds my pipe, the way out of this with minimum loss of life, is to give Putin / Russia a face-saving way to climb down and for him to escape war crimes proceedings. Then assassinate him if the cancer doesn’t eat him first. Rubbing his nose in it (the Liz Truss & Cowardly streak of pi$$ approach), is dangerous.

Wholeheartedly agree that Liz Truss is guaranteed to get the worst out of almost everyone.

 

[Mrs Honeyman]

Wholeheartedly agree that Liz Truss is guaranteed to get the worst out of almost everyone.

Whenever I see Liz Truss, it makes me want to go out and ………

 

[Danidl]

Just read this in the Kyiv Independent - so believe as much or as little as you wish:

The Times: British SAS troops ‘are training local forces in Ukraine.’ Ukrainian commanders told The Times that British Special Air Service troops have been “on the ground” in and around Kyiv training new and returning recruits to use NLAWs, anti-tank missiles sent by the U.K in February. The British Defense Ministry declined to comment.

I don't see why they would be used for that purpose. According to the information publicly available for many weeks, launching these NLAWs is easier than using a machine gun. And with the experience already on the ground, SAS would not be required. Remember that the various national embassies are planning on returning..

 

[flecc]

My main concern is that in Putin, we have a dying and cancer ridden old man with a gigantic ego suffering humiliation. How will he react? It could be a global catastrophe.

While I agree, I think he has enough like minded friends to make him feel self righteous enough to blame the outcome on the West ganging up. Xi Jinping in China, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, Narendra Modi in India, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, Viktor Mihály Orbán in Hungary, plus a few in Africa and South America will also have sympathies.
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[oyster]

I don't see why they would be used for that purpose. According to the information publicly available for many weeks, launching these NLAWs is easier than using a machine gun. And with the experience already on the ground, SAS would not be required. Remember that the various national embassies are planning on returning..

I wouldn't have expected the SAS to be needed to train for NLAWs. Surely we use SAS for the purposes they are especially suited?

 

[flecc]

Surely we use SAS for the purposes they are especially suited?

You mean a British Special Operation in Ukraine, against a Russian Special Operation there?
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[oyster]

You mean a British Special Operation in Ukraine, against a Russian Special Operation there?
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Or training others in the ways of the SAS.

Though I'm not sure that we would wish to risk getting rumbled in having deployed British forces there at all.

 

[Danidl]

Or training others in the ways of the SAS.

Though I'm not sure that we would wish to risk getting rumbled in having deployed British forces there at all.

I doubt that the British Armed forces have anything to teach the Ukrainians. .. except when newer weapons are being introduced. There might be a value in hooking up display terminals to the data from AWACS, but that wouldn't be SAS bods

 

[flecc]

Though I'm not sure that we would wish to risk getting rumbled in having deployed British forces there at all.

The accepted international ruse for troops on the spot in other's conflicts is that they are military advisers.
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[Mrs Honeyman]

While I agree, I think he has enough like minded friends to make him feel self righteous enough to blame the outcome on the West ganging up. Xi Jinping in China, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, Narendra Modi in India, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, Viktor Mihály Orbán in Hungary, plus a few in Africa and South America will also have sympathies.
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Imagine being so short of friends that you need to rely on that line-up I suppose it could be worse for Putin, he could have had Boris Johnson on his Christmas card list.

 

[oldgroaner]

This somehow reminded me of the Ukrainians

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1515348562263085066

Especially the Crabs

 

[Mrs Honeyman]

I doubt that the British Armed forces have anything to teach the Ukrainians. .. except when newer weapons are being introduced. There might be a value in hooking up display terminals to the data from AWACS, but that wouldn't be SAS bods

Perhaps the Irish could teach the Germans a thing or two and make them less reliant on Russian gas? I’ve heard Ireland has just imported 100 million tonnes of sand from Saudi Arabia and now they are going to drill for their own oil.

 

[oldgroaner]

The so called man "leading the charge" against Russian aggression
What a pillock Rubles bought!

 

[Danidl]

Perhaps the Irish could teach the Germans a thing or two and make them less reliant on Russian gas? I’ve heard Ireland has just imported 100 million tonnes of sand from Saudi Arabia and now they are going to drill for their own oil.

We actually have our own gas ... Corrib and Kinsale fields, () Kinsale is about used up. We also have some oil off Kinsale ..but not worth it at present.

 

[oyster]

I see that nasty piece of work from Somerset has been opening his gob again:

Rwanda asylum plan is ‘almost Easter story of redemption’, says Rees-Mogg
Minister for Brexit opportunities defends scheme after archbishop of Canterbury voices strong criticism

He should, perhaps, realise that the Easter story arose from an evil regime due to their nailing people to crosses.

 

[Woosh]

in a way, the Rwanda contract will help Kier Starmer as it is essentially a clear blue water.
The plan is a waste of money and illegal in the first place as it denies refugees their right to legal recourse and assistance. The only justification for it is no other party has a solution to stop the rubber boats.
I expect a large number of small c conservatives will oppose it and may vote for Labour at the next election.

 

[sjpt]

I suppose it could be worse for Putin, he could have had Boris Johnson on his Christmas card list.

He probably has, laced with something noxious.

 

[guerney]

Or training others in the ways of the SAS.

Though I'm not sure that we would wish to risk getting rumbled in having deployed British forces there at all.

What ways would those be anyhow? I've only ever met two (three perhaps, unsure - the third was famously captured in Lebanon, tortured and eventually released as part of a prisoner exchange, all while denying he was SAS) and those two were crazy. I suppose being chased about by dogs in forests at night from an early age (recruitment used to be 18) will do crazy to one's mind if it went on too long, especially if after failing to eliminate the dogs, being tortured for days ensued, which could get on one's nerves especially if it happened on a regular basis.

 

[oldgroaner]

What ways would those be anyhow? I've only ever met two (three perhaps, unsure - the third was famously captured in Lebanon, tortured and eventually released as part of a prisoner exchange, all while denying he was SAS) and those two were crazy. I suppose being chased about by dogs in forests at night from an early age (recruitment used to be 18) will do crazy to one's mind if it went on too long, especially if after failing to eliminate the dogs, being tortured for days ensued, which could get on one's nerves especially if it happened on a regular basis.

Are you trying to get the Hooligans a bad name?