The Politics Thread

[Worthy4England]

Why would they want to increase their defence, if they don't have any intention of fighting?

I've not actually noticed us doing any defending of any of these Countries (as they're not at war) - a minor point but nonetheless fairly pertinent.

I think you should show the graphic to your cat.

[Lord Kangana]

Perhaps we could have a graphic of what Hoboh's cat is actually doing in all this?

I'd bet my house that the answer is "f*ck all".

F*cking cats.

[Hoboh]

Why would they want to increase their defence, if they don't have any intention of fighting?

I've not actually noticed us doing any defending of any of these Countries (as they're not at war) - a minor point but nonetheless fairly pertinent.

I think you should show the graphic to your cat.

Everyone of those nations has been calling on NATO to protect them.
The US and the EU have a lot to answer for with their meddling in the Ukraine.

The Kremlin has watched Nato moving closer and closer to Russia's border.
"It is part of Putin's mind, he is afraid of this," believes Sergei Aleksashenko, a former deputy finance minister in the Russian government.
"He believes the enlargement of Nato has changed the geopolitical balance in Europe and creates more dangers for Russia.
"We may disagree with those views, but if Russia's leader is afraid, that means no-one in the West was able to explain to him it is not true or reach agreement.
"It is very easy to blame Putin himself and call him paranoid, but politics is a game for two people, for two sides."

A senior Russian foreign policy strategist with close links to the Kremlin told me there were no Western politicians President Putin felt comfortable negotiating with on Ukraine.
He claimed that the Kremlin had warned the West "dozens of times" not to meddle in Ukraine, but that all of Moscow's warnings went ignored.
"I can't see anybody now in Russia or in the West who could stop this," he concluded

.

The bloody EU again!! Why on earth do we need countries like these, hardly a new massive market are they

[Hoboh]

Why would they want to increase their defence, if they don't have any intention of fighting?
I've not actually noticed us doing any defending of any of these Countries (as they're not at war) - a minor point but nonetheless fairly pertinent.

I think you should show the graphic to your cat.

So why bleat like sheep when they fear Russia invading them? Invite them in for a vodka then shut the hell up!!!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

The Kremlin might have watched Nato get a bit closer, but the Kremlin have shall we say...invaded, i.e. gotten more than a bit closer. Putin wants Russia's empire back, only the old empire doesn't want him.

[Worthy4England]

Well. we could of course suggest that they just take half of Germany again, in which case they're a hell of a lot closer than Estonia, to us.

Good to see Hobes has the foresight to understand this.

Maybe we should talk to his cat.

[Lord Kangana]

That'd be his cat that hasn't lifted a finger to help, wouldn't it?

[Hoboh]

Well. we could of course suggest that they just take half of Germany again, in which case they're a hell of a lot closer than Estonia, to us.

Good to see Hobes has the foresight to understand this.

Maybe we should talk to his cat.

Half a Germany may be no bad thing, at least the EU may run more fairly.

After watching the good 'ole USA for the last decade or so, if I was Putin I'd be stirring up a boat load of crap to upset them and the bloody Germ...EU.
Putin has no desire to re-conqer lost lands and besides a sizable chunk of the population of these countries that don't want Russia back might not agree, given they are Russian.

[Prufrock]

Your constant ranting against 'socialists' and your love for Mother Russia is a bit suspicious.

[Lord Kangana]

Putin has no desire to re-conqer lost lands and besides a sizable chunk of the population of these countries that don't want Russia back might not agree, given they are Russian.

You typed this. Do you believe it? And have any corroborating evidence to support it?

[Hoboh]

Your constant ranting against 'socialists' and your love for Mother Russia is a bit suspicious.

I don't 'love' a 'society' like we have now, rich blokes with no balls to do anything except clobber the stupid poor who vote for these rich guys to further undermine their standard of living. I love paying for India's space program and Champagne for half of Africa's leaders via £11 billion per year of aid, I despise a society that follows rules such as 'a right to a family life' after some odious, obnoxious, tool manages to murder someone and rape and steal yet because his gran who he may have seen once in his life lives here, we cannot chuck the w*nker out!
Putin is a leader, like his policies or not he does not kiss ass and he is actually putting the brakes on our rampant Western leaders, something with their haste to rule the world we may end up grateful for.
I wouldn't like to live in Russia I just wish we had a few free thinking leaders instead of the tripe we get, then there's Clegg

[Hoboh]

Putin has no desire to re-conqer lost lands and besides a sizable chunk of the population of these countries that don't want Russia back might not agree, given they are Russian.

You typed this. Do you believe it? And have any corroborating evidence to support it?

When you come forwards with evidence he does want to expand into the old commie block, then I will counter you

As of 2011, there are 1,052,520 ethnic Russians in the Baltic States (Latvia 556,422, Estonia 321,198, Lithuania 174,900), having declined from 1,726,000 in 1989.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Putin has no desire to re-conqer lost lands and besides a sizable chunk of the population of these countries that don't want Russia back might not agree, given they are Russian.

You typed this. Do you believe it? And have any corroborating evidence to support it?

When you come forwards with evidence he does want to expand into the old commie block, then I will counter you

As of 2011, there are 1,052,520 ethnic Russians in the Baltic States (Latvia 556,422, Estonia 321,198, Lithuania 174,900), having declined from 1,726,000 in 1989.

So by your logic India, Pakistan and Poland are competing to annexe the UK

[Lord Kangana]

So the ethnic Russian population has declined by about 40% and thats grounds for an invasion?

Its my own stupid fault for entertaining the premise in the first place, I know.

[Hoboh]

So the ethnic Russian population has declined by about 40% and thats grounds for an invasion?

Its my own stupid fault for entertaining the premise in the first place, I know.

The only people bleating about invasion are the Baltic states and Poland, all fine recipients of EU gift aid backed up by NATO's finest! These 'Nations' are going to be responsible for the next big war in Europe aided by us trying to Westernise them in double quick time.

[Lord Kangana]

Really? So Russian aggression will have nothing to do with it? They'll force the Russians to invade them? Say like in 1939?

[Worthy4England]

Putin has no desire to re-conqer lost lands and besides a sizable chunk of the population of these countries that don't want Russia back might not agree, given they are Russian.

You typed this. Do you believe it? And have any corroborating evidence to support it?

When you come forwards with evidence he does want to expand into the old commie block, then I will counter you

As of 2011, there are 1,052,520 ethnic Russians in the Baltic States (Latvia 556,422, Estonia 321,198, Lithuania 174,900), having declined from 1,726,000 in 1989.

So if Putin has no desire to expand, then there will be no defending to do - so stop bleating you muppet.

[Hoboh]

if your man next door kept moving his fence into your garden inch by inch I'm sure you'd just shove the FT over your head and go back to sleep!

[Worthy4England]

if your man next door kept moving his fence into your garden inch by inch I'm sure you'd just shove the FT over your head and go back to sleep!

It's not his garden.

[Hoboh]

if your man next door kept moving his fence into your garden inch by inch I'm sure you'd just shove the FT over your head and go back to sleep!

It's not his garden.

Some of his grass/flowers/weeds maybe resident in your garden.