07 Nov 2024 20:24:16
An intriguing set of posts about Trump guys. I decided to do a new post about this as the thread was getting very long! I do love reading all of your differing points of view Reds. Personally, as UK residents (in the main) on this site - I think that we should be pooping ourselves with Trump being re-elected.
Just my little ex-Intelligence Corps prediction:
Trump will slowly reduce the US financial support for Ukraine, trying to force them into peace talks with Russia based upon Ukraine giving-up the 4 disputed territories to Russia. This will then give European countries the stark choice of whether to support Ukraine on their own without the US or to start 'looking after themselves'. I suggest it'll be the latter. This will embolden Putin to start new conquests in Europe.
I also think Trump will disown NATO to a large degree - this will probably lead to serious fractions emerging within the NATO members in Europe and the EU as a whole. Germany is about to implode politically even without this external pressure. I think the principle of 'collective defence' will eventually go out of the window and it'll be up to each nation to defend itself.
With Trump's 'America First' policy and his love of imposing tariffs on imports, this could further erode the US relationship with its trade partners - the most important being China. I think China is going to be a mounting problem for the western world over the years to come.
Lastly, the nuclear issue. With supposedly nuclear-armed countries in the middle-east launching missiles at each other, North Korea coming out of it's hermit-shell as a self-announced nuclear power and Putin's constant nuclear sabre-rattling - I think that our world is in a more dangerous place than it has been since the Cuban missile crisis.
The thought of Trump's finger hovering over that red button is not a good one.
Sorry for the long post - I blame Stokey's influence!
07 Nov 2024 21:29:13
Putin's the idiot with his finger on the trigger trump wouldn't worry about pressing it either but my guess would be if anything happens we would be the first to be wiped out Russia hates us were a small island with a big history Russia would wipe us out with a nuclear attack to warn others the end we hate thatcher ?.
07 Nov 2024 23:16:49
Putin is not as bad as the west thinks he is. The invasion of Ukraine was the fault of the US's policy of expanding NATO.
2007: get Georgia into NATO.
2015: get Ukraine into NATO.
2021: get Ukraine into NATO.
Each year after there was invasions into Georgia then Crimea then Ukraine.
07 Nov 2024 23:37:27
The Cuban missile crisis was caused by the US putting nukes in Italy and Turkey. The US apologists will say otherwise, though, and say 'it was the Soviets fault'.
08 Nov 2024 01:30:33
The only defence we need to think about is Murillo, Milenkovic Aina and Morello lads. Nothing any of us can do about it so why worry and back to footy it's the weekend ?.
08 Nov 2024 06:09:37
Too right Balloons Sunday is the next important date after that the day the Giant Rock hits the Earth.
08 Nov 2024 06:52:13
Over simplified view of Trump and world politics, legless. Try and find 'Ukraine On Fire' a flim by Oliver Stone. It gives more than the MSM 'Russia bad' narrative.
EU is a failing project and the rise of the BRICS nations should be more of a concern to the G7.
The Federal Reserve, Central Banks, Deep State and Military Industrial Complex are the enemy of all people. We are all slaves to debt, apart from the elite who keep us there.
My one concern with Trump is his apparent allegiance to Israel.
Forest 2 Newcasle 0. COYR.
08 Nov 2024 11:24:44
And yet during his previous Term
None of this happened.
08 Nov 2024 12:02:13
Exactly Redtex, as if the media has an agenda.
08 Nov 2024 13:03:15
I shan't lose any sleep over it my Auntie who married a yank and lived in N Carolina slept with a gun under her pillow can't be arsed listening to him and many others like him ????.
08 Nov 2024 13:32:03
It’s what happens when your world view is fashioned by the BBC.
08 Nov 2024 15:39:45
Too true Redtex,
08 Nov 2024 16:21:49
I’d agree with your analysis Legless generally speaking mate. I think you’d love the book I’ve recently read about the Cuban Missile crisis “ Abyss” by Sir Max Hastings. There’s a lot of fascinating Intelligence stuff in there and a detailed trawl through the JFK archive ( he secretly taped all the Oval Office Excom meetings throughout the crisis. One snippet says a lot about the CIA and Pentagon Intelligence ( which the US spent billions on) which failed to pick up the missiles on route ( the analysts maintained they were anti aircraft rockets not nukes). It was actually a Brit flying a light aircraft from a tiny airfield in Kent for a private company called Skyphotos ( their business was aerial shots of houses for Estate Agents) who got bored and photographed Russian vessels in the English Channel carrying huge cylindrical shapes which were MRBMs!
Redtex, you make a good point mate. In his first term Trump didn’t carry out many of his more outrageous promises ( you tell me, is there a Mexican Border Wall paid for by Mexico? ). I read “his” book “ The Art of the Deal” when he was running for President as the new kid on the block after the more sedate Bushes. He comes across as a pragmatic businessman who is quite happy to make U turns shamelessly if things aren’t practical. Any criticism is just ignored as “fake news”. Don’t get me wrong though, he is a convicted criminal and completely in the power of Putin. Have a read of “Putins People” by Catherine Belton, the FTs ex Moscow correspondent and a highly reputable economist and writer. She describes how Putins oligarchs put up millions for his Florida enterprises including Hotels and Casinos and have yet to call the debt in. Plus they paid for certain of Trumps more wild and sleazy “peccadilloes “ at these hotels. It’s unlikely, as ex KGB, they won’t have blackmail type footage of these honey traps. Interesting and dangerous times….
08 Nov 2024 16:35:11
MPolly mate, you are wrong on both your assertions. The UK doesn’t obey American orders, though it suits us to do so most of the time. The most glaring example was the consistent refusal of American requests for military aid in their Vietnam disaster. Both Wilson and Heath refused ( although New Zealand and Australia amongst others did). Lyndon Johnson even asked Wilson for “ just a battalion “ as a symbolic contribution. But we exacted our revenge for Eisenhower pulling the plug on our collaboration with France and Israel at Suez by denying numerous requests. Plus we had actually read our history books and looked at the French disaster at Dien Ben Phu. Plus we had better things to spend our money on….
Also, it wasn’t US policy to expand NATO on the fall of the Communusts. Newly liberated countries like Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Czech and Slovak Republics etc decided to use their new found freedom to take measures to protect themselves and align themselves with the free world after years under the dead hand of Russia. Even neutral Sweden have now applied due to Putins aggression. NATO is a collective of independent states mate not an American Empire. A country can leave at any time.
08 Nov 2024 16:39:43
There is only one politician I truly revere due to his courage, integrity, defiance of the odds and compassion for his country and that is Voladimir Zelensky. Long live Ukraine ??.
08 Nov 2024 17:06:09
Promises made
Promises kept
Is the mantra I will judge him on.
08 Nov 2024 17:08:18
The final point Polly is that the Cuban missile crisis was not caused by American missile in Italy and Turkey though it was an unnecessary provocation. Both sides could destroy each other with ICBMs fired from their own soil or submarines. JFK realised very early on that the missiles in Cuba did not alter the strategic balance but that the American public wouldn’t put up with it and he was in mid campaign in US Election year. Nikita Kruschev, of course, had no such problems and ( emboldened by the Bay of Pigs fiasco) liedrepeatedly about the missiles being nuclear. The crisis was brought about by Kruschevs reckless military adventurism with a few to the West giving up Berlin in exchange. To his credit JFK ignored the provocation ( his military chiefs of staff strongly lobbied for Cuba to be destroyed entirely by bombing immediately and without warning or a Declaration of War, particularly the gung ho Air Force General Curtis LeMay, the was the inspiration for the mad General “Buck Turgidson” memorably played by George C. Scott in Stanley Kubrick brilliant “Dr Stangelove” opposite Peter Sellars), put a blockade around Cuba and negotiated a deal to remove the pointless Turkish/ Italian deployment in exchange for removal of the Cuban ones. Kruschev hadn’t been to war ( except as a behind the lines Red Army Political Commisar for Stalin) whereas JFK had in the Pacific against the Japanese. In fact when he rejected LeMays advice he said he wouldn't stoop so low as to do a “Pearl Harbour”type attack without warning and refused to be “an Admiral Togo”.
08 Nov 2024 18:22:47
Stokey - your big brain astounds me. I've actually started reading your posts to the end without falling asleep! Superb.
Tex - I think it takes a brave man to assume that Trump's actions/ inactions in his first term will carry on into his second term. Personally, I think he will feel more free to do as he pleases 2nd time around.
Scouse - I'm not a slave to debt in any way. Does that make me 'an elite'? If so, please inform Mrs Legless about this as I could do with some respect around here!
08 Nov 2024 21:00:51
Legless, many thanks mate! As for my brain, as Woody Allen quipped in “Sleeper” “ it’s my second favourite organ “ ??.
08 Nov 2024 22:08:37
Duck and cover.
08 Nov 2024 23:48:14
If I could physically use a spade WKW, I'd be digging my own underground shelter in my back garden mate.