Trump's tariff wars...long post.

[Woodinblack]

6 minutes ago, prowla said:

Well, people voted for the war criminal too.

 

Which one?

[prowla]

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Which one?

 

The grin on a stick.

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, mcnach said:

 

Nice way to encourage Putin to do it again.

I think it’s pretty much on the cards he’ll keep on until he either dies or is taken out sadly. Seems - at present - only NATO membership keeps him out. Time will tell if he decides to put this to the test.

[Woodinblack]

1 minute ago, prowla said:

 

The grin on a stick.

 

Still not narrowing it down!

[prowla]

Just now, Woodinblack said:

 

Still not narrowing it down!

Bliar.

[Count Bassy]

4 hours ago, Agent 00Soul said:

 

That's an odd thing to write.  Well, I grew up in the US and am a citizen so feel free to ask me. I can answer for 1/346.649,379th of us.

No offence meant by it. However the USA collectively voted for Trump, and some proudly drive round with guns in their cars, so it does make it a very different place to most of Europe.

Americans might well query how our europen brains work.

 

Edited Saturday at 13:56 by Count Bassy

[Count Bassy]

3 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

Which is why it’s so odd they chose Mandelson. Guess maybe he and Trump met on Epstein island 

I think Trump & Mandleson have different  interests in that direction.

[Count Bassy]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

What's going to happen about all the US military bases dotted around Europe? Kick them all out? Either the US is going to have to keep its commitment or it's going to have to take the bases out.

 

What? They're going to take all the US fenders and Gibsons away?

 

(Yes, I know it's spelt differently)

[Leonard Smalls]

3 minutes ago, Count Bassy said:

some proudly drive round with guns in their cars, so it does make it a very different place to Europe

I once did some hitchhiking round Switzerland, as you do, and I was twice picked up by pick-up trucks proudly displaying what looked like an Armalite rifle...

Though I took my life in my hands and asked one why he had a machine gun (I didn't know how to say semi automatic in french!) in his motor, and his admittedly poor excuse was  something to do with gents on army service having one handy... Probably a better excuse than cos it makes him more manly!

[Count Bassy]

2 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

I once did some hitchhiking round Switzerland, as you do, and I was twice picked up by pick-up trucks proudly displaying what looked like an Armalite rifle...

Though I took my life in my hands and asked one why he had a machine gun (I didn't know how to say semi automatic in french!) in his motor, and his admittedly poor excuse was  something to do with gents on army service having one handy... Probably a better excuse than cos it makes him more manly!

Point taken. I've amended my post to say "Most of Europe".

[Agent 00Soul]

20 minutes ago, Count Bassy said:

Americans might well query how our europen brains work.

 

 

No offense taken.  And I think a huge proportion of Americans do just that - it's why there is always some escalating kerfuffle whenever a Republican becomes president.

 

I'm literally a mid-Atlantic guy: I've had one foot in Europe and North America for 30 years before I gave up on the USA and moved here full time, but even I used to come home to NYC from visits to Munich (where my best friend from Sussex Uni lives) long before Trump and be seething at how much higher the standard of living was there.  I definitely felt Germany should be relying less on the US and paying more of their military for example - they could sure afford it.  Part of that was jealously, but still.

 

Edited Saturday at 14:07 by Agent 00Soul

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

But Boris was elected by a majority. Out of all the people who bothered to vote, most of them decided that he was a fit person to represent the country and not a total embarrassment. 

 

43.6%, so not "most", although it was a majority.

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

43.6%, so not "most", although it was a majority.

 

Thats why i phrased it like that - he was the candidate that the most people voted for

[tauzero]

14 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Thats why i phrased it like that - he was the candidate that the most people voted for

 

But the way it's phrased, it reads that over 50% voted for him.

[TimR]

Zalenski has nothing to lose. He's in a no win situation. 

 

Trump wants to steal his country. Putin wants to invade it. 

 

But Europe are at the most risk, why aren't NATO talking to Zalenski and politely telling the US and Russia to get lost.

 

The US have already said they want out of NATO. They've broken UN deals on foreign aid. Shut down the US bases in Europe.

Edited Saturday at 20:24 by TimR

[Russ]

3 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

43.6%, so not "most", although it was a majority.

A plurality, not a majority. 

[SteveXFR]

I wonder how many countries are currently arming their elite assassins with orange seeking sniper rifles.

[Obrienp]

4 hours ago, Agent 00Soul said:

 

even I used to come home to NYC from visits to Munich (where my best friend from Sussex Uni lives) long before Trump and be seething at how much higher the standard of living was there.  I definitely felt Germany should be relying less on the US and paying more of their military for example - they could sure afford it.  Part of that was jealously, but still.

 

Post war convention was that Germany should not build up its military. I believe there are clauses in its constitution to that effect (although that may be an urban myth). It was part of their collective guilt, having been responsible for two world wars and also reflected the anxieties of their European neighbours. Certainly Schulz said that their increase in military spending to support Ukraine was a major change in policy and the post war convention.

 

Also during the cold war, Germany weren’t so much relying on the US for defence, as putting up with a huge US and other NATO nations’ troops presence on their territory. They also footed the bill for many of the bases which were treated as US and other allies’ territory. Berlin was under the control of the quadripartite powers: USA, France, UK and Russia, although the latter allowed the GDR to call their apart a capital city (which was not recognised by the other allies). 

Edited Saturday at 18:41 by Obrienp

[Leonard Smalls]

15 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

having been responsible for two world wars

This is a little bit debateable... While the first world war was a direct result of firstly Austria-Hungary issuing an ultimatum to Serbia after Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, and Germany (Austria-Hungary's ally) declaring war on Russia (Austria Hungary's ally) because Serbia and its ally Russia had been getting all threaty, then deciding to sort out France (Russia's ally) via Belgium to bypass the Maginot line, there were many deeper causes... Such as military build up, imperialism etc - basically both sides wanted a scrap to see who had built their war machines better, and propaganda on both sides had built up the others to be monsters ("they eat babies!!!"). Hence a great deal of enthusiasm from yer patriotic folks to go and get slaughtered cos the generals were rubbish!

Then the Treaty of Versailles beat Germany sufficiently to cause resentment, which encouraged the rise of Hitler, but not enough to stop them rebuilding with ease once Adolf got the Daily Mail and Edward VII on board!

or at least that's what we were taught for history O level...

[Stub Mandrel]

I seems logical that Elon can save the USA a great deal bg sacking all the US forces in Europe...

[mcnach]

8 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I think it’s pretty much on the cards he’ll keep on until he either dies or is taken out sadly. Seems - at present - only NATO membership keeps him out. Time will tell if he decides to put this to the test.

 

Which is why you don't appease him. It's not a solution.

[mcnach]

3 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I wonder how many countries are currently arming their elite assassins with orange seeking sniper rifles.

 

Not quickly enough

[SteveXFR]

Just now, mcnach said:

 

Not quickly enough

 

Better to do it once and do it right than rush it.

[mcnach]

8 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

Boris was in the lead when it came to helping out Ukraine when Russia first invaded

 

Probably because it was a more credible way to avoid domestic issues than hiding in a cold room, at the time. Remember what was going on? 

That guy has never done anything without ulterior motives.

[mcnach]

8 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

Better to do it once and do it right than rush it.

 

It's hard to do it twice, arguably.