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SeanDrake wrote: So DUP have had to suspend an MP for corruption(stop giggling at the back) and it may trigger a byelection do we get a refund on the bribe?
Some people seem to think not an issue as just drag another flat earther in but apparently there is some unhappiness with the DUP in the area.
If Paisley has to contest a by-election without DUP support (or even with it) he may have some troubles:
"@IRLPatricia
6 hours ago
Man in Ballymena coffee shop this morning reading about Ian Paisley. I asked him "what do you make of that?" His response: "His 2 holidays cost 3 times what I got in redundancy from Michelin. If he comes to my door lookin' my vote again I'll be like his Da - never, never, never!
Sadly if there even is a by-election Ian Óg will waltz right back into his position. Even without the DUP backing him I'd say he'd have a decent chance of winning but can't see it coming too that, members including their leader have done worse. Though I do wonder if a man who can't remember anything of 4 helicopter trips on a luxury holiday is really mentally fit to be in parliament?
In terms of EU reform; I'd like to see an end to the 2nd parliament. Potentially re-instate it as some form of 2nd chamber, but at least axe the expense of moving everything.
I'd put something in place to prevent MEP's taking a salary/pension but never turning up - some form of minimum attendance or valid justification.
I'd potentially turn the Euro into a trading currency and encourage the EU states to be seamlessly dual currency, with a variable exchange rate from EUR/local. By dual I mean EUR and local currencies are accepted everywhere in the same way and buyers can use whatever one they want.
But most likely I'd like the UK to actually get involved, and insist their MEP's actually do something.
Not that it matters. I'd take the EU as it is now over any flavour of Brexit any day. I'd take an EU without our opt-outs over any flavour of Brexit. But then I feel the superstate is the next natural evolution in the way towards a united planet.
Ireland has been historically neutral and non-aligned and let's be honest, any attack on Ireland by a third party would automatically see the UK having to intervene for obvious reasons of close proximity.
Apologies to Republic of Ireland dakka members for saying this, and I hope I've not worded this poorly for obvious historical reasons, but Ireland by its very close location, is under 'UK protection.'
Is there not a secret protocol in place that sees the RAF intercept Russian military planes over Irish airspace?
If the Soviets had invaded Ireland, the UK would have to help Ireland. And for the record, thousands of Irish men from both sides of the border helped Britain defeat the Nazis. IMO, Britain would have a historic debt to help Dublin in the unlikely event of a 3rd party attacking the Republic.
Cyprus and Malta are Commonwealth members. I believe Britain would defend them anyway, NATO or not.
Nobody would invade Finland.
And again, I doubt if Germany would allow anybody to walk into Austria for obvious reasons of close proximity.
Sounds like pretty solid reasoning behind an EU organised army - we're going to step in and help each other anyway, so we may as well take advantage of economies of scale and share resources.
We have to stop pretending all these far right and far left movements that are so pally with the Russians are "patriots". The Front National was similarly a patron of Russia, the far right across Europe is funded by them (hilariously, given how shrill Russia is about Nazis).
Brexit was aided and abetted by Russians.
I hope there is some sort of nasty counter intelligence response underway. There need to be consequences for this bs.
Other than Russia. The Russian government have been quite clear that they have designs on Finland. It’s unlikely to happen, but if any country in Europe Finland is at most risk of being attacked.
insaniak wrote: Sometimes, Exterminatus is the only option.
And sometimes, it's just a case of too much scotch combined with too many buttons...
Da Boss wrote: The last time Russia invaded Finland it did not go well for them.
Hmm.
The Russians won the winter war. Imperial guard tactics to be fair, but they still won.
And when the finns had a go later in the war, it didn't go too well for them then either. Russians took back all the lost territory, and a bit extra on to point of it.
greatest band in the universe: machine supremacy
"Punch your fist in the air and hold your Gameboy aloft like the warrior you are"
Da Boss wrote: We have to stop pretending all these far right and far left movements that are so pally with the Russians are "patriots". The Front National was similarly a patron of Russia, the far right across Europe is funded by them (hilariously, given how shrill Russia is about Nazis). Brexit was aided and abetted by Russians.
I hope there is some sort of nasty counter intelligence response underway. There need to be consequences for this bs.
Russia hates fascists more than most (for good reason, see WW2), but it is also more pragmatic than most countries. If you can manipulate the fascists for a good old-fashioned game of "divide and conquer", then why wouldn't you use the fascists? I mean, they had to try something after plan A: "Convince everyone Communism is the most awesome thing ever and start revolutions everywhere" failed.
Da Boss wrote: The last time Russia invaded Finland it did not go well for them.
Hmm.
The Russians won the winter war. Imperial guard tactics to be fair, but they still won.
And when the finns had a go later in the war, it didn't go too well for them then either. Russians took back all the lost territory, and a bit extra on to point of it.
Yeah, Russia won both wars against Finland, although the first victory came at a higher cost than expected because a certain I.V. Stalin thought it'd be a great idea to kill all officers in his army. "Yeah, an army without any sort of leadership! It will be great! Also, put everything under control of bureaucratic Party paper pushers. That will make everything even less effective, they'll never be able to stage a coup against me ever!". It was even worse because the surviving officers were pretty much all rivals of one another. Still, the Red Army accomplished all of its goals and took a significant portion of Finnish territory. Pretty much the Imperial Guard in real life.
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Herzlos wrote: In terms of EU reform; I'd like to see an end to the 2nd parliament. Potentially re-instate it as some form of 2nd chamber, but at least axe the expense of moving everything.
I'd put something in place to prevent MEP's taking a salary/pension but never turning up - some form of minimum attendance or valid justification.
The problem with the second parliament is that in order to remove it you'll have to remove france's veto. The only way to do that is to remove all vetos.
It's like you brexiters think you're pointing out a brilliant but unseen problem we have all missed but your not!
All the other countrys know its a waste and have voted against it several times but france just goes non slaps down veto.
I also find it ironic that the side demanding sovereignty at the expense of the economy (money)
is demanding that france gives up its sovereignty (the 2nd parliament it wants to keep) for money!
I would be happy for agriculture reforms. I cant see why your EU support should be based on how much land you own, not how much you produce or how much you need to be profitable or whatever.
I also think it should stop growing, i get what it's trying to do but alot of these countrys are too different economically, politically etc.
The euro would have worked if it was just the big 3 or maybe a few of the others after they have jumped through some big hoops but it was rolled out in economys that were too different e.g. spain, greece etc
all of it's problems have come from one country needing a different fiscal policy to another.
Future War Cultist wrote: Why? The euro is a political project not bound by economic reality, and it’s killing the economies of the poorer performers. Having one interest rate and a fixed exchange rate among all those different economies is a big mistake that’s already nearly spilled over twice. Here, this explains it better:
But if anyone is so fething stupid as to be still championing that thing then there’s little I can say that’ll change their minds. Contrarianism is an awful thing to be sure.
As for the push to create an EU army, who controls it? What do you plan to do with it? What’s wrong with Nato?
Wwhat's wrong with nato? Howabout it's led by one of the most aggressive countries that is not our friend, and whose president has indeed quoted aus as their enemies. We can't rely on it's help. We are lucky to avoid their invasion by made up charges like they like to do!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
monarda wrote: [
This is a considerably weaker commitment than Article 5 of the NATO treaty which commits each member state to consider an armed attack against one member state, in Europe or North America, to be an armed attack against them all.
Famous art 5 does not define what aid must be given. Medicine and harsh words to invader fullfills it
Other than Russia. The Russian government have been quite clear that they have designs on Finland. It’s unlikely to happen, but if any country in Europe Finland is at most risk of being attacked.
What for though? Albeit it would be easy win for russia but what on earth they would be gaining from that useless piece of land worth spending money to invade it. Think russia has enough trees already
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Da Boss wrote: The last time Russia invaded Finland it did not go well for them.
Thanks to stalin and us. Soviets did beat us both times. If the anti-soviet normandy invasion hadn't hurried soviet though they would have got us.we were beaten and on the run. Luckily for us berlin and germany were bigger prize.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2018/07/25 02:48:18
Herzlos wrote: In terms of EU reform; I'd like to see an end to the 2nd parliament. Potentially re-instate it as some form of 2nd chamber, but at least axe the expense of moving everything.
I'd put something in place to prevent MEP's taking a salary/pension but never turning up - some form of minimum attendance or valid justification.
The problem with the second parliament is that in order to remove it you'll have to remove france's veto. The only way to do that is to remove all vetos.
It's like you brexiters think you're pointing out a brilliant but unseen problem we have all missed but your not!
All the other countrys know its a waste and have voted against it several times but france just goes non slaps down veto.
That's why I think it might be an easier sell to re purpose it as a 2nd chamber. If we need to keep it running we may as well use it for something and skip this moving back and forward farce.
But in reality it doesn't cost that much and I'd rather have it than Brexit.
Sorry, sorry, all this talk of how the EU could be better is very interesting but then the phase "adequate food" drifts across my train of thought and suddenly it doesn't seem all that important.
I'm not against reforming the EU where it would make an improvement, but we Brits need to acknowledge that we've got much worse problems right in our own islands than there being two EU parliament buildings or a combined army brigade.
Pulling some quotes from a recent opinion piece in The Guardina says it very well:
"Political shocks such as Brexit would simply not have happened in a country whose population was satisfied with the order of things.
...
"Whatever one thinks of communism, we need to ask whether a capitalist system that is fraying at the seams as much as ours is can really be said to be functioning.
...
"A no-deal Brexit would be bad, but the rot in our political and economic system goes much deeper, and anyone who thinks otherwise simply hasn’t been paying attention."
Plus, we can hardly reform the EU from the outside, and pulling out is making it far more difficult to reform our own polity.
Issues like Grenfell, Universal Credit, Free Academy schools, Student Debt, and lack of housing, have all been pushed to one side because for two years the focus of the government has been on prevention of a Conservative Party explosion.
This has to stop. We have to work to create a new constitution which will enable us to elect parliaments capable of dealing with these problems.
Graphite wrote: Sorry, sorry, all this talk of how the EU could be better is very interesting but then the phase "adequate food" drifts across my train of thought and suddenly it doesn't seem all that important.
Yeah the fact these Muppets could not organize a piss up in a brewery makes that statement sound a little hollow.
You will likely want a weapon of some sort as well given that guns are heavily restricted melee is most likely were it will be.
Remember the Armies plans state that 24hrs after the food runs out the riots start, the government assessment states that the food runs out after 48-72hrs and petrol in 5 days, so we will likely have martial law and troops on the streets protecting MP's by 3-4 April 2019 If it's a hard Brexit. The hilarious thing is that is not even the worst scenario it's just the government won't release the one code named Armaggedon.
Your last point is especially laughable and comical, because not only the 7th ed Valkyrie shown dumber things (like being able to throw the troopers without parachutes out of its hatches, no harm done) - Irbis
I'm not against reforming the EU where it would make an improvement, but we Brits need to acknowledge that we've got much worse problems right in our own islands than there being two EU parliament buildings or a combined army brigade.
Yes, but we have but a lot of the arguments against the EU are these petty things that in the grand scheme is making a mountain out of a molehill. The parliament issue for example has been used as why we should leave the EU despite that really the waste only costs each citizen of the EU 30p per year (an average figure), which is tiny overall. At the same time the same warnings that were present at the time of the referendum were casually ignored as fearmongering.
It's incredible to think that one of the wealthiest nations on the Earth is seriously having to consider stock piling food and potential rationing and that none of the ardent Wrexiters are at all worried about the situation and normalising it. You've got to the point where those far right nut cases in the
Government and Parliament think this is perfectly OK as long as it achieves what they want.
Now suppose we have another summer like we have had this year (or alternatively floods) that start damaging our own crops and the situation gets even worse.
Graphite wrote: Sorry, sorry, all this talk of how the EU could be better is very interesting but then the phase "adequate food" drifts across my train of thought and suddenly it doesn't seem all that important.
Don't forget the water 3-4 crates is probably ok for an emergency.
WHO guidance is 20 litres per day for drinking and hygiene. You could probably get some tablets as an easier way to manage. Assuming this dry spell doesn't continue with enough water butts etc we should be able to generate enough grey water to keep us healthy. Fortunately we aren't talking about an irradiated wasteland (yet).
A camping stove would also be a good idea considering the whole energy situation.
Charcoal or wood burning one would be best. Gas supplies are likely to be the energy source that dries up first as it is the hardest to extract. We should still have some energy supplies as there is the north sea supply which should at least keep critical infrastructure going. Buying into solar panels and larger lithium batteries may not be such a bad idea. Also we should remember we need supplies for heating. If we have a very cold spring then lack of heating can be just as deadly. Coal is still plentiful and relatively near the surface in many places in the UK.
A wind up radio might be a better idea. If energy is capped then the ability to charge such things might be restricted. On the other hand it gives plenty of opportunity to learn WFB!
You will likely want a weapon of some sort as well given that guns are heavily restricted melee is most likely were it will be.
Ranged weapons will still be king though. Those that have them will have a huge advantage. Although guns are going to be relatively infrequent (though this isn't a global issue) so smuggling them in might be big business. However you can get tournament bows and arrows. They do pack a punch, although they need practice to get right.
the government won't release the one code named Armaggedon.
That would be a general election and Labour get voted in?
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2018/07/25 08:50:45
"Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. " - V
I've just supported the Permanent European Union Citizenship initiative. Please do the same and spread the word!
"It's not a problem if you don't look up." - Dakka's approach to politics
Graphite wrote: Sorry, sorry, all this talk of how the EU could be better is very interesting but then the phase "adequate food" drifts across my train of thought and suddenly it doesn't seem all that important.
little thread about how the WTO stuff is likely to go down.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
Interesting Twitter thread. I never knew the WTO setup was so complicated. Of course we were shielded from that by our EU membership.
I was suprised by the bias against the BBC's reporting on Brexit matters. To me they have been fairly obviously anti-Brexit in terms of clearly reporting stuff that makes Brexit look like a bad deal.
Maybe that's only because there is nothing to report that makes Brexit look like a good deal.
It's not just the straight reporting, though, it's the Reality Check articles which give a lot of useful explanation behind what triggers headlines.
Graphite wrote: Sorry, sorry, all this talk of how the EU could be better is very interesting but then the phase "adequate food" drifts across my train of thought and suddenly it doesn't seem all that important.
Spoiler:
perfectly fine and normal behaviour.
Food shortages and stockpiling human body parts. I think I can see the connection...think someone in government has been playing too much Fallout 4 to get an idea of how to survive.
I wonder if we could get enough crowd funding to run this on national TV for three months at the prime time?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/07/25 09:57:52
"Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. " - V
I've just supported the Permanent European Union Citizenship initiative. Please do the same and spread the word!
"It's not a problem if you don't look up." - Dakka's approach to politics
A rather cynical tradition has developed in recent years in which, in the final days and hours before MPs leave Parliament for an extended break, the government releases a deluge of embarrassing reports, statistics, and statements in an apparently deliberate attempt to bury them.
This summer has been no different. Here are just some of the inconvenient stories Theresa May's government has tried to bury over the past 24 hours.
Theresa May promised that all EU law and the jurisdiction of EU courts would end after Brexit day. However, May's government on Tuesday slipped out a new white paper revealing that ministers will legislate to ensure EU law continues to apply for at least two years after Britain leaves in March 2019. As Brexiteer MPs head off to their constituencies, the new Brexit secretary Dominic Raab revealed that the government will implement legislation that will allow the European Communities Act, which ministers plan to repeal on Brexit day, to be extended to allow EU rules to remain in force during any two-year transition. This means European courts will also continue to have jurisdiction over the UK in a breach of previous promised by the prime minister.
This is a victory for those hoping to delay or cancel Brexit but will undoubtedly prompt anger among many Brexiteers.
May's government has repeatedly committed to protecting the British military from cuts. However, an announcement slipped out on Tuesday afternoon reveals that two RAF bases will now close their gates for the final time under a series of planned cuts by the government. RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, which is used as a training ground for pilots, will cease to be operational from 2020. Meanwhile RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, which is home to the RAF Aerobatics Team, will also be sold off by 2022. The cuts are part of a wider long-term cuts plan to sell off military sites used by the RAF and armed forces.
The prime minister has repeatedly promised to tackle childhood obesity with measures including a new sugar tax and health advice brought in by ministers. However, a new government report slipped out as MPs leave Westminster for the summer, reveals that their attempts have so far failed. New figures published on Tuesday afternoon show that severe obesity among 10 and 11 year olds is now at a record high, with children in the poorest families showing the biggest rise. Overall the 'health inequality' gap between children in poorer and wealthier families has also widened once again.
David Davis's resignation as Brexit secretary led to speculation that Downing Street could move to take over Brexit talks from whoever succeeded him. That speculation turned out to be correct with the prime minister quietly announcing on Tuesday afternoon that the Brexit department will no longer be in charge of negotiations, with Downing Street and the Cabinet Office leading instead.
"I will lead the negotiations with the European Union, with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union deputising on my behalf," May said in a statement.
The decision means the Brexit department will now be downgraded with staff moving over to Downing Street and the Cabinet office.
"Both of us will be supported by the Cabinet Office Europe Unit and with this in mind the Europe Unit will have overall responsibility for the preparation and conduct of the negotiations, drawing upon support from DExEU and other departments as required. A number of staff will transfer from DExEU to the Cabinet Office to deliver that."
The Conservative government's attempts to slash public spending has led to widespread cuts to public services. These cuts were today extended further into the courts system as May's government quietly announced plans to sell off courts across England as part of a wider cost-cutting exercise.
The following 7 courts will now be closed after government officials judged they no longer represented "value for money":
Banbury Magistrates’ and County Court
Blackfriars Crown Court
Chorley Magistrates’ Court
Fleetwood Magistrates’ Court
Maidenhead Magistrates’ Court
Northallerton Magistrates’ Court
Wandsworth County Court
When Margaret Thatcher cut free school milk in schools in the 1970's when she was Education Secretary, she was dubbed the "milk snatcher" by her opponents. Now as parliament prepares to head off for the summer, Theresa May's government is reportedly planning something similar for nursery school children. The plans to cut funding for free milk in nurseries were revealed by the Times on Tuesday and will be set out in an imminent public consultation.
A spokesperson for the prime minister insisted to Business Insider that no child who currently receives milk will lose access to it. However, there is likely to be cuts of some form to the programme, potentially in terms of the quality or quantity of milk provided.
makes you proud eh ?
likely to be cuts of some form to the programme, potentially in terms of the quality or quantity of milk provided.
TBF this at least shows the govt. is at last displaying some joined up thinking :
no point in giving milk to children if we're going to cause a dairy shortage through brexit
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
Wwhat's wrong with nato? Howabout it's led by one of the most aggressive countries that is not our friend, and whose president has indeed quoted aus as their enemies. We can't rely on it's help. We are lucky to avoid their invasion by made up charges like they like to do!
NATO has been the thing that likely done more to avert war in Europe than anything else.
It also allowed most if not all European nations to keep reducing their military spend and rely on the USA picking up the slack - I can see why this has been a frustration for many of their Presidents.
Our military is being scaled back with perhaps too much spent on Nuclear (to keep our seat on the SC) France has always been involved in a similar way to our membership of the EU - suspicious and somewhat reluctant. Germany is (understandably) terrified as being seen as a military power and most of the rest have declining at best militaries.
Even if NATO failed and the EU somehow cobbled together a "EU Defence Force" are the nations likely to spend any more? Its about as likely to work as a UN Defence Force.
I AM A MARINE PLAYER
"Unimaginably ancient xenos artefact somewhere on the planet, hive fleet poised above our heads, hidden 'stealer broods making an early start....and now a bloody Chaos cult crawling out of the woodwork just in case we were bored. Welcome to my world, Ciaphas."
Inquisitor Amberley Vail, Ordo Xenos
"I will admit that some Primachs like Russ or Horus could have a chance against an unarmed 12 year old novice but, a full Battle Sister??!! One to one? In close combat? Perhaps three Primarchs fighting together... but just one Primarch?" da001
Nato is paper that doesn't even quarantee help. And led by country that provenly is attacking countries with trumped up charges. Who's next? Us is huge world threat. Not something to rely on
When you get down to the bottom line, I support it out of sheer selfish geo-political reasons, because any attack on Ireland, or France, or Belgium etc etc
would be the same as an attack on Britain, due to the close proximity of those nations.
My problem is the EU. I don't want to see such a force wielded for pure political reasons.
I don't want another Ukraine debacle on our hands.
It should be strictly defensive in nature, and it would have to be done properly with clearly defined protocols about who is in charge.
I'm not saying the EU couldn't have some say and input, but some members would be EU members, and some members would be non-EU members. Just like NATO.
For the record, I've always though that even if the USA does pull out of Europe, then Britain, France, and Germany, have more than enough between them to handle Russia.
France and Britain have the nuclear deterrent to match Moscow, and Germany has the cash and industrial might to bolster British and French military capabilities with their own well equipped and well trained force.
It would be historically strange to be on the same side as Germany against Russia.
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
Kilkrazy wrote: "War is the continuation of policy by other means." (Clausewitz.)
A tacit admission that a United States of Europe is a possibility?
At any rate, something interesting is happening. Some Brexit kid is claiming that the EC unfairly fined him 20 grand for ticking the wrong box when declaring spending, and now he's crowdfunding to fight back against the EC.
Could be interesting.
reds8n will probably have the articles, charts, and graphs.
I don't know much about it myself to be honest.
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
Tory (ex-UKIP) MEP suggests that the Treason Act should be brought up to date to include anybody with extreme loyalty to the EU acting "undemocratically" against the UK:
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“Good people are quick to help others in need, without hesitation or requiring proof the need is genuine. The wicked will believe they are fighting for good, but when others are in need they’ll be reluctant to help, withholding compassion until they see proof of that need. And yet Evil is quick to condemn, vilify and attack. For Evil, proof isn’t needed to bring harm, only hatred and a belief in the cause.”
tneva82 wrote: Nato is paper that doesn't even quarantee help. And led by country that provenly is attacking countries with trumped up charges. Who's next? Us is huge world threat. Not something to rely on
Its a military alliance that has been around and been effective for what 70 years?
The current president of the US is....lets be generous and say unpredictable but is he the huge world threat? Who has he actually invaded? Lets recall that the mess in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Yeman was there when he got there and likely to be there when he goes.
Unless he changes the US rules, he will be going after at most 2nd term whereas the leaders of China and Putin are likely there till they die.
For the record, I've always though that even if the USA does pull out of Europe, then Britain, France, and Germany, have more than enough between them to handle Russia.
France and Britain have the nuclear deterrent to match Moscow, and Germany has the cash and industrial might to bolster British and French military capabilities with their own well equipped and well trained force.
Not unless it went nuclear and then we would all loose - well mostly us. NATO was strong enough with the US forces in Europe to make it untenable to invade (even if it wanted to), but if the Eastern Bloc really wanted to it could overwhelm the Western forces back when they had the higher spending and readiness. It would have gone nuclear if we wanted to not loose.
We and the French have a few missiles each- would we really use them? - this still seems relevant..... Without US forces - its unlikely we could put up more than a token resistance.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2018/07/25 11:21:20
I AM A MARINE PLAYER
"Unimaginably ancient xenos artefact somewhere on the planet, hive fleet poised above our heads, hidden 'stealer broods making an early start....and now a bloody Chaos cult crawling out of the woodwork just in case we were bored. Welcome to my world, Ciaphas."
Inquisitor Amberley Vail, Ordo Xenos
"I will admit that some Primachs like Russ or Horus could have a chance against an unarmed 12 year old novice but, a full Battle Sister??!! One to one? In close combat? Perhaps three Primarchs fighting together... but just one Primarch?" da001
Kilkrazy wrote: "War is the continuation of policy by other means." (Clausewitz.)
A tacit admission that a United States of Europe is a possibility?
What, by someone dead for nearly 200 years? What foresight!
At any rate, something interesting is happening. Some Brexit kid is claiming that the EC unfairly fined him 20 grand for ticking the wrong box when declaring spending, and now he's crowdfunding to fight back against the EC.
Could be interesting.
That would be the guy who got caught undermining democracy as part of the great Brexit con job colluding with Vote Leave to breach spending limits and who now accuses the electoral commission of undermining democracy?
This is all the future is going to be, isn't it. Every issue just divides the populace into two highly polarised hyper-partisan groups who just appeal to their own baying mobs to shout down any sort of legal rulings, independently arbitrated or not. You can just denounce any finding as part of "the establishment", or "the conspiracy", or "the elites" or whatever and hope that the crowd you've whipped up has the critical mass to do something about it.
Is there a way back from this that doesn't involve some sort of catastrophic event?
“Good people are quick to help others in need, without hesitation or requiring proof the need is genuine. The wicked will believe they are fighting for good, but when others are in need they’ll be reluctant to help, withholding compassion until they see proof of that need. And yet Evil is quick to condemn, vilify and attack. For Evil, proof isn’t needed to bring harm, only hatred and a belief in the cause.”
We and the French have a few missiles each- would we really use them? - this still seems relevant..... Without US forces - its unlikely we could put up more than a token resistance.
The money is there. It's just a matter of spending smart.
UK, France and Germany alone currently outspend Russia by more than 2-1, add all the others and it's something like 5 to 1.
Kilkrazy wrote: "War is the continuation of policy by other means." (Clausewitz.)
A tacit admission that a United States of Europe is a possibility?
At any rate, something interesting is happening. Some Brexit kid is claiming that the EC unfairly fined him 20 grand for ticking the wrong box when declaring spending, and now he's crowdfunding to fight back against the EC.
Could be interesting.
reds8n will probably have the articles, charts, and graphs.
I don't know much about it myself to be honest.
It is to refute your objection to an EU army on the basis it might be used politically.
