Election Year or Fear!

[Geoff Parkstone]

But it doesn't matter if NATO moved anything anywhere, their ability to strike from distance is up there with Roberto Carlios

[ramAnag]

Urban myths litter this thread (on all sides) and it?s best to do your own research to validate or otherwise

Couldn’t agree more. Exactly why the accuracy of certain assertions has had to be queried and challenged recently.

[Trickytreesreds]

Yep, it does seem it probably is. Seems Gorbachev sometimes claimed it was said and often said it hadn't been.

No myth at all. There may have been no treaty sigend, but it was said orally more than once, to assure Gorbachev. Thats a fact

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversy_regarding_the_legitimacy_of_eastward_NATO_expansion

[Andy_Faber]

No myth at all. There may have been no treaty sigend, but it was said orally more than once, to assure Gorbachev. Thats a fact

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contro...NATO_expansion

I would say though Tricky that, as the current conflict has evidenced, if Russia and a ?western? power had conflicting recollection of a verbal exchange, I?d favour the West every time. The only thing that would put that ?beyond reasonable doubt? in my mind was that Gorby seemed less inclined to fantasy

[Ramshank72]

Moving on, into another sphere, I think you'll all have seen at least photos of, and probably videos of, fireworkless firework shows. Basically thousands of drones moving about showing different coloured lights and making the most brilliant shows. It should come as no surprise that the Chinese are the best at this and they use AI to control these shows.

The next step is to arm 10s of 100s of drones and have them do the fighting. You pay billions getting a new submarine. Less than a million quids worth of drones sink it. Same goes for tanks and artillery. Made obsolete really. Planes? Fly a drone into a jet engine, bye bye F35.

War it is a changing.

Von Leijen announced this week 800 billion Euro for European defence. I hope a lot gets spent on Pan European AI, Pan European drones as well as some on more conventional weaponry or we are done for.

Already happened mate, a young British boy who joined up with the Ukrainian legion, was killed by a Russian drone on his first task very recently. From Call of Duty on his PlayStation, to reality very quickly.
Agree with your prior post, unfortunately people like Putin will always exist to ensure that peace never happens.

[ramAnag]

Already happened mate, a young British boy who joined up with the Ukrainian legion, was killed by a Russian drone on his first task very recently. From Call of Duty on his PlayStation, to reality very quickly.

I saw that too, RS. Very sad. 18 year old kid from Huddersfield and his photo (BBC) makes your ‘PlayStation, to reality’ comment horribly poignant. Looks like a child.

[Trickytreesreds]

no Labour 2 tier justice system? wow, just wow

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1APay1SKfQ/

[MadAmster]

I saw that too, RS. Very sad. 18 year old kid from Huddersfield and his photo (BBC) makes your ‘PlayStation, to reality’ comment horribly poignant. Looks like a child.

19 year old "former UK soldier" captured by the Russians sentenced to 22 years in prison for being a foreign national fighting with Ukraine.

[MadAmster]

no Labour 2 tier justice system? wow, just wow

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1APay1SKfQ/

Who wrote and sent the email? The video doesn't say. Mahmood says her aide didn't tell her.... 2 possibilities here. The aide really didn't tell her so should be sacked or Mahmood is lying and should be sacked.

We are also not told what this meeting where this was discussed was. Which organisation organised it? What powers, if any, did that body have? Is it an official government body or is it some weird think tank or similar? Again we don't know.

More questions than answers.

[MadAmster]

The Russians withdrew and allowed German re unification on the promise of not 1 inch closer from NATO?
NATO didn't have to move 1 inch in any of those countries but did so after lying to Gorbachev.

So, NATO could prevent Georgia or Ukraine electing pro western governments who then ask to join?

[MadAmster]

No myth at all. There may have been no treaty sigend, but it was said orally more than once, to assure Gorbachev. Thats a fact

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contro...NATO_expansion

Here's a sentence from the very URL you posted...

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who participated in the 1990 negotiations, subsequently spoke out about the existence of a "guarantee of non-expansion of NATO to the east" inconsistently, confirming its existence in some interviews and refuting in others.

The only FACT is that Gorbachev both confirmed and refuted such a guarantee.

Hung by your own petard.

[Ramshank72]

19 year old "former UK soldier" captured by the Russians sentenced to 22 years in prison for being a foreign national fighting with Ukraine.

I think (though might be getting my stories mixed up), that was another young boy, that didn't actually complete his basic training at home and was dismissed from the army, so decided to join up with the Ukrainians.
It feels like days gone by where boys were volunteering for war too young (Great and Second WWs), but sadly they're going without even having basic training that might just have saved their lives / capture. I don't see the captured soldier being released until the war ends but even then it might be hopeless.

[MadAmster]

I think (though might be getting my stories mixed up), that was another young boy, that didn't actually complete his basic training at home and was dismissed from the army, so decided to join up with the Ukrainians.
It feels like days gone by where boys were volunteering for war too young (Great and Second WWs), but sadly they're going without even having basic training that might just have saved their lives / capture. I don't see the captured soldier being released until the war ends but even then it might be hopeless.

Only know of the 22 year old as it was on the Dutch News yesterday.

[ramAnag]

Who wrote and sent the email? The video doesn't say. Mahmood says her aide didn't tell her.... 2 possibilities here. The aide really didn't tell her so should be sacked or Mahmood is lying and should be sacked.

We are also not told what this meeting where this was discussed was. Which organisation organised it? What powers, if any, did that body have? Is it an official government body or is it some weird think tank or similar? Again we don't know.

More questions than answers.

It’s true, MA. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales has suggested that the ethnic background of offenders should be made a greater factor in determining sentences.
It’s apparently aimed at addressing the over representation of black and ethnic minority people within the criminal justice system.

What also appears to be true is the fact that Ministers have criticised such plans and Shabana Mahmood has stated very clearly that she will be writing to the Sentencing Council to ‘register my displeasure and to recommend reversing this change to guidance’.

Of course the likes of Jenrick, GoBSh*t* News and you know who have got it round their necks…again!
One has to wonder about what the purpose of constantly regurgitating such mistaken nonsense might be. You’d think they’d learned nothing from the events of last summer.

[MadAmster]

It’s true, MA. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales has suggested that the ethnic background of offenders should be made a greater factor in determining sentences.
It’s apparently aimed at addressing the over representation of black and ethnic minority people within the criminal justice system.

What also appears to be true is the fact that Ministers have criticised such plans and Shabana Mahmood has stated very clearly that she will be writing to the Sentencing Council to ‘register my displeasure and to recommend reversing this change to guidance’.

Of course the likes of Jenrick, GoBSh*t* News and you know who have got it round their necks…again!
One has to wonder about what the purpose of constantly regurgitating such mistaken nonsense might be. You’d think they’d learned nothing from the events of last summer.

Long live GBeebies hey?

Just seen that bit in bold on the lunchtime news. It also seems that Mahmood has no jurisdiction over the Sentencing Council, she can only request or advise or recommend...