Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

Swale, Kimmel only did what countless late night hosts in the US have done for a slong as I can remember. Namely, extract the urine from the sitting President. Biden got it, Obama did, both Bush's, Carter, Regan, Clinton etc. How come 47 is the only one who can't take it?

Narciccists never can stand anything other than absolute brown nosing.

[Ram Pant]

... the clocks go forward an hour at 02:00 Sunday morning meaning you'll get one hour less rain

[SithHappens]

Except in the Farage household where they remain firmly in the 1970s

[swaledale]

Except in the Farage household where they remain firmly in the 1970s

Depends which household I guess? Clacton? Unlikely, Belgium? Mar a Lago? Some London pad where he hangs out with his neanderthal mates?

[ramAnag]

Except in the Farage household where they remain firmly in the 1970s

1970’s? You’re being generous. 1950’s I’d have thought.

[Ram Pant]

1970’s? You’re being generous. 1950’s I’d have thought.

Back to the 1950s would be good as there would be a chance his conception could be prevented.

[swaledale]

Trump's ill advised and badly thought out war on Iran is now nearing a dangerous point. There are ships with US troops on board approaching the region, Israel is out of control, bombing parts of Iran and Lebanon to destruction, repeating previous behaviour by killing representatives of the press - some reports say Israel has kiled in excess of 100 media people, always citing as justification that they were in cahoots with a militant group, without offering proof and to date very little condemnation from other countries.

One has to ask at what point does the unrestricted killing of civilians become a red line for the so called civilsed governments of the West? Is it only people who are left leaning that find a complete disregard for international law, the killing of non military personnel abhorrrent? Seems so, becuase the left wing PM of Spain is the only leader to have so far roundly crticised Trump and Israel's actions.

Iran is clearly not going to be bombed into submission, it has within its means to wreak further economic and societal havoc both on neighbouring states and the global economy. Trump despite his bluster and fake claims is getting desperate, but is he desperate enough to use land forces?

On the plus side, this may well be Trump's nadir, where the disaster that is his (and Israel's) making will finally see him removed from power.

I've also seen reports that in line with his usual tactic of throwing his accolites under the proverbila bus when things go wrong, he will blame Pete Hegseth for the decision to start the war.

On the otherhand his inability to accept he has failed, may see the action escalated to the extent that it becomes an intractable conflict, raging on for months and completely changing life as we know it.

What is most important, is that the UK and no other nation gets sucked into supporting this ill advised venture.

[Ram Pant]

Massively increasing troop numbers there. Iran's reaction has been "come closer" aka "bring it on". I think any land attack will see US troops decimated. This is, IMO, something that Iran has planned for, for ages, and the ambushes awaiting GI Joe and his buddies will be far superior to those we've ever seen down Cold Blow Lane. I foresee thousands of US casualties and even Trump's most fanatic MAGA supporter will turn on him.

This is a case where I fervently hope I am completely and utterly wrong.

[swaledale]

Massively increasing troop numbers there. Iran's reaction has been "come closer" aka "bring it on". I think any land attack will see US troops decimated. This is, IMO, something that Iran has planned for, for ages, and the ambushes awaiting GI Joe and his buddies will be far superior to those we've ever seen down Cold Blow Lane. I foresee thousands of US casualties and even Trump's most fanatic MAGA supporter will turn on him.

This is a case where I fervently hope I am completely and utterly wrong.

Me too, (not #Me Too!) it would be a disaster.

I was listening to some itnerviews with his MAGA supporters in the South of the US today, it struck me that many of them as RA has said before are either stupid or incapable of rational thought.

As examples, there was a farmer, who voiced his opinion that despite the increased costs in fuel and fertilsier etc. , it would be worth it if Iran was removed as a threat. Which seemed to me to ignore two facts, 1) Iran's threat to the US has always been more potential than actual and 2) Trump hasn't actually said what the aim of the war is, I mean it started with regime change, moved onto degrading Iran's military capability with vague mutterngs about removing the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, despite Trump's claims to have done this in June 2025.

I mean do these people not think, Trump says one thing, then contradicts himself and then is found to be obviously lying? Makes claims that are often untrue, exaggerated or simply ludicrous. Or is his thought and speech pattern so simialr to their's he gets a free pass every time?

It amuses me greatly, that the evangelical and devout Christian's in the US support Trump becuase of his promotion of conservative values.

Mm, so a Leader who openely boasts of s@xually assaalting women, has been found guilty in a civil court of s@xual assault, who is overtly vain, immoral and a narcissist, is obviously enriching himself and family members, has a history of dubious business practices and is far from sympathetic to the poor and whose devotion to the Christian ethic is at best peripheral. This guy is what the conservative Christian's think represents a good leader???

I mean do these people actually read the basic tenents of the bible or do they just follow the bits that suit themselves and convince themselves of their piety and observance of the religon?

Still I see the Pope has had the sense to issue a rebuke to those who preach war and violence in gods name, presumably aimed at Hegseth, though he isn't named.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Swale "....his MAGA supporters in the South of the US today, it struck me that many of them as RA has said before are either stupid or incapable of rational thought."

Its very dangerius to dismiss people in this way. Whilst you cant fix stupid, stupid can fix you as history has repeatedly shown. Millwall fans cannot recite poetry by Shelley but give them a brick and they can stave your head in (sorry for analogy, Claw)

As a side note I saw a neat anecdote yesterday. Adolf Hitler was a failed art student, he was a vegan and he blamed all his problems on the rich (and the Jews). In todays context he would be a paid up supporter of the Green Party, which is essentially the "new left".

Fascinating how extremes of the political spectrum mirror each other