Is Russia just about to invade Ukraine?

[Horse]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68266447

Donald Trump has said he would "encourage" Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance.

At a rally on Saturday, he said he had once told a leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments, and would "encourage" the aggressors to "do whatever the hell they want".

So is this:
- Let Ukraine join NATO
- "Oh dear, you can't afford the cover charge for a seat at the table?"
- No defence support, no more funding
- "Well you knew the rules before you joined, it's your own fault ... "

[Mr. Dazzle]

Donald Trump in "every relationship is a transaction" shocker.

You're talking about a man who didn't go to someone's funeral because that someone didn't go to Trump's inauguration. Like you somehow need to keep score with a dead man.

[Yambo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68266447

Donald Trump has said he would "encourage" Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance.

At a rally on Saturday, he said he had once told a leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments, and would "encourage" the aggressors to "do whatever the hell they want".

So is this:
- Let Ukraine join NATO
- "Oh dear, you can't afford the cover charge for a seat at the table?"
- No defence support, no more funding
- "Well you knew the rules before you joined, it's your own fault ... "

That's all rather disingenuous isn't it because I'm sure you read this bit:

He recalled that the leader of a "big country" had presented a hypothetical situation in which he was not meeting his financial obligations within Nato and had come under attack from Moscow.

Hypothetical questions usually get hypothetical answers, as is only right.

Whilst you can make it appear that Trump was encouraging the Russians it could also be argued that he was telling other NATO countries that if they want the support of NATO they have to pay their dues.

[Count Steer]

While I agree that all NATO countries should pull their weight in developing a credible defence system, I suspect what Trumpski is getting at is, 'You should all be spending your 2%+ of GDP, on our weapons' - got to keep the good ol' USA's military-industrial complex going eh?

Sadly, it's probably cheaper to buy/rent their systems than go though the horrors of joint European design and development if we want anything viable delivering in a useful timescale. One thing the UK on its own fails to do, on a regular basis, is develop anything worth having at a price worth paying (IED-hardened manpower carriers anyone? )

PS If the Mad Mango is serious, Canada spends about 1% of GDP on defence. So he'd be happy to let his water sports buddy roll through Montreal and park their missile systems on the border. Uh huh. Sure.

[mangocrazy]

PS If the Mad Mango is serious

Oi! I resent that remark... less of the Trump to Mango comparisons if you don't mind... Trump to Orange comparisons are fine though...

[Bigjawa]

While I agree that all NATO countries should pull their weight in developing a credible defence system, I suspect what Trumpski is getting at is, 'You should all be spending your 2%+ of GDP, on our weapons' - got to keep the good ol' USA's military-industrial complex going eh?

Sadly, it's probably cheaper to buy/rent their systems than go though the horrors of joint European design and development if we want anything viable delivering in a useful timescale. One thing the UK on its own fails to do, on a regular basis, is develop anything worth having at a price worth paying (IED-hardened manpower carriers anyone? )

PS If the Mad Mango is serious, Canada spends about 1% of GDP on defence. So he'd be happy to let his water sports buddy roll through Montreal and park their missile systems on the border. Uh huh. Sure.

Trump also forgets that he needs European cooperation to run his little proxy wars. That airstrike against Gaddafi in 86 nearly didn't happen because France and Spain didn't want to know and they had to fly the long way through the straits of Gibraltar. Presumably the nations that can't pay their way will include Turkey so if they need access to the middle east, it'll be carriers only unless they commit massive amounts of tanker support.

I can see Starmer telling him to jog on and putting restrictions on US military exercises in UK airspace too. Trump is the everything Labour despises.

Trump will cut his nose off to spite his face

[Horse]

That's all rather disingenuous isn't it because I'm sure you read this bit:

And I'm sure you didn't overlook this:

At a rally on Saturday

Two - very different - occasions. One might well have been a hypothetical answer. This was a statement.

Whilst you can make it appear that Trump was encouraging the Russians it could also be argued that he was telling other NATO countries that if they want the support of NATO they have to pay their dues.

I'm not trying to make it appear anything. What I did was suggest one way he might spin it. I'm sure there are many more possibilities.

[Yambo]

That's all rather disingenuous isn't it because I'm sure you read this bit:

And I'm sure you didn't overlook this:

At a rally on Saturday

Two - very different - occasions. One might well have been a hypothetical answer. This was a statement.

Whilst you can make it appear that Trump was encouraging the Russians it could also be argued that he was telling other NATO countries that if they want the support of NATO they have to pay their dues.

I'm not trying to make it appear anything. What I did was suggest one way he might spin it. I'm sure there are many more possibilities.

You're doing it again!

You're trying to make it appear that at the rally on Saturday he said he would encourage the Russians etc but read your own quote again, all off it. He was bragging that at some time in the past he'd told some leader of a NATO country in response to a hypothetical question that's what he'd do.

At a rally on Saturday, he said he had once told a leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments, and would "encourage" the aggressors to "do whatever the hell they want".[/i]

[Yambo]

While I agree that all NATO countries should pull their weight in developing a credible defence system, I suspect what Trumpski is getting at is, 'You should all be spending your 2%+ of GDP, on our weapons' - got to keep the good ol' USA's military-industrial complex going eh?

You're going to have to explain to me why the USA twice refused to sell the Patriot system to Turkey (a NATO ally of course) but got really shirty when Erdoğan bought the S400 system from Russia.

[Horse]

You're doing it again!

You're trying to make it appear ...

At a rally on Saturday, he said he had once told a leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments, and would "encourage" the aggressors to "do whatever the hell they want".[/i]

So by giving the quote, I'm trying to make it appear something else? Seems a strange way to achieve it. I was more interested that he chose to tell the tale.

So why do you think he raised the issue at a rally in the US? Dementia, just reading whatever the script said, or some implied message and, if so what and to whom?

[Count Steer]

While I agree that all NATO countries should pull their weight in developing a credible defence system, I suspect what Trumpski is getting at is, 'You should all be spending your 2%+ of GDP, on our weapons' - got to keep the good ol' USA's military-industrial complex going eh?

You're going to have to explain to me why the USA twice refused to sell the Patriot system to Turkey (a NATO ally of course) but got really shirty when Erdoğan bought the S400 system from Russia.

They refused, twice, to sell them the (at the time) latest system - which is what Turkey wanted. They offered the earlier version. Eventually they agreed to supply the latest version....after Turkey had contracted for the (better) S400 system.

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-r ... hase-42381

https://www.quora.com/Why-didn-t-the-Ob ... rom-Russia

[Taipan]

From the clips I’ve seen, it bears out Trumps claims that he will end the Ukrainian war. Looks like Putin will talk to Trump as Trump as claimed he will but (Putin) won’t talk to Biden. I must watch the whole interview at some point…

[mangocrazy]

While I agree that all NATO countries should pull their weight in developing a credible defence system, I suspect what Trumpski is getting at is, 'You should all be spending your 2%+ of GDP, on our weapons' - got to keep the good ol' USA's military-industrial complex going eh?

You're going to have to explain to me why the USA twice refused to sell the Patriot system to Turkey (a NATO ally of course) but got really shirty when Erdoğan bought the S400 system from Russia.

They refused, twice, to sell them the (at the time) latest system - which is what Turkey wanted. They offered the earlier version. Eventually they agreed to supply the latest version....after Turkey had contracted for the (better) S400 system.

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-r ... hase-42381

https://www.quora.com/Why-didn-t-the-Ob ... rom-Russia

It's just doing a deal, buyer plays one seller off against the other.

Nothing to see here, move along...

[irie]

It's just doing a deal, buyer plays one seller off against the other ...

This ^

[irie]

https://news.sky.com/story/russian-oppo ... d-13072837

Alexei Navalny: Putin critic dies after 'losing consciousness' at maximum security prison

No doubt Putin believes that Navalny's death reinforces his domestic reputation as a strong man, but at the same time is most likely to strengthen the resolve of those who support Ukraine and resist any negotiations with Russia.

[Screwdriver]

https://news.sky.com/story/russian-oppo ... d-13072837

Alexei Navalny: Putin critic dies after 'losing consciousness' at maximum security prison

No doubt Putin believes that Navalny's death reinforces his domestic reputation as a strong man, but at the same time is most likely to strengthen the resolve of those who support Ukraine and resist any negotiations with Russia.

I rather suspect this was a case of unfortunate timing. Clearly they have been slowly killing Navalny for years and for him to die now was just the result of those years of incarceration and deprivation.

One of the unforeseen results of the Putin/Carlson interview is that Putins historical ramble has really pissed off China. They are now looking very closely at Vladivostok. That interview might cost Putin dearly...

[irie]

Does look like Putin is rapidly increasing the number of his enemies, both inside and outside Russia ...

[Yambo]

Does look like Putin is rapidly increasing the number of his enemies, both inside and outside Russia ...

I think Putin sees everyone as an enemy or at best a potential enemy.

It's the curse of dictatorship - you can't trust anybody and you can't have friends.

[Bigjawa]

Does look like Putin is rapidly increasing the number of his enemies, both inside and outside Russia ...

I think Putin sees everyone as an enemy or at best a potential enemy.

It's the curse of dictatorship - you can't trust anybody and you can't have friends.

And Putin came up though the ultimate school of paranoia in the KGB.

To him, he's not serving the state, he IS the state and everyone is out to get him.

He's like Stalin before the end, only without the purges.