Bannoi

Nobody wants peace and an end to the war more than Ukraine. What they don't want to do is to surrender. Now Putin has his puppet in the White House it's only going to get worse for them.

America hang your head in shame Comrade Trump sure showed who the real President of America is.

Obviously Comrade Trump obeying his master.

"Trump made a fantastic deal with the Taliban looks like he's about to make another one with Putin." It was sarcasm perhaps I should of made it clearer it actually means it was a terrible deal 🙂

When I was young my next door neighbours daughter got measles and it made her blind she must of been about 5 or 6 years old.

Trump made a fantastic deal with the Taliban looks like he's about to make another one with Putin.

I heard he got a PhD in history at the Golden Globe University of Hollywood

Surely all working working together pulling in the same direction has to be better than trying to score points and outdo each other, you put tariffs on me so I put tariffs on you or ban exports and imports to and from you. The world has evolved with interconnected multinational supply chains that are now under the threat of being disrupted. The way things are going benefits no one with the possible exception of the elite. Trump thinks he is a great negotiator when in reality he's just a bully and blackmailer who is using his power to extort concessions that in the end are going to backfire and it's the American people that will ultimately pay the price.

Previously posted in the wrong thread by mistake-----------Sorry. A new world order is coming where once men of integrity with high ideals an overwhelming sense of patriotism and a passion to serve is being replaced by whose only aim is to serve themselves. Where once rationality, reason, saneness, the desire to seek out the truth to debate to uphold the power of democracy to expand the power of the mind has been replaced by misinformation lies disinformation and conspiracy theories. The Internet that allows the world’s population to interact with each other instead of encouraging more constructive conversation is being manipulated by so called social media. It is all controlled by algorithms and tech CEO’s Where they have the ability to suppress certain points of view where the masses vulnerability can be manipulated even to the extent of encouraging violent riots something we used to call brainwashing, Fact checkers are being abolished under the guise of free speech where in fact free speech now actually means a way of enabling the rich and powerful to destroy their critics. Where once Nero fiddled while Rome burned now we have the likes of Trump Musk and Zuckerberg twiddling with each other’s joysticks.

A new world order is coming where once men of integrity with high ideals an overwhelming sense of patriotism and a passion to serve is being replaced by whose only aim is to serve themselves. Where once rationality, reason, saneness, the desire to seek out the truth to debate to uphold the power of democracy to expand the power of the mind has been replaced by misinformation lies disinformation and conspiracy theories. The Internet that allows the world’s population to interact with each other instead of encouraging more constructive conversation is being manipulated by so called social media. It is all controlled by algorithms and tech CEO’s Where they have the ability to suppress certain points of view where the masses vulnerability can be manipulated even to the extent of encouraging violent riots something we used to call brainwashing, Fact checkers are being abolished under the guise of free speech where in fact free speech now actually means a way of enabling the rich and powerful to destroy their critics. Where once Nero fiddled while Rome burned now we have the likes of Trump Musk and Zuckerberg twiddling with each other’s joysticks.

I haven't read all the posts in this thread and maybe I will be repeating what someone else has I don't know. One thing I feel will come out of this is the EU and other European countries will realise they cannot rely on America or even Nato when it is clearly dominated by America for their defence especially when one man in the White House has the power to dictate policy regardless of what treatys or agreements that are in place. I can foresee the EU possibly in collaboration with other European nations forming their own defence pacts whether that will involve the EU having it's own Army Navy and Air Force or possibly something along the lines of NATO where each country comes together as a defensive pact remains to be seen. I can also see Europe greatly expanding and developing its defence industrys so it is not reliant on buying American weapons and aircraft which can often come with certain conditions.

This is from the BBC "Pete Hegseth laid out in crystal clear terms where the US stands on peace for Ukraine, in words that will no doubt be welcomed by Moscow. No US troops for Ukraine in any future security arrangement. No likelihood of Ukraine joining NATO. No realistic possibility of returning to its pre-2014 borders, when Russia occupied and annexed Crimea and backed insurgents in the Donbas." In other words stop the war now and you can keep everything you've already got and wanted. Trump nothing but a Quisling. One thing I do agree with is Europe does need to do more now and think about how it's going to structure it's defence in the future.

Easy to stop the war in just sell Ukraine down the river and give Putin everything he wants. I hope I'm wrong but I can see it coming. Then Trump will say see I told you I could stop the war me and Putin are best buddies little realising he's been played. There has to be an end to the war and the sooner the better. It's become fairly obvious Ukraine will lose some territory especially Crimea and Donbas that would be a matter of debate but Putin has no right to tell Ukraine how it should run its internal affairs and he needs to be told NATO membership is for Ukraine and NATO to decide. It's his stupidity by invading Ukraine that has brought it to this destroyed Russia's and Ukraine's economy and hundreds of thousands dead and injured whereas it could have been handled diplomaticaly before the war. NATO membership for Ukaine and the threat of inviting any other country that he might invade to join just might stop him in the future. That way he has both won and lost gained more territory but lost as far as NATO expansion is concerned.

"Despotic leadership is self-aggrandizing and exploitative of others. Such leaders are domineering, vengeful and controlling (House & Howell, 1992; Howell & Avolio, 1992)." Remind you of anybody

You forgot fat

If you start from the premise that all politicians are parasites you can't go far wrong. This is a well paid job with benefits pension prestige and privileges not enjoyed by ordinary mortals, more or less guaranteed for 5 years with no compulsion to even turn up or do any work. In fact they could employ people or even friends and family at no cost to themselves to make it appear although they were doing something by answering or writing letters emails etc. while they lay around on a beach or play golf or even fly off to some foreign country to try to get some despot elected President. I'm willing to concede that possibly a few start off with the right ideals and the resolve to do good and make a difference but mostly the power and their new found lifestyle gets to them. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Now how do I go about applying.

I wonder if sanctions leading to poor maintenance had anything to do with it.

If anyone is interested here is a bit of background https://www.forcesnews.com/opinion/opinion-why-sas-didnt-try-capture-ira-clonoe

Not yet I said he has threatened to it's all to do with the Digital Services Tax as reported in the i paper "The UK is braced for Donald Trump to demand concessions on the regulation and taxing of tech giants such as X, Amazon and Facebook as the potential price of avoiding trade tariffs"

Sometimes if you live in a forest you can't see the wood for the trees. 2000 China GDP 1.21 trillion - USA 10.25 trillion 2020 China GDP 17.82 trillion - USA 23.59 trillion Since then it has slowed but the trend is still there if Trump is alienating Americas friends allies and trading partners who do you think will benefit, maybe Americans are used to being bullied or even like being bullied and lied to but I can assure you the rest of the world doesn't. The Centre for Economics and Business Research in 2020 predicted that China would overtake the U.S. by 2028, in 2022 it revised the crossover point to 2036 last year it said it would not happen for 15 years but that was before Trump was elected and started doing what he is doing now.. Those predictions are only the considered opinions of what someone or a group of people thinks might happen based on current and past indicators and data, but the gap is definitely closing. How long before the Chinese car electronic and aircraft industries overtake the USA and Europe? It's anyone’s guess it just could happen. The point is China is catching up fast and is on track to overtake the USA whether we like it or not. What Trump is doing and behaving is only accelerating it.

Trumps MAGA Make America Grovel Again Trump has proven himself to nothing but a very nasty bully. No wonder he likes and admires Putin he wants to be just like him. Trumps philosophy is you give me what I want or I’m going to hurt you, won't be long before America will have very few friends left. Then it will see it’s power slipping away fast and China is waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces. America stops AID China steps in and expands it's influence, America rips up agreements its made with countries who considered themselves friends and allies they are going to look elsewhere. Now Trump is demanding the UK gives the likes of X and Facebook tax breaks (no prize for guessing why or who's behind it) or else possible tariffs or on the other hand maybe a trade deal if you do what I want. America is becoming more like a tin pot 3rd world country ruled by a dictator who's only in it for himself and his fellow conspiritors. There is a problem with tariffs as the UK imports more from America than it exports and the tariffs would no doubt be reciprocated it could also have the consequence of pushing the UK even closer to the EU after all who is going to make a deal or agreement with someone who sees it as nothing but a piece of paper that can be ripped up any time he pleases. The Presidents and administrations that come after Trump are going to have a hard time trying to repair all the damage he has and will inflict. Ultimately I can only see China and possibly Russia after the war in Ukraine ends benefiting from this.

Unjustified my arse

Bring back British Rail I really miss those rock hard sandwiches

Doesn't surprise me at all every time I see Badenoch on the TV I either switch it off or change channels I can't stand her or the look of her and could never vote for her to be Prime Minister of the UK which means not voting Tory what were they thinking. The Conservative Party's membership has been taken over by a bunch of feminists or worse! first they elect Truss who was a disaster now Badenoch, the membership can't be trusted to elect a possible Prime Minister untill she goes and is replaced by someone who at least looks and acts like a Prime minister of the UK they are doomed.