5 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

Though this chap is brilliant with maps and geolocating vides and echoes what you say.

I was just about to post this myself. I wonder how many deniers of reality will give your post the thumbs down.

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

I was just about to post this myself. I wonder how many deniers of reality will give your post the thumbs down.

I wouldn't be worried about emoticons  - I care not for them to post them is a tacit acceptance you can't make an arguement or can't be bothered. Either way it's defeatism on a debating forum. 

Gary Kasparov -  tell us what you really think - he just did. NATO is finished and useless.I agree. "NATO doesn't exist - it's a fake  - just 4 letters" and one person in the audience claps. Ergo Russia has "won" . He's explicitly saying Europe is bull<deleted>. And in 3 short minutes he harangues and shocks his audience with the clarity and force of his views but it ain't happening Gary Europe is turning in on itself and it's every country for itself and there's no appetite to fight and double our defence spending and any that want that sure ain't gonna be elected. 

 

 

2 hours ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

Gary Kasparov -  tell us what you really think - he just did. NATO is finished and useless.I agree. "NATO doesn't exist - it's a fake  - just 4 letters" and one person in the audience claps. Ergo Russia has "won" . He's explicitly saying Europe is bull<deleted>. And in 3 short minutes he harangues and shocks his audience with the clarity and force of his views but it ain't happening Gary Europe is turning in on itself and it's every country for itself and there's no appetite to fight and double our defence spending and any that want that sure ain't gonna be elected. 

 

 

 

NATO is not finished. On the contrary, it is adapting and becoming stronger. If it wasn't for Russia, Finland and Sweden would not have joined. The 2%  defence target would never have been reached. Countries which once resisted increased defence investment have changed their ways. Germany's military is expanding. Canada once a laggard of Defence spending,  is on its way to reaching the new target of 5% of GDP.  Poland will soon become a cornerstone of European defence as it reclaims its historic place of European leadership. NATO has united the Baltic states with western Europe.

NATO offers a diversified production base and resource options. All countries have adapted interchangeable weapon systems. The exchange of military officers ensures multilateral capability.  Yes, the loss of US support and a trustworthy and reliable ally hurts, but the free world has taken on despots before without the USA, and not  collapsed. Most people do not want to live under the boot of the despotic Russians and NATO is the tool to keep them free.

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

NATO is not finished. On the contrary, it is adapting and becoming stronger. If it wasn't for Russia, Finland and Sweden would not have joined. The 2%  defence target would never have been reached. Countries which once resisted increased defence investment have changed their ways. Germany's military is expanding. Canada once a laggard of Defence spending,  is on its way to reaching the new target of 5% of GDP.  Poland will soon become a cornerstone of European defence as it reclaims its historic place of European leadership. NATO has united the Baltic states with western Europe.

NATO offers a diversified production base and resource options. All countries have adapted interchangeable weapon systems. The exchange of military officers ensures multilateral capability.  Yes, the loss of US support and a trustworthy and reliable ally hurts, but the free world has taken on despots before without the USA, and not  collapsed. Most people do not want to live under the boot of the despotic Russians and NATO is the tool to keep them free.

Right. Putin pretends he invaded Ukraine because of an alleged NATO threat, and he actually triggered a renewal and expansion of NATO.

 

Prior to the Ukraine invasion, it was an imaginary threat. Military budgets had been decreasing in Europe, as well as US mimitary presence.

 

Putin got exactly the opposite of what he claimed to aim at. 

6 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

NATO is not finished. On the contrary, it is adapting and becoming stronger. If it wasn't for Russia, Finland and Sweden would not have joined. The 2%  defence target would never have been reached. Countries which once resisted increased defence investment have changed their ways. Germany's military is expanding. Canada once a laggard of Defence spending,  is on its way to reaching the new target of 5% of GDP.  Poland will soon become a cornerstone of European defence as it reclaims its historic place of European leadership. NATO has united the Baltic states with western Europe.

NATO offers a diversified production base and resource options. All countries have adapted interchangeable weapon systems. The exchange of military officers ensures multilateral capability.  Yes, the loss of US support and a trustworthy and reliable ally hurts, but the free world has taken on despots before without the USA, and not  collapsed. Most people do not want to live under the boot of the despotic Russians and NATO is the tool to keep them free.

He's overegging the pudding in typially Kasperovian fashion but his point is that millions are being killed and injured in this war whilst Europe/NATO shows its relative collective impotency - fine words but now little else and a political class frozen like a rabbit in the headlights of propping up a failing Kyiv regime with boots on the ground / planes in the air. He ends with you're next if you don't aid Ukraine in the fight  - stick to chess Gary. 

2 hours ago, candide said:

Right. Putin pretends he invaded Ukraine because of an alleged NATO threat, and he actually triggered a renewal and expansion of NATO.

 

Prior to the Ukraine invasion, it was an imaginary threat. Military budgets had been decreasing in Europe, as well as US mimitary presence.

 

Putin got exactly the opposite of what he claimed to aim at. 

True but a lot of these spends are virtual at the moment - the UK for instance has "ambitions" let's see as the cake shrinks and the anger grows with an electorate wanting the buttered cake not the guns. There's a lot of dud checks being cashed at the NATO bank and Kasparov is right to call that out.