“And it’s under pressure from authoritarian regimes like Russia, and it would be naive in the extreme not to reflect on that.”
He said: “post-this war we do need to reflect on all of that, and how do we preserve what’s best about democracies, about the European Union, where we along with other like-minded states share common values.”
He said: “I think this naked aggression has really exposed the vulnerability at the heart of the European Union and its project because people are not playing by the same rules at all.”
Yes, and remember what happens to sacred cows (even if they are not cows but everyone insists on calling them cows).Neutrality (let's not get involved in words like unaligned) is sacred.
You see nothing wrong with being the financiers of fascists, terrorists, dictators, drug dealers and the most vile scum in the world? Wow.The Swiss were always a cool and steady race of people looking calculated at everything especially inward and what is good for Switzerland. I see nothing wrong with that.
Who here is ultra conservative?But, even on this ultra conservative membership forum we have people calling for Ireland to relinquish its neutrality. Neutrality is neutrality not half neutrality half belligerence.
That was nearly 80 years ago. Ireland was an backward, poor, isolated and ecumenically under developed country. We are now one of the richest countries in the world (much of that due to very ethically questionable activities), with a highly developed economy and we are members of the EU.Even Winston Churchill scoffed at Ireland's neutrality at the end of WW2 and received a stinging response from E de Valera.
No, you have a very limited amount of sympathy for the people of Ukraine, certainly not enough to be in favour of us helping them to fight an invading dictator.While I have the greatest sympathy of people from Ukraine, the bottom line is that they are not an EU country.
We had troops operating under NATO command in Europe in 1998.There were/are wars in other non EU countries ongoing for years and nobody is calling for any kind of Irish involvement. The further away from war and destruction we keep the better.
If other countries copied us then the world would be a far worse place.Let's look after ourselves more for a change and let others learn from our neutrality.
From your post above @Itchy,.The MEP's for Moscow have responded. Unprovoked aggression and the threat of nuclear war is trumped by strengthening european defences and fracked gas. Seems legit.
It wasn't just tax dodging, there was the employee pensions too but I agree with you. Though he hadn't shot or blown up any children so he's a step up from the Shinners.Personally, I'm struggling to understand why anyone is taking the commentary from a tax dodging failed Irish builder who badly needs a haircut and his conspiracy theory left wing looney sidekick serious. Far too much going on in the world to even give them publicity.
I forgot Georgia!A potentially expanded EU (Ukraine, possibly Moldova and Kosovo) and an expanded NATO (Sweden, Finland, possibly Ukraine if Russia gets rinsed from this campaign or Vlad gets the good news). Catastrophic geo-strategic failure for Putin.
Georgia are making hay fair play to them! No, NATO is not an option for them.I'm really not sure about Georgia... both for NATO and EU.
It's not connected to any other EU country.
From a NATO perspective, it's indefensible, only borders Turkey I think and a remote part of Turkey at that.
Moldova... should there not be some NATO \ EU rapid reaction force going in there to help with the refugee crisis and forestall any Russian action from Transnistria? They aren't in NATO but they are in discussions.
Russia refusing to release 500 aircraft its airlines have leased from Western companies... sth like 4 billion euros worth from Ireland based companies
Lloyds end cover for Russian airlines.
That's exactly the conversation myself and Mrs Beag had yesterday. This has opened our eyes from the very comfortable and peaceful life we have been living and tbh it has never been easier for one madman to destroy the world if he so chooses. This morning we wake up to hear they have been bombing around a nuclear site in Ukraine. Thankfully it doesn't appear that radiation levels have increased .... this time. The rest of the world seriously needs to look at how this lunatic can be taken out.Probably not this time, but who would bet on humanity not self destructing in the next 100 years?
The Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 following the declarations of independence by the ethnically Russia regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was a military success for the Russians. They routed the Georgian army in a few days with around 1000 mostly civilian casualties. It is probably what emboldened Putin and gave him an expectation that his invasion of Ukraine would go the same way.Georgia are making hay fair play to them! No, NATO is not an option for them.
I think Russia might take eastern Ukraine (not sure from where) and block it off from western Ukraine, with possibly a wall. Russia could install a puppet government and use the space as a buffer between Russia and the west. I am hoping that sanctions against Russia last as long as Putin is still calling the shots & hopefully one of rich & powerful people in Russia realise soon that life would be a lot better without Putin...The BBC list 5 possible scenarios. I am not sure what order of probability they give but I think this is it.
1. Long war Afghanistan style with Russia withdrawing after say 10 years
2. Short war as Russia significantly increases its attack as it did in Chechnya. Russia win of course but Ukrainian insurgency ever present.
3. Diplomatic result with maybe Ukraine conceding Crimea, parts of Donbas but getting independence from Russia and freedom to Westernise.
4. European War which let’s face it means nuclear WWIII.
5. The Oligarchs get rid of Putin and move to 3 above.
Or a mixture of these.
Unlikely as it is to happen, the West should strongly consider a no-fly zone given the attacks on civilian areas and nuclear facilities. The Russian economy should be suffocated and it should be made clear that measures will remain in place until there is regime change in Russia. This might spur internal actors to action. Putin has destroyed what could have been a great European country (Russia) but perhaps just cant see it.
Premier League: China's rights holder will not show games over Ukraine supportIt is not just Russia and their cronies that need to start feeling pain. Countries like India, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia need to start seeing some consequences too.
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