There's evidence that visas are being given to all but one family members, ensuring that the visas given will not be used. Questions should be asked.
And this is without mentioning the absolute mess of the paperwork to discourage Brits from fully finishing it.
Or the placement of solitary females Ukrainians with solitary make Brits, to... discourage them from coming.
It's almost like our home office is being led by a cartoon villain!
The Rwanda policy has boosted Patel's popularity amongst Tory members, apparently. Not sure she had any popularity to lose amongst non-Tories.
Which Tyler wrote:
And this is without mentioning the absolute mess of the paperwork to discourage Brits from fully finishing it.
Or the placement of solitary females Ukrainians with solitary make Brits, to... discourage them from coming.
It's almost like our home office is being led by a cartoon villain!
The Rwanda policy has boosted Patel's popularity amongst Tory members, apparently. Not sure she had any popularity to lose amongst non-Tories.
Is it racist, mysoginistic or fat arse opinionation if I call her name.
If I call her an Uncle Tom....Well. The Tories love an Uncle Tom.
Well, her sex, race and family background clearly are no barrier to her being a poisonous little empathy void.
What I do find slightly amazing is how she treats migrants (and how she would if she could possibly get away with it) despite her parents having migrated here from Uganda in the 60s.( NB this was years before Idi Amin's expulsion of asians. It's not completely clear if they were economic migrants or fleeing persecution (as she claims).) She's so lacking in empathy that she can't even put herself in her parents' shoes.
I'm not sure why countries are outraged that Putin would do this. I mean, the sanctions on Russia are entirely deserved, but I'm confused as to why we're taken aback that he would retaliate. He invaded a whole country and is murdering people, we opened economic warfare on him, and we're surprised he's not willing to continue doing business in the one area that we need him more than he needs us?
You're right though, he's burning his trump card in a fit of pique. Keep Europe hooked on Russian gas and you've got leverage for future infractions. Cutting it now, right when everyone's united in hating you, and you're causing pain but without getting anything back at just the time when everyone else is willing to unite to help out the countries in pain and get them off your hook.
Almost everything I’ve read on Putin since this kicked off is that he thinks the West is too decadent. So this move is about us struggling to heat our homes or having to cut back on other decadent things so we can heat our homes. The EU have also made noises about weaning them self off of Russian carbon fuels by x date so there is no long term play in this area. By doing this he hopes to turn the electorate in the west against supporting Ukraine because those idiot politicians in Europe allow their citizens to actually vote them out of power. That and as wholesale has prices have now shot up off the back of this he’s probably making a profit despite not getting payment from Bulgaria. The U.K. govt are, allegedly, even too scared to impose lower speed limits on the roads* as they think it may harm the consensus that we must help.
The other strand of the ‘West is too decadent’ theory is that we just won’t countenance going to war anymore. Given our response to him wandering into South Ossetia, Crimea etc and turning a blind eye to the use of chemical weapons in Syria and mass graves in Bucha he’s probably correct.
*anyone else noticed people driving more slowly since the price of fuel shot up?
Mellsblue wrote:Almost everything I’ve read on Putin since this kicked off is that he thinks the West is too decadent. So this move is about us struggling to heat our homes or having to cut back on other decadent things so we can heat our homes. The EU have also made noises about weaning them self off of Russian carbon fuels by x date so there is no long term play in this area. By doing this he hopes to turn the electorate in the west against supporting Ukraine because those idiot politicians in Europe allow their citizens to actually vote them out of power. That and as wholesale has prices have now shot up off the back of this he’s probably making a profit despite not getting payment from Bulgaria. The U.K. govt are, allegedly, even too scared to impose lower speed limits on the roads* as they think it may harm the consensus that we must help.
The other strand of the ‘West is too decadent’ theory is that we just won’t countenance going to war anymore. Given our response to him wandering into South Ossetia, Crimea etc and turning a blind eye to the use of chemical weapons in Syria and mass graves in Bucha he’s probably correct.
*anyone else noticed people driving more slowly since the price of fuel shot up?
Putin has a point there. Post Iraq we are reluctant intervene. Cameron got away with Libya but there was a lot of support for not intervening in Syria. Whilst not everyone excused Russia in the way that some members on here did back in 2008, neither was there much interest in fighting on behalf of the Georgians. Or the Ukrainians when it was the Crimea.
And yes, I drove on the M6 and M6 toll yesterday and there were fewer people speeding above 70, even when there aren't speed cameras. Every cloud and all that...
That us a striking visualisation and it disgusts me that the UK is still buying Russian produce. Were not as bad as some but frankly this is unacceptable
whiffy source, but maybe ties up some ongoing murmerings https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... chief.html
if true, cancer operation 'no particular urgency..' but going ahead anyway,whilst the war continues to falter;
handing over to an older guy who appears to be even more paranoid about the West, and more war-like. sounds like coup-time.
Galfon wrote:whiffy source, but maybe ties up some ongoing murmerings https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... chief.html
if true, cancer operation 'no particular urgency..' but going ahead anyway,whilst the war continues to falter;
handing over to an older guy who appears to be even more paranoid about the West, and more war-like. sounds like coup-time.
This is the danger I’m assuming that if Putin disappears then Russia will act in a more reasonable manner. The likelihood is that if he is replaced then it will be by someone who has similar world views. Our best hope is that anew leader can withdraw to pre February front lines and blame all the failures on Putin.
If anyone is interested in more detail on the military tactical/strategic level development, this is a decent daily update that I found today.
Also unrelated to this - we heard previously that Gerasimov was sent to Izyum... today we hear that he was wounded in Ukrainian artillery strike. Lesson maybe for the Russians... don't send your Chief of the General Staff (i.e. highest ranking military officer) to the front.
Ukraine on the verge of taking Staryi Saltiv. If they take that they'll be a real threat to the supply lines of Russia's Izyum bridgehead, and could be the turning point in this offensive.
Sandydragon wrote:
I bet they have got plenty of riot police left - Putin isnt going to leave himself unprotected.
Lenty of Russian riot police in Ukraine isn't there?
Probably from the provinces though, can afford much death toll from the cities
I'm not understanding why Putin would want martial law at this point. Is there much dissent?
Probably less about the common people and more about making sure no-one in the inner circle feels secure enough to be measuring up his back for a knife. No-one likes a strongman that's losing a war.
Not sure what he's got left to say on May 9..recognising that there's a war going on now may mean 'co-belligerents' will be fair game; all going to plan.
Galfon wrote:
Not sure what he's got left to say on May 9.
“My fellow Russians. The special military operation has been such a great success that I am going to rename it the special needs military operation. Huzzah!”
Which Tyler wrote:
Lenty of Russian riot police in Ukraine isn't there?
Probably from the provinces though, can afford much death toll from the cities
I'm not understanding why Putin would want martial law at this point. Is there much dissent?
Probably less about the common people and more about making sure no-one in the inner circle feels secure enough to be measuring up his back for a knife. No-one likes a strongman that's losing a war.
Puja
Dictatorships traditionally have very poor pension plans.
