Reply to: shock news

[ladymuck]

China is hoovering up parts of the globe by doing things the west won't: investing in infrastructure, schools, hospitals, etc. Whilst the terms are most likely going to bite these countries hard in the future, you can't blame them for accepting it. I don't know if Russia is doing the same.

I saw China's handiwork in Grenada when we were there between covid lockdowns. The taxi driver we had pointed out all the stuff that had been built with Chinese money and was worried about what happens when they call in the debt.

[woody1]

Putin has most of Africa now, taken while the west was asleep.

Apparently inferior to Syria for some reason.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Putin has most of Africa now, taken while the west was asleep.

Well the bits the Chinese don't want.

[Paddy]

True I suppose but Syria was a good strategic location in the Med for their naval and air bases.

Putin has most of Africa now, taken while the west was asleep.

[sadkingbilly]

Agreed.

Just because Hitler went on to invade Poland after first invading another country, we can't assume that all aggressors like Putin are going to do the same. Although they might.

I'm tending towards the view that we should abandon Ukraine to Russia, allowing the war to end. And then add troops to Poland's eastern border to make it quite clear to Putin that his games stop right there.

and when do we stop 'abandoning' other counties to Putin?
when a T72 parks outside your house?
is your name Chamberlain? by any chance?

[sadkingbilly]

May I refer the honourable member to the above? It takes two to

so he has carte blanche to attack me, but i can't answer?
typical crap from you.

[woody1]

Assad was expendable...

True I suppose but Syria was a good strategic location in the Med for their naval and air bases.

[DoctorStrangelove]

It seems to me that Ukraine's biggest mistake was giving up all those nukes & trusting the West to back up the promises they made.

Maybe we should slip the Ukrainians some of that 100 tonnes of Pu we've got lying around doing nothing much. .

[Paddy]

PS. another sign of how weak Russia now is...

They allowed Assad's Syria to fall. No way that would have happened if they hadn't invaded Ukraine.

Assad was expendable as is Iran. Iran wet itself after the fall of Syria and Gaza

[GJABS]

Although there was a risk that, if Putin had had an easy ride in Ukraine, he might have gone on to invade other European neighbours, I somehow doubt it. I couldn't see him attacking a NATO country.

Agreed.

Just because Hitler went on to invade Poland after first invading another country, we can't assume that all aggressors like Putin are going to do the same. Although they might.

I'm tending towards the view that we should abandon Ukraine to Russia, allowing the war to end. And then add troops to Poland's eastern border to make it quite clear to Putin that his games stop right there.

[sadkingbilly]

NAT Dahling!
<obsequious sh1te here>

GATF

[vetran]

Sure we love him and hate you. That's why he was banned for a week for posts in General, and you were banned for a couple of days for stirring in the Professional forums. How very one-sided of us.

And while you can't stop the tosser posting, you can stop responding to his posts.

NAT Dahling!

Totally admit I was a pain a week ago - personal issues I apologise.

as to Saddo - Wibble!

[sadkingbilly]

This "banter" between you and SKB is becoming very tedious, mainly because it's so dimwitted and humourless. The pair of you should probably just sod off, and take gricer with you.

I can't stop the tosser, and the mods like him.

[woody1]

PS. another sign of how weak Russia now is...

They allowed Assad's Syria to fall. No way that would have happened if they hadn't invaded Ukraine.

[Paddy]

That's a valid question.

Although there was a risk that, if Putin had had an easy ride in Ukraine, he might have gone on to invade other European neighbours, I somehow doubt it. I couldn't see him attacking a NATO country.

Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how things would have unfolded if we hadn't armed Ukraine. Fork in the road and all that.

I would have thought that previously however, I listened to Putin's speech in Russian the day before the "special operation", it was clear he was going to take over the entire Ukraine and push back NATO. That would include eastern Poland. Putin is now after NATO to withdraw from Romania and Bulgaria. Ironically Ceausesu's defences were built to prevent an invasion from the USSR and not from the west.