Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-24

[tim]

You want the leaders of all those countries dead? Inc this guy?
“Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president, who has also sought to play the role of mediator in the conflict, praised Moscow as a “valued ally” and friend “who supported us from the very beginning in the fight against apartheid”.

A former union leader who was a director of the Lonmin mine when cops murdered 34 strikers. He was, of course, exonerated

'Ramaphosa, a stalwart of the liberation struggle, was a Lonmin board member at the time and has been accused of encouraging the violent police action. But the report said: “The commission has found that it cannot be said Mr Ramaphosa was the cause of the massacre, and the accusations against him are groundless.”'

South African deputy president cleared over Marikana massacre

Cyril Ramaphosa, past director at Lonmin mine where 34 strikers were killed in 2012, exonerated but inquiry advised into police chief Riah Phiyega

www.google.com

 

[The39thStep]

There’s an awful lot of balancing acts with Turkey , both a NATO member and EU applicant , and Saudi Arabia , normally NATO and US supportive sniffing around BRICS .

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

There’s an awful lot of balancing acts with Turkey , both a NATO member and EU applicant , and Saudi Arabia , normally NATO and US supportive sniffing around BRICS .

I would have thought that Brazil wouldn't be so keen on the misogyny and homophobia so beloved of some of the existing and many of the potential members. If they drop out perhaps Iran can lend their initial to the group, of course with India already in there, go with Persia, replace the B with the P and they're good to go.

 

[TopCat]

A former union leader who was a director of the Lonmin mine when cops murdered 34 strikers. He was, of course, exonerated

'Ramaphosa, a stalwart of the liberation struggle, was a Lonmin board member at the time and has been accused of encouraging the violent police action. But the report said: “The commission has found that it cannot be said Mr Ramaphosa was the cause of the massacre, and the accusations against him are groundless.”'

South African deputy president cleared over Marikana massacre

Cyril Ramaphosa, past director at Lonmin mine where 34 strikers were killed in 2012, exonerated but inquiry advised into police chief Riah Phiyega

www.google.com

Do you want him dead was the question?

 

[tim]

Do you want him dead was the question?

No. I don't want anyone dead.

 

[Chz]

There’s an awful lot of balancing acts with Turkey , both a NATO member and EU applicant , and Saudi Arabia , normally NATO and US supportive sniffing around BRICS .

Turkey has been caught selling machine tools that they know are moving on to Russia, but no-one wants to say boo to Turkey. They're too important.

Puts the finger on the EU & USA for still sending them the chromium they need for new barrels and a bigger finger on Turkey for being the largest supplier of the vital Western machinery Russia requires for making barrels.

Artillery Barrel Production in russia: Structure, Importance, and Weak Points | Defense Express

russian forces need a lot of barrels for artillery guns to keep firing up 10,000 shots a day on average, the production of those has two vulnerable bottlenecks

en.defence-ua.com

 

[The39thStep]

Turkey has been caught selling machine tools that they know are moving on to Russia, but no-one wants to say boo to Turkey. They're too important.

Puts the finger on the EU & USA for still sending them the chromium they need for new barrels and a bigger finger on Turkey for being the largest supplier of the vital Western machinery Russia requires for making barrels.

Artillery Barrel Production in russia: Structure, Importance, and Weak Points | Defense Express

russian forces need a lot of barrels for artillery guns to keep firing up 10,000 shots a day on average, the production of those has two vulnerable bottlenecks

en.defence-ua.com

We've got spheres of influence wanting to keep them on their side and at the same time arms length. None of these blocs whether they be BRICS, NATO or the EU have a great track record of who they have as members, allies or who they side with at various points.

 

[kebabking]

There's two angles to this, and it doesn't just apply to Turkey - there are plenty of 'friends' who, on occasion, make you mutter FFS through gritted teeth.

Firstly, friends who are friends with people you don't like are often very useful middle men - they have influence where you don't - and they can often help you in a way that you can't achieve by yourself.

Secondly, there's 'if you think they're a pain in the tent, wait till you see them outside the tent'. You often see internet warriors proclaim that X or Y should be kicked out of NATO, or the EU, or the UN - but rarely do you see any thought about what will happen after this Glorious Purification of the Righteous Politics, and whether the behaviour is likely to improve or not.

There's a balance, but 'easy' fixes tend not to be easy in reality.