Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-25

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Here's as close as an admission of guilt we're going to get from the war criminal:

Putin apologises for Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, without saying Russia at fault

Russia's leader apologises for the downing of an Azerbaijani plane in Russian airspace - without directly taking blame.

www.bbc.com

Scumbag still denies downing the Malaysia Airlines flight.

El Al has suspended flights to Moscow, if the Russian air defences are so crap as to be unable to tell the difference between a drone and a civilian airliner, probably best to avoid the area.

 

[Ax^]

aye and el al has the experience of the Israeli military so it knows a thing or too about bombing civilians whilst operating an airline

 

[The39thStep]

Poroshenko displaying remarkable hindsight for a person who said nothing at the time

 

[Gramsci]

NATO's Mark Rutte is advocating cutting state spending on health, social security, and/or pensions to pay the 3% NATO target on defence spending ( which Trump is rumoured to be saying needs to be 5%). Just a tiny fraction he says which of course doesn't translate into a tiny fraction for working class incomes. If it's that important why doesn't he advocate taxing those who can afford it or is that not the EU way?

View attachment 456276

I'm wondering if Starmer is going to set redlines on this?

Manifesto commitment was 2.5%

And this was said recently when journalists asked about timeline for this

When asked whether defence spending would be directly linked to economic growth, Mr Pollard responded that growing the economy was "non-negotiable".

He added: "If we don't grow our economy there won't be the money to support those public services and the ambitions that we have, and that includes defence - and defence in itself can help that growth mission."

I take this as saying the increase in spending will depend of growth of economy. A non negotiable red line.

So what happens if growth is slow?

Will Starmer take tough decision to say no to NATO and Trump?

Keir Starmer says defence spending commitment 'cast iron' - but refuses to give timeline

He is travelling to Washington for a Nato summit where he will meet President Biden for the first time.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[andysays]

I'm wondering if Starmer is going to set redlines on this?

Manifesto commitment was 2.5%

And this was said recently when journalists asked about timeline for this



I take this as saying the increase in spending will depend of growth of economy. A non negotiable red line.

So what happens if growth is slow?

Will Starmer take tough decision to say no to NATO and Trump?

Keir Starmer says defence spending commitment 'cast iron' - but refuses to give timeline

He is travelling to Washington for a Nato summit where he will meet President Biden for the first time.

www.bbc.co.uk

Starmer has already said that increased spending depends on growth.

It's the final part of that quote which I find most interesting

defence in itself can help that growth mission

This suggests someone is thinking that an increase in defence spending in itself counts as growth and could be a source of further growth through wider economic stimulation.

Maybe we can look forward to a new war economy in Britain.

 

[Gramsci]

Starmer has already said that increased spending depends on growth.

It's the final part of that quote which I find most interesting



This suggests someone is thinking that an increase in defence spending in itself counts as growth and could be a source of further growth through wider economic stimulation.

Maybe we can look forward to a new war economy in Britain.

I agree. Probably for a different thread topic.

Reviews into defence will be finished in 2025

Defence Industrial Strategy - Statement of Intent

www.gov.uk

This one certainly looks like this government sees defence spending and arms industry as spur to growth. Though this is saying government has a strategic role as well. And wants to pull in more private investment. With government giving clear strategy to give private investment confidence.

So yes sees arms industry and defence spending as important part of its industrial strategy. Not quite a war economy but setting up a basis for one. They call it deterrence in this doc.

An increased spending is justified by Ukraine and middle east.

CND disagree. Arguing this level of defence spending does not produce the social outcomes that the same investment elsewhere could bring.

https://cnduk.org/no-to-starmers-war-economy/

 

[The39thStep]

Starmer has already said that increased spending depends on growth.

It's the final part of that quote which I find most interesting



This suggests someone is thinking that an increase in defence spending in itself counts as growth and could be a source of further growth through wider economic stimulation.

Maybe we can look forward to a new war economy in Britain.

Kidron's Permanent Arms Economy might be a better explanation. He looked at arms spending and the post-war boom in the West.

 

[TopCat]

Can Ukraine face another year of war?

Many of its soldiers are tired and exhausted after three years of fighting. The question – can the country endure another year of war?

www.bbc.co.uk

Frank assessment by Ukrainians as to the coming year. Interesting account from a platoon, many of whom refer to themselves as anarchists.

 

[andysays]

Can Ukraine face another year of war?

Many of its soldiers are tired and exhausted after three years of fighting. The question – can the country endure another year of war?

www.bbc.co.uk

Frank assessment by Ukrainians as to the coming year. Interesting account from a platoon, many of whom refer to themselves as anarchists.

That may make difficult reading for some on here

"We are realists, we understand there will be no justice for Ukraine – many will have to swallow the fact that their homes are destroyed by rockets and shells, that their loved ones were killed, and this will be hard."

 

[Ax^]

they should call any peace deal produced minsk V3 ...

 

[sleaterkinney]

That may make difficult reading for some on here

And happy reading for others.

 

[Ax^]

watching the russian reject trump first few offers of a peace deal and the making him look like the totally clueless amatur cunt that his really is shall be fun to watch at least ...

 

[Apocalypic Monk]

Good piece from FT about what may be expected for Ukraine this year from Trump, among other things. There are various scenarios explored, none of which look good for Zelensky & co.

How America First will transform the world in 2025

In different ways, the US, Russia and China have all become revisionist powers that are seeking radical change to the status quo

www.ft.com

 

[teqniq]

Archived version which frankly, makes for rather gloomy readying and not just for Ukraine:


How America First will transform the world in 2025

 

[TopCat]

Archived version which frankly, makes for rather gloomy readying and not just for Ukraine:


How America First will transform the world in 2025

Ta for putting up an accessible version

 

[The39thStep]

Archived version which frankly, makes for rather gloomy readying and not just for Ukraine:


How America First will transform the world in 2025

I have always thought that very often Rachman's idea of hitting a target in his articles was to use a sawn-off shotgun blast approach hoping to hit something, sometimes anything. However in this case he fails to even identify one state that would be a suitable target to pin the the tail on when it comes to disrupter of the year. Let's leave the soft coating of Bidens own aggressive foreign policy and economic warfare on one side whilst someone explains why Israel,one of the biggest revisionists in terms of borders, military aggression and disdain for order doesn't get mentioned. I suspect it might be to do with the fact that Israel doesn't directly threaten the West's idea of the 'liberal international order', in fact it receives copious backing and blessings from them, even if Israel and the West's backing ideologically threatens the concept of 'liberal order' in the rest of the world. However, they don't get a mention, conveniently expunged from Rachman's narrative not even considered as a 'person of interest.'

 

[TopCat]

• Ukraine has opened a criminal probe into desertion and “abuse of power” after hundreds of soldiers were reported to have fled an army unit partly trained by France, investigators said Thursday. The 155th Mechanised Brigade, dubbed “Anne of Kyiv”, was one of several military groupings formed last year as Ukraine sought to boost preparations for possible new Russian offensives. The unit was to be made up of 4,500 soldiers, with France training roughly half of them and providing equipment. But its development has been beset with problems including what one lawmaker described as poor management.

 

[ska invita]

And happy reading for others.

it was there to read two years ago for those prepared to see it

 

[Ax^]

it was there to read two years ago for those prepared to see it

He'll stop at the Rhineland...

 

[TopCat]

it was there to read two years ago for those prepared to see it

Everyone could see it.

 

[TopCat]

He'll stop at the Rhineland...

Where will NATO expansion stop?

 

[kabbes]

Where will NATO expansion stop?

At the point that people stop wanting to join it?

 

[Ax^]

Where will NATO expansion stop?

aye it was NATO who invade Ukraine in 2014 and went back on the Minsk agreement

 

[ska invita]

At the point that people stop wanting to join it?

"people"

 

[dilute micro]

Where will NATO expansion stop?

That's for each country to decide for themselves.

 

[ska invita]

When will the US stop arming Israel?
When will Israel stop it's genocide?
When will Britain stop taking part in illegal wars?
That's for each nation to decide, once people stop wanting it.

 

[Pickman's model]

That's for each country to decide for themselves.

no it isn't. perhaps you should re-examine the nato accession process.

 

[The39thStep]

• Ukraine has opened a criminal probe into desertion and “abuse of power” after hundreds of soldiers were reported to have fled an army unit partly trained by France, investigators said Thursday. The 155th Mechanised Brigade, dubbed “Anne of Kyiv”, was one of several military groupings formed last year as Ukraine sought to boost preparations for possible new Russian offensives. The unit was to be made up of 4,500 soldiers, with France training roughly half of them and providing equipment. But its development has been beset with problems including what one lawmaker described as poor management.

Aside from the tragic loss of life at the whole thing seems to have been a vanity project between NATO and Ukraine.There was a particularly scathing article from the journalist Yuri Butusov ( needs Chrome translate)

https://m.censor.net/ua/resonance/3528007/dbr-porushylo-spravu-schodo-formuvannya-155-yi-brygady

Also this is from the ex Deputy Chair of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Committee.

 

[editor]

MOD MODE

Please note: copy and pasting content while adding no comment of your own is against the forum rules, and warnings will now be given out to offending posters.

 

[Ax^]

When will the US stop arming Israel?
When will Israel stop it's genocide?
When will Britain stop taking part in illegal wars?
That's for each nation to decide, once people stop wanting it.

you are aware that the USA is basically run by Christian fascist death cult who see a war in the middle east as their end game to bring on the second coming jesus and the end of the world..

so between that and lobby groups they never going to stop funding Israel