POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

I think you have got that right Ken. And yes, the US has been at the forefront of making pariah states of what they see as 'Commie' countries. Let us not forget that they see our brand of social democracy as communism, Socialism is a dirty word in the States to this day.

[Stanley]

THE Tory Minister for “Safe and Legal Migration” has come under intense fire after he said that Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion could apply to pick fruit on British farms. What was Kevin Foster thinking about? How could he possibly think that was a proper response?
Kevin Foster, who serves under Priti Patel in the Home Office, made the comment on Saturday evening in response to calls from one Labour MP to “urgently sort out a simple sanctuary route” for Ukrainian people forced out of their home.

[Tizer]

Have you seen the short bit of video where crowds of Ukrainian civilians walked up a road as a Russian battle tank came down it. They kept on walking and the tank stopped and turned around. We must remember Ukrainians are Slavs and Russians are Slavs. I suspect the ordinary Russian soldiers don't wish to literally crush their own kind. Anti-war protesters in Russia are still gathering even as the police and military try to lock them up. There is one death that could end all this - the assassination of Putin. Once he goes it will be a different story altogether. He's certainly well guarded but we all know how effective suicide attackers can be. Imagine them with modern weapons. A Ukrainian engineer has already given his life in order to blow up a bridge at a major Ukraine river crossing to stop the Red tanks. I'm glad to see President Erdogan of Turkey, in recent times an ally of Russia, has told Putin to stop his invasion. Even Xi in China has told him to stop what he's doing. The Russian central bank fears a run on the banks tomorrow morning and is asking people not to rush to get their money out - I'm looking forward to seeing how effective that warning will be!

Later....Putin now says he is moving Russia's nuclear deterrent to "special alert" and that it's "a response to "Nato aggression". He has already accused Ukraine of `planning to use nuclear weapons' and like his earlier accusation of The Jewish Zelensky being a neo-Nazi, it's another stupid comment. About a third of the USSR's nuclear arsenal used to be based in Ukraine but it was all given up in the 1990s when the country became independent. He probably hasn't changed anything about Russia's nuclear status because he knows just saying it will frighten people and they have no way of knowing whether it's true or not.

[Stanley]

We watch and wait. I was struck by General Patreus yesterday saying that if he was invading Ukraine and everyone hated what he was doing with the ferocity that is evident against Putin he would be very worried. He also reckons Putin's supply chains are too long and he will be running short of essentials like food.
I take your point about Slavs not wanting to crush Slavs Peter and wonder if that could be behind to strange public message Putin broadcast about the 'heroic special forces defending the Motherland' etc. Could he be getting some kick-back from the troops?

[plaques]

Shock and Awe, the basic invasion principles of invasions, Blitzkrieg, Operation Desert Storm. All designed to minimise the opponents resistance. Calling all the deaths and destruction as 'collateral' damage somehow makes it acceptable. The Russians could be guilty of war crimes but who is going to administer the justice? We need wiser council to avoid this type of destruction but with America gradually losing there dominance to other powers on the world stage I can't see them helping in this situation.

[Tizer]

I take your point about Slavs not wanting to crush Slavs Peter and wonder if that could be behind to strange public message Putin broadcast about the 'heroic special forces defending the Motherland' etc. Could he be getting some kick-back from the troops?

Yes, 23rd of February was Russia's `Defender of the Fatherland Day' and 27th is `Special Operations Forces Day' so perhaps it's expected he would be giving them a pat on the back. Russian soldiers captured in Ukraine are saying they weren't told they were coming to Ukraine, they thought it was just exercises and, anyway, if they were going to fight anyone they would be those nasty Western Nato troops, not their own brethren. It's no wonder the `regular' troops haven't pushed so hard. Because of that Putin is now threatening to send in the Chechen `specials', muslim `irregulars' who are known for their bloodthirsty antics and failure to observe international laws. Apparently some are already in Ukraine and hunting for its leaders.

The Times on Saturday had a full page devoted to an interview with `Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an exiled Russian businessman, philanthropist and former oligarch, now residing in London'. He ran a big Russian oil business around 2000, formerly a friend of Putin until that man threw him in jail on a claim of fraud. He served 10 years then came to stay in Britain. He believes Putin has gone mad and is ruining the country and that the West should have seen all this trouble coming and dealt with it earlier. Asked if he's afraid that the secretive Wagner group of mercenaries run by Putin's ex-chef will come for him he said they won't dare touch him unless Putin himself gives the order.
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I found this interview with US Republican Mitt Romney interesting and worth a read...
`Romney Was Right About Putin: A conversation with the Republican senator about Russia’s threat to the world, the members of the GOP who praise Putin, and how this conflict ends' (By McKay Coppins) The Atlantic

[Stanley]

Johnson just can't help himself can he.... It's reported that the told the Cabinet that the Rouble had fallen out of bed. This is a time for measured precise language, not smart arse one-liners.

[Tizer]

At least Ukraine's leader Zelensky was a professional comedian whereas `our Boris' is an amateur (and a bad one at that!)

[Tripps]

I read somewhere 'It is better to have a comedian as leader than a clown'. Can't imagine who they had in mind.

I see this comedian has applied formally to join the EU. I hope he's familiar with the rule about insuring against a risk after the event has happened. I think he''ll find the policy doesn't cover it.

[Stanley]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has surprised everyone. In the past, the previous president Petro Poroshenko has been very dismissive but now openly praises him and supports him. Sounds as though the Ukraine has grown up, competent politicians.
PS. I saw Priti Patel in the House yesterday. Why does that woman epitomise 'hostile environment' to me?

[Tizer]

PS. I saw Priti Patel in the House yesterday. Why does that woman epitomise 'hostile environment' to me?

I'm surprised she's not out there giving those damn Russkies a thrashing!

Sadly I think we've reached the point of no return with Putin. His troops are now firing missiles at apartment blocks and blasted the main Administration Building with a massive explosion Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv. They're desperate because the invasion is going badly. He's now using horrific thermobaric weapons, a `vacuum bomb' which is prohibited by the Geneva convention. Mirror Wikipedia

Let's hope those around Putin decide he's gone too far, he's ruining Russia and there won't be a future for them. It's time to slip a spot of Novichok into his vodka - now that would be ironic!

[plaques]

The situation in Ukraine is getting desperate. Putin has lost his marbles. Destroying cities and alienating the population will gain him nothing but a constant drain on Russia in lives and materiel. The UK should be saying stop trading with Russia and stuff their gas. Freeze all assets even if there is just a whiff of Russian ownership. Let them prove beyond doubt its all legitimate. Open our doors to ALL Ukrainian refugees no questions asked, send planes to bring them over. The eyes of the world are now on us but unfortunately for the wrong reasons. The longer we dither the more our reputation will sink making recovery from our drastic Brexit impossible.

[Tizer]

Since I wrote that post about the thermobaric weapons this morning and gave the Mirror link I see the BBC now have this story: `Ukraine conflict: What is a vacuum or thermobaric bomb?' LINK It looks like there isn't yet evidence that the explosion due to a Russian missile or bomb was thermobaric although they have used them elsewhere (as America has too). Also the Mirror's statement that they are `prohibited by the Geneva convention' sadly seems to be incorrect. The trouble is that such weapons are not clearly defined and there can be various types of differing levels of horror. Whatever may be happening Putin is doing a great job of trashing any good reputation Russia previously had and it's going to be a long time before they'll ever manage to forge relationships with the rest of the world again. Even China doesn't approve of what they are doing, not least because it's spoiling whatever chance they had of quietly taking over Taiwan.

Now the Russians have attacked and blown up the TV tower in Kyiv, damaging other buildings too. The better news is that the `40-mile long line of tanks approaching Kyiv' is really a series of groups strung out along the road and many vehicles are logistical or carrying infantry. In a number of places they are stuck due to broken down vehicles. The column is said to be making much slower progress than expected. It makes you wonder how motivated these Russian troops really are. Most of the damage is probably due to small numbers of special forces while the rest of the Russian army is more for a show of strength. There's so many Russian vehicles and troops that they'll be falling over and running over each other. They're also faced with shortages of fuel and probably of food too. They'd do better to turn around, go home and evict that bloke from the Kremlin!

[Stanley]

I agree with you Ken. Our attitude to refugees is atrocious. The Home office is doing the same with those fleeing from Ukraine as it did with those from Afghanistan, too little too late and strangling them with red tape. There should be no question of visas, if anyone turns up on the doorstep let them in and worry about the paperwork later.
Be sure the world has noted our 'hostile environment'.
I think the main of the assessments about Putin and his progress are right. He thought it would be a walk over and he would be able to get rid of the government easily but he has found that the only way now is to cause significant damage and poison relations with Russia for a century. Someone has to stop him but I don't know who that could be.

[plaques]

Someone has to stop him but I don't know who that could be.

The only people that can stop him are the Russian people and the Russian generals.(army). Getting the truth about what is going on in Ukraine won't be easy but social media is big in Russia and the people aren't daft. Poland is sending jets to the Ukraine but we are exploiting every loophole in the book that we can dig up to justify inaction. Partly I suspect to cover up the fact that the powers that be have been on the take from Putin's crowd for years. Its time to bend the rules and blur the edges about what is humanitarian aid and military assistance. Now we have our own sovereignty we should be leading the field not waiting to see what Europe is doing and following on like a baggage train.

[Tizer]

I think it was former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov on the Today programme at about 08.30 this morning saying that the inner circle of people around Putin (the ones we saw trembling around that big table in the Kremlin) are too scared to make a move against him. But he said the outer circle will be were the concerns are brewing and also he then predicts there will be hundreds of thousands of people coming out on the streets and the military people will start changing sides. The intelligent Russians can see that the Ukraine invasion is Putin's own mad project and the consequences are not worth it.

The good news is that China is turning away from Russia...
`Russia’s invasion of Ukraine leaves China facing a difficult balancing act: Beijing’s stress on the importance of sovereignty suggests strains in a special relationship' FT
`What a difference a few weeks make. In early February, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping proclaimed after a “warm and friendly” meeting in Beijing that the friendship between Russia and China had “no limits”. But on Tuesday, it was clear that Beijing — professing to be “extremely concerned about the harm to civilians” inflicted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — was starting to attach limits to its affinity with Russia. Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, said that China “deplores the outbreak of conflict between Ukraine and Russia”, according to an official Chinese statement that followed a phone call between Wang and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba....

`Such language marks a crucial shift, analysts said. “China is now gradually shifting its position from initial ‘indifference’ to express its frustration about the Kremlin’s military recklessness,” says Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China at Chatham House, a UK think-tank. “Wang Yi’s remark marks a clear signal to reframe its association with Russia at least in its diplomatic rhetoric,” Yu adds....Russia’s invasion is in clear opposition to a core Chinese foreign policy tenet that national sovereignty and territorial integrity must be held sacrosanct....It is possible that Beijing may try in coming days and weeks to play up a potential role as a peacemaker.'...

[Stanley]

I heard the former Russian Prime Minister Peter and thought it sounded a very level-headed assessment. I hope he's right and hope that the crack happens soon to stop the destruction of assets in Ukraine.

[Tizer]

You've got to read this article - it's a scorcher! The Web has come alive with information and comment on Trump's connections to Russia...
`It’s time to confront the Trump-Putin network' by Rebecca Solnit, The Guardian, 2nd March 2022 The Guardian

[Stanley]

You're right Peter.... I remember all those things but they were obscured by a fog of counter lies and defences from Trump and the Republicans, Let's see if the article triggers any reaction.

[Stanley]

I have been listening to Damian Patrick George Hinds MP Minister of State for Security and Borders doing his damnedest to persuade the world that this government is pursuing Russian oligarchs in the UK and failing miserably. They never got round to brass plate fraud or Russian funding of the Tory Party. I had to turn the radio off, sickening....

[plaques]

The American FBI showed that the Russians were influencing voting in the Presidential elections. Trump subsequently got in. They also highlighted the fact that they were involved in the Brexit debate. Theresa May stopped any investigation taking place. Brexit referendum proved positive for the Russians. The asset freezing of Russian oligarchs moves on at pace in Europe but in the UK its like watching paint dry. Our Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that the shadow Labour minister can't be trusted with briefing material. Is she trying to hide something?
Roman Abramovich may be a nice upstanding guy but until he proves his case all Russian assets should be frozen. Yes, but they can hire top lawyers to find loopholes is the cry. So What! we have the House of Commons who can close them at a moments notice. In spite of our Brexit sovereignty we will wait until we see what others are doing first and then move in 'lock step' with them. There used to be an old adage, if you want to really know what's going on FOLLOW the MONEY'.

[Tizer]

Here are the inner circle, Putin's cronies. They're too scared to move against him but that gradually changes with the outer circles...
`Ukraine conflict: Who's in Putin's inner circle and running the war?' LINK

....and finally you arrive at the mothers and families of the poor, young Russian soldiers who were told they were going on a routine training exercise or were a peacekeeping force. When Ukrainians capture these soldiers, many only teenagers and starving for lack of supplies, they are phoning the boys mothers and letting them see their sons and telling the mothers their sons are in safe hands. A good use of modern technology!
I hope this is visible OK, it's from The Times front page today...

[plaques]

Here are the inner circle, Putin's cronies. They're too scared to move against him but that gradually changes with the outer circles...
`Ukraine conflict: Who's in Putin's inner circle and running the war?' LINK

In Stalin's day The normal thing was to lock them in a room with a loaded revolver. One bullet, and expected them to due their duty.

[Tizer]

Now it could be a bottle of ecstasy champagne instead of a gun - less mess to clean up!

[Stanley]

I'm still fuming about the Tories and their refusal to address the Russian money they have received. Do they think we are stupid? Why would Russians be giving money if there wasn't a quid pro quo?
PS, a good article in the Times Peter and yes even I could read it.....