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Reply | Starmer
at 09:23 4 Mar 2025
Sir, you literally have zero arguing points. It’s just abuse after abuse. I don’t see you as stupid for having a differing opinion. But it’s tiring. Have a good day. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 09:05 4 Mar 2025
But I dislike Putin: a dictator whose army has committed war crimes. I merely disagree with the narrative of how the war began and want peace to stop the millions dying out there. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 08:31 4 Mar 2025
The area I refer to here is the United States’- through NATO- aggressive nature towards Russia from the 1990s onwards, at a time when even Russia was pro-West under Yeltsin. Yeltsin at the time wished to even join NATO but Clinton’s administration said no. Mentioned in the majority of journal articles is NATO enlargement playing a major role; Gorbachev upon the reunification of Germany asked, and was promised no NATO enlargement to the East as a condition https://natowatch.org/newsbriefs/2018/how-gorbachev-was-misled-over-assurances-a
During the same 1990s, Russia was, while internally falling apart, looking for multipolar relations; they were so poor essentially they wanted to cling onto their “prestige.” Hence why they supported the West in most endeavours until NATO expansion caused doubt. Russia then ditched ideas of new friends and went towards old ones - namely Cuba, North Korea and Libya.
The Wolfowitz Doctrine of 1994-1999 was followed. Essentially, the West must remain hostile to the fallen “Soviet Union”. Hence why NATO - a creation based on Soviet aggression and the Berlin blockade was not disbanded with the fall of the Soviet Union but expanded. 12 Eastern European nations joined NATO between this time and 2014 to go against Russia. The literature on this makes key to mention this in the majority of the papers I read when writing my report on the subject. Putin’s Munich 2007 speech is highlighted by most: NATOs army must not continue to expand eastward or we will invade Ukraine, yet a year later Bush (2008) is calling for Ukraine and Georgia to join Nato. I’d liken this to Scotland leaving the UK in the 1960s and joining the Warsaw pact, with weapons on Englands doorstep.
the psyche of Russia is geared towards paranoia and securitisation. It’s why they like a seemingly Macho leader. They are not a large power economically, yet still act like one - after all, they’ve been invaded a myriad of times specifically through Ukraine.
Geopolitics also comes into this. If Ukraine were, as the U.S. president at the time wanted, to join NATO, this would allow for NATO access to the Sevastopol naval base and the Black Sea at a time when Russia wished to build up their Black Sea fleet (they had a deal with Ukraine: cheap oil and gas for the base).
Now of course there are many reasons why the invasion happened and of course Putin shouldn’t have invaded. I haven’t begun to go into 2014 or the Eurasian Economic Community. But my main emphasis was on NATO being a big part in aggravating tensions from Yeltsin onwards. The most famous foreign policy analysis saying this is John J Mearsheimer, but there’s many more if you search on Jstor or other websites.
Even saying this in the House of Commons would allow for a return of phlegm-inducing hatred. [Post edited 4 Mar 8:33]
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Reply | Starmer
at 23:58 3 Mar 2025
Great discussion, Ian. Great points made. Calling me a fool and equating me with people I dislike almost made me change my mind. Alas, no. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 23:29 3 Mar 2025
Yet you, in the first sentence, seem to equate Ukraine and Democracy in the same breathe. Yet i’m the fool!
If you think this war is a fight for democracy then you’re long ago lost. We can only hope the Blairite war-mongering ‘coalition of the willing’ Labour party doesn’t send our lot in.
I do find it odd that the reasons for this war are so well understood and accepted within academia, but within the general public and the BBC, and through major politicians, Tory and Labour, it’s alien. In its place is a dichotomy of good vs evil. Much like the populist ideal of the “pure people” vs the “corrupt elite”, this time in foreign affairs. [Post edited 3 Mar 23:33]
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Reply | Starmer
at 22:51 3 Mar 2025
Not everyone wants this war to stop! And every US president heretofore, Biden and Trump, wanted [or wants] money out of it - to suggest Trump is an outlier is absurd. |
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Reply | Next season's team
at 22:23 3 Mar 2025
Take it easy, we have James Bree.
Bree has got me on the top of the world. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 22:12 3 Mar 2025
Something something Russia wants to take over the word, NATO had nothing to do with the current war, don’t question who’s been buying up Ukrainian farmland, send your kids to fight for a country ranked 105th in Global Corruption index using WW2 as the blueprint (only 100m deaths) this time with nuclear weapons, don’t focus on China…
Approval rating up? |
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Reply | Are They All Dumb As Feck In Guernsey ?
at 20:11 1 Mar 2025
Nope. We all know about Carl Le Tissier, who announces to his four likes on X. Definitely came across UTS's profile organically. |
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Reply | 5 Things About The Brighton Game
at 20:48 24 Feb 2025
Add another - when and why did our fans suddenly choose to pray at the altar of Bella-Kotchap? The man who refused to play for us previously. Not to mention how he consistently, conveniently was injured after being outpaced or embarrassed in our other relegation season.
Now he’s back. And now he’s a prophet (apparently). |
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Reply | Our Fans
at 20:54 22 Feb 2025
I hate our fans,
I hate our team,
I LOVE THE DELL BAR #TopFan #Corporate
“we all agree, the dell bar is f*cking fantastic” |
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Reply | Top Three UK Acquisitions?
at 08:33 15 Feb 2025
People indirectly voted for Musk and what he’s doing in the United States. You’d have to be blind to have missed him on the campaign trail and in the plans. Advisors are given incredible powers within the UK, they too are unelected.
On what Musk is doing - theoretically i’m for foreign aid but in reality it’s corrupt and that’s what DOGE is uncovering: piles upon piles of wasted dollars on crap. Domestically too. No wonder the budgets of most Western countries are overflowing. |
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Reply | Played for Saints and Boscombe
at 17:38 14 Feb 2025
Artur Boruc
Lee Barnard
Ryan Bertrand
Jack Cork
Kenwyne Jones
Jo Tessem
Clyne (?)
David McGoldrick (excellent goal the other week for Notts County)
Ramsdale
Shane Long [Post edited 14 Feb 17:50]
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Reply | Played for Saints and Boscombe
at 17:35 14 Feb 2025
Dickie Dowsett. Played for Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic, as well as Saints.
He can be seen on their badge heading a ball. The resemblance is fairly shocking. |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 25 | | Comment Votes: | -1 | | Prediction League: | 1 | | TOTAL: | 25 |
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