Thursday 3 March 2022

Ukraine Invasion: What do they say about cornering a rat?

Its doubtful now that Putin can retreat from Ukraine without looking weak - which could result in Putin either being killed or overthrown. (Although that may already be on the cards)

He can't afford to stay in Ukraine and get bogged down in a bloody and expensive war.
 
He can drop a Nuclear tactical weapon on Ukraine to force them to surrender - this would clearly risk igniting WWIII.
 
Or would it?
 
Would NATO really risk all out nuclear war if a tactical short range nuclear weapon was used with limited killing field of around 1km?
 
Its doubtful, again Putin knows this and his back is to the wall with not many options left. 
 
With all the sanctions, Putin now has limited time to achieve his aims. Tactical battlefield weapons have always been part of Russian battle plans. With NATO its last resort defense.
 
However, should that option be used NATO would have to respond or they may as well pack up and let Russia take over the world. 
 
Lets hope that particular decision is never needed.

 

Tuesday 1 March 2022

Ukraine Invasion: Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to access to the Black Sea

 Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to access to the Black Sea

It wouldn't be just Russian it would be both Russian and Ukraine warships however as Ukraine has very limited naval vessels its unlikely they would be going through the straights.

Turkey is a member of NATO could be issues there?






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreux_Convention_Regarding_the_Regime_of_the_Straits

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosporus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardanelles

Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to Black Sea

https://treaties.un.org/pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280166981

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/naval-arms-control-1936.htm

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/27/turkey-says-may-block-russian-warships-a76634

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-02-26/card/uDQCa9dMZsNGZLQsfWYg

Sunday 27 February 2022

Ukraine Invasion: This isn't a war it's a special military operation in the Donbas - LIE

 "This isn't called a war it's called a special military operation in the Donbas," says the Russian ambassador.


Kyiv is 722km away from the Donbas area.

Kherson is over 533km away from the Donbas area.

There are multiple areas of invasion into Ukraine all hundreds of Kilometres from the Donbas area.

Its clear that Putin is lying and this is no special operation, this is an invasion, a war, an act of aggression and an attempt to take over another country.

The Russian Ambassador blatantly lies in the UN and to the world





Ukraine Invasion: American funded germ warfare labs in Ukraine

American funded germ warfare labs in Ukraine

The US does fund a Biological Threat Reduction Program in Ukraine, as it does in other countries in the world. Which appears to be based on identifying outbreaks (deliberate, accidental, or natural) of the world’s most dangerous infectious diseases. The latest of which was Covid.

Some might suggest it's just a cover for Germ Warfare but still seems like a strange place to base them if they were germ warfare. Plus Russia is well aware of them and has never asked for them to be moved.

From a common-sense point of view why would the US base germ warfare labs in a country so close to Russia, so easily spied upon by Russia, so easily attacked by Russia, so easily captured by Russia. The US could base germ warfare research labs anywhere in the world, way away from Russia and probably do.

Another example of Putin's multiple lines of disinformation, building a reason for continued aggression.




LINKS



















Ukraine Invasion: Russia has already broken 3 points of the Budapest Memorandum

Russia has announced that its nuclear deterrent has been put on "special alert", its highest level.

Whilst it's a normal threat from Putin suggesting aggression from NATO or Ukraine to qualify its own unwarranted aggression. It's getting close to breaking another of the Budapest Memorandums no. 4 or has that broken it? NATO countries will of course be avoiding being drawn into Ukraine's actual fighting. But where does it stop? Putin continues to push and is obviously seeing NATO's reluctance to do anything as a sign of weakness. How long is his bullying allowed to continue?

4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used;

That doesn't mean if Nuclear weapons are used it means if they are threatened. 

Russia has already broken No1 & No2

1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;

2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;

 

To reiterate How long is Putin's bullying allowed to continue?



LINKS
https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052208/http://www.cfr.org/nonproliferation-arms-control-and-disarmament/budapest-memorandums-security-assurances-1994/p32484 

Ukraine Invasion: President Zelenskyy's, speech to the Russian people [English subtitles]

 I have copied the video to here in case the YouTube video goes missing original link was https://youtu.be/p-zilnPtZ2M


President Zelenskyy's, speech to the Russian people [English subtitles]


Powerful speech the more I find out about this man who was unknown to me and I wager most of us in the UK the more respect I have.

How many of our so-called leaders would stay rallying the troops and people when the offer of evacuation to safety is/was there.

He knows his fight is one to the death for if they fail he's unlikely to come out of it alive. 

Respect

Unless of course, Putin deems he doesn't want a Dead martyr and wants to put him on trial for fake crimes.

Saturday 26 February 2022

Ukraine Invasion: UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace “We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine

 These off the cuff blase comments really annoy me

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and are pursuing every option to support them in their defence against President Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

Sorry Mr Wallace you might be showing support you are not standing shoulder to shoulder. If you were you would be on the front line or at least in Kyiv standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ukraine people and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine Invasion: President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy - The Fight is here

In response to the US offer to evacuate him Volodymyr Zelenskyy replied as seen in the above tweet 

“The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.” 

Today the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands leading his country against the invasion of nuclear power, Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former actor and comedian, with no political experience appears to be showing formidable leadership qualities in rallying his countries troops and people in the defence of their country.

Who knows what can be achieved.

Ukraine is fighting for its life, Russian soldiers don't seem to be clear what they are fighting for or even why they are there.

Let's hope that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine are able to beat the odds.

Fortune favours the brave.




LINKS

https://www.axios.com/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-invasion-248d6e91-d48e-4c05-925f-46b7a0e7bf59.html?

Ukraine Invasion: Greed or insanely clever?

Most of Europe does not allow anonymous investments.

The two biggest offshore havens with great capacity to receive anonymous investment are the United States and the United Kingdom.

The UK allows anonymous ownership of property.

In May 2016, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron organized a big international conference to oppose anonymous ownership, presumably because of sheer embarrassment. He lamented that 99,000 buildings in the United Kingdom had anonymous owners.

The USA allows not only anonymous ownership of property but also anonymous money transfers.

So either the UK and USA have been complicit in turning a blind eye. Or maybe they have been playing a long game.  Allowing Russian investments so that if an occasion such as the Ukraine attack happened, massive amounts of Russian money could be frozen.

Greed or insanely clever?




LINKS

https://www.democraticaudit.com/2016/04/06/david-cameron-and-the-tax-havens-transparency-is-only-partial-answer-to-a-much-bigger-question/

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/07/david-cameron-offshore-trusts-eu-tax-crackdown-2013

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/05/david-cameron-left-dangerously-exposed-by-panama-papers-fallout

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-new-global-commitments-to-expose-punish-and-drive-out-corruption

https://www.ft.com/content/c1a49662-17a1-11e6-b197-a4af20d5575e?mhq5j=e7

Thursday 17 February 2022

Boris Johnson's economy lies

Why do we hark back to distant times which have no bearing on the now? The main point is Johnson is a lying b'stard always was always will be.

We were/are told the UK is outperforming everyone in Europe, which is clearly a lie.

When comparing inflation over the last 12 months, the UK’s rate has proportionally grown more than all but Spain, Belgium and Ireland.

And if you compare the current rate with our closest neighbours, the UK’s CPI is at the upper end of the scale.

However, it is not as extreme as Spain (6.1%), the Netherlands (6.4%) or Belgium (7.59%) and only sits 0.2% above the EU average.

When you take into account the direction of travel of inflation rates, a more nuanced picture emerges. 
UK prices grew 0.1% in January 2022 compared to December 2021, which was in line with the EU average.

The real picture is we are a little above the EU average. Not doing better than all of Europe.

It matters not now, that inflation was whatever when Labour was in power when arguing this particular point.

Same as it doesn't matter that Thatcher created the biggest unemployed totals and would have been voted out if it wasn't for the Falklands. Very opportune that but another argument.

Or that they have continuously created more debt in the UK every time they are in power, in fact, creating more debt than every other government combined since 1901.

It doesn't matter that the NHS was created on Labours watch, a service so incredible and game-changing that the Tories now try to claim to be proponents of and a service that no doubt everyone on here has at some time used and saved thousands in doing so.

The fact that they increased the UK debt by over 850 billion, during the worst austerity since the war and whilst claiming the UK was bankrupt, and they were able to give away 94 billion in tax concession to big corporations, who had neither asked or expected it, should be a wake-up call for everyone who has even a modicum of intelligence.

The problem is the continuous lies more than by any other politician in UK history.

Johnson's high wage economy

 Johnson's high wage economy is a great plan for the UK. Although maybe "plan" isn't the correct word as we've seen no plan on how this would be achieved.

Baring in mind that the Tories for years said that unions claims for higher wages were unrealistic as the economy would spiral out of control.

We have the bank of England also saying please don't ask for pay rises. 

So when, if ever, is this high wage economy going to be achieved. How is it going to be achieved?

Or is the government just firing out sound bites that they know the people want to hear but they also know aren't achievable.

Interesting that one or the other has to be wrong on the economy the bank of England or the Government.

Interesting that no breaks are being put on bankers bonuses. The same people that were complicit in the 2008 crash.

Interesting that councils are saying that below inflation rate pay rises are unrealistic.  bearing in mind that anything below inflation is a pay decrease.

Interesting that we are now letting those Johnny foreigners back in because we haven't got enough staff for the NHS or Care homes. Could have told them that 3 years ago.

So come on Boris when and how does this high wage economy get achieved, what's the plan.
 
I have little doubt that there is no plan. Just sound bites for the sheep.

Thursday 10 February 2022

Why would Boris Johnson want to mislead the parliament?

Lie to parliament or the more politically correct mislead parliament? They are one and the same to me. However, in parliament, an MP cant accuse another of lying, so they have to use the term mislead. One can mislead by omitting detail but Johnson rarely does that he just states incorrect details, which is lying. I'm not in parliament so I'll go with the term lie

Boris Johnson is well documented for lying and I believe has been sacked twice for it.

I always thought Johnson was a pathological liar. The most dangerous type of liar as they actually believe what they are saying is true, even though it's not and they will defend the lie even when its proved to them that what they are saying is incorrect.

However, I've since discovered that the key feature of a pathological lie is that it has no obvious motivation. This is clearly not the case with Johnson as there is always the motivation behind his lies.

In a 1941 article titled “Churchill’s Lie Factory” Joseph Goebbels wrote:

“One should not as a rule reveal one’s secrets, since one does not know if and when one may need them again. The essential English leadership secret does not depend on particular intelligence. Rather, it depends on a remarkably stupid thick-headedness. The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.”

Ring any bells?

Johnson likes to think of himself as Churchill and wrote a book on him, he is also distantly related. Boris and Winston are 11th cousins twice removed!

So why does Boris Johnson lie to parliament and the general public?

Johnson works on the principle of if you tell a lie and keep repeating the lie it becomes the truth in the minds of the general population. Regardless of what parliament thinks, Johnson knows that if he can fool the public they are the ones who vote him in.


COVID ~ Did the UK run out of PPE during the 1st wave of Covid

Just going by the parliamentary public spending watchdog report the answer has to be YES!

Why would any Government go out and source substandard quality PPE if we had enough?

May 1 2020

The tweets were terse and, to the uninitiated, obscure. “Gowns” — “examination gloves” — “green aprons” — read the messages from the accounts of procurement leaders in the UK’s National Health Service. But to their colleagues in other hospitals, each represented a cry for help, signalling shortfalls of key items of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to keep clinicians safe while they fought a once-in-a-century battle against coronavirus.

November 25, 2020

Today’s report by the National Audit Office (NAO) finds that government was initially reliant on stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE) that proved inadequate for the COVID-19 pandemic. In a rapidly deteriorating situation government made a huge effort to boost supply, but it has paid very high prices due to unusual market conditions and many front-line workers reported shortages of PPE.
10 February 2021

The UK government wasted hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on poor quality and unusable personal protective equipment (PPE) while leaving frontline workers insufficiently protected from covid-19, the parliamentary public spending watchdog has concluded.


 

LINKS

https://fullfact.org/health/ppe-shortages-first-wave

FT - How poor planning left the UK without enough PPE

BMJ - Covid-19: Government wasted millions on poor quality PPE, spending watchdog finds

NAO - The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sunday 30 January 2022

Labour won't get into power for the next 2 or 3 General Elections.

Doesn't matter how much Labour try to slag the Government down with their little schemes, Labour won't get into power for the next 2 or 3 General Elections.


Hopefully, because by then Tories really will have no excuse for their incompetence and we can check how much bankrupt Britain (Their words not mine) owes by then.

They always seem to have something that comes along and saves them. Thatcher it was the Falklands (By design or incompetence? another argument) The Cameron, May & Johnson, run its been covid. We won't bring Brexit into it because everything was going to be so much better, so it can only be covid.

There's one gamble that did pay off.... the Vaccinations.  Although Johnson is like the gambler that plays the fruit machines puts in £900 wins £400 and claims he's won.

The rest of the gamble/incompetence has cost fortunes, the one pays for the rest, although we are not seeing any financial evidence of that yet.

Upping NI to "Fund the NHS" just means that those with money pay less, normal for the tories.
I'm all for funding the NHS but everyone should pay the same percentage and not when the Tories are spunking our money up the wall ...to coin a phrase.

And let's not forget we would not have the NHS if it wasn't for William Beveridge (Beveridge Report 1942) who was Liberal and the Labour government who put it in place although Bevin couldn't get all measures through which is why doctors surgeries are privately owned to this day amongst other things.

The NHS was put in place when the UK really was bankrupt after the war. Would the Tories have done the same?

I'm sure you have availed yourself of NHS services over the years?

What would your circumstances be had you had to rely on the insurance-based model that was in place before the war that few could afford?

Your treatments and drugs over the years would have cost hundreds of thousands of pounds and it's unlikely you would still be covered on insurance.  Unless you're lucky enough to have not needed it in which case what a relief to know that it's always there as a safety blanket for that unlucky moment.





LINKS
https://www.income-tax.co.uk