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looker-on said:
I watched it all the way through with some jumping but did not find the point at which he exploded over what precisely?
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Me either. Evidently it was live. Could that journo have asked mad Vlad ,''why didnt Russia join NATO when it was offered it in 1954''. The journo should've known the reason being that America opposed it.

The situation is volatile now but relations were hunky dory between Russia and NATO in the 1990s. That I believe was around the time when Gorby came on the scene. A rare peacemaker compared to the usual war mongers.

Relations between the NATO military alliance and the Russian Federation were established in 1991 within the framework of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. In 1994, Russia joined the Partnership for Peace program, and on 27 May 1997, the NATO–Russia Founding Act (NRFA) was signed at the 1997 Paris NATO Summit in France, enabling the creation of the NATO–Russia Permanent Joint Council.
 
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Richie said:
😊 I've always called him Uncle Fester. But he is a better pollie than Albo and prob Sco Mo too imo.
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A Drover's dog would have done a better job than Scomo. Worst ever PM imo. Labor's Mark Lathan was dreadful too. I thought Liberal's Turnbull was great. And I'll always be gratefull to Howard for getting rid of the guns. Keating is still my favourite ex PM. 😉
 
Richie said:
Me either. Evidently it was live. Could that journo have asked mad Vlad ,''why didnt Russia join NATO when it was offered it in 1954''. The journo should've known the reason being that America opposed it.

The situation is volatile now but relations were hunky dory between Russia and NATO in the 1990s. That I believe was around the time when Gorby came on the scene. A rare peacemaker compared to the usual war mongers.

Relations between the NATO military alliance and the Russian Federation were established in 1991 within the framework of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. In 1994, Russia joined the Partnership for Peace program, and on 27 May 1997, the NATO–Russia Founding Act (NRFA) was signed at the 1997 Paris NATO Summit in France, enabling the creation of the NATO–Russia Permanent Joint Council.
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I hope Putin does bankrupt Russia. What a horrible legacy he's made for himself. It's Great that Europe has found alternate ways to get its fuels. Put that in your pipe and smoke it up your nose Mr nasty Putin!
Similarly our Australia did the same in finding new markets when China put huge tariffs on our trade to them. That nicely upset the Chinese. 👺🙂

I believe it has been a proxy war for both sides in Eastern Ukraine, but China 🇨🇳 is busy as is the US of those northern angry Americans, not the nice Canadians. Ultimately the cost of Putin's illegal war of aggression has been borne by many, especially by the Ukranians and Putin's poor cannon fodder.
Memories of Mussolini's end come to mind. 😯
 
Richie said:
Has Germany found an alternate gas source yet and who else is no longer taking Russian gas?
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No one is. Russian gas supplies to Europe have ceased completely, which makes him so furious. Germany has been buying LNG from the US and normal gas from other countries instead.
 
looker-on said:
Germany has been buying LNG from the US and normal gas from other countries instead.
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Good on Deutchlande Thomas and the other nations. To my knowledge Aust is third largest LNG producer/exporter. I hope your country bears that in mind. I digress, this will be a huge hit to the tyrants war chest, while the good Russian people will further struggle to live as the Kremlin will prob order the Duma to double their tax to cover the gas revenue loss, resulting in an uproar. Dare we see a revolution in modern Russia driven by the power of the people.
 
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Richie said:
Good on Deutchlande Thomas and the other nations.
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...but bad for the environment since it's fracking gas plus it's liquefied - a double ecological whammy caused by Putin's war. Ironically, the Greens of all parties had to resort to that so as to keep the economy afloat. LNG terminals were built in record time at the Baltic Sea leading to subsequent damage to local ecosystems. From a purely management POView it was a feat, though, as it showed how red tape could be done away with if there's a political will.
Changes for the better in Russia would only be too good. Remember, though, that it's not Putin alone but a whole clique pursuing that policy of aggression and down to ordinary citizens. It makes me cringe on my couch when I hear how brainwashed interviewees in the street are.
 
Grier said:
Similarly our Australia did the same in finding new markets when China put huge tariffs on our trade to them. That nicely upset the Chinese.
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David and Goliath battle, again with the underdog coming out on top. Our sling shot between their eyes was us finding alternate markets. That'll teach China not to mess with a popular nation like Australia..
 
Trump just set his tariff taxes of 25% on Canadian and Mexican imports to the US. Only 10% on Chinese imports. A big U turn there with China, but there's lots of fluidity where Trump's actions are concerned. Turbulent rapids would be a better metaphor.
Strait away Canada, Mexico and China said they would retaliate in kind. That brought out Trump's Press secretary saying how silly retaliatory tariffs were!
Duh! I confess a belly laugh at that. Such hubris and stupidity with all losing!
US tariffs will affect itself mostly pushing up prices and inflation, which in turn will hurt the blue collar workers who mainly voted Trump in with promises of a Utopia. Trump will no doubt point the finger elsewhere. Maybe the at 'gender diverse' again like he did about the horrific plane crash. God save us.

I get all this from listening to reliable media sources like ABC, BBC, DW, Reuters, our Guardian in Oz,.. having real experts talk, who I mostly concur with. Then there's a quick draw man-child shooting from the hip again. He's no leader of the free world. In fact, one economic expert said he might undo the fragile global economic recovery after Covid. One man. One man. That's NOT a "great deal".

Then there's Greenland for sale .... and so much more ... more comic stuff.*
Might the next 4 years herald a legacy of more hardship lasting decades.
If so, might we see the demise of the US American Empire. One pundit suggested that and it is a feasible prediction, if from a foggy crystal ball.🧙‍♀️ Mine's foggier.

I liked what Caroline Kennedy said about her loony cousin becoming chief of the whole US health system. Basically a predator, antivaxer, alcoholic, ... she was scathing...
She was our Australia Ambassador until recently and was someone to listen to as I did. She served her proud lineage well being a true and decent Kennedy. Sad to see her go.

I reckon Trump trying to escape the constraints put on him in his first term, from many directions, made him want just loyal jolly good "Yes" peoples this time around, the 'bestest' ever with only two genders. ... 😖 ... but dubious pasts, lack of experience, strange ideas or being a convicted felon .. seems all OK. 😝🥱.
More revolving doors and Musky dramas included in a binge worthy tv series.

Craig, think of all the cheap EV cars that could've come to Oz had Trump put his ~50% promised tariffs on China. Our lovely biggest trade partner China 🐍 would love to sell us their EVs. In fact, It seems they're getting much better like the Japanese and Korean cars did in the past.
My country cousin just bought one for his German wife who loves it. It runs on solar power charged every two days at home. Tempting .... ?
 
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I hope our Australia can do well in the EV Car market Craig. With global markets in turmoil we do need to be self sufficient. Likewise taking advantage of more downstream manufacturing productions, like Lithium batteries.
 
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European countries reiterated their support for the two-state solution after Donald Trump suggested America "take over" the Gaza Strip.

Donald Trump's proposal to "take over" Gaza and displace 1.8 million Palestinians to turn the devastated enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East" has been met with strong criticism and scepticism from European countries, which warned the idea would run roughshod over the two-state solution.
"An expulsion of the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and contrary to international law. It would also lead to new suffering and new hatred," Annalena Baerbock, Germany's foreign affairs minister, said in a statement.
"There must be no solution over the heads of the Palestinians."

France delivered an unambiguous rejection of Trump's plan, saying the forced transfer of the Palestinian population to enable the American supervision would "constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and also a major obstacle to the two-state solution."

"Gaza's future must lie not in the prospect of control by a third State but in the framework of a future Palestinian State, under the aegis of the Palestinian Authority," the French foreign ministry said.

Spain and Ireland, two countries that last year recognised the State of Palestine, voiced opposition against the unexpected proposal, which upends decades of America's foreign policy.
"I want to make something very clear: Gaza is the land of Palestinian Gazans and they must remain in Gaza," Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Wednesday morning. "Gaza is part of the future Palestinian state."
 
Richie said:
European countries reiterated their support for the two-state solution after Donald Trump suggested America "take over" the Gaza Strip.

Donald Trump's proposal to "take over" Gaza and displace 1.8 million Palestinians to turn the devastated enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East" has been met with strong criticism and scepticism from European countries, which warned the idea would run roughshod over the two-state solution.
"An expulsion of the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and contrary to international law. It would also lead to new suffering and new hatred," Annalena Baerbock, Germany's foreign affairs minister, said in a statement.
"There must be no solution over the heads of the Palestinians."

France delivered an unambiguous rejection of Trump's plan, saying the forced transfer of the Palestinian population to enable the American supervision would "constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and also a major obstacle to the two-state solution."

"Gaza's future must lie not in the prospect of control by a third State but in the framework of a future Palestinian State, under the aegis of the Palestinian Authority," the French foreign ministry said.

Spain and Ireland, two countries that last year recognised the State of Palestine, voiced opposition against the unexpected proposal, which upends decades of America's foreign policy.
"I want to make something very clear: Gaza is the land of Palestinian Gazans and they must remain in Gaza," Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Wednesday morning. "Gaza is part of the future Palestinian state."
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Well posted Craig.👏👍

I confess to being gobsmacked by Trump's real estate bid for the Reviera of Gaza. Even my gasts were flabbered. Razing the remains, army to assist, ... A trillion $ venture. That exceeded my own fears of what that blithering idiot would do. "Peoples would be welcome", but obviously not the forcibly displaced Palestinians.That is an Interrnational War Crime under the rules of 'Ethnic Cleansing' to push all those ~2 million Palestinians out of their own "homeland" to, as Trump suggested, Egypt and Jordan, that have both already absorbed many millions of Palestinians already.
Concentration Camps in the desert ?

The international outcry was appropriate, and glad my Ireland decried it with others including my likewise Australia's PM restating our strong preference for a two state solution. Now Trump's reputation as the President with 'no Brains' is well established, to me anyway, despite his minions back peddling furiosly, again. And again about misspoken Gaffs 🤣 🤡 🤮. Wasn't Netanyahu so obsequious praising Trump as the best friend Israel ever had. He looked very happy with no doubt thinking of hotels along the Gaza Reviera Esplanade. Tinkling Trump hotels too with maybe US forces and finances flowing .. 🤑 🤑💂‍♀️💂‍♂️ 🫢 "... I'm not a wise guy, it'll be beautiful... "
I seem to remember something Trump said like "we would own it"...the US, Just like his outrageos spoken thoughts about Panama, Greenland, Canada, Mexico, but so so soft on China now in the year of the Snake, an actually maligned spiritual icon. Importing more from the US than we Good Aussies sell to the US we might get some tariff concessions? For Four years?
We'll still feel the global fiscal malaise tariffs bring. F art of the steal!
Also the international back lashes from Panama, Greenland, Canada*, Mexico*, China*, WHO, UN, Climate Accords, Foreign Aid projects, ... drill baby drill ... while the world burns.
Forget the +1.5C Global 2014 Paris Climate Accord limit to keep below, January's global mean rise from pre-industrial times just hit +1.75C rise, which was unexpectedly higher than even expected. Hitherto unknown Climate factors have emerged seeming to accelerate the huge spectrum of Global Warming affects, like in Australia, the US, Europe, Asia, S America, Antarctica, everywhere, ... 😪
But once Greenland has thawed out releasing more methane easily igniting and setting the drying tundra alight releasing clouds of CO2 , from lightning strikes mostly, will be not just isolated to Greenland. These inaccessible fires are burning right now in Greenland. Northen Canada and Siberia are prone to such tundra thaw effects too with all that entails, often unexpected consequencies. Multiplier effects. Some sort of mildly beneficial like less Oxygen to trigger and bolster wide fires. Not that that helped LA.

I even heard something today that the US would stop paying fees to use the Panama Canal. Good Grief Charlie Brown, might Trump want Australia and New Zealand too. Germany too with all its almost historical US bases .. Might he be happy with Tasmania from us Aussies, that's doable, or even Mars? How about Taiwan? Roll over Putin, it's the Art of the Deal "You're Fired" n . . . .?.. money yard sticks are grubby imo ...
I did hear he wanted access to Rare Earth's from Ukraine 🇺🇦 as a sweetner to stop the War in a day. Good grief. His minions gobble it all up and forget, I reckon from gullible and/or fearful folk. "Hey, it's a job!" 😏

This is better than the Stupid TV "Just Married" soapy that keeps me fixated. 😅
So many of the guys are emotional midgets. I bet they pick them deliberately.
 
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I see Tornado Trump is affecting the World in so many ways it's not worth recanting them. The dark comedy continues. It'll all come out eventually in a binge worthy series, if we survive.
 
The Chinese are again hazing our Australian Air craft flying over international water. A fighter jet again lighting off flares infront of our plane. No damage happened thankfully. The big arrogant bully in our region trying to build an Empire. Just like Putin, Trump, Xi Xi, Netanyahu, Kimong, .. ...
We Aussies don't take retalitory action except diplomatic voices of indignation which are ignored.
Should we take a like response to these bullying tactics by letting off our own chaff and flares with fighter escorts...??
Not worth the agro I reckon. We have the moral high ground anyway which attracts most pacific nations to sign on with the Australia they know and trust, in the main..They also know how slippery China is. The Chinese are not inscrutible.

Recently Australia declared it will help out pacific islands whose islands are sinking, as the waters rise, all due to global warming.
The help is to offer these climate refugees Australian Citizenship and a new home in Australia. We will no doubt go further with humanitarian aid, as best we can.
We're well respected in our region.
That to me is a gracious gesture in line with Australia's natural character. A character China cannot match.

Will Trump come out of his MAGA self-imposed US isolation? Opps, he already has wanting to buy up global real estate all over the world. How much would my Western Australia be worth? It's 3.5 times the size of Texas and rich in resources.
How much for Florida dearest Dear Leader Trump? The Florida Reviera, 😉.
Seriously, might Trump tilt his focus on 🇨🇳 China? His tariffs on them so far looked like a swat with a limp lettuce leaf. And like Trump, he makes life hard for western allies whilst cozying up to Despots. Like attracts like?

A Rider of the Storm.
 
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Grier said:
Not worth the agro I reckon. We have the moral high ground anyway which attracts most pacific nations to sign on with the Australia they know and trust, in the main..They also know how slippery China is. The Chinese are not inscrutible.
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That describes what we only have to do in a nutshell Terry. How about the three Chinese Commie ships spotted just outside our territorial waters yesterday. What do you make of this.
 
Donald Trump concessions on Ukraine have played into the hands of Vladimir Putin , experts have warned, at a time when intelligence chiefs say Moscow is preparing its military for a major war in Europe. US defence chief Pete Hegseth told European counterparts on Wednesday that Ukraine's dream of returning to its pre-2014 borders was an 'illusionary goal' and that Kyiv's wish for NATO membership was 'not realistic'. His statements are widely seen as a major victory for Putin and a devastating blow to Kyiv, which as a result could be forced to cede vast swathes of territory without the prospect of a security guarantee.

Vile Yank traitors. Trump/Hegseth sucking up to the Wests bitter enemy. The EU is preparing for conflict on their soil so is saying ''ready when you are Russia''. Conventional weapons only.
Putin had in mind taking Kyiv in a week but due to the grit if the Ukranian people, three years later he has yet to even take the Donbas. So what chance taking Europe you knob head dictator. You will only bring further heartache to Russian mothers, sisters, daughters. All tyrants should be drowned at birth.
 
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Richie said:
That describes what we only have to do in a nutshell Terry. How about the three Chinese Commie ships spotted just outside our territorial waters yesterday. What do you make of this.
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They're just like some BF members who are bully wannabe's trying to act tough but they're not.
 
Zman said:
They're just like some BF members who are bully wannabe's trying to act tough but they're not.
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I dont call them bully wannabes, not when they boast the worlds largest Navy (stand corrected) and we live on the worlds largest island, with a massive coastline to protect. The Yanks saved our arses in WW2 from invasion by the Japanese Empire in the crucial Battle of Coral Sea. Will the delusional Trump do the same this time if we are again facing an invader. Perhaps, ironically, it will be Japan that will be our saviour 80 years later.
 
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