Ukraine

[Serial_Apologist]

Soviet style industries which like their Russian counterparts fell into the hands of oligarchs (this was the description of the Moldovian separatists given by a Gov spokesman on R4) who had a strong financial interest in opposing any change.

Many of those oligarchs being, like Putin himself, ex-Communist bureaucrats. Who else - to quote a western commentator whose name I now forget and would take an age checking - had any organisational experience or know-how?

[Serial_Apologist]

Civilisation - if we ever reach that stage - will be people living together with no sense of grievance that they have been discriminated against because of who or what they are.

Which won't come about while people either choose, or more pertinently have foisted on them in the case of discriminated against minorities, to live by identities?

[Frances_iom]

Which won't come about while people either choose, or more pertinently have foisted on them in the case of discriminated against minorities, to live by identities?

But would for example those who wish for an Islamic Caliphate be acceptable neighbours in that one of their beliefs was the allowed treatment of certain groups who did not espouse their beliefs as slaves?
Liberal democracies are easier to set up where the belief systems of the people share certain ideals - I doubt if many women educated in Western Europe would tolerate life under the Taliban to give one extreme example but there are many others possibly less extreme that raise barriers between groups.

[french frank]

Which won't come about while people either choose, or more pertinently have foisted on them in the case of discriminated against minorities, to live by identities?

True, but it seems to me that people do choose to 'live by identities', whether they form part of a majority or a minority. Don't they?

Plus what frances said.

[richardfinegold]

Identity Politics is the name of the game here. Universities specialize in teaching the young that they belong to a group that has suffered historical wrongs and that they must forever be defined by their membership in this group, regardless of how high up the totem pole their family may have ascended. Popular Culture routinely reinforces these beliefs. So if we in the relatively free part of the world cannot create a feeling of unification, I don’t expect that parts of the Planet where unregulated speech is hard to come by will fare much better

[Maclintick]

I don’t expect that parts of the Planet where unregulated speech is hard to come by will fare much better

I became rather alarmed at what some might characterise as “unregulated speech” by reporters on R4’s Today programme this morning, referring to the U.K.’s “war aims” in Ukraine, as supposedly outlined in our foreign secretary’s Mansion House address last night. I know that Liz Truss has in the past shown some evidence of cognitive impairment, failing, for instance, to understand the simple constitutional principle that an Act of Parliament can only be repealed by another Act of Parliament, but I could find no reference to Britain’s “war aims” in her speech. Maybe the Today reporters thought “strategic imperatives” sounded a bit indigestible & needed sexing-up for public consumption, but words matter, & the two phrases aren’t interchangeable.

[oddoneout]

I became rather alarmed at what some might characterise as “unregulated speech” by reporters on R4’s Today programme this morning, referring to the U.K.’s “war aims” in Ukraine, as supposedly outlined in our foreign secretary’s Mansion House address last night. I know that Liz Truss has in the past shown some evidence of cognitive impairment, failing, for instance, to understand the simple constitutional principle that an Act of Parliament can only be repealed by another Act of Parliament, but I could find no reference to Britain’s “war aims” in her speech. Maybe the Today reporters thought “strategic imperatives” sounded a bit indigestible & needed sexing-up for public consumption, but words matter, & the two phrases aren’t interchangeable.

Blabbermouth Johnson's comments in India could be construed by some as war aims? The man is a danger to everyone, not just this country.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/27/boris-johnson-tempting-evil-revealing-ukrainian-soldiers-trained-poland

And presumably Putin thinks (hopes?) that the UK has war in mind

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/apr/26/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-foreign-minister-says-moscow-senses-defeat-us-set-to-host-talks-in-germany-on-arming-kyiv-live

[burning dog]

Liz Truss coming over all "Churchillian" in a previous job

[Serial_Apologist]

Liz Truss coming over all "Churchillian" in a previous job

The "Nationalist Truss" - upholder [sic] of all that is mythologically British - being first choice for Johnson's replacement among the Tory membership, gives me much cause for worry.

[french frank]

first choice for Johnson's replacement among the Tory membership, gives me much cause for worry.

Meanwhile, there must be good European (verbal) response to Putin's threat: "Countries intervening in Ukraine better jolly well look out."

[Reminds me of the Marquis of Dorset's "It touches you, my lord, as much as me."]

[muzzer]

Truss has no relevant qualifications for her job and it’s obviously disgraceful that as a nation (‘that is a disgrace!’ Indeed) we have to watch her researching her personal GCSE in European history. The problem is her speeches will get pored over in Moscow as in Washington and decisions taken accordingly.

I’m reading Virginia Woolf’s diaries, and the sense of helplessness in the educated classes as the mid 1930s progress is heartbreaking. Similar to that in Victor Klemperer’s diaries from the same period.

And we have Truss. And yet we are not rioting. As those in the 1930s did not riot.

What is to be done?

[Petrushka]

Truss has no relevant qualifications for her job and it’s obviously disgraceful that as a nation (‘that is a disgrace!’ Indeed) we have to watch her researching her personal GCSE in European history. The problem is her speeches will get pored over in Moscow as in Washington and decisions taken accordingly.

I’m reading Virginia Woolf’s diaries, and the sense of helplessness in the educated classes as the mid 1930s progress is heartbreaking. Similar to that in Victor Klemperer’s diaries from the same period.

And we have Truss. And yet we are not rioting. As those in the 1930s did not riot.

What is to be done?

Worse even than Truss, is the idiot Johnson merrily giving away military secrets regarding Ukrainians being trained in Poland. It seems that the oaf would be happy to see the nukes flying as long as he makes himself look big.

What have we done to deserve such people at a time like this?

[Bryn]

Worse even than Truss, is the idiot Johnson merrily giving away military secrets regarding Ukrainians being trained in Poland. It seems that the oaf would be happy to see the nukes flying as long as he makes himself look big.

What have we done to deserve such people at a time like this?

Much as I despise Johnson, I somehow don't think he was giving much away to Putin's intelligence services.

[muzzer]

Worse even than Truss, is the idiot Johnson merrily giving away military secrets regarding Ukrainians being trained in Poland. It seems that the oaf would be happy to see the nukes flying as long as he makes himself look big.

What have we done to deserve such people at a time like this?

https://www.openculture.com/2016/03/edmund-burkeon-in-action.html

It’s up to all of us.

[Petrushka]

Much as I despise Johnson, I somehow don't think he was giving much away to Putin's intelligence services.

This comment BTL in the Guardian had me laughing out loud:

I can only imagine what would have happened if Johnson had been PM in 1944:

"Adolf Hitler will pay for this when we invade Normandy on June 6".