Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #725 – 2016-09-08, 01:06:25 'Nuff said! And, yet, I'll say more… Both ersi and [iKrake[/i] quibble over words, when the situation for Estonia vis-à-vis Russia is important — specially, to Estonia.I'd sooner trust ersi's analysis, for obvious reasons.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #726 – 2016-09-12, 07:32:38 Quote from: krake on 2016-08-27, 06:57:30Quote from: jax on 2016-08-26, 20:01:32The far right in the Vysegrad 4 is quite to virulently Anti-American, just like the moderate right is pro-American.Is this only a characteristic of the Vysegrad 4 or applies to other European countries too?And what about the left (far or moderate), assuming that they still exist?BTW, Mr. Shock and Awe aka Donald Rumsfeld comes to my mind. He was highly praysing New Europe.It probably is more generally applicable (I would say it applies to Sweden to a lesser degree), but even generalising to the V4 is difficult, it's not a very uniform group. Czechia, Hungary and to a small degree Poland are significant others to Slovakia, but e.g. Czechs and Hungarians are barely aware that the other exists. Most or all of them have seen V4 as something almost imposed on them. It's a useful imposition though, so it's survived for 25 years, and might survive for another 25. Communists and their successors carry a grudge. Not only was the US the class enemy, it was a victorious one and that's much harder to bear. That goes for the pro-Soviet ones. The anti-Soviet "anti-imperialists" were often pro-China (and more cordial to the American imperialists), but being a pro-China communist also requires some serious ideological footwork. Particularly the former group (and ideological successors) have developed a certain schadenfreude where the US is concerned. They really, really want Trump to win. Social Democrats of all shapes and countries seem robustly pro-American everywhere, so yes, there might be a left mirror in this regard, but it isn't very surprising that the far left doesn't like what was seen as the lighthouse of capitalism. (Now, Social Democrats are hardly far left in any measure though.)
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #727 – 2016-09-12, 09:21:29 Quote from: jax on 2016-09-11, 23:32:38being a pro-China communist also requires some serious ideological footwork. Particularly the former group (and ideological successors) have developed a certain schadenfreude where the US is concerned. They really, really want Trump to win.…Be careful what you wish for…
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #728 – 2016-09-12, 11:58:00 Quote from: jax on 2016-09-12, 07:32:38Social Democrats of all shapes and countries seem robustly pro-American everywhere,Just for better understanding your reasoning - by robustly pro-American everywhere, you mean:- sharing the idea of American exceptionalism and striving for a monopolar world? - embracing the neoliberal economic doctrine where a deregulated market is the sacred warranty of social welfare and social justice?
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #729 – 2016-09-12, 12:00:25 Quote from: OakdaleFTL on 2016-09-12, 09:21:29...Be careful what you wish for... Absolutely. It's a misconception that the fall of America will benefit the rest of the world. On the contrary we would see more economical, security, social, political instability. Then again some communists might still hold onto a strategy of crisis maximization. If we just could let things get really, really bad, then after the unavoidable purgatory of deep prolonged social chaos the cadres would lead us to the new communist paradise.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #730 – 2016-09-12, 12:20:55 Quote from: krake on 2016-09-12, 11:58:00Quote from: jax on 2016-09-12, 07:32:38Social Democrats of all shapes and countries seem robustly pro-American everywhere,Just for better understanding your reasoning - by robustly pro-American everywhere, you mean:- sharing the idea of American exceptionalism and striving for a monopolar world? - embracing the neoliberal economic doctrine where a deregulated market is the sacred warranty of social welfare and social justice?I assume that is what "America" represents to you. American hegemony is a long-term impossibility. It's a resourceful nation, but it isn't that resourceful. A peaceful, prosperous, democratic world is in the interest of social democrats. As long as the US agrees with these goals, a Trans-Atlantic cooperation would be mutually beneficial.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #731 – 2016-09-12, 13:22:33 Quote from: jax on 2016-09-12, 12:20:55I assume that is what "America" represents to you. Whatever you assume (you should know by now that I love guesswork), you didn't answer my questions.Instead you are presenting a table of Angus Maddison incoherent to my questions.Maybe you should consider a new career as politician. As for your concluding final wisdom: "A peaceful, prosperous, democratic world is in the interest of social democrats."The above could serve as an electoral slogan for any party, told by any politician of any spectrum (Clinton, Trump, Obama, Bush, Hollande, Le Pen, Sarkozy, Merkel, Gabriel, Putin, Xi Jinping,..., feel free to complete the list).However, no answer is also an answer, so you don't have to come up with more tables.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #732 – 2016-09-12, 23:55:29 There are no social democrats anymore, there are no christian democrats anymore, they all turned into neo pussys, clowns of a void liberal keynesian mambo jambo.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #733 – 2016-09-14, 01:29:22 I have doubts about America's long time global existence and well reminded of the clock that the colonel once put up showing the debt constantly rising.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #734 – 2016-09-14, 08:53:00 So: In a thread titled "What's Going on in Europe" RJ continues to focus exclusively on the U.S.? Perhaps he's right: Without the U.S., there is no Europe… There'll be Russia, China — and the mess that flows from the middle east, created by the Brits and the rest of the Europeans.Or a new virulent Fascism. (Couldn't happen, eh? )BTW: I mostly take this back immediately! We all make mistakes… Last Edit: 2016-09-14, 09:04:51 by OakdaleFTL
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #735 – 2016-09-14, 11:35:59 There's no consensus about what exactly "Europe" means.According to some, Europe is along our borders.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #736 – 2016-09-15, 23:22:06 Quote from: Barulheira on 2016-09-14, 11:35:59There's no consensus about what exactly "Europe" means.According to some, Europe is along our borders.Europe is all over the place. Even Chinese are turning Europeans.Do North Americans represents the Sioux?Do South Americans represents the Yanomami?Americas are basically an European colony with the advantage of not having to feed them.Of course give them so much liberty results in what the world can see.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #737 – 2016-09-16, 06:23:28 oakdale you lot are in europe for corporate money making so do try and avoid being pompous. If you weren't run by Wall Street more of your own folk would not be suffering. Europe and the world would not come to a stop if you wonky system went under one day.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #738 – 2016-09-17, 16:27:56 UK to veto EU 'defence union'QuoteBritish defence minister Michael Fallon has said the UK would veto the creation of EU military capabilities so long as it remained a member of the bloc. 1 Likes
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #740 – 2016-09-17, 18:47:47 Britain has already vetoed similar plans in 2011 and 2013.Hopefully it will be their last veto in the EU this time.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #742 – 2016-09-18, 13:25:18 I wonder who would command such European common defense force...
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #743 – 2016-09-18, 19:43:11 Good question 'cause we are off, heehee!
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #744 – 2016-09-19, 15:28:38 Does it really matter?EU countries not in NATO: Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden (Sweden and Finland are considering joining NATO together)NATO countries not in EU: Albania, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, USA, and maybe one day the UK (Norway and Iceland are in the EEA)Countries both in NATO and the EU: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom,
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #745 – 2016-09-20, 00:58:33 NATO another damn waste of time and so many of those countries in that thing which is just as bad as the EU.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #746 – 2016-09-20, 01:26:04 I'd thought you were anti-Brexit… You know: The more masters the merrier?!
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #747 – 2016-09-20, 15:23:14 Quote from: rjhowie on 2016-09-20, 00:58:33NATO another damn waste of time and so many of those countries in that thing which is just as bad as the EU.What are your thoughts on your high-ranking official recently commenting that your lot are woefully underfunded?
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #748 – 2016-09-21, 02:25:20 He is NOT a high ranking offical he has retired smartie boy! I have always been a routine supporter of oiur excellent military side and boy do we oput your lot in the shade when it is parade time! Anyway we kept the minimum 2% moaned about by the US to the rest of NATO didn't we/ You lot spend far too much on the subject with hundreds of bases to cover the corporate greed lot. The bottom line is that a country needs what it has depending on what it wants or NEEDS to be involved in and that too has to be an aspect. Some things I could see a routine need to extend but considering the proportion your corner spends with so many suffering at home is not something to be proud of. My two brothers did army time and one finished up a Colour-Sergeant in the cracking Paras and I was proud of that and my late father was a sergeant in the Royal Signals. Proud of our uniformed people but we don't have an Empire to be looking after but you do -an international money one.
Re: What's Going on in Europe Reply #749 – 2016-09-21, 05:05:57 Quote from: rjhowie on 2016-09-20, 18:25:20boy do we oput your lot in the shade when it is parade time!In other words, playing "dress-up"…! Very useful. (Perhaps that was why you lost our Revolutionary War? Well, partly: Too many "political" generals and too little support at home; plus a CIC who didn't understand what he was doing…)Quote from: rjhowie on 2016-09-20, 18:25:20He is NOT a high ranking offical he has retired […]So: Once one retires his experience and expertise are flushed down the memory-hole, and his opinions no longer matter?(When did you retire, RJ? )BTW: Does your government spend more than ours on your poor, of which you have -as a percentage- as many or more than we? 1 Likes