Author Topic: International Politics Thread - Disease and Disaster (Read 699348 times)

shosta · « **Reply #5580 on:** February 24, 2019, 05:08:43 PM »

Quote from: VomKriege on February 24, 2019, 04:50:36 PM

Isn't it a bit of common wisdom that the grotesque horror of Kadhafi's demise actually hardened attitudes and distrust towards Western diplomacy ?

That's exactly what drives the strategy of someone like Kim Jong Un. But the tweet's purpose isn't diplomacy. It's fascist theater, to delight the base, to remind ourselves that we rip our enemies apart. This is the war beat of the bloodthirsty.

Tripon · « **Reply #5581 on:** February 24, 2019, 05:19:32 PM »

Quote from: VomKriege on February 24, 2019, 04:50:36 PM

Quote from: shosta on February 24, 2019, 04:28:22 PM
https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1099726515292508162

This tweet is fucking me up

"The adults in the room."
Isn't it a bit of common wisdom that the grotesque horror of Kadhafi's demise (as a cherry on top of the West accepting him again as an international partner after shunning him and then fucking him up by overstepping their UN mandate without even bothering with the facade of a trial / way out... All in the space of a few years.) actually hardened attitudes and distrust towards Western diplomacy ? Maybe not the most responsible statement to make...

Besides...

Quote
Marco Rubio
@marcorubio
Follower of Christ,Husband,Father,US Senator for Florida, #GatorNation & #FinsUp.

The Gators are mascot of University of Florida.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5582 on:** February 24, 2019, 05:23:56 PM »

How convenient it also doubles as a dogwhistle

Nintex · « **Reply #5583 on:** February 24, 2019, 05:25:31 PM »

Quote from: shosta on February 24, 2019, 04:28:22 PM

https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1099726515292508162

This tweet is fucking me up

Quote from: Nintex on February 23, 2019, 01:59:32 PM

Will Maduro flee to Turkey or will we find him raped in a ditch like Qadaffi.

Our boi dolan is slow walking this. After the trick he pulled with Richard Branson's trucks Clinton would've had Maduro face down in the dirt by Sunday morning.

shosta · « **Reply #5584 on:** February 24, 2019, 05:39:52 PM »

Legit lol'd. Okay Nintex, you get a like for that one. I am loosening sanctions on your account.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5585 on:** February 24, 2019, 06:03:14 PM »

Meanwhile... Protests in Alger over the candidacy of the incumbent President Bouteflika. It's not the Arab Spring but still fairly notable as those aren't really allowed. Bouteflika has already completed four successive mandates since 1999 despite suffering a severe stroke in 2013. Since then he's wheelchair bound, regularly abroad for medical treatment, almost invisible and definitely not giving any speeches. The reality is that Bouteflika is basically the ornemental figurehead of the aging and decaying nomanklatura that have been pulling the strings for a long time now. That they can't come up with anyone else than a man suspected of being barely lucid or severely incapacitated is pretty worrying for when they ultimately all croak (which shouldn't be that far off now) considering Algeria had an horrific civil war that bred some of the most violent tendencies of Islamic terrorism in the not so distant past. Can only hope the youth will rise up to the occasion, God knows we could use more sensible regimes worldwide now.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #5586 on:** February 25, 2019, 08:56:19 AM »

Quote

Marco Rubio
@marcorubio
"Follower" of Christ,Husband,Father,US Senator for Florida, #GatorNation & #FinsUp.

fixt

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #5587 on:** February 25, 2019, 09:42:14 AM »

Quote from: Brehvolution on February 25, 2019, 08:56:19 AM

Quote
Marco Rubio
@marcorubio
"Follower" of Christ,Husband,Father,US Senator for Florida, #GatorNation & #FinsUp.

fixt

Hey, man, maybe you didn't read the part of the Bible where Jesus and his followers went to Rome, beat Caesar bloody, and then raped him to death in a ditch!

Nintex · « **Reply #5588 on:** February 25, 2019, 02:01:56 PM »

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1100084331266088960

Tough talk but still no freedom and ditch rapin'

Kim Jun Un gets Trump quality time while Juan Guaidó gets soy boi pence and marco

better strike now before journo's start fact checking how Richard's trucks got on fire.

Raist · « **Reply #5589 on:** February 25, 2019, 03:38:24 PM »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47363307

Quote

Labour has said it is prepared to back another EU referendum to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit".

Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs the party will move to back another vote if their own proposed Brexit deal is rejected on Wednesday.

Labour's Emily Thornberry said if the parliamentary process ended with a choice of no deal or the PM's deal, the public should decide.

Occam · « **Reply #5590 on:** February 25, 2019, 04:12:27 PM »

Quote from: Brehvolution on February 25, 2019, 08:56:19 AM

Quote
Marco Rubio
@marcorubio
"Follower" of Christ,Husband,Father,US Senator for Florida, #GatorNation & #FinsUp.

fixt

Follower of Christ probably just means he follows someone named Christ on Twitter.

Kunai With Chain · « **Reply #5591 on:** February 25, 2019, 05:02:19 PM »

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47362962

Iran's foreign minister quits. Bad new for what was left of JCPOA, good news for Iran hawks though.

Nintex · « **Reply #5592 on:** February 25, 2019, 05:18:24 PM »

Quote

"I apologise for not being able to continue in the post and for all the shortcomings and flaws in the period," he wrote.

It was not your fault breh

curly · « **Reply #5593 on:** February 25, 2019, 06:24:18 PM »

Quote from: Raist on February 25, 2019, 03:38:24 PM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47363307

Quote
Labour has said it is prepared to back another EU referendum to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit".

Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs the party will move to back another vote if their own proposed Brexit deal is rejected on Wednesday.

Labour's Emily Thornberry said if the parliamentary process ended with a choice of no deal or the PM's deal, the public should decide.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Brexit pretty much fuck both Labor and the Tories, because they're both split pretty evenly between Remain and Leave supporters? Whatever position you take you're alienating a huge chunk of your supporters.

Rufus · « **Reply #5594 on:** February 25, 2019, 06:28:18 PM »

With any luck they can delay long enough for a significant chunks of leavers to just die off.

Nintex · « **Reply #5595 on:** February 25, 2019, 06:47:05 PM »

Quote from: curly on February 25, 2019, 06:24:18 PM

Quote from: Raist on February 25, 2019, 03:38:24 PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47363307

Quote
Labour has said it is prepared to back another EU referendum to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit".

Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs the party will move to back another vote if their own proposed Brexit deal is rejected on Wednesday.

Labour's Emily Thornberry said if the parliamentary process ended with a choice of no deal or the PM's deal, the public should decide.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Brexit pretty much fuck both Labor and the Tories, because they're both split pretty evenly between Remain and Leave supporters? Whatever position you take you're alienating a huge chunk of your supporters.

There's many angles on this brexit thing
- The mutineers (They both want Brexit no matter the cost and they want May to pack her bags. Rees Mogg)

- The Brexiteers (They want to leave the EU no matter what. TAKE BAKC COTNROL)

- The Brexiteers that want to have the cake and eat it too (They want to leave the EU on paper but remain in the common market. Boris Johnson!)

- The 'better deal' faction (They don't like the current deal and they don't like no deal. They'd prefer a better deal and they think that's possible if May went back to Brussels again.... again)

- The 'no-deal' or 'deal' faction (They don't want this deal, they're not clear on what sort of deal they would support but they don't want no-deal either. This was the Brexit secretary(Dominic Raab) position)

- The deal faction (They want this deal because they are convinced it is the only deal they're ever going to get)

- The 'different deal' faction (They keep telling that there should be a different deal than this deal. Not really 'better' but 'different'. Corbyn used to be here)

- The against Brexit but accept the will of the people faction (Those that don't want the Brexit at all but feel that it has to be done because of the vote. This is basically May's position)

- The 'Let's Try Again!' faction (They want a second referendum on Brexit, which means that there will be a third referendum)

- The 'Let's try something new' faction (They want a aye/nay referendum on May's deal, not necessarily a Brexit referendum)

- The Delay faction (They want the Brexit or not but they feel that the whole thing should be postponed regardless)

- The General Election faction (They think that a new PM would do better than May)

- The 'freedom of movement' faction (Want to stick in the EU but don't want the 'freedom of movement' that comes with it)

- The against Brexit faction (They just want the whole thing reversed and scrapped but they don't want to go back to the way it was as an EU member. They want some serious concessions)

- The 'OOPS' faction (Just wants to reverse Brexit and then return to the way things were)

- The remainers (They want to remain in the EU no matter the cost. Even if the UK has nothing to say they want to remain a part of it)

- The bring back Cameron faction (Not only do they want Brexit reversed they'd also like to see Cameron back as PM)

Mandark · « **Reply #5596 on:** February 25, 2019, 07:00:23 PM »

Quote from: curly on February 25, 2019, 06:24:18 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Brexit pretty much fuck both Labor and the Tories, because they're both split pretty evenly between Remain and Leave supporters? Whatever position you take you're alienating a huge chunk of your supporters.

The Tories are more Leave and Labor's more Remain, but you're right that it cuts across party lines more than other issues.

May hasn't been able to get support for her deal, so her current strategy seems to be running out the clock until there's a crisis (either accept her deal or suffer a crash Brexit with no deal in place) and hope that her party's hardliners and/or Labour squishes will cave at the last second.

Tripon · « **Reply #5597 on:** February 26, 2019, 07:00:41 AM »

https://twitter.com/YanniKouts/status/1099775718991499265

Occam · « **Reply #5598 on:** February 26, 2019, 07:08:56 AM »

The EU needs to revise the rules regarding leaving the bloc asap. It's completely ridiculous that one nation can practically hold the entire union hostage by declaring to leave at a predetermined date, and then unilaterally postpone the exit or even cancel it at will.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5599 on:** February 26, 2019, 07:34:57 AM »

Quote from: Occam on February 26, 2019, 07:08:56 AM

The EU needs to revise the rules regarding leaving the bloc asap. It's completely ridiculous that one nation can practically hold the entire union hostage by declaring to leave at a predetermined date, and then unilaterally postpone the exit or even cancel it at will.

Don't take my word on this but the European Court of Justice did actually say you could do just that some months ago, against the opinion of the EU. Which indeed sounds ridiculous.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46481643

Occam · « **Reply #5600 on:** February 26, 2019, 07:59:03 AM »

Quote from: VomKriege on February 26, 2019, 07:34:57 AM

Quote from: Occam on February 26, 2019, 07:08:56 AM
The EU needs to revise the rules regarding leaving the bloc asap. It's completely ridiculous that one nation can practically hold the entire union hostage by declaring to leave at a predetermined date, and then unilaterally postpone the exit or even cancel it at will.

Don't take my word on this but the European Court of Justice did actually say you could do just that some months ago, against the opinion of the EU. Which indeed sounds ridiculous.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46481643

Yes I know, hence my post. They need to rectify this yesterday.

Raist · « **Reply #5601 on:** February 26, 2019, 01:18:20 PM »

They can delay three weeks, three months or three years, it won't solve anything. Leaving the EU is essentially impossible due to the Good Friday Agreement.

Either they put the border (to take back control) between Ireland and NI, or they put it between Ireland (as in the island) and GB. Neither of these two options will ever get support.

Also, lolz https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47373996

shosta · « **Reply #5602 on:** February 26, 2019, 01:22:19 PM »

I bet those Ulsters wish they hadn't been the deciding factor in the conservatives having a majority coalition.

Raist · « **Reply #5603 on:** February 28, 2019, 08:30:31 PM »

Another one bites the dust~

Quote

Environment minister George Eustice has quit the government over Theresa May's promise to allow MPs a vote on delaying Brexit, if her deal is rejected.

The MP said it would be "dangerous" to go to the EU "cap in hand at the 11th hour and beg for an extension".

He feared it could mean a long delay or that Brexit "may never happen at all" and said the UK must be prepared to walk away without a deal.

team filler · « **Reply #5604 on:** February 28, 2019, 10:47:30 PM »

Trinity Chavez

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #5605 on:** March 01, 2019, 02:27:41 AM »

Quote from: Occam on February 26, 2019, 07:08:56 AM

The EU needs to revise the rules regarding leaving the bloc asap. It's completely ridiculous that one nation can practically hold the entire union hostage by declaring to leave at a predetermined date, and then unilaterally postpone the exit or even cancel it at will.

The eu can say no to an extension

VomKriege · « **Reply #5606 on:** March 01, 2019, 09:39:52 AM »

Demonstrations are still going on in Algeria in protest to President Bouteflika being sent forward for another term. Journalists especially (from private and public outlets) are in too and Djamila Bouhired (an historic militant for the FLN who took part in operations in Algiers) was spotted too.

Is it finally time for Algeria ?

Nintex · « **Reply #5607 on:** March 01, 2019, 01:39:13 PM »

So the US went to the UN. I didn't work. Now Rubio and Pence have to persuade Trump to get the tanks rolling I guess?

Nintex · « **Reply #5608 on:** March 01, 2019, 04:27:53 PM »

https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1101432653881008128

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Did someone bother to tell him China already owns most of it?

[close]

team filler · « **Reply #5609 on:** March 02, 2019, 02:35:09 PM »

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #5610 on:** March 05, 2019, 02:36:00 AM »

Macrons letter to Europeans in the Guardian

Quote

Citizens of Europe, if I am taking the liberty of addressing you directly, it is not only in the name of the history and values that unite us, but because time is of the essence. A few weeks from now the European elections will be decisive for the future of our continent.

Never since the second world war has Europe been so essential. Yet never has Europe been in such danger. Brexit stands as the symbol of that. It symbolises the crisis of a Europe that has failed to respond to its peoples’ need for protection from the major shocks of the modern world. It also symbolises the European trap. The trap lies not in being part of the European Union; the trap is in the lie and the irresponsibility that can destroy it. Who told the British people the truth about their post-Brexit future? Who spoke to them about losing access to the EU market? Who mentioned the risks to peace in Ireland of restoring the border? Retreating into nationalism offers nothing; it is rejection without an alternative. And this is the trap that threatens the whole of Europe: the anger mongers, backed by fake news, promise anything and everything.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/04/europe-brexit-uk

Occam · « **Reply #5611 on:** March 05, 2019, 02:59:23 AM »

Good letter. But it's like a fart in the wind against decades of Murdoch media brainwashing.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5612 on:** March 05, 2019, 05:31:38 AM »

We can ship Macron to any EU country free of charge, win-win ?

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #5613 on:** March 05, 2019, 06:00:01 AM »

Doesnt seem as bad as many and I like the letter

At least he says the right things

Nintex · « **Reply #5614 on:** March 05, 2019, 02:48:09 PM »

*reads Macron letter*
Not as bad as I thought let's see the closing argum....

Quote

A world-oriented Europe needs to look to Africa, with which we should enter into a covenant for the future, ambitiously and non-defensively supporting African development with investment, academic partnerships and education for girls.

What's with the globalist obsession of recolonizing Africa. What do they think China has been doing for the past 10 years?

Stro · « **Reply #5615 on:** March 05, 2019, 04:39:58 PM »

China spends a decade taking over Africa

Europe: We need to focus on Africa

Nintex: Lol why tho

benjipwns · « **Reply #5616 on:** March 05, 2019, 08:11:45 PM »

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-47457477

Quote

Counter-terror police are investigating three packages containing explosives found at Heathrow Airport, London City Airport and Waterloo station.

The "small improvised explosive devices" were found in A4 postal bags, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force's Counter Terrorism Command is treating it as a "linked series" and "keeping an open mind" about motives.

WAS IT THE DRONE?!?

Raist · « **Reply #5617 on:** March 06, 2019, 02:59:30 PM »

Much shock, such surprise, wow

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47470382

Quote

Brexit negotiations "have been difficult" and "no solution has been identified" to the Irish backstop, the European Commission has said.

It comes after the latest talks between UK ministers and EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels.

Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the talks had taken place in a "constructive atmosphere" but there had been no breakthrough.

The UK is pushing for legally-binding changes to the EU deal.

Rufus · « **Reply #5618 on:** March 07, 2019, 11:54:37 AM »

https://threader.app/thread/1102551306525384704

Not news as such. Just some historical context on the German publishing industry that may shed some light on why we ended up with this shit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancillary_copyright_for_press_publishers and might end up with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_Copyright_in_the_Digital_Single_Market#Article_11 (and 13).

Raist · « **Reply #5619 on:** March 08, 2019, 03:30:16 PM »

https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1103785118961946624/

https://twitter.com/bbcnickrobinson/status/1103918414081318912

Nintex · « **Reply #5620 on:** March 08, 2019, 07:17:08 PM »

At least Boris Johnson got a new haircut.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #5621 on:** March 08, 2019, 09:05:30 PM »

Raist · « **Reply #5622 on:** March 08, 2019, 09:42:52 PM »

Can't say I'm shocked, it was so predictable. I was discussing that with friends (british or not) just days after the vote - it's going to be an absolute shitshow, and they'll end up blaming the EU for it.
But having key government folks do that as there's little time left for them to sort their shit out is quite something, really

Kunai With Chain · « **Reply #5623 on:** March 09, 2019, 03:27:55 AM »

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47506145

Quote

Home Secretary Sajid Javid is facing criticism after the baby son of Shamima Begum died in a Syrian camp.

Ms Begum left London to join the Islamic State group aged 15. Mr Javid revoked her British citizenship when the teenager asked to return.

Damn, this story took an even darker turn real quickly.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5624 on:** March 09, 2019, 04:40:19 AM »

Quote from: Kunai With Chain on March 09, 2019, 03:27:55 AM

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47506145
Quote
Home Secretary Sajid Javid is facing criticism after the baby son of Shamima Begum died in a Syrian camp.

Ms Begum left London to join the Islamic State group aged 15. Mr Javid revoked her British citizenship when the teenager asked to return.
Damn, this story took an even darker turn real quickly.

Well that baby should have pondered his decision to be born into an ISIS womb.
That's the prize to pay so that we can allow the state to strip your citizen's rights with a pen stroke.

Kunai With Chain · « **Reply #5625 on:** March 09, 2019, 10:15:30 AM »

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/uk-porn-block-comes-force-14091429

Quote

UK porn BLOCK comes into force next month - but a £5 ID card will buy you access

Is this how UK is hoping to prop up their economy post-Brexit? Making people by some ID vouchers at shops to watch porn?

Tripon · « **Reply #5626 on:** March 10, 2019, 01:11:05 PM »

Quote

Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in full campaign mode ahead of April 9 polls, on Sunday said Israel "was not a state of all its citizens" in a reference to the country's Arab population.

The prime minister, in comments on Instagram, went on to say all citizens, including Arabs, had equal rights, but referred to a deeply controversial law passed last year declaring Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people.

"Israel is not a state of all its citizens," Netanyahu wrote in response to comments from an Israeli actress.

"According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people -- and only it.

"As you wrote, there is no problem with the Arab citizens of Israel. They have equal rights like all of us and the Likud government has invested more in the Arab sector than any other government," he said of his right-wing party.

As the comments caused waves in Israel, Netanyahu again spoke of the issue at the start of a cabinet meeting, making similar comments.

He called Israel a "Jewish, democratic state" with equal rights, but "the nation-state not of all its citizens, but only of the Jewish people".

https://www.yahoo.com/news/netanyahu-says-israel-not-state-citizens-130047783.html

That's some blatant racism right there.

team filler · « **Reply #5627 on:** March 10, 2019, 01:42:36 PM »

israel is just another case of white people killing/oppressing brown people and stealing their land

curly · « **Reply #5628 on:** March 10, 2019, 08:08:12 PM »

Everyone talks about how far US politics is to the right of Europe ([kara]only because they suckle on the imperial teat[/kara]) but Israel is a whole step further on the spectrum.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #5629 on:** March 10, 2019, 10:32:17 PM »

How is Bibi being indicted for bribery and fraud getting so little play in the media?

Tripon · « **Reply #5630 on:** March 10, 2019, 10:35:20 PM »

Quote from: Great Rumbler on March 10, 2019, 10:32:17 PM

How is Bibi being indicted for bribery and fraud getting so little play in the media?

Bibi's currently at the level before an official indictment in Israel according to a NPR podcast I listened to a week or two back.

Tripon · « **Reply #5631 on:** March 10, 2019, 11:26:26 PM »

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1104945484647591936

Mandark · « **Reply #5632 on:** March 11, 2019, 02:08:50 AM »

Quote from: curly on March 10, 2019, 08:08:12 PM

Everyone talks about how far US politics is to the right of Europe ([kara]only because they suckle on the imperial teat[/kara]) but Israel is a whole step further on the spectrum.

Bibi's son said Black Lives Matter "thugs" are more dangerous than neo-Nazis, which just about sums it up.

benjipwns · « **Reply #5633 on:** March 11, 2019, 07:15:28 AM »

https://apnews.com/1abb7411af2d4b8bb2d202eedd480ff0

Quote

TORONTO (AP) — There’s no money, no sex and nothing illegal happened. This is what passes for a scandal in Canada.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been engulfed in allegations involving possible collusion with Russia and secret payments to buy the silence of a porn star. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing a controversy that seems trivial by comparison, but it could topple him in elections later this year.

Two high-profile women ministers in Trudeau’s Cabinet, including Canada’s first indigenous justice minister, resigned in protest, and his top aide and best friend quit too.

The former justice minister and attorney general, Jody Wilson-Raybould, says Trudeau and senior members of his government pressured her in a case involving a major Canadian engineering company accused of corruption related to its business dealings in Libya. Trudeau reportedly leaned on the attorney general to instruct prosecutors to reach the equivalent of plea deal, which would avoid a criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, because he felt that jobs were at stake.

“People south of the border would be astonished to think that this is the type of scandal that they have in Canada,” said Eddie Goldenberg, a former adviser to former Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

Quote

Opposition Conservative Andrew Scheer leader has demanded that Trudeau resign, saying he tried to interfere in a criminal prosecution. Canadian media have covered the story as intensely as American networks have covered Trump, noted Nelson Wiseman, a professor at the University of Toronto.

Quote

“He depicted himself as a feminist, as someone who believes in indigenous reconciliation, and then you have two of his top female Cabinet ministers resign, and they are depicting him in a very different light,” Beland said.

Trudeau said he tried to foster an environment where his lawmakers can come to him with concerns, but one of his female Liberal party colleagues, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, took issue with that, tweeting, “I did come to you recently. Twice. Remember your reactions?”

“When you add women, please do not expect the status quo. Expect us to make correct decisions, stand for what is right and exit when values are compromised,” she also tweeted.

Caesar-Chavannes, who is not running for re-election, has issued messages of support for Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, a respected Cabinet minister who said she lost confidence in how the government has handled the affair.

“It is a fundamental doctrine of the rule of law that our Attorney General should not be subjected to political pressure or interference regarding the exercise of her prosecutorial discretion in criminal cases,” Philpott wrote in the resignation letter to Trudeau.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5634 on:** March 11, 2019, 07:34:26 AM »

I posted the same question in the shit thread but it's probably more appropriate here though no less rhetorical I suppose : If everyone agrees that humanitarian relief is urgently needed in Venezuela, shouldn't it be at least possible to negotiate some sort of UN mandate for that, with some guarantees of aid being distributed "evenly" or by the UN itself so as to be as politically neutral as possible (since obviously Russia or China would only agree with strong guarantees of no interference) ?

The UN is sending a delegation to observe human rights compliance, if I am to believe their site, but that's maybe something they can do on their own.

benjipwns · « **Reply #5635 on:** March 11, 2019, 07:41:35 AM »

The Maduro Government has a history of letting foot aid just rot in warehouses and stuff. I'm not sure they, nor the opposition, are entirely up to the task of distributing the aid really. I'm also not sure anyone wants to defend the logistics depending on how the situation on the ground degrades. Russia and China might be willing to do it to prop up their investment but then you get the other vetoes against it.

Nintex · « **Reply #5636 on:** March 11, 2019, 11:45:56 AM »

US doesn't want Russians or Chinese that close to their borders so they won't agree with a UN mandate.
Russia and China don't want the US smuggling weapons and troops across the border to aid the resistance. So they block attempts from the US to do anything.

Also China and Russia like it when things go south in America's backyard. It's good propaganda material.
The EU would have to organize a meeting in Brussels to discuss and agree on what was discussed and decided at their last meeting.
But they won't do much unless Washington takes point. And Washington at this point isn't capable of much.

This is a problem for the US to solve and everyone knows it. So they're just sitting on the sidelines with popcorn until Bolton and Pence convince Trump it is time to bring democracy and freedom unless he wants to look weak.
Once it goes wrong (and it might) they can blame the US for the disaster that unfolds.

I'm only half joking when I say that Clinton would've had Maduro sodomized in a ditch by lunch time 3 weeks ago.
Trump is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he waits this out the new guy might not be able to unseat Maduro and the people will doubt that the US will help them.
If he goes in he risks a new quackmire especially because the life expectancy of resistance leaders is well, short.

It has already been discovered that Richard's trucks were hit by Molotovs from protestors and weren't set on fire by the Maduro regime 'on purpose'.

VomKriege · « **Reply #5637 on:** March 11, 2019, 01:48:39 PM »

Arms exports soaring.

Main markets are the Indian subcontinent, Oceania and the lMiddle East + North Africa. China exports stagnating but their imports are down and they're probably focused on arming themselves with less reliance on foreign partners.

Algerian presidential election pushed back as protests continue and a hundred (edit : a thousand) judges were about to pledge their refusal to rubber-stamp the process.

The Prime Minister is set to leave apparently and Bouteflika has rescinded his candidacy.

shosta · « **Reply #5638 on:** March 11, 2019, 02:13:26 PM »

Time to invade Tunis and restore the Almohad caliphate!

VomKriege · « **Reply #5639 on:** March 11, 2019, 02:55:53 PM »

They're still not out of the woods : the election has been postponed. A reporter for Jeune Afrique said the Bouteflika clan already floated similar ideas 6 months ago to some opposition figures (postponing or having Bouteflika immediately announces a one year transition to a new regime / president upon election) as they weren't completely unaware of the legitimacy issues you have with a weak, feeble possibly impaired 80+ president that is invisible. That journalist also said the police clearly decided from the start they would allow the protests : you decide whether it's because they wanted to or reckoned they couldn't oppose it.

The figureheads are down but the system is still there and obviously trying to figure how to rebrand itself enough to stay in place.

Still, it was gained peacefully and it seems it's the end of long apathetic / depression state for Algerians.

News:

Author Topic: International Politics Thread - Disease and Disaster (Read 699348 times)