Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Sanctions aren’t a magic bullet but they do put internal pressure on governments. Putin is very powerful but Russian oligarchs have sway too and they’re not going to be best pleased with having their ability to operate restricted. The Russian economy is in no great state

Do you think they want nuclear war? Why are you assuming that they’ll start one? More to the point if we ‘have to roll over’ then where is your line? If they take over the rest of Ukraine do we roll over? If we have to roll over because they have nukes then they can do whatever they want.

It’s not about them single handily swinging elections. It’s about a constant low level operation to sow discord and distrust in the West. Using Twitter to amplify very minority opinions to make them seem louder than they are. Spreading rumours and fabricated stories so that people are unsure what is and what isn’t true. As well as the more traditional leaking of stories/information to damage those that might oppose their interests.

This isn’t new and it’s not just about Trump or Brexit. In the Scottish referendum RT amongst others were spreading stories that Westminster has rigged the vote and that there were secret oil fields being kept quiet because it would make Scotland unimaginably rich. It’s not that it would have swung the vote but added fuel to the anger and division in the country and thus making us less united and harder to govern.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

As you know, it's all about statistical significance and all that malarkey. :)

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Do you not think they would not retaliate with a Nuclear strike if confronted militarily, let's say if NATO was to attack them first ?

I seem to remember Europe and the previous U.S Administration doing very little to stop Putin Annexing Crimea. Why was that do you think ?

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Yes but I am not advocating a military strike against Russia.

The invasion was what provoked more sanctions. The invasion of Crimea cost the Russian economy badly: https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/gdp look at what happened after 2014. It's far from 'nothing'. How many hits like that do you think Russians will take? Putin may be very powerful and immune to normal democracy but he still has to balance the interests of other powerful Russians and their people. His political capital to invade further is limited as a result.

If we had rolled over then he might have felt emboldened to take Eastern Ukraine too.

There is more than can be done. If Western Europe can help Eastern Europe reduce their dependence on Russian energy then the pressure can get worse.

There is a wide range of options between not rolling over and military action.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

I don't know how you can say that when you are suggesting we don't roll over for them either ?

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Because of the rest of my posts! I answered literally below the part you quoted and also in the initial post:



---------- Post added at 19:33 ---------- Previous post was at 19:27 ----------

BTW Russia have being doing this for long before any of the recent stuff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinformation

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Can anyone post a legitimate reason why we should not investigate potential behind-the-scenes meddling by a foreign power in British elections and referendums?

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

It might upset the swivel eyed loons who seem to have Theresa by the short and curlies ??? :D

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

No I don't think they would, I remember reading a future history book by a guy called general Hackett written in the seventies that accurately predicted events up to the collapse of the Soviet regime, pretty much everything in terms of dates was spot on, the only thing he got wrong was they chose Gorbachev as leader instead of a hardliner, which if they had done he had no doubt would've led to WWIII strangely though even once defeated on the battlefield and totally collapsing back home their use of nuclear weapons was very limited, bad luck Birmingham. I don't see why a mere confrontation would immediately mean a jump to nuclear weapons and for the record I'm not advocating military action either, there's better ways to skin a bear.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Yes because he isn't for any form of democracy whatsoever.He's former KGB and has learned a lot of lessons on how to keep power while pretending to give democracy.

---------- Post added at 08:40 ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 ----------

:clap:

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

It's revealing to learn that Kezia Dugdale has signed up for 'celebrityhood' after having been quite critical of Nadine Dorries doing the self same thing back in 2012.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a8064221.html

Never mind that though eh?...

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

... and Labour couldn't do any worse: :rofl:

https://order-order.com/2017/11/23/m...ervicing-debt/

McDonnell quick to quote some figures but then whines about being asked about those which betray the reality of a Labour government's spending plans and the servicing costs thereof. :rolleyes:

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Looks like Hammond's magic money tree is just for Brexit.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...cuts-63vrjzsxg

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

and it's so good to see Labour practising what they preach when it comes to job security and low pay:

https://order-order.com/2017/11/24/l...-30p-pay-rise/

No they're not behaving illegally but if they're demanding other employers treat and pay their staff better maybe they ought to set the example for others to follow as opposed to being just the same as those they condemn.

Re: Government & Post Election Discussion
 

Trouble is the Labour party is not as rich as the Tory party. Guido Fawkes news, ha, ha.