Tories jeering and calling out “shame” as corbyn lays down some uncomfortable truths while any right thinking person says “well, he has a point actually”. That lovely oligarch cash has certainly greased a few wheels in old london town.
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As what point do we classify a nation as rogue and no longer operating under lawful international conventions?
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When they elect someone who won’t do our corporations’ bidding.
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And, see, that’s the trap that a lot of authoritarian dictators fall into: the magic formula that got them into power is also a perfect formula for absolutely devastating their economy and generally setting themselves up for a popular uprising that removes them from power, either in the polls or via revolution.
While it’s technically possible to walk a middle road and become a closed state like North Korea, that virtually 100% requires the backing of a country that is massively more powerful than yourself to prevent anyone from stepping in.
The real problem here is that we don’t really have a good precedent for what to do about a nuclear-armed ex-superpower gradually turning into a North Korea-like state, because that’s the only survivable route left for Putin… But at the same time that economic closure would be extremely unpopular with the oligarchs, because it makes it orders of magnitude more difficult for them to move money out of Russia and into places where it’d actually be pleasant for them to be rich in.
Either way, they’re in a nasty down-spiral, and their attempts to destabilize various economies and countries in order for them to remain temporarily relevant are… Clearly having some negative side-effects.
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Now’s the chance: invoke NATO article V, launch the nukes, end this mafia state. We’ve tried diplomacy for almost a century with the USSR.
(And make no mistakes - the USSR never fell, they just ditched the social programs)
Jeez, keep your precious bodily fluids to yourself.
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What now? Nothing. But increased isolation for Russia. Less trade.
It’s the act of a rogue state. Hell, maybe Trump did it.
With nukes the game changed. Even if they assassinated the queen, you wouldn’t risk the population of the UK. MAD.
This is just crazy. Russia is messed up.
(Oh, was it them? Ha! Yes.)
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looks like it
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Gosh it sure is weird that Trump still won’t say anything bad about Russia even though they conspired to put Hillary in office.
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Shit. I’m a free man and I haven’t had a conjugal visit in six months.
May should cancel Brexit in protest.
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The uk is on its own on this one and the toadying up to donald fucking trump to get that sweet trade deal is shown to be the disgusting sycophancy it always was. How is that special relationship working out for ya now, may? Were you not told he would only do what served his best interests? His best interests, not the country’s best interests, his. I hate to say i told you so but…
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Desert Storm? Desert Storm II? Somewhere around there?
Even though Novichok was used to carry out the attack, that does not necessarily point to Russia. How many other nations also have stocks of Novichok after the breakup of the Soviet Union? It would seem a bit silly for Russia to use something that will immediately point to them instead of just shooting the guy or blowing up his house. Just saying.
That is assuming that Russia wants to obscure its involvement. On the other hand, if Russia wants to make its involvement fairly clear, without outright saying so, Novichok could be the way to go.
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On yet another hand, if somebody wanted to fit Russia up with a false flag action, Novichok could be the way to go.
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At least they didn’t leave a hot trail of Poloium this time.
Ooh those Russians!
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You would think if they did not do it then they would be a bit more concerned that someone is running around with their nerve agents.
Maybe people should learn not to invade Kuwait.
