Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 20th February 2025, 7:50 AMSpies, bots - you've all got it bad this time.
Just because you don't agree with what Trump is saying and doing doesn't make it so.How do you define a 'dictator? Perhaps canceling elections when your term has run out, missing unaccountable billions from donations, stopping unfavourable press, no attempt to negotiate a peace settlement to stay in power etc etc.
It's not black and white.
Putin says "Thanks!".
OK. When NATO puts boots on the ground, you can say thanks again when your house is gone and the area is uninhabitable for millions of years.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 20th February 2025, 8:47 AMI rarely post on this thread, but have to say my pennyworth over Trump's latest outburst (his advisors must be shitting bricks - not, clearly he takes any notice of them), but what ironic, hypocritical "diplomacy" to call Zelensky a dictator.
Putin must be laughing his arse off, watching the western world tie itself in knots.
Putin will indeed be loving it. Especially such grade a baloney as Zelensky shouldn't have started the war (he didnt) or that Zelensky isn't popular in Ukraine (he is, more popular than Trump is in the US).
We should be grateful Trump wasn't around during World War II as he'd have been doing a grubby deal with Hitler.
Putins Propaganda Parrot
When you dared to even dream that this obnoxious orange idiotic arsehole couldn't possibly sink any lower - he manages it in style
Well you can say at the very least now that Trump's got things moving, right direction or not - after 3 years of bloody stalemate and undoubtedly many, many more to come if the West just continued to pour money into a conflict that makes the slogfest of WW1 look like a breeze. Europe & Biden's 'high moral stance' was actually prolonging the bloodshed and carnage, that's the hard reality behind the pleased with themselves smiles in suits.
No one except Trump would have the balls to step in and try something different and real, however controversial it is, to try to stop the war. We don't know if it will work yet, but it's an attempt at least to find a settlement. The former plan was just more and more war, paid for by far away countries at the request of politicians who live comfortable lives in total peace - becoming just a bit too distasteful for many of us looking on.
"but it's an attempt at least to find a settlement"
But going off Trump's petulant outburst yesterday it's clear to all that the settlement is only going to vastly favour Russia
And a settlement of that kind sets a dangerous precedent
If Trump's team get a settlement that ensures putin gets the hell out of Ukraine for good , with all their territories intact - even I would applaud them
Ain't gonna happen...
Trump claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky's popularity was extremely low, saying: "He's down at 4% approval rating."
No it's 57% - he literally stands there and tells bare faced ignorant lie after lie
(Talking off approval rating- The share of Americans who disapprove of his presidency has risen more substantially, to 51% in the latest poll, compared with 41% right after he took office.)
The world is dealing with a spoilt child that has been given a loaded gun. And to see people pandering to him is a hard and scary watch.
Trump is totally capitulating to Putin. There is nothing ballsy or admirable about it.
He is a total disgrace.
Capitulation to Putin, a murderer and gangster who sent secret service agents to Salisbury to attack someone with radioactive chemicals
Put a shameless criminal in the Whitehouse and surprise surprise he sides with a criminal , instead of one of the most respected leaders in the world
Absolute shithead
Meanwhile over in the asylum today....
"Republicans, who narrowly control Congress, are pushing proposals that could sharply cut funding to the government health insurance program for poor and disabled Americans, as a way to finance President Trump's agenda for tax cuts and border security.
Democrats, hoping to block the GOP's plans and preserve Medicaid funding, are rallying support from hospitals, governors and consumer advocates. "
Anyone who voted for the felon - tough luck morons, enjoy!
Quote: chipolata @ 20th February 2025, 10:26 AMWe should be grateful Trump wasn't around during World War II as he'd have been doing a grubby deal with Hitler.
Like our own Leader of the time did? 🤔
Quote: lofthouse @ 20th February 2025, 4:26 PMCapitulation to Putin
Quote: Chris Hallam @ 20th February 2025, 2:51 PMTrump is totally capitulating to Putin. There is nothing ballsy or admirable about it.
That is just wild speculation and almost certainly untrue. And he's not in a position to hand all of Ukraine to Russia, he's just in control of America's money which he doesn't want to keep wasting on a war likely to go on forever, to no ones benefit.
Quote: lofthouse @ 20th February 2025, 11:23 AMIf Trump's team get a settlement that ensures putin gets the hell out of Ukraine for good , with all their territories intact - even I would applaud them
Ain't gonna happen...
Well of course it won't, what would be the point of Russia losing a million lives just to give up what they've gained? The reality is it happened, a very big neighbour wanted what they saw (rightly or wrongly) as their land back and started taking it over ten years ago. Three years of the West attempts to stop them getting more of it has failed.
So you are looking at the West paying for a perpetual war against Russia that gets no further than it has, unless someone steps in with some plans to end it. That inevitably means concessions for both countries.
Let's not forget that an aggressive, expansionist dictatorship has launched an unprovoked attack on a small, vulnerable democracy. These attempts by Trump and his champions to pretend Putin is behaving perfectly reasonably or that Ukraine is in some way to blame are fooling no one.
[quote name="Alfred J Kipper" post="1288382" date="20th February 2025, 4:51 PM"]Like our own Leader of the time did? /quote]
That was a deeply shameful episode. It's certainly not a convincing defence!
"That inevitably means concessions for both countries."
Sadly you are right
But the aggressor should be making by far the most concessions
It remains to be seen, but Trump's comments about Ukraine suggest he expects them to end up with the crumbs
Totally unacceptable
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 20th February 2025, 5:16 PMWell of course it won't, what would be the point of Russia losing a million lives just to give up what they've gained? The reality is it happened, a very big neighbour wanted what they saw (rightly or wrongly) as their land back and started taking it over ten years ago. Three years of the West attempts to stop them getting more of it has failed.
So you are looking at the West paying for a perpetual war against Russia that gets no further than it has, unless someone steps in with some plans to end it. That inevitably means concessions for both countries.
While I agree that something needed doing, this is not it.
Trump is a bad actor and has set out his stall that is designed to benefit one side. He is acting like a gangster not a mediator and he has in my very humble opinion been compromised by Putin that is the only thing that makes sense,
Thank goodness these idiots don't have to deal with this serious situation! 🤪
"A Conservative chief whip has sensationally claimed a senior advisor to the party attended an orgy and defecated on someone's head.
The diaries of Simon Hart ripped the curtain back on the bizarre habits of his fellow party members in the dying months of the Conservative government. Extracts from the diaries cover orgies and how a Tory MP became stuck in a brothel, among several other claims of shocking incidents"