Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Zoupa]

Merci Charles.

[PJL]

Merci Charles.

Until Le Pen gets elected, then we're both screwed.

[PJL]

As I mentioned elsewhere, this will require the UK to actually develop an indigenous means of delivering their weapons, as right now their entire deterrent could theoretically be neutered by the US.

How does this work?  Is there some override switch at the Pentagon?

If so, then all the arguments re unilateral nuclear disarmament we've had over the decades was moot. The US could just do that to us remotely if it served their purpose.

[Zoupa]

Merci Charles.

Until Le Pen gets elected, then we're both screwed.

She hasn't been elected yet, and they've been trying to get elected since 1974. They're perpetual losers.

[Jacob]

Yeah if Putinists or fellow travellers get elected in France or Germany then it's a dire time for Europe.

I wonder to what degree the current shitshow will affect their support.

[PJL]

Merci Charles.

Until Le Pen gets elected, then we're both screwed.

She hasn't been elected yet, and they've been trying to get elected since 1974. They're perpetual losers.

But they're getting better at it. The trend is going their way.

[viper37]

From the NYTimes


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to a current official and two former officials briefed on the secret instructions.

I've posted this last week...

[HVC]

Yeah if Putinists or fellow travellers get elected in France or Germany then it's a dire time for Europe.

I wonder to what degree the current shitshow will affect their support.

I imagine like canada there will be internal pushback against the their right  acting trumpian. Depends on how far he goes into antagonizeing euope specifically as a whole a la the 51st state shit.

Some countries are too far along the far right track to be effected negatively, I think.

[Syt]

[Sheilbh]

I think there is a slight difference in Europe - a lot of these parties have roots that way pre-date Trump. That impacts their politics now.

In part because they already have their own tradition - Geert Wilders is a little Trumpy avant la lettre, which hasn't really hurt him (and doesn't seem to have significantly affected his party). But, for example, the Le Pen/FN/RN party is not and has never been Atlanticist - there's been changes over that time because they're an old party.  By contrast Meloni's party and the post-fascist tradition in Italy were primarily anti-Communist. They had ties with the Italian "deep state", within NATO and American security services, with the churches. They are committed to a Western alliance.

So I think it's different if you don't have a "Trumpy" streak in your politics and then after Trump emerges someone comes out doing that v long established parties of the far or radical right who've had various stages of breakthrough since the 1980s (the best way to understand Europe's far and radical right is like a mirror image of the Greens) or, say, as in the case of Latin America a really strong tradition of populist leaders. I think they read differently, that "taint" may or may not travel depending on that and they also will behave differently in power.

[Razgovory]

Charles de Gaulle would absolutely betray Ukraine to get in Russia's good graces.

[Zoupa]

Merci Charles.

Until Le Pen gets elected, then we're both screwed.

She hasn't been elected yet, and they've been trying to get elected since 1974. They're perpetual losers.

But they're getting better at it. The trend is going their way.

and a meteorite could come out of nowhere and end it all. She hasn't been elected. What ifs are worth less than a racoon's fart. As of today 03Mar2025, I'm glad France has nuclear weapons independent from US/NATO control.

[Zoupa]

Charles de Gaulle would absolutely betray Ukraine to get in Russia's good graces.

Whatever helps you deflect and not look at the fact that your country is a cesspool of traitors. 

[grumbler]

As I mentioned elsewhere, this will require the UK to actually develop an indigenous means of delivering their weapons, as right now their entire deterrent could theoretically be neutered by the US.

How does this work?  Is there some override switch at the Pentagon?

No, but the UK needs access to US-provided spare parts and expertise to maintain their Trident II missiles. The warheads (and their triggers and release procedures) are British, so the US could not effect a launch decision.

[Syt]

Carnival float at one of the Rose Monday parades in the Rhineland today.