I see The Donald has been taking lessons from his mate Vladimir. I can't see this ending well for the USA, they should know by now after their experiences in Vietnam and Afghanistan, to name but two.
The world is edging towards a very dangerous place.
www.theguardian.com/uk
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look up the definition of "rogue state" & think what it currently applies to ...
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“Might is right “ - uncomfortable though it may be, it is a reality. It is a game played at all levels in society - in schools, communities, across religious divisions, etc etc.
There are two dominant powers - US and China. Russia get a mention by virtue of single minded aggression. India as of its population may get there.
Europe lacks common defence and foreign affairs policies and have failed to adequately fund their militaries. Ukraine - we have a coalition of the willing, but it is completely unclear what they will actually do. Confidence in NATO should a member be attacked I would rate as moderate at best.
Starmer won’t condemn Trump’s actions for fear of upsetting the special relationship. Reality is that the UK needs the US more than they need us.
The UN have proven over the years they are largely incapable of resolving conflicts and the illusion that post WW2 we could all live in harmony based upon an agreed set of rules is over.
The UK has few choices - closer alliance with the US (statehood), join a coherent European alliance (will it ever happen), realign with China (better the devil you know), become an unpalatable target through massive increase in defence capability.
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>> Reality is that the UK needs the US more than they need us. >>
Exactly the same argument applied opposite the EU in 2016 for the Brexit discussions, but not enough people seemed to think about it ?
As regards the UN, it beats me how Russia can remain a voting member of the Security Council after invading a neighbour without cause.
Last edited by: Andrew-T on Sun 4 Jan 26 at 23:10
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If, at a hypothetical level, the Maduros lackeys and the president himself were deeply entwined with the drug cartels, would that not give the U.S. the right to behead Medusa?
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It's all a show to take attention away from the Epstein files. ;-D
Sadly, as I understand it, a lot of Cuban soldiers (because Maduros didn't trust his own forces) were killed in the operation.
Other world leaders are looking at this closely. Will China do the same to Taiwan, will Trump try it again with Mexico, Canada or Greenland?
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AIUI, Nigel F has called his mate Donald and asked if he can do the same to Keir S :-D
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I note Starmer has denied being involved, but not being informed................!
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Trump's "Special Military Operation"
Could he please come over here and sort the UK out as well !!!!
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The ordinary people of Venezuela have suffered for decades.
Unemployment, shortages of everything, high inflation ............... the only ones that had a decent life were the "chosen few".
50 years ago the Government Nationalised oil - taking over the mostly US owned and run business.
Chevron, Esso (as was) etc left. Production went down over the decades as they did not have the knowledge, staff or money to invest in their prime export. Production is 25% of former levels that, combined with US Sanctions, saw little investment apart from the Chinese in the recent past.
The ordinary person in the street will be delighted if they get the life back to "normal" - lights on and water supplies would be a start ..... ....... it will take time but then again there is hope of improvement.
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The big issue is what happens next.
I would guess there is little support for US boots on the ground to take control - it didn't work in Afghanistan or Iraq. The Arab Spring touted as being the pathway to a democratic middle east lead to Libya and Syria civil wars and spawned ISIS.
It would great if harmony, growth and an improved quality of life is quickly restored to Venezuela. Sadly I suspect those in the Maduro camp will do all they can to preserve their position.
Without huge external support it will be years, not months, before conditions improve.
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If you look at the history of US interventions in Latin America over the last 100 years you can see a clear pattern. The most likely outcome is a brutal right wing military dictatorship. This of course leads to resistance and often guerilla warfare. Cuba and Nicaragua are examples.
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No one ever has a plan to follow up a military operation, hence a void is caused exploited by extremes. No one has a plan because it's costly. The only way it's ever worked in the past is military control to exploit and plunder your victim. Kinda frowned upon now, and it never lasted anyway
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Trump's intervention in Venezuela is nothing to do with drugs, but everything to do with oil. Which is why he briefed the oil companies before the mission rather than Congress!
The Venezuelan oil industry was nationalized and the oil companies never received the compensation awarded to them after Court proceedings. Big oil doesn't like that and has (easily) persuaded Trump to do something about it, for which he will be very very handsomely rewarded.
It will be interesting if Trump follows through his threats about Greenland - the US staging a hostile take-over of a fellow NATO country/ally?? That really would lead to world-wide meltdown.
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>> Trump's intervention in Venezuela is nothing to do with drugs, but everything to do with
>> oil. Which is why he briefed the oil companies before the mission rather than Congress!
>> The Venezuelan oil industry was nationalized and the oil companies never received the compensation awarded
>> to them after Court proceedings. Big oil doesn't like that and has (easily) persuaded Trump
>> to do something about it, for which he will be very very handsomely rewarded.
Thats what trump thinks, Alas big oil requires stability, large sums will be required to get Venezuelan oil back on high output, and currently they are luke warm - at best - to going back.
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I read somewhere last night that there was a flurry of online gambling in a few hours during run-up that Maduro would be out by end Jan. I think it said one punter alone had made $400,000.
Maybe they should check the online accounts for any related to Trump and his extended family.
I suppose markets can be made in almost anything these days. All you need is one punter each side of the equation.
Now found it in the Grauniad www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/05/us-traders-make-big-profits-betting-on-nicolas-maduro-capture-in-january
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Revitalising the V oil industry may take several years - I doubt it is simply a matter of switching a few pumps on. More like large amount of equipment - pipelines, rigs, power supplies, accommodation infrastructure, etc - will need to be refurbished or built anew.
Trump will need to stabilise the V community for 3-5+ years to allow necessary investment to happen. For this to be plausible he must have already done a deal with those now taking control - probably allowing continued corruption and/or at significant cost.
Alternatives not including the current government may result in civil insurgence as Maduro supporters fight to protect their dominance. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq experiences makes boots on the ground unlikely as they may represent a target for both ends of the political spectrum in V.
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Massive insider trading is just another feature of the new politics in the age of alternative facts ushered in by MAGA.
Every one of Trump's loony actions has been accompanied by large amounts of money moving to get ahead of it. American politics was always corrupt, now they need another scale to measure it.
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Russian Navy ships now desptched to protect tanker.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7v0deypjl4o
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I don’t know what Putin has “over” Trump, but I’m convinced he has something,that makes Trump his puppet!
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>> Russian Navy ships now desptched to protect tanker.
>>
>> www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7v0deypjl4o
Boarding attempt now taking place.
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I don’t think this is really about sanctions busting tankers.
Trump has demonstrated military capability through Iran attacks and recently Venezuela. Russia have been largely stalled in Ukraine for four years. He is simply testing Putins resolve to respond to an apparent threat against a Russian registered ship.
Trump is contemptuous of the willingness of European NATO members to do anything. Greenland may be a simple test of resolve - that he could invade and hold G, and collapse NATO is a given.
If Trump sees Europe as a group of sovereign nations connected mainly through economic and regulatory links, he will conclude that individual nations are of little consequence - bit players.
None of this is nice. Trump likes deals, embraces a might is right and winner takes all. The UK response leaves much to be desired - supporting ship boarding and a less than convincing criticism of his Greenland aspirations.
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>> Trump is contemptuous of the willingness of European NATO members to do anything. Greenland may
>> be a simple test of resolve - that he could invade and hold G, and
>> collapse NATO is a given.
However, the siezure of this tanker, would not have been possible without the support of a Nato nation. Us. It was all staged from the UK.
If Nato collapses, and we kick the yanks out, the US looses a hell of a lot vauluable resource.
RAF Lakenheath (Suffolk): Home to the 48th Fighter Wing, the largest U.S. fighter operation in Europe, with F-15s and F-35s.
RAF Mildenhall (Suffolk): The headquarters for USAFE-UK, hosting the 100th Air Refueling Wing, crucial for air refueling.
RAF Fairford (Gloucestershire): Used as a forward operating base for bombers.
RAF Croughton (Northamptonshire): A vital communications hub.
RAF Welford (Northamptonshire): A key logistics site.
RAF Menwith Hill (North Yorkshire): A significant intelligence and communications base.
RAF Alconbury & Molesworth (Cambridgeshire): Support various operations, including NATO intelligence.
The loss of Croughton, and Menwith Hill, makes the US blind to Russian intent and activity. Which is why they want Greenland.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 7 Jan 26 at 17:09
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Fylingdales has very little US manning, being mainly UK personnel, but is a key part of the US ballistic missile early warning network.
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I would have added the GIUK SOSUS, but that is more or less defunct now.
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The latest joke from Trump’s press secretary is that the ‘Donald Trump’ mentioned in the Epstein files (only 1% of which have so far been released, contrary to a Court order) may not actually be the president because ‘Donald Trump’ is quite a common name in the USA.
Does one laugh or cry??
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>> The latest joke from Trump’s press secretary is that the ‘Donald Trump’ mentioned in the
>> Epstein files ......
Well, Venezuela and Greenland have knocked that story well out of the headlines. Expect further outrageous diversionary tactics in the run-up to the midterms.
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>Does one laugh or cry??
Depends if you can tell the difference between fact and satire I guess.
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If Trump is distancing himself from NATO and Europe and on Putin's Christmas card list does he now see UK as an irrelevance as a necessary forward operating base?
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>> If Trump is distancing himself from NATO and Europe and on Putin's Christmas card list
>> does he now see UK as an irrelevance as a necessary forward operating base?
Needed it today.
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>Boarding attempt now taking place.
I was hoping the tanker was a diversion and they were actually going to do a Maduro on Starmer.
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>> >Boarding attempt now taking place.
>>
>> I was hoping the tanker was a diversion and they were actually going to do
>> a Maduro on Starmer.
Trump loves the fawning get.
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>Trump loves the fawning get.
He must be a completely off his head. Totally mental and not fit for Presidential office.
It will be interesting to see if we're told what (or what they think) is on the tanker.
I can't see why the US and Russia would be taking so much interest in an old rust bucket if it isn't carrying something of value.
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>> I can't see why the US and Russia would be taking so much interest in
>> an old rust bucket if it isn't carrying something of value.
Its got the real epstein files.
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Trump is now showing off. If you're a real superpower it shouldn't really be necessary to prove it by throwing your weight about, but his childish excitement about kidnapping Maduro was evident. He will be smug as hell that Russia can do nothing about him seizing the tanker.
Whilst Starmer is getting some stick for not objecting more to the noises on Greenland, frankly there's sod all he can do and perhaps the more obeisance Trump gets the less he will feel the need to act like Genghis Khan with regard to territorial expansion.
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>Trump is now showing off. If you're a real superpower it
>shouldn't really be necessary to prove it by throwing your
>weight about,..
Why is it now Trump "showing off" when every President in recent memory has thrown their military weight about when they thought it necessary. Mostly without Congressional approval.
Heck, Obama got the nickname O'Bomber because of his penchant for drone and bomber attacks across the Middle East.
tinyurl.com/3kss23pd
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>>Why is it now Trump "showing off"
Because he's mentally ill? I don't know why, but it's obvious from the boasting.
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>Because he's mentally ill? I don't know why, but it's obvious from the boasting.
Oh wow - he's boasting. And that could be a sign of mental illness? Obama wasn't boasting after they topped bin Laden? What about the regular repeats of Dam Busters and Battle of Britain?
US forces take apart Venezuelan air and ground defences, capture Maduro and then leave with almost no American casualties after Maduro goes on TV to call Trump a coward and challenge him "Come and get me". That's after the US, Europe and most of South America have spent years bitching about Maduro's antics but doing nothing about it.
Maybe that gives him the right to pat his military on the back?
I never thought I'd say this but Mandelson's got this right.
tinyurl.com/3fauns7j
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>> >Because he's mentally ill? I don't know why, but it's obvious from the boasting.
>>
>> Oh wow - he's boasting. And that could be a sign of mental illness? Obama
>> wasn't boasting after they topped bin Laden? What about the regular repeats of Dam Busters
>> and Battle of Britain?
>>
>>
You've seen how Trump talks ?
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>>Oh wow - he's boasting.
Come on, there's boasting and there's boasting. He sounds like a child. He is clearly incapable, he is being enabled and presumably manipulated.
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I don’t know if you have see any of the “Trump Speeches Spoken by a British Women” on YouTube but they highlight the rambling idiocy of the man. They are all absolutely verbatim transcripts of his speeches.
Here is the speech in which Trump announced the building of Battleships. I don’t see how anyone can listen to that and think the man is not certifiable.
youtu.be/62aOjln2OVQ?si=XMpPtNxFyxn47mU8
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>> I can't see why the US and Russia would be taking so much interest in
>> an old rust bucket if it isn't carrying something of value.
>>
I did notice that the pictures from today's action show that it looks like it is sitting quite high out of the water - suggesting that it's far from fully loaded?
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>I did notice that the pictures from today's action show that it looks like it is sitting quite high out
>of the water - suggesting that it's far from fully loaded?
Even fully loaded the oil would only be worth about $30m. I haven't seen any recent video/pics but if it was unusually high in the water it would also suggest that it isn't carrying much ballast.
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Trump is a showman.
Capturing Maduro did not need 150 air strikes as a distraction, but it makes for good TV.
Taking an undefended oil tanker is something the US could do anytime, anywhere they chose. They did not need UK support.
Starmer got the UK to play a bit part to demonstrate that at least some bits of NATO can be “tough” and contribute. And maybe Trump does have a soft spot for the UK - after all the King invited him for tea.
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"Taking an undefended oil tanker is something the US could do anytime,...."
Absolutely. We could even put together a group from here and achieve the same thing.
Pure theater.
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>Pure theater.
But being able to say that it was a joint operation with the assistance of UK forces makes international politics so much easier doesn't it?
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Well, certainly more impressive than FC's "with assistance from Car4Play" ;-)
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I had visions of Kevin abseiling gung ho from a Black Hawk, with Zero videoing it from his drone and Duncan giving a commentary in a very precise, clipped, vintage BBC style. ;-)
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>> I had visions of Kevin abseiling gung ho from a Black Hawk, with Zero videoing
>> it from his drone and Duncan giving a commentary in a very precise, clipped, vintage
>> BBC style. ;-)
>>
Here is Duncan. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDP5AuE1i64
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>> Here is Duncan. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDP5AuE1i64
>>
Yes, I am kwite pleased with that, doncherknow.
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>I had visions of Kevin abseiling gung ho from a Black Hawk,..
Oooh yes! Can I have one of these please?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK1B9b_0Z2Y
(Both Mrs K and myself did abseiling at a residential course here, courtesy of British Steel)
www.lindleyeducationaltrust.org/
Not far from you TnE.
Last edited by: Kevin on Fri 9 Jan 26 at 17:00
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Well, not entirely adjacent, but I know it well. (Walk past a few times in a year).
When I do, it brings back memories. At the age of around 15, a youth organisation I belonged to raised money (10 of us on a relay run from Tower Bridge to S Yorkshire - c200 miles and 25 hours) to take local underprivileged kids (around the age of 10, nominated by the NSPCC) to the next-door Rotary camp for a week's holiday. An interesting experience, as none of them had actually seen the countryside before. Not one of our party 'entertaining' them was over 21 either!
Can't see that being officially sanctioned and allowed nowadays! (Mind you, I can't see me taking part in a 200 mile relay nowadays, either).
As you were...
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"But being able to say that it was a joint operation with the assistance of UK forces......"
So what assistance exactly did the UK forces give. Sounds good but did the Catering Corps provide the tea and sandwiches? :)
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>> "But being able to say that it was a joint operation with the assistance of
>> UK forces......"
>>
>> So what assistance exactly did the UK forces give. Sounds good but did the Catering
>> Corps provide the tea and sandwiches? :)
>>
Well, an army marches on it's stomach...
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>Capturing Maduro did not need 150 air strikes as a distraction, but it makes for good TV.
Why the hell didn't you tell The damn Pentagon that before they wasted all that money?!
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>> >Capturing Maduro did not need 150 air strikes as a distraction,
you kinda do, shock and awe is a perfectly valid, sometimes required, military technique.
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>> Taking an undefended oil tanker is something the US could do anytime, anywhere they chose.
>> They did not need UK support.
This tanker at that place at that time? Sure they could have sunk it, no problem at all.
Board and capture it? no.
The fact it escaped and traveled so far means the US did not have the available resource, so they had to wait till it got within logistics support to do so. The UK. Ok so all we did was throw up a Rivet Joint* operate some air traffic control and let them use our loos afterwards, but they needed the UK to pull this off. Trump would never admit that tho.
*possibly to drop a sonar bouy screen to find out of that Russian sub was mooching about.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 9 Jan 26 at 14:12
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>> *possibly to drop a sonar bouy screen to find out of that Russian sub was
>> mooching about.
>>
Wrong platform, P8 drops sonar bouys. RJ is sneaky beaky job.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 12 Jan 26 at 10:29
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>> The fact it escaped and traveled so far means the US did not have the
>> available resource, so they had to wait till it got within logistics support to do
>> so. The UK. Ok so all we did was throw up a Rivet Joint* operate
>> some air traffic control and let them use our loos afterwards, but they needed the
>> UK to pull this off. Trump would never admit that tho.
A US aircraft carrier has several helicopters capable of operations with a range of hundreds of miles, and an onboard marine contingent again numbering many hundreds or thousands. Even other ships in their fleet have similar capability although not so great a depth of numbers.
They absolutely don’t need UK support to catch up with and board a slow moving tanker bereft of any defence capability.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 12 Jan 26 at 10:30
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There's no active US carrier group anywhere near the UK (they're off Venezuela*, in the South Pacific or South China Sea, or laid-up in port). The associated carrier groups will contain a significant number of the "active" other vessel types.
Patently, the capture didn't need an aircraft carrier, and the other relatively minimal resources required could be quite easily locally self-sourced or provided by allies without lots of sea miles (so why not ask for the latter whilst you've still got allies?).
*It does beg the question as to why they didn't intercept near Venezuela, maybe the UK contribution was key to the ultimate success ;-)
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>> There's no active US carrier group anywhere near the UK
Exactly. they had no seaborne flight platform anywhere near the scene, hence using the UK.
And its not easy to move a carrier group in hot pursuit, the key is in the word group. A carrier is vulnerable target on its own, needs an ASW screen, an air (missile) defence screen, and probably the odd stealth hunter killer sub or two. A carriers area of operation needs to be sanitised, not easy on the move.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 9 Jan 26 at 20:48
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Trump says the US ‘needs’ Greenland to stop Chinese or (more likely) Russia to invade. Both scenarios highly unlikely. But even if either did invade, that would be the time for NATO to come to Greenland’s defence. So Trump doesn't ‘need’ Greenland unless he is planning for a world without NATO, which has long been his desire.
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>> Trump doesn't ‘need’ Greenland unless he is planning for a world without NATO, which has long been his desire. >>
Geographically, Canada presents a far larger obstacle than Greenland to any oriental invasion. Presumably that is why Trump suggested it became State #51 - but we haven't heard any of that recently. The Canadians we know (and hear of) are livid at the idea. Most of them dislike Americans, and regret being rather dependent on them.
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Trump wants Greenland only for its mineral and oil wealth potential + possible fishing rights.
It has little or no strategic importance for defence reasons and he is anyway already able under existing agreements to militarise as needed.
He also knows that Europe needs NATO far more than the US. Whether Europe can still rely upon US support is debatable, but if Europe breaks the NATO deal all bets are off.
Europe can only break this dependence by developing a fully funded common defence capability - something that would take years/decades. The alternative would be to threaten greater ties with Russia or China - neither of which seem plausible or attractive.
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Great.
Of course Machado giving Trump the prize and Trump ACCEPTING it is almost beyond satire. What a narcissistic fool that man is.
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.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Sat 17 Jan 26 at 11:40
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>> Great.
>>
>> Of course Machado giving Trump the prize and Trump ACCEPTING it is almost beyond satire.
>> What a narcissistic fool that man is.
>>
Well, the exchange has left both of the principals without what they wanted from it, and I suspect his actions have kiboshed any chance of Donald getting a valid Nobel prize in the future.
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I guess threatening a military invasion to an ally who poses no threat whatsoever to the USA and is an effective member of NATO has already done that,
The man is clearly deranged. Not sure hoe much longer it will be before some sort of movement to remove him from power begins.
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The Supreme Court is due to rule in the coming weeks on whether (his method of) imposing Tariffs is legal. Given a relatively "tame" court, no-one currently seems to be able to predict which way the verdict will go.
Opinion stateside is growing that that tariffs aren't working in favour of the good ol' USA. Donald will find it difficult to declare that and remove them. There are now a number of theories that he is taking action to increase pressure on the Supreme Court to declare them illegal (at which point, he can shift the blame for their removal from himself).
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The basis of his argument for tariffs from the BBC -
"Instead of getting Congressional approval for the tariffs, the Trump administration used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Declaring an emergency under the law meant Trump could issue immediate orders and bypass the established process."
Even supposing the SC goes along with this it seems to me not to cover using tariffs as coercion to get approval to invade Greenland.
As usual he says the tariffs will be on various countries. What he means is he will tax Americans on imports until UK et al withdraw their objections.
Clearly it is possible to be a moron and a psychopath at the same time.
Shame on his party and cabinet for enabling him, he's so clearly an unfit person for the job. He must wake up every morning thinking "who can I hurt today".
There goes my visa approval.
He will fall when people stand up to him. Appeasement only results in more abuse. I like Carney's style.
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>> The man is clearly deranged. Not sure hoe much longer it will be before some sort of movement to remove him from power begins. >>
I don't think he is deranged. He just plays life by a different set of rules from normal people - the ones his weird father drummed into him as a youngster. Never admit defeat or accept blame. I can't see any effective movement coming along before 2028. We must hope he doesn't create a way round the two-terms limit.
Last edited by: Andrew-T on Sun 18 Jan 26 at 10:03
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You don’t think he’s deranged. Just look at the verbatim transcripts of his speeches rather than the cleaned up versions released to Fox News. Look at the stuff he posts on Truth Social nearly every night.
If he was no President of the US we would all be dismissing what he says as the ramblings of a mentally ill person. He has of course always had a narcissistic personality but just look at how he speaks now compared to to fifteen years ago when hosting The Apprentice. He is a sick man.
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>> I don't think he is deranged. He just plays life by a different set of
>> rules from normal people
Isn't playing life by a different set of rules from normal people a pretty obvious symptom of being deranged?
The worrying thing in the States is that the constitutional safeguards that should constrain a deranged President have, so far, failed to operate.
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Does anyone else get a sort of inner anxiousness for the world when they hear him or one of his minions or supporters talk? Constant social media exasperates this. The answer, of course, is to stay off social media and mainstream news.
Trump and his antics have dominated the news daily since his election. Its a constant barrage of his excrement.
My main concern is that they spout and twist a constant narrative of lies when the evidence says beyond all reasonable doubt otherwise. I'm thinking here of the Minneapolis ICE shooting.
The narrative is delivered with such commitment. Do they really think their version is true or that the public are going to change their perception subliminally if they are fed the lie long enough? Its an insult to basic human intelligence.
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The narrative is delivered with such commitment. Do they really think their version is true or that the public are going to change their perception subliminally if they are fed the lie long enough? Its an insult to basic human intelligence.
Well it works doesn’t it? Not with everyone perhaps but look at any cult. The members do actually believe what they are being told by the cult leader. MAGA is a cult like any other. The members WANT to believe despite evidence to the contrary.
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His supporters bathe in adoring social media comments driven by the algorithm.
They watch Fox News which broadcasts his lies largely unchallenged and reject "communist", "libtard" news sources such as CNN, MSN, Washpost and NYT.
They say things such as "he might be a paedophile but he still the best President we've ever had".
As with Reform enthusiasts, calling them racist simpletons won't change their minds. We must just hope they aren't too numerous when election time comes.
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In a democracy, normal behaviour is to support the leadership until it is evident that it no longer deserves support.
In British politics support for the leader, particularly from cabinet colleagues, is “fulsome “ until it is not. I would guess the departure of Thatcher, Blair, Johnson and Truss were preceded by declarations of confidence.
It is entirely possible that such a scenario is unfolding in respect of Starmer whose performance as PM would be regarded by many as uninspiring to woeful.
Trump has lost it. Impeachment or removal by Congress are democratically cataclysmic - akin to declaring war. It would be career ending for many of those in a position to initiate the process.
Trump’s approval rating has fallen since inauguration, but he still has substantial support in the US. It may need to fall further before those around him feel confident in initiating his departure, or at least controlling his excesses - a neutered presidency avoiding public scrutiny.
Last edited by: Terry on Sun 18 Jan 26 at 17:05
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>>he still has substantial support in the US. It may need to fall further before those around him feel confident in initiating his departure
I don't suppose Liz Cheney was confident when she condemned the events of Jan 6th, and if all the other members of the GOP who should have done so had done the same then he would be history.
He's unfit. They know it. They are responsible, and I doubt if history will look kindly on them for what they have done even it it doesn't get any worse.
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>>
>> Trump and his antics have dominated the news daily since his election. Its a constant
>> barrage of his excrement.
>>
...well, the current cycle is keeping Epstein off the front pages (and most of the rest of the pages), so I suspect they think the job's a good'un.
"Release the files!"
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Seeing him read from a prepared speech recently, I was surprised at his stuttering presentation, until SWMBO, who used to be a teacher, pointed out, he was pausing at the end of every line, instead of at every comma or full stop.
I recall, erm, challenged children at school who used to do this and we regarded them as more appropriate, (as the late Thora Hird was once scripted) "as at the back of the class with the raffia".
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>> The worrying thing in the States is that the constitutional safeguards that should constrain a deranged President have, so far, failed to operate. >>
The really worrying thing about the States is that there are enough half-wits prepared to vote Trump into office. We must hope that he doesn't offer himself a third term, as it wouldn't surprise me if they did it again !
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He appears now to be satirising himself.
"In a message to Norway's prime minister, Trump blamed the country for not giving him the prize.
"Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper' for the US", Trump said in the message obtained by US media.
"The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland," he added.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, confirmed the message and its contents.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he had received the text message on Sunday in response to a text he and Finland's president Alexander Stubb had sent to Trump."
If he believed this, even in an isolated moment of confusion, it's time for the 25th amendment.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7mev35x2lo
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 19 Jan 26 at 12:12
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If he imposes these 'tariffs', couldn't the affected countries simply evict all US military personnel, or charge a swinging 'rent' for land occupied. I'm thinking Lakenheath etc.
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>> If he imposes these 'tariffs', couldn't the affected countries simply evict all US military personnel,
>> or charge a swinging 'rent' for land occupied. I'm thinking Lakenheath etc.
That might be burning rather too many boats!
Europe is contemplating reciprocal tariffs. Starmer is swerving that one at the moment but I think he knows crumbling is not an option.
Davos tomorrow. Could be a frosty one for Trump.
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>> Europe is contemplating reciprocal tariffs. Starmer is swerving that one at the moment but I
>> think he knows crumbling is not an option.
The EU has the nuclear trade option on its statute books, and is better placed to make the big numbers hurt. Being outside the EU we dont have big trade guns that would hurt the US. Europe does. I think he will tag along with the EU however if the button is pressed.
The biggie, the baddy, that would really kick Trump in the nuts, is if we an Europe start coying up to the chinese.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 19 Jan 26 at 23:10
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There was a suggestion in comments in The Washington Post that Norway should present him with a "special needs" Nobel prize, and maybe we could all move on....
....but god help us if he doesn't win Eurovision. ;-)
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I think the White House has actually demanded it.
There's no more to say really. Just get rid of him now, you idiots.
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We have to wait really till the mid terms in November, where it seems the democrats may have a majority in Congress, and can curb many of his wild childish excesses. Currently with a tame trump led supreme court, and a republican party acting like trump sycophants there is little that can be done. If the GOP takes a real hammering in November, they will turn on him.
The latest Norway peace prize thing he has blurted out, has finaly raised some eyebrows with die hard trump loyalists
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And the whole Greenland thing which has very little support especially for the military option.
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Personally I think that Canada should announce they need America for their national security, take it over and put Trump and the bunch of incompetents he calls his government in prison then on trial.
The world would be a safer place
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Apparently the Greenland thing is now our fault, because he agreed to us giving the chagos islands back.
You cant make it up any more.
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Hasn't he rechristened Greenland "Orangeland" yet?
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The only way Trump can be removed or neutered is through the mid-terms, impeachment, or voting him unfit for office. His closest political “friends” could get him under control.
IMHO he has gone well past any point at which he would respond to reasonable arguments.
There is no point in aggravating him further by making reciprocal threats. It simply increases the tension and makes it more likely he will do something stupid.
Despite being usually critical of Starmer, in this case he has got it right. Be very clear about how unacceptable his ideas are but stop short of threats which will only up the ante.
He seems to be losing support in the US even from Republicans. The best chances right now are that he will be distracted by something else, lose interest, face internal US problems, or be “advised” that he has gone too far.
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>> he has gone well past any point at which he would respond to reasonable arguments. >>
Makes him steadily more like Putin ?
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So, has the Donald finally collided with the concrete wall of reality, or have he and his minions made enough buying on a falling market to reverse the trend, or does he think everyone's forgotten Epstein.
( In the lower courts, the tide appears to be turning against his "messing")
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He’s basically caved under pressure and made up a fictitious face saving deal. Total loser.
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He will already believe he's won.
A lesson has hopefully been learnt. Not by Trump, but by those who at last punched the bully on the nose.
If anyone was offering reasonable odds I'd have a few quid on Stephen Miller being "promoted".
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There was an interesting article on social media, and I quote in full
For those sofa warriors who think Starmer is ‘being soft’ on Trump and he should be ‘challenging’ Trump more robustly, remember Trump is a Malignant Narcissist which is one of the most dangerous and sadistic psychological disorders known to man. This is exacerbated by his rapidly deteriorating frontotemporal dementia. For anyone who has ever dealt with a ‘normal’ narcissist they will know there is no cure for narcissism, there’s no rehabilitation, no treatment or therapy that works. Dealing with a narcissist or a malignant narcissist involves recognizing their tactics - gaslighting, DARVO (Deny Attack Reverse Victim & Offender), blame-shifting - setting firm boundaries, limiting contact if necessary (gray rocking/no contact), prioritizing your support system, and not expecting them to change, focusing instead on your own emotional protection and safety from their deep-seated issues like Antisocial Personality Disorder or Sadism. Don’t JADE (Justify, Argue, Defend, Explain): They will twist your words out of all recognition. Interactions should be kept short and factual. By remaining calm and not rising to Trump’s baiting Starmer is trying to keep us all safe from an insane sadistic tyrant who is leader of the most powerful country on earth. You can loathe Starmer or like him, it’s immaterial, in this case he is acting in the textbook manner for dealing with this extremely dangerous and vicious narcissistic individual.
While I agree with the main points about his personality, it was a bit OTT, and I find it amusing the article writer seemed to share many of the traits they were railing against.
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>>While I agree with the main points about his personality, it was a bit OTT,
I don't think so. It's impossible to overstate how nasty they are.
I have actually encountered one of these, and only one, that I know of.
They can be absolutely charming (although Trump seems to have lost that ability recently) and generous. Until they aren't getting what they want. They can act in the most outrageous manner without shame or self consciousness, even though they are intelligent enough to know, for example, that they are acting dishonestly and when to know that everybody else knows they are.
They will lie outrageously and fabricate 'facts' even when they are obviously lies. They can be incredibly nasty and cruel.
When they are behaving in a civilised manner they remain completely untrustworthy. They are gaslighting.
That the President of the USA is one of these is very very bad and dangerous and getting out of this needs luck and some people who are prepared to put him in a straitjacket if necessary.
Unfortunately they surround themselves with equally corrupt or just sycophantic carpetbaggers who enable them.
We are not out of the woods yet. And we'll still have fascists to deal with if Trump falls off the twig, with Thiel and Miller in the wings and Vance as President.
I agree Starmer is doing the right thing, which is not to give in but avoid as far as possible rubbing his nose in it. I used a bad metaphor when I referred to punching him on the nose. I don't know what Rutte has done but I assume he has given him some concession that cost little but which Trump can claim as a victory (he will if he hasn't already) and gives him an off ramp.
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>> They can be absolutely charming (although Trump seems to have lost that ability recently) and
>> generous. Until they aren't getting what they want. They can act in the most outrageous
>> manner without shame or self consciousness, even though they are intelligent enough to know, for
>> example, that they are acting dishonestly and when to know that everybody else knows they
>> are.
>>
One of my brothers-in-law, in a nutshell, with whom the rest of my wife's family have a massive ongoing dispute!
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>> He’s basically caved under pressure and made up a fictitious face saving deal. Total loser.
>>
Yeah, that. Helped by the fact 85% of the US population, when polled thought he was being a t*** over Greenland
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Well, the nominations for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize close at the end of the month.
I think we should all lobby to get it appropriately awarded this time.
Mark Rutte, anyone? ;-)
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Europe combined - EU + UK - has a GDP the same as the USA, and a somewhat greater population. The EU is the US largest trading bloc.
Internal pressures from his own Republican supporters, public opinion in the US, and risk of legal consequences may have played a part in his climb down, bur Europe acting firmly and coherently will have been a major influence.
He is unlikely to have any agreement, even tentative, as Rutte does not have the authority to negotiate on behalf of Denmark, Greenland, or any part of the EU. He may have been explicit in describing to Trump what the implications for NATO would be.
The big winners from the whole affair seem to be Europe who should now understand the power they can wield by acting together.
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It may be that he finally grasped the fact he can do what he wants with the existing military facility they already have on Greenland.
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Non-fawning US opinion appears to be "It's the economy (viz markets) stupid".
The markets had already dropped relatively steeply, and with hardening opposition there was a significant prospect of further retaliation driving relative free-fall. Not popular with Donald's "powerful" friends.
(I read somewhere that Europe holds a massive proportion of US Treasury bonds, and a sell-off would cause panic on Wall Street. I haven't really had chance to properly validate that, but the easy statistics indicate it is probably true. One current set of US treasury statistics would seem to imply that the UK alone owns nearly 10%, second only to Japan).
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (the most out of touch politician anywhere) said Denmark selling of Treasuries was, "like Denmark, irrelevant."
He's wrong of course. If there is a global sell off the appetite for new issues or rollovers will not match the needs of the Treasury so its cost of borrowing will rise. And they owe a *lot* of money.
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Weaponising US Treasury debt may simply provoke an equal and opposite reaction in the selling of European debt by the US.
interesting idea though!
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Watched a bit more of his speech today. Looks ill and definitely suffering from some sort of cognitive impairment. Can’t see him lasting much more than six months.
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I thought he had put on a lot of weight.
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And from a man who faked an injury to avoid call up, has called american servicemen who died "losers", and refused to go to a D Day cemetary because he would get his hair wet.
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Think his latest comments concerning our (and other) troops not being near the front line were utterly
Disgusting....
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He is truly a disgusting apology for a man. As his senility increases we are seeing his vile nature at its worse.
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Just had a look at Truth Social. He is totally bonkers.
One post caught my eye - he is speculating whether he should have invoked Article 5 of the NATO agreement to get support to defend the Mexican border from illegal immigrants.
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>> One post caught my eye - he is speculating whether he should have invoked Article
>> 5 of the NATO agreement to get support to defend the Mexican border from illegal
>> immigrants.
I wouldn't laugh too loudly; we've UK citizens who see boat migrants from France in same way.
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Lol You cant beat this for a failure to read the room
US Embassy social media post
"This year, we mark 250 years since America’s independence in 1776. Our nation’s story has been written alongside allies and friends, none more so than the UK. Join us throughout 2026 as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday. SharedHistoryUnitedFuture Freedom250
www.facebook.com/reel/2864931723897939
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Would it be rude to tell them to f**k off?
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A member of the European Parliament was punished for doing that.
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Well he's put out the closest thing he can say to an apology.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3edwx37pd9o
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Trump's "Special Military Operation" - Heidfirst
