the last shooting / things that go on in America thread has definitely dissappeared

anyway

not the "happy ending" you would have expected

https://twitter.com/i/events/1371972779893944327

Suspect arrested after eight people, including six Asian women, were killed at Atlanta-area spas

Eight people, including six Asian women, were killed in shootings at three different businesses in Atlanta and Acworth, Georgia, on Tuesday, according to local police. A male suspect was arrested and charged with several counts of murder on Wednesday, police said. At a press conference in Atlanta on Wednesday, authorities identified the four victims killed in Cherokee County.

 

8 minutes ago, wanderer1984 said:

What's my view of the world?

Spider seems to think everything will be OK once Trump is reallocated. He's wrong on most things so we'll see.

I’m simply trusting your opinion on the matter.

You seem to be very certain of Trump’s ability to bring peace to the world.

Its what we all need. 

1 hour ago, Farrelli said:

And you think Putin will stop at Ukraine ? 

I don't know and neither do you, I'd guess that he'll stop once he hits "NATO territory" though, but that's all it is, just a guess.

I'm not sure we can keep supporting somebody else's war indefinitely though

6 minutes ago, Sweep said:

I don't know and neither do you, I'd guess that he'll stop once he hits "NATO territory" though, but that's all it is, just a guess.

I'm not sure we can keep supporting somebody else's war indefinitely though

I do know it’s right that we stop him now and not when he is in Poland and Estonia. 

6 minutes ago, Farrelli said:

I do know it’s right that we stop him now and not when he is in Poland and Estonia. 

They're both in NATO, and as I've said I don't think he'd dare to try that, but who knows. 

 

Just now, Sweep said:

They're both in NATO, and as I've said I don't think he'd dare to try that, but who knows. 

But the world should just let him do what he wants, and take the chance?

8 minutes ago, Cheese said:

But the world should just let him do what he wants, and take the chance?

Well no but you cant criticise folk for wondering if all that funding could be better spent on ourselves.

Its only a matter of time untill the sympathy runs out.

Is Trump going to play the role of Neville Chamberlain? You can invade Ukraine just don't go to Poland 

24 minutes ago, Sweep said:

They're both in NATO, and as I've said I don't think he'd dare to try that, but who knows. 

 

“You don’t think” isn’t any security 

16 minutes ago, Cheese said:

But the world should just let him do what he wants, and take the chance?

If he touches NATO territory, then he knows the consequences. We weren't bothered when he annexed the Crimea? - if we wanted to make some sort of stand, surely we should have done it then shouldn't we?

7 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Well no but you cant criticise folk for wondering if all that funding could be better spent on ourselves.

Its only a matter of time untill the sympathy runs out.

At some point, I think that you're right, and the wider public will start to question the funding. I don't know the total numbers, but aren't we tipping in far more than anybody else (apart from the US), I'm not sure we should be doing that, unless we're being guaranteed the rebuild contracts, should this war ever actually be resolved

14 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Well no but you cant criticise folk for wondering if all that funding could be better spent on ourselves.

Its only a matter of time untill the sympathy runs out.

That is where we are unfortunately. Putin is waiting for western allies to waiver so we absolutely shouldn’t IMO. 

15 minutes ago, Sweep said:

If he touches NATO territory, then he knows the consequences. We weren't bothered when he annexed the Crimea? - if we wanted to make some sort of stand, surely we should have done it then shouldn't we?

At some point, I think that you're right, and the wider public will start to question the funding. I don't know the total numbers, but aren't we tipping in far more than anybody else (apart from the US), I'm not sure we should be doing that, unless we're being guaranteed the rebuild contracts, should this war ever actually be resolved

Depends on how you want to measure it 

If you're talking actual amounts then yes we're second 

If you're talking %of GDP we are way down the list 

And also remember we said we would help protect Ukraine if they gave up there Nuclear weapons, I know the word of the UK is not worth much now but I would hope for us to keep our word

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htm

If any one can get to the end without nodding off, plenty of technical data here.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/nato-spending-by-country

2021 figures by GDP.

https://www.statista.com/chart/14636/defense-expenditures-of-nato-countries/

More recent figures.

Edited January 22, 20242 yr by Tonge moor green jacket

3 minutes ago, tyldesley_white said:

And also remember we said we would help protect Ukraine if they gave up there Nuclear weapons, I know the word of the UK is not worth much now but I would hope for us to keep our word

Seeing as both major parties have committed to doing so, then you would imagine that will remain.

Given that the US has spend about 3% of its military budget giving Ukraine old kit that would be rusting in some desert otherwise, I think it would be foolish to stop sending Ukraine stuff.

We have sent a decent amount but IMO all Nato countries should be doing more, especially the likes of France.

5 hours ago, Sweep said:

😁

I read the other day that we're already about £10B in with support to Ukraine, and I think the US are up at about £40B - I presume that those in power thought that Russia would have run out of money/men/weapons by now. It could drag on for many, many more years, how much money will it cost us in the long run?  -  If, as Trump says, he'll pull the funding, will the UK/EU have to make up any shortfall?

A quick question:

Whilst we’re giving away tens of billion pounds in arming another country, are we still building up the national debt?

Or written another way, is this use by Ukraine of our armaments affecting their debt or ours?

36 minutes ago, MickyD said:

A quick question:

Whilst we’re giving away tens of billion pounds in arming another country, are we still building up the national debt?

Or written another way, is this use by Ukraine of our armaments affecting their debt or ours?

I don't know for definite, but I'd be surprised if it's reducing.......

59 minutes ago, MickyD said:

A quick question:

Whilst we’re giving away tens of billion pounds in arming another country, are we still building up the national debt?

Or written another way, is this use by Ukraine of our armaments affecting their debt or ours?

It's a hell of a lot cheaper than fighting Russia directly

Indeed. We can’t afford not to support Ukraine.

1 hour ago, MickyD said:

A quick question:

Whilst we’re giving away tens of billion pounds in arming another country, are we still building up the national debt?

Or written another way, is this use by Ukraine of our armaments affecting their debt or ours?

It isn't enough IMO. Then again I don't think paying £34bn to an ex jockey for a shit Covid system is either. Or hundreds of millions to several shite PPE companies that popped up overnight in a pandemic.

Of the things to spend money on, this is actually value for money for a fucking change.

Oh and as for Trump...

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/22/7438332/

2 minutes ago, Winchester White said:

Oh and as for Trump...

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/22/7438332/

Yeah, but he said he could stop the war within 24 hours, so it must be true.

2 hours ago, MickyD said:

A quick question:

Whilst we’re giving away tens of billion pounds in arming another country, are we still building up the national debt?

Or written another way, is this use by Ukraine of our armaments affecting their debt or ours?

There’s a lot of money to be made rebuilding cities that have been levelled

And the allies would be front of the queue for the contracts.

Unless Trump tells his old mucker Vlad to keep as much Ukraine as he wants….

18 minutes ago, Spider said:

There’s a lot of money to be made rebuilding cities that have been levelled

And the allies would be front of the queue for the contracts.

Unless Trump tells his old mucker Vlad to keep as much Ukraine as he wants….

We've already got defence companies assisting with production in Ukraine directly.

As for the debt, I dare so both Ukraine and its donors will be increasing their levels, but there isn't an alternative. 

As one expert put it, the west is now fighting a proxy war in the country, so we owe them as much support as possible. 

It's also a fact that Russia isn't doing particular well financially out of it neither.

They're also getting huge shipments of arms from Nortg Korea etc, and that will need balancing at some point.

17 hours ago, Winchester White said:

Care to explain why? What would Trump have done to prevent Putin?

My premise is that the mad fucker in Moscow would have feared the response from an even madder fucker in Washington with bigger and more efficient guns.

Hopefully this is not too difficult for you to grasp.