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Author Topic: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)  (Read 187932 times)

Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1695 on: September 14, 2020, 04:05:11 am »

Those two things (though I hadn't heard too much about either) fit into my cynicism very neatly.

Relations already are normalising to some degree, and perhaps the Israeli PM (knowingly or unknowingly, at the time[1]) got hitched to the idea of dropping his country's objections to the plane sales in return for the whole grandstanding US Embassy thing, or somesuch, but of course he can't speak for his entire country[2], and if the timing of this "good news bomb"'s deployment is at all rushed forward to play a major part in US politics/party-propaganda, it's at the risk of encountering blowback from the as yet unprepared local groundswell of opinion, and ruining what could have been a subtle shimmy into the clear air of mutual understanding if it had been left to develop without that one outside pressure.

(Or it could have failed after some other later thing, such as a 'clearly-sponsored' terrorist/military strike within the region. But it won't make this other thing less likely if there's an even bigger 'normalisation' for such an act to try to disrupt. Which is why even if a second-term Trump actually continues to 'press for peace'[3], I could see the whole lauded peace-process going far more badly than it is might be assumed to go well.)


Not that I'd prefer that, I just wouldn't be surprised. And what actually happens might be as unexpected to everyone as (say) a pandemic. Obvious in hindsight, but not what most people would have predicted[4].

[1] Like whoever it was got put on a 'sude table' in the Oval Office, the other day, to sign some important agreement with the US for his country, to apparently be surprised that this included an Israeli Embassy move of their own. Not seen much of that beyond the initial reports (positive and negative), it so quickly became buried in other effluvia, so probably I missed more clarifications that were necessary.

[2] Just the other day, he lost an ?orthodox? minister over instituting coronavirus lockdown measures, as it would impact imminent religious-holiday obligations for that significant part of the country for which they are (non-figuratively) sacrosanct.

[3] And not just just drop it, like the whole Caravan thing, once he doesn't need its existence in his narrative for his immediate personal advantage.

[4]  And those that did were only considering it a possibility (among many other eventualities that could also have been "the" unexpected thing, and were considered possible by others who still await being acknowledged as fully-fledged Cassandras.
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martinuzz

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1696 on: September 14, 2020, 02:44:29 pm »

Meanwhile in Belarus, Putin has sent paratroopers 'on excercise' to the country, helped out Loekasjenko with a 1.3 billion euro loan and warned the West not to interfere in Belarus.
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Strongpoint

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1697 on: September 16, 2020, 04:42:35 am »

Meanwhile in Belarus, Putin has sent paratroopers 'on excercise' to the country, helped out Loekasjenko with a 1.3 billion euro loan and warned the West not to interfere in Belarus.
Belarusian protests are the most pacifist protests I have ever seen (barring first few days) so those paratroopers won't be necessary.


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They ought to be pitied! They are already on a course for self-destruction! They do not need help from us. We need to redress our wounds, help our people, rebuild our cities!

Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1698 on: September 16, 2020, 08:19:20 am »

If they aren't pacifist (and maybe if they are), it sounds like they'd be due to be pacified. More than before, that is.

I imagine there's a great groundswell desire for a "{colour, or soft cloth} revolution" of some sort, but I don't hold out hope it'd be easy and I don't think there's unabridged hope on the ground. Even firebrands for the cause are going to be wary, and dare TPTB start to use agents provocateur extensively, or do they think it's so much against them that this might that just catalyse the whole process?

Lessons will have been learnt with various southern mediteranean states, various middle-east spots (esp. Syria), Ukraine (Crimea and Maotidea, differently), and other 'internal' stuff to the region. Both buttons they can press and buttons they shouldn't. For all sides, their own buttons. Perhaps some buttons are considered "Do not press" (yet) by everyone.
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martinuzz

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1699 on: September 23, 2020, 11:11:13 am »

Meanwhile, the annexation of Belarus by Russia continues.
Loekasjenko had himself sworn in for his 6th term as president in a secret meeting, which is against the Belarus constitution (in more than one way).
This means that he is no longer serving his 5th term as president, but entered his 6th term, which is illegal under Belarus constitution.  As a result, most EU countries no longer recognize him as head of state.

The president of the Belarus parliament's foreign committee has announced that good relations with the West are no longer important.
New ' top priority' is economic and military integration with Russia, in preparation of forming a union state.
The integration is moving at top speed:  the countries are holding a joint military excercise under the name ' Slavic Brotherhood',  and already announced a joint tax system this week.
Meanwhile, protestors still dared to go out into the streets today.  Authorities intervened again, and amongst many others, arrested the chief editor of Nasja Niva, one of the last remaining independent media of Belarus.

Past friday, the UN Human Rights Committee voted in favour of increased investigation of arrests and torture by Loekasjenko's regime.
According to the committee's chairman, at least 10000 people have been unlawfully arrested. At least 6 protestors have been killed.
So far, the committee has recieved 500 reports of torture.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2020, 11:14:53 am by martinuzz »
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Friendly and polite reminder for optimists: Hope is a finite resource

We can ­disagree and still love each other, ­unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist - James Baldwin

http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73719.msg1830479#msg1830479

Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1700 on: September 27, 2020, 04:33:46 am »

Armenia anf Azerbaijan seem to have had a shooting war over a disputed area, with military and civilian casualties on both sides. Details still sketchy and "he said, she said", right now. Might even be "business as usual", as I don't follow that area much, but if tanks and a helicopter are destroyed, as reported, it's not 'a minor skirmish between opposing border guards'.
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Il Palazzo

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1701 on: September 27, 2020, 07:57:49 pm »

Armenia anf Azerbaijan
It's horrible how Asians keep invading the Europe thread.
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scriver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1702 on: September 28, 2020, 12:16:55 am »

Nah, they're the border to Asia, both European and Asian. The Caucasian border is more like a fog than a line.

The real horror is this thread not merging back with the other thread even though it's purpose no longer needs to be served
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ChairmanPoo

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1703 on: September 28, 2020, 06:20:49 pm »

I agree with IlPalazzo. It's beyond Bosphorus so it's Asia. West Asia is still Asia
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scriver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1704 on: September 29, 2020, 12:15:17 am »

The bospurus is only the border between Europe and Asia at that point, the eastmost border of Europe is the Urals
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Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1705 on: September 29, 2020, 06:43:33 am »

(It's closer than Australia!)

Things have dropped out of the news. 'Skirmish' after all? By the standards of the region, that is.
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scriver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1706 on: September 29, 2020, 06:48:21 am »

Australia is in the Eurovision, they are clearly in Europe

(In before Eurovision becomes the real world Oceania)
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Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1707 on: September 29, 2020, 07:17:07 am »

I just wonder at what point "Britain' gets added to the OP title. (Though at this rate, it'll be dropped from every thread title, as it refuses/is refused to be part of any other block.)

<benelton>...a little bit of politics, ladies and gentlemen!</benelton>
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MetalSlimeHunt

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1708 on: September 29, 2020, 07:23:53 am »

I just wonder at what point "Britain' gets added to the OP title. (Though at this rate, it'll be dropped from every thread title, as it refuses/is refused to be part of any other block.)

BREXIT

MEANS

B R E X I T
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Starver

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Re: Non-EU europe thread (with Russia, Israel and Australia included)
« Reply #1709 on: September 29, 2020, 08:03:01 am »

Btw, went looking for likely undisputable non-EU, definitely Europe news to make a proper post worthy of this threas. The Swiss referendum came down to the "not Swexit" result, Hunter Biden hasn't done anything bad enough in Ukraine for the US Republicans to carp on about, and a whole lot of other small-fry (YMMV) stories.

But casualties are mounting, between Arm&Az, I found out, in an article published shortly after I said things had calmed down. Still as much or as little On Topic as it was before, but just might as well correct myself rather than encourage yet further deviation from the subject.
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