Well what do you guys think to all this Crimea shenanigans? Personally, I think it is a victory for Russia. Sure the west can impose sanctions but then so can Russia and they have the oil card to play.

Putin accused the west of hypocrisy after what happened in Serbia years ago but as far as Crimea is concerned, it is game over. The EU if forging stronger ties with the Ukraine in response.

Taking all aspects so far into account, how do you view this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26686949 LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

It's easy to be critical of the warmongering stance of a corrupt politician like Putin but the Crimea is traditionally Russian and a majority of the population really do support links with Moscow. Plus, the Ukrainian government is pretty rotten itself.

The Falklands Islands, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland are other examples where a transplanted population has formed a majority in a most unlikely place, regardless of the wishes of what most people would see as the more local governments.

How would we in England feel if the Vikings, instead of leaving, had colonised Northumbria and established an enclave with a population of old-Norse speaking Scandinavians that still formed a majority there? Would we peacefully accept their wishes?

We are very definitely residing in the proverbial glass house and have no right to throw stones in the Crimea. Arms-length diplomacy should be the order of the day. Intervention of any kind is definitely not in our national interest. It's a good job the Blair creature isn't still in power!

One potential threat that I don't think will materialise from Russia is to turn off the oil and/or gas. They need the revenues just as much as we need the energy. Terrorist action to cut the pipelines is far more likely and our dependence on these foreign sources of power is ridiculous. Bring on the shale oil/gas and reopen the coal mines! Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
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Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
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In my opinion the only good thing to come out of this is that we and the rest of Europe have had a very loud wake up call regarding our energy supplies.

We must, with haste, get on with our nuclear programme along with, yes I really mean it, Fracking with proper safeguards . The Germans bowed to the Green lobby and now they will be F(r)ucked unless they re commission their nuclear power stations and re think hydraulic fracturing.

In the meantime the Russian Bourse has fallen by over 20% and if Europe stays strong and finds alternative energy supplies could fall through the floor. Putin, I believe, has shot himself in the foot - for as sure as God made little green apples the Russian people will not want to go back to the bad old days which will happen if the country goes into a serious recession.

Like all bullies, they don't like it up em.  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

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Well said Tenet. Bring it on! Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

It may seem biased, but you forget the fact that, even if it looks he shot himself in the foot, Russia doesn't really need anything from anyone. Over its vast territories it has all it needs. Resources and smart brains.

The rest is only can-can because you/we don't have all the facts.
But the people love to gossip and opine.
Hell, half of the people out there know all about politics, half about sports and another half about cars...

Absolutely right Alex although 3 halves make more than a whole

In today's global market Russia needs to trade. If Europe reduces its dependency on Russian gas by any substantial margin then the economy of Russia will go into free fall. If that happens Putin will be fracked. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

With fusion technology just around the corner according to the paper today, time to ditch shares in fossil fuel me thinks

tenet wrote:

Absolutely right Alex although 3 halves make more than a whole

There you go.... Another half are knowing all about mathematics...
 

tenet wrote:

If Europe reduces its dependency on Russian gas by any substantial margin then the economy of Russia will go into free fall.

Fractions can often be added together to deliver a nice whole number - but factions usually combine to make a big mess of the whole, and one which remains corrupted for a very long time.

The geographic region we refer to as the Crimea has in its 2,000 year history had many "owners" one of which has been the Russians - but for only 200yrs., i.e. a 10% period of tenure. For the remainder (90%) a whole host of landlords have had a lien on the Crimea, and most have secured that right through force of arms. Putin has therefore only followed a very well worn strategic path of the Greeks, Romans, Alan's, Turks, Genovese, Khazars, Goths, Cimmerians, Tatars, Huns, Bulgars, Scythians, Mongols and Kipchaks. So it can be seen that Putin's and mother Russia's fractions on their majority claim to this land simply do not mathematically add up.

What is clear however, given Putin's career path from Red Army draftee to senior KGB officer and professional Kremlin spy to "politician" is that it is reasonable to project that for whatever his private reasoning, the Crimea is not going to be the last trophy in his strategic geo political-military career.

Tactically he may well seek or construct an excuse to "protect the interests & safety" of fellow Russian citizens in Eastern Ukraine and in the internationally unrecognised self declared state of the Transnistria Republic which sits on the south western border of the Ukraine.

It was here in 1990 that the Russian speaking citizens of Moldova asked assistance from Moscow to secure their desire to establish there own state. To assist the Transnistrian Republican Guard, Russia sent its 14th Army brigade and so called Russian volunteers and Cossacks. (no need to guess who was behind that)

So it should not surprise anyone that it was those very same "thugs": transported in Cossacks and Russian volunteers, who appeared in the Crimea early on to support the Russian Army brigades. And, it will be these factions which will once again compose Putin's forces of might that will be leveraged by him in the eastern regions of the Ukraine and once again in Transnistria to encircle the present Ukrainian government. Fractions again adding up to make another illegal big mess.

richardk wrote:

With fusion technology just around the corner according to the paper today, time to ditch shares in fossil fuel me thinks

извините конечно, что вмешиваюсь в вашу дискуссию, хотелось бы просто внести немного ясности в эту ситуацию.... вы свои мысли регламентируете только тем, что показывают по телевидению? попробуйте поинтересоваться другой стороной медали, например некоторые ролики из ютуба, то что немецкие средства массовой информации показывают населению своей страны? вы можете себе представить, что ситуация противоположная?? что Россия совершенно не при чем...то, что жители Крыма сами подписали меморандум о желании находиться в составе России? и что это не понравилось самопровозглашенным властям Украины....и они начали обстреливать свои бывшие территории, только чтобы вернуть их...убивать своих же жителей...я не претендую на место гениального знатока политики, но просто не будьте такими односторонними, оцените ситуацию с нескольких сторон, прежде чем обвинять кого то в политических захватах....а еще лучше взгляните в ту сторону, которая сталкивает всех лбами друг с другом......


куплю шкуру Обамы...недорого)

I think many of the members may struggle with Russian

Спасибо за разъяснения и добро пожаловать в свободные клеммы2

Last edited by taztastic on 20th Feb 2015 10:51 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Phew! I thought my eyesight was going!

вы уж простите, но я понимаю вас настолько, насколько это позволяет онлайн переводчик))

^ Well said LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey