I should put up an edit of my earlier post: it is not "word on the street" but a formal announcement by the Finnish government that it plans to submit a membership application to NATO by end of May. I believe after that, it takes about a year to revise and edit and approve. The response from Russia was immediate: a cyberattack on government websites, and a Russian plane entering Finnish airspace for three minutes. These actions were supplemented by outright threats from Russian ministers about "signing a card for the destruction of their country", although the latter pretends to refer to the extensive trade relationship between the two nations.
Mr Putin clearly never heard the one about catching more flies with honey than vinegar.
Apparently, public support in Finland for joining NATO soared 34% to over 60% in the weeks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Firstly looking at the list of countrys above well quite a few have less than good HR records. I was a little surprised by some included. I was always under the impression that such organisations were always of uneven numbers less chance of a hung vote.
Prior to Lend - Lease planes destined for Britain were towed across the US/ Canadian border where they would be picked up and flown back to Britain by young civilian women who prior to the war had held a pilots licence for light aircraft, think only one was lost. Lend Lease was certainly not without its problems certainly concerning ship building, its an interesting period without doubt. Arms etc are theoretically anyway easier, tanks I think we are finally seeing have had their day in modern warfare. A friend of mine was part of a tank crew stuck in the Golan heights during the 6 day war he said it was hell on earth.
Seeing the pictures of the Polish prisoners was a sharp reminder of stories I was told. I grew up in a very multi cultural area Sikhs Hindus as well as people from the Windrush, but before them were the Poles who seeing what way the wind was blowing fled and made their way to England. once here they formed their own company's within the British Armed forces and had their own RAF Squadrons one of which flew up from the local airfield. The Locals would invite them to Sunday lunch such as it was, as they hoped someone would their boys so far from home. These young men knew with great certainty that they could not return home or see family and friends left behind but they came with their blessings in the hope that someday things would change. After the war many stayed in the area married locals and even raised funds for building their own church, and their desendants still remain. A few lived to see Poland "Free" fewer still got to go back to visit. The renewing of family ties was left to a later generation. I metion these things because we have to try to have hope as they did over 80 years ago.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Kyiv spoke by video link with Toronto City Council today. They appreciated Toronto's support and called on the world to be proactive, stating "Putin is sick". They indicated they are fighting back against Russia not just for their own country but for the future of worldwide democracy. They said Russian soldiers are paid whereas Ukrainians are ready to die for their children and their future. They described in detail the destruction in Kyiv. Toronto's Mayor Tory said the invasion of Ukraine was an "illegal and unjustifiable attack" and indicated he is working with other levels of Canadian government to help support Ukrainian refugees.
@EL - Thank you for all the work you put into this. I suppose the vote is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but I agree that it is geopolitics all the way down the line. The Security Council, of course, is a far larger problem, as there is no mechanism for booting a member off.
I am interested to see what the Lend-Lease revival will actually achieve. As we as Britons know, the Act was crucial to keeping Britain in the game after the rest of Europe had gone under Hitler's panzers until Pearl Harbor brought America in. It was an ingenious play by FDR.
The fact that it has been revived is, I believe, evidence that the atrocities showing up on all our tellys is forcing those in the West trying to look good without getting their hands too dirty to look as if they are upping their game.
We can only wait to see if it has any substantial impact. Putin is bawling that it represents aggression toward Russia and participation in the war.
It's about bloody time Putin's bluff was called. TC
Some of the votes might be protectionist ones, such as the Hungarian vote. They are up against the EU about to withhold funding for them for not adhering to the rule of law and the spirit of the EU democracy. They need to show they are a team player to get the millions that have been suspended.
This is a very dangerous game that countries are playing, and one where Russia may turn on countries in ways they cannot anticipate. As for Russia being suspended, I think this was more of a popularity contest to see what support Russia had versus Ukraine. Their term in the Human Rights Council was due to end Dec 2023, so this is more symbolic.
I've just heard the news that the UN General Assembly has suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council; the vote being 93 in favour, 24 against, and (an astounding to me) 58 abstaining.
Someone quipped today that Putin shares Stalin's appetite for death. Well, he was former KGB, we shouldn't be surprised. The Katyn massacre is interesting in that the Allied nations were well aware of this barbaric atrocity yet they were willing to look the other way because they needed Stalin to help them defeat Germany, which he did, albeit in his own way. I get the sense this is repeating itself with Putin: the west needs his energy supplies and he knows it (there is talk that he created this deliberately, funding "Green" political groups to badgering EU governments into relinquishing their own internal (fossil and nuclear) energy supplies, knowing the renewables would never be enough, so he could then hold his own supplies over them. Since the latter is unfortunately true, the former has a believable ring to it).
The Russian retreat should not be read as a victory or even relief: when Putin decides to come back, and there is no indication he won't, he will be just as vicious if not much more so. He is determined to have Ukraine territory to himself and no one seems capable of stopping him. By capable, I mean not just in weaponry: the US alone could take him out in a heartbeat if they wanted to, but in willingness to act. I have a feeling there are some very cynical reasons the US is playing such an aloof game but won't go into them here since I have no verification. One thing is very true however: Americans have no appetite whatsoever for another war. After the debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are done with wars of attrition, and no US politician worth his salt would even suggest more blood and treasure be thrown away in what right now seems to be a war that has no bearing on the US and its interests. That could well change, but right now it's a no-go.
The press also needs to step up and stop their clickbait sensationalism at the expense of real lives. Not all war stories need to be told, not when a population has been abandoned to its own devices and is having to deal with a ruthless maniac on its own. They will do what they will, war really is hell on earth, and it can turn otherwise gentle people into the barbarians they are fighting. They could use a little more slack-cutting.
Reading these daily reports has been as enlightening as it has been devastating: I have to confess I find it difficult sometimes to get all the way through, the news is so heartbreaking, but I appreciate the effort you put in and your dedication. I wish more people could read these, they are excellent summaries of what is going on. Thank you again.
I should put up an edit of my earlier post: it is not "word on the street" but a formal announcement by the Finnish government that it plans to submit a membership application to NATO by end of May. I believe after that, it takes about a year to revise and edit and approve. The response from Russia was immediate: a cyberattack on government websites, and a Russian plane entering Finnish airspace for three minutes. These actions were supplemented by outright threats from Russian ministers about "signing a card for the destruction of their country", although the latter pretends to refer to the extensive trade relationship between the two nations.
Mr Putin clearly never heard the one about catching more flies with honey than vinegar.
Apparently, public support in Finland for joining NATO soared 34% to over 60% in the weeks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
I cannot imagine why . . . TC
Firstly looking at the list of countrys above well quite a few have less than good HR records. I was a little surprised by some included. I was always under the impression that such organisations were always of uneven numbers less chance of a hung vote.
Prior to Lend - Lease planes destined for Britain were towed across the US/ Canadian border where they would be picked up and flown back to Britain by young civilian women who prior to the war had held a pilots licence for light aircraft, think only one was lost. Lend Lease was certainly not without its problems certainly concerning ship building, its an interesting period without doubt. Arms etc are theoretically anyway easier, tanks I think we are finally seeing have had their day in modern warfare. A friend of mine was part of a tank crew stuck in the Golan heights during the 6 day war he said it was hell on earth.
Seeing the pictures of the Polish prisoners was a sharp reminder of stories I was told. I grew up in a very multi cultural area Sikhs Hindus as well as people from the Windrush, but before them were the Poles who seeing what way the wind was blowing fled and made their way to England. once here they formed their own company's within the British Armed forces and had their own RAF Squadrons one of which flew up from the local airfield. The Locals would invite them to Sunday lunch such as it was, as they hoped someone would their boys so far from home. These young men knew with great certainty that they could not return home or see family and friends left behind but they came with their blessings in the hope that someday things would change. After the war many stayed in the area married locals and even raised funds for building their own church, and their desendants still remain. A few lived to see Poland "Free" fewer still got to go back to visit. The renewing of family ties was left to a later generation. I metion these things because we have to try to have hope as they did over 80 years ago.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Kyiv spoke by video link with Toronto City Council today. They appreciated Toronto's support and called on the world to be proactive, stating "Putin is sick". They indicated they are fighting back against Russia not just for their own country but for the future of worldwide democracy. They said Russian soldiers are paid whereas Ukrainians are ready to die for their children and their future. They described in detail the destruction in Kyiv. Toronto's Mayor Tory said the invasion of Ukraine was an "illegal and unjustifiable attack" and indicated he is working with other levels of Canadian government to help support Ukrainian refugees.
@EL - Thank you for all the work you put into this. I suppose the vote is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but I agree that it is geopolitics all the way down the line. The Security Council, of course, is a far larger problem, as there is no mechanism for booting a member off.
I am interested to see what the Lend-Lease revival will actually achieve. As we as Britons know, the Act was crucial to keeping Britain in the game after the rest of Europe had gone under Hitler's panzers until Pearl Harbor brought America in. It was an ingenious play by FDR.
The fact that it has been revived is, I believe, evidence that the atrocities showing up on all our tellys is forcing those in the West trying to look good without getting their hands too dirty to look as if they are upping their game.
We can only wait to see if it has any substantial impact. Putin is bawling that it represents aggression toward Russia and participation in the war.
It's about bloody time Putin's bluff was called. TC
Some of the votes might be protectionist ones, such as the Hungarian vote. They are up against the EU about to withhold funding for them for not adhering to the rule of law and the spirit of the EU democracy. They need to show they are a team player to get the millions that have been suspended.
This is a very dangerous game that countries are playing, and one where Russia may turn on countries in ways they cannot anticipate. As for Russia being suspended, I think this was more of a popularity contest to see what support Russia had versus Ukraine. Their term in the Human Rights Council was due to end Dec 2023, so this is more symbolic.
I've just heard the news that the UN General Assembly has suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council; the vote being 93 in favour, 24 against, and (an astounding to me) 58 abstaining.
Someone quipped today that Putin shares Stalin's appetite for death. Well, he was former KGB, we shouldn't be surprised. The Katyn massacre is interesting in that the Allied nations were well aware of this barbaric atrocity yet they were willing to look the other way because they needed Stalin to help them defeat Germany, which he did, albeit in his own way. I get the sense this is repeating itself with Putin: the west needs his energy supplies and he knows it (there is talk that he created this deliberately, funding "Green" political groups to badgering EU governments into relinquishing their own internal (fossil and nuclear) energy supplies, knowing the renewables would never be enough, so he could then hold his own supplies over them. Since the latter is unfortunately true, the former has a believable ring to it).
The Russian retreat should not be read as a victory or even relief: when Putin decides to come back, and there is no indication he won't, he will be just as vicious if not much more so. He is determined to have Ukraine territory to himself and no one seems capable of stopping him. By capable, I mean not just in weaponry: the US alone could take him out in a heartbeat if they wanted to, but in willingness to act. I have a feeling there are some very cynical reasons the US is playing such an aloof game but won't go into them here since I have no verification. One thing is very true however: Americans have no appetite whatsoever for another war. After the debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are done with wars of attrition, and no US politician worth his salt would even suggest more blood and treasure be thrown away in what right now seems to be a war that has no bearing on the US and its interests. That could well change, but right now it's a no-go.
The press also needs to step up and stop their clickbait sensationalism at the expense of real lives. Not all war stories need to be told, not when a population has been abandoned to its own devices and is having to deal with a ruthless maniac on its own. They will do what they will, war really is hell on earth, and it can turn otherwise gentle people into the barbarians they are fighting. They could use a little more slack-cutting.
Reading these daily reports has been as enlightening as it has been devastating: I have to confess I find it difficult sometimes to get all the way through, the news is so heartbreaking, but I appreciate the effort you put in and your dedication. I wish more people could read these, they are excellent summaries of what is going on. Thank you again.