Oh so it could escalate into a massive continental scale war.
Glad we can agree that potential exists.
As producer, Germany was holding up the other allies in terms of the tank decision, hence the considerable criticism from allied countries.
Belgium was sitting on surplus stock which it wasn't sending due to, oh I don't know, shiatty Belgian government bureaucracy, hence the criticism
There's no need for a pearl-clutching exercise every time there's criticism.
You can't fight a war if you are constantly afraid something bad might happen. No risk no gain. The west needs to accept the risk, or shrivel up in cowardice.
More fun times in the Russian military
Thats alot of freedom coming Russias way
Belgium is a taker. It doesn't contribute financially to the EU, it's a benefficiary. It's economy receives a significant net benefit from so many EU institutions being based there.
There is therefore an obligation on Belgium to uphold EU policies and aspirations. At the moment, the EU has taken a strong policy of support for Ukraine, so I'd say Belgium is morally obliged to contribute, given it takes and gets so much.
So while it's cute to say Belgium doesn't owe 'Ukraine', that is entirely negated by what it 'owes' the EU.
Belgium pays into the EU budget, and the EU has various funds to benefit Ukraine both with financial aid and military aid.
Belgium already contributes to that as part of the EU, so it doesnt owe anything to the EU. Anything owed to the EU is paid.
By your logic Ireland, as a net financial contributor to the EU, is totally exempt from any EU policies and aspirations. According to you the obligation or onus is based around whether you are a net contributor or benefactor from the EU budgets.
..
Haha.
Yet if anyone here criticizes nato, or the US.
Well, we've seen what happens.
Your take, from the limited information available to the public is that it was solely Germanys fault. Even though Germany initially said it wanted US to do the same re;tanks, to jump at the same time, rather than US getting Germany to jump first.
The US refused because its tanks which can get to Poland, and can get to Iraq, cant get to Ukraine (that line later changed, seems they can now).
All those times Ive read that simply no-one matches the mighty logistical capabilities of the US, well, this time ... well you see there are logistical issues. So Germany need to stop being pu55ies and quislings and jump first before we do, because reasons. And if they dont our fans will get at them online. Call them cowards etc. Make up tinfoil conspiracies about the German govt. Enlighten the unknowing masses about appeasement.
End result after all the foot dragging, US stepped up, says it will jump with Germany at the same time.
Thats all we know, we dont know about the diplomatic and political complexities that went on behind the doors of agencies and ministries. But we do know that it was all Germanys fault, because the express said so. And because merica is always right and always wins.
Right then, have nato impose a no fly zone. Put a few bombers up there too. Hit them on russian soil.
Come on, balls out. Charge in.
No risk and all that.
Everything else aside, I think it is only fair to point out that the majority of the expenditure from the EU to Belgium goes toward the institutions housed there and this inflates Belgiums EU income. That money is going toward the EU quarter in Brussels and benefits all of the EU. If you remove the impact of this revenue, Belgium becomes a net contributor and not a taker as you say.
Rasmus Paludan, a far-right activist who holds both Danish and Swedish citizenship, had already infuriated Turkey by staging a Quran-burning protest in Sweden on Jan. 21. On Friday, he replicated the stunt in front of a mosque, as well as the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen, and vowed to continue every Friday until Sweden is admitted into NATO.
Is your personal opinion, on the German thing, I get it.
It's very predictably having the opposite effect. Moldova to experience some far right activist burning a Koran or similar any day now.
Couldn't be small man syndrome could it
it is,for sure
Seems to be quiet popular with little men,
@.Donegal. 3 of the I hate Germany brigade on here aren’t even Irish. Some of them see Poland as the new leader of Europe after this lol.
The poles are on the way to being the most powerful military in Europe after America,
Why couldn't they be a leader going forward politically in the eu ,
Not as if Germany have handled the last 12 months or decade even with any real leadership, we've gotten plenty of excuses and appeasement.
But no leadership
Brings out their female side
There is no need to provoke Russia by attacking them. All that is needed is to give Ukraine what it needs.
Because they receive the lions share of EU funding and were in a fairly even race with Hungary for 'country you would most like to see kicked out of the EU'.
US Republicans continue to baffle me. Clearly, it's the G.O.P. specifically, as here party-enclave outsider, Brian Kilmeade, famous Republican Voter, sits utterly baffled that Senators like JD Vance would continue to argue that Ukraine is a lost cause or a quagmire or should just cede its territory to an manyfold unlawful invasion.
As a deflection these Republicans keep pointing the fingers at China. Which is a completely different case and circumstances. The short version is they are mad that China is decently good at playing Capitalist on the global stage, including buying up real estate and such in the US in our Free Market Economy tm -- TLDR years of trying to have things both ways comes home to roost, they sold out their state/fellow citizens out to the best bidders and that was increasingly China and they cried foul. The GOP/CPAC etc. though are entirely sympatico however with Russia and fundamentalists in Hungary etc. so I guess it's no wonder they just see Ukrainian children as Nazis in training and we should just leave country to fallow.
Got a link, because that makes as much sense as claiming Apple is a net burden on Ireland's economy. The EU in Belgium is a huge employer paying large salaries.
Actually I was defending Germanys right to move carefully and not be called cowards by those tucked away nice and warm in safe distant places.
It is an escalation, are there are considerations to be made about how average Russians (including those who haven't had the wool pulled over their eyes) will react. For those with a brain the goal is not to defeat Russia, that is long and messy, full of death and misery. The smart goal (for any good European leader at least) is to defeat Putin, in the eyes of Russians, or at least force him up some kind of face saving off ramp. So propaganda is an important consideration. And Germany has the right to consider its moves carefully, given whats on the table.
Even Peter 'America is always right' Zeihan said something to that effect. So give it a rest.
Poles are well behind militarily. They spend roughly a 20-25% on defence compared to uk/France. Regardless I’m not talking about military might.
Why would Europe want a backward government that has similarities to Putins playbook to be its leader after a war against putin it makes no sense why you’re even a fan of them.
In the press freedom index since 2015 they’ve dropped down the rankings every year. In 2015 they were 18th. Now they’re 66th. Reporters without borders found the Polish government “After turning the public media into instruments of propaganda, the government has multiplied its attempts to change the editorial line of private media and control information on sensitive subjects.”
The government has also threatened the independence of private media, with a state-owned company purchasing 20 of the 24 regional newspapers. TVN, the biggest independent media group, facing pressures by means of “politicised regulation and tailor-made legislation”; and “regular attacks” on “overly critical journalists” from members of the government. There have been increased verbal attacks on journalists and attempts to discourage those covering gender-related or LGBT+ issues, while blasphemy remains punishable by imprisonment, found RSF. While freedom of the press and the right to information are guaranteed by the constitution, the government has introduced legislation to restrict them.
They’ve also copied Putin with banning “homosexual propaganda”. There’s “gay free zones” in Poland. The current president said promotion of LGBT rights is more destructive than communism. The previous president said they’re a threat to mankind. The LGBT rights group ILGA-Europe says Poland is the worst-performing country in the EU in terms of LGBT rights.
That’s just scratching the surface. There’s loads more. I don’t know why you’re such of fan of a government that emulates the practices Putin. Most Europeans won’t look to them as leaders and rightly so.
Ukraine's air defences are now so frustrating the Orcs, they are resorting to using the hypersonic Kinzhal missiles to punch through to hit vital targets, like substations in cities in the latest barrage.
More freedom on its way
@.Donegal. Poles are well behind militarily. They spend roughly a 20-25% on defence compared to uk/France. Regardless I’m not talking about military might.
They just bought 300+ Abrams tanks, HiMars, 180 K2 Black panter tanks, with another 820 K2 PL tanks to built under license in Poland,to along with their 550 tanks already in service,
Apache gunships,F16's and F35 strike fighters and more self propelled heavy artillery and they are still spending more
Germany say no jets to Ukraine......
Coming soon German jets in Ukraine (no tanks,no Gepard,no Maraders,no patriots)
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