Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Russia

Tim,


I cant see an agreement with China eg Siberia that gives them access to abundant key resources and raw materials to enable them to compete more effectively with the West and particularly the USA. I do see a point at which Taiwan may become expendable and the EU (and therefore NATO) expansionism further east becomes a possibility. After all its a connected landmass with ever moving borders over the centuries, especially when the EU will start to bring access to all key resources and raw materials within its borders for its own economic and energy security.

Not until we've done something about the near monopoly of Taiwan over the advanced microchip sector. The cost of doing that (not to mention the amount of time it would take) would be vastly more than simply protecting Taiwan.

I did indicate in my earlier posting that already steps are being taken to reduce dependency on Taiwan microchip dominance, Volkswagen is building its own microchip facility to become totally self sufficient, other manufacturers are following suit, several countries including USA are bringing microchip processing onshore and within their borders, its only a matter of time.

You just hope our bunch of politicians get on with off shoring before it is too late

At least they've made Nexperia dispose of Newport Wafer Fab. I hope they manage to ensure a decent buyer is found.

You just hope our bunch of politicians get on with onshoring before it is too late.
There - fixed that for you

Onshoring..? I remember when the former British Airports Authority was bought out and broken up by venture capitalists, reportedly initially bought with money provided by RBS (?) as to where they got the money from is anyone`s guess.. I think it was a Spanish conglomerate that took initial ownership followed by Australian venture capitalists involvement, which as best I can remember broke up and sold off parts of the airport group..

Yeah the airports are still here, but it seems the subsidies and profits may be going off shore, perhaps a bit like the railways..? Trying to follow the money trail can perhaps end up with rather disappointing findings..

Russia... Jeez there will be a lot of good and fair minded people in Russia, all it seems to need to unleash the dogs of war is a nutter in the leadership crew and a catchphrase like Make Russia great again to begin to build momentum..?

As someone who spent much of my life building or restoring much of that which is around me, witnessing news reports over the years of the amount of destruction Putin has created in places like Syria before moving on to Ukraine seems beyond belief. Not only did Putin waste resources that could better benefit the general populace of Russia to kill and main Ukrainians, but Russian ex-pats too...I`m left to wonder at the worth of those power struggles and for who`s overall benefit they might be..?

Closer to home here in the UK.... it does not seem so long ago that folk were murdering each other on the island of Ireland for what real purpose and to whose benefit and over how many years...? Yeah I well know the history...But..?

What about the current situation in the UK with more chance of Scotland becoming independent thanks to the actions of BoJo and Truss making the leader of the SNP look so much more competant in so many ways as a politician..? Just how many promises and slogans and downright lies might be used to court public opinion, may replicate the many that were used yet not considered well enough not by the voting public, let alone the politicians who voted for Brexit..?

I have a pal who has daily contacts all over Scotland and tells me that large numbers of homes sold in the more rural areas of the country and smaller towns have been bought up by English out bidding locals and that situation has existed for quite some time, not just the occasional holiday home, but those moving out of England for whatever advantages they hope to find here...

I remember a few years back it was reported that an English chap had moved to Shetland and was promoting independence for that part of the world based upon the benefits for the islands of oil revenues etc. etc. etc... I would not like to think of possible outcomes if the nutters on both sides of Hadrian`s wall were let loose.

I have read enough vitriol with reference to the leader of the Scottish Parliament and her aims on this usually mild mannered forum to prove to myself that my expectations of human nature and the ways it might be manipulated seem very unfortunately to be reasonably accurate...Hmm..?

The effect of centuries of divide and destroy and and the price paid is well recorded in history, but it seems we never learn..

Something worth thinking about perhaps ....? https://youtu.be/ph5H0YFxbJI

Here is an article in the Guardian worth reading that reflects my position, better than I could of course.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/18/germany-history-defend-ukraine-zelenskiy

As of today, we have a new Defence Minister. He is presented in the media as a man of action and determination. Everyone hopes because things could not have been worse than with his predecessor, Ms Lambrecht.
I'll be waiting tomorrow when 20 defence ministers meet in Ramstein. What speaks against Pistorius from my point of view: He comes from the middle of the Hanover Mafia of the Russia-friendly Lower Saxony SPD. Until recently, he was in a relationship with Doris Schröder Köpf for six years. She is Gerhard Schroeder's ex, he took her off seven years ago. She is or was an avowed Putin admirer, sorry I have reservations about Pistorius. He is the extended arm of the dithering Scholz. I hope I am wrong.

Heinz

Thanks a very interesting read, I hope your fears are unfounded and a bold position is taken by Germany as it would have a profound psychological as well as military impact - all for the better.

I am strictly against the delivery of heavy weapons like tanks to Ukraine! This only leads to further escalation. How far should this be taken? Soon helicopters, then fighter jets, then Polish and Estonian NATO ground troops? You can't defeat a nuclear superpower with almost infinite resources. We have to be extremely careful not to slide into a world war or nuclear war. There must be ceasefire negotiations. And yes, concessions will have to be made to Putin. A Ukraine that is not allowed to join NATO. Donbass and Crimea will probably have to remain with the Russians. It's not all pretty, but it's better than many more thousands of people killed and wounded on both sides.