Two wars. Why such different U.K./US approaches?

The present Uk government has so far not changed policy towards Ukraine and the Middle East. Why?

UK policy towards Ukraine is to provide financial help and to supply weapons. Taken together with the US and NATO we supply enough to keep the war going but not enough to allow Ukraine to win. We seek to keep the war on Ukrainian soil and limit use of weapons in Russia. The new government has not succeeded in urging the US to allow wider use or the supply of more effective weapons against Russia though it is said in the media Starmer went to Washington to try this. The wish to avoid a NATO/Russia war is an aim most back, which should lead to other ways of handling this conflict.

The U.K. does not try to get France to make a serious contribution to financing and arming Ukraine in the way the U.K. and Germany do. The US is the dominant military support. There is no suggestion of any negotiated peace or ceasefire. The western governments and media give little coverage to the high daily death toll, the strains on the Ukrainian army or the continued destruction of property. There is practically no discussion  of the millions of Ukrainians displaced from their homes.

In the  Middle East the U.K. government regularly calls for a ceasefire and negotiated peace. So far neither the Israelis nor the Hamas/Hezbollah forces have  any wish to talk peace. Hamas will not release the hostages, Hamas and Hezbollah keep firing at Israel where they can and Israel continues her military actions against both which entail bombs and street fighting in crowded cities amidst a civilian population. All sides demand the other stops without stopping themselves. The U.K. has limited the small amount of defence goods it will send Israel and does not send money. It will offer limited military support to help destroy incoming drones and missiles aimed at Israel.

We leave the main job of trying to keep open shipping lanes and defend oil installations in the Gulf area to  the US navy who have a carrier group and an assault ship with planes in the region. We decline  to commit one of our carriers though have sent a destroyer and other vessels.

Neither of these approaches to conflict is working. In both places the death toll is high and civilian populations are hit by the bombs and bullets. I will discuss other options in future blogs but am interested in how you think Starmer and Biden should handle these crises.

 

 

126 Comments

  1. Lifelogic
    October 13, 2024

    Indeed a good summary and all very depressing.

    I see that Obama is telling black american men to not be sexist and they must vote for Kamala becauses they are black and he wrongly accuses Trump of being racist. Surely implying all black men are sexist & should vote the same way is rather racist. Black people are just a capable of working out who it is best to vote for as white people. They can see Kamala has the wrong policies and is rather an empty dope. Hopefully it will backfire like his “back of the queue” foolish interference for Cameron.

    Then we have Two Tier Kier talking about a country broken by 14 years of the Tories. Well yes they botched Brexit, got everything wrong on Covid (net harm lockdowns, vaccines, PPE, the NHS
), failed to control immigration levels, increased taxes and red tape hugely, increased state debt hugely, caused the inflation, pushed the insanity of net zero
 all things Starmer aided & called for more of and is now rapidly accelerating!

    1. Sharon
      October 13, 2024

      LL When Trump was in power a lot more black Americans were able to find work…this hint at racism if these same Americans don’t vote for Kamala Harris is just her twisted way of getting their votes. It’s all a bit sick!

      1. Lifelogic
        October 13, 2024

        Indeed.

        Braverman says she had to abandon a speech at Corpus Christi College after receiving security advice from Cambridgeshire police and the parliamentary security team. The event, scheduled for Thursday, was targeted by Pro-Palestinian protesters. She had been due to speak to the Cambridge University Conservative Association (Cuca), which she led as a student 20 years ago, about her life in politics.

        If only she had been a singer and had given a few tickets as bribes to the ministers etc. she might have got the policing she deserved. Free speech is largely dead in the UK and on many topics.

  2. Ian wragg
    October 13, 2024

    On the Middle East, liebour have the misguided policy of trying to appease the large Muslim cohort in the UK. Historically these have voted Liebour but as their numbers have vastly increased they are forming their own policies and parties.
    Like France if we don’t watch it we will become an Islamic state. I remember when Lebanon, Syria and Afghanistan were Christian countries
    With Ukraine it’s just turned into a war of attrition and I don’t see any practical solution.

    1. Ed M
      October 13, 2024

      Putin was made by the KGB and now developed into a sophisticated gangster. If we crumble to him, he will just just move onto his next gangster project (numerous different options, most of which would indirectly undermine / threaten the UK in some way).
      We can’t give the Ukrainians a Silver Bullet to finish off the war as that could lead to nuclear escalation.
      So we can only carry on as present (more-a-less with some little silver bullets here and there but we have to be careful) hoping and praying that things will eventually go against Putin’s plans.
      I’m pretty sure our secret services would agree with my assessment here.
      Lastly, we need heroes (like the way many love reading about Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules and Odysseus). Well there is definitely a heroic story to be told here (the Ukrainians aren’t perfect but definitely doing a sterling job overall agains the Russians – and we want to be on the right side when the war eventually ends – in the sense that all wars do eventually).

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 13, 2024

        It will end with a unilateral surrender by Zelensky (if he survives) with a few weeks.
        So brace yourself. In your terms Britain loses.
        In my terms the Globalists are beaten and Britain wins.

        1. Ed M
          October 13, 2024

          Putin doesn’t represent the best values of Britain, and connected to this, nor does he care about Britain. Rather he represents the values of the KGB and gangster politics.
          Also, what do you propose to globalism (socialism / anarchy)?! Good luck with that.

          1. Lynn Atkinson
            October 14, 2024

            Funnily enough when you take time to listen to his speeches, or to watch the 4 hour annual international press conference (no written question just straight off the floor) you come to appreciate that this Christian lawyer with an economics degree and a brain the size of JRs, DOES represent the real values of the British.
            Don’t forget we British, on the Russian run to St Petersburg, save his family. He is a very pro-British western orientated clever Caucasian man.
            You might not like him, but you will respect him if you have bothered to listen to what he has to say at all.

        2. John Hatfield
          October 13, 2024

          Lynn +1.

  3. Mark B
    October 13, 2024

    Good morning.

    Sorry, off topic.

    I would like to send my commiserations to the family and friends of Alex Salmond. Whilst I am not fan of the SNP and its former leader, I will pay tribute to a man who took and small minority party to government in Scotland and, nearly achieved its aim of greater self-rule for England, yes England, in such a short and spectacular time.

    He will be remembered as a man who wanted independence for his country and chose, unlike some others who chose the bomb rather than the ballot box, to achieve his aims.

    Rest in peace sir.

    —-

    I have no interest in either conflict. One has been going on for as long as memory can stand, with no end in sight, and the other for no apparent purpose. One can never be resolved unless one side wipes out the other, and the other one could have ended long ago, but because of the medalling of a bumbling fool, peace was nixed.

    And as for the money we send ? Would it not be better spent on the invasion (daily) to our shores. How can we justify the defence of another nation’s borders when we cannot and will not defend our own ?

    A disgrace !

    1. Lifelogic
      October 13, 2024

      +1

    2. Peter
      October 13, 2024

      “And as for the money we send ? Would it not be better spent on the invasion (daily) to our shores. How can we justify the defence of another nation’s borders when we cannot and will not defend our own ?”

      Agreed.

      Ukraine is outside the zone where we have a direct security risk.

      As for the Middle East, from a calculating viewpoint, providing we don’t offer any aid or military intervention, any result is a win for us. A diminished Iran and/or Israel helps our balance of power and gets a monkey off our backs.

  4. Lifelogic
    October 13, 2024

    So the bright and amusing Alec Salmon has sadly died suddenly.

    It is great shame that his SNP party, especially under the appalling Nicola Sturgeon whom he spawned, has done so much harm to Scotland in pushing for the unwanted independence rather than just running the place efficiently things like rubbish collection, policing, schools, healthcare… Why on earth did they want to leave the UK and be run by the EU? The dire Sadiq Kahn should do the same for London.

    So what are the figures broken down by vaccination types and dates of deaths in the UK? I assume these are studiously being kept hidden by the NHS and ONS or just not collected in the UK. But we do know of the large increases in especially heart and vascular conditions for other countries and the large increases in overall, all cause deaths in heavily vaccinated countries.

    We also know of the huge batch variations in serious reported side effects post vaccination. Also that the MRNA vaccines are contaminated with DNA that can integrate into human cells with serious heath implications. Yet still they keep pushing them. See the recent Dr John Campbell videos.

    1. BOF
      October 13, 2024

      LL
      Yes, the DNA contamination. And now in Japan abortion drugs have been identified in these mRNA injections as well. The Japanese, spearheaded by Prof Fukushima are enraged.

      1. Donna
        October 13, 2024

        The data shows a significant increase in miscarriages in women who were coerced/stupid enough to have these gene therapy jabs in the early stages of pregnancy. All together now …. “correlation doesn’t mean causation” but it’s very strange that the Government / MHRA don’t seem at all interested in studying the data.

        I believe the scientists who enhanced the virus knew exactly who was most at risk and those who researched and developed the mRNA therapies knew exactly what the effects would be. They weren’t created and rushed out “at the speed of science” when the manipulated virus was released. The Patent Records prove that they had been researching and patenting various forms of the gene therapies for several decades.

        1. Lifelogic
          October 13, 2024

          “correlation doesn’t mean causation” no it clearly does not “prove” causation but it is certainly a very good reason to make further serious investigations. Especially if the time scales agree with the vaccine roll out and even the vaccines roll out by different ages as it seems to.

          “correlation does not prove causation” is rather relevant to poor Lucy Letby. Was not even very clear correlation in her case. She need to have a proper appeal the conviction is hugely unsafe and we need space in jails anyway. To turn down her right to appeal essentially on the grounds that her first legal team did a rather duff job in challenging the duff stats. is absurd. It is clearly an unsafe conviction that is not her fault.

      2. Lifelogic
        October 13, 2024

        The Japanese pointed out the blood clot problems with the Astra Zenica Oxford “vaccine” this very early too, but were alas ignored for a long time before it was finally rightly (quietly) withdrawn.

        1. Mickey Taking
          October 13, 2024

          Withrawn after various mutations meant it was not so effective, and others were better targetted.
          You have amazing powers of hindsight. Also EU wanted to buy/use a vaccine that was not mainly developed/used in UK.

          1. Lifelogic
            October 13, 2024

            It was fairly clear at the time that for younger healthy people and people who had had Covid already the new tech. “vaccines” we likely to do more harm than good. The huge batch variation side effects and other side effects also showed up very quickly after roll out. No hindsight at all but it does look far worse than I expected it to be.

  5. Peter D Gardner
    October 13, 2024

    Crikey! Absolutely the question du jour. Where to begin? I’ll be back.

  6. Wanderer
    October 13, 2024

    Starmer and Biden should ask Trump what he would do, then follow his advice!

    OK, if not that then they should both tell Zelensky that no more of their taxpayers’ money is being spent there while the country is at war, and that he should expect most of the Ukranian “refugees” to be repatriated fairly quickly. He is to do a peace deal with Putin. Any Ukranians who have returned there on holiday since coming to the UK should be repatriated without delay.

    They should also talk to Putin. Offer to withdraw NATO bases on Russia’s periphery, lift sanctions on the country and return to the immediate post cold-war consensus.

    Then both of them should sack all the neocons in their respective administrations.

    1. Dave Andrews
      October 13, 2024

      You can’t do a peace deal with Putin; he can’t be trusted. Ukraine can’t defeat Russia; they are too large. If Ukraine’s defence fails, the Russian army will sweep in with rape and pillage (it’s what victorious soldiers do), and we’ll all be lamenting we didn’t help Ukraine more.
      You just have to hope that one day the Kremlin relents and gives up it’s stupid military campaign.

      1. John Hatfield
        October 13, 2024

        On February 16, 2022, a full week before Putin sent combat troops into Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army began the heavy bombardment of east Ukraine, an area occupied by mainly ethnic Russians. The bombardment dramatically intensified as the week went on until it reached a peak on February 19, when a total of 2,026 artillery strikes were recorded. The Ukrainian Army was, in fact, shelling civilian areas along the Line of Contact that were occupied by other Ukrainians.
        So Russia’s alleged “unprovoked aggression” was not unprovoked at all but was the appropriate humanitarian response to the deliberate killing of civilians. (Source OSCE)

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      Quite so. Trump would negotiate. But the unconditional surrender is imminent and will happen on Biden’s watch. Deservedly.

  7. R.Grange
    October 13, 2024

    What should Starmer do about Ukraine? Reverse the policy of the previous government and stop wasting taxpayers’ money on keeping a war going. His government is due to present a budget which by all accounts will impose considerable hardship on the public, and lower our standard of living. He should not at the same time continue to shovel billions of ÂŁÂŁÂŁ at a corrupt undemocratic foreign country which has no call on our allegiance.

  8. Berkshire Alan
    October 13, 2024

    Afraid I do not have a simple answer John, and I do not see an answer that would satisfy both sides in both conflicts.
    Any so called victory will I feel will be short lived until such time as all leaders involved in the attacking forces are removed from office, and their successors have different views and policies.
    In the meantime I am afraid more innocent people will continue to die.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      You will never appease Islam. You should. Not ever even try.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 13, 2024

        So refreshing to hear sense from Canada’s Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre:

        ‘I think the idea of allowing a genocidal, theocratic, unstable dictatorship that is desperate to avoid being overthrown by it’s own people to develop nuclear weapons is about the most dangerous and irresponsible thing that the world could ever allow. If Israel were to stop that genocidal, theocratic, unstable government from acquiring nuclear weapons, it would be a gift by the Jewish state to humanity.’

  9. David Andrews
    October 13, 2024

    The war in Ukraine is seen as a stepping stone for Russia to extend its control westwards. Many European countries share this view, so much so that Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO. Many believe that settling the conflict on Putin’s terms will only encourage him to regroup and resume his push westwards again in the future. This view is only likely to change if either Ukraine itself wants to end the war (exhaustion, lack of manpower) or Trump wins the election and comes up with a deal (he has not described what it involves) that both sides accept. If Harris wins I assume the USA will support continuation of the war (in part to continue the attrition of Russia’s military capabilities).

    Either way, what the UK government thinks and does will not count for much. In the Middle East it’s voice counts for even less. UK governments and MPs appear to have an overinflated opinion of their influence in foreign affairs. Many are ready to pontificate; it is a convenient distraction from more pressing domestic concerns. At present the Houthis are causing the most direct damage to UK interests by forcing much seaborne trade away from the Suez canal to around the Cape. The UK has no effective response.

    1. Mickey Taking
      October 13, 2024

      effective response? If UK developed the energy resources below our feet, then we would not require so much oil via Suez. Similarly if UK manufacture was encouraged instead of taxed to death and rules-frustrated, then we would not import so much via Suez. We have a partial solution but refuse to take it.

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł is it NATO which has expanded eastwards or Russia which has expanded westwards? Russia is the biggest country on earth with the richest commodities and farmland. The one thing they don’t need is more land! And they need the old German default politics like a hole in the head.

    3. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      Seen by whom?

  10. Bill B.
    October 13, 2024

    Biden should just keep taking the tablets, and leave policy to those aware of what’s going on.

  11. Clough
    October 13, 2024

    The US should do what it’s starting to do already, disengage from Ukraine which is a lost cause. My understanding is that it’s the Pentagon driving the new policy, as it definitely does not want the US to get into a war with the battle-hardened Russian army. The Ukraine conflict has already badly depleted NATO arsenals, and the Russian economy looks to be coping very well with accelerated military production, not to mention all the help Moscow has been getting from China and Nth Korea. Realism is long overdue, time to stop throwing good money after bad.

    1. IanT
      October 13, 2024

      The problem with putting your economy on a war footing is that’s it’s extremely difficult then to return to a ‘normal’ one. Putin is most certainly damaging the Russian economy and I’m pretty sure that both China and India will be screwing the price of Russian oil down to the floor. As for “Battle Hardened Russian Troops” the Russians seem to have been trying to emulate the North Koreans in at least one respect – with mass ‘wave’ attacks. Russia clearly has the population advantage but even they cannot take heavy casualties for ever. How this ends, I don’t know. Possibly both sides are waiting to see who wins the US election.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 13, 2024

        Russia’s economy is booming. It never been on a ‘war-footing’ – this isn’t even described as a war in Russia, but as a ‘Special Military Operation’.

        1. IanT
          October 13, 2024

          Russia has had GDP growth of over 2.6% in recent times Lynn but that’s not the whole story. I do take IMF reports with a pich of salt but this was their MD speaking in February….

          “What it tells us is that this is a war economy in which the state — which let’s remember, had a very sizeable buffer, built over many years of fiscal discipline — is investing in this war economy. If you look at Russia today, production goes up for the military and consumption goes down. And that is pretty much what the Soviet Union used to look like. High levels of production, low levels of consumption.” ……. “At the same time, more than 800,000 people have left Russia, according to estimates by exiled academics compiled last October. Many among those who fled are highly skilled workers in fields like IT and sciences.” ……. “So although this number (i.e. GDP) looks like a good number, there is a bigger story behind that, and it’s not a very good story.”

          Taking the Russia economy back to Soviet times doesn’t sound like a great outcome to me. Russia had reserves of well over $500B pre-invasion but that seems to now be down to about $55B. Putin is raiding the piggy bank but he cannot keep doing this foever..

          1. Lynn Atkinson
            October 14, 2024

            World bank 2024 reports that Russia has overtaken Japan to become the fourth largest economy in the world in PPP adjusted terms, worth $6.5 trillion.
            By Ben Aris in Berlin June 4, 2024
            The Russian economy has overtaken Japan to become the fourth largest in the world in PPP terms (purchase power parity), according to revised data from the World Bank released at the start of June.
            A tiny percentage of the Russian population is engaged in supplying and/or fighting in Ukraine.

      2. Clough
        October 13, 2024

        I have watched dozens of aerial geo-located videos of this war, produced by both sides, and I have yet to see a ‘human wave’ attack by the Russians. I think it’s just another fantasy of the Western media you probably read, Ian. What I have seen a lot of, is massive bombing raids on Ukrainian positions which are likely to have been lethal. The higher casualties in this war of attrition will have been inflicted by the side that has an overwhelming advantage in munitions, and that’s the Russians, like it or not.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 14, 2024

          Spot on.

  12. agricola
    October 13, 2024

    It is easier to fight a defensive war than one of offense. So we should support Ukraine with weaponry, even ones that can in a limited way impinge on russian territory. Is that only what Russia is doing to Ukraine, and has done from day one. The objective being to make it so expensive for Russia that they withdraw. It is exactly what happened when Russia invaded Afgahnistan. It eventually got too expensive for them in terms of money, lives, and politics.

    Whatever the historical errors of Israel, they too are fighting for their survival against an idealogical fascist regime in Iran, that through proxies is trying to do to them what Hitler did, leading to their presence in that part of the Middle East in 1948. They were overwhelmingly forced to take it, 1933 to 1945. I agree with their thinking of never again. You only have to visit Israel or fly over it and look out of the window to see what jewish enterprise can acheive in the short time they have existed as Israel. Above all, and uniquely in the area, they are a democracy. Hamas and Hezbollah and their allies in Yemen are terrorists, who uniquely, are parasites existing on the backs of the people of Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen. The supporters of all three are religious zealots living on the backs of the people of Iran, who were an advanced civilised arab nation until Shah was swapped for Ayatullah, in a frying pan to fire coupe.

    My key to the area is the ellimination of Hamas and Hezbollah and their replacement in Gaza and Lebanon with a US and European “Marshall Plan” to restore both areas to civilised life. The degrading of the Ayatollas of Iran by all means available would be a legitimate aim for the benefit of Iran, the Middle East and the World af large. I do not see our Labour or Bidens USA having the vision or the bottle to bring it about. Trump and Nigel might.

    1. Clough
      October 13, 2024

      Agricola, why should this country have as its ‘objective’ the exhaustion of Russia? Or of anywhere else? In my opinion it’s time to cut our cloth to what we can afford, and mind our own business in the world. There’s already enough to do to stop our own country being invaded, never mind the Donbas.

      1. IanT
        October 13, 2024

        It depends whether you think Putin will stop at Ukraine or not. Sweden & Finland clearly had their doubts.

      2. agricola
        October 13, 2024

        You can appease all you wish, then sit back with ritchious indignation when Russia is knocking on our door. Come to think of it they do every day at sea and in the air already. It is in Europe’s interests and Russia’s for that matter that Russia stays within her established borders, and is challenged when she does otherwise.

        1. Clough
          October 13, 2024

          Unless you think Britain is still able to play world policeman, Agricola, you haven’t tried to answer my question. You also seem to have the strange idea that a particular country shouldn’t be allowed to use international seaways and airspace. No, my ‘righteous indignation’ is confined to people from a country that has bombed and/or invaded four other countries in the last 25 years, trying to lecture Russia on bombing and invading Ukraine.

          1. agricola
            October 13, 2024

            Clough,
            Wake up, we are acting in our own interests. We are just a part of halting Putin’s Russia on its imperial expansionist path. The silly mistakes we have made in the recent past do not legitimise what Russia has done to Ukraine. If you need a lesson in not doing anything, for good reasons, consider the path of Chamberlaine before Winston Churchill took over in 1940.
            If you are talking about illegal immigration to the UK, most of our population await any government of the UK ending it, and removing all those already here. If you are talking about Russia daily probing our defences air, sea and cyber, plus of course murdering people they do not like within our shores, then it is reasonable to ask whose side you are on.

          2. Clough
            October 13, 2024

            Reply to Agricola below. You seem to be the one taking sides, and right now it doesn’t look like the winning side.

        2. Lynn Atkinson
          October 13, 2024

          You can apologise when you discover that Putin has no wish to lumber himself even with Eastern Ukraine – the Hungarian/Polish areas. He may have to take back that part that is historically Russian and is overwhelmingly occupied by ethnic Russians. That includes Odessa and of course Kiev, the whole of Novorussiya in other words.

  13. Vivian Evans
    October 13, 2024

    Much as the war enthusiasts in the MSM and Westminster want to disregard the stark reality, paraphrasing the good old ‘By Jingo if we do’ – warning from Victorian times, today it’s: ” We’ve got no ships (nor tanks, planes, ammunition), we’ve got no men, we’ve got no money at all either”. I mean – this should be common knowledge even in Whitehall, no? And as far as I know, neither the previous nor this government has been preparing to put the economy on a war footing – well, let me correct this: not a military war footing but rather a war footing against CO2 …

    1. Mickey Taking
      October 13, 2024

      It has become a wider war, one of national economic destruction, manufacturing wilderness, labour stay at home, health service inadequacy, assisted by nonsense climate crisis – what crisis?

    2. IanT
      October 13, 2024

      There is a difference between putting the country on a “war footing” and spending (enough and sensibly) on defence. We seem to have a hopelessly incompetent MOD (and I had dealings with them many years ago) that takes years to make (not very good decisions) at great cost. Others have equipped their military at much lower cost at “At Pace” ( a popular phrase these days it seems ) – Poland for instance.

      Instead, we have climate obsessives destroying what little Industry we have left. Even if we did try to place our economy on a war footing, it’s very hrd to see how we could do so. We seem hell bent on becoming completely dependent upon others for everything we need.

    3. Mike Wilson
      October 13, 2024

      We could never replicate the war effort of WW2. We couldn’t make planes, tanks, lorries, tyres, ammunition etc. ourselves. We import everything these days. If a foreign power cut off shipping, we would be screwed – unable to defend ourselves. This is why we must maintain an effective navy and nuclear deterrent.

      1. Berkshire Alan
        October 13, 2024

        So very true Mike, but then we only won WW2 because the America got involved, and Hitler made the huge mistake of attacking The Soviet Union, fighting alone we would have lost, even with our much larger manufacturing base back then.
        Good grief we do not even produce our own steel/Aluminium now, that could produce ships, tanks, aircraft, arms etc etc.

      2. Mickey Taking
        October 13, 2024

        we have to buy in cars, trains, planes, ships, coal, steel, computers, windmills, solar panels …

  14. DOM
    October 13, 2024

    One’s a proxy while the other’s a fight to the death. The former is a contrivance, the latter an existential event.

    Politicians or ex-politicians are in many ways not the most sincere or honest purveyors of truth regarding these two events. If you’re expecting the unvarnished truth certainly about events in Ukraine then you may as well ask the postman.

    1. IanT
      October 13, 2024

      I did Dom (ask the Postman that is) – and he didn’t have clue either!

    2. Mark B
      October 13, 2024

      +1

    3. Peter
      October 13, 2024

      DOM,

      Correct and concisely summed up. Power politics and big money also play a role.

  15. Old Albion
    October 13, 2024

    The war started by Putin can only be ended by Putin. The West should not be funding Ukraine’s defence at all, it just extends the war. There will only be one winner and that’s Russia. Unless we all engage in a nuclear conflict which I think we all would rather avoid. Our input should be in negotiating an end to the death and destruction. That means talking to Putin.
    As for the Middle East. How many times are we going to involve ourselves in a region that hates the West, as much as they hate each other. Leave them to it. One day they may learn. All we get from it, is more and more Islamic terrorism.

    1. Dave Andrews
      October 13, 2024

      It’s no good talking to Putin, he can’t be trusted. The only language he understands and respects is force. Show weakness to the bully, and he steps up his bullying.

      1. R.Grange
        October 13, 2024

        That is exactly how Russia sees the prospects of dealing with NATO, Dave. After Minsk I and II, and the torn-up 2022 agreement with Ukraine in Turkey, they’ve learnt that lesson the hard way. As far as Moscow is concerned, there’ll be talking only after Ukraine capitulates. Until then, I’m afraid the war will go on and more Ukrainian lives will be lost for no good reason.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 13, 2024

          Quite so. I’m shocked that so few have any actual facts upon which to base an opinion.
          One thing for sure, B.Pru’s Johnson’s name is written indelibly in history – as the fool and the villain.

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      The war was started by the CIA in Maidan, a duly elected government was ousted and replaced – there is a recording of ethnic Ukrainian Victoria Nuland choosing the new government. This is called ‘a colour revolution’.
      Ethnic Russians in their ancient homeland, Novorussiya, were shelled by the Ukrainian Govt forces, 14,000 civilians killed.
      Russia intervened at last to STOP the war.

  16. Geoffrey Berg
    October 13, 2024

    Ukraine and Israel were both viciously attacked. I want both to have such comprehensive victories to ensure they are not attacked again and we should help supply both with the weaponry to help ensure their victory is quick as well as comprehensive.

    1. Dave Andrews
      October 13, 2024

      Totally agree.

    2. agricola
      October 13, 2024

      Geoffrey Berg +++

    3. Richard II
      October 13, 2024

      The two cases are different. Ukraine is a lost cause, and the only question left is how humilating its surrender will be. Israel will survive. Its enemies are weak and divided.

  17. MPC
    October 13, 2024

    The two conflicts are not equivalent and should not have the same approach to peacemaking. Israel-Hamas: US and UK governments should explicitly support Israel subject to the continuation of all efforts on the part of the Israelis to minimise civilian casualties; highlight that Hamas is explicitly committed to the annihilation of Israel and its people and that the US/UK stand behind the only democracy in the Middle East; US/UK should also challenge the glib use of data on civilian casualties by western media, which emanate from Hamas.

    Ukraine: an acceptable climb down by both sides which saves face for both, is necessary to end the conflict – somewhat akin to the face saving which ended the Cuban Missile Crisis. Behind closed doors, US/UK to urge Zelensky to accept administrative autonomy for the Russian speaking areas of the south of Ukraine to be phased in over say 5 years. NATO to reiterate its original defensive stance to allay Russian fears of further NATO expansionism. These measure may appear to ‘reward’ Putin but are necessary if the conflict is ever to end.

  18. Michae Saxton
    October 13, 2024

    Ukraine is essentially a US State Department project that has its gestation decades ago.This war is about NATO expansion into Ukraine because Russia sees this as an existential threat. Zelensky was close to reaching a settlement in April 2022 on the basis of Ukraine remaining neutral but the negotiations were scuppered. The ensuing conflict is a tragedy for Ukraine with massive destruction and loss of life. Millions of Ukrainians many of fighting age have fled their country. This is another US inspired proxy war with NATO supplying money and weapons. Biden has been involved at least since 2014 when Obama’s point man in Ukraine. The conflict certainly does not benefit the UK taxpayer at all, indeed we have never been consulted! Ukraine does not have the manpower, they are significantly outnumbered and outgunned and cannot win this war. The only solution is through negotiation following a ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and destruction. Providing weapons with longer range will only escalate the conflict and risk a European conflagration. Starmer’s willingness to allow the deployment of these longer range weapons is foolhardy in the extreme. On the issue of Gaza specifically and the Middle East generally this has been yet another failure of leadership by Biden and his US State Department. Biden has allowed Netanyahu to dominate policy including the mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza. Israel’s policy of control and confinement in Gaza and the West Bank was bound to fail as indeed the policy of apartheid failed in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Again only by negotiation can these vexed issues be solved. Yet again America has signally failed to provide the essential leadership. It’s a tragic reflection of our time when US leadership appears paralysed by a forthcoming election as it prevents effective leadership and diplomatic endeavour while death and destruction is allowed to continue. Other than for humanitarian purposes we should stop the supply of money and weapons and Starmer should focus on the needs of UK citizens.

    1. Donna
      October 13, 2024

      +1

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      There was no apartheid in Rhodesia. Ever.
      In the Middle East you are dealing with uncompromising Islam. There can be no negotiations because they will never negotiate. They have refused a ‘Palestinian State’ 4 times. They demand the total annihilation of Israel.
      You are right about Russia.

      1. Mark B
        October 13, 2024

        There was no apartheid in Rhodesia. Ever.

        Correct ! The black population had seats in parliament but did not want them. They prefered the system they have always had, that of Tribal Elders.

        The West, the Sino / Soviet Bloc and the UN got involved and ruined a perfectly funtioning country to the detriment of all, including the black population.

        A travisty that has not been fully, or properly told.

        1. Mickey Taking
          October 13, 2024

          The country that fed Africa was almost destroyed by the violence of farm grabbing and murders without any ability to keep the enterprise functioning.

        2. Lynn Atkinson
          October 14, 2024

          +1 the war hero Ian Smith, I’m proud to say an Englishman, showed the Afrikaaners who beat the English in the post war South African election, how to do it.
          Respecting the traditions of different nations is the honourable way to proceed. Putting a fish like Lammy into the waterless Westminster is racism! Institutionalised!

    3. Wanderer
      October 13, 2024

      MS +1

  19. Donna
    October 13, 2024

    “The present Uk government has so far not changed policy towards Ukraine and the Middle East. Why?”
    ——–
    Because they’re following the same instructions, from those who are really calling the shots, just like the previous Government did.

    When it comes to Ukraine, those who are really calling the shots obviously want a long-term war of attrition with Russia. If they didn’t they would either ensure that Ukraine got sufficient weaponry to push the Russians out of the Donbas (and possibly Crimea) OR they would be encouraging Zelensky to negotiate a ceasefire.

    I would rather we didn’t prolong the war; we owe Ukraine nothing. I don’t believe that Putin would have invaded Crimea or the Donbas without the deliberate provocation of the USA/EU. I don’t see why British taxpayers should have to fund the Globalists’ war of attrition there.

    Israel is fighting for its existence and is destroying the Islamist Terrorist Organisations (Hamas and Hezbollah) which continually threaten it. The war is a consequence of the NeoCons decades-long failure in the Middle East.

    Sadly, thanks to the idiocy of the British Establishment we have been harbouring Islamist terrorists for decades and in the last few years, they have allowed tens of thousands of potential Islamist terrorists to enter this country illegally and have forced British taxpayers to fund their very comfortable lifestyle – whilst branding them racists and bigots for objecting.

    I fear what will happen in this country when one or more of them manages to carry out a major atrocity.

    1. Mike Wilson
      October 13, 2024

      Because they’re following the same instructions, from those who are really calling the shots, just like the previous Government did.

      You regularly refer to these shadowy figures who you believe are really ‘running the world’. Who, precisely, are you talking about?

      1. Donna
        October 13, 2024

        The funny thing about shadowy figures operating “behind the curtain” is that their individual names are generally not public knowledge. However, they can be summed up as those individuals running the American Deep State, the Industrial Military Complex and at least some of the Globalist Acronym Organisations.

        1. Wanderer
          October 13, 2024

          +1. Dig around and you can put many individuals’ names to people within these power groupings, but as individuals few people have ever heard of them.

          An analogy may be suckers on the tentacles of a giant octupus: each is anonymous, not particularly dangerous on its own…but when combined and co-ordinated in the form of a massive cephalopod, it creates a recognisable highly dangerous entity.

  20. Richard II
    October 13, 2024

    Wise words, OA. As happened pre-1914, this country is now entangled in a military alliance which may bring us war and slaughter on a huge scale. We need to get back to a policy of not getting involved in foreign conflicts and getting on with growing our own economy, which was key to some of the most prosperous times of our history.

  21. Kenneth
    October 13, 2024

    We should keep out of these foreign conflicts

  22. Rod Evans
    October 13, 2024

    The two conflicts are actually very different structurally.
    The Ukraine Russia conflict is effectively a civil war. Both sides speak the same language, both sides worship the same god and both sides share cultural foundations to the point Ukraine can claim to be the font of Russian culture with Russia claiming to defend regional rights of a group of citizens who feel oppressed by Ukraine authority. Russia is seen rightly as the external aggressor. We in the West have ensured the scale and duration of the internal conflict runs on for as long as ‘we’ want it to.
    The Israel Iran proxy was is something far more dangerous and potentially destructive to world security.
    Israel is literally fighting for its right to exist against forces on many sides that want its complete annihilation. Israel has no option but to engage and win against massive odds.
    That ultimate need to succeed, is what makes the Israel conflict so dangerous. Israel is a nuclear power and has said it will deploy its weapons if it is being overwhelmed. That position is frightening but rational, which is a difficult position to reach when talking about nuclear weapons.
    The World knows both conflicts are happening because the Democrat administration in Washington is weak. The weak leadership there has allowed this lack of engagement to evolve to the true danger it is today.
    The answer is obvious and we will know come the November Presidential election if these conflicts will be ending, or extending.
    It is a simple choice. For the sake of world peace let us hope America makes the right one.

  23. Barbara Ramskill
    October 13, 2024

    I believe Isreal is doing the right thing to destroy the terrorists. They are doing their best to protect their own people, which is not what our government and the previous one are doing for us. We are terrified for our Children and Grandchildren.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      💯 Israel must be allowed to win this time, not stop and allow the deadly enemy to recover.

      1. Mark B
        October 13, 2024

        Hear, hear.

      2. Mickey Taking
        October 13, 2024

        the people, or rather the men, voted for the terrorist groups to take over.
        Now they complain about the result.
        They reap what they sow.

  24. William Long
    October 13, 2024

    I do think our obligations, and national interest, in these two conflicts are different.
    For Ukraine, I cannot see we have any national interest at all, beyond the ability to beat our chests and say; ‘Aren’t we wonderful, opposing Putin?’. All we are doing by supplying arms to Ukraine, without being prepared to fight ourselves, is prolonging the horror to no purpose, because, at the end of the day, without a huge addition to Ukrainian manpower, the Russians are virtually certain to win. We should therefor stop supplying arms, and do all we can to promote a negotiated peace.
    As far as Israel is concerned, we, with the Americans, are responsible for its existence, and therefor arguably have a moral responsibility to keep it alive. Peace in the Middle East, with its oil, must be in our national interest, particularly as we seem to be doing all we can to end the use of our own oil reserves. As you say, a negotiated settlement of this conflict looks very unlikely indeed at the moment. The Israelis have not asked us to join the conflict directly, and I doubt anyone would be willing to, but I certainly think there is far more reason to donate our military hardware, such as it is, to helping Israel, rather than Ukraine.

  25. Mike Wilson
    October 13, 2024

    When you say ‘one of our carriers’, how many do we have? I thought only one of the £6 billion carriers Labour commissioned actually worked and, even then, don’t the engines overheat in warm seas (like the Gulf).

    1. Berkshire Alan
      October 13, 2024

      Mike

      I think it was the Frigates that had that problem, so now they are either being re engined/modified.
      Think three other Frigates/Destroyers are mothballed, as they do not have enough Crew to be operational.
      Our only two carriers I believe are now both capable of going to sea after undergoing extensive repairs.
      Likewise it was reported recently that our Submarines were also suffering from needing extensive re-fits.
      It has often been said in the past that we have more Admirals that Fighting ships, not sure if that is still the situation.
      Afraid all of our armed forces have been hollowed out to such a degree that we cannot even now protect our own borders, let alone the Worlds shipping lanes or what is left of our overseas territories.
      Good heavens we cannot even stop unarmed rubber boats from a known despatch point landing goodness knows who into our Country.!.

  26. Original Richard
    October 13, 2024

    Why? For the very same reasons that the Uniparty is destroying our economy and wealth using the CAGW myth to force us into unilateral Net Zero lunacy.

    A good start was made by the F.O. by handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Not only was it a strategic loss to the UK/the West but it also turns out it will be an environmental loss as Mauritius intends to populate the islands with Mauritians who will decimate the hitherto untouched 544,000 square kilometres of unparalleled marine biodiversity containing 780 species of fish and 370 species of coral.

    1. Ian B
      October 13, 2024

      @Original Richard – and the Chagos Islanders who at no time were ever Mauritian, get no say in their own lands. Another set of people having their lands stolen, by terrorist actions

  27. Lynn Atkinson
    October 13, 2024

    Ukraine, NATO’s proxy, never had a chance against Russia. Putin has said that no Nuclear power fighting for its own soil has ever been beaten. Russia was earmarked for balkanisation into 12 units, the NATO morons had even allocated names and flags to them. Their commodities, the richest in the world were to be plundered by the decadent west.
    We should NEVER have become involved.
    Israel like Russia is a nuclear power fighting for its own soil – it is threatened with annihilation from 7 Iranian proxies. Israel HAS to beat them because it is impossible to ‘negotiate’ with Islam, which is committed for eternity to rid the world of Jews and Gentiles. It’s them or us, which do you choose? Our European politicians CAN’T do this because they are petrified of the large and aggressive Mozlem ‘communities’ in each of their countries.
    We should have given everything we have to Israel rather than to Ukraine. Our existence is as dependent on their beating Islam as it was when Martel did the same in the ‘counter-cruisade’.
    The only real puzzle is why Christian Russia backs Islam against Israel and why Israel backed xxx Ukraine against Russia. That confusion might sound time on Jew and Gentile – then God help the survivors.

  28. herebefore
    October 13, 2024

    The UK is as usual playing lapdog to the US as if we have no respect for our own endeavours, then the US response to world events is neutered because of the upcoming election – Biden is a lame duck and is of no consequence as we can see from his demeanour – but if Trump gets in he’s likely to apply whatever approach ‘just pluck it out of the air’ – we can only wait and see? Starmer is the new kid on the block but would be best advised not to draw us into further interaction with world troubles because in the end he will not be able to get the army size we need to follow through and conscription won’t work today – the people can see through.

    1. Ian B
      October 13, 2024

      @herebefore – how can you create respect even for an opinion, when you have no capability to respond.? Starmer has already demonstrated he is a servant of China and the WEF, and not his electorate that he has been paid and empowered to serve, hence 2TK

  29. Bryan Harris
    October 13, 2024

    The war machine is making some people very very rich. Why would those in charge want to stop the wars?

    Ukraine:

    There is no suggestion of any negotiated peace or ceasefire.

    Shouldn’t that make us all suspicious?
    Ukraine would have conceded a long time ago, but Western leaders would not permit it.
    Despite this war happening on Ukraine soil, it is actually a conflict between Russia and the West, with the West being the bad guys for keeping the war going on and on.

    What is it the West is trying to achieve? Some suggest a Russian spring and a regime change, so that Russia could be dominated by the west. Russia is too independent and has never fallen in line with the globalists.
    By weakening Russia it is assumed that it will eventually have to fall in line with Western perverted values and plans.

    Our host notes how the media ignore so much about what is happening in Ukraine – that is deliberate and misleading, but so too is the media propaganda concerning the reasons for this war. There again if the media were to tell the truth where would the war machine be then?

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      +1. Why all this whimpering about Ukraine joining NATO? The Globalists de facto treat Ukraine as a member of NATO. They did not consider that the certain defeat of Ukraine would mean the defeat of NATO, but it does. Rutte will be unemployed again. And unemployable.

  30. agricola
    October 13, 2024

    Reply to Vivian Evans.
    Consider a small indicator from history. The USA was in a state of economic depression prior to WW2. Her accelerated economic strength came from arming the world against Hitler and then further arming herself on actually entering WW2.

    I know not what steps the UK might have taken to ramp up armament production, and fear the answer is very little in current political hands. Agreed the dimunition of our armed forces and their equipment is a national disgrace of many years standing.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      The entire west has been out manufactured by Russia alone. That in itself, regardless of the fighting, means defeat.
      We have no energy, no steal, no workforce. It’s over! Thank God! Putin has defeated the Globalists. Man of the century.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 13, 2024

        ‘Steel’ not ‘steal’

  31. David+L
    October 13, 2024

    War is a wonderful source of profits for much of big business so trying to stop it is detrimental to the interests of the wealthiest of the world. Such corporations, including the pharmaceutical and food giants, must be using every influence to ensure a Democratic victory in the US since Trump, with the assistance of Robert F Kennedy Jnr, is hoping to take action on behalf of the rest of us against their machinations. Whatever Trump’s faults, all Harris will do is rubber stamp the demands of the elites that are contrary to our interests and help conflict to continue. Anyone for a miracle vaccine? 10 billion dollars profit (Pfizer) so far and counting…

  32. glen cullen
    October 13, 2024

    471 irregular immigrants arrived in the UK yesterday from the safe country of France

    First rule of government has always been to keep the invading France away from our shores

    1. Mickey Taking
      October 13, 2024

      Did the BBC actually report that? I thought they dismissed the issue from news..

      1. glen cullen
        October 13, 2024

        The The Battle of Fishguard in 1797 was the last time the BBC reported the French landing on our shores

    2. Ian B
      October 13, 2024

      @glen cullen – illegal as such criminal entry, ‘irregular?’. Does that make speeding just an irregular activity therefore as such a hiccup without consequences?

      1. glen cullen
        October 13, 2024

        Even though this is the new terminlogy of the labour government, I’ll amend my future comments to ensure no one falls foul of the law

    3. Mark B
      October 13, 2024

      Which begs the question. Why do we not send them straight back and, if the French will not take them, then what do we do about the French ?

      1. glen cullen
        October 13, 2024

        If they came from France and have no ID documents …then they’re French, and can be returned

  33. Ian B
    October 13, 2024

    One section believes in a new EU Army and lots of defence pacts, controlled by bureaucrats. The other believes in NATO and it proven abilities.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 13, 2024

      NATO is proving its inabilities as we speak. The USA is going to pull out of Europe. Luckily enough EUROPE has no formal state enemy that will invade. It has, of course already been invaded but we are not allowed to speak of that.

      1. Mickey Taking
        October 13, 2024

        You mean by invaded religion, not armed struggle?

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 14, 2024

          Yes. We are beaten because we are not allowed to fight.

  34. John
    October 13, 2024

    Because the UK/US Leadership is Weak

  35. Ian B
    October 13, 2024

    In all the other areas you mention the UK has demeaned itself by not having the ability to back it words with actual deeds – it has become a side line bit player.

    Just a few illustration – an Army with a front line fighting force that couldn’t fill Wembley – Taylor Swift supporters did that many times over

    2 Aircraft Carriers and 17 Warships the total extent of the Navy fighting capability. The limited by range Carriers can carry 72 plane each, but blocked by the Government and the Civilian run MOD. The UK only has 35 planes between the 2 Carriers. The UK has limited the Carriers to only being capable of flying the F-35B the most expensive limited range version. Cost saving has equalled waste. The US still builds and flies the Harrier successfully. The UK cant fly the more capable cheaper longer range F-35 as the MOD has crippled the Carriers to ensure it cant – money saving that requires a bigger spend for less.
    Submarines that need French Government to allow them to got to see – all controls electronics etc are owned by the French Government.

    The list is endless and is getting longer by the day.

    All not helped by Robert Jenrick mouthing off to stab what works in the back, without understanding context. Looking for an easy headline to stroke personal esteem. Our Armed Forces are the UK’s trained Killers, to protect us all, if they do their Job it is because Ministers have instructed them to do so. Military personnel should never be held to account before the Ministers Responsible for the instructions are.

    We have to question the size of the MOD, 60,000 and growing. While the frontline is diminishing

  36. Original Richard
    October 13, 2024

    Why? Because the purpose of these wars is to weaken our economy and break us down through expenditure we cannot afford and, in the case of the ME, to invite a flow of undocumented migrants to our shores with alien cultures, practices and loyalties.

    What was the purpose of all our years in Afghanistan?

    As part of the EU we meddled in Ukrainian politics and In 2013 PM Cameron went to Kazakhstan to declare that the EU should extend further into the former USSR and reach from the Atlantic to the Urals. PM Johnson flew urgently to Ukraine to stop Zelenskyy making a peace deal with Putin. So the wars go on costing us ÂŁbns every year.

    1. Mickey Taking
      October 13, 2024

      So when Putin invades Latvia Estonia Lithuania you want us to wring our hands and say ‘oh! dear! ?

      1. R.Grange
        October 14, 2024

        Why would Russia invade the Baltics again? It would happen for the same reason as it did in 1940: a major European power threatened the security and existence of the then Soviet Union. If this is what NATO is trying to do to Russia, yes it will happen again, and I for one won’t say “Oh dear”. I’ll be furious at what NATO is up to.

      2. Donna
        October 14, 2024

        The Big Bad Putin has never given any indication that he wants to invade Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. They are NATO members, so he knows what the likely consequence would be.

        In his lengthy interview with Tucker Carlson he explained at length his justification for the action he has taken in Crimea and the Donbas. You may, or may not, agree with it but the fact is that (unlike the 3 countries you mention) he believes he has a clear, historical justification for his actions, which include protecting the ethnic Russians living in Crimea and the Donbas.

        In the years leading up to the invasion it was the EU and NATO (ie the USA) who were expanding eastwards and, when warned by Putin, ignored the warning and continued to prod the Bear.

  37. Paul Freedman
    October 13, 2024

    I believe Putin invaded Ukraine to prevent an enlarged NATO front on the Russian border. I believe Ukraine was working with the EU for accession which would have resulted in that enlarged NATO front (along with Estonia and Latvia) which would have been perceived by Russia as being a threat. I can understand Russian fears and I do not believe the EU and NATO should have been entertaining Ukrainian membership given this problem (which they certainly were aware of). I believe Ukraine should have been more practical and more diplomatic with their sovereign ambitions.
    That said, I condemn Russia for invading Ukraine. Invading a sovereign nation is a crime and utterly unjustifiable and cruel. The aggregate pain caused to the people and animals and the resulting devastation is incalculable.
    In my opinion there is therefore wrongdoing on both sides (albeit far more on Russia’s side) and the answer is a negotiated settlement where Russia annexes part of Ukraine in return for a permanent and secured peace. If Russia had just invaded Ukraine out the blue and was trying to rebuild the USSR (which I doubt) then I would suggest we should supply Ukraine with all the weapons it needs to win this war and NATO would have to deploy troops at the Russian / Ukraine border if necessary too. But in my opinion the underlying circumstances do not justify that and we should opt for a negotiated settlement instead.
    As for Israel, it was attacked out the blue on October 7th and the most ridiculous and medieval excuses were given as reasons for doing so (eg the symbolism of a red bull being flown into Israel from Texas). It is a nation which has never been allowed to exist in peace since its recreation in 1949. It has almost always been surrounded by active lethal terrorist groups and enemy countries which have done their best to eliminate it. So the ineffable and unrepeatable terrorist attacks of October 7th indisputably give Israel the right to defend itself. Yet again!
    The reason Israel is in this mess is that it and the whole world underestimated the lethal threat and the extent to which Iran would go. Indeed the world bargained with Iran and gave it USD billions in aid and pleaded with them when it should have taken a much firmer line with respect to trade sanctions, UN resolutions and military intelligence monitoring.
    The religious fanatics who run Iran should have kept under the legal jackboot so they could not effect their menace effectively but they were not. Now Israel is doing the only thing it can do which is eliminate the terrorists once and for all and try to limit innocent casualties in Gaza and Lebanon. What else can it do? If anyone can tell me how you can eliminate the terrorists who are close to turning Israel into an ashtray (with hundreds of thousands of missiles today – maybe nuclear soon too) and not kill any innocent life in the process then please tell me. I will adopt that thinking instantaneously. But we all know it does not exist and Israel is in a catch 22. It is damned if it does defend itself and it is eliminated if it does not.
    So as a solution for Israel I would arm it with anything it needs to hit back and destroy those terrorist groups and give Israel full public backing. I am no military expert but I believe there are other, ingenious ways to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat. If those things exist and are correct I hope Israel does it.
    I do not write detached from the pain of war. I feel that pain as much as anyone else every time I see the suffering on TV. In terms of solutions to what has happened to Ukraine and Israel though I feel the above are the best options available to us.

  38. David Paterson
    October 13, 2024

    Should Russia be allowed to dictate who may be accepted into NATO? NATO exists primarily to protect countries from being attacked by third parites including Russia. If Russia was less aggressive, membership for Ukraine would not be necessary. IMHO we would do best to invite Ukraine to join NATO so that there will be a serious deterrent on Russia to pursue aggressive action against European countries including Ukraine.

    1. K
      October 13, 2024

      A reminder. Nato continued when Russia was a husk and pushed right up to Russian borders. Why did Nato even need to exist ? It’s brought us to a new Cold War and this time without any dialogue with the Russians.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 14, 2024

        NATO is the source of many highly paid ‘jobs’. There is no other reason for NATO to exist. Rather like the UN and the blasted Commonwealth. We should try to offload the Commonwealth to BRICS (Putins huge geopolitical error).

  39. forthurst
    October 13, 2024

    The seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by the Bolsheviks creating Ukraine as a nascent failed state out of the Czarist empire in which two incompatible peoples were expected to be too busy squabbling between themselves to have the time or inclination to attempt to overthrow the alien usurpers of their country who went on to commit genocide against all Russians and Ukrainians. The only viable solution is to partition Ukraine into a Russian part and a Ukrainian part and for the US State department to back off completely; the UK government would then withdraw, whining like they did after the Afghanistan debacle that they were let down by the US government whose foreign policy it actually follows in any case as it doesn’t have one that is designed to benefit our country.
    As to Israel, we ourselves are guilty of this conflict as Arthur Balfour awarded Palestine to the Jewish people of Europe despite it already having an indigenous population that had already begun to become Westernised as had those of Afghanistan. It is difficult to see a solution here when Netanyahoo’s policy is to create an Eretz Israel occupying a major chunk of the Middle East with the expulsion of the Palestinian people who he believes can come to Europe including the UK as they are not wanted elsewhere in the ME and the Palestinian leaders who have support from an increasing number of Islamic states in the region.

  40. Handbrake
    October 13, 2024

    Back in 2014 the Sochi games opening ceremony took place and many came from far and near to enjoy and pay respect to Russia and Putin for the effort – the cost was 60 Billion dollars which Putin is still trying to pay back – however he must have been very hurt given that not many western political leaders turned up and so within weeks little green soldier men appeared on the streets of Sevastopol?

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 14, 2024

      Actually Ukraine cut the water off from 60,000 people in Crimea. This is a war crime. Russia had to ship water in. That’s why the Crimeans voted to return to Russia.
      The real affont is that Macron (The French collaborators!) chose not to invite Russia (and ally which took 27 million fatalities) to the 80th anniversary of our Allied victory over German Europe. Almost as bad as the entire Canadian Parliament giving a standing ovation to an ex-SS soldier for ‘fighting Russia (and Canada)’!
      Frankly it make me want to crawl up the beach with my trusty old gun and down the lot of them!

  41. John Hatfield
    October 13, 2024

    Looking at the origins of both these wars, we should be pushing for peace in Ukraine and supplying Israel with what it needs to gain total victory over Iran and its satellites.

  42. JayCee
    October 13, 2024

    The difference between who is right and who is wrong is much clearer to Starmer and Biden/US Democrats in Ukraine and does not antagonise the left.
    In the Middle East, the UK Left has long portrayed the Palestinians as the victims. This stance inevitably casts doubt on Israel who are considered to be the oppressor. This means that Starmer is faced with a dilemma and a political problem.
    The events of Octaber 7th were clearly horrendous and barbaric but they have been committed by a group which has always been supported by the left of the Labour Party. His initial statements of horror and sympathy with victims and the Jewish community has resulted in a backlash from those on the Left many of whom took to the streets in London in celebration. Furthermore, a number of independent MPs have been elected instead of Labour. This is his political problem.
    He has decided to turn his back on the victims of rape, murder and kidnapping to appease the left and Hamas supporting segment of our electorate for fear of party division. In doing so he has also turned his back on the values of our society and ignored the difference between good and evil. There is nothing that can ever justify the flagrant premeditated killing of unarmed innocents in peaceful pursuit of life with such clear enjoyment and jubilation on the part of the perpetrators – it is obscene.

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