https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGq7A8t69ls&lc=UgzwGLLvIN-BWndal6Z4AaABAg.9fiag98JPal9fijoC_9BnP
OIgnatius Chua If you protest due to principle, you might back down. If you pro- test due to survival, there is no way the protest will disappear unless the issue is resolved. Kenneth Selin QUITE RIGHT! BECAUSE this is "both" A SURVIVAL + A STANDARD OF LIVING ISSUE, you can EXPECT these protests to INTENSIFY. Ken, Toronto, CANADA Erwin Hofmann @Kenneth Selin ... this is not a protest due to survival (Nordstream 2 is opera- tional and ready to go, Poland and Ukraine could open the valve's of the pipelines crossing their boarders at any time) ... this is due to "principles" which are at its base already flawed ... ​@Erwin Hofmann You're OVERSIMPLIFYING - surely. It "is" A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL. Here's HOW: those UNAFFORDABLE ENERGY PRICES severely reduces THE DISCRETIONARY INCOMES (MONEY FOR SPENDING AFTER THE BASICS ARE PAID) of Europe- ans which severely reduces many aspects of the business sector (especially family businesses) to stay afloat. Consequently, UNEMPLOYMENT GOES FLYING UP as busi- nesses close; the Gov't loses TAX REVENUE. THE NATIONAL DEBT "JUMPS" UP. To say what you've said means YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT THIS OUT - properly. (Ha! Ha!) Ken, Toronto, CANADA Erwin Hofmann @Kenneth Selin ... I am not quite sure why you think you need to scream (capital letters) all what is needed to get Russias gas and oil flowing again (and so reducing the shortage and drop the prices) is: lifting these stupid, self harming and totally unjustifiable sanctions on Russia, and an apology to the Russian people for giving them a hard time since (at least) 2014 sure would help too ... voilà, problem of survi- val solved ... Kenneth Selin Let's deal with one thing at a time: the capital letters are used for EMPHASIS. Nothing wrong with that. (Ha! Ha!) Now, re: your comment, "voilà, problem of survival solved ...", You've come round to admitting that the situation is "a survival problem" for Europe. REMEMBER the reason they're IN THIS MESS is because of NATO: no NATO, no war. I agree with you that this is A CASE OF SELF-INFLICTED HARM. This has everything to do with STUPID EUROPEAN THINKING kicked off by Boris Johnson's championing of BREXIT: he left office "bragging" WE GOT OUR INDEPENDENCE. (Ha! Ha!) Britain was safe + secure as part of the EU: NOW, not so econo- mically safe + secure, THANK YOU BORIS. The British pound is falling rather fast: now, pegged at a measly USD $1.15 when it was pretty much "fixed" at USD $1.50 with London being a world class financial centre. The fall is causing A SERIOUS FLIGHT OF FOREIGN CAPITAL as foreign investors seek to CUT THEIR LOSSES. This negatively impacts the British currency as does Britain's THREE (3) TRILLION DOLLAR DEBT. FOREIGN INVESTMENT is "crucial" for a strong economy. Like the USA, the Brits are NOT GOING TO GET ENOUGH. This will result in A LOWER STANDARD OF LIVING due to A FALLING GDP. However, the Russian ruble is going up. And for economic stability, European countries will BE FORCED to join the Commonwealth of Independent States lead by Russia, I think. :D It's time to brush up on your Russian. (Ha! Ha!) Ken, Toronto, CANADA Erwin Hofmann @Kenneth Selin ... 🤔 ... Kenneth, I couldn't agree more with what you are saying ... you're spot on (must have been a misun- derstanding) ... and because our (western) leaders have neither a break pedal nor reverse gear option we (me in the EU) are fucked ... the European Union's financial driving force are the German In- dustries (we might like it or not) and its competitiveness is largely based on cheap energy (Germany's fixed prize contract with Gaz- prom would still guarantee's a rather low price on gas and oil) ... meaning, since this is gone the EU will be toast, sooner than later ... the people in charge are crazy and stupid ... and only the likes of Viktor Orbán Hungary (of all people) seem to have any sense ... it is insane ... @Erwin Hofmann THE INSANITY goes all the way back to the Russian Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 (NOT that long ago) when NATO leaders spurned President Putin by NOT attending. This was A SLAP IN THE FACE to him. The overarching objective of the USA is the breakup of Russia + China + the annexation of Canada along with the expulsion of Canada's Muslim population for U.S. national security reasons - of course. (Ha! Ha!) As to the rest of your remark, it is JUST NONSENSICAL RAM- BLING. For example, "because our (western) leaders have nei- ther a break pedal nor reverse gear option we (me in the EU)" this is MINDLESS NONSENSE you'd expect from a bureaucrat. You are NOT DEFINING THE PROBLEM. Your other quote to me "the European Union's financial driving force are the German Industries" sounds specious. What about the "other" members of the EU, eh? (Ha! Ha!) The Germans + the Polish Pope were the driving force of the creation of the EU. THE DRIVING FORCE of Europe is now the USA. I doN'T understand THE POINT you want to make referring to Viktor Orbán of Hungary. He does NOT demonize President Putin unlike the other NATO leaders. He has A GOOD UNDERSTANDING of what is going on. But was he opposed to the admission of the Ukraine into NATO? Interestingly, Columbia is now part of NATO. THE INSANITY to which you refer to is this: THERE IS NO THREAT OF WAR NEITHER FROM RUSSIA NOR CHINA as both have "re- peatedly" said that their military is ONLY FOR DEFENSIVE PUR- POSES. NATO existence is due sole to THE "EFFECTIVE USE" OF U.S. BRIBES + KICKBACKS which is due to 100% crooked, Europe- an countries with ZERO FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, fascist, elitist, Police states that claim to be democracies. (Ha! Ha!) THE EUROPEAN PROBLEM IS CROOKED GOV'T THAT BENEFIT THE CROOKS, not the People. It's all about THE MONEY: you need to know where it is going. When you have A CROOKED FASCIST GOV'T you have BLOATED GOV'T: for 15 years now we know you have to CUT THE SIZE OF GOV'T by 50% - AT LEAST in order to avoid THE DEFICIT BUD- GETS something the Europeans can do because do they have fairly decent social assistance programs: THE AMERICANS DON'T! Those who chose to talk politics are PISSING IN THE WIND. It's NOT about politics: it's ABOUT ECONOMICS + JOB CREA- TION that is why U.S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ARE SO VI- CIOUSLY STUPID. To my view of things, there is NO SUCH THING AS A SMART AMERICAN. (Ha! Ha!) Ken, Toronto, CANADA Highlighted reply Amos Simon The U.S.controls NATO.That is problem.now Europe is in a mess. This is not going to end peacefully. Europe has to get out of NATO. There is no need for NATO alliance.Its only benefits the U.S.The U.S. is on a decline and taking down as many countries as it can with it. There will be many changes of leaders in Europe before this winter is over.Spring will bring new fresh flowers. @Amos Simon My gawd, I caN'T believe what you're saying. Your thoughts are mine on the mess Europe has created for itself. I'd like to shed a little light on American thinking. When Obama gave his speech in Ghana, he made a point of saying that Africa does NOT need strong leaders, but rather strong democratic institutions. What the USA was able to achieve in Europe is to neuter its leadership using a Kissinger approach saying WE KNOW THE GAME + HOW IT'S TO BE PLAYED. SO FOLLOW US which they did. Finland being one of the last to join THE PARADE OF LEMMINGS heading over the cliff. (Ha! Ha!) Or in the words of the Japanese Kamikaze pilots: “Tenno Heika Banzai!” THE SPECIALTY OF THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS is mind control. They used it on Tony Blair perfectly getting Britain involved in the Iraqi war only to bankrupt Great Britain. Trump FULLY ENCOURATED Brexit saying that the USA would make it worth their while KNOWING FULL WELL that it was THE WORST THING for Britain. It's U.S. Gov't policy to DESTABILIZE every country - friend or foe - to the extent it can. THIS MEANS THE GREATEST DE- STABILIZING FORCE in the World is the USA. Ken, Toronto, CANADA