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