Even the French think the UK is just a US lap-dog!

[Ed P]

The news that the French had been shafted by the US, Australia, UK  nuclear submarine deal brought instant retaliation and signs of displeasure, as shown by the French recalling their US and Australian Ambassadors. There was no recall of the UK Ambassador as the French believe the UK just to be a US Patsy, and a very junior player in the deal.

It all just shows that the US is an untrustworthy ally, and that we should be very careful not to get sucked into American foreign adventures as the US now has a well deserved reputation for just using its Allies and leaving them high and dry when it suits them. I found it very interesting that even Theresa May took the time to warn BoJo on this point, but as usual his American nationality came first and he just shrugged off her points.

[keith with the teef]

We do live in such strange times with what news we are fed and on what subject matter and how its never actually the truth and for the most part we are then fed a biased opinion.

Its been like it for years and its colossally shit.

Bring back the town crier.

[Ed P]

Luckily they have not as yet banned RSS, so it is very easy to read international viewpoints rather than those of  the Government mouthpiece (the politically castrated BBC).

[Dave Rice]

Boris is desperate to have anything that makes us look like a player, sign up at any cost.

The Liz Truss copy and paste trade deals have exclusions about Freeports in them, oops. But the re-adoption of the imperial measurement system will smooth the way with Liberia and Myanmar, the Murcans of course having their own idea of imperial.

I see that in PMQs Boris said he wants to encourage high wages and high skills. The cabbage pickers of Cornwall will be delighted. In a FB discussion with a mate who says that Brits must do these jobs now, I asked him which one of his children he thought should aspire to a career in the fields as opposed to going to University or following him into the Police. No answer of course because it’s always NIMBY.

 

[keith with the teef]

@EDP. RSS?

Linky! 🙂

[Richard]

Oh dear, the cheese eating, backstabbing, fish pirating,  surrender moneys are upset that Australia has decided they do not want obsolete stuff in the face of hostile Chinese provocations. Sow the wind and wear your souwester?

 

[JayCeeDee]

Richard wrote:

Oh dear, the cheese eating, backstabbing, fish pirating, surrender moneys …..

You forgot Welsh lamb burning!!! My Mum never did!!

[Ed P]

RSS for Windows link

I actually use Liferea in Linux and have a list of World newspapers and Public Service Broadcasters that have RSS links. Unfortunately there are fewer of these than previously the case, but most major countries have one or two English speaking RSS links.

As all countries dissemble/lie over matters that are of national interest you have to read a cross section and decide ‘who gains’ from the story being told.

[Dave Rice]

If it had been French Nuclear subs over British diesel subs you can imagine the headlines in the Express. But we’ve been there over the American mid-air refuelers contract.

One thing about politics in general and global politics in particular is that self interest always wins out. The current vaccine situation is the case in point. I find it hard to believe the rich countries couldn’t be supplying the poor but it’s presented as either / or.

[Ed P]

Dave I think the vaccine situation is a bit more subtle, as it looks like the Pfizer protection drops to around 30% after six months. I haven’t seen data for Oxford AstraZeneca, but I’d guess the protection is even lower.

Just imagine the outcry if it was revealed that UK people could not get a booster jab because we had given all ours to Africa!

[Dave Rice]

I agree, but it’s not either us or them, it could be all of us. If we (the first world) don’t get the third world sorted it will only come back to bite us. At some stage the penny will drop with the public, I’m sure the politicians already know.

But at the moment there are bigger fish to fry here (and France & Germany); £20 benefit drop + inflation + tax hike + energy prices + end of furlough + food + cancel Christmas means that the vaccine is the only positive thing Boris can bang on about (again).

Is it me or is there a whiff of the 1970’s about the place? I just feel things are moving out of control and the politicians (of all shades – and probably all countries too) just don’t have the skills to cope. But that’s what happens when full of promises populism wins over boring competency, even the opposition has to play that game.

I don’t think the Union is going to come out of this intact either. Like in rugby, he who takes advantage of the breakdown wins.

At this moment I really wish I had an Irish grandparent. I’d be taking Dutch lessons and planning my retirement in the low countries as I once did.

[Author]

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