General Politics Three: But what is left/right?

[Farm Boy]

No, you didn't. You gave the propaganda reason. The reason the US wanted to dominate the world was not to dominate the world was not to save it from the USSR, but to create the situation described in this article:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/american-consumption-habits/

You underestimate the bloodprice. Even I'm not so cynical. But then again, I'm from where people still believe in stuff, occasionally.

I probably underestimate the hungers of high society.

There has still never been a bigger decolonization effort, especially amongst friends. But details, details. Best crop 'em out. Purity!

 

[Bonyduck Campersang]

Well since it didn't belong in the Russia/Ukraine thread I guess....

View attachment 684331

It still should be acknowledged. The Right wing in the US is pro this kind of reactionary behavior and they like Putin.

Putin is probably the only person both right-wingers and tankies admire.

 

[Core Imposter]

Putin is smart to stress the religious component of the state, which is nonsense, but it scores points with the American right.

Well, it looks like Biden's presidency is down to days now. Someone should take a blowtorch to the crew at Fox. I am furious at the things they are saying, just no excuse to treat a human being in this manner and there is no point. So, they are stupid on top of lacking the character of a slug.

We all need to put the politics aside and let this play out. I saw this happen to my father. I've seen this happen to others. We need to respect the man and his family period. Someone on the Democratic side will have to make the visit, probably Obama and some of the senators that Biden has known for a long time. It won't be long. It can't be long at this point.

God bless you Joe.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Myanmar's military government enforces conscription law​

The government in Myanmar has announced compulsory military service for all young men and women as the country's turmoil continues.

The army seized power from the civilian government in a coup in February 2021.

But in recent months it has been defeated in a series of battles with ethnic militias and anti-coup fighters.

The move announced on Saturday will require all men aged 18-35, and women aged 18-27, to serve at least two years under military command.

No further details have been released. But in a statement, the junta said its defence ministry would "release necessary bylaws, procedures, announcements orders, notifications and instructions".

The military has faced a series of humiliating defeats in recent months.

At the end of last year, three ethnic insurgent armies in Shan State - supported by other armed groups that oppose the government - captured border crossings and roads carrying most of the overland trade with China.

Last month, the Arakan Army (AA) said it had taken control of Paletwa in Chin State and the last military post in Paletwa township, the hilltop base at Meewa.

The military-installed president of Myanmar, Myint Swe - a former general - has previously warned the country is in danger of breaking apart if the government could not bring fighting under control.

A law allowing conscription was introduced in Myanamar in 2010, but has not been not enforced until now.

Under the legislation, the terms of service can be extended up to a period of five years during a state of emergency. Those ignoring summons to serve can instead be jailed for the same period.

A state of emergency was announced by the country's junta in 2021 and was recently extended for a further six months.

Myanmar had endured almost 50 years of rule under oppressive military regimes before the move towards democracy in 2011.

On 1 February 2021, the military announced it had taken control of the country.

Disorders and fighting have affected the country ever since, with more than one million people being displaced and thousands killed.

The performance of the army in its recent battles with ethnic armed groups - some of which have ended in defeats and retreats - has sparked criticisms and doubts among its supporters.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68261709

 

[Hygro]

Left: the coalition of yes.
Right: the coalition of no.

 

[Core Imposter]

I decided to watch Meet the Press today, for the first time in a long time, and was astonished to see that there was no press. It appears to have become another propaganda show.

I believe that it is essential to have a functional press in order for a republic to survive. Do we have a functional press? I would liken the absence of the press to the absence of the clergy in a religion. Without a clergy the religion becomes rootless, and personality holds sway.

Trump has been able to foster a cult of personality in large part because there is no longer an independent press. Ironically, the American press is largely responsible for the decline of the authority of the Church, which in turn has delegitimized the press in the eyes of the faithful.

So now there is no trusted arbiter in our society. Thus, civilizational collapse hastens.

 

[danjuno]

Not coming to your witch-burning party, bro.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I decided to watch Meet the Press today, for the first time in a long time, and was astonished to see that there was no press. It appears to have become another propaganda show.

I believe that it is essential to have a functional press in order for a republic to survive. Do we have a functional press? I would liken the absence of the press to the absence of the clergy in a religion. Without a clergy the religion becomes rootless, and personality holds sway.

Trump has been able to foster a cult of personality in large part because there is no longer an independent press. Ironically, the American press is largely responsible for the decline of the authority of the Church, which in turn has delegitimized the press in the eyes of the faithful.

So now there is no trusted arbiter in our society. Thus, civilizational collapse hastens.

The independence/neutrality of the press was destroyed by the divisiveness of our politics. You can lay the blame for that on Rush Limbaugh and 30 years of the hate radio he promoted. He and his ilk wanted and still want polarization of politics to enrich their wealth and influence. Conservative talk radio does not want a neutral arbiter of the news. They created Fox News. Their goal has been "trust no one but us."

 

[Farm Boy]

Remember the MaineLimbaugh, apparently.

 

[Somebody613]

Politics is what's left after you eliminate all what's right.

 

[Kyriakos]

That'll get people not discussing his memory/mental erosion ^^ Joe stands for the common man - when he can.

 

[EgonSpengler]

Trump’s Russia threat against NATO: What US allies are spending on defence

The former president has repeatedly said the US is unfairly carrying the financial burden of the security alliance.

www.aljazeera.com

Former United States President Donald Trump has stirred strong reactions in Europe after saying Washington might not protect NATO allies from potential attack from Russia if he wins the November election unless some members of the alliance step up their military spending.

How much are NATO members spending on defence?

NATO defence spending declined sharply after the Cold War – from 4.1 percent of combined gross domestic product (GDP) in 1990 to 2.6 percent in 2000 – even as the group expanded. To boost funding, members agreed at a 2014 summit in Wales to contribute at least 2 percent of their GDPs to the alliance by 2024.

By 2017, when Trump was sworn in as US president, only four countries met that threshold: the US, Greece, the United Kingdom and Poland. Trump’s argument since then has been that the US needs to pressure allies to expand their military budgets.

How has the Ukraine war affected NATO spending?

Several NATO members announced intentions to increase their defence budgets and meet the 2 percent target after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. France promised to meet the threshold in 2025, Italy in 2028, Spain in 2029 and Belgium in 2035.

 

[Bonyduck Campersang]

Pakistan’s PTI-linked independents lead in final election count

The military has called for stability as multiple parties allege election tampering and announce protests.

www.aljazeera.com

Well that was anticlimatic

 

[Farm Boy]

Trump’s Russia threat against NATO: What US allies are spending on defence

The former president has repeatedly said the US is unfairly carrying the financial burden of the security alliance.

www.aljazeera.com

That's worse than I thought. Maybe they do want to be Russians.

 

[Sommerswerd]

It's easier to go without notes when you're making a lot of it up

Also, Putin is a dictator, so he has a lot more control over his government/country than Biden does or even needs to.

I disagree completely on this; I think the sole reason it has failed is Donald Trump ordering the Republicans not to do a border funding deal.

Why didn't the "clean" bill to fund Israel (with nothing about border funding in it) pass the House last week? I have my thoughts of course, but I'd like to hear yours.

 

[Lexicus]

Also, Putin is a dictator, so he has a lot more control over his government/country than Biden does or even needs to.

Why didn't the "clean" bill to fund Israel (with nothing about border funding in it) pass the House last week? I have my thoughts of course, but I'd like to hear yours.

Political maneuvering (that could be fairly characterized as "partisan dysfunction"). I recall reading about Fetterman, whose position on Gaza is that all the toddlers in it need to be killed by the IDF as soon as possible, responding to the Israel-only bill by basically saying the GOP had screwed the pooch by torpedoing the larger border deal. My sense is that even the most pro-Israel democrats recognize that passing a "clean" Israel bill is a dumb move as it takes away the main leverage to try to pass something on Ukraine, assuming the border is now off-limits.

 

[Gori the Grey]

This is exactly it. Dems need Israel as an incentive for Rs to vote money for Ukraine.

 

[Kyriakos]

This is exactly it. Dems need Israel as an incentive for Rs to vote money for Ukraine.

Israeli and jewish american lobbies fund both major parties in the US. Israel (for many reasons) is simply seen as more important than Ukraine; it's not that the Dem party cares more about Ukraine than Israel and just gives weapons/bullets to allow Israel's genocide just as a tactical play to secure funding for Ukraine.

 

[Gorbles]

This is exactly it. Dems need Israel as an incentive for Rs to vote money for Ukraine.

Not sure that's "need" at work, there.

 

[Core Imposter]

Israeli and jewish american lobbies fund both major parties in the US. Israel (for many reasons) is simply seen as more important than Ukraine; it's not that the Dem party cares more about Ukraine than Israel and just gives weapons/bullets to allow Israel's genocide just as a tactical play to secure funding for Ukraine.

Christian Zionism is strong in the US. Most evangelicals place the support of Israel at or near the top of its expectations of government. This is not subject to change regardless of the actions of Israel's government. Non-Christians and the secular young are moving away from these positions quickly but the average walking around evangelical would no more disown Israeli than Christ himself. The end time prophecy that is central to the faith is wrapped around future events in the Middle East. It is odd that in much of the Bible belt Christian population have little personal experience with the Jewish population but would turn out quickly leaders that are not supportive of Israel.

This might not be clear from data that lumps all Christians in the same bucket, Catholics and mainstream protestants being a whole different cut of cloth.

Ukraine has no religious significance for the evangelical church. In fact, in some respects there is more sentiment for orthodox Russia than secular DC. But Trump is likely overestimating the strength of that.