News / Despicable Ukrainian lies [144]

@mafketis

I don't know enough about the particulars to know if it's all PiS's fault, but it doesn't really matter. My main indignation is how gullible and pansy-asses the West is toward Ukraine and how Ukraine is using their current situation to shame the West into allowing it to become a member in its associations.

@Bratwurst Boy

Agreed...except the nuke part. Nukes in the hands of Uke strongmen is a horrendous idea.

This all went south in the '90s, and USia bears part of the blame...a big part, IMO.

News / Despicable Ukrainian lies [144]

@GefreiterKania

It seems the Ukrainian technique is to play the heroic victim card and try shame others into conforming to their will.

The thing that has perplexed me since this idiotic war began was the malleability of the West to suddenly accept Ukraine as a country worthy of EU and NATO membership. Zelensky recently trying to shame NATO into giving a date of Ukrainian membership into NATO and the PM's words concerning Ukrainian grain exports are part and parcel of Ukrainian strategy to get what they want.

I only hope the West becomes as indignant as you. Wanting to help Ukraine defend itself and accepting Ukraine as a functional country worthy of membership into Western alliances and unions are two completely different things.

Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]

I've had plenty of very good sauvignon blamcs, but this may be the best ever. Crisp, minerally, that smooth scrape on the tongue. The aroma is layered with a grapefruit and minerals sandwiching a hint of cotton candy. A really delightful glass.

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Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]

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Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]

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Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]

Simce the inestimable Alien appears to like pairing good wine with good books:

The Pica Zabal is from the esteemed Rioja region of Spain and comes from its prized temperanillo grape. This bottle has a lush berry, particularly raspberry, aroma with an accompanying chocolate/mocha note. It assaults the tongue briefly then gives way to a gentle tannic grip.

Sophocles, well, what's to say. Undeniable genius. Oedipus Rex's theme of objectively right and wring acts is timeless. The question of justice. And so on. Classic.

Two soul enriching opus.

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News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


So when you say common army you mean no more french, german, spanish, polish, etc armies working together as a whole, but an EU army where a spaniard commands a german who operates hardware produced wherever in Europe kind of thing?

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


They are, and they've come a long way in accuracy.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

If I understood the article correctly (translator was needed being I'm a dumb USian and all :) ), it seems Germany is serious about changing course. Seems sensible to me that in order to build up the Bundeswehr, you need to change the culture and way of thinking about and managing within it.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy
@Tacitus

Germany said it would dramatically increase its military spending last year. Is there any reports that it is following through with this or has it stalled?

Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]


You got it right. :)

The Vatican one is called "Reclaiming Vatican II - What it (really) said, what it means, and how it calls us to renew the church" written by a young priest Fr Blake Britton. It's basically about how the liberal and conservative reactionaries misunderstand the council. That V2 was neither liberal nor conservative, but an orthodoxy meant to sanctify today's world. IMO, it should be read in every Catholic school and seminary.

The other is Edith Stein's autobiography, Life in a Jewish Family 1891-1916. She couldn't finish it, as she was sent to Auschwitz.

The quality of the wine matched the quality of those books.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


I'd hope not. It wouldn't make sense.


*nods

Afterall NATO was created to keep America in, Russians out, and Germany down. Seems there needs to be some kind of re-calibration.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


As a Usian, I don't care if it's some kind of common European military or not, I just want to see a significant increase in the military potency of Euro members.

Poland seems to be serious in increasing its military strength, I hope it's the impetus for other Euros to follow.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


That could work.

One of the biggest problems would be instead of dealing with two military bureaucracies, you'd now have to deal with three. There'd be a lot of things getting ground up and bogged down in the jaws of bureaucrats.


Yeah...it could create an environment of mutual haranguing of each other to pump up military might. As an American, that sounds good to me.


I see you are singing in a very melodious voice tonight, BB. :)

Like you said in one of your post, China is on the horizon (Russia ain't squit compared to it and its modernized military and calculating pooitical and economic strategy).

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

By common army do you mean an army being under the command of a single entity or do you mean something like a NATO where each country commands its own military but corrdinates under a common entity?

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]



I have no doubts of their capabilities. They could produce a very lethal force.. But, are they willing? I think they better start beefing up-which is pretty much what I've been saying throughout this thread. However, Germany must also be careful in not beefing up too big-there needs remain some sort of parity amongst the other EUians. In other words, Germany isn't the only Euro country that needs to beef up.

@jon357

But, I'm not sure removing US or UK installations out of continental Euro is beneficial to anyone in the West in the ling run. When us Usians, and I guess you UKians also, call for us to bacate, it's more frustration or offense than good strategic sense.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Tacitus

Less doesn't always mean worse. The question is more along the lines of potency and cost effectiveness of military might. What's more potent and cost effective, in general: carpet bombing or precision munitions?

It'd be interest to see where Polish military investment is being allocated.

But, yes, the US is smaller militarily now than during the cold war (at least, I think that's true).


You sound like Joker and JR. :D

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


Massively reduced may be an overstatement, nevertheless reducing is one thing, but reducing to aneroxic levels is completely different.

All of that is water under the bridge at this moment. What matters now is Europe beefing itself up so it can be responsible for the lion's share of its own security.


I'd think from the POV of a unified Europe, that'd be much more terrifying than gratifying.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


But, the point is for the EU army to become a potent enough military to defend its own interest as well as to become an attractive partner for powerful armies such as GB and its smarter, richer, and stronger younger brother, USia.


That is a very good point. There must remain something of a parity amongst all members

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

Może...that and for the American arms producers to make gobs more money. Oh, and let's not forget the secondary purpose of weakening Russia to a third-rate shell of itself.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

There's a problem, though, if Poland is the only EU nation that beefs up. For an EU army to work, all of Europe must beed up to some degree.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

I like the sounds of all that. NATO can still exist under that makeup-just more balanced and no need for nuclear proliferation.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]


Not only Brussels!

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

I don't know about it looking to the US as its Savior.

The EU has interceded with Poland's domestic governance, so its not totally unreasonable for them to be a bit skeptical of the level of friendliness. I'm not saying its the right or wrong perception, but its not an entirely unreasonable perception.

Regardless, the point at hand is defense. And, Poland is not alone in Europe in that it looks to the US as its main defense support. As I see it, Poland is taking a pro-active stance in building up its military to defend its own interest-it is the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has precipitated this build-up. It seems its just following through with what it, as many other European countries, said it would do a year ago: beef up its military.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

Assuming you are correct about the doubtfulness of America's friendship with Poland, it may be that Warsaw might be thinking, " America may be a doubtful friend, but at least they give the impression they arefriends, and they have a potent defense force, whereas our neighbor friends don't always treat us friendly and have an impotent defense force that relies on the doubtful friend's force to secure our territory." A kind of bet hedging.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]

@Bratwurst Boy

Well, yeah, if it is building muscle simply to be a proxy army then there's some very serious problems attached to that. However, to serve as an effective deterrent, nothing should be withdrawn from the table...except, bullsh!t causes like Iraq-the pros most significantly outweigh the cons.

News / Poland is the new military power of Europe. [275]



Or, could it simply mean Poland has decided that a more muscular military will serve as a deterrent to any possible foreign encroachment, as well as putting Poland in a better position within the EU-being the muscular rampart on the EU's eastern frontier is a bargaining chip that may reap dividends for Poland in Brussels.

Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]

@Alien

Well written. :)

Below is a delicious Portugese wine from the native alicante bouschet grape. Brimming with lush dark fruit and a not subtle spice note. My wife says it has a vanilla whipped cream note. The wine needles the tongue and has a soft tannic presence. It's a worthy bottle.

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Off-Topic / Five or more years of Erdogan! [32]


And, that's a major concern for the US. How does the US/NATO deal with a Russian-allied Turkey-who, by the way, houses 50ish US nuclear warheads on its soil?

Off-Topic / Hollywood Films [62]


I had Different experience. Went to both all-boys and co-ed schools. The all-boys school was less gay-not that co-eds were overly gay.