Are we on the verge of another 'cold war'?

It will end up with handbag's at dawn.

The catch is that we, NATO, have signed agreements with Ukraine to defend their borders, amongst other things. This was in exchange for then not to retain their nuclear armoury. Not being close by etc, doesn't really come into it. Also, apart from the ideology aspect, there are pipelines, etc, that can be used and manipulated in any political/military negotiations, and they affect us all. Lots of twists and turns to come I reckon. Its almost feasible that the Ukrainian army marches into Ukraine to claim their own territory back, and call Putin's bluff.

It looks like there is going to be a rather tense stand off. The Russians have taken Crimea by putting 6,000 troops on the ground. This is clearly a strategic deployment to protect their occupation of the Black Sea.

Putin is clearly flexing his muscles to see how far he can push the envelope. He invaded Georgia a few years ago to show his military superiority. Half of the Ukranians want to tie their colours to the European mast while the other half want to go with Russia. A bloody civil war looked inevitable without Russian intervention so it might well be a case of ' better the devil you know.'

I notice Billy Hague has been giving it big licks on the news today but in reality it is none of our business. NATO has got it's work cut out but things might just cool down with a bit of dialogue and common sense from both sides.

Obama hasn't really got the stomach for a full blown conflict albeit he has the most advanced military hardware at his disposal. The Chinese economy is doing very well so they probably will not want to piss on their chips by taking sides. Obama gave the Chinese his full support during the Beijing Olympics and I can't see them wanting to get involved to the detriment of their own economy.

Some interesting times ahead in the next few weeks. Does the free world acknowledge the independent  sovereignty of Ukraine and back the rebels or acknowledge that the Ukrainian President  was illegally ousted by non-democratic means?

WW3 is about to commence

Putin is Gay.

Angry Dad wrote:Putin is Gay.

   You would never have guessed, going off his recent reforms.

Boggersbelief wrote:WW3 is about to commence

People say this everytime there's any conflict in which Russia and the US take a different view.

What baffles me, yet again, is why are we front row and centre preaching. Makes me sick. STAY OUT OF IT FFS. 

Where are Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland... oh thats right, they've got common sense. 

This is why I'll be voting yes to Scottish independence.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

This is why I'll be voting yes to Scottish independence.

You live in Coventry.

We have no choice but to stay out of it. The fact is,we can do nothing. The Russians hold all the aces in this situation,and the end game will be concluded by them and them alone.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:
This is why I'll be voting yes to Scottish independence.

Thank god for that, we don't want you either.

Let's erect a Berlin wall across to keep you all out of our country.

You should all have to pay the money back that is ours and also give up your jobs and move back to Scotland!

boltonbonce wrote:We have no choice but to stay out of it. The fact is,we can do nothing. The Russians hold all the aces in this situation,and the end game will be concluded by them and them alone.

Sorry, we haven't stayed out of it, we are chairing the meetings, and dictating to the Russians what they can and can't do. 

We've actually been more visible on this topic than Obama. 

Obama has made a single statement on this topic, Cameron and Hague have been flaunting themselves daily with reckless rhetoric talking of "serious consequences" 

the only thing this will bring is conflict and separatist terror to the UK

karlypants wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:
This is why I'll be voting yes to Scottish independence.

Thank god for that, we don't want you either.

Let's erect a Berlin wall across to keep you all out of our country.

You should all have to pay the money back that is ours and also give up your jobs and move back to Scotland!

I've got a kilt going cheap.

Agreed we shouldn't be anywhere near it.

Hope you don't vote for independence though, if it went through we'd be fucked and stuck with a Tory government for eternity also can't see it being any good for Scotland long term.

boltonbonce wrote:

karlypants wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:
This is why I'll be voting yes to Scottish independence.

Thank god for that, we don't want you either.

Let's erect a Berlin wall across to keep you all out of our country.

You should all have to pay the money back that is ours and also give up your jobs and move back to Scotland!

I've got a kilt going cheap.

  

Am I the only one who feels slightly reassured about the fact that the Russians are the enemy again?

It hasn't felt right for the last twenty years, having to pretend that they're our friends.

And the "new" enemy we got in to replace them was frankly a bit loopy and dangerous.

When did you last hear of a crazy Russian strapping a bomb to himself and blowing up a London bus....?

See....I'm right.

I watched a documentary about the umbrella assassin the other-day, its like real life 007.

I don't know what that has to do with anything about this thread , mind?

Breadman wrote:Am I the only one who feels slightly reassured about the fact that the Russians are the enemy again?

It hasn't felt right for the last twenty years, having to pretend that they're our friends.

And the "new" enemy we got in to replace them was frankly a bit loopy and dangerous.

When did you last hear of a crazy Russian strapping a bomb to himself and blowing up a London bus....?

See....I'm right.

Well they strap bombs to themselves and blow up a train station and a bus in December, but not a London bus.

that is the kind of terror threat Cameron is ushering to our shores with this "game" of his.

The Chechens are certainly not averse to a touch of sabotage.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

that is the kind of terror threat Cameron is ushering to our shores with this "game" of his.

Hipster - you're walking home tonight and see a young lady being beaten up in the street by a couple of blokes.

Do you just walk on by because you don't know her and it's none of your business?