"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (5 Viewers)

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My personal view is that I strenuously hope that the agreements between the UK, Finland and Sweden are never put to the test. I hope for a smooth and rapid transition for Finland and Sweden to becoming NATO members (undoubtedly with some side-deals done to bring Turkey onboard).

I'm glad to see other NATO members offering support to Finland and Sweden during the transition because that's the most critical period. Putin may see it as a closing window of opportunity and hence do something really, REALLY stupid. Deterring such action must be a priority for western democracies if we're to stop the current war from spreading.
 
Snautzer01 said:
Boris will twist on a dime.
Click to expand...
This reminded me of the conundrum particular to constitutional monarchies. When Churchill met with FDR, Stalin and other presidents he was not actually equal in authority or status. Churchill, nor Boris can speak entirely for the country as its head of state, because that's not who they are. When they met in August 1941 off Newfoundland, as the representative of King George VI, Churchill was delivering his credentials to President Roosevelt, the monarch's equal as head of state. Boris's equal in Finland is Prime Minister Sanna Marin, not President Sauli Niinistö. It may be splitting hairs, but when Boris commits to helping Finland, he commits his specific government, not his state. And the commitments of governments can change on the whim of a parliamentary vote.
 

I think you're making a distinction that has no practical impact in reality. For example, the US President (within the checks and balances inherent in the US democratic system) can change direction on a whim, and so US commitments are equally subject to change every 4 years...or even more frequently since, unlike parliamentary democracies, the US democratic process does not infer a national mandate for action that spans both the Office of the President and Congress.

One only has to look at the various agreements that the US pulled out of during the last administration as examples of this, including the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, Paris Climate Accord, UN Human Rights Council, UN Relief and Works Agency, World Health Organization, UNESCO etc. I'm not commenting on the rights or wrongs of any of these decisions. I'm merely pointing out that constitutional monarchies are no more prone to withdrawing from agreements than any other form of government.

One other note peculiar to the UK, at least, is that the political government serves at the monarch's pleasure. It's one of the checks and balances in the system. Ergo, the Prime Minister does commit the United Kingdom to treaties etc. However, the monarch can insert themselves into the equation if necessary and if it is deemed that the government is acting illegally or contrary to the will of the people. That's one of the reasons why officers in the British military have their commissioning scrolls (facsimile) signed by the Queen because it gives them the authority to refuse any orders from politicians that are without legal authority.
 
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Admiral Beez said:
I wonder what Gorbachev, now aged 91 thinks of all this.
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Looks like a mixed bag.

He opposes the war and Putin

Mikhail Gorbachev: "Never again war" - Sonnenseite - Ökologische Kommunikation mit Franz Alt

On March 2, the great Russian peace lover Mikhail Gorbachev turned 91. It was the seventh day of Putin's war in Ukraine. © Benevento Gorbachev is the son
www.sonnenseite.com

But, he defended the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and accused the West and NATO of destroying the structure of European security by expanding its alliance.

Gorbachev warns of nukes over Ukraine – DW – 01/09/2015

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has warned that the crisis in Ukraine could lead to a major war, or even a nuclear war. In an interview with a German magazine, he criticized both Russia and the West.
www.dw.com
 

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. I liked his signing onto a common defense with the two countries, and if it helps to influence other NATO countries to do the same, all the better.

None of this is to say I'm a fan of his. From what I know of him from my distant vantage, he does strike me as a schmuck. But his giving reassurance to the Nordic countries -- in addition to burnishing his sagging image -- also gives a sense of security to those countries, especially now that that rat-fink Erdogan is playing Putin's hand for him.
 
In addition to the sanctions -- and perhaps because of them, and the Russian need to replace their own destroyed/captured equipment -- India is hurrying its efforts to diversify its arms-acquisitions:

NEW DELHI, May 18 (Reuters) - India is looking to domestic firms and eastern European nations for military gear and ammunition, as the world's biggest buyer of Russian arms seeks alternative suppliers at a time when Moscow is fighting a war with Ukraine and facing sanctions.

New Delhi has long talked of diversifying the suppliers to its huge armed forces, and even making more equipment at home, objectives that have taken on new urgency since Russia's invasion, two government officials and a defence source said.

India has identified 25.15 billion rupees ($324 million) worth of defence equipment it wants domestic firms to make this year, and avoid buying abroad, according to an online platform where the defence ministry lists its needs.

"The present world order and geopolitical scenario, which is very, very turbulent, has also taught us a lesson," Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, who leads maintenance operations for the Indian Air Force, said this month.

"If we want to provide certainty and stability ... the only option is to have a totally self-reliant or self-sustained supply chain mechanism established within the country," Pande told defence manufacturers in New Delhi.

However, he did not specifically mention the conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".

The Indian air force is looking for equipment such as ejection pods for Russian-designed Sukhoi fighter jets and propellers for Ukraine-made Antonov transport aircraft, another document showed.

Within three years, Pande said, the air force aimed to source all tyres and batteries for critical aircraft fleets from domestic firms such as MRF (MRF.NS).

India aims to produce as much as half its defence equipment at home, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity.

The defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on India's reliance on Moscow for military hardware and whether the war in Ukraine and Russia's slow progress, were concerns.

Brahma Chellaney, a defence and strategic affairs analyst in New Delhi, said Russian equipment have served India well in the past though in recent years it has stepped up purchases from countries such as the United States, France and Israel.

"Defence transition is always a slow evolutionary process. You can't overnight switch suppliers," he said.

India employs 1.38 million people in its armed forces and is one of the world's largest arms importers, spending $12.4 billion between 2018 and 2021, with Russia accounting for $5.51 billion, the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database shows.

The Indian Army is equipped with Russian-made tanks and Kalashnikov rifles. Its air force uses Sukhoi fighter jets and Mi-17 transport helicopters, while the navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya was formerly part of the Russian naval fleet.

India, world's biggest buyer of Russian arms, looks to diversify suppliers

India is looking to domestic firms and eastern European nations for military gear and ammunition, as the world's biggest buyer of Russian arms seeks alternative suppliers at a time when Moscow is fighting a war with Ukraine and facing sanctions.
www.reuters.com

Less income for Russia is a good thing. Hit 'em where it hurts.
 
Admiral Beez said:
Well, true. Pragmatism will prevail. The collapse of Russia's prestige and capabilities will alter many international relationships.
Click to expand...
India's imports from China rose to $97.5 billion in the calendar year 2021, up 46.1 per cent from $66.7 billion in 2020, which was impacted by Covid restrictions, as per data from the China General Administration of Customs.

India's exports to China also grew to a record high of $28.1 billion in 2021, up 34.9 per cent from $20.9 billion in 2020.

According to the data, India's total trade with China in 2021 was worth $125.7 billion.
 
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