Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I wonder whether someone at PD ever said it was "categorically" Russian or whether that was an on-the-fly embellishment by Bozzer.

Honestly, of all the people who could have been chosen to represent the country internationally in times like these, I mean FFS.
 

Woebot

Well-known member
100% behind Corbyn on the Skripal Poisoning (where's the proof it was Russia?) Could EASILY have been one of the agents he ratted on. Trump clearly aware he has been an ass by expulsing diplomats.
 

droid

Well-known member
Well, the OPCW came out in agreement with the British govt, but there were some odd qualifiers.

I cant help but think of the IAEA and their investigation of suspected nuclear sites in Syria in 2007 which led to what seemed to be a politically doctored report. https://consortiumnews.com/2017/11/18/israels-ploy-selling-a-syrian-nuke-strike/ - particularly in light of the Libya WMD fantasy.

The lesson here (if we needed one) is that even ostensibly neutral agencies are subject to political interference.

Agreed on Corbyn, of course!
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Corbyn literally THE ONLY sensible voice on Foreign Policy at the moment. It's not appeasement just blatantly obvious common sense.

Ah yes, Corbyn's genius idea for determining whether Russia was responsible for the Skripal poisoning, which was to ask them if they done it. :rolleyes:
 

version

Well-known member
This is a decent read; convincing and goes some way to stripping the nebulous "agent of chaos" image it's easy to get caught up in,
 
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Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps

Statistical analysis of the polling data from the recent Russian election. Spoiler: extremely blatant cheating.

However, I think the OP is being naive by saying that the Russian government has put this data online "by mistake". It would be a mistake if Putin were genuinely concerned about appearing democratically legitimate, as Trump does.
 

luka

Well-known member
not to condone putin's action but this is a really interesting vid on how russia has become progressively encircled

it's no surprise that he seems paranoid in the light of this

in geopolitical terms it's no coincidence that russia - the most paranoid country in the world - as it sees itself "encircled" by a coalition of western powers (most of whom aren't ACTUALLY often in agreement with another) produces chess masters.

also that the russians drink themselves to death with vodka as a rule.

has someone got to Matt? Agents of American Imperialism threatened his family?
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
I will try and watch this over the next few days. Navalny's Putin's Palace video:

Has something insane like a 100 million views now.

Navalny's antics adding to the fin de siecle craziness - the video where he interviews his poisoner is bananas.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
@DannyL - as our resident Russia-watcher, what do you make of all the pro-Navalny protests going on right now? Are they legit, or part of some "managed opposition" state theatre, or some weird quantum superposition of the two that no non-Russian could ever hope to understand?
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
I don't feel I deserve that title, I know very little. I take the protests at face value, largely because of the repression that seems to accompany them. What's striking is all the bullshit "strongly worded condemnations" from Western democracies having - surprise! - no effect whatsoever.
Example here: https://tass.com/society/1250461 - going after his associates.

I think he calls into question any notion that the regime there has popular legitimacy.

I don't know if you saw the footage of the young Chechen guy laying into the riot police last weekend.


They've just nicked him trying to cross the border into Latvia. I read something from Roman Kadyrov yesterday which sounded like a thinly veiled threat to his family.
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
I do wonder if Navalny could be a bit of a flashpoint for sustained pressure from the West - he'll be a cause celebre, we might see a ramping up of sanctions to free him especially with a new presidency - but, as always with these things, prepare to be disappointed.
 

luka

Well-known member
i think everyone has wised up to those kind of cynical cause celbre political pawns by this point. probably do more harm than good.
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
Idk. He has a huge following, massive views for his videos, people turning out for him en masse. He took the choice to return to Russia to face trial (they tried him a police station immediately on his arrival, sign of a really unworried government). he's exposed corruption and murder - but I don't know what the road map forwards from this point is.

The Putin regime does seem a bit less nimble around all this stuff but still - they have all the guns, what's going to change?
 
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