Originally Posted by Lonerider

Merkel made her bed, and as the saying goes...she can now lay in it. Yes I feel a bit sorry for the Germans now but just because she dropped the ball doesn't mean to say we in the rest of Europe should suffer...sometimes I am really pleased we are not joined to the mainland

As for an European Army ...its nearly as funny as been a member of NATO. Putin must laugh himself to sleep on a night when he thinks of NATO, he waltzed into Crimea and now his troops are another area of Ukraine (even though he denies it) and what has NATO or anyone in the EU done to protect our borders? Nothing, they did a bit of shouting and did some sanctions. Even the US was not bothered, maybe because it was in Europe or maybe because there is no oil? I know the Ukraine is not a member of NATO or the EU but it is still part of mainland Europe and not Russia.
I served in HM Forces and it should remain Her Majesties Forces. We do not need to be run by some Spanish or French General being told what to do by people who don't like curved bananas and don't have a back bone. Serving in a Regiment which is the 309th Battalion of the European Army does not appeal to me nor probably to any of the Men and Women who are serving their country now.

I also get fed up of my country paying billions to help support the EU and the lesser countries within it when we can not look after our own elderly, homeless, sick etc. Maybe we should worry about ourselves for a bit before we worry about others?

Wayne

Originally Posted by Wildman

Funny.

Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*

He's not going to be re-elected so he's got nothing to loose

Originally Posted by Shrekonwheels

The US and Nato were supposed to back the Ukraine simply over turning over their Nukes shotly after they became independent. The US with the usual jelly backbone of Obuma did nothing to support, not even a show of strength which in all reality would have been enough. As you said Putin is laughing at how easy all this is. Putin is playing chess while Nato is playing hop scotch.

Originally Posted by Shrekonwheels

As for interests, actually there is a major energy interest in the area which I am surprised the EU did not stand and do more to secure. The Gas Interests for the EU come in a large part though the Ukraine.
Russia, Ukraine Reach Deal on Gas Supplies in EU-Brokered Talks - Bloomberg Business

Russia is owning this, now, and especially in the Future as their oil/gas reserves are absolutely Immense and the world will be wondering what happened in the not so distant future as Russia laughs all the way to the bank.

Originally Posted by Plooking

Among others, that's the main purpose of this crazy idea of cashless societies although the official retoric goes by the lines of fighting dirty money flows.

Many, many banks around the world along with many, many countries are virtually bankrupt. Warren Buffet once said that it's only when the tide goes that we see who's been swimming naked. Soon will come the day when the tide goes, this being, when interest rates start going back to more usual levels. Then, many banks and governments won't be able to refinance their current debt so this thing of the cashless comes very handy. It becomes easy to just do a haircut on depositors or even confiscate money directly from people's bank accounts effectivelly bailing-in banks and countries. The owners of the money won't have a say in the subject, at all.

It's one of the issues which concerns me most in the last year or so.

Originally Posted by Walkabout

The money that "you have in a bank account" is no longer yours.
By putting it on deposit into the account you become a creditor of the bank and the bank is a debtor to you.

Originally Posted by Walkabout

It may be a matter of "if interest rates return to normal levels" whatever we may define as normal.
Arguably, the world cannot afford the historical interest rates and so they won't occur despite what the USA Fed tried to do recently.

Originally Posted by Walkabout

This reflects on "real politik" - how the rhetoric rarely matches the reality, especially because the public have short memories.

Originally Posted by Plooking

Do the pupeteers still really control events? Or do they even exist?

There is too much going wrong for one to think about some sort of pupeteers. Maybe several "pupeteers", each trying to defend its interests but which in the end will be bad for almost everybody. Not everybody, though.

Originally Posted by Shrekonwheels

Rarely are our conflicts ever about anything other than industry in some capacity.
I would encourage anyone to read The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines & the Secret Mission of 1805 by Richard Zacks — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists which covers how Americas policy of installing puppet dictators for commerce got started.

Originally Posted by Plooking

If this thing of the cashless society moves forward (DNB in Norway said something on that particular yesterday which should be read carefully) it won't be a transitory thing. It will be permanent. Can you say how will the world be in, say, 10 years?

Originally Posted by Shrekonwheels

You never cease to amaze me.