Things Noticeable this week

[deepsepia]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

The fact that America does not recognise international law does not mean that she is not subject to the rule of international law.

{snip}

This graceless, arrogant and blustering administration really gets up my nose, and I am firmly pro-American (ask Brecht or Palo5). How many life-long friends can America afford to alienate before she finds herself alone in the world?

Agreed on all points.

Its a really bitter pill for an American, but Trump's America reminds me, more than anything else, of the transition of South Africa to full Apartheid -- I think in particular of Hans Strydom "The Lion of the North" -- charismatic and devoted to white nationalism. He did, however, have a reputation for personal honesty, which does set him apart from Trump.

But make no mistake, Trump's America will not only tolerate pariah status, it will embrace it, and it will spit poison at the institutions that aspire to make the world a little less criminal.

[Dr Pepper]

Originally Posted by otokonomidori

How everyone-other than the US-probably saw it......

[DTravel]

Originally Posted by deepsepia

But make no mistake, Trump's America will not only tolerate pariah status, it will embrace it, and it will spit poison at the institutions that aspire to make the world a little less criminal.

That we agree upon.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by deepsepia

Agreed on all points.

Its a really bitter pill for an American, but Trump's America reminds me, more than anything else, of the transition of South Africa to full Apartheid -- I think in particular of Hans Strydom "The Lion of the North" -- charismatic and devoted to white nationalism. He did, however, have a reputation for personal honesty, which does set him apart from Trump.

But make no mistake, Trump's America will not only tolerate pariah status, it will embrace it, and it will spit poison at the institutions that aspire to make the world a little less criminal.

When one looks at Mr Trump's bedrock support I fear this is probably true, in the short run. In the long run, Mr Trump will have passed on, and America will be rueing the day she ever voted for him, and the damage to her international relationships will take generations to repair; indeed some key strategic alliances might never be repaired. This direct and indirect attack on the International Criminal Court will be seen badly in nearly every country in the world outside the USA, and the USA's prestige will be gravely harmed.

[Reclaimedwg]

I don't understand folks who refuse to evacuate whenever there is advance warning that a life threatening natural disaster is headed their way.

Government would not issue a mandatory evacuation if they didn't feel folks were at risk of death and destruction.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ia/1272878002/

https://weather.com/safety/hurricane...olina-virginia

In other news, 9/11 related:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fina...ver-changed-17

[Rogerbh]

President Clinton was in office in 1998 when the US was one of seven countries that refused to sign the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Thus in 2002 when it went active, the US did not become party to it. Even President Obama did not change this position - although the US position changed to "positive engagement" - which I guess means assistance when the subject is not a US citizen and does not infringe on American sovereignty.

So although I do believe Trump is a dick, I don't find fault with what he is doing here and I don't really see him breaking from the actions/positions of the last three Presidents.

[vinceprince]

Can't wait to hear Putin's story about those 2 innocent civilians accused of the nerve agent poisoning.

What is it? 2 middle aged gay guys (with sequentially numbered passports! ) going for a romantic weekend which included not just 1 but 2! day trips to Salisbury and they didn't even bother visiting the Cathedral or Stonehenge?
Nothing worth looking at in London of course.

Just walking around the suburbs in the drizzle? In March?
Staying in probably the grimmest shittiest hotel in East London.
Maybe there are no hotels in Salisbury?
Or maybe this shit London hotel just gave them the horn.

Man that must have been worth saving up for and applying for those expensive visas. Sounds like the perfect weekend!

[bloke57]

Originally Posted by CARLTON BROWN

...Diana, mother of the future king, was was becoming a major issue of concern for some members of the UK establishment...

Whatever the truth about this, there is still a wide body of opinion that says it was a staged accident.

[deepsepia]

Originally Posted by vinceprince

What is it? 2 middle aged gay guys (with sequentially numbered passports! )

Vanity passport numbers? Who knew that was a thing?

Boy, someone at the FSB needs a refresher course in tradecraft. And why are they even on Russian passports? That's an F-U; "we couldn't be bothered to pay $20 for a Maltese one"

[vinceprince]

Originally Posted by deepsepia

Vanity passport numbers? Who knew that was a thing?

Boy, someone at the FSB needs a refresher course in tradecraft. And why are they even on Russian passports? That's an F-U; "we couldn't be bothered to pay $20 for a Maltese one"

This is a massive gaff by the Russians.

Someone in Moscow also made an elementary mistake of issuing the two agents with passports bearing almost consecutive serial numbers, something which cannot happen by accident; obviously, Russian intelligence agencies get batches of blank passports to use, and these are numbered sequentially.

The result of this error is not only that the two Russian agents were quickly identified, but also that Western intelligence agencies around the world will now be searching their databases for other Russian passport-holders with numbers from the same batch.