Ancient_Mariner: John has consistently suggested ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia as a price for temporary cessation of overt armed conflict. Guilty AM but a permanent cessation based on much improved defence in Ukraine, maybe even some sort of Nato affiliation. Edit: This trading territory for peace doesn’t seem a bad idea to me, once you use the peace to build defences that prevent another chunk being nobbled. This territorial integrity is a bit of a fallacy really, isn’t it? Stuff moves around all the time, the treaty of Turin, Alsace–Lorraine, Northern Ireland, the West bank. Davi ..read more

DrMarkH: So what are you suggesting John, capitulation? Well I’ve been muttering on about a peace deal since it started Mark. With my vast knowledge of military strategy () what I would have thought sensible was… Not poking Russia with a stick over NATO membership for Ukraine (thank you very much Bush the younger). Then not being surprised when he took his Crimean naval base back. That was the time to bolster Ukraine’s defences, but of course Ukraine was corrupt and unreliable then (I’m not sure what’s changed). When Putin’s blitzkrieg was rebuffed, and well done Ukraine, I would have thoug ..read more

tim17: What do you suggest? There are many things that can be done Tim. 1 Do not provide ANY more military aid. 2 Ban all goods from the occupied territories (and potentially the whole of the Country). 3 Ban travel to the EU by Israeli passport holders, including those with dual US citizenship. 4 All of the EU states to recognise the Palestine state, as Ireland, Spain and others will soon. 5 Ban El Al from EU airspace. 6 Expel every Israeli ambassador in EU countries. 7 Cut off the Israeli banking system - destroy their economy. 8 Convene Nuremberg 2.0 and charge Netanyahu, Gallant, Ben-Giv ..read more

Exactly ..read more

Wordle 1,034 3/6 Le Mot (@WordleFR) #830 2/6 ..read more

Like all of us, so will Putin and Zelenski be temporary ..read more

Not bad… Le Mot (@WordleFR) #830 3/6 Bad… Wordle 1,034 6/6 ..read more

DrMarkH: I’d posit two sets of aesthetic spectra Physical: From the beautiful to the grotesque. Non-physical - ie mental: From the sublime to the abject IOW in the former, the aesthetic properties are physical and reside in the object, whereas the latter are non-physical and reside in the mind of the spectator. As before, in the unlikely event that anyone’s te slightest bit interested, I’m happy to explain further… In the meantime, more importantly; I expected Arsenal to be knocked out, but not City (OTOH I’m a surprised, but happy United Mancunian ..read more

Wozza: If Western powers cut off the military and financial aid, or threaten to and started to cut back things would be very different. Yep, Israel would turn to Russia and China for aid - which I’m sure would arrive rapidly, albeit with strings attached. It seems extremely unlikely that there would be any sense of loyalty towards the west from Israel, rather relief at throwing off the shackles of a conflicted and ambiguous set of allies ..read more

Ancient_Mariner: John has consistently suggested ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia as a price for temporary cessation of overt armed conflict. Precisely, the cessation would only be temporary ..read more