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Subject: russia ? the grand game ?
sofa    8/28/2008 11:50:11 PM
England seem to have withdrawn from the world stage. There was a time when great thinkers would pontificate and rally western countries. Now.. the lack of will, money, capabilities, and ideas - It's the roar of silence. Nostalgic for what seems to have been lost.
 
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DragonReborn       8/29/2008 5:23:29 AM
 
The World moves on troll. Gone are the days of sending the Royal Navy to run Gunship Diplomacy.
 
h!!p://uk.news.yahoo.com/politics/20080827/tpl-miliband-visits-ukraine-as-russia-up-81c5b50.html

Miliband visits Ukraine as Russia ups the stakes

 UK Foreign secretary David Miliband is visiting Ukraine today, as he seeks to build an international "coalition" against Russia's actions in Georgia.

Yesterday Russia announced it would recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway provinces South Ossetia and Abkhazia, angering the Foreign Office and other members of the international community.

Mr Miliband responded by saying he would seek the "widest possible coalition against Russian aggression in Georgia".

He will meet the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yushchenko, as well as his prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and foreign minister Vladimir Ogryzko in Kiev today.

The Ukrainians have a tense relationship with Russia at present thanks to the presence of Russia's Black Sea fleet in the Crimea, which has been used in operations against Georgia in the recent conflict. Its lease expires in 2017.

Mr Yushchenko's links with Britain are strong at present after a successful visit to London earlier this year, in which he courted British support for Ukrainian entry into Nato.

And with Britain being a vociferous supporter of a more confrontational policy with Russia than other European countries like France and Germany, today's visit is likely to continue harmonious relations.

Mr Miliband described Russia's decision to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia as "unjustifiable and unacceptable".

He criticised it for not taking into account the views of thousands of people forced to abandon their homes in the two territories and for not adhering to the principles of the peace agreement.

"We fully support Georgia's independence and territorial integrity, which cannot be changed by decree from Moscow," Mr Miliband said.

"We again call on Russia to abide by international law as the basis for resolving this crisis; and to implement urgently and in full Russia's commitments to withdraw forces from Georgia to pre-August 7th positions."

 

 
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Yimmy       8/29/2008 10:57:49 AM
Miliband is a weakling and an idiot.
 
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DragonReborn    Milliband   8/30/2008 5:59:10 AM
Before he stepped up to challenge Brown, I had thought that he looked like a great candidate to lead Labour and challenge Cameron, but agree that his conduct so far has been less than inspiring.
 
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sofa       1/31/2009 7:53:38 AM
if you disagree with the post, how about discussing it?
'ad hominem' attacks only demonstrate that you're incapable or unwilling to resort to 'data and reason'.
__________________
 
The supposition is... that there was an extended period of  time when England created a multitude of great thinkers who played a significant role in western thought and discourse.
I am nostalgic for the day when England once again provides those great thinkers that the world needs.
 
The time is ripe for an Orwell, Wells, Churchill, and so many others.
 
Rather than slouching into the future, it would be better if things returned to normal, and we had some great Brits leading the way again.
 
The best case would be that there are such people, and somone could suggest some reading?
 
 
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lurker       1/31/2009 4:22:31 PM
It seems the west in general is experiencing a general lack of will for power. We've forgotten that while compassion is good, it takes a certain ruthlessness in diplomacy to stay on top. We must stay sharp to emerging threats. to become complacent is to sow the seeds of our fall from grace.
 
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perfectgeneral2       2/12/2009 2:24:08 PM
The backbone is require behind the scenes. The stagecraft of politics needs the sensitivity of a skilled thespian. Japan gets the high speed rail contract because we have insufficient intelligence on their technology. Russia rattles her sabre because Europe hasn't equipped herself with enough independent energy. Soft leverage allows the great game to continue in the post nuclear world. We have doubled our spook budget and the energy gap is closing, but the really good news is 2000 extra PhD places. Our players may have some lines to learn if we can develop novel levers on the workings of the world economy.
 
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