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Original poster

Président Macron's speech tonight. (with English subtitles, I hope)

161 replies

Redheadedstepchild · 05/03/2025 20:35

1

I hope that this uploads with English subtitles but if it doesn't, you should be able to get them up. I can't form any opinion about what he had to say right now, just passing it on.

OP posts:
JoyousGreyOrca · 05/03/2025 23:54

Hwi · 05/03/2025 23:48

Everybody should pay their own way. Including us. Rely on nobody.

Does that mean the US are removing their nuclear weapons from European soil?

Hwi · 05/03/2025 23:48

Everybody should pay their own way. Including us. Rely on nobody.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:45

And frankly, I don’t blame them

JoyousGreyOrca · 05/03/2025 23:45

@EmpressoftheMundane no other country will ever give up their nuclear weapons after Russia's invasion of Ukraine

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:44

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:37

Language only matters when it suits an agenda eh?

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As I was the person who introduced the topic of language being important, I have no idea what you are talking about.

EmpressoftheMundane · 05/03/2025 23:42

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:36

The very real threat hasn’t just appeared since Trump became President has it? So of course there will be questions about why now.

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I think Trump has been hostile, capricious and spiteful enough in the last 6 weeks to constitute a new and very real threat. The breakdown of the western alliance after 70 years is serious. The torpedoing of NAFTA after 30 years is significant.

A complete global realignment is alarming and it would be negligent not to respond.

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:39

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:36

The very real threat hasn’t just appeared since Trump became President has it? So of course there will be questions about why now.

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Everyone knows why now. Because Trump is a Putin puppet and that is a huge issue for European security.

Lark1ane · 05/03/2025 23:39

spuddy4 · 05/03/2025 23:31

Didn't see Europe step in when Cyprus was invaded illegally but this is Russia so it's different yeah?

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That was over fifty years ago. A different century even.
Or are you still in 1914 with the Greeks?

This is 2025, so yes it is different times.

EmpressoftheMundane · 05/03/2025 23:37

The UK is a maritime nation. We need to rebuild our navy, and make sure those nuclear subs are top notch. We also need to review five eyes.

France and Turkey have the biggest land armies. It will be very interesting to see what Turkey does or does not do.

America looks insane. If China is their real concern, it’s hard to see how destroying NAFTA snd NATO helps. Perhaps there will still be a rump NATO- everyone from the old alliance excluding the USA.

The US did not encourage Europe to rearm after WWII. I think NATO is why there has been peace in Europe- not the EU. (Nothing against the EU.)

Once Europe is rearmed, there is a chance of going back to infighting. Also, I would expect further nuclear proliferation now that the world is chaotic. No one will want to be vulnerable. It’s hard to say that the Ukrainians made the right choice to give up their nukes, when we look back in retrospect.

I have one dc studying engineering…lots of job opportunities coming, I suppose.

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:37

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:34

And I agree, but let’s not derail this thread

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Language only matters when it suits an agenda eh?

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:36

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:24

Interesting how certain posters are seeing this as Macron agitating for war instead of responding in an entirely sensible manner to the very real threat posed by Putin who has already illegally invaded one country and threatens others.

The very real threat hasn’t just appeared since Trump became President has it? So of course there will be questions about why now.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:34

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:34

Yes language does indeed matter. That’s why women don’t like being called cervix havers and menstruators. So you could say language always matters.

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And I agree, but let’s not derail this thread

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:34

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:32

Just wanted to be sure, as words and intonation matter more than ever right now

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Yes language does indeed matter. That’s why women don’t like being called cervix havers and menstruators. So you could say language always matters.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:34

spuddy4 · 05/03/2025 23:31

Didn't see Europe step in when Cyprus was invaded illegally but this is Russia so it's different yeah?

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Yes, it is. But you already know this.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:32

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:30

The facetious font wasn’t working when I typed that.

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Just wanted to be sure, as words and intonation matter more than ever right now

spuddy4 · 05/03/2025 23:31

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:24

Interesting how certain posters are seeing this as Macron agitating for war instead of responding in an entirely sensible manner to the very real threat posed by Putin who has already illegally invaded one country and threatens others.

Didn't see Europe step in when Cyprus was invaded illegally but this is Russia so it's different yeah?

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:30

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:19

As if any of that will matter if the shit really hits the fan.

The facetious font wasn’t working when I typed that.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:25

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:24

Interesting how certain posters are seeing this as Macron agitating for war instead of responding in an entirely sensible manner to the very real threat posed by Putin who has already illegally invaded one country and threatens others.

Quite. It’s enough to make one just a teensy bit suspicious, isn’t it?

noblegiraffe · 05/03/2025 23:24

Interesting how certain posters are seeing this as Macron agitating for war instead of responding in an entirely sensible manner to the very real threat posed by Putin who has already illegally invaded one country and threatens others.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:22

spuddy4 · 05/03/2025 23:21

Where's he been the past three years? Embarrassing watching everyone fawn over this when he hasn't done a damn thing up until now. It's only now leaders are doing something because Trump started the ball rolling. European leaders war mongering is getting tiresome, decent leaders would be pushing for peace not fanning the flames.

That’s not entirely true is it?

JoyousGreyOrca · 05/03/2025 23:21

We would not be fighting with untrained ground troops. We would be using professional soldiers, drones and aircraft. During the Gulf War we called up reservists.

spuddy4 · 05/03/2025 23:21

Where's he been the past three years? Embarrassing watching everyone fawn over this when he hasn't done a damn thing up until now. It's only now leaders are doing something because Trump started the ball rolling. European leaders war mongering is getting tiresome, decent leaders would be pushing for peace not fanning the flames.

WinterMorn · 05/03/2025 23:19

As if any of that will matter if the shit really hits the fan.

Tekbrobillionaire · 05/03/2025 23:16

HoppyFish · 05/03/2025 23:00

Interesting point about signing up. The UK army is so small, if we were to enter a ground war with Russia, conscription would be required. Would this be 50% men and 50% women?

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Given that the current prime minister and most of the cabinet have openly stated that they don’t know the difference between men and women, it’s anybody’s guess. They’d need to be inclusive and make sure that trans and non-binary are adequately represented, of course.

I don’t think this government will have the support of those nasty working class “right wing” “bigots” somehow.

Fawful · 05/03/2025 23:07

It's the course of action that NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe recommended yesterday in his BBC World at One interview.
When you consider that the US voted against a simple UN resolution to just condemn the Russian invasion 3 years on last week, alone apart from Russia, North Korean and Iran...
The quicker we can accept they are no longer allies, the better. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst etc. I'd be worried if our governments acted casually in what is clearly really weird times.
(Edited because I misunderstood FFSJulie’s post, sorry)