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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How Can The World Stand By While Trump Sucks Up To Putin?

330 replies

Nolieinforme · 19/02/2025 20:28

OK, so this probably isn't an AIBU, but I'm speechless that Trump is behaving like a bully and seems to be getting away with it.

He just lies. "Zelensky is a dictator" "Ukraine started the war" "Putin has done nothing wrong" etc, etc. I can hardly believe what's been said on the news today.

Why are the rest of the world letting this happen? If America want's to align themselves with Russia, then we should be returning the Chagos Islands without the huge sum of money promised, closing all the US airbases in the UK, closing the US embassy, and expelling their diplomats, etc, etc.

Trump is a madman and what is going to happen if no-one stands up to him? If this was anyone else they just wouldn't get away with it.

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 20/02/2025 17:51

Wildflowers99 · 20/02/2025 17:45

Everyone on the Starmer thread is talking about conscription like it’s likely!

(I don’t think it is).

It hasn’t been mentioned on that thread.

trainermush · 20/02/2025 17:56

@SernieBanders

Yes really, I don't think the governments has done much for the young in the last 20 years. Is that controversial? I am not saying people aren't needed to fight.

young people today owe a debt to every single person who has gone before them. They might have to step up.

Doesn't the vast majority of those alive now owe that debt?

Futb · 20/02/2025 17:57

Andwhoisasking · 20/02/2025 13:09

Unfortunately this post kind of nails it. We have spent years funding a society which is hugely state dependent. More sick and disabled than the any where else in the western world. We’ve ran defence spending into the ground because the hope is someone else will do it. Not enough money and too many on the sick. We’ve fucked our selves to be blunt.

Do you have a problem with disabled people? You seem to be targeting them in your rant! Disgusting

Futb · 20/02/2025 18:00

Wildflowers99 · 20/02/2025 13:20

This. It’s like asking why nobody stands up to Tyson Fury in a bar - there is nobody with the strength or power to reasonably take him on and make him back down.

Trump has been elected on a promise of putting America first and not liberally spending their ‘tax dollars’ policing the world and acting as a very expensive military deterrent for others. He has (I think quite reasonably) made the point that we have been happily defunding our own military safe in the knowledge they’ll properly fund theirs and we can hide behind them.

The UK has no standing any more. We have no proper allies - the USA has ghosted us, we are no longer in the EU, and our Empire is in the dustbin of history. We are still a member of NATO, but we have little influence over the major players anymore.

Add to that that we spend more on disability benefits alone than our entire military budget, our failing economy and high unemployment, and what weight do we have to throw around?

Same question to you…. Do you have a problem with disabled people and vulnerable people? Your post suggests you find them to be an inconvenience and they should just get on with it and stop ‘sponging’ off the state. Is that right?

AquaPeer · 20/02/2025 18:00

whatonearthisgoingonnow · 20/02/2025 16:00

UK doesn't need to pay much more.

Japan and Australia need to pay more.

NATO countries not meeting the target need to pay a lot more - Spain and Italy for example.

If countries that are otherwise neutral can be persuaded to pay money toward peacekeeping things or aid that would help too.

Or alternatively, since Ukraine has received $90bn from the US and they want $500bn of Ukrainian minerals, they can just give Ukraine another $350bn to win and still be in profit.

Why would Australia need to pay more? They’re sat in the ocean on their own completely secure unaffected by security in Europe or Africa or any other continent- why would you expect them to pay?

SernieBanders · 20/02/2025 18:01

trainermush · 20/02/2025 17:56

@SernieBanders

Yes really, I don't think the governments has done much for the young in the last 20 years. Is that controversial? I am not saying people aren't needed to fight.

young people today owe a debt to every single person who has gone before them. They might have to step up.

Doesn't the vast majority of those alive now owe that debt?

Then you’re blind. Because the country has provided them with somewhere safe to live a great education system, reliable and predictable society where you can trust institutions and know the taxes get spent on the right things and people pay them.

before you say”oh no they don’t” compare us to any other country but Switzerland.

we have low corruption high employment high literacy low infant mortality and it’s better than it ever, EVER has been.

yes they owe. And if there is a real war you either serve or go to prison, maybe get executed - we’re not special. This country has been strong and stable for a long time because when pushed we have pushed back. That requires sacrifice.

only young people can fight.

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:01

trainermush · 20/02/2025 17:56

@SernieBanders

Yes really, I don't think the governments has done much for the young in the last 20 years. Is that controversial? I am not saying people aren't needed to fight.

young people today owe a debt to every single person who has gone before them. They might have to step up.

Doesn't the vast majority of those alive now owe that debt?

I think we should avoid it and not offer young people to fight

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:02

@SernieBanders you clearly feel strongly, do you have sons that would be included?

SernieBanders · 20/02/2025 18:04

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:01

I think we should avoid it and not offer young people to fight

We might not have a choice.

What then?

SernieBanders · 20/02/2025 18:05

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:02

@SernieBanders you clearly feel strongly, do you have sons that would be included?

Assuming call up was at 16, yes before 2030.

SerendipityJane · 20/02/2025 18:06

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:01

I think we should avoid it and not offer young people to fight

Read up on "paying the Dane geld"

headstone · 20/02/2025 18:06

There is only a certain amount of money, some people would prefer it was used to fight Russians in Ukraine others would prefer it was used on the NHS.
Personally I don’t see Putin as a threat to the UK and unlike many dictators he does come across as mentally stable, I think the Putin will take over the world rhetoric to be very hyperbolic. I do have immense sympathy for Ukrainian though but not enough to want to send my own sons to war.

SernieBanders · 20/02/2025 18:07

headstone · 20/02/2025 18:06

There is only a certain amount of money, some people would prefer it was used to fight Russians in Ukraine others would prefer it was used on the NHS.
Personally I don’t see Putin as a threat to the UK and unlike many dictators he does come across as mentally stable, I think the Putin will take over the world rhetoric to be very hyperbolic. I do have immense sympathy for Ukrainian though but not enough to want to send my own sons to war.

How close does Putin need to get to your front door before you ARE prepared to take a stand ?

Newbutoldfather · 20/02/2025 18:07

Why do people on MN keep bringing conscription up?

Who are we going to be fighting, and where?

If you are thinking Ukraine, that would be as peacekeepers after a negotiated settlement, and the ‘offer’ (which is very tentative anyway) is 30,000 from all of Europe.

Conscripts are useless soldiers and we have no need of them.

It’s just never going to happen, although the suggestion seems popular on MN!

BIossomtoes · 20/02/2025 18:08

Putin and Trump combined are a threat to the whole world @headstone.

SernieBanders · 20/02/2025 18:09

Newbutoldfather · 20/02/2025 18:07

Why do people on MN keep bringing conscription up?

Who are we going to be fighting, and where?

If you are thinking Ukraine, that would be as peacekeepers after a negotiated settlement, and the ‘offer’ (which is very tentative anyway) is 30,000 from all of Europe.

Conscripts are useless soldiers and we have no need of them.

It’s just never going to happen, although the suggestion seems popular on MN!

“Never” is a shortsighted term. It could happen. Very quickly.

EasternStandard · 20/02/2025 18:10

Newbutoldfather · 20/02/2025 18:07

Why do people on MN keep bringing conscription up?

Who are we going to be fighting, and where?

If you are thinking Ukraine, that would be as peacekeepers after a negotiated settlement, and the ‘offer’ (which is very tentative anyway) is 30,000 from all of Europe.

Conscripts are useless soldiers and we have no need of them.

It’s just never going to happen, although the suggestion seems popular on MN!

It's a no thanks from me, I'm not convinced on the 30k to start with let alone more

Augustus40 · 20/02/2025 18:11

I wonder if Trump is seriously losing his marbles.

AquaPeer · 20/02/2025 18:11

Nolieinforme · 20/02/2025 17:21

Husband just saying to our DS (22) to prepare for conscription, is this how our military is going to be boosted?

Edited

This is such a drama llama useless thing for him to say.

this situation has really highlighted to me how so many people rely on sound bites and unfounded drama. It’s so ironic how many years we’ve spent accusing the far right of this tbh.

Andwhoisasking · 20/02/2025 18:12

Futb · 20/02/2025 17:57

Do you have a problem with disabled people? You seem to be targeting them in your rant! Disgusting

Hardly. How about calm down and try reading again. It’s fact. Our welfare budget is higher than our defence. That’s going to be a huge problem now America have taken their ball home.

Newbutoldfather · 20/02/2025 18:12

@SernieBanders ,

‘Never” is a shortsighted term. It could happen. Very quickly.’

So, I reiterate, who are we going to be using conscripts to fight, and where?

AquaPeer · 20/02/2025 18:12

Also, the modern military is increasingly using technology in the place of boots on the ground. A massive war doesn’t mean what it meant 80 years ago

headstone · 20/02/2025 18:13

I don’t agree Blossomtoes, USA isnt a threat to its allies, Putin is imo only threat to the former Soviet Union , he won’t attack a NATO country. So I’m not worried for the UK tbh, although I do sympathise with the countries that will be affected but not enough to go to war with Russia.

trainermush · 20/02/2025 18:13

What then?

I'll go in their place?

trainermush · 20/02/2025 18:13

that's true @AquaPeer but we will still need to fund it.