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

[Redheadedstepchild]

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.

I agree with a majority of what you’re saying, except that Russia and America are allies. Trump thinks they’re allies but I bet Putin doesn’t. He knows he is in control. I bet he is rubbing his hands together now that China has said they will go to war with the US.

Quite a few Americans post on MN.

Europe has been appalling in all this, playing a game it cannot win without declaring itself as a player, for FOUR years people have died for no tangible results, isn't it enough now?

Yeah and of course China seizing the moment.

WTAF? Why do you think your choice is between war or a fucking lockdown which by the way no one is ever going to fall for again.

why are you all applauding this war mongering talk, hasn’t it gone on for long enough? Rhetorical q.

it’s easy to cheer for a war when it’s not you on the front line or have you all signed up already

So your solution is what, exactly? russia attacked Ukraine and potentially has its sights on other countries it previously occupied, who are now in NATO. America is no longer an ally. They're an openly crazy, hostile nation, led by mercantile warmongering mad men, squaring up to China of all places. Europe is weakened, unprepared, has been sitting long enough twiddling their thumbs and counting on America's help.

And with all that going on, we (collectively) should do what? Fingers in ears and lalala, nothing's going on, roses, butterflies and we wish for peace in the world? We can wish however much we want to, russia, China and US clearly disagree.

So we need to prepare, as this time no one's coming to save us.

It is utterly insane that on a plant with billions of people so few have such power over the lives and deaths of the majority. We are at the mercy of their power whims. Greed and power.

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?

No. Rape, bodily strength disparity, and the fact most women are mothers and therefore carers makes this impossible. Men won’t fight if there’s nothing at home to protect as their girlfriend/wife has been sent to the frontline and family split up.

Quite possibly. Women would cover roles at home to allow male regular troops to fight. It’s not exactly unknown, my mum was called up in 1942.

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)

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.

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

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.

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.

That’s not entirely true is it?

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?

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

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

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

Yes, it is. But you already know this.

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.

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