Is this the wrong time to ask why Johnson is allocating billions to new nuclear weapons?
Andy – ~I have deleted the offending words! The question remains regarding planes versus tanks. You also had a wee rant about the fascist homophobic nutter that is Putin. I will not defend him in anyway – nor the intervention by Russia in the Ukraine. However I do believe an understanding of the geopolitics is necessary. Just as the British did in NI centuries ago, Russia settled large parts of the country with Russian speakers. And therefore suggests that it should have influence. Rights and wrongs do not really come into it – diplomacy is needed and probably concessions made by the west, and NATO in particular. NATO has grown spectacularly over the past couple of decades. That Russia feels threatened is probably/possibly with some justification. With Russia basically having a third world economy its military is really the only way for Putin to exude a semblance of world superpower status, and stem the fall in his support.
Right wing politicians in the UK regularly try to evoke the “Dunkirk spirit’ and ‘the Battle of Britain’. With 20-30 million deaths in WW2 Putin is just playing to his power base. I am not suggesting appeasement or supporting Russia – but I do believe there is need for sensible dialog rather than rhetoric and bluster.