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Russian ex-spy critically ill after exposure to a "substance"
Happens what? A couple of Russian traitors getting whacked? Yes, there is a big stink about this but it's not it has not happened before. We're not going to war over this. Might be a few James Bond thing going on but we never hear about those.
For a pretend Foreign Service Member, you sure know squat all. The Americans DID NOT INVOKE ARTICLE 5. The NATO allies did ... with no request to do so from the Americans. If you were in the Foreign Service, you SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT. ARTICLE 5 was passed through our Parliments!
But you were saying Article 5 was not invoked after 9/11 when it was. I agree though I think it highly unlikely that the UK will ask for it to be invoked (as the US did then). See https://www.nato.int/docu/review/200...5/EN/index.htm
Happens what? A couple of Russian traitors getting whacked? Yes, there is a big stink about this but it's not it has not happened before. We're not going to war over this. Might be a few James Bond thing going on but we never hear about those.
Sorry i misread your previous post. There will be no article 5 asked for by the UK
Anyway, Russia wants the world to know they did this. They could have bumped him off any number of discrete ways but no. They had to pick a way that would leave no doubt as to who was responsible and this point would be publicised every where.
They want to send a message. Question is to whom.
Their personnel ? are they facing defection problems. In which case this guy was probably the easiest and what he did didn't matter but his former connection to Russia does.
But you were saying Article 5 was not invoked after 9/11 when it was. I agree though I think it highly unlikely that the UK will ask for it to be invoked (as the US did then). See https://www.nato.int/docu/review/200...5/EN/index.htm
If the Americans didn't ask for ARTICLE 5 over 11 Sept, the Brits won't ask for it over this.
The NATO allies -MINUS THE AMERICANS- were the ones who invoked ARTICLE 5! Or are you too stupid to actually know what really happened? As a show of solidarity with the Americans on that terrible day, WE WERE THE ONES WHO INVOKED ARTICLE 5 to come to American defence. The Americans NEVER asked NATO to do so. It did not even occurred to them to ask!
If you were at the Foreign Office (and those shows you really were not there), you would have known the communications traffics with all the NATO capitals to invoke ARTICLE 5. Washington DC was not among them. They were too damned busy.
Anyway, Russia wants the world to know they did this. They could have bumped him off any number of discrete ways but no. They have to pick a way that would leave no doubt as to who was responsible and this point would be publicised every where.
They want to send a message. Question is to whom.
Their personnel ? are they facing defection problems. In which case this guy was probably the easiest and what he did didn't matter but his former connection to Russia does.
The UK and by extension NATO ? seems pointless
Or, Putin just had 300 of his little green men whacked in Syria. He needed to show that he's strong to folks back home ahead of the election. He calculated that this was a sure fire way and even the diplomatic recriminations afterwards would just be like candy to his support base.
Even Turkey could be perceived to be pushing him around in Afrin.
Also helps to send message to would be spies: you're never safe, anywhere.
The NATO allies -MINUS THE AMERICANS- were the ones who invoked ARTICLE 5! Or are you too stupid to actually know what really happened? As a show of solidarity with the Americans on that terrible day, WE WERE THE ONES WHO INVOKED ARTICLE 5 to come to American defence. The Americans NEVER asked NATO to do so. It did not even occurred to them to ask!
"The US response was quick. I subsequently learned that after consulting with his deputy, Toria Nuland, Burns had passed the text to Secretary of State Colin Powell with his recommendation to support it. Powell quickly authorised Burns to do so and in parallel consulted President George W. Bush. By the time the Council met, President Bush had signalled his support too."
Or, Putin just had 300 of his little green men whacked in Syria. He needed to show that he's strong to folks back home ahead of the election. He calculated that this was a sure fire way and even the diplomatic recriminations afterwards would just be like candy to his support base.
Even Turkey could be perceived to be pushing him around in Afrin.
Also helps to send message to would be spies: you're never safe, anywhere.
I think you've got it there with the elections. This is about domestic politics and making Russia great again.
He isn't gloating about it but the people know. He's doing it because he's insecure.
What if the CCP is in the same boat and for a while now.
All that nonsense in the SCS for the last ten years. Just a live drama for the home crowd? fighting over rocks makes sense now because militarily they are useless.
Create this aggressive exterior, rile up the neighbours because internally they're weak and soft.
This is what makes these countries dangerous
What if reforms fail (any reforms is empty talk since the lat ten years in Russia's case)
What if the economy tanks
What if you get millions of Russians or Chinese demonstrating on the streets
"The US response was quick. I subsequently learned that after consulting with his deputy, Toria Nuland, Burns had passed the text to Secretary of State Colin Powell with his recommendation to support it. Powell quickly authorised Burns to do so and in parallel consulted President George W. Bush. By the time the Council met, President Bush had signalled his support too."
You can't even read your own sources. Where IN THAT did the US ASKED for ARTICLE 5? The US accepted ARTICLE 5 when the rest of the NATO allies offerred BUT THEY DID NOT ASKED!!!!!!
You asserted that "The NATO allies -MINUS THE AMERICANS- were the ones who invoked ARTICLE 5!". The US was "too busy". That there zero US input - that all the others got together and invoked Article 5 "MINUS THE AMERICANS". You also say it was passed by the Parliament; maybe the Canadian one. Can't find a vote in the UK Parliament on Article 5. There were issues; did Article 5 cover acts of 'terrorism' etc... But very clearly the US was involved in the decision to invoke Article 5. The US Ambassador Nick Burns spoke to Toria Nuland (then his deputy) and passed on a paper about invoking Article 5 to Colin Powell; Powell said go ahead and say this is what we want to do and spoke to Bush who agreed. To describe this as being "The NATO allies -MINUS THE AMERICANS" when the whole US hierarchy from the President down through the Secretary of State is involved in the decision making process seems to me to terminologically inexact.
Or, Putin just had 300 of his little green men whacked in Syria.
Hmm, is a month enough to pull this op off if it was because of Syria ?
He said that interest has only increased since the Russian foreign ministry reported that five Russians died in a US bombing raid on pro-regime troops attacking opposition forces in Syria's Deir Ezzor province on February 7.
“Now, it’s more about getting revenge than it is about money,” he said.
But the chief warned that these revenge-seekers don’t know the whole story. According to him, it wasn’t just five Russians killed in the American raid – it was 218. (US officials have said about 100 pro-regime fighters were killed, without specifying whether they were Syrian army, Russian or other forces.)
However, the paramilitary chief said only 150 bodies have so far been recovered.
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