Skripal poisoning - May responds in House of Commons
A good, strong speech today from May in the House of Commons. We now know the poison that has so grievously injured Skripal, his daughter and a British police officer is from a family of nerve agents called 'novichok', developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and which are 5 to 8 times more powerful than VX gas.
The joking, dismissive Russian response tells you everything you need to know. If they were honest they would be expressing horror and concern, and offering all necessary support to investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. Instead we have the usual predictable moronic, smirking Russian response.
May said today that Russia has until 5pm tomorrow to tender a credible and acceptable response to the UK. If they do not, Her Majesty's Government will conclude that this was an "unlawful use of force" by the Russian state against the United Kingdom, on UK soil.
In international law, that is an act of war.
The Russians could prove their bona fides and honesty by condemning the attack and making real and serious efforts to serve up whoever is responsible for this (if indeed it was a faction within Russian intelligence, rather than directly ordered by Putin). They won't, and that tells you everything.
The joking, dismissive Russian response tells you everything you need to know. If they were honest they would be expressing horror and concern, and offering all necessary support to investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. Instead we have the usual predictable moronic, smirking Russian response.
May said today that Russia has until 5pm tomorrow to tender a credible and acceptable response to the UK. If they do not, Her Majesty's Government will conclude that this was an "unlawful use of force" by the Russian state against the United Kingdom, on UK soil.
In international law, that is an act of war.
The Russians could prove their bona fides and honesty by condemning the attack and making real and serious efforts to serve up whoever is responsible for this (if indeed it was a faction within Russian intelligence, rather than directly ordered by Putin). They won't, and that tells you everything.
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Original post by AlexanderHam
A good, strong speech today from May in the House of Commons. We now know the poison that has so grievously injured Skripal, his daughter and a British police officer is from a family of nerve agents called 'novichok', developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and which are 5 to 8 times more powerful than VX gas.
The joking, dismissive Russian response tells you everything you need to know. If they were honest they would be expressing horror and concern, and offering all necessary support to investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. Instead we have the usual predictable moronic, smirking Russian response.
May said today that Russia has until 5pm tomorrow to tender a credible and acceptable response to the UK. If they do not, Her Majesty's Government will conclude that this was an "unlawful use of force" by the Russian state against the United Kingdom, on UK soil.
In international law, that is an act of war.
The Russians could prove their bona fides and honesty by condemning the attack and making real and serious efforts to serve up whoever is responsible for this (if indeed it was a faction within Russian intelligence, rather than directly ordered by Putin). They won't, and that tells you everything.
The joking, dismissive Russian response tells you everything you need to know. If they were honest they would be expressing horror and concern, and offering all necessary support to investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. Instead we have the usual predictable moronic, smirking Russian response.
May said today that Russia has until 5pm tomorrow to tender a credible and acceptable response to the UK. If they do not, Her Majesty's Government will conclude that this was an "unlawful use of force" by the Russian state against the United Kingdom, on UK soil.
In international law, that is an act of war.
The Russians could prove their bona fides and honesty by condemning the attack and making real and serious efforts to serve up whoever is responsible for this (if indeed it was a faction within Russian intelligence, rather than directly ordered by Putin). They won't, and that tells you everything.
Havent seen you for a while.
Just to update I watched Suburra the film and the series and enjoyed both. Slightly less depressing than Gomorra plus it has sunshine and the Vatican. The main characters are good as well. They set it up nicely for when the big boys come to town.
PS I feel both sides know exactly who did it.
Also not sure we can respond in any credible way to have an impact, since that would need allies to respond and support us. the Russians are never going to admit and it will just be tit for tat. I expect UK energy companies will be nervous.
(edited 6 years ago)
How do you think we should respond? I believe the state should start by confiscating all Russian assets held in London. Make them prove they were purchased legitimately. Time to cleanse the capital of dirty Russian money. In fact, we should do that anyway. Whatever pisses off the oligarchs is bad for Putin.
Original post by 999tigger
Havent seen you for a while.
Just to update I watched Suburra the film and the series and enjoyed both. Slightly less depressing than Gomorra plus it has sunshine and the Vatican. The main characters are good as well. They set it up nicely for when the big boys come to town.
Just to update I watched Suburra the film and the series and enjoyed both. Slightly less depressing than Gomorra plus it has sunshine and the Vatican. The main characters are good as well. They set it up nicely for when the big boys come to town.
I can't wait for season 2. Poor Spadino
That look he gives Aureliano when they are sharing a cigarette.
The guy who plays him, Giacomo Ferarra, is an acting genius imho.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Three other good shows you might enjoy;
Rick and Morty
The Americans
The Expanse
Original post by Captain Haddock
How do you think we should respond? I believe the state should start by confiscating all Russian assets held in London. Make them prove they were purchased legitimately. Time to cleanse the capital of dirty Russian money. In fact, we should do that anyway. Whatever pisses off the oligarchs is bad for Putin.
Exactly, confiscating oligarch assets (at least, those oligarchs friendly with Putin; no reason to make his enemies uncomfortable too) is a very good start. Lots of Russians send their kids to school here, to university. Make it very clear that if you are a Putin-linked oligarch or high government official, your kid will never go to Oxford or Cambridge or an English public school.
We should also shut off the spigot of visas for Russians. Make it a lot harder for them to get visas to come to the UK. Expel some Russian diplomats. And start investing money to free ourselves of our dependency on Russian LNG gas imports.
Oh and the one thing that would really get Putin's back up... start making large-scale arms shipments to the Ukrainian government.
Original post by AlexanderHam
I can't wait for season 2. Poor Spadino That look he gives Aureliano when they are sharing a cigarette.
The guy who plays him, Giacomo Ferarra, is an acting genius imho.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Three other good shows you might enjoy;
Rick and Morty
The Americans
The Expanse
That look he gives Aureliano when they are sharing a cigarette.The guy who plays him, Giacomo Ferarra, is an acting genius imho.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Three other good shows you might enjoy;
Rick and Morty
The Americans
The Expanse
Seem all. Saving Americans.
Best series for a while is Counterpart. Loving that.
Original post by 999tigger
Seem all. Saving Americans.
Best series for a while is Counterpart. Loving that.
Best series for a while is Counterpart. Loving that.
What the heck... Counterpart is a new TV show with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating. How have I not seen it!? Thank you for pointing it my way
Do check out The Americans, you will enjoy it. It's a very intelligent show, and becomes more so each season (I'm sad the last season starts next month). And actually all the more topical now; it is set in 1980s Washington DC, the two lead characters are Soviet intelligence officers living undercover.
Its depiction of the intelligence world is actually quite realistic; it's much more Tinker, Tailor than James Bond.
Have you seen Westworld? (is that a silly question? You obviously have good TV tastes)
Original post by 999tigger
Seem all. Saving Americans.
Best series for a while is Counterpart. Loving that.
Best series for a while is Counterpart. Loving that.
Btw, have you seen the Suburra movie? It was filmed a few years before the series was created. It's amazingly good, the cinematography is really exceptional, the music magnificent (hey, anything that can have M83 Outro in the score without seeming pretentious gets the thumbs up from me... hard to find visual material that lives up to the song)
[video="youtube;AYwpxrt7ZLA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYwpxrt7ZLA[/video]
Original post by AlexanderHam
What the heck... Counterpart is a new TV show with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating. How have I not seen it!? Thank you for pointing it my way
Do check out The Americans, you will enjoy it. It's a very intelligent show, and becomes more so each season (I'm sad the last season starts next month). And actually all the more topical now; it is set in 1980s Washington DC, the two lead characters are Soviet intelligence officers living undercover.
Its depiction of the intelligence world is actually quite realistic; it's much more Tinker, Tailor than James Bond.
Have you seen Westworld? (is that a silly question? You obviously have good TV tastes)
Do check out The Americans, you will enjoy it. It's a very intelligent show, and becomes more so each season (I'm sad the last season starts next month). And actually all the more topical now; it is set in 1980s Washington DC, the two lead characters are Soviet intelligence officers living undercover.
Its depiction of the intelligence world is actually quite realistic; it's much more Tinker, Tailor than James Bond.
Have you seen Westworld? (is that a silly question? You obviously have good TV tastes)
yes I have all the Americans and know what its about. I meant I am just saving it. I hoard high quality stuff.
Counterpart could have gone so wrong, but it gets better with each episode. I really like it plus the actors are committed. I wait for each episode. Reveals are slow.
Glad Starz are still in the game its like their replacement for Black Sails. Good music, good production values. JK Simmons is excellent, although it feels clunky at first.
yes ofc to Westworld. Its a bit quite on the TV front at the moment looking forward to both that and expanse returning.
Original post by Captain Haddock
How do you think we should respond? I believe the state should start by confiscating all Russian assets held in London. Make them prove they were purchased legitimately. Time to cleanse the capital of dirty Russian money. In fact, we should do that anyway. Whatever pisses off the oligarchs is bad for Putin.
This also has the double whammy of being something Labour should want to do anyway. Get to hammer the tories who deeply involved in promoting this kind of market.
It's a shame that she can't be this strong and stable when it comes to Brexit...
Would be interesting to see what effect confiscating millions of pounds worth of Russian assets, maybe some deportations and refused visas would do to an already fragile London house market.
I am not sure of Theresa May's play here. Should the Russians fail to respond in time and she declares the poisoning an act of war against the UK what follows next? I can't imagine anyone in Westminster has any appetite at all for a serious conflict, military or otherwise. Say she does confiscate a load of Russian property, what comes next if the Russians continue to be uncooperative or God forbid, hit another target?
I am not sure of Theresa May's play here. Should the Russians fail to respond in time and she declares the poisoning an act of war against the UK what follows next? I can't imagine anyone in Westminster has any appetite at all for a serious conflict, military or otherwise. Say she does confiscate a load of Russian property, what comes next if the Russians continue to be uncooperative or God forbid, hit another target?
Original post by 999tigger
yes I have all the Americans and know what its about. I meant I am just saving it. I hoard high quality stuff.
Counterpart could have gone so wrong, but it gets better with each episode.
Counterpart could have gone so wrong, but it gets better with each episode.
Interesting take, I'm interested to watch more. I watched half of the first episode before I went to bed last night, enjoying it so far. Just about to start watching the rest
Glad Starz are still in the game its like their replacement for Black Sails. Good music, good production values.
And Outlander, although Outlander went a bit off the rails in this last season (very hit and miss).
yes ofc to Westworld. Its a bit quite on the TV front at the moment looking forward to both that and expanse returning.
Most definitely, the next few months are looking good; we have Westworld, The Americans, the Expanse, Legion, Handmaid's Tale. Beyond that, it seems like a bit of a desert (I guess we have Jack Ryan in August... I'm looking forward to that).
Original post by AlexanderHam
Interesting take, I'm interested to watch more. I watched half of the first episode before I went to bed last night, enjoying it so far. Just about to start watching the rest
And Outlander, although Outlander went a bit off the rails in this last season (very hit and miss).
Most definitely, the next few months are looking good; we have Westworld, The Americans, the Expanse, Legion, Handmaid's Tale. Beyond that, it seems like a bit of a desert (I guess we have Jack Ryan in August... I'm looking forward to that).
And Outlander, although Outlander went a bit off the rails in this last season (very hit and miss).
Most definitely, the next few months are looking good; we have Westworld, The Americans, the Expanse, Legion, Handmaid's Tale. Beyond that, it seems like a bit of a desert (I guess we have Jack Ryan in August... I'm looking forward to that).
I tend to fill in with scandi crime stuff so have s4 if the Bridge.
Tbh with counterpart you think possibly gimmicky plus a bit cheap and tacky, but go with the flow and it starts to grow on you. Dont go too fast as you can then reach the end of S1 just as it finishes in a couple of weeks. I have my own theory. It is just different an I enjoy the pace and ideas.
One thing I agree with Corbyn on. This reminds me of that recent time Assad used chemical weapons before Trump bombed that airfield.
I’m not A fan boy of Purim (he’s a corrupt, brutal head of a kleptocracy) but this obsession with Russia and Russian interference Is delusional and dangerous.
I’m not A fan boy of Purim (he’s a corrupt, brutal head of a kleptocracy) but this obsession with Russia and Russian interference Is delusional and dangerous.
Original post by Davij038
Sounds like ZOG in full action to me.
ZOG? As in 'Zionist Occupation Government'? As in the moronic neo-Nazi conspiracy theory alleging Jews control global events?
Original post by 999tigger
I tend to fill in with scandi crime stuff so have s4 if the Bridge.
Tbh with counterpart you think possibly gimmicky plus a bit cheap and tacky, but go with the flow and it starts to grow on you. Dont go too fast as you can then reach the end of S1 just as it finishes in a couple of weeks. I have my own theory. It is just different an I enjoy the pace and ideas.
Tbh with counterpart you think possibly gimmicky plus a bit cheap and tacky, but go with the flow and it starts to grow on you. Dont go too fast as you can then reach the end of S1 just as it finishes in a couple of weeks. I have my own theory. It is just different an I enjoy the pace and ideas.
Just started watching episode 2, it has Stephen Rea in it! (or innit!)
That guy is a genius actor (although he was married to violent IRA terrorist Delours Price for years... his politics stink)
Original post by AlexanderHam
Just started watching episode 2, it has Stephen Rea in it! (or innit!)
That guy is a genius actor (although he was married to violent IRA terrorist Delours Price for years... his politics stink)
That guy is a genius actor (although he was married to violent IRA terrorist Delours Price for years... his politics stink)
all IRA terrorists are/were violent... it is part of the job description
I believe one of the most effective ways to punish Russia would be for GCHQ to hack into Russian networks and then release embarassing video, recordings etc of Putin, or Russian government officials. GCHQ and NSA have the capability to engage in these sorts of operations, for example, to switch on the cameras and microphones in someone's smartphone without them being aware.
Whereas Russia tends to be dependent on more primitive means of hacking (like using spearphishing and conning people into installing malware or giving up passwords), Western signals intelligence outfits tend to be highly proficient in direct hacking of computers and smartphones using zero-day exploits and the like. People tend to think Russia has this amazing cyber-capability when in fact it is little more sophisticated than a well-funded private hacking group. The West's cyber-capabilities are exceptional, but we invariably use the access we have on adversary computer networks to collect intelligence; when you have that sort of access, publicly releasing the information you have means losing that access, which we are loathe to do.
Still, it would be worth the pain. The UK should release embarassing video, recordings and also financial information (particularly that which shows corruption of Russian government officials), but they should release it through a made-up cutout organisation with a name like "RussiaLeaks", then smirk and laugh when Russia cries foul, and claim it has nothing to do with us.
That would be one of the best tastes of their own medicine
Whereas Russia tends to be dependent on more primitive means of hacking (like using spearphishing and conning people into installing malware or giving up passwords), Western signals intelligence outfits tend to be highly proficient in direct hacking of computers and smartphones using zero-day exploits and the like. People tend to think Russia has this amazing cyber-capability when in fact it is little more sophisticated than a well-funded private hacking group. The West's cyber-capabilities are exceptional, but we invariably use the access we have on adversary computer networks to collect intelligence; when you have that sort of access, publicly releasing the information you have means losing that access, which we are loathe to do.
Still, it would be worth the pain. The UK should release embarassing video, recordings and also financial information (particularly that which shows corruption of Russian government officials), but they should release it through a made-up cutout organisation with a name like "RussiaLeaks", then smirk and laugh when Russia cries foul, and claim it has nothing to do with us.
That would be one of the best tastes of their own medicine
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by AlexanderHam
Just started watching episode 2, it has Stephen Rea in it! (or innit!)
That guy is a genius actor (although he was married to violent IRA terrorist Delours Price for years... his politics stink)
That guy is a genius actor (although he was married to violent IRA terrorist Delours Price for years... his politics stink)
Which is what i said about the actors committing. They go for it and it all becomes a bit more credible and dark. It seems a bit B movie at first, but it gets more interesting when you eek out a bit more plot. It could have gone so wrong, but in fact it gets better. Anyway make your own mind up. I like it but I should shut up as I pefer people to make their own minds up and have a clean canvas.
Forgot to point out Altered Carbon on Netflix just in case you havent seen it. Make up your own mind.
(edited 6 years ago)
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