Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Preparing for whatever comes

I think the world is already adopting the "Gargle My Balls" slogan in dealing with the United States.
Preparations to fight Trump, with his annexation agenda and his pro-dictator policies, now seem to be underway around the world -- in Europe, in Asia, even here in Canada.
Basically, the democracies of the world are moving on without the United States. 
Just a week ago, Black Cloud Six wrote
For months, I’ve been calling for decisive action to improve our defence capabilities and disentangle Canada from the U.S. It seems—finally—our leadership has realized this too. We may reach a point where the West makes a clear break with Trump and his regime in Washington, but we’re not there yet. Europe (along with Canada and the UK) will try almost anything to prevent such a break. I just hope it doesn’t come at the cost of our sovereignty and honour.
I dare to believe that already the clear break is happening. 
Last week, the European Union met in London with Trudeau and everyone carried on without the US.
Tuesday of this week was particularly busy too.  First there was a large NATO summit in France to discuss Ukraine - the United States was NOT invited:

You don't invite the enemy to a summit to deal with the enemy . #Cdnpoli #Uspoli

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— Pat (@pat112.bsky.social) March 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
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Here in Canada, Carney was already meeting with our security agencies and military leaders on Tuesday: 
Prime minister-designate Mark Carney is spending part of his second day as Liberal leader meeting with the heads of Canada’s national security agencies, CTV News has learned. 
 According to a source close to Carney, he is receiving national security briefings days ahead of his anticipated swearing-in as prime minister of Canada. 
 Posts on social media show Carney also had meetings in the Ottawa area with Canada’s ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman, the fentanyl czar Kevin Brosseau and the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan. 
I suspect when Trump saw Europe and Canada stepping in last week, he hurried up Rubio and the Saudis to make a quick ceasefire announcement. 
So on Tuesday the American news media were excitedly announcing a Ukraine ceasefire! Great! But as I heard the news, I did wonder how Trump could possibly succeed so quickly with his insulting Ukraine-shut-up-and-sing strategy? 
Turns out, never mind...
First, this was posted at noon:

‼️ Ukraine is ready to accept the US proposal for an immediate 30‑day ceasefire—if Russia agrees and acts simultaneously. The US immediately lifts its pause on intelligence sharing and resumes security assistance to Ukraine. www.president.gov.ua/en/news/spil...

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— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) March 11, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Next, just an hour later...

The ceasefire ended before it even began. Expecting anything else from russia would have been naive.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 11, 2025 at 1:09 PM

Russia, Ukraine stepping up attacks on each other https://www.byteseu.com/820416/ Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks against one another. In recent moves, Russia conducted a major offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk, and Ukraine launched massive drone attacks on Russian …

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— BYTESEU (@byteseu.bsky.social) March 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Oh well....

Ceasefires are not peace, nor are they binding. Putin knows this all too well. He has violated every one of them.

— Steven Seegel (@stevenseegel.bsky.social) March 11, 2025 at 2:20 PM
And in other news: 
Its going to be Four Eyes, not Five now

I'm seeing reports on Canadian Arctic defense activities too And from South Korea
We have a new icebreaker ordered at last:
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And capacity to build armoured vehicles Our family has been talking about what we might do or even could do, if the situation really deteriorated. Tonight I found this manual from Sweden, so I'm including the link here:
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As Winston Churchill said to our Parliament in 1941, at the end of the "some chicken some neck" speech: 
Let us then address ourselves to our task, not in any way underrating its tremendous difficulties and perils, but in good heart and sober confidence, resolved that, whatever the cost, whatever the suffering, we shall stand by one another, true and faithful comrades, and do our duty, God helping us, to the end. 
And here, just because I love it, my favorite scene from Darkest Hour:

4 comments:

lungta said...

Fake news or are 3 out of 20 of 18 to 54 enlisting in MAGA? or hang back to be subversive? and the older elite don't care what flag they remain rich under either.
Liked the romance of the Churchill clip. Now factor in "lil pp and the anti canadian opposition in that same chamber.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/large-majority-of-canadians-reject-trumps-annexation-overtures-poll-suggests/
"The poll sampled more than 1,500 Canadian adults from Feb. 28 to March 2. Because the poll was conducted online, it can’t be assigned a margin of error.

Men were more open to the idea of becoming U.S. citizens, at 17 per cent, compared with seven per cent of women. Respondents over the age of 55 were least likely to want a U.S. citizenship, at six per cent, compared with 17 per cent of those between 18 and 34 years old and 16 per cent of respondents between 35 and 54.

Conservative respondents were much more interested in becoming American citizens (21 per cent) than Liberal and NDP respondents (5 per cent each)."
The real horror for me is the idea that donkey donny has no depth of comprehension, none, and a conclave of sycophants saying "Oh Ya" to his every fantasy so he has no reason to develop understanding. It's a plan.
The "uber intelligent" tech buzzards circle his office waiting to feast on the pieces. Wars on any level always enrich the few.

Jenn Jilks said...

It is a disaster. I hope Canada makes changes. And doesn't elect PP.
I'm off X, sho thanks for sharing this.

Purple library guy said...

A lot of this military stuff is kind of stupid. We are staring an old reality in the face that we have long ignored: The only real military threat to Canada is the United States. So, if the US attacks, what are we going to do with shiny expensive new destroyers? They'll just die, nobody except maybe China on its own turf can challenge the US navy. We are also not going to line up our armoured vehicles to defend a front line against the US army.

What we need is the means for a seriously turbo-charged insurgency warfare. So for instance we need drones, lots of drones. We need explosive devices to put in roads or blow up pipelines etc. south of the border. We need infantry gear of various kinds. We need human-portable antiaircraft missiles--those won't work against the serious high altitude planes, but they'll be great against attack helicopters. We need to establish lots of little hidden supply dumps and safe houses, both in urban and wilderness settings. All that kind of stuff.

The good news is, all that stuff is probably a lot cheaper than destroyers and armoured vehicles.

Cathie from Canada said...

Yes, lungta, Trump is a profoundly stupid man but also dangerous I think - I still think we should just give him millions plus two golf courses and see if that satisfied him (yes, I'm joking, I think...)
Glad to hear you can still read the X posts, Jen - I am never sure whether I should post these or not these days, but there is still some stuff there that I cannot find elsewhere.
And some good comments, PLG - I agree with you about the kind of equipment Canada should be getting, though I am still horrified that this might actually be necessary. Its a worthwhile investment anyway, I think, because even if Trump is gone in 2028 (and I'm not sure he will be) America could well elect another guy just as nutty but maybe smarter.