15th April 2022
Apologies for my tardiness ……
I wasn’t shocked to see that I haven’t blogged since New Year’s Eve given the atrocities that are unveiling themselves in Ukraine but I do apologise for my tardiness – although I do have my reasons and/or excuses as you will soon discover. In truth the tragedy unfolding as a consequence of Putin’s aggression makes anything I might have to say with regard to things en France for me and Karen seem inconsequential, trite even – but I will comment later on in this piece.
Firstly though I must comment on Putin’s madness. To push the western world to the brink of nuclear war using the pretext of a body of lies that put even Johnson and his cronies Brexit nonsense in the pale is beyond belief. His manipulation of the Russian media to perpetuate his myth that Ukraine and NATO are a threat to Russia beggars belief, as indeed does the fact that so many ordinary Russians believe him. The Ukrainians are putting up a brave fight to defend their homeland but unfortunately the West is failing them, and the rest of the world, where it is needed most. I firmly believe that Putin needs confronting with force if his aggression is to be stopped – and yes I know that he has his finger on the button – but is he mad enough to actually unleash a nuclear Armageddon (probably) and are his political, economic and military teams going to allow him (probably not). Another point worth investigating is whether or not his nuclear ‘deterrent’ is actually operational. Given the dire ineffectiveness of his ground and naval forces, through what looks like poor maintenance of equipment and an apparent lack of courage or enthusiasm, maybe not.
Yes I know that it’s a hell of a gamble but consider the alternatives. If we back down and allow the occupation of Ukraine who will be next? Those states that border Ukraine already feel threatened as do the Baltic States and I expect Serbia to take the opportunity to start upsetting things even more than usual in the Balkans. China’s position isn’t helping and we could see a new Sino / Russian power bloc emerging. I think perhaps not because Chinese will recognise that the Western world’s market and ability to pay far exceeds that of Russia although their opportunity to virtually enslave the Russian economy whilst draining their oil and gas reserves might be just a little too enticing. Whatever the outcome it will be Russia who will be worst off and it is only a matter of time before the ordinary Russian wakes up to that prospect.
If, as I suspect it is, the war in Ukraine is the precursor to World War III then the West should prepare for it on its own terms, not those dictated to or driven by the mad man in Moscow.
The Spanish Civil War of 1936 – 39, another example of nationalism undermining a democratically elected Government, was the start of the Second World War. It gave Hitler’s Germany a proxy war against Stalin’s USSR where they could practise on each other before the main event as it were. This preceded months of vacillation, appeasement and empty promises by Great Britain and France in an attempt to rein in Hitler but did nothing to prevent the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 and then the invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1938 saw no response from Great Britain and France other than to assure Poland of a response if Hitler attacked her. Hitler and Stalin’s secret pact gave Hitler the tacit permission he wanted and that was the start of WW II. The invasion of Poland was triggered by a ‘false flag’ attack by the SS on a radio tower at Gleiwitz (then in Germany) by the SS and Putin can be seen to be preparing for more atrocities by claiming that Ukraine and NATO have chemical weapons ready to use – along with stories of fascists and ill-treatment of ethnic Russians in Ukraine – all of which are false-flag untruths to try to justify Russian aggression in Ukraine.
I started writing this episode on 18th March and then it stalled (again) and my comments about Ukraine above were written then. The Ukrainians continue to resist heroically but European governments continue to pay Russia for their gas and oil supplies and so continue to fund Putin’s atrocities. I find this outrageous, inexcusable and actually cowardly. Yes the West would suffer some extra expense but compare that with what you see every night on the TV news. And I’ve got a plan. Stop paying Putin. Keep taking his gas and oil (until he turns it off) but put all the money that would have been sent to Putin – the best estimate is 1 billion euros a day (yes 1,000,000,000,000 € a day so that’s now up to 51,000,000,000,000 €) into a secure bank account, perhaps managed by the UN, to be used specifically to rebuild Ukraine when sense prevails and Russia withdraws its troops. The Russians have caused all the destruction and they should, no, must be held financially responsible for the necessary rebuilding of the country. Then the perpetrators of the deaths and destruction will need to be held to account.
I will be returning to accountability and others shortly.
A quick update on things here then: we both copped for Covid in February, fortunately only very mildly and no doubt as a result of being double jabbed and boostered. I just had a cold for a few days and Karen had a bit of a cough and sore throat, again for a few days.
Our building works continue. The conservatory is up, the underfloor heating is all connected and working and our friend Andy from down the road is busy tiling the floor – all 40 sq. metres of it. Andy should be finished early next week and the electrician has been arranged for Thursday next week to run in some sockets and then it will all be done. At last. Andy will then finish off the patio, which is another couple of days graft, and then we should be able to relax and enjoy the new facilities and not worry about builders’ merchant deliveries and other associated issues. We can’t wait!
Andy has also gravelled the drive down to the house, creating a little roundabout around a garden bed and also gravelled in front of the car-port so the grounds are also now beginning to take shape and look tidier. It’s all looking good and the next time I blog I will provide all the photos needed to show what we’ve done. Be prepared to be bored witless LOL.
I’m nearly finished for now but I do have to comment on what’s going on back home in the UK.
Why is that man still in office? Partygate has been proven, he has been fined and any politician in that position, with any kind of dignity, would have resigned but oh no, not him or Fishy Sunak. And I believe there are more fines to come – hopefully for more than a paltry £50. With ordinary members of society getting fined for thousands of pounds it’s a bit strange that Boris’ private army – whoops, sorry – the Metropolitan Police Service saw fit to only fine them both such a paltry amount. Those of you who thought Cressida Dick going might bring about a change in that bunch of crooks and criminals are totally wrong.
The war in Ukraine might deflect some of the criticism aimed at Johnson, his cabinet of cretins and his party of complicit cowards for a while but they won’t be able to hide from the consequences of their behaviours for much longer.
Try this list for size, although it’s far from complete.
UK politicians with US ‘green cards’ – what’s that about?
‘Non-dom’ status – how can that be appropriate for families of UK politicians?
Covid continues to infect and kill people – Omicron continues to mutate and remains a real threat so how can ending free testing or lifting sensible, unobtrusive restrictions make sense?
Sending refugees to Rwanda? WTF!!!
The Grenfell Tower investigation is still ongoing – what’s holding things up?
The drains up on the Covid-19 investigation – when will it start, what are the terms of reference and will anyone ever be held responsible, accountable, for all the deaths and the crooked contracts?
And how about the massive rise in the cost of living. the plummeting standards of living and the cheek of taxing those least able to bear the brunt of Tory economic vandalism by upping National Insurance contributions?
There’s a storm coming – local elections are in May so don’t forget to ensure you vote.
Don’t forget that the crook Johnson has repeatedly said he takes full responsibility for Covid-19 and now his name is on the Police ‘Crooks ‘r Us’ database he’s got nowhere to hide. Roll on the next tranche of Fixed Penalty Notices and the publication of Sue Gray’s investigation into the rollicking and rocking in Downing Street.
I think I’ll end it here now so please, all of you, enjoy Easter as best you can and I’ll leave you with this little tune that inspired Karen to come up with the title to this month’s epistle.
Cheers
Jem