[One Degree]

When you reduce Realpolitik to individual events, you are arguing they only pursue their goals in a linear fashion. No one does that unless they are stupid. They pursue their goals in multiple directions at once and some will appear contradictory.

[pugsville]

mes of rehtoric a
Stalin had to buy time to prepare for the onslaught (which he always knew was coming sooner or later), and in retrospect the Pact gave him the time he needed. It was a stunning act of Realpolitik, and it worked.

Did It? How could have Hitler invaded earlier than 1941 without the pact? COnstuct a plausible scenario or your statement is harly correct.

Did not the pact supply much needed material to the German war machine that helped it prepare more quickly for the invasion.

[pugsville]

And anyway the point is that the equilievnce with alliance/war switching in 1984 and the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is nothing to do with the question "Is it real politik or not?" or "did it work" but the looking at the extreme public propaganda before and after the switch.

[Zagadka]

Checking in a week or so later... and Trump has still done exactly nothing. Guess he's counted as an Enemy of the People.

[Sivad]

When you reduce Realpolitik to individual events, you are arguing they only pursue their goals in a linear fashion. No one does that unless they are stupid. They pursue their goals in multiple directions at once and some will appear contradictory.

"We will embrace this rebellion. You will support it from our lands in the north while I gain English favor by condemning it, and ordering it opposed from our lands in the south."

[QatzelOk]

When you reduce Realpolitik to individual events, you are arguing they only pursue their goals in a linear fashion. No one does that unless they are stupid. They pursue their goals in multiple directions at once and some will appear contradictory.

Yes, exactly. Example below.

Are you tired of having your reputation sullied by medieval practices involving dismemberment and acid baths?
Would you like to have a "new improved leader" repuation like President Obama enjoyed in mass media?

Introducing - DRONES!



With the Obama drone, you can let your political opponents "die of drone attacks" while you are eating caviar at a global warming conference with friends. Bad guys from other religions can be made to "disappear" without any negative photos or connection to you and your private army of thugs.

Drones: a repuation saver! And yours for only a few million dollars per drone! Act not and the Pentagon will throw in a new Chevy Tahoe "Special Operations Edition" with each drone order!

[Rich]

My point remains - the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was merely typical Realpolitik, the same sort of thing every European nation has been engaging in for the past thousand years or more. Stalin had to buy time to prepare for the onslaught (which he always knew was coming sooner or later), and in retrospect the Pact gave him the time he needed. It was a stunning act of Realpolitik, and it worked.

I agree that Orwell's disillusionment came earlier, during the Spanish Civil War, but he too was exercised about it. He refused to see that it made perfectly rational (albeit profoundly cynical) sense as a temporary measure of Realpolitik.

On consideration, in fact reconsideration, I agree. Stalin's grand strategy from August 39 to June 41 was excellent. I never disagreed with the pact, but in the past I've argued against Fuser and others that Stalin should have attacked into Poland in May 1940. I think now Stalin was correct to deal with Finland first, the Baltic second and then turn to Romania. He was right to place the strongest defence in the south in 41, as Hitler was right to prioritise the South. It was Halder that made the mistake of focusing on Moscow. I think Stalin was correct to do his utmost to prolong the pact.

Stalin's failing was the appalling performance of his armed forces, for which he bears full responsibility.

[skinster]

[colliric]

Skinster will probably like this:

https://www.jpost.com/International/Edw ... ael-571227

Snowden is accusing Israeli firm NSO of delibrately supplying Saudi Arabia with the tracking technology used to find and kill the journalist.

[Rancid]

Skinster will probably like this:

https://www.jpost.com/International/Edw ... ael-571227

Snowden is accusing Israeli firm NSO of delibrately supplying Saudi Arabia with the tracking technology used to find and kill the journalist.

Everyone is in on it.

[colliric]

Everyone is in on it.

Yeah and they shouldn't be....

Fuck the Big Brother state....

[Godstud]

Everyone is in on it.

You got me. I did it. I just happened to have a bonesaw handy, too.

[Zionist Nationalist]

Skinster will probably like this:

https://www.jpost.com/International/Edw ... ael-571227

Snowden is accusing Israeli firm NSO of delibrately supplying Saudi Arabia with the tracking technology used to find and kill the journalist.

if this serve Israeli interest why not

if they wanna kill someone as long as he is not our ally this is not our concern

[colliric]

if this serve Israeli interest why not

if they wanna kill someone as long as he is not our ally this is not our concern

He was no enemy either.

It seems you are comfortable with killing people who aren't even violently against you now.

Of course it should be a concern of yours. Who will they kill next that isn't an enemy?

[skinster]

[Zagadka]

CNN? Everyone did. Especially the Trump administration. Which is to be expected all around.

[Ter]

Professional TV people told me years ago that any news item loses the interest of the viewers after a maximum of a couple of weeks. Be it an earth quake, an aircraft accident, or whatever. Our friend Jamal Kashoggi has been in the news a couple of weeks already. May he rest in piece(s).

[Hindsite]

Professional TV people told me years ago that any news item loses the interest of the viewers after a maximum of a couple of weeks. Be it an earth quake, an aircraft accident, or whatever. Our friend Jamal Kashoggi has been in the news a couple of weeks already. May he rest in piece(s).

I second that motion.
Praise the Lord.

[Zagadka]

Saudi Arabia already has a lot to be accounted for. Letting them get their way on every issue is getting old, with spineless leaders on both sides.

[Hindsite]

Saudi Arabia already has a lot to be accounted for. Letting them get their way on every issue is getting old, with spineless leaders on both sides.

Now you sound like a racist.