What next

[Yenn]

We are seeing a never ending number of states that are run by dictators, who may or may not have ever been elected and we have a World body that has over the years been proved to be useless, the United Nations.

What is needed is a World body to replace the UN. A body that is democratically run, without any veto powers and capable of stepping in with military force to safeguard small nations, or even large ones.

The many nations in Africa that have had massacres of unarmed people could have been prevented by such a body. The Myanmar fiasco could have been prevented, as could the current current Russian war. Viet Nam could have been prevented, as could the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Possibly the mistreatment of political or religious minorities could’ve prevented, but the UN we have now is a self perpetuating political being, with no redeeming features. Very much like our hand wringing, stupid oratorical prime monster.

[old man emu]

What is needed is an organisation whose membership rules prohibit the Big Boys from joining. Let them go play together in their own sandpit while the rest of the World gets on making the playground a great place to play in.

[onetrack]

The world is run by Big Money, the Global Corporations who can buy the U.N. with their small change. We have let Global Corporations become our defacto rulers.

Putin can't wage war without the full or even tacit support of Big Money and Global Corporations, this is where he will fall flat on his arse.

Just wait and see what happens as he becomes increasingly isolated, the Russian people will revolt as they start to realise the eventual full cost of waging war.

Blocking Facebook within Russia and restricting Twitter within Russia is a huge mistake on Putins part. He fails to understand the massive power of social media today.

There is no way to develop a Global Govt, the Nations are too self-interested to contribute or support it, and corporate money trumps all.

Most dictators only stay in power thanks to tacit support of Global Corporations and Big Money - and the banking sector is the worst offender of all.

[facthunter]

The Yanks don't even accept/trust their own gov't having any power let alone a "WORLD GV'T". . The (corrupt) MARKET knows best is a proven lie. unchecked it leads to a monopoly without RULES and balances.. Today the World sits at the doorstep of a Planet sized disaster as never before with mental defectives calling the shots..(As if we didn't already have enough problems to deal  with).  The Pentacostal religion was designed in the USA to integrate Capitalism with a god and give it a cleaner image. It's not Christianity at all. It's a bastardisation of it. Nev

[Old Koreelah]

21 hours ago, Yenn said:

What is needed is a World body to replace the UN. A body that is democratically run, without any veto powers and capable of stepping in with military force to safeguard small nations, or even large ones...

America is said to have firmly torpedoed the idea of the UN having it’s own force to police the world- their pure-of-heart military would do that themselves. They also made sure that US service personnel are exempt from prosecution by War Crimes tribunals.

[Yenn]

The U S purports to be the policeman of the world but it is falling far short. I cannot understand how these u S and Australia along with all the other powers who think they matter can stand by and let Russia demolish the. Ukraine, but then I am one of only a few left who can remember Hitler and WW2.

Do current Aussies have any idea of history and if so why are they so happy to see it repeated?

[onetrack]

Historical lessons are constantly forgotten by the younger upcoming generations, because they aren't taught those lessons and they have no personal experience of the times.

 

I personally believe that Putin not only has a plan to try and bring back the good ol' U.S.S.R. - but he is seriously concerned about the security of food supplies for his people - and the Ukraine is the food bowl of the region, so he wants it under his control.

There is considerable talk now of coming food shortages, and a major lack of food security worldwide - largely related to Russian energy supplies disruption.

It just makes me glad that I live where I do, and that food supplies will never be a major problem for us here in Australia.

 

https://techilive.in/putins-energy-shock-is-becoming-a-world-food-crisis-brace-for-rationing/

[old man emu]

6 hours ago, onetrack said:

It just makes me glad that I live where I do, and that food supplies will never be a major problem for us here in Australia.

 

Tell that to the people in SE Queensland and eastern NSW

[Jerry_Atrick]

Those floods and storms/rainfall have been pretty horrific. We had some friends stay with us last weekend - he has parents in Bribie Island and their house was a lucky one. The devastation and erosion of some fertile land throughout the region is terrible.

 

Getting back onto topic:

On 05/03/2022 at 7:05 AM, Yenn said:

we have a World body that has over the years been proved to be useless, the United Nations.

Too bloody right, Yenn. The UN Human Rights Commission sent a delegation to Australia to investigate human rights abuses in Australia. Personally, I think it was an excuse for a jolly. Yes, Australia has domestic abuse issues and the press hate female PMs.. but c'mon.. compared to Africa, Middle East, South America, and even the US in some parts? FFS! But who are the countries that sit on the UN HRC? More oppressive regimes than enlightened. As for the UN Security Council,  although there is currently an outcry for Ukraine, which the UN still do nothing about - and with that veto, what can they do? The Ukraine ambassador to the UN SC has been wiped the floor with the Russian abassador, but that effin single veto makes it a toothless tiger. Also, about Aleppo and Bashar al-Assad (with help from Putin - another failure of the west to intervene).  They must reallyt be pissed with the west, as the west has reacted far more decisively with Ukraine (although not enough) compared to Aleppo - which was, at least so far, far more brutally attacked.

 

And, China can veto any resolution to to with Uighurs, and ultimately Taiwan if they go for it..

 

And the US can veto any action they take, etc.

 

Complete farce designed to keep the well connected diplomats watered with Champagne and fed with Caviar.

[nomadpete]

Whilst we are drifting in bashing the UN, I'll ad my bit.

 

I grew up believing that the UN is a honorable helpful peacekeeping force, but then......

 

Back in January 2000, I went to work in Dili, East Timor. Remember that the UN were not instrumental in stopping the slaughter of locals by Indonesians. It was done by Australian troops. A couple of MONTHS  after the bloodshed, the UN arrived. By then it was safe to move about without the presence of an armed Australian Army minder. The UN first brought an advance party who go in first to assess a dangerous situation. This mob basically did nothing visible for the people, except seize real estate and assets, and set up offices with gensets and air conditioners. After about a month these parasites were replaced by the long term UN operatives. Basically they set up the essential bureacracy, and somehow a number of them came to be landlords, having denied all property ownership claims to (the nicer) houses and hotels (ones that still had roofs) by locals. Still no signs of action on the ground except committee meetings and wrecking yards of their broken/pranged landrovers. And they arranged for 63 diverse nations to bring military contingents, all of whom needed to be accommodated and fed, whilst locals still struggled to feed their kids.  By then, NT Power and Water had got the city's electricity going and water supply started, Australian Army had restored safety in streets and distributed rice from Australia, Telstra had set up satellite comms to the outside world (and even mobile phones were working).

 

By the beginning of March, some bright UN bod remarked to me 'Wow, we never saw this thorough devastation of a city in Bosnia, yet here you have electricity almost all the day, Water, and even mobile phones! After ten years Bosnia hasn't come this far!"

Sure none of the above was up to a standard we expect in Australia, but their infrastructure was extremely run down prior to the invasion.

From where I sat, it seemed that the UN was a disorganised, probably very corrupt mob of unregulated cowboys, that simply provided a self serving bureacracy to crushed countries. And they were all temporary, travelling the world from disaster to disaster.

[spacesailor]

Then another taken by India, l read somewhere it was genocide. In Sri Lanka. 

Australia did Nothing.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Spacey - I will defer to your knowledge on that. In fact, it was called Ceylon, before Sri Lanka (that much I do know - and the only decent curry to be had in Australia that I knew of at the time was the Ceylon Curry House, on I think Exhibition street in Melbourne).

 

Sadly, when the west (or, as I refer to it now, the wet) perceives the country to be more than a puny adversary, they will refrain..

 

I am in the UK, and I am about to send an email to a charity to let them know I can house up to 5 Ukranians comfortably.. I am happy for my government to, outside of NATO, implement a no fly zone and prepare myself for the consequences that may follow... I am sad we didn't act earlier.. but now we are to pay the price for that.

Edited March 6, 2022 by Jerry_Atrick

[Yenn]

Similar to the Timorese situation, but currently ignored by all is West Papua. We have no idea what goes on there as the media are prevented from getting in, but it is East Timor all over again. Nobody wants to do anything about it, as was the case in East Timor. The Western nations don’t want to upset the pot and are happy for people to suffer, so long as we can live in blissful ignorance.

[Old Koreelah]

1 minute ago, Yenn said:

Similar to the Timorese situation, but currently ignored by all is West Papua…

Another poor country sold out by big-power politics. JFK supported this former Dutch colony being incorporated into Indonesia, despite it having far more cultural affinity with PNG next door. As a result, Javanese transmigrasi are displacing the locals and Transnational corporations are raping their land.

To keep the peace with our powerful neighbour, Australia turns a blind eye.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I was horrified to read about the Australian poet Neilsen. His sisters died near Penola in SA about 1900 from starvation!

So don't think we are completely immune here.

And Jerry, there was a great curry restaurant in Adelaide ( bank street ) called the Ceylon Hut ( I think ) It was a favourite of Don Dunstan's.

Alas it has gone now.

[spacesailor]

BUT  WHY !.

Do you like ' curry ' ?.

Curry spice was used to hide the ' rancid ' taste of rotten  meat , before refrigeration.

Now that we have good Food, why hide the taste.

Can you tell the difference between ' lamb '  & ' hogget ' , or even goat !.

I can tell the different taste beteen ' Stork ' & BUTTER . LoL

spacesailor

[Jerry_Atrick]

I do like curry..

 

I don't like salt though.. and that was used to preserve meat - and we no longer need salt to do that.,

[spacesailor]

I dislike salt too. But my taste buds are much better now, they are only just taking to spices.

And 

Not a lot. LoL

spacesailor

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Despite the advice not to eat street food in India, I did indulge in some.. It is so cooked, I am unsure what nutritional value remained.. and there was no way any little critters survived it. It tasted fine and gave no reaction that I could discern. After a week of eating Indian food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I had the weekend to myself. Unlike the other visitors from the London office who went of gallivanting across the cheap tourist attractions and markets, I decided I wanted the weekend to myself and endured a restful Saturday reading and sauntering to the hotel restaurant for Indian food.

 

On the Sunday, after a dip in the pool and a gym workout - and chatting up the girls of a Polish duet contracted to sing at the hotel to entertain us travellers, I went back to my room (ala, alone), and looked at the room service menu. On it was Roast Chicken with all the trimmings. After near enough to a week of Indian food, my taste buds and stomach harked for the taste of a simple, easy western dish.. So I ordered it. The chicken was a little dry, which I welcomed in a stange way as evidence anything not well accommodated by my stomach would be lurking invisibly in the meat.

 

The next day, I was crook as a dead chook..Well, not that bad, and I didn't throw up, which was handy. But I fought hard to keep it down, and can't quite remember the state of my bowel movements. The 10km journey through gnarly traffic in a people carrier cramped with 5 other odorous men did send me to a pale shade of green. I managed to get through the day but when the driver rocked up at 5pm to take us back to the hotel, I couldn't (literally) stomach the idea of another 1/2 hour or so cramped with now more odorous gents. There was an auto-rickshaw waiting for a lift, so I asked the driver to negotiate a ride for me. The driver was in tears until I explained to him he would still be paid for carrying all of us. The auto rickshawe driver, was a wiry, weather beaten and grey haired man - I would estimate in his early 60s. He took a ripped peice of cardboard box and wrote 600 on it (the fare he wanted in Rupees). At the time, I think it was about £8.. I knew he was prepared to barter and set the price accordingly. But my stomach was cramping and all I wanted to do was feel the rush of not so fresh air past my face.. So I agreed. He was in disbelief and animatedly ran his finger along the shape of each number highlight the fair. I told the driver to tell him I am happy with the fare and can we please get going. The wrinkled face of concern transformed to a beaming smile, ear to ear, that exposed extraordinarily white teeth. Soon, I was feeling the rush oif air past my face with my stomach pain now replaced with abject fear for my life as he whizzed between cars and had the thing on two wheels on numerous occasions while turning corners.

 

With shaky legs, I dismbarked from the yellow contraption, handed over the 600 rupees, and was later told by the local employees that would probably be his average monthly earnings.

 

Has nothing to do with what next, but explains why I like curry - especially in India.

 

What Next?

 

Well, if the west doesn't get its act together soon, we will be eating a combination of Chinese and Borscht

[nomadpete]

Borsch is ok but I can't imagine beetroot in Chinese. But if they bring real chinese tucker to us I might not mind. (as long as its made from fresh aussie meat n veg).

 

In rural China, I hear that the protein content of traditional food is at best doubtful, and veg is 'limited'.

Edited March 9, 2022 by nomadpete

[nomadpete]

Is it too early to start a new thread.....

"The good and bad about WW3". ?

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Maybe just rename the Sanctions one?

Edited March 9, 2022 by Jerry_Atrick

[nomadpete]

It is a pretty big step beyond sanctions, I think, but nevertheless, possible.