The American Constitution

[Rob C]

You know that happened in 2014, two years before Trump, right?

Consolidation happens after the event.

But at any rate, without a full-scale war, I see not how that fait accompli can be altered now.

Rob

[jeremyrh]

Consolidation happens after the event.

What he said.

[Alan Klein]

True enough - Trump has been happy enough to let Russia consolidate its invasion of Crimea, take over Syria (throwing the Kurds under the bus) etc. Pretty good payoff for a little election help.

Crimea is in Europe's back yard.  And they did nothing.  This raises a point.  Whenever America uses its military, you guys complain we're warlike, too quick to shoot. Then when we don;t shoot, you complain we're too pacific.  You're always complaining about what we do.,  Meanwhile you sit on your hands and do nothing.  If you do get involved, we have to drag you into the fight, kicking and screaming all the way.  Don;t you ever get embarrassed?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Consolidation happens after the event.

But at any rate, without a full-scale war, I see not how that fait accompli can be altered now.

What is this mysterious “consolidation”? It was an event that happened in 2014. End of story. Obama had two years to do something about it and that mysterious “consolidation.” And somehow it is the next president’s fault!?

Now, we both, as most of the world, agree that neither Obama nor Trump could do much about it. The USA also has a weak moral and logical ground to complain. They did a much worse thing helping Kosovo separate from Serbia. Especially since Crimea was Russian for almost two hundred years, before being “gifted” by Krushchov to Ukraine.

[jeremyrh]

  If you do get involved, we have to drag you into the fight, kicking and screaming all the way. 

Like in Afghanistan, you mean, where UK etc got involved in the US response to 9/11 ?

Don't you ever get embarrassed?

Naah - just bored with reading "USA USA" every time some folk touch their keyboard. I lived a long time in the US and there are some things to be very proud of. Military meddling is not one of them.

[rabanito]

They did a much worse thing helping Kosovo separate from Serbia. Especially since Crimea was Russian for almost two hundred years, before being “gifted” by Krushchov to Ukraine.

As far as I know the people of Kosovo were happy to be separated from Serbia.
They say that the Serbs made many ugly things in the Bosnian war and had to be bombed to reason.
The Sebrenica massacre and the "ethnic cleansing" among other things.
I wouldn't discuss the subject but I think that has to be said.

[Rob C]

What is this mysterious “consolidation”? It was an event that happened in 2014. End of story. Obama had two years to do something about it and that mysterious “consolidation.” And somehow it is the next president’s fault!?

Now, we both, as most of the world, agree that neither Obama nor Trump could do much about it. The USA also has a weak moral and logical ground to complain. They did a much worse thing helping Kosovo separate from Serbia. Especially since Crimea was Russian for almost two hundred years, before being “gifted” by Krushchov to Ukraine.

Even James Bond knew the Balkans had no solution; so where lies blame, particularly: politics or religion?

Gifts...

Kinda brings up the little matter of Palestine. Might ever right?

[Rob C]

As far as I know the people of Kosovo were happy to be separated from Serbia.
They say that the Serbs made many ugly things in the Bosnian war and had to be bombed to reason.
The Sebrenica massacre and the "ethnic cleansing" among other things.
I wouldn't discuss the subject but I think that has to be said.

One man's reason is another man's dumb mistake.

Wars are not fought by saints unless little old Joan fits that bill. Silly girl. Should have settled down instead, and not taken to causing umpteen more fatalities on all sides.

Wouldn't have given her a thought except that I'm rereading an old travel tome that I have on the Périgord, something I often do when I think of the apartment selling. Have several such books, but in reality, we always followed our own noses instead. Again, I curse the time wasted on those trips making trannies for stock, time better spent having an even better good time when I could still eat and drink anything my heart desired. Nothing stays the same. There's a song for that too, but you can look it up if you want to do so.

Lucille. The two I know come from Little Richard and Kenny Rogers. I'm sure he does, or at least did. Lucille has nothing to do with things not staying the same. Well, not in my case.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

As far as I know the people of Kosovo were happy to be separated from Serbia...

So were the people of Crimea.

... They say that the Serbs made many ugly things in the Bosnian war and had to be bombed to reason.
The Sebrenica massacre and the "ethnic cleansing" among other things...

What happened during a civil war in Bosnia (Srebrenica, etc.) was done by ethnic Serbs who lived there for centuries, not the neighboring Serbia as a state. It would be like blaming Germany for something ethnic Germans who live in Austria did. Or Austria for what ethnic Germans do in Italy. In any case, Bosnia is not Kosovo, which was part of Serbia for millennia.

Besides, it is not the bombing we are discussing here, but the secession, which happened nine years after the end of bombing. Note that about a half of the world states have not recognized the secession, some European countries as well.

Here is a comment from the American Society of International Law (emphasis mine):

... while Kosovo's declaration of independence and its recognition by various states can be justified under existing international law, it is not a clear case. Rather, Kosovo presents a quintessential "tough case," demonstrating the ways in which political interests of states affect how the international law is given effect. How and whether it will be considered a unique case in international law or a precedent for other secessionist movements may depend on how various states interpret the law and facts that gave rise to the declaration.

Note the part about "a precedent for other secessionist movements," which is where my comparison to Crimea comes from.

[rabanito]

Note the part about "a precedent for other secessionist movements," which is where my comparison to Crimea comes from.

Slobodan this is really not personal and, as I said before, I would not discuss the issue here.
There is lot of info everywhere for those interested..
What the Serbs did to the other ethnic groups, what the Belgians to the Congolese, what the Hutu to the Tutsi and the Germans to almost everybody is not easy to digest.
We humans should commit seppuku all together, for a better world. Or just not.

[Rob C]

Slobodan this is really not personal and, as I said before, I would not discuss the issue here.
There is lot of info everywhere for those interested..
What the Serbs did to the other ethnic groups, what the Belgians to the Congolese, what the Hutu to the Tutsi and the Germans to almost everybody is not easy to digest.
We humans should commit seppuku all together, for a better world. Or just not.

Vote for youself!

I tend to agreed with everybody who agrees with me. The others? They are mistaken, as time will teach them; but kill 'em? No way!

;-)

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...What the Serbs did to the other ethnic groups...

And what those other ethnic groups did to Serbs. In a civil war or terrorist attacks.

[Peter McLennan]

If you do get involved, we have to drag you into the fight, kicking and screaming all the way.

I suggest, Alan, that you read some history.  Particularly WWII.

Also, interlacing originates in the camera, not in the edit.

[Alan Klein]

I suggest, Alan, that you read some history.  Particularly WWII.

Also, interlacing originates in the camera, not in the edit.

I was referring to post World War II.

In any case, Premiere Elements allows you to create a video in interlaced or Progressive. I know when I put in slides I can select 24 or 30 frames per second and then select the output. Also I sometimes down Resolute from 4K video to 2K video which would be 1080. But for some reason 1080p won't assemble while 1080i will. Now the question is if the original was interlaced or Progressive, can you change it over to the opposite when you publish the video? I really don't know.

[Robert Roaldi]

Where have you been?  Since he was elected, and before, Trump had been trying to establish relations with Putin.  The whole thing with "collusion" claims have been from the Democrats and a few neocon Republicans who have been hostile to Russia and Trump.  Because of that, he had to back off of what he wanted to do with Russia - develop better relations.  To say he wants WWIII is just silly.  Frankly we need to cozy up to Russia as a bulwark against an expanding China.  The "collusion" politics has spoiled the political impetus to do it. 

Regarding Iran, Bart, first he isn't going to war with them. Maybe a strike in response to their attack on the oil ships. In any case, this won't start WWIII.  And I never said this was being pushed by the Democrats.  I acknowledge his cancelling the US-Iran nuclear deal.  That's Trump's decision.    Time will tell whether it was a good decision.

This article about a House Committee investigation into Trump's foreign policies may interest you https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/17/house-foreign-affairs-panel-oversight-trump-1365840.

[Alan Klein]

This article about a House Committee investigation into Trump's foreign policies may interest you https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/17/house-foreign-affairs-panel-oversight-trump-1365840.

Not interested in what a  house committee run by the Democrats have to say about it.   If you want to respond to my point, I'd be glad to hear from you.

[Rob C]

Not interested in what a  house committee run by the Democrats have to say about it.   If you want to respond to my point, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Unless you remove your ear protectors, how do you know that anyone is or is not speaking? And if they are, whether what they have to say is of interest to you?

In the case of the link, save your ears: there was next to nothing in it but entire paragraphs of tautology, at the end of which, I was none the wiser.

Not fake news, no news!

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Unless you remove your ear protectors, how do you know that anyone is or is not speaking? And if they are, whether what they have to say is of interest to you?

In the case of the link, save your ears: there was next to nothing in it but entire paragraphs of tautology, at the end of which, I was none the wiser.

Not fake news, no news!

Rob, you realize that you second sentence contradicts the first? Or, in other words, confirms Alan’s statement.

[Robert Roaldi]

Not interested in what a  house committee run by the Democrats have to say about it.   If you want to respond to my point, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Do as you like. But it's not a Democratic committee, it is described as bipartisan in the article and one of the main points is how hard the GOP members on it are working because they are worried about Trump's foreign policy moves. I thought it might provide some food for thought, is all.

[faberryman]

Do as you like. But it's not a Democratic committee, it is described as bipartisan in the article and one of the main points is how hard the GOP members on it are working because they are worried about Trump's foreign policy moves. I thought it might provide some food for thought, is all.

I hope you realize what you are reading in these posts are talking points from Fox News. Not much sense in trying to debate them.