Has Trump just started WW3?

[pwa]

The new decade is going well. Australia on fire. WW3 possibly started.

British PM missing. His deputy carrying out the main manifesto item of replacing the civil service with misfits and weirdos. Just like the Cabinet.

Has Trump taken Boris out?

I see Sec of State Pompous or Pompom is complaining about his lack of international support. Although it appears that they failed to notify anyone as is normal practice.

The UK, like the US, is government by whim: no plan.

You could just accept that the UK Government, like other European governments, takes a dim view of Trump's approach. The Foreign Office clearly sees this as a big mistake, just as you and I do, but like UK governments over many decades will not openly criticise the USA. The UK Government was very unhappy with Trump pulling out of the nuclear treaty, and the whole confrontational approach towards Iran. I don't think your attempt to drag the UK Government into this particular mess is credible.

[Oldjohnw]

I don't think I follow. I have just reported facts. I'm glad the FCO think it a big mistake.. Bit we have a silent leader when we need leadership.

[kwackers]

Classic Trump.

In a jealous fit of pique he took a dump on the Iran nuclear deal without any thought to what it really meant. Then as the consequences start to mount he does what he does best, reactionary right wing bully boy tactic again without any thought to the consequences.

I'm sure his supporters will like it though.

Lets hope we don't get pulled into the mess. He crapped the bed, he should clear it up.
Good job the yanks don't have any strings to pull. (What's that you say; "trade deal"?)

[Bonefishblues]

I don't think I follow. I have just reported facts. I'm glad the FCO think it a big mistake.. Bit we have a silent leader when we need leadership.

It's hard to speak when you have your head stuck in a Satsuma's derriere.

[pwa]

I don't think I follow. I have just reported facts. I'm glad the FCO think it a big mistake.. Bit we have a silent leader when we need leadership.

What can he say? All he can do is be silent. He can't stand up and call Trump an idiot because that will harm our national interests. But he can be silent at a time when Trump would welcome comforting words of support. Wherever he is, Boris should stay there a while.

[Cunobelin]

It worked for Maggie, not so well for Blair!

You do know that there is a massive difference in the two situations?

I do, but Blair didn't

Unfortunately, having given the trade deals with the US such importance, I can see Boris blindly following Trump in the same way That Blair followed Bush

[Oldjohnw]

I don't think I follow. I have just reported facts. I'm glad the FCO think it a big mistake.. Bit we have a silent leader when we need leadership.

What can he say? All he can do is be silent. He can't stand up and call Trump an idiot because that will harm our national interests. But he can be silent at a time when Trump would welcome comforting words of support. Wherever he is, Boris should stay there a while.

There's lots he could say such as the rule of law, and taking care not to escalate. That would be in our national interest.

[mercalia]

Iran is unfinished business? Should have been dealt with when Saddam Hussein was removed. That theocracy is a menace to the region more than Saddam Hussein ever was?

[Mike Sales]

It worked for Maggie, not so well for Blair!

Yes. Classic tactic for a leader in a tight corner.

Rally round the flag: do wars boost presidential popularity?
Trump’s approval ratings are consistent but low – and the data shows wars can be great for a president’s popularity

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2020/jan/04/trump-iran-suleimani-president-approval-ratings

[Spinners]

Iran has been in the USA's crosshairs for at least a decade now. I can remember a radio documentary from about 10 years where they played an audio clip of a red-neck mob singing, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" (to the tune of The Beach Boys 'Barbara Ann). Pretty chilling then...

[pwa]

I don't think I follow. I have just reported facts. I'm glad the FCO think it a big mistake.. Bit we have a silent leader when we need leadership.

What can he say? All he can do is be silent. He can't stand up and call Trump an idiot because that will harm our national interests. But he can be silent at a time when Trump would welcome comforting words of support. Wherever he is, Boris should stay there a while.

There's lots he could say such as the rule of law, and taking care not to escalate. That would be in our national interest.

You know as well as I do that if he stands in front of a TV camera right now he will be asked, time and again, to condemn Trump's actions. He would be better advised to duck that and let the silence make the point. The UK Government has been consistently trying to maintain something like a constructive relationship with Iran, over a couple of years, in the face of very difficult conditions manufactured by both Iran and the USA, so you should focus your ire where it belongs.

[kwackers]

Iran is unfinished business? Should have been dealt with when Saddam Hussein was removed. That theocracy is a menace to the region more than Saddam Hussein ever was?

And how does that improve the middle east?
Nothing unites folks better than aggression.

The nuclear deal was important in that it got Iran and the west talking even if it wasn't a "great deal". It was something we could build on.
Once it was destroyed not only do you now have the very real risk of nuclear proliferation in an unstable region with no hope of stopping it but you no longer have meaningful dialogue and you gave credence to the far right in the region.

The nature of war fare has changed. An attack on Iran simply means more terrorist action abroad and a *lot* more sympathisers against an aggressive west.

The whole thing is fubar'ed and imo Trump played a major part in fubar'ing it.

[Oldjohnw]

What can he say? All he can do is be silent. He can't stand up and call Trump an idiot because that will harm our national interests. But he can be silent at a time when Trump would welcome comforting words of support. Wherever he is, Boris should stay there a while.

There's lots he could say such as the rule of law, and taking care not to escalate. That would be in our national interest.

You know as well as I do that if he stands in front of a TV camera right now he will be asked, time and again, to condemn Trump's actions. He would be better advised to duck that and let the silence make the point. The UK Government has been consistently trying to maintain something like a constructive relationship with Iran, over a couple of years, in the face of very difficult conditions manufactured by both Iran and the USA, so you should focus your ire where it belongs.

Johnson (and Trump and the guy in Australia) has history. During the London riots when he was mayor he remained in Canada. He should stand up and condemn Trump's actions. Time someone did. I read his silence as acquiescence until I know otherwise.

[Mike Sales]

Trump claims that assassinating Suleimani has saved thousands of American lives. This is plainly nonsense. Suleimani was well supported and is not indispensable. His death has made American deaths more likely.
The Lockerbie bombing is believed to be an Iranian revenge for the shooting down of one of their airliners by USS Vincennes.

[mattheus]

There's lots he could say such as the rule of law, and taking care not to escalate. That would be in our national interest.

You know as well as I do that if he stands in front of a TV camera right now he will be asked, time and again, to condemn Trump's actions. He would be better advised to duck that and let the silence make the point. The UK Government has been consistently trying to maintain something like a constructive relationship with Iran, over a couple of years, in the face of very difficult conditions manufactured by both Iran and the USA, so you should focus your ire where it belongs.

Johnson (and Trump and the guy in Australia) has history. During the London riots when he was mayor he remained in Canada. He should stand up and condemn Trump's actions. Time someone did. I read his silence as acquiescence until I know otherwise.

"acquiescence" you say? Boris' involvement is a bit stronger than that.

I don't think you grasp the full reality of this. Another victim of BoJo's spin campaign, shame on you!



He planned it all along. Anyone can see that.