Other countries

[neoplacebo]

- Hey Blinken!
- Did you say Abe Lincoln?

Many people say A. Blinken is a much better Secretary of State than M. Pompeo, which to me invokes the sound one makes just before throwing up.

[Whack9]

[GoCubsGo]

Geo political version of "all in".

[Ulysses]

Geo political version of "all in".

Might be a golden opportunity to kick those Ruskies in the ass.

(Jest kidding!)

[GoCubsGo]

The Olympics are over.

Invasion time?

[Ulysses]

The Olympics are over.

Invasion time?

East->West

Would serve Pooty-Poot right

[GoCubsGo]

The Olympics are over.

Invasion time?

East->West

Would serve Pooty-Poot right

[Whack9]

The Olympics are over.

Invasion time?

Maybe it was never really about the invasion, but the friends we made along the way.

[Vrede too]

The Olympics are over.

Invasion time?

Maybe it was never really about the invasion, but the friends we made along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NzFJxX8yoY

[GoCubsGo]

So Putin is addressing Russia live.

The translation is stilted and not clear, lots of mention of Lenin and even Stalin and historical b.s. justification.....

But his body language and presentation are weird. He's sort of slouching behind a desk, suit jacket open, tie not straight and seems to be very labored.

Stressed is he?

Sounds like he wants to make the Soviet Union Great Again.

[neoplacebo]

Fuck this shit. Putin should have sons named Rutin and Tutin and Absolutin that could embarrass him on a regular basis. trump has this sort of thing. I don't get it.

[GoCubsGo]

The "Peacekeeping" mission begins.

[Ulysses]

Putin is the Russian Trump.

Somehow I think this will not end well for Vladimir.

[Vrede too]

With the regional secession and occupation it seems certain that we'll be discussing Ukraine for a long time. Feels worthy of its own thread to me, but if folks want to stick with this 'Other countries' thread, so be it.

Ukraine

[Vrede too]

In Philippines election, late dictator's son aims to restore family pride

As frontrunner in the Philippines' presidential race, the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos appears poised to complete a remarkable rebranding of the family name 36 years after a "people power" uprising ended his father's autocratic rule.

With official campaigning beginning on Tuesday, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 64, holds a double-digit lead in the polls, three months ahead of the May 9 elections....

Out of the Duterte frying pan, into the Marcos fire.

If I'm not mistaken, the wife either ran for president or thought hard about it some years ago. Marcos was one of those who made me feel ashamed to be an American back when I was in the navy.

Crap. I once considered retiring to the Philippines. The hell with that idea now, the nation is fucked up.

[neoplacebo]

In Philippines election, late dictator's son aims to restore family pride

As frontrunner in the Philippines' presidential race, the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos appears poised to complete a remarkable rebranding of the family name 36 years after a "people power" uprising ended his father's autocratic rule.

With official campaigning beginning on Tuesday, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 64, holds a double-digit lead in the polls, three months ahead of the May 9 elections....

Out of the Duterte frying pan, into the Marcos fire.

If I'm not mistaken, the wife either ran for president or thought hard about it some years ago. Marcos was one of those who made me feel ashamed to be an American back when I was in the navy.

Crap. I once considered retiring to the Philippines. The hell with that idea now, the nation is fucked up.

Yeah, I was surprised they'd elect another Marcos. I suppose junior figures there's been enough time since his dad stole billions and died that he himself will now have a chance to steal some more. And it's a hard call if Marcos junior will be worse than the idiot Duterte. Place your bets.

[Vrede too]

Yeah, I was surprised they'd elect another Marcos. I suppose junior figures there's been enough time since his dad stole billions and died that he himself will now have a chance to steal some more. And it's a hard call if Marcos junior will be worse than the idiot Duterte. Place your bets.

He might be the same.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-quiet-ret ... 46053.html

A quiet retirement for Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is unlikely when he makes way for successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but efforts to put him on trial for thousands of killings in his "war on drugs" appear unlikely to prosper.

Duterte's daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, helped get Marcos elected by agreeing to be his vice presidential running mate, allowing the son of the late dictator to tap her father's huge support to seal a comeback for the disgraced Marcos dynasty.

Though there has been no formal quid-pro-quo, political experts say it is unlikely Marcos would risk burning crucial bridges by allowing the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Duterte over the alleged execution-style killings in his war on drugs.

Duterte, 77, will be stripped of the legal armour shielding him from legal action once he becomes a private citizen next month, making him an open target. Unbowed, he has said he will search for drug peddlers after he retires and "shoot them and kill them".

At least 6,200 people have been killed in the war on drugs during Duterte's six-year rule. Rights groups and critics say law enforcers summarily executed drug suspects, but police say those killed were armed and had violently resisted arrest.

The ICC in September approved an investigation into the killings, but temporarily suspended it in November at Manila's request. The ICC did not immediately respond when asked for an update on the probe's status.

"He will be safe, untouchable. Worse, even as ex-president, he could still weigh in on policy," said Carlos Conde, senior Philippines Researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Marcos, during the campaign, has already intimated what he might do with the ICC investigators. "I will let them into the country, but only as tourists," he said in January....

True to form, Duterte did not mince words when telling supporters of his plans after the presidency.

"I will go riding on a motorcycle and roam around...and I'll search for drug peddlers, shoot them and kill them," he said.

Looks like 'Lock him up' is out of the question. Crap.

[Vrede too]

Lotta truth to that, especially given how much of our foreign "aid" is military aid.

[Vrede too]

viewtopic.php?p=171473#p171473

Uh, oh. May I be among the first to predict the gun nuts claim that gun laws don't work?

"... a weapon -- described as a handmade shotgun..."

First thing I thought of.

And they won't mention that out of the 125 mill Japanese population they have fewer than 10 shootings a year. As compared to the 220 killed and over 500 injured by gunfire in the US just over the July 4th weekend.

Inconvenient truths diminish the narrative.

Fuckin' Moonies.

Shinzo Abe’s assassin forced to give up college after mother's $722,000 donation to Unification Church, says uncle

The uncle of Shinzo Abe’s suspected shooter Tetsuya Yamagami stated that Yamagami’s mother had donated approximately 100 million yen ($721,875) to the Unification Church, leading to the family’s alleged financial ruin.

Yamagami reportedly told police that he had targeted the former prime minister due to Abe’s affiliation with the Unification Church, which Yamagami blamed for bankrupting his mother due to its forceful donating practices....

[Vrede too]

While we cope with a Former PINO that's a thief and a traitor, elsewhere:

Finnish PM Sanna Marin apologizes for photo of topless women making out at her summer home

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin expressed regret after a photo of two topless women kissing at her summer home was leaked on social media.

The image shows two young women lifting their shirts as they kiss with a sign saying "Finland" covering their breasts. Marin is not seen in the image.

The photo was reportedly taken in the bathroom of the prime minister's 1873 luxury villa....

Clips of Marin, 36, partying with Finnish celebrities exploded on social media following last week's leaks. Critics urged her to take a drug test following the incident, and she complied.

Marin said she took the test on Friday and the results came back negative Monday — just as new video surfaced of her dancing with a man who is not her husband.

Supporters boast Marin's frequent partying with celebrities brings youth and a sense of cool to the office, while detractors claim the public exposure and lack of professionalism is unbecoming for a world leader.

Marin is the world's youngest head-of-state....

Just when you think she can't get any more awesome, she goes and does this and doubles her awesomeness! :-)

... After her biological parents separated, Marin was brought up by her mother and her mother's female partner....

Also, Finland just kicked US Marine ass in its first ever NATO war game.

Finland:



US:





I want to be Finnish.