Jon the Hat

He didn't start antisemitism or the weird obsession some of the left have with Palestine.

Insane mainly because once you are in it is very hard to get out. I suspect the US could walk over Iran on the ground much like it did Iraq, but then what? Walk out again? Leaving utter chaos?

I am quite worried that some people I respect a lot in the house of lords are very concerned the legislation is flawed and being rushed through, with Lord Falconer trying to undermine the right of the house to scrutinise and long as it likes.

Hang on a minute! Are you suggesting they have a policy beyond immigration which is not well thought out or robust?!

It's not that they are thick, it's that they are ignorant of the facts. If you live in a Republican area (they exist, people move a lot in the US and tend to move with like people), you only talk to fellow republicans. You don't talk politics at work, or at least not with those you know you don't agree with. Your TV news is Fox, your online algorithms show you what you already think. How exactly are you supposed to see the other side of the argument, when you literally don't SEE or HEAR the other side of the argument.

I think I know what he is going to do now. He doesn't play by the rules does he? Mainly becuase he doesn't understand them, but even if he did, he wouldn't thnik they applied to him. He is going to stop and go home. He will leave it up to those who actually need the oil and gas flowing through the straight to sort it out. Iran will be under pressure from their neighbours to stop firing, and from their buyers to ship oil and gas. UAE, Saudi, Oman will put together some kind of rebuilding fund to encourage Iran to open the straight, on the assurance that US, UK French etc ships will stay out of the gulf. It might work eventually.

Yes - I believe some of that decrease is a transfer to central government of employees in academy schools. No doubt some more outsourcing as well.

What these ones here? the 5.2Million of them?

Yes true, I think the Finnish president Alex Stubb is pretty impressive as well, he was their PM a few years ago and I read some articles he wrote and started following him. I also know a few senior colleagues who know him quite well, Finland being quite a small place.

I do think Starmer is a decent guy, with the right moral compass, I just don't think he is a good enough politician to lead the country. Not enough ideas, whether or not I agree with them, not enough authority or influence to bring people with him. Sadly we seem to have far too few who do these days. Our political party selection systems weed out anyone interesting I think, its just too hard. Much easier for those with the ideas to be an adviser or lead a think tank, get paid a lot more and be in the background. That only gets the ideas so far though.

I don't think he is as far down the slope to dementia, just he is a maniac. Mind you Biden wasn't allowed to talk for hours like Trump is.

Players want to play, and I am never going to criticise someone for that. They also have a short career and you can understand that if you are not playing and another club wants to pay you more, then you want to move. Asking for a move and the club promising you will play more and they will not sign anyone, then doing the exact opposite is going to be upsetting. Downing tools and refusing to train properly is both unprofessional and counterproductive. Zero chance those offers are still there a year later if you can't be assed to stay fit and fight to play.

I am very glad to see EU / Nato leaders standing up to Trump. He has shown that nothing is ever enough, and they have learned.

They can only punish Chelsea based on the rules in place at the time. PSR was not.

The same Russia who are unable to take Ukraine? If you think they could just roll over Finland or the Baltics I think you are much mistaken. Not saying he wouldn't try, but he would undoubtedly fail. The US might not come, but the UK, Poland, France, Germany and other European Nato countries absolutely would, because there would be no doubt then what Putin intended. I also think we would also be surprised how quickly we could ramp up military production if we stopped making stuff to sell to other countries.

Yes I doubt he gave the Iranian people a moments thought. I think stopping Iran being a threat is also a legitimate basis for this action though, even if it’s not as well thought out as it could have been.

Trump has stated about 10 different objectives by now I think, so who knows, but regime change was always optimistic, although the balance of power is certainly shifted with the IRGC putting their man in the hotseat. I think three clear objectives of 1) reducing Iran's ability to fire ballistic missiles and drones has been mostly achieved, 2) their ability to produce a nuclear weapon and use it to destroy Israel again much reduced, and 3) their ability to prevent future bombing of their country to take out any future nuclear program is also much reduced.

A couple of charter flights to Tehran in order I think.

No one is carpet bombing anyone. Of course the school was a huge error and appalling tragedy, but Iran has killed more Iranians this year than the US and Israel have. Their bombing is very much targeted and planned to limit civilian impacts. They have not damaged the power infrastructure, or the oil production infrastructure. Very few civilians in fact have been killed for the amount if bombing we have seen.

While Trump and Hegseth are not nice people, the Iranian regime is a whole different level of ****.

I can only hope if Sheffield Wednesday can find new owners then we can.

Agreed. Even these complete knobheads in the latest doco, he sees through the nonsense.

Diplomacy is even more important when bad things are happening.

Who is threatening to attack Turkey?

Chinese air defense systems - apparently their best and newest, latest barely 2 days.