ChatterBank1 min ago
A Tremendous Speech.
J.D. Vance's speech in Munich will go down in history as one of the best and most precient political speeches of all time, - surely ?
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Haven't watched it, but from reports he seems to blame global problems on specific continents or nations, expects western interests to be maintained without the help of any of the three world powers, and has no sympathy for normal citizens suffering under incompetent parliaments who are happy to obey external economic "experts", and the foolishness of the "woke".
Pointing out issues is all very well but the people are already aware, while the governments are either uninterested or incapable. His nation punishing others with tariffs, threatening not to help defend nations outside his own, and trying to impose peace elsewhere by creating a second middle east type situation between presently warring nations, isn't any help.
Maybe I'll check out the link later today.
Ok I have now listened to it; and fair enough, most of what was said, I can go along with. Hardly worth quibbling over small points. However, where I could take issue is less about what was said, but more about the things left out.
The thrust was about that which we already know, government not being interested in public opinion, not doing sufficient to satisfy public concerns. Taking action against those protesting what is right but we know, at the same time, being overly lenient on thoe clearly causing issues.
But that is easy to criticise, and one hopes politicians take note. However security is also about the actions of governments, and their the ability to counter aggression from the most powerful. That was left very much in the background, and what was touched on tended to be about the US wanting to leave present day issues to the east up to Europe. This despite knowing that, that particular continent has failed to forcast the existing aggression, and have used their 'peace bonus' funds to improve their society. (No one in Europe wants to treat citizens with the attitude the US does to it's citizens. I don't intend to list it all, but, lack of workers rights, limited health care for those who can't afford costly insurance plus charges for ambulances, and lack of decent holiday time off for the employed, are three to consider.)
Maybe Europe should decide they need to spend more on military, but it's younger generations seem reluctant to step up to defend society, civilisations grow soft when they are used to peace and know that they have much to lose. Plus the excess of immigrants now here are individuals even likely to be even less willing to defend or fight. Indeed they might even hinder.
Now is a bad time to expect a step change in Europe, budgets are stretched everywhere, the economy is taking up a lot of attention. Which under this present government, is not looking particularly healthy (thankfully the UK is usually doing quite well so we dip from a high level; but that doesn't make anything that much easier).
The fact is that the world is in turmoil and a priority is the aggression from Russia. The biggest western style culture power block effectively hinting it wants to wash it's hands of being lead against aggressors and seemingly being happy to (temporarily) stop the violence by possibly suggesting the victims suck it up because the leader wants to be on good terms with the leader of a smaller power block; this is not what the world needs.
In short the speech was more or less fine as far as it went. But many security issues were conveniently left out of it.
OG. Thanks, a fair summary. I think he gave the attendees, who were on a nice first class junket to Munich, and probably thought of dozing through a talk before a fine dinner, a sound awakening.
There's a good article on here archived from the Telegraph on the subject;
I didn't realize that the gross GDP of all European countries together was only one fifth less that that of the USA and yet I saw recently the staggeringly disproportionate amount they have already given to the aid of Ukraine to fight the war.
The tide is turning & Europe must face some hard facts.
I think it was the Emperor Honorius who told the British people to look to their own defences as the Romans withdrew.
It wasn't long before Europeans in small boats were invading the country.
The Romans had little choice (trouble at home) but the Americans do. You don't cement relationships if your words not worth the paper it's written on.
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