Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

NATO Stoltenberg Should Resign

by Oui Mon Jun 5th, 2023 at 11:20:38 AM EST

I'm seething mad! See below ...

US Navy On Patrol South China Sea

Securing our borders and guaranteeing no more unprovoked attacks on our neighbours in the region.

Pentagon releases video of incident

Read more... (5 comments, 1066 words in story)

NATO Posing the What If Question

by Oui Fri Jun 2nd, 2023 at 10:42:53 PM EST

Wishing a favorable outcome and throwing billions to make it happen may not be sufficient as the numbers game at the front just don't improve. The losses in manpower cannot be offset by more and sophisticated weapons. The terror strikes on Russian territory is one more indication the tide isn't turning in Ukraine's favor.

Military strategy is confused as too many diverse voices override one another. The armchair warmongers too are puzzled one the next strategy should be as not all ammunition and promised armor are ready for battlefield action.

Being ready from day one is quite different from a proces of escalation from one summit to the next. Unity is strong as any scepsis will only lead to a timely failure as Russia still occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine. Frustration on all sides in this waar is growing. Time is on the side of the aggressor.

Blinken in Finland to tell the world Putin has failed ...

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Bi-Partisan Effort to Undermine Democracy

by Oui Thu Jun 1st, 2023 at 01:52:14 PM EST

After 7 Years, I'm in good company ...

Was clear to me from the start RussiaGate was a fraud initiated by the US (former) Intelligence community, DNC Complex, Hillary & Friends and abuse of power in the branches of U.S. Government.

'Journalism for rent': Inside the secretive firm behind the Trump dossier | WaPo - Dec. 11, 2017 |

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June 2023

by Oui Wed May 31st, 2023 at 10:02:22 PM EST

Your take on today's news media

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Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Squad selected

by Frank Schnittger Wed May 31st, 2023 at 10:46:26 AM EST

Andy Farrell has announced his 42 man training squad for the world cup, and true to form, has not been afraid to make some hard choices. The dominant theme is one of loyalty to the players who have enabled Ireland win a Grand Slam and maintain their place at the top of the world rankings.

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Integrating Ukraine Into NATO Family

by Oui Tue May 30th, 2023 at 10:51:14 AM EST

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Southern Irish disinterest in Northern Ireland affairs

by Frank Schnittger Sat May 27th, 2023 at 08:48:56 PM EST

A response to Andy Pollak's complaint about the southern Irish media

My friend Andy Pollak has written long and eloquently about the ignorance of the southern electorate of all things north of the border, and delights in quoting academics who share this view. Academic disdain for the ignorance of the masses is, of course, nothing new, but in fairness, Andy’s latest treatise on Slugger O'Toole on the ignorance of the southern media could only have been written by an insider who knows the industry well.

As someone who has never been published in the southern media other than in a couple of hundred Letters to the Editor or a feature, in the Village Magazine, critical of the Irish Times website reboot some years ago, I have no particular interest in defending it.

And yet I find myself in utter disagreement with Andy.

Ireland is a small country, with a limited media market and very few prominent titles, each with their own agenda. The state broadcaster, like any state broadcaster, tends not to stray too far from government policy.

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Incident Ukrainian War Display Gets Int'l Attention

by Oui Sat May 27th, 2023 at 01:34:26 PM EST

Speech Mayor Femke Halsema was not received w/o criticism

No freedom without peace in the world

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German Climate Activists Group Outlawed

by Oui Wed May 24th, 2023 at 01:40:08 PM EST

German climate activists raided for forming 'criminal group' | BBC News |

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Leinster's demise and Munster's hope

by Frank Schnittger Tue May 23rd, 2023 at 10:08:47 AM EST

Leinster have been hailed by many as the world's best club rugby team for some time now, an assessment which failed to take account of their failure to win a European Cup for 5 years, which is half a professional rugby player's average lifetime. True, they were beaten by a last minute try in the final in Marseilles last year, and La Rochelle were again twice within the width of a post of losing this year.  

Munster also required a last gasp drop goal to seal the deal against a largely second-string Leinster side in the Semi Final of the URC, and the loss through injury of Sexton, and during this year's final, of Ryan, Furlong and Henshaw should not be underestimated. These are the leaders of the team, and without them Leinster became increasingly defensive and negative in their mindset, hoofing the ball out of defence with no thought of a more creative (and brave) approach.

After an outstanding start, Leinster started to lose the set piece and collisions, and with that, gradually, the psychological battle as well. It can be incredibly difficult to win a rugby match if your scrum and maul defence is under pressure, if you can't win any opposition line-outs, and if you are losing the collisions and battle of the break-down as well.

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Joe Biden. America's Interventionist Hero

by Oui Sat May 13th, 2023 at 06:14:39 PM EST

Not the first nor only time Biden "misspoke" ... the attempted coup d'état

Türkiye is the bad boy within the NATO alliance ... "we are united" ...

After the US retreated from Afghanistan, Türkiye became an important regional player, just look at the Turkic people in Central Asia extending into China's province Xinjiang - see also Uyghur Freedom Fighters and Kunduz Mosque Attack on Oct. 8, 2021.

US alliance with Kurds in the Syria campaign has positive effect for the Kurds fighting for independence. You are well aware Israel has had long ties with the Kurds in Northern Iraq.

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Targeted Assassinations: a Bankrupt Strategy

by Oui Tue May 9th, 2023 at 09:32:59 AM EST

Quite likely my very last diary written here @EuroTrib, however I couldn't keep silent on a topic close to my heart and value of principles worth living for. This blog specifically has a history of bloggers where views and news on the I-P conflict were kept in balance.

For a number of years and especially recently during the Trump administration and the idiotic pro-Israel stance and damn the Palestinians, Europeans began to turn after the wicked Abraham "Economic" Accords. About the same level of wisdom as Trump/Pompeo sitting at the table with top Taliban terrorists in Doha trumpeting retreat from Afghanistan, admitting a disgraceful defeat in the graveyard of empires. Notch up another failed empire, leaving the civilian population, especially girls and women in a Medieval hell, worst on Earth. America turns its back just to head towards Poland and the Baltics to continue their war on another front. Afghanistan is eft to the region as the neighbouring states will have to deal with these ramifications.

Joe may you receive your reward in the next life you believe in. Joe you are morally corrupt like most who have a role in political power for way too long. Vladimir Putin 1998 - present - Joe Biden 1982 - present.

Read more... (28 comments, 1071 words in story)

Hijacking Peace by Zelensky for War Escalation

by Oui Thu May 4th, 2023 at 08:57:01 AM EST

So he came by night to The Hague, the city of Peace and Carnegie foundation of the Peace Palace and what it stands for.

Brutal war propaganda supported by opportunistic leader VVD party and Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Today, Thursday May 4th is the Commemoration of heroes and war deaths, especially the citizens killed during the German occupation 1940-45 and the Jewish population arrested, transported through Westerbork to extermination camps of Hitler Nazi terror and genocide. Most camps were on Ukrainian territory, Poland and Eastern Germany. Soviet prisoners of war too were slaughtered as cattle.

War and March of the Living | Apr 19th, 2023 |

This morning an impressive documentary on EuroNews about the yearly March of the Living at Auschwitz with interview of a lone survivor David Schecter who lost 105 family members.

Poland, Holocaust and History Revisionism | Apr 24th, 2023 |

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UA Drone Attack On Moscow

by Oui Wed May 3rd, 2023 at 04:34:24 PM EST

As last resort, Kyiv achieves a drone attack above the Kremlin ...  

... Zelensky said he was "sure we'll have aircrafts" and pointed out that so far Ukraine has first had to prove itself on the battlefield before getting more advanced military support.

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May 2023

by Oui Sun Apr 30th, 2023 at 09:30:54 PM EST

Your take on today's news media

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U.S. Provoked Conflict In Europe

by Oui Wed Apr 26th, 2023 at 08:27:37 PM EST

Chinese President Xi Jinping, while talking to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky over phone, says dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out for the Ukraine crisis.

Xi says dialogue only viable way out for Ukraine crisis | Xinhua News |

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U.S. Will Be Ousted From Middle-East

by Oui Sat Apr 8th, 2023 at 08:18:21 AM EST

Today ...

China's yuan ideal for energy trade in Gulf Region: vice president of Tehran University

The meeting between the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing on Thursday will be hopefully the beginning of a much better situation in the West Asia, which can also create the momentum for rapprochement especially in the Gulf Region, Vice President of the University of Tehran, also also Member of Iran's Presidential Delegation to China, Professor Mohammad Marandi told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Friday.

Marandi said that as the world is moving toward de-dollarization, it's important to have alternative currencies and it would be ideal to use China's yuan when China imports energy from the Gulf region.

Read more... (107 comments, 1248 words in story)

Settler Extremism Blessed by Jerusalem Leaders

by Oui Sun Mar 19th, 2023 at 05:55:32 PM EST

Decades of ugly scenes of settler attacks on Palestinian homes, olive groves and just simply brutality because it can with impunity ... call it "price tag" and the settler terrorists will be protected.

In aftermath of ugly pogrom by illegal settlers on West Bank Palestinian territory ...

Israel's Fascists Call for Genocide on Palestinians |i Mar 3rd, 2023 |

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The end is Nigh?

by Frank Schnittger Fri May 5th, 2023 at 09:59:17 PM EST

I would like to open up a discussion on the future of the European Tribune. As will be obvious to regulars here, the level of participation and contribution has been in decline now for many years, since the hey day of blogging on the internet.

It's partly in line with global trends, where short form text and video based social media have been taking over from longer forms of blogging. Perhaps there is also an element of the European ideal losing its appeal, or worse, being taken for granted by younger writers.

But it's also undeniable that our user base has been ageing, dying off, and not being replaced by a younger cohort. I am now the last remaining active front-pager, and even I have started to write more for an Irish readership on Irish forums and newspapers. Even Brexit and the Ukraine war couldn't save us indefinitely.

So perhaps it is time to call it a day on a fascinating chapter in our lives that sadly is no more. Perhaps it is time to close ET down, much as it pains me to admit defeat in my efforts to keep it going. But I wouldn't want to take such a momentous step with consulting with the many who have contributed here over the years.

What does everyone remaining here think?

Comments >> (22 comments)

Rightwing Operation New EU 'Enlightenment’

by Oui Tue May 2nd, 2023 at 01:53:03 PM EST

'Protecting citizens from influence by Brussels on divergent principles of society.

Destroying the founding principles of the EEC and European Union one year after the other ...

NATO Shows Off Missile Base In Romania, Calling It 'Purely Defensive' | RFERL - Nov. 25, 2019 |

Relationship DNC security hack and Dmitri Alperovitch of CrowdStrike.

Related reading ...

CrowdStrike: Making it up as they go along?

Read more... (9 comments, 2436 words in story)
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News and Views

 June 2023

by Oui - May 31, 72 comments

Your take on today's news media

 May 2023

by Oui - Apr 30, 273 comments

Your take on today's news media



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