European News Thread

Yeah...I remember that one! Even K. knows what is better for Poland, even when he openly dislikes Merkel and Germany...it could be so much worse for Poland!

Just goes to show you how utterly short-sighted PiS foreign policy is. Our neighbour and most important trading partner is governed by a throughly pro-Polnish person. Let us alienate her as much as possible for short-term gains.

Really ?

Of course. When given the chance, Merkel has done a lot to strengthen Polish-German cooperation. And she showed great patient when she had to deal with PiS adminastrations.

Remember, the relationships began to detoriate when PiS came to power, before Germany and Poland had their best time in their whole history...

The only thing changed had been Poland, Merkel is still in office.

Pis have defamed Poland since day dot. They are rubbish at foreign affairs.

Yeoh great ....not.
That is actually a huge part of the problem. Germany are used to the post-commies and their low key low everything stance. The fact is Poland has its own interest and those are now and then not compatible with German intertest. PiS started to formulate it and boo ha Germany act surprised as IF Poland had no right to its own way and to its interest and it own point of view.

I'm sorry you need to adjust OR to act like dicks which is really counterproductive as it doesn't impress Poles much, quite the contrary.

So the Germany has to get used that the polish gov act likes dicks? Or it starts to act like dicks themselves? Making it two dicks fighting each other?

Great choices!

I liked the before better...you know...nobody acting like a dick...

Sure, you did. It easer to be surrender by yes men or butlers than people with whom you they have to negotiate from time to time.

Germany is behave like Poland were their hired butler and now they are all upset and acting silly because PiS doesn't shine your shoes. How about acting as reasonable people and face up the reality where countries DO HAVE their own interest and negotiate rather than act like dicks.

The previous government managed to safeguard Polish interests far more than the current one. Poland was well on its' way to become a key player in European affair, now it has marginalized itself.


The only country that is behaving outrageously is Poland. The best example is the issue about reparations raised by PiS. Completely nonsensical, with not even the tiniest legal justification and everybody who knows about international law knew that. All PiS intented with this was stirring anti-German sentiment to get domestic approval, they were never interested in Polish interests or negotiating. The only reason why relations have not broken down completely is thanks to the great patience shown by Merkel. Imagine a government similar to PiS had been in power in Germany, which would have raised the issue of reparations to the expelled Germans from the former German territories. That would not have been helpful at all.

Really? Who is the judge of that? According to whom? German gov? Is that the fact that Poland's interests are being defined by the gov in Berlin?


That is outrageous claim in itself. Poland is not some soldiers or a butler to fall in line and follow orders. IF Poland doesn't fulfil YOUR expectations you need to adjust and be flexible rather than behave like a headmaster towards an unruly pupil. Its not only outrageous but it is ridiculous.

I think it is a partly because German politicians had been dealing with post- commies not Poles and hence the confusion.


I don't see why? Is that because for Germany it is uncomfortable issue, or is it because they have thought they have got off easily? There is nothing nonsensical about it!!!

It Might be seen as impractical, not enforceable or not feasible but is doesn't mean it is not right, proper and just. Whether you like it or not.

Also it hasn't been staid out of the blue by the PiS gov. It took almost two years or German gov and press hostility toward the Polish gov. It support and interference into the polish internal affairs to the point that German intelligence and German money not to mention political cloud supported the previous party the one that lost the last election fair and square. That concertized action trying to ignite a civil unrest in Poland to dispose of the legal gov. That is a legit cause for a war.

Asking for overdue compensation from Germany for the war loses inflicted by them was in a context a very mild response.

"which would have raised the issue of reparations to the expelled Germans "
Nah, that would be nonsensical as you would have to challenge USA, Britain and Russia in that regard as it was them that make those decisions. Soviets ruling Commie Poland only enforced that joint decision.

I am going to apologize twice now. First, for this post - clearly an intrusion into the current conversation. And, secondly, for being less than kind to the Germans for their acceptance of the refugees. What prompted this post is my realization that the American position on the refugees crossing our southern border is so off-the-chart moronic that it makes the European refugee problem a walk in the park on a sunny day.

In 2014, the moron we had then for president decided to accord the refugee status to - brace yourself - anybody who is afraid of gang or domestic violence. That moment, 5 billion people became potential refugees. Including me. At least, the refugees in Europe are escaping a real war. Once, the war is over, they will be expected to go home. The American style 'refugees' will stay forever since gangs are as part of life in the hellholes they came from as tacos. Under that plan, even the MS-13 scum can probably apply for a refugee status because they, too, are afraid of 'gang violence'. BTW, what makes this so surreal is that the RINO's just signed off on this crap, too, ignoring that fact that the policy is designed to make the US a one-party country very soon.

The moral from this story is that stupidity is international, but the American stupidity is, as always, bigger and better.

No. But Poland's interests have not changed since PiS took power. Except that it has now fewer influence than before on European affairs, it has completely sidelined itself on most issues. When Tusk lead the government, Poland's voice was heard in Europe. Now it is simply ignored. And that leaves out how much Warsaw has miscalculated wit its' attempted strategic realignment to the UK and later USA.


That is not the point. We have managed to reach a civilized conduct between European countries, in which we communicate with each other diplomatically. PiS has broken with this rule and has brought back resentiments into diplomacy. That is not productive at all.


It is entirely nonsensical to raise an issue like this when it is clear that there is no legal justification for such demands. It just damages the relations with nothing productive to be gained from it.


It is neither of those things. Raising an issue that had been settled to the satiafaction of all included just to get domestic approval is just stupid. The democratically elected Polish government in 1989/90 was perfectly happy with previous agreements and simply wanted to confirm them, and even then all that mattered to them was the border question. Poland has received more than enough compensation already. If this was 1948, they might still have some moral claim to it. But that is now long gone. Do no expect the Great-grandsons to pay an additional bill for historical grievances.


Completely ridiculous. Germany has done nothing od the sort, do not blame the divisive reactions of PiS policies on Berlin. In fact Germany has been far too reluctant to condemn PiS attempts to undermine the rule of law and its' violations European rules. But then again, this reluctance is part of Merkel's pro-Polish inclinations. Besides you are deliberately mixing up different issues here. Poland received negative press coverage from all of Europe - not simply Germany - because of its' own actions.


False. None of those parties ever signed an agreement with Germany that would wave the right of compensations for those expelled Germans. Nor did Poland for that matter. There is legally speaking a stronger case for those expelled Germans, than for Polish reparations, which is another reason why this is such a short-sighted move PiS.

Not exactly. Poland has been informed through the diplomatic channels that as long as the issue of war reparations from Germany for Poland is used for domestic political purposes only, the German government would not mind that at all.

And indeed it has been the case so far. The government in Warsaw has not brought the issue beyond the domestic political market as yet, that is it has not made any claim towards Berlin about it. And what is more to it, the issue has been absent from the politcal agenda in Poland for several weeks, if not for months, now. If anyone (like Ironside, for example) believes it was a genuine claim towards Germany, they would have to wait very loooong to see the claim arriving in Berlin at last.


In this sentence you seem to speak about Germany as if you were a Polish person, whereas as far as I can remember you said once that your Heimat was NRW. By the way, did you read the German translation of that book by ancient Persian writers in which they said that Paderborn and Soest, towns both located in NRW, were once Slavic strongholds in the country of the Franks in the early Middle Ages?

That is something I can't stop wondering....will these countries forever be doomed to stay hellholes, only able to send out masses of young people? Will Africa? Will the ME?

If so then frankly there will be no other choice for us (first world) to wall ourselves in...longterm that is.

A highly depressing thought!

There's only one solution. Get the population growth under control, educate these people and create jobs through investments by international corporations.

Not our decision and frankly, I doubt they will!


Not our decision and frankly, I doubt they will!


These jobs will be only available to the already well off and good educated...so maybe 1%....and the other 99%?

I fear these solutions are not really solutions. Maybe there is nothing we can really do....spending a gazillion Euros hasn't change a thing during the last decades either!

Lol! considering it was a voice that echoed German voice. As I have said - Tusk - a German puddle.


You're giving them too much credit. I would say that in the face of the German gov hostility PiS gov done the best they could. Although I firmly believe that Poland should leave the EU. The way the EU is heading doesn't bode well for the interest of Poland. As for the USA and the UK realignment - it has its merits. I wouldn't write it off.------


Ok, you have misunderstood my allegory. I mean that Poland has it internal grapple with post- commies. They have been in fact in charge of Poland for the last 30 years or at least in control. Breaking slowly that dead grip mean that Poland will not be satisfies with the place soviets (those post-commies) found for it. The reason is simple - it is a bad deal.

Poland has it own interests and issues that PiS gov, not fully as yet and admittedly somewhat awkwardly voice now and then.
I understand other countries are seeing it as a breaking of some of consensus, done deal or whatnot.
They have two choices - deal flexibly with Poland and strike a new deal or go all hard in - all or nothing.
Seems to me that doing it a hard way proven to be a fail. Form the country where the general populace (not the war generation of course) liked Germany and Germans as a good friend it changed its perspective into something less favorable towards Germany, the same goes for the EU.

More hard balls this way and you will convince Poles to build a wall on the western border.


There is a legal justification for those demands. The fact some German experts claim otherwise has no value. So far it is - our experts versus your experts. \

That means absolutely nothing either way. You should know that.


That is an arrogant lie. Poland received very little indeed.

"Raising an issue that had been settled."
It hadn't been settled properly. However I concede that you made a point here. That is the only valid point you made on the issue of compensation - so kudos to you. As to the moral issue - Poland's claim is morally justified 100% there is not doubt about it.

"Completely ridiculous"

Well, maybe you are unaware of those facts. I Don't expect that you will take my world for it. So let agree to disagree.

"Poland received negative press coverage from all of Europe "
Poland received negative coverage from the one quarters - from the 'liberal' / progressive elites as they are those who dominate in those countries.

All this BS about the rule of law, endangered democracy, rise of the fascism, nationalism and so it just a pure nonsense and invention.

Polish gov is being punished for not following of the dominant progressive line in the EU. IF Poland would have taken quota of illegal Africans, introduced gay marriages, paid lip service to all the crap progressives love - its gov would have be free to do what they want without anyone raising a concern. I'm sure that tanks against people on the streets would be overlooked or excused by the western progressive cronies.

It is and it sells very well when dealing with idiots - persons who are less than 20 and 65% of females.

From Daily Mail:

Andrew Malone ventured into the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, just six miles from the Eiffel Tower, for a week - living among thousands of Muslim immigrants who are ignoring French law. Many rely on crime or the 'black economy' to get by and hundreds of thousands live in poverty. There are an estimated 135 different nationalities in Saint-Denis, most extremely poor, including an estimated 600,000 Muslims from North African or sub-Saharan African backgrounds. Malone found his a parallel state - a state within a state, with its own rules and religious courts - where allegiance to Islam comes ahead of fealty to France.

Tomorrow, I will be getting a ticket to visit Paris and prove the above to be a baseless lie.

The moment the EU has centres outside they can be deported immediately...right now nobody really knows where to with these peoples!

The political decision making process is seemingly done and the EU has found a consent it seems...the main problem now is to find countries willing to host such centres. Brussels is searching left and right but to no avail till now.

I personally think it would be easiest if we "rent" some greek islands and cut their debts for compensation...or adjust the aid money for north Africa accordingly as in "You help us - we help you".

theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/19/eu-migrant-processing-centres-north-africa-refugees

Something has to give soon...

Trumpism coming to Europe !

Steve Bannon plans to lead a populist revolt throughout Europe which, if successful, will crush George Soros and his network of open border NGO's to smithereens, according to the Daily Beast.

slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/steve-bannon-will-set-up-foundation-to-boost-the-far-right-in-europe.html

Bannon raised lots of eyebrows earlier this year when he told a gathering of the far-right in France that they should be proud of being called racists. "Let them call you racists," Bannon said to members of the French National Front party at their annual congress. "Let them call you xenophobes. Let them call you nativists. Wear it as a badge of honor."

My favorite technique. When I am called a racist, I remind the accuser that he forgot xenophobe, homophobe, Islamophobe and a sexist pig.

On the beaches of Southern Spain, one can find beautiful sand, seashells, picturesque coastlines, lots of skin... and hundreds of invading africans speeding ashore in Open Society funded dingys.

thesun.co.uk/news/6881644/costa-del-sol-nudist-beach-migrants-north-africa

If it were Israel, snipers would be picking these guys off long before they reached land. They've had plenty of practice;

juancole.com/2018/06/israeli-snipers-palestinian.html

incogman.net/2009/04/israels-death-culture-a-dragging-anchor

There aren't any women or youths on board these boats, so the IDF would have to settle for men instead.

In actuality, they should be warned that they will be fired upon and their vessel sunk at sea if further attempts are made to land without authorization.

His job will be harder the more often Trump shoots against Europe, politically and more importantly, economically...actually Trump is right now helping the EU.

Even the most ardent EU-hater don't want to be seen to openly at the side of Trump. (It's a deeply tribal thing!)

The other point is that he even couldn't hold his job at his main revolution loud speaker Breitbart....he should start with that to gain more plausibility!

The media doesn't tell you that the Israelis have camera's that can do a face recognition from a mile away.
Most of the people that the Israelis are 'picking off' are well known terrorists.
I wish Trump would implement the same tactics on America's southern border,
It would cure the problem REAL QUICK.

I found this joke a moment ago:

BERLIN (Reuters) - Support for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc, trying to move beyond a bitter dispute over migrant policy that threatened the coalition, has fallen to its lowest level since 2006, a poll showed on Sunday.

I highlighted the funny part.

You wouldn't find that funny if you knew the alternative. Social Democrats, the Greens and the ex Commies in a coalition - and Germany is toast. And down goes the rest of the continent as well.

Merkel - conservative. That was so funny, I had to run to the bathroom to pee.
You know would be even funnier? Obama - an American patriot.
Or, while I am on the roll: Putin - a threat to American democracy.

Donald Trump, the man who gave you the best healthcare ever... :)

Amen, buddy!

Ya got nothin' wrong with ya, don't need competent MDs, can get by with next to zero..guess America's the place for you:-)

Right on, TheOther.