William Haigh

[krugerandsmith]

William Haigh off to the Ukraine .... What for? .... Keep your nose out Will .... Unless you are offering to fight on the front line.

[jasons gold]

Who's that then

[88b]

Perhaps he's going to tell them he's asked to borrow the French aircraft carrier .

[poontang]

Perhaps he's going to tell them he's asked to borrow the French aircraft carrier .

 

Well you can be 100% certain the French won't be needing it.

Edited March 2, 2014 by poontang

[Gordon R]

I met William Haigh many year ago, when he was a Junior Minister. Quite bright, with a decent sense of humour. I gave him a fair bit of stick, but he answered and didn't complain.

 

I stood next to him on a running buffet - whilst still talking and facing away from the buffet - he put his hand behind his back and retrieved a salmon sandwich. I told him is was the most impressive thing he had probably ever done. He said that when you had been to as many functions as he had, you could assess the layout of the various food items with little effort. Top lad.

[bruno22rf]

He put up a good fight when his wife ("Do you know who I am?) got a parking ticket in our market square-didn't get him anywhere though. I cannot help but wonder what we can use to threaten the Russians-all we have is a plethora of immigrants-now if only we had a plane to drop them from

[Gimlet]

I can't see what all the panic is about. Russia hasn't done anything which any other country in the same position wouldn't have done. Ukraine is in a state of anarchy without security, law and order or a functioning government. Russia has considerable legitimate interests in Crimea. It leases the Black Sea ports and has a sizable Russian population in the region who are under threat of violence. Damn right its sent troops.

Historically, Russian has been without doubt a duplicitous and unreliable state to deal with but that doesn't excuse NATO, Europe and the US from lurching into headless-chicken mode just to be seen to be doing something. And no one in the west, least of all Britain and the US, is in any position to tell the rest of the world not to interfere in other nation's problems. Nor does the EU possess any moral authority to lecture Russia on expansionism. Mr Hague and his EU friends should keep their ineffectual noses out of the affairs of Asian countries, which is what Russia and the Ukraine are.

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I can't see what all the panic is about. Russia hasn't done anything which any other country in the same position wouldn't have done. Ukraine is in a state of anarchy without security, law and order or a functioning government. Russia has considerable legitimate interests in Crimea. It leases the Black Sea ports and has a sizable Russian population in the region who are under threat of violence. Damn right its sent troops.

Historically, Russian has been without doubt a duplicitous and unreliable state to deal with but that doesn't excuse NATO, Europe and the US from lurching into headless-chicken mode just to be seen to be doing something. And no one in the west, least of all Britain and the US, is in any position to tell the rest of the world not to interfere in other nation's problems. Nor does the EU possess any moral authority to lecture Russia on expansionism. Mr Hague and his EU friends should keep their ineffectual noses out of the affairs of Asian countries, which is what Russia and the Ukraine are.

Hmmm - Ukraine in Asia? - sort out your geography - it is in Eastern Europe.

 

Would you trust Putin knowing his background?

 

I agree that Russia is right to think of the large ethnic Russian population in the Crimea (after all was it not Khruschev who ceded it to the Ukraine?), but invading the place is rather out of line when nothing has happened there yet of any significance - you can bet if there had been any sort of massacre then the press would be crawling all over it.

 

However, it ever there was a situation for the UN to get involved in then this is it - Russia should have contacted the UN as their first port of call rather than sending in the troops.

[clakk]

mmm 19 british warships ,black sea fleet 388 ships ,get back in your corner mr H.we are not the world police anymore and spineless OBAMA wont do squat .he,s just signed his navy back to pre ww1 levels as america is unable to pay its bills.as bad as this is its not our fight

[inthedark]

I can't see what all the panic is about. Russia hasn't done anything which any other country in the same position wouldn't have done. Ukraine is in a state of anarchy without security, law and order or a functioning government. Russia has considerable legitimate interests in Crimea. It leases the Black Sea ports and has a sizable Russian population in the region who are under threat of violence. Damn right its sent troops.

Historically, Russian has been without doubt a duplicitous and unreliable state to deal with but that doesn't excuse NATO, Europe and the US from lurching into headless-chicken mode just to be seen to be doing something. And no one in the west, least of all Britain and the US, is in any position to tell the rest of the world not to interfere in other nation's problems. Nor does the EU possess any moral authority to lecture Russia on expansionism. Mr Hague and his EU friends should keep their ineffectual noses out of the affairs of Asian countries, which is what Russia and the Ukraine are.

 

Is about right

[Gunman]

Used to think he was an OK guy but in the 1997 election campaign he hijacked the Referendum Party slogan of "Keep the pound and save Britain" then went on to claim that the Conservatives were the only party that wanted to do so . Never trusted him since .Personally I can not think of a bigger threat to any country that closer ties with the EU .Ukrainians should as far as possible go it alone ,if the rest of the world will let them but not much hope of that .

[delburt0]

Don't like bloke reminds me of a ferret with alopecia...

[Gimlet]

Hmmm - Ukraine in Asia? - sort out your geography - it is in Eastern Europe.

 

 

 

That is a matter of opinion which varies according to where your sympathies lie. Europe might think it is. Russia certainly doesn't think so and neither do I. So Europe extends to the Black Sea now. Who'll be "European" next, Turkmenistan, Tibet? Why not invite Japan to join the EU? Ukrainians speak Eastern Slavic, an ancient offshoot of Russian, and use the Cyrillic alphabet. If you want to hedge call it Eurasian, but the Crimea, part of Europe? Never.

[welsh1]

 

 

That is a matter of opinion which varies according to where your sympathies lie. Europe might think it is. Russia certainly doesn't think so and neither do I. So Europe extends to the Black Sea now. Who'll be "European" next, Turkmenistan, Tibet? Why not invite Japan to join the EU? Ukrainians speak Eastern Slavic, an ancient offshoot of Russian, and use the Cyrillic alphabet. If you want to hedge call it Eurasian, but the Crimea, part of Europe? Never.

Not only is the Ukraine part of Europe but it is also Europe's largest country.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm

[88b]

 

The last thing they need is the UN

[Gimlet]

Not only is the Ukraine part of Europe but it is also Europe's largest country.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm

 

A European web site using maps copyrighted in America.

[Fisherman Mike]

If its part of Asia then Wills going out to agree the sizeable aid package we will no doubt be sending them..

 

Barak wont get involved as they don't import any oil from Russia whereas the EU relies heavily on Gas and Oil pipelines for Russian Oil and Gas which just happen to run through Ukraine.

 

The last William to go to the Crimea was William Coddrington a British Army Officer and future MP...

 

Perhaps Will's will will be grabbed by the Cossacks too...( you see what I've done there pretty impressive eh ?)

[welsh1]

 

A European web site using maps copyrighted in America.

And your point is?

[poontang]

Not only is the Ukraine part of Europe but it is also Europe's largest country.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm

 

To be fair, according to that map Moscow's in 'European Russia' whatever the hell that might be?

 

 

It's like expansionism by cartography!!

Edited March 2, 2014 by poontang

[welsh1]

 

To be fair, according to that map Moscow's in 'European Russia' whatever the hell that might be?

 

 

It's like expansionism by cartography!!

Most people get confused with Europe meaning the EU and the specific land masses that are called Europe,Asia etc,if you read some of the bumpf on the site i linked it will explain about the europe russia part,countries may opt in and out of unions with other countries but the specified land masses will be a constant.

[four-wheel-drive]

Its a nice little jolly spend a few days in a five star hotel I would not mind some of that.

[woodcock11]

Most people get confused with Europe meaning the EU and the specific land masses that are called Europe,Asia etc,if you read some of the bumpf on the site i linked it will explain about the europe russia part,countries may opt in and out of unions with other countries but the specified land masses will be a constant.

 

Stick to your guns- The Ukraine is indeed a part of Europe!

[maxie]

 

 

That is a matter of opinion which varies according to where your sympathies lie. Europe might think it is. Russia certainly doesn't think so and neither do I. So Europe extends to the Black Sea now. Who'll be "European" next, Turkmenistan, Tibet? Why not invite Japan to join the EU? Ukrainians speak Eastern Slavic, an ancient offshoot of Russian, and use the Cyrillic alphabet. If you want to hedge call it Eurasian, but the Crimea, part of Europe? Never.

There`s no argument about it Ukraine and Crimea are in Europe.The boundary between Europe and Asia is the Caucasas mountains,you cannot change geography.

[Psyxologos]

I can't see what all the panic is about. Russia hasn't done anything which any other country in the same position wouldn't have done. Ukraine is in a state of anarchy without security, law and order or a functioning government. Russia has considerable legitimate interests in Crimea. It leases the Black Sea ports and has a sizable Russian population in the region who are under threat of violence. Damn right its sent troops.

Historically, Russian has been without doubt a duplicitous and unreliable state to deal with but that doesn't excuse NATO, Europe and the US from lurching into headless-chicken mode just to be seen to be doing something. And no one in the west, least of all Britain and the US, is in any position to tell the rest of the world not to interfere in other nation's problems. Nor does the EU possess any moral authority to lecture Russia on expansionism. Mr Hague and his EU friends should keep their ineffectual noses out of the affairs of Asian countries, which is what Russia and the Ukraine are.

 

What he said. The problem is the double standards the US and the UK have. They thin they can invade and bomb anyone they wish, despite the Security Council warning against any action taken, but when another country peacefully makes a legitimate effort to protect their population in another country they cry wolf. A slight case of hypocrisy I think...

[Psyxologos]

 

 

That is a matter of opinion which varies according to where your sympathies lie. Europe might think it is. Russia certainly doesn't think so and neither do I. So Europe extends to the Black Sea now. Who'll be "European" next, Turkmenistan, Tibet? Why not invite Japan to join the EU? Ukrainians speak Eastern Slavic, an ancient offshoot of Russian, and use the Cyrillic alphabet. If you want to hedge call it Eurasian, but the Crimea, part of Europe? Never.

 

This reminds me of a question I always wanted to know the answer to. Who the heck thought that israel is in Europe? Israeli teams have been competing in European sports competitions for years...