Comments by "Andy Monaghan" (@229andymon) on "Al Jazeera English" channel.

  1. Ghani goes on TV and tells the Afghans he’ll “take responsibility”. 2 hours later he’s on a plane to Tajikistan.
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  2. Shouldn’t the question rather be - why is there US personnel being hung out to dry in bases in Syria and Iraq where they have no permission to be?
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  3. The SNPs aim is NOT to “break up the UK”, it is an independent Scotland. Any so- called political expert that doesn’t know the difference isn’t worth listening to.
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  4.  @facehugger3 Very not funny.
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  5. Ukraine is accusing Russia of 2 things; filling the plant with troops and artillery; and shelling the plant. Western media is repeated the claims. The answer to your question is - it's not possible. Craziness on stilts.
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  6.  @tonysquiggs9741  I agree, but that’s NOT the aim of the SNP. That’s thinking Brit, not Scot. Brexiteers didn’t vote for Brexit to break up the EU, you don’t make an omelette in order to break eggs. There’s a world of difference in wanting to create as opposed to destroy. It’s not about UK, it’s about Scotland.
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  7. Sounds like being part of UK not working out well for it then, eh?
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  8. To avoid bloodshed? Yes, his own…!
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  9.  @uktravel8341  it’s a good question what rest of UK will call itself when Scotland (and NI) leaves, but wanting to recreate the nation of Scotland is NOT the same as wanting to break up the UK. The southern Irish already left, you think their motive was to break up the UK or to have a free Ireland? Did Lech Walesa want a free Poland to “break up the Soviet Union”?
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  10.  @oneroomboy  Same in Scotland. Around 30% of Labour (unionist party) voters in Scotland say they support independence in surveys. Likewise a small minority of SNP voters say they don’t!
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  11.  @samca4472  Democracy comes with a price tag.
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  12.  @paulbriggsy  We love you too, mate. This must be recent then, since the 1970s UK McCrone report secretly advised the UK Govt to resist Scottish independence since Scotland would become “embarrassingly rich”. I’m happy to take my chance, England never did nowt for nowt.
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  13. It doesn't have one. The only question is how soon will it disintegrate and will Scotland or N Ireland leave first. Who'd wanna stay around for the Dizzy Lizzy show?
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  14. How would Russian gas get to Hungary, given Hungary has no border with Russia, or Belarus? Will countries such as Poland allow Russian gas through while sanctioning it for themselves? Doesn’t make sense.
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  15. SF win is more symbolic than practical, but symbolism is massive in Irish politics. Even the biased BBC will find it difficult to downplay the SNP representing Scotland and SF representing N Ireland. This is a body blow to unionist confidence in keeping UK together.
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  16.  @samca4472  As in both N Ireland and Scotland, unionists tell us there is no mandate for independence - while resolutely opposing referendums.
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  17.  @Daughter_of_hades_  I expect the same reason most people from the developing world want to live in the developed. A better life for them and their children.
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  18.  @pranteranaud3617  I’m 100% sure too. But what the US is (slowly) learning is that the only problems militaries solve are military problems. The real issues facing USA today aren’t military.
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  19. How would military intervention actually happen? To me Niger appears ringed by nations that wouldn’t be ideal candidates for western partnership. Nigeria to the south? Possibly, but northern Nigeria would have to be the main launching ground - good luck with that..!
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  20.  @mariusmihai1292  Sorry, to believe that story rather than believe the Ukrainians are shelling it is simply illogical.
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  21.  @mariusmihai1292  Russia attacked because it didn’t want NATO 300 miles from Moscow. It ignored the neo-fascists in Kiev for years. Do you think they should trust NATO?
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  22. The problem with the EU is who is the strongest power in it - Germany. Germany's been scared to flex it's muscles since 1945. France is prepared to face off with the US, but without Germany it isn't enough to pull Brussels with it.
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  23. More signs the “Pax Americana” is coming to an end.
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  24. Wagner did not have “tentacles” in Africa and elsewhere. The only thing that has tentacles is an octopus, the use of that word is obviously negative and pejorative. A good journalist should try to be objective, and promote news rather than views.
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  25.  @samca4472  29% was for SF, what are the combined totals for all the nationalist and unionist parties combined (exc Alliance)?
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  26. The best result, but to think a small bunch of religious fundamentalists can and do pick who can even stand or not means, for me, Iran still has a long way to go.
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  27. I have zero time for Tories, but if Sir Keir wants me to believe Labour would put country before party he’s got a job on…..
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  28. @pmChump change these days for corrupt leaders, buddy. He probably had that in Rolex.
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  29. What about one on Taiwan? Then John can explain his belief that USA should militarily intervene in the case of a Chinese takeover of Taiwan.
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  30. It seems to me that Western Europe has yet to fully realise the implications of the end of the Cold War. What threat is the “new” Russia to Europe? Sure it has an impressive military on paper, but what would it do with that? Invade the whole of Europe, and then, even less likely, install puppet pro-Russian regimes that it could expect to last? That’s simply unbelievable., especially when we consider the weakness of the Russian economy. Russia economically is weaker than each of France, Germany or UK. In fact I believe Russia’s military strength is *defensive*, not aggressive. I don’t believe they have any intention, or capability, of invading Europe, but rather they’re actually scared of the west and their own military actions (in places like Georgia, Ukraine) are to protect it’s borders and even it’s existence. Russians have the campaigns of Napoleon and Hitler to remind them how much we are to be trusted. A united western force, especially if adequately resourced, would have no need to fear Russia, they have no desire to march their troops up the streets of Glasgow.
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  31. More like the Ukrainians doing that. I hope the inspectors have the capability to determine which direction the shelling is coming from. I would imagine that is possible. Then we'll see who's doing the shelling. It's the Ukrainians (of course). Why on earth would the Russians shell a plant they occupy - that's an insane notion! The Russians will use it to provide power to the areas they now occupy, at the same time they've now cut power (from Europe's largest nuke plant - so we're talking a lot of power) that used to power the Ukrainian areas. So I ask you, which side do you reckon has more incentive to shell the plant?
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  32.  @andrewchapman6983  If that's true (and it may be) why would their own side shell them? Ukraine can't have this both ways.
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  33.  @donaldlawson5088  Trump wanted the US out sooner than this. What do you reckon would have happened then? Trump opened direct talks with the Taliban and excluded the puppet Afghan Govt the Americans themselves set up. What kind of message did that send..?
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  34.  @donaldlawson5088  They didn’t have to, buddy, he was giving them all they wanted and more - quicker than Biden did. Biden had to carry Trumps can. Trump is full of it. But, fair play, the only alternative for either was another wasted $1 trillion, countless lives and 2 decades. America’s blown this big time - another Vietnam. Corks popping in Beijing, Moscow and Teheran tonight.
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  35. Mearscheimer needs to explain why he regards China as “the enemy” and that USA and its allies need to actively confront and contain China, including US military intervention in the case of China taking control of Taiwan. While he does that, he also needs to explain why he believes USA should continue being the global hegemon. Being right on Ukraine and the Middle East doesn’t make him right in everything.
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  36.  @rokimarchano5657  Yes, seems crazy Ukraine are helping Russia make money, (lots of it at the moment) but I suppose they have no choice.
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  37.  @zima3181  I'm under no such delusion. It wasn't unusual for the western press to feature highly negative articles about the UKR leadership before 2014 - and even after that up until February this year. There were many stories about gangsterism, corruption, cronyism and dodgy right-wing politics. All vanished now of course.
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  38. I hope so, but given Iraq and Vietnam didn’t do that, why will Afghanistan?
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  39. They’re behaving much better than Trump supporters.
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  40. America - the bastion of competition - doesn't like competition.
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  41. IF the Russians are using artillery sited at the plant to shell Ukrainian positions (and I'm hoping the UN inspectors will confirm or deny this) then that would be wrong. But let's all face 2 stone cold facts here - 1. it defies any logic to believe the Russians are shelling a plant they occupy, that's just complete nonsense. 2. Given it's clearly the Ukrainians that are shelling the plant - there is NO excuse for this - even if the Russians are using it to shell. The Ukrainians can't have it both ways, either the Russians are using the plant to fire artillery, or the Russians are shelling a plant they occupy, but it CANNOT be both...!
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  42. Ukraine didn't have any nukes, the Soviet Union did. A comparison could be made with my country, Scotland - if/when we achieve independence - the Trident nukes on our soil won't belong to us, rather UK. Not that we'd want them, incidentally...
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  43. Isn't "news" without balance just propaganda? There's always 2 sides and I want the opportunity to see the other view, to judge for myself who I think is right and who wrong. I don't want Aljazeera, or RT, deciding for me. It's a pity news channels act like propaganda channels.
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  44.  @mariusmihai1292  Ukrainians are shelling Ukrainian territory every day! Along every kilometre of the front lines.
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  45.  @mariusmihai1292  That’s a long way from deliberately filling a plant with your own forces and then shelling it. No, sorry your explanation just doesn’t seem even remotely plausible
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  46. 😅There are still a few insignificant remnants of the Brit empire around, and, UK hasn’t finished disintegrating. I don’t know whether Scotland or Northern Ireland will be the first leave the dead hand of London rule, but Celtic self-rule is gaining ground, slowly, but surely.
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  47. “Former” UK?
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  48.  @khanhnguyen-tt3ff  And in the case of the last time they did so, thankfully we succeeded…!
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  49.  @khanhnguyen-tt3ff  Russia is busy proving beyond doubt they definitely do not have the capability to invade further west. There is no need for Germany or any other European nation to spend more on defence. I don’t believe the Russians have any intention to either.
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  50.  @KZN9378  Thanks, I’d also really like to see him explain why we should all buy into the US retaining its position as global hegemon. I’m with him on the subjects we hear him discuss. I reckon he has a far bigger task justifying a US military confrontation with China if or when they decide to reincorporate their province of Taiwan, or trying to convince us we should all want to keep Uncle Sam ruling the world.
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