[Info-vax] The changing world

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2022-07-05 01:12, chris wrote:
> On 07/04/22 23:40, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>> On 2022-07-02 19:05, chris wrote:
>>> On 07/02/22 15:56, Single Stage to Orbit wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 2022-07-02 at 10:19 +0000, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply)
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> So I wonder, why did GB have to toe the line so closely?
>>>>>
>>>>> It didn't.
>>>>
>>>> And they won't, two bills currently before Parliament will override the
>>>> treaties the UK signed wih the EU.
>>>>
>>>> Not good news in the long run. Who will trust us if we break our word?
>>>
>>> The EU is fine so long as they get all their own way, but if you want
>>> just one example of the velvet glove on iron hand, look at the way that
>>> Greece was crushed. Encouraged to join, knowing full well their finances
>>> were not valid, EU played hard ball, private savings stolen, with Greece
>>> now owned by German banks. Not a shot fired, strange isn't it ?. Don't
>>> trust them an inch, competitors, not friends.
>>
>> Greece also knew very well what it was getting into. Don't try to
>> pretend that this was a one way street. Mismanaged and in debt, and they
>> want to have the cake and eat it. Guess what? Somewhere down the line,
>> someone always have to pay.
>>
> 
> Whatever Greece knew, the EU were more than happy to say yes.
> Responsible adult ?, I don't think so.

It's always easier to blame the other part than taking any 
responsibility yourself. I know.

>>> Anyway, the agreements were just that, with an exit clause if found
>>> not to be working, as in the NI issue. For better or worse, our
>>> parliament should have the last word on all issues that cannot be
>>> successfully negotiated...
>>
>> You should try that with your bank after you signed the papers and you
>> don't like the conditions. I'm sure they would be very amused. :-)
>>
>> Johnny
> 
> Conveniently missing the clause allowing exit from the agreement
> if found not be working properly. The admin for product going
> into NI can be up to 100 pages and is being enforced ruthlessly
> by an EU wishing to make an example of us. They revel in
> nitpicking and delay.
> 
> You seem to have a rose tinted view of the EU, when in reality,
> the only way to deal with them is via hard balled diplomacy,
> reflecting the way that they treat us...

I don't live in the EU (hello Switzerland). But when you define hardball 
diplomacy as "we'll sign this agreement, and then we'll break it", you 
can bet you are going to be in a bad position.
That is, of course, your choice. But as others observed, that means that 
in the longer run, noone will sign many agreements with you. What is the 
point if you just keep breaking them when it's convenient for you.

My opinion is that you should just have bitten the the bullet, and 
accepted the placement of hard border controls in NI, instead of trying 
to weasel NI to something semi-inside the EU while you are outside. What 
did you really expect was going to happen with that??? Either you are in 
or you are out. Don't try to eat the cake and keep it at the same time.

   Johnny