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Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

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201–209 of 209 posts

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#201
post #35

The next few weeks/months are going to be very interesting. Saudi Arabia has doubled down on its new direction. Japan/EU seems at edge with the war in Ukraine. China is making new moves in the global financial scene. The US has accumulated significant political debt in the recent years. They have significantly abused their position with the US dollars hegemony. In this recent conflict, the cost burdened Europe and th…

As long as China and Russia remain peaceful and don’t threaten their neighbors with aggression, they can absolutely win the war for hearts and minds and thus assemble a broad coalition to buck the US’s interests. The problem here is that Russia has already invaded its neighbors and proven to be a security risk for Europe, while China is doing everything it can to signal to its own population that war with Taiwan is i…

So what you're saying is that it is not in their enemies' best interests to allow them to remain peaceful.

> China is doing everything it can to signal to its own population that war with Taiwan is imminent

I haven't seen this at all, though it may well be true. What I have seen, however, is a sudden regularity in articles over the last few months on how China is a threat to Taiwan, how everyone including somehow China really seems to admit it's very much not a part of China, and how its allies need to be prepared and proactive about "defending" it from China.

Not saying Chucky isn't a bully, but I can't shake the feeling that going round telling people how you're rounding up the gang and are preparing to give him and his chums a lesson, isn't exactly the peace-maintaining de-escalation people think it is. Especially in the absence of an "if he tries something" clause.

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as China and Russia remain peaceful and don’t threaten their neighbors with aggression, they can absolutely win the war for hearts and minds and thus assemble a broad coalition to buck the US’s interests. The problem here is that Russia has already invaded its neighbors and proven to be a security risk for Europe, while China is doing everything it can to signal to its own population that war with Taiwan is i…

So what you're saying is that it is not in their enemies' best interests to allow them to remain peaceful. > China is doing everything it can to signal to its own population that war with Taiwan is imminent I haven't seen this at all, though it may well be true. What I have seen, however, is a sudden regularity in articles over the last few months on how China is a threat to Taiwan, how everyone including somehow Chi…

Not really sure what to make of this comment. You start by admitting you're not really sure if China has been threatening Taiwan, but then conclude that the US is probably at fault for it anyway.

Also not sure what "rounding up the gang and preparing to give China a lesson" means here.

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#203
post #200
post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So which one is this an example of - not coercion or not bribery? Or not both: https://www.wsj.com/video/opinion-joe-biden-forced-ukraine-t...

Do you think a government donating a billion dollars in aid money to a country has a legitimate interest in fighting corruption in that country, and a responsibility to their tax payers to ensure that money is well managed?

You didn't answer the question. We promised to give a billion dollars, then threatened to withhold it if they didn't do what we wanted. That is not a gift or a donation, that makes it a bribe. That was also a clear example of coercion - and it was done by our current President who was VP at the time.

I'm sure you were well aware of this and many other examples and yet you are on here pretending we don't use those tactics in Ukraine. Why?

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#204
post #203
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think a government donating a billion dollars in aid money to a country has a legitimate interest in fighting corruption in that country, and a responsibility to their tax payers to ensure that money is well managed?

You didn't answer the question. We promised to give a billion dollars, then threatened to withhold it if they didn't do what we wanted. That is not a gift or a donation, that makes it a bribe. That was also a clear example of coercion - and it was done by our current President who was VP at the time. I'm sure you were well aware of this and many other examples and yet you are on here pretending we don't use those tac…

It was a donation with conditions. International aid always comes with conditions as to how the money is used and managed, and donations to third world countries often include conditions relating to tackling corruption. There was nothing nefarious in that case. That prosecutor was obstructing corruption investigations, it would have been irresponsible to allow the money to go into Ukraine without ensuring the Ukrainian government was serious in tackling corruption.

Here's a UN report on aid agencies using their influence on recipient countries to demand better governance and fight corruption. So the answer to your question is, it was responsible aid management in line with international norms.

https://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/publications/aid_ag...

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#205
post #204
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You didn't answer the question. We promised to give a billion dollars, then threatened to withhold it if they didn't do what we wanted. That is not a gift or a donation, that makes it a bribe. That was also a clear example of coercion - and it was done by our current President who was VP at the time. I'm sure you were well aware of this and many other examples and yet you are on here pretending we don't use those tac…

It was a donation with conditions. International aid always comes with conditions as to how the money is used and managed, and donations to third world countries often include conditions relating to tackling corruption. There was nothing nefarious in that case. That prosecutor was obstructing corruption investigations, it would have been irresponsible to allow the money to go into Ukraine without ensuring the Ukraini…

[flagged]

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#206
post #204
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You didn't answer the question. We promised to give a billion dollars, then threatened to withhold it if they didn't do what we wanted. That is not a gift or a donation, that makes it a bribe. That was also a clear example of coercion - and it was done by our current President who was VP at the time. I'm sure you were well aware of this and many other examples and yet you are on here pretending we don't use those tac…

It was a donation with conditions. International aid always comes with conditions as to how the money is used and managed, and donations to third world countries often include conditions relating to tackling corruption. There was nothing nefarious in that case. That prosecutor was obstructing corruption investigations, it would have been irresponsible to allow the money to go into Ukraine without ensuring the Ukraini…

On the Hunter Biden thing, since someone inevitably brought that up. According to the Ukrainians there never was any plan to investigate him, there was no evidence or reason they were aware of to bring a case, under that prosecutor or any other. Zelensky even refused to open such an investigation as spurious when directly threatened with withholding US aid as explicit coercion to do so.

Since you're so deeply concerned about US coercion of Ukraine for the personal political advantage of US politicians, I'm sure Trump's blatant attempts to do so as confirmed by several members of his own administration are particularly outrageous to you. Strange that you didn't mention it.

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#207
post #76
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Japan should move to withdraw from the Sakhalin projects eventually “if they’re really serious about supporting Ukraine.” What an irony. Japan has to buy its own oil from Russia, from the island Russia seized from Japan.

it wasn't 'seized'. it was lost because Japan lost in WW2. they had it coming partnering with Hitler and going against USSR and Allies. also they murdered millions of people in very sadistic ways

[dead]

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#208
post #206
post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a donation with conditions. International aid always comes with conditions as to how the money is used and managed, and donations to third world countries often include conditions relating to tackling corruption. There was nothing nefarious in that case. That prosecutor was obstructing corruption investigations, it would have been irresponsible to allow the money to go into Ukraine without ensuring the Ukraini…

On the Hunter Biden thing, since someone inevitably brought that up. According to the Ukrainians there never was any plan to investigate him, there was no evidence or reason they were aware of to bring a case, under that prosecutor or any other. Zelensky even refused to open such an investigation as spurious when directly threatened with withholding US aid as explicit coercion to do so. Since you're so deeply concern…

  > I'm sure Trump's blatant attempts to do so as confirmed by several members of his own administration are particularly outrageous to you. Strange that you didn't mention it.
Yes, a bunch of Trump's dealings are outrageous to me. One of the many reasons I didn't vote for him, he's a con artist. That doesn't change anything with the shady dealings, coercion and outright bribery that Biden has been involved in as VP and now as President.

Re: Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

#209
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the unstated assumption here that Russia is mindlessly belligerent and going to attack any neighbor for any reason?

That seems to be its history, so yes. Although reason seems mostly to expand, you probably meant with any pretext.

We have experienced different realities. There is no point in trying to discuss this.
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