Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference • Hacker News Board

Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference

#91

Post by dice1-6 » Sun, Nov 22, 2020, 2:57 AM UTC

bloodorange wrote: post #71

smabie wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you rather have the US tell you what to do or China?

While there may be some negative news coverage of China's actions, most of them are within or at their borders. I have yet to see recent news of them bombing other countries, kidnapping people from around the world and destabilising regions around the world. In truth, I'd rather have neither of them bullying others but if I had to choose, I think the less violent bully is a better choice.

They do intimidate people abroad

Canada: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-china-ramps...

same in Australia https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-19/fake-chinese-police-c...

kidnapping abroad (Thailand): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gui_Minhai

killing abroad (Indonesia): https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-45976946

(Australia) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-25/asio-says-its-taking-...

Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference

#92

Post by redis_mlc » Sun, Nov 22, 2020, 7:16 AM UTC

estaseuropano wrote: post #86

ungoog wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France and Britain declared war on Germany during WW2, which effectively triggered a world war.

It is quite a lot more complex than that. I'd say it is a stretch to argue that Germany was to blame for WW1 (post-WW1 Germany was forced to take the blame but the reality was a lot more complex). You can then also argue about the context/contribution the harsh treaty of Versailles made to WW2. But to not blame principally Germany/NSDAP/Hitler for WW2 after Germany marched into Poland is pretty absurd.

I study WW2, so I'll comment.

WW2 is the name we use today, but there were really about 11 wars total.

1) Britain declared war on Germany as part of their mutual-defence pact with Poland, but after Germany invaded Poland.

2) FYI: Aggressor countries have rarely "declared war" before attacking for almost 2 centuries. Because, you know, element of surprise. So it's normal to be attacked with no declaration of war, but then to declare war on your attacker or in defense of your treaty partners.

Like Pearl Harbor, where the Japanese attacked without declaring war, then the US declared war on Japan, then Germany declared war on the US as part of their treaty with Japan.

The problem that Japan and Germany faced was you don't declare war on an enemy that you can't bomb, and who has 10x more oil than you do. Oops.

So yes, Germany did start WW2.

To be fair to the German people, they were used to monarchy/autocracy. Democracy in the 1930s was not looked upon as an entirely positive thing as it is today in the West. So they were fine going along with whoever the strongman was, similar to Russia and Putin today.

> the harsh treaty of Versailles made to WW2

It actually wasn't harsh compared to previous treaties that favored Germany, although politicians find fig leaves for war convenient, and one can object to any reparations at all.

Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference

#93

Post by Moodles » Sun, Nov 22, 2020, 7:24 PM UTC

rscho wrote: post #53

Moodles wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They’re also all using Apple products, for example.

Yes, much to the EU population's dismay.

I think it's way too paranoid and impractical to seriously have every single thing homegrown. No Zoom, no Microsoft, no Apple, no Google, no Intel or ARM chips. It's just not going to work. It's not even clear to me that would be more secure. Okay, so you've successfully defended against the threat of the US government pressuring those companies to add backdoors to spy on your conference. Now you have to make sure your homegrown software and hardware in secure. Also the EU is multiple countries with competing interests anyway. Come on. We have to be a little more practical in the real-world I think.

Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference

#94

Post by throwaway189262 » Sun, Nov 22, 2020, 10:51 PM UTC

AsyncAwait wrote: post #74

throwaway189262 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If china bullies too much the US and Europe will ally together against them. The difference between the US and China's government is that almost nobody likes China. The US, at least before recent political developments, tries to make sure that agreements benefit both sides. The US is also a democracy that respects freedom of the press and human rights to a degree. China doesn't give a shit about any of that.

> If china bullies too much the US and Europe will ally together against them. Right. My problem is that the U.S. already is bullying too much and nobody pushes back against them, if it takes China to do it, so be it. I wish the EU to grow a backbone, but it is unlikely to happen. I mean you have the U.S. sanctioning MEDICINE to Iran in the middle of a global pandemic and threatening Europe with secondary sanctions i…

These are all very recent developments. The last few years has been very different than decades before. Hopefully we can restore some normalcy after this turbulent period...