A new Cold War started in Vilnius

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DanS
Colon: I think it's a little different this time. The US press carried it on its front pages, for instance. It was meant to be an important speech, and apparently it was received as an important speech.

More likely it was just a slow news day and a speech by Cheney sounded better then "today a cat got stuck in a tree" or some other boring crap story.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


This is hilarious. GePap is trying to tell a Belgian what Belgium's identity is!

Any Belgian is welcome to explain it to the rest of us. In fact, I believe the question was asked.

Have seen no answer given.

[GePap]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


An invasion precipitated by Russia's invasion of a neighbouring power is hardly just cause for paranoia.

So? Who ever needs "just cause" for their own opinons?

And then of course this misses the question of say, why the Russians moved into theis neighboring power in the first place. If the Russian invasion is based on the notion that this other power is a threat, than any action is justified, and counteraction by anyone else is an attack worthy of paranoia.

So again, the reason for foreign incursion into Russian land really becomes irrelevant.

[KrazyHorse]

Yeah, the Germans should be paranoid about getting invaded too.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by DanS
the only reason why Russia can charge the Ukraine a dear price for cheap gas from the Caucasus is because they have a transportation monopoly

Uh...do I really need to instruct you on why the extraction cost of the particular gas they're selling matters not one whit?

If Ukraine doesn't want to buy the gas at the same price the rest of Europe is paying then the Russians can sell it to the rest of Europe.

Whining about the end of subsidised gas consumption is ridiculous.

[Colon™]

Originally posted by GePap


Any Belgian is welcome to explain it to the rest of us. In fact, I believe the question was asked.

Have seen no answer given.

There's a limit to the amount of time I'm willing to spend to someone who's obviously clueless.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Colon™


There's a limit to the amount of time I'm willing to spend to someone who's obviously clueless.

Clueless how?

I know the history of Flanders well enough. The question is, what is the Belgian identity. You implied that like the Russian indetity, there is some strain of victimization because of how commonly armies have come through there.

You made the comment. It is not out of line for someone to ask for an explination, especially since I have never ehard any Belgians talk about having some complex about foreigners, as opposed to Russians, who are rather open about their paranoia.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by GePap


Clueless how?

I know the history of Flanders well enough. The question is, what is the Belgian identity. You implied that like the Russian indetity, there is some strain of victimization because of how commonly armies have come through there.

You made the comment. It is not out of line for someone to ask for an explination, especially since I have never ehard any Belgians talk about having some complex about foreigners, as opposed to Russians, who are rather open about their paranoia.

As far as I know, we're not truly paranoid about foreigners. Not like Russia in any case, as Oerdin pointed out above.

However, Belgians have some sort of an inferiority complex, mostly because just about everyone has dominated us in the past. Burgundians, dutch, french, spanish, germans, ehh and a heap of others. After all it's been a fairly rich region throughout most of the second millenium so it's always been attractive to others.

The thing is that unlike French, Dutch, English or Spanish for example we've not developed a 'past'. We were never a great nation, something to be proud of. Somehow I think it's still in our nature to feel bested by others. The cliché goes: we're introvert, modest and hard working.
And most people in Belgium will remember how the French always called us 'les petits belges' / making fun of the Bruxellois speaking French with their odd accent (You'll notice this if you watch old French movies!)

Anyways that's why I always find it funny that our rightwing nationalists like to talk about our great Flanders from the past and that we should get it independant as quick as possible, while it's obviously been unimportant in terms of being a powermonger. They're successful at making Flandrians believe that crap though


This is not really a resume of the Belgian nationality, but I reckon it's certainly part of it. Colon will probably express himself more clearly on this

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by GePap


Clueless how?

I know the history of Flanders well enough. The question is, what is the Belgian identity. You implied that like the Russian indetity, there is some strain of victimization because of how commonly armies have come through there.

You made the comment. It is not out of line for someone to ask for an explination, especially since I have never ehard any Belgians talk about having some complex about foreigners, as opposed to Russians, who are rather open about their paranoia.

Haw haw, you continue to paint yourself into a corner!

[Kuciwalker]

I know the history of Flanders well enough. The question is, what is the Belgian identity. You implied that like the Russian indetity, there is some strain of victimization because of how commonly armies have come through there.

No he didn't. Learn to read.

[Urban Ranger]

Vice President Dick Cheney, in remarks that caused a stir in neighboring Russia, accused President Vladimir Putin Thursday of restricting the rights of citizens and said that "no legitimate interest is served" by turning energy resources into implements of blackmail.

This is ironic on many levels.

[Colon™]

[Gangerolf]

is that a real book?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap
. The Putin admin. is pissed because of that- after all, eevryone is supposed to do as they say. Damn Baltics, Georgians, Ukrainians getting pissy and acting like regular soveriegn powers, caring about their national interests more than those of Russia- how inconsiderate of them.

Corrected.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Colon™

omfg, Paul Belien, he's a raving lunatic. He's fanatically religious, predicts islam will take over Belgium within 10-20 years (and consequently he takes up some xenophobic viewpoints regarding foreigners ). He also took his children out of state education because in one particular religion handbook belonging to his daughter a picture of a naked baby or something was depicted which was reason enough to shock him

Basically he's considered a clown by all sane and reasonable people around here. I mean c'mon, he married this troll alexandra colen (a well known party member of the extremist rightwing party Vlaams Beland)