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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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The situation is probably worse for the Ukraine rare earth deal.
The Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine and Processing Facility, owned by MP Materials, is an open-pit mine of rare-earth elements on the south flank of the Clark Mountain Range in California, 53 miles (85 km) southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2020 the mine supplied 15.8% of the world's rare-earth production. It is the only rare-earth mining and processing facility in the United States.[1][2] It is the largest single known deposit of such minerals.[3]
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It's not economic, it's situated in the United States, it's kept going by the US defence department to ensure supply chain of critical rare earths.
| As of 2022, work is ongoing to restore processing capabilities for domestic light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and work has been funded by the United States Department of Defense to restore processing capabilities for heavy rare-earth metals (HREEs) to alleviate supply chain risk. |
So Trump MAGA wants to head off to hated Europe and help build a rare earths plant that will take 15 years to construct, next to a war zone, it will actually need to be subsidised by US money to keep it competitive with the already failing (in economic terms) plant on US soil.
Maybe he is hoping to then put tariffs on these imported Euro rare earths when they finally get going, to help protect Mountain Pass. (hmmm)
Net value of Deal to US: less than $0.00.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Right you horrible lot, put your boots on!
| Special Forces units were told to prepare for mobilisation to Ukraine by military planners tasked with readying forces by the Cabinet Office |
Corporal Harpo, take one step forward.
| The orders, which also applied to Special Forces reservists, put personnel on standby in order to ensure military equipment is in working order before receiving a notice to mobilise to Ukraine. |
Why the Special Forces and not regular army?
| Military experts have said that while UK Special Forces are not a traditional peacekeeping unit, their ability to be deployed rapidly, along with their expertise in intelligence and reconnaissance, make them an ideal tool to spearhead the “coalition of the willing”. |
As we know from our own semi-domestic history of "The Troubles", our Paratroopers, Marine Commandos and SAS also have in-depth experience of these "peacekeeping" roles. Trouble is, it didn't stay peaceful...
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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The bleedin' heart left was in full throat on Newsnight, the day before Rachel 'Rachel' Reeves announces who's going to get the five billion chop to balance her books (clue: it's going to be the poor).
Labour Twatto: She doesn't need to balance the books.
Newsnight: But won't that upset the money markets?
Labour Twatto: Who runs this country? An elected Labour government or etc etc
Mick Harper: But, Clive, even you know that if she doesn't, the interest rate on borrowing will go up by an amount that means five billion won't even be a drop in the bucket.
Labour Twatto: I refuse to countenance the something or other not rising in line with inflation from 2030 onwards. There are people coming into my surgery without the shoes on their back etc etc
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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If only we had another Brown Bottom.
At least that had the advantage of selling off some tangible assets (our gold reserves).
There must be something we can sell-off this time.
How about selling our coal mining reserves to China?
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Duh, they're in Britain.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Why is that a problem?
We've already sold ownership of other UK things to China.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Jeremy Corbyn Pops The Question
| "Who comes first, the poor-and-needy or Donald Trump?" wrapping up on Newsnight |
If he hasn't worked that out yet, I fear he will be a one-term MP.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Hedge fund mogul and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has (re-)written the 'mineral deal':
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday Ukraine may sign an economic deal next week ...
"We have passed along a completed document for the economic partnership (that) is currently being reviewed by Ukrainians, and we hope to go to full discussions and perhaps even get signatures next week," Bessent said. |
Zelenski acknowledged the arrival of the agreement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the United States offered Ukraine a new version of the agreement on minerals . During the press conference , he stressed that the issue of Ukrainian nuclear power plants is not in it.
"This is a big full deal for the American side, from the steps that were taken earlier. A framework agreement, you remember, and after the framework agreement, the full agreement is developed. Now the American side has offered our side a big deal at once, their vision," Zelensky said. |
Making them an offer they can't refuse?
| A new version of the agreement on minerals between Ukraine and the United States, in which, as reported by ZN.UA, now the American side wants control not only over the extraction of rare earth metals, but all the minerals of Ukraine and the infrastructure associated with their extraction, provides for unlimited US control over Ukrainian resursans and with the right of veto of the Americans on their extraction by Ukraine. |
It gets even more Godfather-ish
| At the same time, the United States does not offer any security guarantees, and such a monopoly should be a "payment" for the already provided US assistance to Ukraine, said Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a People's Deputy of Ukraine. |
At this rate, Zelensky might wake up with a horse's head in his bed.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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So, what happens next?
Will Zelenski be looking for an escape clause in the UK and Ukraine "100 Year Partnership" pre-nuptial agreement?
Or will Starmer be left standing at the altar?
Or will Zelenski enter into a bigamous marriage and hope nobody notices?
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Or is this just more political theatre from Trump & Co?
To frighten the Ukrainians so much they put their pride in their pocket and sign a peace deal with Russia.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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The agreement will be declared null and void by any international court of Ukraine's choosing, at any time of Ukraine's choosing, on the grounds it was dictated under compulsion. I am surprised Scott Bressent didn't know that.
In fact the Americans are over something of a barrel. The Ukrainians can get out of the agreement anytime they like. The Americans can't.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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If you want to be terrified out of your wits, check out How Geography is Pushing India and China to War on YouTube. Your socks will disappear at a rate of knots when you discover just how many territorial disputes China is having with so many different countries and in whose favour they are being resolved. Go on, have a guess.
They make the Israelis look like rank amateurs. Actually they should be meeting up with the Israelis fairly soon.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Germany calling.
The Peace Through War team is getting very busy.
| European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced a ReArm Europe plan with up to €800 billion of military spending. |
Ursula von der Leyen rose through the ranks via being the Minister of Defence in Germany, and then NATO.
| British defence secretary Michael Fallon described her in 2019 as "a star presence" in the NATO community and "the doyenne of NATO ministers for over five years" |
The soon-to-be German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is pushing for unlimited borrowing for infrastructure and defence spending. Even before assuming office, he won German parliament’s approval for a €500 billion fund to finance defence projects.
Germany’s Merz secures breakthrough on gargantuan spending plan
A new deal with the Greens could allow for as much as €1 trillion in new spending for defense and infrastructure over the next decade. |
But this is only the start:
| Merz is pushing through constitutional amendments that would remove fiscal restraints on debt and unleash a massive boost to military spending. Ultimately, the figure could rise up to €1.7 trillion. It would more than double Germany’s debt to GDP, from 62.4% currently, to about 125%. How much money is €1.7 trillion? It’s about €20,400 per man, woman and child in Germany. |
and
| “Germany is back,” Merz told reporters in Berlin on Friday. “Germany is making its great contribution to the defense of freedom and peace in Europe.” |
It's like 1935 all over again!
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Footnote:
Re. Germany’s newly elected Chancellor: he used to be the chairman of the board of BlackRock for Germany.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Living In The Bankster's Paradise
French President Emmanuel Macron is a former Rothschild banker.
Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, like Jörg Kukies was a Goldman Sachs banker.
Draghi’s predecessor, Mario Monti was also a Goldman Sachs banker, as was the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Carney also served as the governor of the Bank of Canada (2008-2013) from where he smoothly transitioned to run the Bank of England (2013-2020).
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