More Russki spies poisoned.

[mistermack]

You have to take the possibility of a suicide seriously. It was one of the first possibilities that I thought of. Doesn't mean it's considered likely, just possible.

It wouldn't have to be a pact. It could be an attempt at murder/suicide by just one of them. That's not uncommon in family situations.

You have to eliminate it as a possibility. There would be absolute uproar, if a stash of nerve agent killed people entering the house. Everyone would then be saying that it should have been obvious all along.

[Galaxian]

You have to take the possibility of a suicide seriously. It was one of the first possibilities that I thought of. Doesn't mean it's considered likely, just possible.
It wouldn't have to be a pact. It could be an attempt at murder/suicide by just one of them. That's not uncommon in family situations.
You have to eliminate it as a possibility. There would be absolute uproar, if a stash of nerve agent killed people entering the house. Everyone would then be saying that it should have been obvious all along.

Thank you for your rational post.

[L'Emmerdeur]

The nerve agent used in the attack on the Skripals has been identified as one of the novichok series, developed in Russia decades ago. This would tend to indicate that this was what it appeared to be initially; a Russian wetwork operation. However, Russian TV says that it was actually a British false flag action, undertaken to discredit Russia.

[JimC]

And it is highly probable that a majority of Russians will believe that...

[Sean Hayden]

I feel cursed to have inherited the good fight. How can it be that all my nation's enemies, and all her allies enemies, are always the bad guys? How can I have been so lucky? Even when my country is wrong it has always been in the service of doing good. Some greater good was always hoped for. If it wasn't, then the evil doers were brought to justice and every effort was made to make things right. Why should I be so lucky?

Imagine the poor Russian! His country never sides with the right people. His government always makes the wrong moves. He is always oppressed, and lives in a constant state of befuddlement at the actions of what can only be described as an insane authority. A government of evil men hellbent on acquiring only for itself, at his expense.




I'm telling you, this good guy uniform is starting to itch...



:

[laklak]

You're overthinking it, Galaxian. Yeah, a false flag is a possibility, but it's far more likely that Vlad is pushing the envelope. Think about it - Brexit, Trump, shit's in flux, man, the center might not hold. Was The Donald serious about making Europe pay for it's own defense, and hinting that NATO mutual defense treaties might not be as ironclad as they used to be? Is Great Britain going to do anything about it other then bluster in the press, send a strongly worded diplomatic cable, and maybe deport a few low level apparatchiks? Maggie had balls, does May? And how about the rest of the EU? In light of Brexit are they gonna do anything, or just sit there like pussies? I'm betting that Vlad is betting on "pussies". I mean, fuck, nobody did shit about the Crimea. Warm water ports - that's been a cornerstone of Russian geo-politics since the Tsars. This could be quite an opportunity for the old Bear, because after a warm water southern port what the Ruskies really want are those ice-free Baltic ports. Vlad would like to get the Baltic Republics back, because the Twice Red-Banner Baltic Fleet is homesick. Vlad is not shitting around, and he doesn't give a solitary fuck about political correctness or world opinion, he doesn't base his strategic plans or objectives on trending tweets. Give that man an inch and I guarantee he'll take the fucking mile.

[Sean Hayden]

We can rebuild it. --better, stronger, faster...

[laklak]

We have the technology....

[Sean Hayden]

[pErvinalia]

You're overthinking it, Galaxian. Yeah, a false flag is a possibility, but it's far more likely that Vlad is pushing the envelope. Think about it - Brexit, Trump, shit's in flux, man, the center might not hold. Was The Donald serious about making Europe pay for it's own defense, and hinting that NATO mutual defense treaties might not be as ironclad as they used to be? Is Great Britain going to do anything about it other then bluster in the press, send a strongly worded diplomatic cable, and maybe deport a few low level apparatchiks? Maggie had balls, does May? And how about the rest of the EU? In light of Brexit are they gonna do anything, or just sit there like pussies? I'm betting that Vlad is betting on "pussies". I mean, fuck, nobody did shit about the Crimea. Warm water ports - that's been a cornerstone of Russian geo-politics since the Tsars. This could be quite an opportunity for the old Bear, because after a warm water southern port what the Ruskies really want are those ice-free Baltic ports. Vlad would like to get the Baltic Republics back, because the Twice Red-Banner Baltic Fleet is homesick. Vlad is not shitting around, and he doesn't give a solitary fuck about political correctness or world opinion, he doesn't base his strategic plans or objectives on trending tweets. Give that man an inch and I guarantee he'll take the fucking mile.

Yeah, that's my view of it. Vlad seems pretty smart. Like the Chinese. If nothing else, authoritarians can get things done. Whether they ultimately pick the right things has always been their problem historically. But both China and Russia seem to be making a good fist of it lately.

[mistermack]

The UK government has come out with some absolute bollocks. They declare that it was PROBABLY a Russian government action.
Yeah, right. Just like Saddam PROBABLY had weapons of mass destruction. In matters like this, I would just as soon take the word of Putin as Theresa May.
If they worked out that it was PROBABLY someone else, they would still say that it was probably the Russians who did it.
Probably is a meaningless word, if you are looking for facts. It means whatever the UK government want you to believe.

I think it was PROBABLY Mossad.

[Feck]

I called it .
novichok nerve agents used ONLY developed by Russia ( I'd also take a guess they were powdered not liquid )
It's not a conspiracy to make Putin look bad it is a targeted campaign using unique and horrific methods that are designed to demonstrate that all enemies of Russia and especially of Putin
and thier families can be murdered slowly and with maximum suffering anywhere in the world.
If it had been Sarin or VX ... If last time it had been plutonium or similar not polonium there might have been some doubt.

[L'Emmerdeur]

I think it was PROBABLY Mossad.

If that is an accurate description of your thoughts and not a random expulsion of flatus, presumably you have an idea of why Mossad would have done this. For Russia there is means, motive, and opportunity. Not an iron-clad case, but a reasonable one.

[mistermack]

I think it was PROBABLY Mossad.

If that is an accurate description of your thoughts and not a random expulsion of flatus, presumably you have an idea of why Mossad would have done this. For Russia there is means, motive, and opportunity. Not an iron-clad case, but a reasonable one.

That statement is just as valid as Theresa May saying it was probably the Russian state.
There is nothing to substantiate either. May is just saying what suits the current agenda of the UK government.

I actually have positive proof that it was nothing to do with the Russians.
Donald Trump just said he thinks it was the Russians.

You can't get better evidence than that.

[Strontium Dog]

I'm telling you, this good guy uniform is starting to itch...

Talcum powder helps.