[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Darth Helmut

First rule of 'Int Club' is you don't talk about 'Int club'.

I know people I am in no way in IC

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by Darth Helmut

He seems to have zoned in on two that could quite probably expose him as a bit of a Walt

It's a bit like saying the one thing they tell you never to say.

[Darth Helmut]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

I know people I am in no way in IC

I know my local farmer. Doesn't mean to say I can milk a horse or shear a cow does it?

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Darth Helmut

I know my local farmer. Doesn't mean to say I can milk a horse or shear a cow does it?

I always liked Brits because of their little assholish quips.

I have lived decades in DC, some working in the federal government others working around it. You meet people, you hear stories. That is all I said.

When you are knocking down a few with your farmer friends, try to keep the old tallywacker away from the cows, spongy encephalitis is a shitty way to die.

[Darth Helmut]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

I always liked Brits because of their little assholish quips.

I have lived decades in DC, some working in the federal government others working around it. You meet people, you hear stories. That is all I said.

When you are knocking down a few with your farmer friends, try to keep the old tallywacker away from the cows, spongy encephalitis is a shitty way to die.

Is it because you dont actually understand the 'little assholish quips'?

Don't see the point in you mentioning that you were a janitor in a government building.

What the fuck is a 'tallywacker'?

PS BSE was in the news about 20 years ago. Do keep up.

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Darth Helmut

Is it because you dont actually understand the 'little assholish quips'?

Don't see the point in you mentioning that you were a janitor in a government building.

What the fuck is a 'tallywacker'?

PS BSE was in the news about 20 years ago. Do keep up.

Man, who put sand in you cooch?

[Darth Helmut]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

Man, who put sand in you cooch?

Not even Google Translate had a fucking clue what you said.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

Man, who put sand in you cooch?

It was likely the bullshitometer going off.

Working in a city of x million and hearing stories, is just that stories.

meet people, they say they work for the CIA and must tell this story about latest stuff....

I know Americans are gullible

Back to reality, there is a huge difference in sharing a city with people that may be intelligence and spending actual work time, briefing etc...

[creepy coupe]

This went off topic very quickly.

[TouringPleb]

Putin knew exactly what he was doing in making it traceable to Russia. Sends out a warning to ex-spies living abroad and those at home thinking of it. We will never forget and sooner or later you and your loved ones will pay.

It also suits Putin politically. He's got elections coming up (which he is guaranteed to win with no opposition) and what better way to rally people around the flag than pick an argument with an old imperialist power on the decline. It's seems almost every decision he makes from invading Crimea, to Syria to state sponsored doping of athletes is designed to pull Russia even further away from the West and create a mentality of the world against Mother Russia.

It then makes it almost unpatriotic to criticise him because he is by definition 'Russia' and to criticise him is to criticise Russia. Plus he's pulling the age old trick of when times are hard at home (economy barely growing if at all, still widespread poverty, massive riches in the hands of a powerful few) creating a foreign crisis to takes people attention away and rally around the flag.

And we can do fuck all about it other than huff and puff. What more can we do? There's already significant sanctions on Russia because of Crimea. Individuals linked to the regime are already targeted. We can do sweet f a.

[320dAsh]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

I always liked Brits because of their little assholish quips.

I have lived decades in DC, some working in the federal government others working around it. You meet people, you hear stories. That is all I said.

When you are knocking down a few with your farmer friends, try to keep the old tallywacker away from the cows, spongy encephalitis is a shitty way to die.

There are certain pubs you can sit in in London and hear what's going on with 5 or 6. You might have even been along to a Scott Edgar recruitment day. It doesn't make you an expert!

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Plus the UK Government's pulling the age old trick of when times are hard at home (economy barely growing if at all, still widespread poverty, massive riches in the hands of a powerful few) creating a foreign crisis to takes people attention away and rally around the flag.

FTFY

Whatever we do (or indeed don't do) it will have zero effect on Russia & Putin. One thing's for sure, it might not be a bad thing that Scottish footie is so utterly shite, as I wouldn't fancy your chances of avoiding a bit of trouble at the World Cup this year.

As an aside, I was beginning to think El Conquistador was a 'bot, given the random stream of dissociated words, but it turns out he's just a daft Septic laddie....

"American Intelligence Community" - surely an oxymoron?

[bodtwo]

Fuck the World Cup, we’ll be shit anyway and no way I’m going to take my son anywhere near it or the follow up in the desert i’m pissed off with fifa anyway.

Yep, fuck em and at the same time ban them from the world tiddlywinks competition. And that is a real thing as my pal won it whilst at Cambridge studying not to be a spy or Spanish brothel ringmaster.

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Darth Helmut

Is it because you dont actually understand the 'little assholish quips'?

Don't see the point in you mentioning that you were a janitor in a government building.

What the fuck is a 'tallywacker'?

PS BSE was in the news about 20 years ago. Do keep up.

I've worked out who he is

[Consett Mag]

I think the world cup has to go. It was a dangerous place for English fans in the first place. Now it's off the scale.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I just don't get why they'd use such a contrived means, which failed to do its job, and made it pretty easy to trace. Surely there were easier ways to assassinate him?

Yeah this, it's actually really very odd to use poison tipped umbrellas and all that complicated shot when a house explosion car crash etc are all easily much more covert.

Like there's some rogue sleeper agents out there getting triggered accidentally by random phrases and codes on social media.

What, let me copyright that, quite a decent thriller film plot.

#Brigandisfalling

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Putin knew exactly what he was doing in making it traceable to Russia. Sends out a warning to ex-spies living abroad and those at home thinking of it. We will never forget and sooner or later you and your loved ones will pay.

It also suits Putin politically. He's got elections coming up (which he is guaranteed to win with no opposition) and what better way to rally people around the flag than pick an argument with an old imperialist power on the decline. It's seems almost every decision he makes from invading Crimea, to Syria to state sponsored doping of athletes is designed to pull Russia even further away from the West and create a mentality of the world against Mother Russia.

It then makes it almost unpatriotic to criticise him because he is by definition 'Russia' and to criticise him is to criticise Russia. Plus he's pulling the age old trick of when times are hard at home (economy barely growing if at all, still widespread poverty, massive riches in the hands of a powerful few) creating a foreign crisis to takes people attention away and rally around the flag.

And we can do fuck all about it other than huff and puff. What more can we do? There's already significant sanctions on Russia because of Crimea. Individuals linked to the regime are already targeted. We can do sweet f a.

+1

It won't happen but, much as I dislike mixing politics and sport, one thing the international community could do to send a message to Russia would be to boycott the World Cup. It's a great propaganda coup for Russia and Putin - they no doubt paid FIFA officials handsomely to get to host the event in the first place - so leaving them with a competition without most or all of the top teams would be a real finger in the eye.

However, too many vested interests will be pulling the other way so, like I say, it won't happen. Not sure I'd be keen on following England over there in the summer though - suspect the chances of the authorities giving England supporters any protection from Russian thugs will be somewhere between slim and nil.

[JD6]

I doubt that Putin had anything to do with it. The victim seems to be a complete nobody these days - living in an old council house and buying scratchcards from the local discount shop. Hardly Mr Big, and a prime target for Russia.

However, there are quite a few Russian agents who he betrayed by selling their details to MI6 many years ago. Surely some of them are more likely suspects - they have a reason to hold a grudge (and some may have access to these nerve agents) whereas Russia willingly released him.

[Andrewthefirst]

Theresa pretty good in the Commons just now. Fc*k Putin.

Just imagine Corbyn giving this speech.

Should have gone further on the World Cup though.

[mikeoz]

looks like we are expelling 23 Russian diplomats...of course they won be real diplomats just 2nd Trade envoy to xxxxx but really a FSB or SVR agent et. But thats a big respnse diplomatically at least.

[Andrewthefirst]

They'll expel some of ours now but at least we have a strong response. Was concerned the response would be pathetically little.

Funny how we need our friends in the EU now if we want to make the World Cup a farce! England really should lead the way and withdraw.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Andrewthefirst

Funny how we need our friends in the EU now if we want to make the World Cup a farce! England really should lead the way and withdraw.

England withdrawing in isolation would be an empty gesture IMO; we've failed to qualify for previous World Cups and not been missed and we're not exactly one of the favourites to win this one either! I do think a boycott by a larger number of countries would give Russia and Putin a PR bloody nose but I can't see that happening; too many vested interests pulling the other way I reckon.

As for the EU, I don't see them supporting us in any boycott but if you're suggesting that might be because of Brexit I'm not so sure - personally I think they'd be equally ambivalent even if we'd voted Remain!