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Phil Nase
> On Mar 20, 2026, at 8:35=E2=80=AFAM, Larry Macy via Spridgets <spridgets@a=
utox.team.net> wrote:
>=20
> =EF=BB=BFDaniel,
>=20
> Well stated and thought from the British POV. I agree with your points, bu=
t would like to insert one clarification. It is not America that is insultin=
g and bitching at NATO countries.=20
>=20
> I have been around for nearly 7 decades and this is the absolute worst rel=
ationship between our NATO allies and the US I have ever seen in those decad=
es. Treating Russia as a =E2=80=9Cfriend=E2=80=9D over NATO, Iran and Ukrain=
e is the bottom of the barrel in my opinion.=20
>=20
> This is my opinion, and so far, in the US, I am still allowed to have one.=
=20
>=20
> Spridgeteers, Please don=E2=80=99t t make this a mess. It is simply the op=
inion of an Englishman and an American. =20
>=20
> Larry
>=20
>> On Mar 20, 2026, at 6:33=E2=80=AFAM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <spridgets=
@autox.team.net> wrote:
>>=20
>> Hi List,
>>=20
>> I wanted to post some thoughts on Iran, NATO and Europe that simply aren'=
t being reported on national news, as far as I can tell, whose reporters see=
m to have no idea of analysis or wider impacts.
>>=20
>> The news isn't saying much about how much help Iran has had and continues=
to have from Russia and China, the latter especially. I believe that Iran i=
s an evil regime supported (English phrase: aided and abetted) over decades b=
y Russia and China. I have heard that Chinese technicians aiding Iran firin=
g missiles have been killed. So if America decides to attack Iran that's ok=
by me in a broad sense. Iran with nuclear weapons would be a disaster for t=
he world.
>>=20
>> NATO is about defence and its membership agreement makes that clear. NAT=
O is not a force multiplier to call upon when a member's aggression needs so=
me backup. Yes, the USA puts more money into NATO than any other country an=
d arguably it has had the most back. Europe provided the buffer for the USA=
against the USSR and I guess that was a price the USA decided was worth pay=
ing. Well times change and the USSR not longer exists but former members ar=
e a threat. The flipside to the coin that isn't discussed is not whether al=
l the NATO countries need to spend more (and a couple do) but could America s=
pend less?
>>=20
>> America has stated that China rather that Russia are the real threats and=
attacking Iran weakens China considerably though news commentators aren't s=
aying so. America seems to continue to be well disposed to Mr Putin and Rus=
sia and seem to ignore the large part of aid Russia has given to Iran. Well=
I guess it might be in America's interest to say little and not state what i=
s close to being obvious.
>>=20
>> What makes no sense and is baseless criticism is to insult NATO and Europ=
ean countries (who get very little oil and gas from Iran) for not answering a=
call to aid from America. It is India, China and other eastern countries w=
ho are not going their oil from the Gulf, not NATO and European countries. I=
t's also worth considering what countries are in NATO. Well Canada is in NA=
TO and so is Denmark (who count Greenland as part of its territory) and they=
have good grounds for not rushing to the assistance of the USA. What about=
the European countries in NATO? Well they are still very focused on suppor=
ting Ukraine and the Arctic where there is still Russian aggression and thre=
at - something that America thinks they ought to be doing.
>>=20
>> It is never good sense to insult your friends and allies, or falsely accu=
se them. And while you might publicly state they aren't helping and are fre=
e loaders, the truth and reality is quite different. However, spend enough t=
ime and energy publicly criticising them and there is a real risk you'll dis=
cover how much they DID do when they decide to do a lot less or nothing for y=
ou in the future. Google RAF Croughton and see not only how important that i=
s to America but the controversy caused by a fatal road accident that made e=
verything connected to that site unpopular.
>>=20
>> Regards
>>=20
>> Daniel S
>> ------------------------
>>=20
>> spridgets@autox.team.net
>>=20
>> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
>> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>>=20
>> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http://autox.team.net/a=
rchive
>>=20
>> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/lmacy=
@mac.com
>=20
> =E2=80=94
>=20
> Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
> lmacy@mac.com
>=20
>=20
> =E2=80=9CRemember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet,=E2=80=
=9D he said. =E2=80=9CTry to make sense of what you see and about what makes=
the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there i=
s always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don=E2=80=
=99t just give up.=E2=80=9D=20
> ~Stephen Hawking
>=20
>=20
> ------------------------
>=20
> spridgets@autox.team.net
>=20
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>=20
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http://autox.team.net/ar=
chive
>=20
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/pnase@=
me.com
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<html class=3D"apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equi=
v=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body dir=3D=
"auto"><span style=3D"font-size:-webkit-xxx-large">=F0=9F=91=8D=F0=9F=8F=BC<=
/span><br id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir=3D"ltr">Phil Nase<=
/div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Mar 20, 2026, at 8:35=
=E2=80=AFAM, Larry Macy via Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net> wrote=
:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=
=BF<meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8">=
Daniel,<div><br></div><div>Well stated and thought from the British POV. I a=
gree with your points, but would like to insert one clarification. It is not=
America that is insulting and bitching at NATO countries. </div><div><=
br></div><div>I have been around for nearly 7 decades and this is the absolu=
te worst relationship between our NATO allies and the US I have ever seen in=
those decades. Treating Russia as a =E2=80=9Cfriend=E2=80=9D over NATO, Ira=
n and Ukraine is the bottom of the barrel in my opinion. </div><div><br=
></div><div>This is my opinion, and so far, in the US, I am still allowed to=
have one. </div><div><br></div><div>Spridgeteers, Please don=E2=80=99t=
t make this a mess. It is simply the opinion of an Englishman and an Americ=
an. </div><div><br></div><div>Larry<br id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfMes=
sage"><div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Mar 20, 2026, at 6:33=E2=80=
=AFAM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net> wrote:</di=
v><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div dir=3D"ltr">Hi List,<div=
><br></div><div>I wanted to post some thoughts on Iran, NATO and Europe=
that simply aren't being reported on national news, as far as I can tell, w=
hose reporters seem to have no idea of analysis or wider impacts.</div><div>=
<br></div><div>The news isn't saying much about how much help Iran has had a=
nd continues to have from Russia and China, the latter especially. I b=
elieve that Iran is an evil regime supported (English phrase: aided and abet=
ted) over decades by Russia and China. I have heard that Chinese techn=
icians aiding Iran firing missiles have been killed. So if America dec=
ides to attack Iran that's ok by me in a broad sense. Iran with nuclea=
r weapons would be a disaster for the world.</div><div><br></div><div>NATO i=
s about defence and its membership agreement makes that clear. NATO is=
not a force multiplier to call upon when a member's aggression needs some b=
ackup. Yes, the USA puts more money into NATO than any other country a=
nd arguably it has had the most back. Europe provided the buffer for t=
he USA against the USSR and I guess that was a price the USA decided was wor=
th paying. Well times change and the USSR not longer exists but former=
members are a threat. The flipside to the coin that isn't discussed i=
s not whether all the NATO countries need to spend more (and a couple do) bu=
t could America spend less?</div><div><br></div><div>America has stated that=
China rather that Russia are the real threats and attacking Iran weakens Ch=
ina considerably though news commentators aren't saying so. America se=
ems to continue to be well disposed to Mr Putin and Russia and seem to ignor=
e the large part of aid Russia has given to Iran. Well I guess it migh=
t be in America's interest to say little and not state what is close to bein=
g obvious.</div><div><br></div><div>What makes no sense and is baseless crit=
icism is to insult NATO and European countries (who get very little oil and g=
as from Iran) for not answering a call to aid from America. It is Indi=
a, China and other eastern countries who are not going their oil from the Gu=
lf, not NATO and European countries. It's also worth considering what c=
ountries are in NATO. Well Canada is in NATO and so is Denmark (who co=
unt Greenland as part of its territory) and they have good grounds for not r=
ushing to the assistance of the USA. What about the European countries=
in NATO? Well they are still very focused on supporting Ukraine and t=
he Arctic where there is still Russian aggression and threat - something tha=
t America thinks they ought to be doing.</div><div><br></div><div>It is neve=
r good sense to insult your friends and allies, or falsely accuse them. =
; And while you might publicly state they aren't helping and are free loader=
s, the truth and reality is quite different. However, spend enough tim=
e and energy publicly criticising them and there is a real risk you'll disco=
ver how much they DID do when they decide to do a lot less or nothing for yo=
u in the future. Google RAF Croughton and see not only how important t=
hat is to America but the controversy caused by a fatal road accident that m=
ade everything connected to that site unpopular.</div><div><br></div><div>Re=
gards</div><div><br></div><div>Daniel S</div></div>
------------------------<br><br>spridgets@autox.team.net<br><br>Donate: http=
://www.team.net/donate.html<br>Suggested annual donation: $12.75<br><br>Arch=
ive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http://autox.team.net/arc=
hive<br><br>Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridg=
ets/lmacy@mac.com<br></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<div style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: H=
elvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; fo=
nt-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start;=
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; w=
ord-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width:=
0px; text-decoration: none;">=E2=80=94<br><br>Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.<br>lmacy=
@mac.com<br><br><br>=E2=80=9CRemember to look up at the stars and not d=
own at your feet,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CTry to make sense of what y=
ou see and about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And ho=
wever difficult life may seem, there is always something you can d=
o, and succeed at. It matters that you don=E2=80=99t just give up.=
=E2=80=9D <br>~Stephen Hawking<br><br></div>
</div>
<br></div><span>------------------------</span><br><span></span><br><span>sp=
ridgets@autox.team.net</span><br><span></span><br><span>Donate: http://www.t=
eam.net/donate.html</span><br><span>Suggested annual donation: $12.75</span>=
<br><span></span><br><span>Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets &=
nbsp;http://autox.team.net/archive</span><br><span></span><br><span>Unsubscr=
ibe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/pnase@me.com</sp=
an><br></div></blockquote></body></html>=
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