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Amen to all both of you wrote. Especially Larry's closing plea.
I'm just beginning my 8th decade(79) and a student of history. Our close
friends in Australia have the same fears and opinions as UK and Europe.
Different perspectives help us see the total picture.
1st day of Spring!! Approaching 60*F here in Cheeseland so may drop the
tank on the Bugeye to replace the sending unit seal. Hardest part is
emptying the boot.
Regards,
DaveW
'59:{)
'59 MGA 1500
'Pay It Forward"
On Fri, Mar 20, 2026, 7:38=E2=80=AFAM Larry Macy via Spridgets <
spridgets@autox.team.net> wrote:
> Daniel,
>
> Well stated and thought from the British POV. I agree with your points,
> but would like to insert one clarification. It is not America that is
> insulting and bitching at NATO countries.
>
> I have been around for nearly 7 decades and this is the absolute 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, Iran an=
d Ukraine is the
> bottom of the barrel in my opinion.
>
> This is my opinion, and so far, in the US, I am still allowed to have one=
.
>
> Spridgeteers, Please don=E2=80=99t t make this a mess. It is simply the o=
pinion of
> an Englishman and an American.
>
> Larry
>
> On Mar 20, 2026, at 6:33=E2=80=AFAM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <
> spridgets@autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> Hi List,
>
> 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 se=
em
> to have no idea of analysis or wider impacts.
>
> 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 Ira=
n
> is an evil regime supported (English phrase: aided and abetted) over
> decades by Russia and China. I have heard that Chinese technicians aidin=
g
> Iran firing 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 b=
e
> a disaster for the world.
>
> 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
> some backup. Yes, the USA puts more money into NATO than any other count=
ry
> and arguably it has had the most back. Europe provided the buffer for th=
e
> 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 is n=
ot
> whether all the NATO countries need to spend more (and a couple do) but
> could America spend less?
>
> America has stated that China rather that Russia are the real threats and
> attacking Iran weakens China considerably though news commentators aren't
> saying so. America seems to continue to be well disposed to Mr Putin and
> Russia 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 stat=
e
> what is close to being obvious.
>
> What makes no sense and is baseless criticism is to insult NATO and
> European 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 easte=
rn
> countries who are not going their oil from the Gulf, not NATO and Europea=
n
> countries. It's also worth considering what countries are in NATO. Well
> Canada is in NATO and so is Denmark (who count Greenland as part of its
> territory) and they have good grounds for not rushing to the assistance o=
f
> the USA. What about the European countries in NATO? Well they are still
> very focused on supporting Ukraine and the Arctic where there is still
> Russian aggression and threat - something that America thinks they ought =
to
> be doing.
>
> It is never 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 loaders, the truth and reality is quite different. However, spe=
nd
> enough time and energy publicly criticising them and there is a real risk
> you'll discover how much they DID do when they decide to do a lot less or
> nothing for you in the future. Google RAF Croughton and see not only how
> important that is to America but the controversy caused by a fatal road
> accident that made everything connected to that site unpopular.
>
> Regards
>
> Daniel S
> ------------------------
>
> spridgets@autox.team.net
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets
> http://autox.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/lmacy@mac.com
>
>
> =E2=80=94
>
> Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
> lmacy@mac.com
>
>
> =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 is
> always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don=E2=
=80=99t just
> give up.=E2=80=9D
> ~Stephen Hawking
>
>
> ------------------------
>
> spridgets@autox.team.net
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets
> http://autox.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/dtwoerpel@gmail.com
>
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<div dir=3D"auto">Amen to all both of you wrote. Especially Larry's clo=
sing plea.<div dir=3D"auto">I'm just beginning my 8th decade(79) and a =
student of history.=C2=A0 Our close friends in Australia have the same fear=
s and opinions as UK and Europe.=C2=A0 Different perspectives help us see t=
he total picture.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto">1st day of Spring!!=C2=A0 Ap=
proaching 60*F here in Cheeseland so may drop the tank on the Bugeye to rep=
lace the sending unit seal. Hardest part is emptying the boot.</div><div di=
r=3D"auto">Regards,</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Dave=
W</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">'59:{)</div><div d=
ir=3D"auto">'59 MGA 1500</div><div dir=3D"auto">'Pay It Forward&quo=
t;</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, Mar 20, 2026, 7:38=E2=80=AFAM Larry M=
acy via Spridgets <<a href=3D"mailto:spridgets@autox.team.net";>spridgets=
@autox.team.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" s=
tyle=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div=
style=3D"line-break:after-white-space">Daniel,<div><br></div><div>Well sta=
ted and thought from the British POV. I agree with your points, but would l=
ike to insert one clarification. It is not America that is insulting and bi=
tching at NATO countries.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>I have been around=
for nearly 7 decades and this is the absolute worst relationship between o=
ur NATO allies and the US I have ever seen in those decades. Treating Russi=
a as a =E2=80=9Cfriend=E2=80=9D over NATO, Iran and Ukraine is the bottom o=
f the barrel in my opinion.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>This is my opini=
on, and so far, in the US, I am still allowed to have one.=C2=A0</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 American. =C2=A0</div><div><br>=
</div><div>Larry<br id=3D"m_4724275360255771751lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessag=
e"><div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Mar 20, 2026, at 6:33=E2=80=
=AFAM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <<a href=3D"mailto:spridgets@autox.team=
.net" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">spridgets@autox.team.net</a>>=
wrote:</div><br><div><div dir=3D"ltr">Hi List,<div><br></div><div>I wanted=
to post some thoughts on=C2=A0Iran, 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.</div><div><br></div><div>Th=
e news isn't saying much about how much help Iran has had and continues=
to have from Russia and China, the latter especially.=C2=A0 I believe that=
Iran is an evil regime supported (English phrase: aided and abetted) over =
decades by Russia and China.=C2=A0 I have heard that Chinese technicians ai=
ding Iran firing missiles have been killed.=C2=A0 So if America decides to =
attack Iran that's ok by me in a broad sense.=C2=A0 Iran with nuclear w=
eapons would be a disaster for the world.</div><div><br></div><div>NATO is =
about defence and its membership agreement makes that clear.=C2=A0 NATO is =
not a force multiplier to call upon when a member's aggression needs so=
me backup.=C2=A0 Yes, the USA puts more money into NATO than any other coun=
try and arguably it has had the most back.=C2=A0 Europe provided the buffer=
for the USA against the USSR and I guess that was a price the USA decided =
was worth paying.=C2=A0 Well times change and the USSR not longer exists bu=
t former members are a threat.=C2=A0 The flipside to the coin that isn'=
t discussed is not whether all the NATO countries need to spend more (and a=
couple do) but 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 China considerably though news commentators aren't saying=
so.=C2=A0 America seems to continue to be well disposed to Mr Putin and Ru=
ssia and seem to ignore the large part of aid Russia has given to Iran.=C2=
=A0 Well I guess it might be in America's interest to say little and no=
t state what is close to being obvious.</div><div><br></div><div>What makes=
no sense and is baseless criticism is to insult NATO and European countrie=
s (who get very little oil and gas from Iran) for not answering a call to a=
id from America.=C2=A0 It is India, China and other eastern countries who a=
re not going their oil from the Gulf, not NATO and European countries.=C2=
=A0 It's also worth considering what countries are in NATO.=C2=A0 Well =
Canada is in NATO and so is Denmark (who count Greenland as part of its ter=
ritory) and they have good grounds for not rushing to the assistance of the=
USA.=C2=A0 What about the European countries in NATO?=C2=A0 Well they are =
still very focused on supporting Ukraine and the Arctic where there is stil=
l Russian aggression and threat - something that America thinks they ought =
to be doing.</div><div><br></div><div>It is never good sense to insult your=
friends and allies, or falsely accuse them.=C2=A0 And while you might publ=
icly state they aren't helping and are free loaders, the truth and real=
ity is quite different.=C2=A0 However, spend enough time and energy publicl=
y criticising them and there is a real risk you'll discover how much th=
ey DID do when they decide to do a lot less or nothing for you in the futur=
e.=C2=A0 Google RAF Croughton and see not only how important that is to Ame=
rica but the controversy caused by a fatal road accident that made everythi=
ng connected to that site unpopular.</div><div><br></div><div>Regards</div>=
<div><br></div><div>Daniel S</div></div>
------------------------<br><br><a href=3D"mailto:spridgets@autox.team.net"=
target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">spridgets@autox.team.net</a><br><br>D=
onate: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/donate.html"; target=3D"_blank" rel=3D=
"noreferrer">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br>Suggested annual donati=
on: $12.75<br><br>Archive: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridge=
ts" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">http://www.team.net/pipermail/spri=
dgets</a> =C2=A0<a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive"; target=3D"_blank"=
rel=3D"noreferrer">http://autox.team.net/archive</a><br><br>Unsubscribe/Ma=
nage: <a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/lmacy@mac.=
com" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">http://autox.team.net/mailman/opt=
ions/spridgets/lmacy@mac.com</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<div style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-st=
yle:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:norma=
l;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;w=
ord-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none">=E2=80=94<br><br>Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.=
<br><a href=3D"mailto:lmacy@mac.com"; target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">l=
macy@mac.com</a><br><br><br>=E2=80=9CRemember to look up at the stars=C2=A0=
and not down at your feet,=E2=80=9D he said.=C2=A0=E2=80=9CTry to make sens=
e of what you see=C2=A0and about what makes the universe=C2=A0exist. Be cur=
ious. And however=C2=A0difficult life may seem, there is always=C2=A0someth=
ing you can do, and succeed=C2=A0at. It matters that you don=E2=80=99t just=
give=C2=A0up.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0<br>~Stephen Hawking<br><br></div>
</div>
<br></div></div>------------------------<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:spridgets@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"norefe=
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