Why Georgia’s Protests Deserve the World’s Attention

[@restispolitics]

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[@jmac9592]

Misinformation again by rory.

[@ninagogoladze7967]

Thank you for covering the ongoing protests in Tbilisi. We need more media coverage and the support from our European and American partners more than ever

[@Ekaterine76]

Thank you The rest is politics for talking about Georgia!🇬🇪

[@imawesomepersonDERP]

Thank you so much for talking about this!! ქართველები გაიმარჯვებენ ❤️🇬🇪🇪🇺

[@zingardoh1]

Long live Abkhazia

[@misterborak751]

This is the most unfortunate thing to have Russia as your neighbour. It’s like having a Mordor right across the border and the Sauron’s Eye constantly seeking to destroy you.

[@kodybreakell7145]

Bit like being any wannabe socialist government in South america

[@chrisohanlon69]

It's an unfortunate thing to have the power hungry and imperialist eu as your neighbour especially as its under the boot of the USA which is in turn under the boot of Israel.

[@miarrem]

Kind of like living in Canada and having a trump USA next door

[@tvismyonlyfriend]

Canada and Russia are literally the biggest countries in the world

[@Agudzeraa]

Precisely. And with no protection whatsoever to defend against them, quite the contrary, Georgian gov is asked to be aggressive against Ruzzia for years now. It did not start with so-called Agents Law (which was also ridiculous for its own reasons) but way before, with 2020 elections and Charles Michel 'agreement' (which was also unconstitutional, but politically necessary). imho, all these that I mentioned, Georgian gov was at right and the West was hypocritically incorrect.

[@giaa5213]

Thank you so much for shedding light on Georgia and the ongoing protests. It's incredibly important for people worldwide, especially in the EU and USA, to understand the harsh reality our citizens face under this government. The current regime is terrorizing its own people, resorting to violence, abductions, and systemic oppression. Your support and the attention of your large audience give hope to many Georgians and amplify our voices in the fight for justice and democracy. We truly appreciate you bringing this critical issue to the world's attention. Thank you for standing with us!

[@ketichachibaia4691]

I love these two, watching regularly from Tbilisi ❤️Happy to hear a bit of analysis of the events unfolding in Georgia. I fully agree, people are fighting and now EU, UK and US must step up to do their part to save the country from being folded under the Russia’s rule and dominance. Pls keep advocating for us ❤

[@DungVo-cj1vq]

According to the Ukraine 2014 MAIDAN Standard Scenario, unknown, unidentified snipers are to appear in Georgia. Waiting... EU, UK and US...

[@jonathangammond3019]

Best wishes and all strength to the freedom loving people of Georgia. Russia doesnt offer anything anyone needs in the 21st century.

[@tikotsomaia2769]

You two are incredible! Thank you for focusing your attention on Georgia and highlighting such interesting aspects.

[@pedroparamo4938]

Thank you for mentioning us, love from Georgia, please spread the news about us, we will be worse than Belarus soon, unless the west helps us

[@jeeweewee]

As someone who has suffered from Tics / Non Verbal Tourette's my whole life, it's SO refreshing and nice to see someone like Rory who doesn't try to hide his tics and doesn't let it define him. I hope he realises that even something that simple can have a massive positive impact on someone's life like my own. Also, BRILLIANT podcast as per. You both are amazing. #AlistairForLabourLeader

[@williamusrex6417]

Are you sure he’s just not gurning?

[@jeeweewee]

@williamusrex6417 No. That's a Tic i have had myself before too. It only lasted for about 4 months but there are tics I have had for decades that I can't get rid of.

[@guydreamr]

There is no publicly disclosed evidence that Stewart's gurning is a manifestation of Tourette's Syndrome or another physical cause.

[@KT-dj4iy]

Be careful. I am not qualified to determine if Stewart is suffering from "Tics / Non Verbal Tourette's", but I am pretty sure that you aren't either. And if in fact you are correct, based on this video, then I reckon I am justified in concluding that almost everyone I know is suffering from it too. If, that is, "non verbal Tourette's" is even a thing.

[@jeeweewee]

@KT-dj4iy " (TS) is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary tics, which can be physical or vocal. Physical tics are a type of non-verbal tic that can include: Blinking Eye rolling Grimacing Shoulder shrugging Jerking of the head or limbs Jumping Twirling Touching objects and other people " Tell me I don't have it and also tell my dad who had to stand there and watch 7 year old me play football while constantly spinning around because I physically couldn't stop my body from turning to the left. It feels like an unscratchable itch and there is physically no way to fight it other than doing it. I have had countless other ticks including cleaning my throat while grunting, scratching thr inside of my throat with my tongue to the point my throat would bleed. Rolling my eyes back and hard blinking until my eyes are sore and I want to rip them out of my head. Constantly nodding my head and also twitching my nose every second of the day. Your comment is just very ignorant and uneducated.

[@ninajanashia3903]

Thanks for covering our protest. Russia was NEVER a choice of the people of Georgia 🇬🇪 we fight against Russian occupation for centuries

[@martinpaulwatts]

hope you get her on.

[@reinhartvonzschock357]

Always rational. More people should support this channel. Thank you.

[@odi299]

It’s sad we don’t have more people like Alastair Campbell in our government today. His ability to communicate effectively, craft clear strategies, and maintain discipline in messaging was remarkable during his time as Tony Blair’s press secretary and director of communications. Campbell had a talent for navigating the complexities of politics while staying focused on long-term goals. Leaders like him, with both strategic insight and a commitment to getting things done, feel increasingly rare in modern politics. It’s a loss for today’s political landscape, which often lacks the clarity and direction figures like him brought.

[@gerardburke2517]

1 word. Iraq

[@TheBrick2]

He is good in some respects but he is also very much in the urban bubble mindset. There have been many things I have heard him talk about where he doesn't fully understand the consequences of what he is talking about. This is human but he doesn't seem to be open to any opposing or differing views.

[@clario2178]

OMG 😢

[@jaggmor]

@@gerardburke2517 Damn, haven't heard that one before

[@frankbrennan1619]

How They Broke Britain - 1) Sir War Criminal Bliar. 2) Goebbels Campbell. 3) Mandy Mandelson. 4) Gordon Broon. 5) Call me Dave Cameron. 6) Useless & posh Clegg. 7) Even worse Theresa May. 8) Boris. 9) Globalist & WEF Stooge Sunak. 10) Granny Harmer Sausages Starmer.

[@KevTheImpaler]

Russia is holding Georgia back imo. It is actually a place where you can get things built. Their fertility rate is good. The population appears to be fairly well educated. Older people speak Georgian and Russian. Younger people often speak English quite well. Joining the EU would transform the country, but would have negative consequences as well as positive.

[@conallgeneral8136]

It should not be a binary decision- Georgia needs to balance all its relationships- not skew one way or the other - it is a sovereign country ? No ?

[@greebj]

Whether moving towards the EU away from Russia is in any neighbouring country's economic interests isn't even a binary decision. Why do you think Russia acts like a bully. It's all they have

[@tsituaton]

@@conallgeneral8136 How do you imagine balancing relationships with a hungry wounded crocodile dragging you into swamp?

[@martinwatts3796]

The second language of young Georgians is English, as the youth is highly technical - where is Russia when technology is involved?

[@tsituaton]

@@martinwatts3796 If I understand your question correctly, technologically apt youth primarily seeks jobs in companies from countries that can pay decent salaries on stable regular basis. Russia is hardly among such. Those having income related to Russia are primarily from older generations, working with companies like Lukoil, Yandex, Cellfie, as well as in shadow areas like drug smuggling, general transit in circumvention of sanctions, etc.

[@willrelf1377]

You touch on the fertility rate in South Korea being awful yet still think using GDP as a measure of economic success is okay. It’s a hugely unequal country with incredible childcare costs.

[@SW-lw6mt]

The only way to get Trump to not destroy the planet even more is to appeal to his ego. Sending prince William was the right tactic, I'm sure William didn't enjoy the task but did his job.

[@TM-yr3pc]

Being a middle income country rarely stopped British aid before…😂

[@rupertjones5197]

Fantastic jumper Rory

[@Lux-lc8cx]

If Russia's goal is destabilization of western democracies; a problem with counteracting Russian influence by calling into question a vote due to Russian influence it that this still produces the destabilization outcome they looked for.

[@greebj]

"If" ? 😂 Big tech lets it happen. If they were forced to do something about the legions of bots, they could. But it doesn't benefit them to do so when they can wield influence to keep politicians in check. The Russians are laughing that these platforms are still letting them sow this Surkovian discord

[@martinwatts3796]

A recent poll said more were convinced than ever to join the EU... at least 80 - 85%..... and many are leaving their government appointed jobs, due to pressure and bullying..... this is not Belarus, the Georgians are very different people.....

[@ronald3836]

Exactly, the EU is now calling for the democratic process and the rule of law not to be followed. Imagine Bexit was declared to be the "wrong" outcome so it had to be redone. (This is actually what effectively happened with the 2005 EU constitution referenda in France and The Netherlands. And look what good it did to trust in democracy...)

[@jonathanemontgomery]

@@ronald3836spot on. Treaty of Lisbon was a big disillusionment event.

[@tmtb80]

Please, ask Pres Clinton about his influence (which he has boasted about) in getting Yeltsin in power. How have his views changed concerning governments interfering in elections in other countries. Kosovo???

[@Thomas...191]

Congo, Chile, Cuba... just to name a few of the C's

[@giorgisimonishvili3491]

It's about Georgia's reintegration into Europe. Long story short: Constantinople fell, and Georgia lost its ties with Europe. The state had to find a new route to Europe through Russia, which had its own plans for expanding south. Georgia's annexation began with its eastern part in 1801, and by 1867, the entire country was under the rule of the Russian Empire. Starting in the 19th century, Russia 1) overthrew the Georgian ruling dynasty, 2) cancelled the autocephaly (status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop), 3) banned the teaching of the Georgian language and the use of Georgian in schools, 4) distorted Georgian toponymy so that geographical names no longer had a Georgian appearance or sound (Sukhum instead of Sokhumi), 5) slaughtered or exiled the brightest representatives from the clergy, military, and business sectors, and 6) occupied Georgia, eventually dragging it into the USSR. Since regaining independence in 1989, Georgia has faced four wars, largely due to Russia.

[@Leeds_uk]

You should invite Peter Pomerantsev. He can tell you a lot about Russia’ s interference.

[@musicmikemn]

Rory giving background on South Korea is missing some key context. The South Korean population are hugely unhappy. They have been at or near the highest suicide rate over many years. They currently have the highest rate among women. As we see across the world, their young people are finding it increasingly hard to get a job. The heirarchical nature of their confuscionist culture makes reforms hard to implement. They also have one of the biggest monopolies in the form of Samsung (owned by a single family) that brings in around 20-25% of GDP every year. Honestly, the come across as the accelerated version of our own structure and a good litmus for what our western liberal democracy roadmaps look like over the next 20 years.

[@KevTheImpaler]

I get the impression South Korean is not very happy. They complain about high rents and property prices. They mostly feel they have to live in Seoul. They have one of the most intensive education systems in the world. They came top of the PISA education league. However, youngsters are not getting a return for all that study.

[@sluglife9785]

Indeed. "Hell Joseon", and "N-po Generation" are phrases worth looking up.

[@peterdickinson4599]

Solid critique. I worked with about twenty Koreans in various labs when I was living in the States - I'm Irish - and that social hierarchy they have going on is no joke.

[@Thomas...191]

Good comment. But it's history and noisy neighbours do provide a few unique challenges to current the South Korea: perhaps making it not the greatest litmus paper.

[@KevTheImpaler]

I did not vote for Brexit because of Russian interference.

[@chrimbus71]

The war crim is so bitter!!

[@chrimbus71]

The war crim is so bitter!

[@neilpragnell6267]

Alastair is spot on about Labour incumbents falling short in the public’s opinion and their need to do more than business as usual

[@inzhener2007]

Agreed 👍

[@jonathanemontgomery]

I would say I’m shocked by Rory & Alastair’s sanguine attitude to the annulment of election results, but I’m not. Brexit proved that for all their talk about “Democracy” they actually believe that whenever the people vote “wrong” they should be made to vote again until the right result is reached.

[@wzywg]

My first week in Seoul, 20 years ago, was stammered by student protests with violent police interference. The secret of their economic success is their internal economy. Something England could learn from. They have massive chaebols, like Samsung and LG, often formed from the early WW2 and Korean war military demands, specifically shipbuilding. it's hard to find a massive apartment complex that is not funded by the chaebols that also make phones and chocolate.

[@BasilBeaton]

If I were a Ukrainian in 2014 or a Georgian today, I'd want closer EU ties and less Russian influence. However, millions of Ukrainians and Georgians wanted/want close relations with both the EU and Russia, to the point they elected pro-Russian presidents. If those millions are ignored, there will be conflict and Russia will use it as an excuse to invade. This is not conjecture. This is exactly what happened.

[@greebj]

That's why Russians do their disinformation thing. Generate enough resistance to claim when they invade that they are supporting the will of the people. Lavrov just spent the whole time with his Tucker interview saying that. It's what they did in East Ukraine since 2014 and why they did that post hoc joke of a Crimean referendum

[@martinwatts3796]

Easy.... Russians and sympathisers to Russia, from Transnistria as well, and leave these people in peace.....

[@BasilBeaton]

@martinwatts3796 Ethnic cleansing and ethnic transfer of millions of people has never been easy, no matter how simple Stalin made it look. These countries are depopulated as it is.

[@juliangilbert5465]

One of the emerging countries fighting to maintain its delicate democracy way back in 2016 was the UK.

[@tonyaustin3792]

Alaistair is right about the narrative being important….and you know why that is! Because Keir stood in the garden of Number 10 and said that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the weight and then promptly took away the Winter Fuel Allowance from the old age pensioners… the vast majority of which are now struggling with keeping warm this winter, facing bills going up again on January the 1st. Before anyone throws the nonsense rejoinder that ‘most pensioners are millionaires or have second homes’ let me remind you that 75% of pensioners are on the old rate of pensions and further more, anyone whose pension is over £139 a week does not qualify for Pension Relief payments. I defy anyone to cope with eating, heating, paying Council Tax and all the other basic necessities of life on £139 a week. I live in a tiny house in the Midlands; my house is in the lowest Council Tax Band and pay over £30 a week in Council Tax with a single person discount….as compared with a Band D property in London who pays £15 s week. My cottage is probably worth £150K and the Band D London property probably several million £’s. That’s the narrative Alastair. Keir set it and it’s not going away. And one last thing Rory….the world you guys live in is so far removed from ordinary everyday life that you are never going to understand why so many people voted Brexit. It had nothing to do with Russian interference or the Leave Campaign’s lies: it had everything to do with David Cameron and George Osborne and austerity….I talked to lots of folk about how they would vote and they basically said that whatever the Cameron Government said, they’d vote the opposite. THAT’s the reason you lost the Referendum, pure and simple. The problem with you guys is you never talk to ordinary people and even if you tried to, people would tell you what they think you want to hear. I’ve been a Labour party and member since I was old enough to vote and I’m nearly 80 now….I’ve spent my life working in public service: I despair when I see a Labour Government making such a mess of things.

[@Epicaddicks]

@tonyaustin3792 where is the evidence that people receiving only the basic state pension have had their Winter Fuel Allowance taken away from them? Serious question, as see so much narrative that Labour have left OAPs living in poverty but I am yet to meet anyone where this is the case

[@andrewharrison7767]

campbell won't accept brexit because he doesn't want the blame for it - despite stating in his diaries that new labour opening the door to eastern eu in 2003 set the foundations. Ironically even Bliar has accepted the error

[@frankbrennan1619]

And Granny Harmer Sausages Starmer & the completely London centric Liebour Party just don't do irony & the fact that you have a so-called Liebour Members of Parliament cheering to the rafters when they ''won'' the vote to rob most UK pensioners of the £300 or so for their Winter Fuel Allowance & for sure if multi - millionaire Goebbels Campbell were still around today, this just would NOT have happened, the cheering by so-called Liebour MPs that is, NOT the robbing of most pensioners & their £300 or so Winter Fuel Allowance....

[@dreamcrusher112]

How can you go through life working for 50 or more years and then have to rely on the state pension? I am a public servant and will get more than £500 even if I never get another pay rise. Sadly many of these pensioners need help, but far more of them have either refused to plan for retirement or expect bailouts. Remember pensioners cost 10x what the young do to the state, when they stop contributing. If you save £100 a month for 50 years you have 260k without interest.

[@tonyaustin3792]

dreamcrusher112…you really shouldn’t make up completely unsubstantiated nonsense like ‘most of them haven’t saved up or just want bailouts’ Shame on you for that. You know perfectly well that many people, especially women, didn’t get the chance to pay for their stamps. You’re also missing the fact that many pensioners do contribute to society in looking after grandchildren so that the parents can work; their often carers for their partners; a lot of pensioners do voluntary work…. the list goes on and on. I doubt very much that pensioners as a group cost the NHS anymore than middle aged men and women and probably less.

[@CalifCalling]

Georgia a people struggling against itself, as many of our societies do today. Loved the focus… Next, why are not boats heading from your shores to Dunkirk as we speak… did you only save Brits that day… we Canadians we’re with you…

[@brianwilkinson6891]

18 days and counting. Tbilisi and Georgians have been here so many times. They won’t back down. They detest Putin ( well apart from many orthodox men who have fell for the anti LGBT / Family values con. . The west is decadent etc etc. ) I loved there it’s wonderful place

[@DavidBrown-ts2us]

20:41 uk population is only growing due to immigration and living longer. Our birth rate is 1.6 per couple; still not enough.

[@sluglife9785]

All we really need to keep this missions and milestones format live in the public awareness is a really easy to use, well designed website. If that doesn't come, I'll be perplexed.

[@unofficialfuture3120]

Good show

[@hayleypbop6997]

William signalling proper behaviour to Trump can only be a good thing

[@portreemathstutor]

I am against annulling elections because foreign state propaganda was effective.

[@esounds1]

Who are you? Maybe a Russian troll ? :D

[@jinamatcharia8027]

Not that effective every other person to have voted for the Georgian Nightmare

[@futuregenerationz]

Assad is staying at 'hotel Snowden'.

[@One_And_Equal]

There was clear Russian interference for Brexit - not least the orchestrated migrant surge in eastern Europe that became the top story during the final two weeks of the campaign and helped tip a very tight, fluid vote. Why is the official report never published?

[@JelMain]

Don't forget Salome was First Secretary in the French Delegation to NATO, so is not being obvious.

[@conallgeneral8136]

She is also a former minister in Georgian Dream government under Bidzina as PM. Was also a minister in the last UNM government- she’s quite flexible !😂😂

[@JelMain]

@@conallgeneral8136 I worked with her, her secretary as a family friend. There's things hoped for.

[@brucemills2499]

@@conallgeneral8136 Georgian Dream were voted into power on a pro EU mandate. Why they chose to reverse that without consulting the Georgian voting public is quite unforgivable and the Georgian public are rightly furious about that reversal. Salome didn't agree with that u-turn and that why she left Georgian Dream. Seems quite sensible to me.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Goodness me, you lot in the Russian bot farms are getting desperate today.

[@JelMain]

@Calmness123-f5kActually, I've been chums with Rory. Dana's chum, whose work laid the foundations of his career. No desperation, just laying unhelpful myths.

[@JohnJohnson-mt9yt]

Same problem as Ukraine - EU is a protectionist grouping so the border between Russia and georgia would need to be closed, disregarding any familial, economic or religious links that remain across that border. Hence Donbass secession. As usual any election that the west doesn’t like is ‘illegitimate’. I don’t think Russia minds if any of the perimeter states of the former USSR joins the EU, provided the vestigial Russian population is respected, which in Ukraine it clearly was not, with the far right russophobic sects from western Ukraine being given free reign and carefully rehabilitated by western media.

[@Nicolas-uu3jr]

Georgia is effed...

[@jeffree9015]

I reckon the Ukrainian intelligence service could get to Assad.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Putin does not want Assad the failed dictator to remind the Russians what a failed dictator looks like. I have the feeling Assad will not last long.

[@geomac650]

Its easy for these guys saying Georgia can join the EU but who's gonna help them if Russia invades again. Like we all rushed to help them last time. We are all prisoners of our geography

[@ronald3836]

And Georgia wouldn't actually be admitted into the EU anyway, as you would need all current members agreeing to it. The EU is just being destructive in trying to get Georgia enthusiastic about joining the EI and pushing for LGBTI+ rights in societies that aren't ready for it. The EU is really serious about never learning from past mistakes.

[@geomac650]

@ronald3836 agreed

[@osaretinosayamen]

If you want people to remember things, say it over and over again.

[@jameslonsdale6113]

God I’d love these two to come and meet people outside the podcast London slot bubble. I go to most Burnley away games and believe me, he is given a free ride because he’s a claret . But his views are so so far away from that of the ordinary man.

[@Bilbeto]

Labour's big problem is that they're making the exact same mistake as the Democrats in the US. Removing the focus on GDP makes sense - but focusing on Real Household Disposable Income is missing the point just as badly. It isn't just about income; it's also about essential expenditure. Core costs: rent, gas, electricity, water, broadband, etc are rising faster than inflation and/or most people's incomes. Therefore the money people have to spend on luxuries, like, you know, food, is constantly gettting squeezed. Year on year most people in this country have less money available after core costs have been met - and that's the measure that people will vote on at the next General Election. RHDI is no more relevant than GDP.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Labour is trying to get more to the poorest, whilst Trump is allowing dictator billionaires the run of everyone's lives and finances.

[@50RobinHill]

Re Brexit - whether or not there was Russian help for the Leave campaign (which feels more like unproven conjecture than certainty) the central reason 'Remain' lost was because they ran a completely unfocused, toothless, meandering campaign that resonated fine for the metro-liberal elite but totally failed to communicate with the pissed-off majority - the victims rather than the beneficiaries of globalisation. I feel rather the same about this podcast; these two seem willing to dismiss any majority democratic decision that doesn't align with their personal prejudices as the product of 'dark forces', Russian or other. Maybe, just maybe, results you don't like are actually the product of real people's real feelings and beliefs? Think on...

[@chriselliott726]

Perhaps the problem is a lack of critical thinking. Democracy works well when the voters are intelligent and well-informed. Brexit hurt everyone with no winners, with the exception of a few very rich individuals.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

The Bot farm comments are too long winded.

[@mrD66M]

Don't blame this Randian, no-society libertarian, anti-intellectual / disaster-capitalist morass the UK is in on Russia. Maybe they did encourage it as/when it benefits their interests - but it's not like the nation needed much encouragement after years of defending public services. The UK in early 2016 was on the edge of a really tall bridge, and all that was needed was a "manly figure" to say "do it, you'll be more manly afterwards"

[@ronald3836]

Imagine the Brexit vote was held today with the Remain side disproportionally bragging sbout LGTBI+ rights. It would not have been close

[@ronald3836]

​@@chriselliott726So then Democracy must never have worked well.

[@kieronseymour3256]

Can't these guts afford heating

[@chrisborak2200]

"made his money as an oligarch"...People certainly seem to do well in that profession. Anyone know how I can get into it. Can't see any positions on LinkedIn.

[@janetsanders5356]

____Would actually appreciate the sigh response. Mental variation of that is frequently my response to what's going on in the world, at home and abroad.

[@keech100]

How can you seriously criticise AI if your being paid by Google. You know they don't do this to help people

[@andrewhemingway337]

Alistair what will you do when no one cares about Brexit anymore

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

He'll blame it on Brexit......

[@andrewhemingway337]

@ it’s his whole personality

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

@@andrewhemingway337 sore loser, arrogant, etc

[@LWQ15881]

It’s doesn’t matter wether you care or not the market doesn’t care wether you eat today or starve tomorrow brexit was the biggest economic blunder since nazi bombs were dropping over the country. Ironically you voted on immigration yet the failure of that stance is it diminished the uks ability to send immigrants away and control its border security effectively whilst ensuring the free traverse of goods both of which do not work have not worked since brexit but ay if we destroy ourselves no one else can that’s the most long term plan we’ve created since 1946.

[@andrewhemingway337]

@ I never voted to leave. I voted to remain. I’ll eat today tomorrow next week. But I don’t have Brexit on the mind like Alistair has. He keeps of coming off as a sore loser. Because if he thinks France and Germany are doing well I think Alistair is going full-blown Joe Biden

[@tonyspooner4660]

25000 troops (Rory's quoted S.Korea figure) is not 10 times the amount they had in Afghanistan...that's close to the amount the US probably had in a single Afghan province.

[@Philsmahsmchjsb]

Alistair - get over the Brexit vote, it makes you seem insane

[@suzannehill9935]

Good god, not as insane as voting for Brexit!

[@jameslonsdale6113]

Is this the rest is Labour or rest is politics. Yet more shite from Campbell who cannot lie straight in bed. Ghana, Georgia!! What about this bloody country, Starmer is just flying round the world and solving nothing to what matters to most brots!!

[@howardgibson]

Alistair saw your brilliant winter walks last night, do you wish you were back in Yorkshire ?

[@eleanormayer2636]

😂😂😂Good on Vogue😂😂😂

[@marilynmillerwriter]

Rory please explain what you mean.. UK's population growing? But birthrate is below replacement.

[@waltermcphee3787]

Is reducing poulation such a problem, as the increase of AI and automation, putting millions out of work. Perhaps the problem is taxation of international conglimerate controlled industry cheating society.

[@gregoryeldridge3195]

Guys please concentrate on winning policies with vision and depth and future prosperity at their heart whilst listening to and acting on popular concerns and needs. If you do not is it any wonder that Russia or whomever is able to convince people to vote one way or another. Constantly blaming bots and tick tock is utterly pointless like a bucket without a bottom. So painful watching these conversations……. But I still watch!

[@Lux-lc8cx]

The Prime Minister's experiencing the problem that whilst I think he probably is trying to do the best for the British people, the messaging comes across like he's the Captain of a ship terrified of the crew mutinying. Which reinforces the impression there's something to mutiny about, because he's so obviously scared of the possibility.

[@WVislandia]

I see a PM and his government that couldn't care less about its electorate. So if their message goes off into dust, they don't care. They aren't in government to serve the population, they are in government to serve their donors.

[@KevTheImpaler]

I was in Georgia for a while. I overheard an ex-pat discuss the election in a bar. He said it made sense for Georgia to stay as neutral as possible, because it would just not do to antagonise Russia.

[@brucemills2499]

Maybe ex-pats discussing what's good for Georgia should let Georgians decide what's best for Georgia.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

I was in a bar and heard a Russian and a Georgian say that Putin was a useless dictator.

[@martinwatts3796]

Ex-pat with a singular opinion..... anyone and all antagonise Russia, when it does not get its way....

[@pedronobrega5457]

STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN GEORGIA.... RESPECT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF GEORGIA POPULATION... THE GREAT (over 70% of is population) DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS USA & EUROPE FUNDED PROTESTS .. ONLY A SMALL PART OF IS POPULATION (mostlly from universitys) SUPPORTS THE PROTESTS ... IF YOU DONT KNOW WHATS APPENING IN GEORGIA I ADVICE THE READING OF THIS ARTICLE ... with love from a concerned PORTUGUESE citizen ....

[@pedronobrega5457]

US Targets Georgia as a Tool to Extend Russia ... . Political unrest continues to erupt in the nation of Georgia along Russia’s southern Caucasus border, led by openly anti-Russian protesters backed by US-European government money and support. The protests are a repeat of similar unrest that targeted Georgia in 2003 leading to the overthrow of the elected government then. . A 2004 Guardian article titled, “US campaign behind the turmoil in Kiev,” not only admitted that unrest in Ukraine that year was fully organized, directed, and backed by the US government, it admitted that similar US-sponsored unrest had targeted “four countries in four years,” including Georgia itself. The current ruling party in Georgia seeks to avoid NATO membership, thus avoid becoming the “next Ukraine” The Guardian admitted: Funded and organised by the US government, deploying US consultancies, pollsters, diplomats, the two big American parties and US non-government organisations, the campaign was first used in Europe in Belgrade in 2000 to beat Slobodan Milosevic at the ballot box. Richard Miles, the US ambassador in Belgrade, played a key role. And by last year, as US ambassador in Tbilisi, he repeated the trick in Georgia, coaching Mikhail Saakashvili in how to bring down Eduard Shevardnadze. The same article also explained: Last year [2003], before becoming president in Georgia, the US-educated Mr Saakashvili travelled from Tbilisi to Belgrade to be coached in the techniques of mass defiance. And from 2003 to 2008 the US-installed client regime headed by Saakashvili welcomed US-NATO military training, equipment, and weapons as part of a de facto NATO-ization right on Russia’s borders as part of what the US State Department referred to as the “Georgia Train and Equip Program.” This training and equipping continued right up to 2008 when Georgian forces attacked Russian peacekeepers in August, precipitating a short but devastating war for Georgia. Earlier that year, for example, Georgian forces switched from Kalashnikovs to US-made M4 carbines, Reuters reported, reflecting the depth of US involvement in building up Georgia’s forces ahead of its attack on Russia. Despite attempts by the US to depict the August 2008 conflict as a “Russian invasion,” the European Union, as part of its own investigation, found Georgia to be responsible for triggering the conflict, Reuters would report. Georgia: A Tool to “Exploit Tensions in the South Caucasus” Georgia’s political capture by the US, then use as an armed proxy against neighboring Russia in a devastating war served as a template the US would use again but on a much larger scale in Ukraine from 2014 to present day. Georgia is still identified by US government and US arms industry-funded policymakers as one of several possible fronts for continued use to “extend” Russia. In the 2019 RAND Corporation paper titled, “Extending Russia: Competing from Advantageous Ground,” Georgia is listed by name under a section titled, “Measure 4: Exploit Tensions in the South Caucasus.” Other measures include “Measure 1: Provide Lethal Aid to Ukraine,” “Measure 2: Increase Support to the Syrian Rebels,” “Measure 3: Promote Regime Change in Belarus,” “Measure 5: Reduce Russian Influence in Central Asia,” and “Measure 6: Challenge Russian Presence in Moldova.” All 6 measures are being pursued by the US government to one degree or another, especially considering the ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent escalation of conflict in Syria. Regarding Georgia specifically, under “Measure 4,” the report states: The United States could extend Russia in the Caucasus in two ways. First, the United States could push for a closer NATO relationship with Georgia and Azerbaijan, likely leading Russia to strengthen its military presence in South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Armenia, and southern Russia. It also notes that, “the United States might also renew efforts to bring Georgia into NATO.” The current ruling party in Georgia seeks to avoid NATO membership, thus avoid becoming the “next Ukraine.” In order to again use Georgia as a disposable proxy, the US must remove the current Georgian government from power, and re-install an obedient client regime eager to subordinate Georgia’s best interests to Washington’s. The same paper warns, however, that Washington fully understands the national security concerns Russia has with NATO troops expanding their presence along its border including possibly in Georgia and note that Russia may militarily intervene to prevent this - just as Russia has now done in Ukraine. The same 2019 paper noted, under “Measure 1: Provide Lethal Aid to Ukraine,” that the resulting conflict would likely, “produce disproportionately large Ukrainian casualties, territorial losses, and refugee flows. It might even lead Ukraine into a disadvantageous peace,” all realities now taking shape. Thus, Georgia’s current government’s policy reflects not only Georgia’s best interests, but well-founded fears regarding admitted potential catastrophe laid out by US policymakers themselves while seeking to use Georgia once again as a proxy against Russia. Georgia: A Battleground Between Empire and Sovereignty The US government employs polling agencies to assess and present public opinion within targeted nations, including Georgia, to global audiences, depicting aspirations to join the European Union, NATO, and even position themselves adversarially against Russia, as the will of the people and representing what is supposedly their best interests. Many onlookers take these polling numbers as evidence that sitting governments opposed to such interest are “dictatorships” running roughshod over the public’s will. In reality, these polls are not assessing the best interests of the Georgian public, but instead the success or failure of US government-funded propaganda campaigns aimed at convincing the Georgian public Washington’s interests are also their interests. Objectively, neutrality for nations like Georgia represents the Georgian people’s best interests, especially considering its most important trade partners and the consequences already suffered by Georgia during its previous political capture and use by Washington. While nations around the globe have invested heavily in national defense across traditional domains like land borders, shores, and airspace, few nations have recognized let alone properly defended new domains including information space the US wages multidomain warfare across. US political interference can be understood as a non-military instrument in persuasive, inducement, and coercive strategies along a single spectrum that - on its other end - includes military instruments of persuasive, inducement, and coercive strategies. In other words, US interference is just the first few steps of a process that eventually includes sanctions, US-sponsored sedition, terrorism, proxy war, and even US invasion and occupation - all of it aimed at politically capturing and controlling a targeted nation. Libya and Syria serve as examples first targeted by US political interference that steadily grew into state-sponsored violence, to proxy war and eventually direct US intervention.

[@pedronobrega5457]

The limits to Washington’s ability to move along this spectrum are the measures a targeted nation has put in place to deter each step from being taken. A nation with a large military and a tightly controlled information space makes US persuasion, inducement, and coercion strategies of any kind more difficult. Nations with powerful militaries but no control over their own information space - in the 21st century - are much like nations last century with powerful land armies but no air forces or air defenses. Air power allowed the US to attack targeted nations with impunity, creating conditions both militarily and economically conducive to eventual regime change. Today, by compromising a targeted nation’s information space, controlling what information can and cannot be shared, the US is able to turn a nation’s population against its own institutions without Washington itself firing a single shot. While it takes much longer and often goes unseen by ordinary onlookers, the final result is success as resounding as any traditional military conquest. The overthrow of Georgia’s government in 2003 and Ukraine’s government in 2014 are just two of many examples. Georgia’s recent passing of its foreign agent’s law represented a tentative first step toward securing its information space from the deep and disruptive interference exercised by the US through local fronts funded by the US government through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and adjacent organizations. Washington’s “Superweapon” Aimed at Georgia The NED funds programs targeting Georgia’s information space by standing up media organizations promoting US interests, including Georgia’s joining of both the EU and NATO. These media platforms also repeat US narratives regarding US adversaries including Russia and China in an attempt to poison the Georgian population against who would otherwise be constructive partners for Georgia’s future. An example of this is “Open Caucasus,” (OC) admittedly funded by the US government through the NED on its “About Us” page, which at the time of this writing featured stories promoting ongoing protests in Georgia, op-eds decrying Georgia’s election as “rigged,” and claims of “Russian influence” behind the desire for Georgia to avoid once again being used as a proxy by the US against Russia - all narratives promoted by the US State Department itself. US government-funded media outlets like OC are numerous, well-funded, and often monopolize the information space in targeted nations like Georgia. This is because many nations also rely on US-based social media platforms like Facebook and search engines like Google to find and share information. These US-based platformes work directly with the US State Department determining what information can and cannot be shared and what information is promoted across the public, creating the illusion of overwhelming consensus while simultaneously suppressing alternative views. US government-funded programs also target the education systems of other nations from elementary school to university, shaping young minds in what to think long before they understand how to think. Students then see narratives promoted through these programs reinforced across the US-dominated media, shaping national opinion and even identity. The US through the State Department and the NED create entire pipelines indoctrinating youths who eventually work their way into a targeted nation’s legal, educational, journalistic or political system. Aspiring lawyers, educators, leaders, diplomats, and journalists are deliberately plugged into professional and personal networks across the collective West ensuring the vast majority of those indoctrinated into these programs not only serve US interests, but face professional and personal isolation if they don’t. Together, these invasive means of political interference and capture represent a “superweapon” few nations acknowledge, let alone defend against. Nations like Russia and China have done much to secure their respective information spaces as well as their educational, legal, and political systems from such interference. Their ability to assist allies in doing likewise is so far limited. Georgia’s ongoing fight against Washington’s attempts to reassert political control over the nation and redirect it onto a path of self-destruction represents a national security threat not only to Georgia itself, but to the rest of the multipolar world. If Georgia can be politically captured, its population poisoned against its own best interests (again) and convinced to destroy their own nation in conflict with Washington’s chief adversaries, any other nation can be targeted next. More must be done across the multipolar world to expose Washington’s regime change “superweapon,” promote the means by which to defend against it including foreign agent laws cutting off NED and adjacent foundation funding, and the creation of pipelines creating future political leaders, diplomats, business owners, and journalists who serve the best interests of their own nation, not Washington’s, and the creation of social media platforms within and between nations of the multipolar world beyond Washington’s control.

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Does the posh lad know that the British PM is not our head of state?

[@brucebarnett1710]

You got no self awareness. One minute you call on EU politicians to go interfere in Georgia & overturn an election result, next item is to accuse others of election interference (....and brexit/Trump reversal) 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@conallgeneral8136]

Spot on !😂😂😂

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Interference is okay, if the likes of these people do it.....

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Great that Assad is now the Russian's awareness of what a weak and failed dictator looks like.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

@@conallgeneral8136 Great! Spot on. Assad is the reminder of Putin's demise for the Russian people.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

@@RobertThomson-y4m In Russia there are no elections, only imprisonment.

[@dutch1047]

Gentlemen you have a very interesting discussion, but the time for discussion is long over (at least after Munich conference declaration by Putin) after that we have seen invasion into Georgia, parts of Ukraine and now full scale war in Europe. So now is time for action long due. Actually Re- action because we are seeing major military conflicts and very slow and uncoordinated reaction from Europe. While i am sure you know that Russian leadership talks only with those who are strong and ready for action. British special services knew about invasion at least by mid 2021 stating from their press releases and world is expecting strong leadership and adequate “answer” to outright imperial and brutal ambitions of ultra authoritarian regimes Russia knows exactly what is wants- expansion at all cost. What does Europe want?

[@4x4r974]

25:00 The issue with UK and EU leaders is that they are effectively powerless. Any policies that would have impact (be it good or bad), such over trade or leaving the ECHR, are dead on arrival. All they can do is blame predecessors, fiddle with the numbers and come up with slogans so the public instantly tunes out.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

The Russian bot farm is doing badly today. Stop sounding like a malfunction in a TEFl class in the 1970s.

[@4x4r974]

@Calmness123-f5k what exactly is 'Russian' about what I said? lol ask any ex-PM and they will say the same about how their hands were tied. One exception is obviously France, a country that still has some balls and hasnt castrated their military.

[@JamesCorbett-d1x]

Alastair and Rory.... your reactions to world and domestic politics are trenchant, but it would be interesting to hear your views on the future. Being critical of idiotic politics is shooting fish in a tiny barrel. Positive political theory is needed. You haven't discussed Anarchism, or have you?

[@brianlivesey981]

When you promote please say it with more sincerity.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

English fail. The bot farm scripts are terrible. Report back and inform them

[@AlanOConnor-w1d]

Why would it matter if people were influenced by Russian propaganda? Or American propaganda? It’s still a democratic vote? People are voting as they choose…

[@Thomas...191]

Are you not familiar with geopolitics?

[@murrayprocter8754]

Can the party replace him.

[@Lululululee]

Look at Mexican politics....you are asking a lot of questions that can be easily solved if you looked how the current main Mexican political party kept power AND gain majority in both chambers. AND elected the first left-wing woman president in Mexican history... AND she has a 70% approval rate. If you keep being bamboozled about UK current political climate that is on you now.

[@billshun3963]

Will be 20% import tax on Mexican imports. Trump does not like left wingers.

[@thepm3972]

Fuse/con....can't understand

[@patbyrneme007]

The comments by Alistair and Rory on elections in Georgia and Romania, and the Brexit referendum have extremely dangerous implications. A key aspect of liberal democracy is that the results of elections and referendums should be respected unless there is strong proof that they have been fundamentally defrauded. Yet, Alistair and Rory are seriously questioning these elections and the Brexit referendum and blaming them on Russian interference while admitting that there is no definite proof of this on any significant scale. How different is this to Trump challenging the 2020 US election? One is naturally tempted to conclude that the presenters of this programme are willing to support the overthrow of voting results that they don't like. If this represents a widespread view among the centrist elite which I suspect it does, it can only lead to the collapse of the tradition of respecting voting results in society as a whole. And the end of liberal democracy. Alistair and Rory - be very careful with your words and accusations.

[@SuperALBSURE]

Problem is if you continue to play chess whilst your opponent plays chequers you’re going down the totalitarian route very fast. And therefore the democracy you want to uphold is taken away from you because you allowed the country to be gamed. It’s all we’ll having principals but at ANY cost??? Nah… we know how it ends. Let’s not do this again.

[@virtualal]

They are both just bad losers

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Thank-you for writing your comment in the freedom of the west democracies that you would not be allowed in Russia. Long live democracy. The Hitler playbook didn't end well for anyone, so why you would want to follow it, is beyond me.

[@virtualal]

@ yeah thanks for that startling observation

[@greebj]

Umm, an obvious difference is that the Romanian court annulled the result, and it was a first round result (not the final result), whereas no court found any merit in any of Trump's fraud claims

[@davidgaskin5417]

Any opportunity to bang on with some pro-EU rhetoric, eh? 😒

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Campbell's comment about repeating stuff. Reminds me of a certain german propaganda minister who spoke about big lies.......

[@oninbridders]

Politicians talking about technology that they know nothing about- the same politician that talks about AI. Ok grandad

[@patbyrneme007]

On the Romanian Presidential elections, Alistair and Rory exposed a major contradiction in their arguments. On the one hand they talk about the obvious pattern now taking place of incumbent governments losing elections in the face of rising discontent among electorates. Yet, somehow Romania is seen differently because the first round result in the Presidential election was seen as helpful to Putin. Alistair did say that Romania is an economic success story implying that this should lead to the current government being reelectrd. But success for whom? The moden neoliberal arrangements mean that unlike in the period of the postwar consensus, the benefits of economic growth almost entirely go to the elite, not the majority. The same problem is very evident in Romania which has caused a deep underlying level of frustration and resentment. The success of a new candidate voicing this feeling is not the result of Russian intervention but much more fundamental processes. Thus, we are seeing similar results in Romania's neighbours. Yet Alistair and Rory are willing to support the suspension of democracy in Romania without any proper analysis. And their convenient willingness to believe the word of the Romanian intelligence service which everyone in Romania know is a servant of the existing elite, Further undermines the credibility of their analysis.

[@conallgeneral8136]

Well said , the analysis of Georgia is also very disappointing and shallow and devoid of context. Salome is a former minister in GD government with Bidzina . Disappointing lack of nuance from analysts who are usually good . This puts their entire perspective onto a different context for me. Sad they drink the cool aid of EU.

[@matd93]

These two wanted a second vote on Brexit. Both want to vote until their preferred result is accomplished. Both are con artists

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Oh - you are a Russian bot. I wondered about the semantics. So predictable.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

A Russian bot comment. I am doing a phd in bots and you are one.

[@billshun3963]

A communist country like N.Korea would be better off for everyone. Right?

[@MMouraable]

I find it very creepy my comment that I wish CIS created a form of NATO to push back against Russian aggression got deleted by these moderators. Bizarre behavior

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Creepy is definitely a bot farm word according to my research.

[@MMouraable]

​@Calmness123-f5k So interesting and very cool

[@chimwemwetembo6446]

Instead of talking about your failing economy 😂😂😂

[@SuperALBSURE]

Maybe we just ban social media platforms during the 4 weeks before an election? We never had them before. Why do we need them now? All political campaigning should be done with party political broadcasts on main stream tv stations like it was back in the day. It’s not impossible.

[@conallgeneral8136]

Why ? Qui bono ? You want to restrict media - to control the message ? sounds very authoritarian to me ! 😂

[@SuperALBSURE]

@ we never had this type of media before. In fact, in the UK at least lots of traditional media have restrictions during elections and on election day. I don’t see it’s any different. In fact it’s probably needed more because of the random nature of social media that has no real regulation at all.

[@allencameron3419]

A certain strata of the population are obsessed with meddling in things abroad and their track record is dismal.Just stay out of it.Its not like we have the money,moral high ground or national cohesion

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Strata- how bot farm of you. The A I bots are doing badly. Tell Putin that his weekly A I bots are awful. Putin speaks German. not English and so is impressed with your failure. The Mockba24 article was interesting about it.

[@allencameron3419]

So if I don’t want to squander money of British lives in yet another 3rd world 💩 hole I am a bot of Putin,,

[@chriswarner5069]

You guys are really starting to hate the idea of democracy when you lose.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

You guys- how bot farm of you.

[@chriswarner5069]

@Calmness123-f5k not really man, just disagree with somethings. They lost Brexit because the masses were pissed, same with trump. Not everything is the Russians. They need a look in the mirror from time to time

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Why have 2 lefties on the same podcast. The posh lad is a total TINO. A bit left wing for the limp dems.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Hi Bot . Your user name is in my PHD thesis. You have been consistently useless.

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

@Calmness123-f5k glad to be of help. Let anyone do PhDs these days, eh!

[@kevinkevin-ug9po]

I pay KZbin to avoid adverts and now I get them in shows.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

What a bot malfunction.

[@gsten2116]

Seriously who cares about ghana? Really?

[@gsten2116]

How do you gents think this relates to russian interference in us electuons? Cause when the us goes, you all are hosed.

[@James-hm9on]

Don’t hitch your horse to the EU empty wagon

[@vakhtangdzandzava8622]

Looks like Gergia is getting abandoned as it was in 1991, 2008, 2012... We, Gergians, for some unknown reason, still believe in fading western values, sad...

[@StefanKing-f6t]

Why the hell should Georgia be in Europe? What is the massive assumption being made here that I am not getting? Tbilisi is further East than Moscow.

[@enuclear]

I wonder Rory and Alasdair how you have adjusted your approach to political analysis having got the US election so significantly wrong? Are your radar different now?

[@alexaccleton1031]

I'm sorry, this is ok if it's Georgia? but if we do it, it's racist. Really Campbell, really??

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

The reason starmer is unpopular is that he's a total dud. He's no character, no decent policies and no empathy. Killing thousands of British OAPs isn't likely to endear you to people, is it?

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Really starting to think these two are not very clever and totally biased.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Hi Bot farm. I liked your VPN. Thanks for providing me content for my PHD.

[@kevinkevin-ug9po]

Why now, this has been going on a long time in Georgia.

[@PaulaTerryLancaster]

There they are in a magnificent cathedral built and restored to the glory of God, texting each other for political advantage. Nothing at all is sacred.

[@RobertThomson-y4m]

Do these two like democracy? Starting to doubt it....

[@Calmness123-f5k]

Hi Russian bot. Perhaps vary the sentence construction a bit. You are so predictable. I've read your comment over 27 times, according to my notes.

[@kityfitz]

Only when it suits their globalist world view.

[@Thomes-Maisling]

What???🤦‍♀Democracy is maybe half of what the conversation is about. Try listening to the conversation before commenting.