If they could make an expences claim for that as well, you just know they would.

Edited by Stirlingsays (18 Apr 2020 2.06pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

China’s total is rising.

[Link]

Knee jerk reactions with only partial information to hand are rarely the best route to resolving problems. With something as serious as this reacting like that is simply stupid.

We haven't, so far as I am aware, carried out any internationally organised, meaningful, calm and measured investigations into the cause of these outbreaks that has resulted in the kind of effective recommendations being made and then insisted upon being followed that are now clearly needed. These have to be run by the UN with unequivocal support from all members of the security council, for a matter of security it surely is.

I had to look up the tweet from Maxine Waters as it was new to me. It reads:-

"Trump, you incompetent idiot! You sent 18 tons of PPE to China early but ignored warnings & called COVID19 concerns a hoax. You've endangered doctors, nurses, aids, orderlies, & janitors - all risking their lives to save ours. Pray 4 forgiveness for the harm that you're causing!"

The Trump administration did send the PPE, at a time when they were downplaying the risk to the USA and praising China's response.

Water's tweet seems a reasonable enough response to me, in the context of the way the crisis has been politicised by Trump. It's not the way I would like things done but if Trump starts playing politics then you must expect his opponents to respond.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Are we all rolling back then on the fact that this started in China? We must have had that flashy pen from Men in Black used on us.
China admitted it around a month or two after it started. And it was China that gave info about the source.
This isn't the first time these wet markets have been the source of a pandemic. In fact, it's the third time.
So from simple facts: WHO did not force China to stop these practices after two pandemics. China admitted being the cause of this too - yet the only thing they have done in response is reclassify dogs as pets.
I hardly think this is an appropriate or responsible response by either China or the WHO. What do you think?
As for Trump - he had this problem forced on him through the acts of others, out of his control - as have we all.

Edited by ASCPFC (18 Apr 2020 2.55pm)

Red and Blue Army!

I found it mainly to be 'meh'.

However in the conclusion it made two points I feel should be pushed back on.

'Preserving ecosystems and restoring natural habitats can ensure animals don’t need to forage near where humans live. Risky behaviours that expose people to pathogens can be reduced – not by imposing harmful bans on wild meat – but through community engagement that’s respectful of different livelihoods and cultural practices. '

The first point would result in a population increase in animals, which means the exact opposite of its suggestion.

On the second point. while 'community engagement' is fair enough, if you're going to push cultural relativism then these practices are ultimately going to continue....So it's nothing but waffle. The Chinese government need to ban these markets or regulate them tightly on animal welfare....which is almost a joke to say.

Perhaps the British should have pushed 'community engagement' on Hindu widows being sacrificed on the burning funeral pyres of their dead husbands rather than outright banning the practice....as we rightly did.

Edited by Stirlingsays (18 Apr 2020 3.07pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

No Trump wasn't wrong for sending PPE to China if he genuinely believed there was no risk to the USA. If the medical experts were warning him that there was a risk, and he ignored it, then yes he was wrong. Which do you think was true?

He is certainly wrong to blame them for the situation. It's much to early to apportion blame and pretty stupid to do at any time. No-one wants this kind of thing do they? Read the link provided by samprior. We are all in this together. There is far too much divisiveness created by Trump and this is another, very dangerous, manifestation of that side of his hugely flawed character.

Whether Waters should have responded like that is an open question. I wouldn't, but I am not a political opponent of Trump trying to deal with him in the weird world he has created.

The Guardian article contains some good points. The biggest I picked up was how Trump's determination to abandon the traditional leadership of the USA in international peacekeeping roles, among others, is throwing the door open for China to walk through. The consequences of that can only be guessed at but are unlikely to be beneficial to the western world.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.