France Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

Looks like things get hot now.

French news say Iran will tomorrow cancel the agreement with France, UK, Germany and the other countries and leave the nuclear deal.

Macron will most likely announce to install 100% sanctions against Iran and the entire EU will follow.US ambassador Pompeo is on his way to Iraq. Looks like the situationon the gulf gets hot now.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/eu-warns-iran-poised-to-breach-nuclear-deal-1.858521

I don't blame them from exiting the deal... the whole point was an agreement to stop developing nuclear weapons in return for dropping international sanctions... it makes little sense if the US is going to impose sanctions on Iran for Iran to keep sticking to a deal not to develop nuclear weapons.

GarryB wrote:I don't blame them from exiting the deal... the whole point was an agreement to stop developing nuclear weapons in return for dropping international sanctions... it makes little sense if the US is going to impose sanctions on Iran for Iran to keep sticking to a deal not to develop nuclear weapons.

The Ayatollahs dont understand.

The only thing that keeps them alive right now is France, UK and Germany. USA want see them crushed.

Russia wont help them. Russia will send an angry letter but Putin needs a high oil price and the fall of the iranian regime guarantees that.

Some in Iran know that as well. Their last security is that France, UK and Germany dont leave it.

The moment we turn our backs towards them, is their end.

They have the right to leave it if EU don't do what the agreement says. Iran respects the agreement. US left and want to destroy it by sanctioning EU if they buy iranian oil and steels.

Russia does not need high oil price lol. Maybe in 2014, but no more buddy. Only thing which keeps them alive is UK, USA, France? You mean the countries which funded Osama Bin Laden and overthrew "communist" baath parties to unleash Sunni Wahhabism and kill Iran and Russia? You live on another planet.

TU-22m3m can appear in Hamadan any moment. Then your scalpels and mdcm will be shot down with soviet era sams. Maybe a french ship gets hit and we see the famous white flag again. Only thing good about Fremm are those LM-2500's, we would have to back you up to do anything like in 2018, otherwise your navy will fire 8 missiles.

MiamiMachineShop wrote:Russia does not need high oil price lol. Maybe in 2014, but no more buddy. Only thing which keeps them alive is UK, USA, France? You mean the countries which funded Osama Bin Laden and overthrew "communist" baath parties to unleash Sunni Wahhabism and kill Iran and Russia? You live on another planet.

I think you are the one living on another planet. Russians enjoy low taxes because the Federal budget gets most of its funding from the sale of oil and gas. When oil prices are low we are running a budget deficit and payments and orders are cut. When under sanctions, no one will buy our bonds so we have to keep our own emergency fund. It is good for keeping us out of debt but we get no stimulus funding to help suffering people. France suffers unrest from high taxes, but at least it is a sustainable revenue source not at the whims of the commodities exchange and provides them with high levels of social services. What Russia needs most is an end to US fracking flooding the world with cheap oil in the short term, and a diversification of industry in the long term.

Vladimir79 wrote:...What Russia needs most is an end to US fracking flooding the world with cheap oil in the short term, and a diversification of industry in the long term.

Latter is in the process of implementation but former is not happening. Not now, not ever.

Only way to get oil prices up (don't know why would they want to) would be to light up some petro-states like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, etc and let the chaos do the heavy lifting.

PapaDragon wrote:

Only way to get oil prices up (don't know why would they want to) would be to light up some petro-states like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, etc and let the chaos do the heavy lifting.

The production of Venezuela and Iran are already depressed thanks to US sanctions and an under-investment in their production capacity. Iran has never been able to achieve the production levels they had pre-Saddam. Venezuela has completely fallen off of the map. The US has increased their capacity so much it makes OPEC irrelevant. The good news is that fracking does incur an environmental cost and if the Green movement in that country takes off, it would end it.

Vladimir79 wrote:...The production of Venezuela and Iran are already depressed thanks to US sanctions and an under-investment in their production capacity. Iran has never been able to achieve the production levels they had pre-Saddam. Venezuela has completely fallen off of the map. The US has increased their capacity so much it makes OPEC irrelevant.

Well in that case oil price stays where it is.

Vladimir79 wrote:...The good news is that fracking does incur an environmental cost and if the Green movement in that country takes off, it would end it.

Nowhere near enough environmental cost for anyone to start flushing massive amounts of perfectly good money down the toilet.

When was the last time Americans said no to money? And this is not just money we are taking about, this is bedrock of their global position and guarantee of secure economic future.

They can elect Jimmy Carter again but nothing will be allowed to touch American energy security.

Also, green movement in USA (democrats) are owned by Europeans, do I need to remind you what that means for Russia?

If anything they will crank up the fracking even more, sanctions definitely more.

Lucky for Russia that they finally started ditching petro state approach and not a second too soon.

Sanctions are here to stay for decades to come, USA MIC finally has the right bogeyman to justify defense spending and Europeans are coming to finish the job, this time with Poles, Balts and other associated goons in tow. Like I said, they don't forget.

This is just the warm-up.

Isos wrote:They have the right to leave it if EU don't do what the agreement says. Iran respects the agreement. US left and want to destroy it by sanctioning EU if they buy iranian oil and steels.

Of course they have the right to leave it. They have to accept their fate in that case as well.

The iranian side knows that. There is a reason why they put ultimatums up, let them run out and make a new ultimatum again and again. They know very well, that as soon France, UK and Germany turn away from them, they are target of full attacks.

The Ayatollahs dont understand.

They understand perfectly.

The agreement was very simply Iran does not make or attempt to make nuclear weapons and the west will trade with them and not impose sanctions on their economy.

The US pulled out and is imposing sanctions but Iran basically said that if the EU and Russia and China honour the deal that they will too.

All UN agencies agree Iran is keeping up its end of the deal.

The US has threatened EU and Chinese and Russian companies of economic sanctions if they trade with Iran.

Rather a lot of EU companies have withdrawn from trading with Iran... in effect the EU is not honouring its part of the deal to normal commercial trade ties with Iran and Iran is calling them on it.

The only thing that keeps them alive right now is France, UK and Germany. USA want see them crushed.

The EU and US want lots of things... it actually isn't that often they get it.

If France and the UK and Germany are withdrawing from Iranian deals because of US threats of sanctions then France and the UK and Germany are reneging on the deal, so Iran has every right to rip the piece of rubbish up.

Russia wont help them. Russia will send an angry letter but Putin needs a high oil price and the fall of the iranian regime guarantees that.

Russia does not need a high oil price... high oil prices means high transport costs which does not suit Russia... oil and gas is cheap to extract in Russia... they don't need a high oil price to make a profit... it is US fracking companies that are smoke and mirrors when it comes to accounting that need high oil prices to break even.

Some in Iran know that as well. Their last security is that France, UK and Germany dont leave it.

The moment we turn our backs towards them, is their end.

What are you talking about? France and the UK and Germany are Americas little bitches, when America decides to attack they wont ask for permission from anyone except Israel.

What Russia needs most is an end to US fracking flooding the world with cheap oil in the short term, and a diversification of industry in the long term.

Low oil prices will burst the Fracking bubble and it is going to be a real mess... any sort of conflict or just confrontation with Iran will push up the price of oil and problems in Venezuela means the prices will go even higher... but high transport costs are not good for most economies most of the time.

The US has increased their capacity so much it makes OPEC irrelevant. The good news is that fracking does incur an environmental cost and if the Green movement in that country takes off, it would end it.

They think fracking solves all their problems, but it is actually very expensive in terms of extraction costs and does not actually make very much money at all and a lot of it is running at a loss... eventually the bubble will burst and their so call production will collapse...

Also, green movement in USA (democrats) are owned by Europeans, do I need to remind you what that means for Russia?

The Green movement in the US is not the democrats... it is the green party... people like Jill Stein who ran against Hillary and Trump... there was another guy too, but only Hillary and Trump could afford air time...

GarryB wrote:They think fracking solves all their problems, but it is actually very expensive in terms of extraction costs and does not actually make very much money at all and a lot of it is running at a loss... eventually the bubble will burst and their so call production will collapse...

The Saudis tried putting them out of business when they first started by flooding the markets. Now that the cost of extraction has decreased they have found a way to stay profitable in the current climate. Unless Russia and OPEC collude to drive oil prices below $50 a barrel it would not drive them out. Considering how we are all suffering from reduced revenues the only time we could have done is was right after the 2014 price crash. It will require an environmental regulatory hardening from the government to drive them out.

Vladimir79 wrote:

GarryB wrote:They think fracking solves all their problems, but it is actually very expensive in terms of extraction costs and does not actually make very much money at all and a lot of it is running at a loss... eventually the bubble will burst and their so call production will collapse...

The Saudis tried putting them out of business when they first started by flooding the markets.  Now that the cost of extraction has decreased they have found a way to stay profitable in the current climate.  Unless Russia and OPEC collude to drive oil prices below $50 a barrel it would not drive them out.  Considering how we are all suffering from reduced revenues the only time we could have done is was right after the 2014 price crash.  It will require an environmental regulatory hardening from the government to drive them out.  

I doubt EU and Japan wants that much US oil. That would mean even more controled by them. Oil from arabs and Venezuela is the best as they only want money. Russia, USA, Iran want more than only money.

Germany is right now in conflict with US over nordstream 2. Because the alternative is US gaz ...

Macron said yesterday if Iran leaves the treaty it will be because of US actions. They will clear the situation with Iran and become less and less dependant on US sanction so that they can do whatever with anyone.

About US extraction we will see under the cop21 initiative some commun action to not buy it. Officially for environment, in reality just to destroy US hopes of beig 1st oil exporter.

Isos wrote:

I doubt EU and Japan wants that much US oil. That would mean even more controled by them. Oil from arabs and Venezuela is the best as they only want money. Russia, USA, Iran want more than only money.

Germany is right now in conflict with US over nordstream 2. Because the alternative is US gaz ...

Macron said yesterday if Iran leaves the treaty it will be because of US actions. They will clear the situation with Iran and become less and less dependant on US sanction so that they can do whatever with anyone.

About US extraction we will see under the cop21 initiative some commun action to not buy it. Officially for environment, in reality just to destroy US hopes of beig 1st oil exporter.

Oil is a global commodity, no one cares where it comes from as it all trades at the same price over the globe. The only thing that matters is transport cost. Once you get it onto an oil tanker it is pretty much the same. Iran has an entire fleet of loaded tankers just waiting for a port to ship it to.

Gas shipping is much more expensive than oil tankers as it has to be cooled to a liquid state which is why pipelines are so much cheaper.

Iran has been under US sanctions since the overthrow of the Sha. They are as independent as they will ever get.

Trump doesn't care about climate change, only a person from the other side would do.

Germany is right now in conflict with US over nordstream 2. Because the alternative is US gaz ...

But that is the joke... the cheapest option is Russian gas by pipeline, but the next cheapest is Russian LNG by ship... US gas is not just expensive, they also don't produce enough to supply the entire needs of the EU anyway so even if they go their wish and the EU didn't buy any gas from Russia then parts of the EU would freeze.

Imagine if climate change led to too much melted fresh water from Siberia into the arctic ocean and the gulf stream bringing warm water from the equator stopped and the water came up the pacific ocean instead and Vladivostok and Alaska and Japan got the mild warmer weather climate because of warm water from the equator going up to the arctic ocean from there...

Trump doesn't care about climate change, only a person from the other side would do.

It wouldn't matter if Al Gore got elected president, the US system is so fucked up big business and oil companies... Sorry Energy Companies... would block anything that cost them any money at all.

The simple fact is that the only reason for Iran to continue to comply with that treaty is if they can openly and freely trade with the EU, but if EU companies are threatened with US sanctions it is pretty obvious given the choice of either trading with the US or Iran but not both they will choose to trade with the US... but that effectively means Iran is both fully under sanction and giving up its nuclear weapon programme... I remember warning of this a while back... Iran is not getting anything out of this deal so when they drop it then presumably sanctions will be reimposed... personally I hope Russia and China block them this time around simply because this is not Irans fault... they complied to the letter and met their responsibilities... it was the US that broke the deal.

Gas shipping is much more expensive than oil tankers as it has to be cooled to a liquid state which is why pipelines are so much cheaper.

Indeed but the extra costs are covered by the higher cost.... the EU can choose between cheap gas via pipe from Russia or LNG from Russia for double the price, or LNG from the US at probably triple the price or more.... and BTW the US does not have enough LNG to meet the EUs demands so even if they stop the pipelines being built they will still need to buy some Russian LNG.

Iran has been under US sanctions since the overthrow of the Sha. They are as independent as they will ever get.

Trump doesn't care about climate change, only a person from the other side would do.

Countries trading with iran are not independent of US.

The thing is that in western societies, people elect a president to bash him and make him risponsible for every bad thing happening in the country. In France we went from Chirac to the crazy Sarkozy to the pseudo leftist Holland to the banker Macron. In UK they are totally lost about politics they elect people and give them no power. In US, after of 8 years of useless Obama, they had to chose btw Clinton and Trump which both would have lost if they were competing against a normal politician with normal ideas because people don't like them in majority. In France Macron was elected by people who don't wanted him because the other candidat was an extrem right women that make a coup against her own father after her bring her to power.

Mostly they stay 5 years in power. That's why western democracy will crash. Trump destroyed everything Obama did just like its successor will destroy everything he did and will probably stop destruction of ground for oil.

Vladimir79 wrote:...Trump doesn't care about climate change, only a person from the other side would do.

Other side(s) want Russia dead and buried and they will not let something as trivial as climate change get in the way of accomplishing primary objective.

Fracking stays. Most certainly proliferates massively as well.

Nobody is dumb enough to let opportunity like this slip through their fingers.

PapaDragon wrote:Other side(s) want Russia dead and buried and they will not let something as trivial as climate change get in the way of accomplishing primary objective.

Fracking stays. Most certainly proliferates massively as well.

Nobody is dumb enough to let opportunity like this slip through their fingers.

If you think the other side is rational I suggest you look up "Green New Deal"

Politicians are zealots basically depending on where their money comes from.

Trumps policy regarding Israel clearly shows he gets money from a Zionist Jew.

The thing is that the oil companies in the US wield a lot of power in both political parties... and there are only two... there is no way in hell a "green" party person will get anything more than a seat in congress or the senate... they will never get enough seats to control anything... they will just be a voice of reason amongst the wolf pack that just want to kill all the sheep... they don't care that they will then starve...

I agree with Lsos that often voting in the west is as much and often more voting against someone you don't like, than for someone you think will do a good job, and in the US it seems that often presidents get second terms not because they are good, but because the alternative seems worse, but because of their two terms rule that means every three elections you have to punt on an unknown...

Fracking is not all evil... sometimes it is a useful way to get a low performing well to perform well, but having all your oil based on fracking because most of your wells are tired and worn out... you can be certain that estimates of what is left will always be inflated to make them seem more viable, and the environmental damage caused by blowing high pressure material underground has really yet to be properly explored and investigated.

The thing is that right now trump is a now president and could care less for the future... but if he gets back in... probably because of the same reasons... bernie sanders gets screwed yet again by the democrats because they think he is a socialist and his supporters then vote for trump in protest and trump wins another term... hahahaha... the US left would explode... there would be riots and anarchy...

During a second term he might change a little because instead of destroying Obamas legacy and getting back at all those NATO and EU leaders that supported a Hillary for president result over him, he will probably start thinking about his own legacy... which so far is breaking deals and pissing off allies and foes alike.

Of course he is going to really struggle to convince other countries to sign new deals to replace the ones he ripped up... I suspect the first thing he will do is New Start which expires in 2021 so he has time to resuscitate that... but of course he will want to add all sorts of shit on like Hypersonic missiles and no doubt IRBMs and long range cruise missiles perhaps at land and at sea and in the air now that Russia has the same naval cruise missile capacity as the US. (when the US Navy has conventionally armed long range cruise missiles and the Soviet Navy does not then they only include land based weapons, but now that the Russian Navy and Air Force have a range of long range conventionally armed cruise missiles then they will want limits and restrictions no doubt).

This means new negotiations are going to be very very drawn out but he might agree to extend the existing new Start while the negotiations are going on and call that a win for peace and democracy around the world.

Vladimir79 wrote:....
If you think the other side is rational I suggest you look up "Green New Deal"

Oh c'mon, you can't be taking that seriously?

Come every election cycle some new fantasy is promised to sheep electorate so that same set of scammers can jump into the driver seat and do the usual thing.

Tree huggers are being loud lately so they are tailoring the scam to fit the target audience, that's all there is to it.

Vladimir79 wrote:

I think you are the one living on another planet.  Russians enjoy low taxes because the Federal budget gets most of its funding from the sale of oil and gas.  When oil prices are low we are running a budget deficit and payments and orders are cut.  When under sanctions, no one will buy our bonds so we have to keep our own emergency fund.  It is good for keeping us out of debt but we get no stimulus funding to help suffering people.  France suffers unrest from high taxes, but at least it is a sustainable revenue source not at the whims of the commodities exchange and provides them with high levels of social services.  What Russia needs most is an end to US fracking flooding the world with cheap oil in the short term, and a diversification of industry in the long term.  

Obviously I am not, because in Russia there is no unrest like in Paris currently. Sustainable revenue? How? France has negative interest rates, it runs a trade DEFICIT, and its public debt is 98% of GDP. Foreign reserves are at 154 Billion $ which is very low, Nominal GDP increased by 1.6% which is basically 0 for all intents and purposes. France and EU is SLOWING DOWN. USA is alarmed by this economic slowdown, France is not growing, unrest is growing daily, and the EU central bank is running -0.40 % interest rate. Europe is a sick economy, when the USA finishes them off, sick Europe will collapse. Yields for eurobonds are being cut across the board. The healthy German bonds lost 6.5 basis points last month. EU is having issues with its members, EU is collapsing dude, and they have themselves to blame, although USA accelerates the collapse by sanctioning the asphyxiated euro economy. EU is slowing our own growth, with their noncompetitive economy while we support them with many cooperatives and duopolies like Airbus. our central bank is holding still watching EU and Chinese slowdowns with uncertainty. Their high level of social services is why they are collapsing. They have an uncontrollable budget, revenues are down, and their currency is enormously overvalued. Tax rate is too high to allow for real competitive business. They must subsidize their industry by imposing austerity on the "European family". European socialism blinded them to economics, and they live in utopia. It will collapse like USSR. Once EU collapses it will be a cheap market to scoop up for American and Russian companies.

USA has run a federal budget surplus for years, it means nothing, our public debt is uncontrollable. Russians do not need social benefits in the form of payments and welfare. Russia already did welfare for many years. Russia has a healthy fundamental economy. Russia has trade SURPLUS, Current Account Surplus, 10.6% debt to GDP, GDP per Capita in PPP of $28,031 annually, 2030 tonnes of gold and increasing, and foreign reserves of nearly 500 billion USD. It shows Russia is leaving its old and sick past behind, and the government is moving in another direction and what it needs is a motivated, young population that can work. For this, Russia must develop its own companies, infrastructure, and healthcare. Infrastructural projects are transforming Russia to another level.

https://www.awaragroup.com/blog/impressive-progress-of-russian-roads/

I know you do not understand PPP this can help:
https://www.awaragroup.com/blog/despite-sanctions-russias-gdp-shoots-over-4-trillion/

One of the main reasons Russia is spending money on the North Sea Route and improved rail infrastructure and northern ports with roads and rails leading to those ports is because they recognise what the Chinese have... there is money and goods in Asia and there is money and goods in the EU and trade routes connecting those two areas will boost trade between them... their economies are going to be seriously boosted... and the US is feeling left out because cheaper and quicker trade between the EU and Asia makes them a more expensive option in terms of trading... it is something that wont boost their trade to either region.

MiamiMachineShop wrote:

Obviously I am not, because in Russia there is no unrest like in Paris currently.

Most likely because if you protest they beat your ass and send you to processing.  In Russia, even members of the Duma can beat protesters and get away with it.  When people were protesting increasing the pension age last year they rounded up thousands of people.  

Sustainable revenue? How? France has negative interest rates, it runs a trade DEFICIT, and its public debt is 98% of GDP. Foreign reserves are at 154 Billion $ which is very low, Nominal GDP increased by 1.6% which is basically 0 for all intents and purposes. France and EU is SLOWING DOWN. USA is alarmed by this economic slowdown, France is not growing, unrest is growing daily, and the EU central bank is running -0.40 % interest rate. Europe is a sick economy, when the USA finishes them off, sick Europe will collapse. Yields for eurobonds are being cut across the board. The healthy German bonds lost 6.5 basis points last month. EU is having issues with its members, EU is collapsing dude, and they have themselves to blame, although USA accelerates the collapse by sanctioning the asphyxiated euro economy. EU is slowing our own growth, with their noncompetitive economy while we support them with many cooperatives and duopolies like Airbus. our central bank is holding still watching EU and Chinese slowdowns with uncertainty. Their high level of social services is why they are collapsing. They have an uncontrollable budget, revenues are down, and their currency is enormously overvalued. Tax rate is too high to allow for real competitive business. They must subsidize their industry by imposing austerity on the "European family". European socialism blinded them to economics, and they live in utopia. It will collapse like USSR. Once EU collapses it will be a cheap market to scoop up for American and Russian companies.

If you hadn't noticed the future of energy is Green.  The technology that is holding it back is solid state batteries of which France is at the forefront of development.  When you can make power banks that can hold renewable energy cheaply and efficiently, that is the future of energy and all automobiles will be running on those batteries.  The future of hydrocarbon economies like ours have an end date that is quickly approaching.  We are not making the needed investments to deal with the future, much less overcoming the past.  The Euros are ahead of everyone in renewables, even China is far ahead of us.  

USA has run a federal budget surplus for years, it means nothing, our public debt is uncontrollable. Russians do not need social benefits in the form of payments and welfare. Russia already did welfare for many years. Russia has a healthy fundamental economy. Russia has trade SURPLUS, Current Account Surplus, 10.6% debt to GDP, GDP per Capita in PPP of $28,031 annually, 2030 tonnes of gold and increasing, and foreign reserves of nearly 500 billion USD. It shows Russia is leaving its old and sick past behind, and the government is moving in another direction and what it needs is a motivated, young population that can work. For this, Russia must develop its own companies, infrastructure, and healthcare. Infrastructural projects are transforming Russia to another level.

Russia has low debt because it doesn't have high social spending. The average pensioner receives $200 a month which is hardly enough to buy food, much less pay rent or any other necessity. If they don't own their home they will end up on the street.  The medical care comes from clinics with no geriatric trained staff and not enough beds putting them on long waiting lists.  The drugs are generic and often tainted with some Chinese poison.  Social services for the elderly doesn't even exist. People are left to rot in their hovels and die alone.  People with mental disorders go untreated.  People needing rehab live out the rest of their days as miserable cripples which could have been prevented.  A government is only as good as it treats its fathers and mothers and ours has failed miserably.        

I know you do not understand PPP this can help:

PPP means jack shit to Russians who have to buy most of their consumer goods as imports.

MiamiMachineShop wrote:

Vladimir79 wrote:

I think you are the one living on another planet.  Russians enjoy low taxes because the Federal budget gets most of its funding from the sale of oil and gas.  When oil prices are low we are running a budget deficit and payments and orders are cut.  When under sanctions, no one will buy our bonds so we have to keep our own emergency fund.  It is good for keeping us out of debt but we get no stimulus funding to help suffering people.  France suffers unrest from high taxes, but at least it is a sustainable revenue source not at the whims of the commodities exchange and provides them with high levels of social services.  What Russia needs most is an end to US fracking flooding the world with cheap oil in the short term, and a diversification of industry in the long term.  

Obviously I am not, because in Russia there is no unrest like in Paris currently. Sustainable revenue? How? France has negative interest rates, it runs a trade DEFICIT, and its public debt is 98% of GDP. Foreign reserves are at 154 Billion $ which is very low, Nominal GDP increased by 1.6% which is basically 0 for all intents and purposes. France and EU is SLOWING DOWN. USA is alarmed by this economic slowdown, France is not growing, unrest is growing daily, and the EU central bank is running -0.40 % interest rate. Europe is a sick economy, when the USA finishes them off, sick Europe will collapse. Yields for eurobonds are being cut across the board. The healthy German bonds lost 6.5 basis points last month. EU is having issues with its members, EU is collapsing dude, and they have themselves to blame, although USA accelerates the collapse by sanctioning the asphyxiated euro economy. EU is slowing our own growth, with their noncompetitive economy while we support them with many cooperatives and duopolies like Airbus. our central bank is holding still watching EU and Chinese slowdowns with uncertainty. Their high level of social services is why they are collapsing. They have an uncontrollable budget, revenues are down, and their currency is enormously overvalued. Tax rate is too high to allow for real competitive business. They must subsidize their industry by imposing austerity on the "European family". European socialism blinded them to economics, and they live in utopia. It will collapse like USSR. Once EU collapses it will be a cheap market to scoop up for American and Russian companies.

USA has run a federal budget surplus for years, it means nothing, our public debt is uncontrollable. Russians do not need social benefits in the form of payments and welfare. Russia already did welfare for many years. Russia has a healthy fundamental economy. Russia has trade SURPLUS, Current Account Surplus, 10.6% debt to GDP, GDP per Capita in PPP of $28,031 annually, 2030 tonnes of gold and increasing, and foreign reserves of nearly 500 billion USD. It shows Russia is leaving its old and sick past behind, and the government is moving in another direction and what it needs is a motivated, young population that can work. For this, Russia must develop its own companies, infrastructure, and healthcare. Infrastructural projects are transforming Russia to another level.

https://www.awaragroup.com/blog/impressive-progress-of-russian-roads/

I know you do not understand PPP this can help:
https://www.awaragroup.com/blog/despite-sanctions-russias-gdp-shoots-over-4-trillion/

The demonstrations in Paris become slammer evry week.

And its luxury demonstrations. People demonstrate because tehy dont have to fear repression and they demonstrate to get even better benefits.

France already has one of the biggest social budgets worldwide and the standard is the highest in Europe and also one of the highest worldwide.

Of course we could do it like Russia and simply let the old and sick people die off on the streets.

I advice you to visit Russia. I saw stuff there that was hardly acceptable for an advanced country. And i say that as the arrogant bastard that i´m.

You live in delusion. Just as your claims about oil, which is a dieing market.

The fossil fuel era is ending and we see that breaking apart evry day more. My next car will be an electrical one. I´m simply too good for a fossil fuel car,

But hey your rants about Airbus and your anti european hate at least are amusing.

Social services for the elderly doesn't even exist. People are left to rot in their hovels and die alone. People with mental disorders go untreated. People needing rehab live out the rest of their days as miserable cripples which could have been prevented. A government is only as good as it treats its fathers and mothers and ours has failed miserably.

Welcome to the west... it wasn't that long ago we cared for the mentally ill and the elderly, but the last time money was short and the economy wasn't doing so good the mental health support in this country was largely destroyed. A few cases of institutional abuse and so they sold it to the left as being better for the patients to be out in the community and properly integrated into society (which was basically throw them out on the streets and let them fend for themselves... most of them are mentally children so they wont protest or anything), but to sell it to the right was really easy... just show them how much money they will save by closing down these facilities, so both sides supported the changes but no body bothered to check up on how those people got on...

The rich west wants a situation where no body cares about anyone else... an every man or woman for themselves sort of situation where things like the Elderly or those that need support like those with mental problems or even those damaged by war or trauma are left to their own devices... alcohol and drugs normally is their solution.

As the wealth and power is concentrated into fewer and fewer sets of hands then things will only get worse... take away funding from things and when they fall apart then you claim the solution is private enterprise, so you privatise it so the really wealthy can make even more money.

You will notice a world wide movement regarding single use plastic bags and how they damage the environment... when I was a kid there was no such thing as bottled water... you simply could not buy it... why would you when you can get it from a tap.

Now there is an entire isle in the supermarket with bottled water... but the funny thing (I mean funny strange, not funny amusing) is that while there are scientific reports that show that a bottle of water is perfectly safe to drink even if it sits on the shelf for years... ie no danger in drinking bottled water no matter what sort of plastic the bottle is made from, that once opened, the reusing of that bottle is dangerous because chemicals from the plastic can leech into the water and be dangerous... now how amazingly useful is that for the water bottling companies... you can buy it because it is safe, but you can't just reuse the bottle and refill it from the water filter at work and use it over and over... you have to keep buying their water in plastic bottles... and plastic bottles are just as big a problem regarding land fill or open ocean pollution yet it is not mentioned...

Company power exceeding people power sadly.

The western way.