Grumps - Grumpy Old Guy

TAILGATING – DON’T DO IT!

Travelling from Abergele to Raunds near Stanwick to an Air B&B. In the car, me, my lovely wife Ange, our lad Kurt and of course Tallulah, our Husky crossed with Eskimo and Pomeranian.

A typical Thursday drive on UK overcrowded roads, including the M6 where we met the ubiquitous variable speed limits in a section where the hard shoulder was in use as a lane.

The speed limit went from 70 to 60, then 40. During the slow down we were in the 3rd of 4 lanes when a lorry driver pulled out into our lane to follow us.

The 1st and 2nd lanes were packed with lorries and by the time the speed dropped to 40, in an average speed camera zone which the lorries on my left ignored. I altered my active cruise control with lane control to 42MPH as my Speedo reads 2MPH slow according to GPS.

The lorry driver got closer, and closer until he was literally inches from my back end.

Thw car is an estate and if I could have opened the boot without hitting his radiator grill, he could have climbed in!

I put my hazards on for a couple of seconds and wound the window down to wave him back.

He backed off, but 5 minutes later he was at it again. I couldn't pull in as he was so close and traffic to my left was still speeding past. A reminder here, I'm doing the speed limit. I hit my horn and provided the hand signals that suggested he was frantically playing with his genitals.

This went on for miles, several times I tried to indicate and pull in to the left 2 lanes, but the traffic couldn't see me until they were on me as the driver behind me with his 40 tonnes of load was attempting to mate with my Suzuki Swace.

Now, here's the thing. As a result of a driving incident in Northern Ireland during the troubles, (and 2 other sort of related incidents) I have clinical PTSD. The lorry driver had managed to trigger me and now I'm distracted, upset and very very angry.

Fortunately, the speed limits went up and we went on our way, but 3 hours later and even today, I'm having issues.

So, to the lorry driver I say, thank you Dick Wad.

After the War in Ukraine...

Trump is meeting with Putin in Alaska to talk about a cease fire. Why, what's the point?

This is Trump trying to look big and clever - something he will never be, because is is the biggest, dimmest, asshole I have ever seen on the TV screen. This is the man who thought that injecting people with bleach was a good idea, the man who believes he invented the word equalising. Just stupid.

I guarantee that Trump can't get Putin to do anything worthwhile, and even if he does, Putin can't afford what is needed, because Putin can't afford to lose face.

The Western world will have to insist that Russia withdraws to the border that were there pre-invasion. Why?

1. International Law and Territorial Integrity

* United Nations Charter: Article 2(4) of the UN Charter explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. International law consistently rejects territorial changes imposed by force.

* No Recognition for Territorial Acquisition by Force: UN General Assembly resolutions (notably 2625 and 3314) and the Helsinki Final Act, signed by both Russia and Ukraine, reject any territorial acquisition resulting from aggression. This principle has been reaffirmed repeatedly for state conflicts since WWII, reinforcing a global order based on sovereign equality and territorial stability.

* Uti Possidetis Juris: This legal concept upholds boundaries of former administrative units upon independence (from the USSR in Ukraine’s case) as international borders unless otherwise agreed, meaning Ukraine’s 1991 borders remain the lawful reference point.

2. Global Precedent and Order

* No Precedent for Rewarding

Aggression: Allowing Russia to keep any territory seized after its 2022 invasion would legitimize the use of force for land acquisition, undermining a key foundation of international peace. Such a precedent would threaten other states’ borders worldwide, increasing insecurity and the likelihood of further wars of conquest.

* Restoration of Borders: Restoring the pre-invasion lines signals that aggression will not alter legal boundaries, deterring similar acts globally.

3. Moral, Political, and Strategic Arguments

* Defending the Rights of the Ukrainian People: Ukraine’s citizens overwhelmingly identify as a sovereign nation and have the right to self-determination and to live within a state whose territorial boundaries are respected by others.

* Condemnation and Sanctions: The EU, G7, and most democracies have condemned Russia’s invasion and imposed extensive sanctions, explicitly linking any potential normalization of relations to the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

* Reward for Resistance and Rule of Law: Upholding pre-invasion borders rewards Ukraine’s defense of international norms and signals that the global community supports countries that resist unlawful invasions.

4. Undermining Russian Justifications

* Rejection of Russian Claims: Russia’s justifications (self-defence, protecting Russian-speaking communities, or historical claims) are not recognized as legitimate reasons for aggression under international law, as Ukraine did not attack or threaten Russia.

In Practice

While Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory and is seeking to solidify gains, the international community—through law, diplomacy, and ongoing aid—upholds the argument that any peace settlement must restore Ukraine to its recognized, pre-invasion borders for legitimacy, stability, and respect for the established order.

Conclusion

Upholding Ukraine’s pre-invasion borders is essential to reinforce the international system, protect state sovereignty everywhere, and deter future territorial aggression. Anything less would reward violence, invite disorder, and undermine decades of global consensus on peaceful coexistence.

This does however leave us with another issue, Crimea. Using the same laws, the borders in Crimea could also be reset to pre-invasion status. While it is legally and internationally supported that the Crimean border should be reset to Ukraine’s control after the war, the reality is complicated by Russia’s firm stance that Crimea is Russian territory and by the military and political control it currently holds. The resolution of Crimea’s status remains one of the most difficult hurdles in the broader conflict and any lasting peace agreement.

Thus, resetting the border in Crimea to pre-invasion lines is possible and aligns with international law and Ukraine’s claims, but it would require overcoming significant political and military obstacles given Russia’s current position and control of the territory.