Should we Talk the Talk if we can't Walk the Walk?

[Trapper John]

I'm referring to the ever growing threats and ultimatums our government are aiming at Russia over the nerve agent attack on an ex Russian spy and his daughter.

Although it seems ever more likely that the Russian state had some involvement, as it's been discovered that the nerve agent used was a military grade type known as 'Novichok' and developed in Russia, should we be really be threatening the likes of Russia?

Is this all chest beating and bravado on the UK's part, followed by some silly expulsions and nasty words?

or

Could this develop into something more sinister which could quickly escalate outside everyone's control?

I learnt from a very early age as a first former in secondary school, you just don't walk up to the biggest, nastiest looking 5th former in the school and call him a fucking cunt to his face no matter what he's done, it only ever leads to one outcome.

So, are we in danger of overstepping the mark here?

[Guest]

I'm referring to the ever growing threats and ultimatums our government are aiming at Russia over the nerve agent attack on an ex Russian spy and his daughter.

Although it seems ever more likely that the Russian state had some involvement, as it's been discovered that the nerve agent used was a military grade type known as 'Novichok' and developed in Russia, should we be really be threatening the likes of Russia?

Is this all chest beating and bravado on the UK's part, followed by some silly expulsions and nasty words?

or

Could this develop into something more sinister which could quickly escalate outside everyone's control?

I learnt from a very early age as a first former in secondary school, you just don't walk up to the biggest, nastiest looking 5th former in the school and call him a fucking cunt to his face no matter what he's done, it only ever leads to one outcome.

So, are we in danger of overstepping the mark here?

Our retaliation will be to make Boris Johnson Ambassador for the UK in Moscow or give them nul points at the Eurovision.

[Trapper John]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

[Guest]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

If only we had a strong and stable leader.

[Cleopatra]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

He wouldn't dare.

[Trapper John]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

If only we had a strong and stable leader.

Whats a strong and stable leader going to do? ...... ask him to wait until one of our vastly overdue and overbudget new aircraft carriers comes on stream before getting a reaction form us?

or get the Mary Rose seaworthy again?

The trouble with Britain, no matter who is in charge, is that since the war successive governments have just about ensured we can hold our own in a fight in the school bogs but outside in the big playground, we'd be swatted like flies.

[Cleopatra]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

If only we had a strong and stable leader.

Whats a strong and stable leader going to do? ...... ask him to wait until one of our vastly overdue and overbudget new aircraft carriers comes on stream before getting a reaction form us?

or get the Mary Rose seaworthy again?

The trouble with Britain, no matter who is in charge, is that since the war successive governments have just about ensured we can hold our own in a fight in the school bogs but outside in the big playground, we'd be swatted like flies.

We've got the Yanks?

[Trapper John]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

He wouldn't dare.

I think daring someone like Putin is just what the bloke loves, it rocks his boat for sure. He doesn't care what anyone outside Russia think about him, not that cares much about what they do inside either.

I bet if someone said he'd could realease a nerve agent on British soil even a year ago, most people would have said 'he wouldn't dare'

[Trapper John]

If you believe the propaganda about Putin, he already thinks the UK is a niggling little thorn in his side.

Is he the sort who might just have a bad day and for no reason say, "fuck this, sink one of their warships in the north sea and see what happens"

How will we deal with something like that?

If only we had a strong and stable leader.

Whats a strong and stable leader going to do? ...... ask him to wait until one of our vastly overdue and overbudget new aircraft carriers comes on stream before getting a reaction form us?

or get the Mary Rose seaworthy again?

The trouble with Britain, no matter who is in charge, is that since the war successive governments have just about ensured we can hold our own in a fight in the school bogs but outside in the big playground, we'd be swatted like flies.

We've got the Yanks?

We have NATO - and thats what we should be afraid of.

[Trapper John]

Call me cowardly, I don't want me or my loved ones reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes because of a row started over some bloody asylum seeker.

[Cleopatra]

Call me cowardly, I don't want me or my loved ones reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes because of a row started over some bloody asylum seeker.

Your'e cowardly.

It's the principle. You can't just let a big bully get away with it every time. You have to put your marker down. Whether this is Britain's marker remains to be seen. I doubt it. It's just the wrong time for us to take Russia on, you have to pick your moment and this isn't it. Once we are out of Europe though, we really will be the freshers in the playground.

[Lambert]

May's "retaliation" can only be a financial one, plus the standard expulsions. She might even pull us out of the World Cup. But that's it.

[Vam]

Call me cowardly, I don't want me or my loved ones reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes because of a row started over some bloody asylum seeker.

Scaremongering, much?

Once the sabre rattling has eased off and the news cycle has moved onto another headliner event, I expect back channel diplomacy will eventually resolve this issue. The talk will be talked...and a crisis will be averted.

[Trapper John]

May's "retaliation" can only be a financial one, plus the standard expulsions. She might even pull us out of the World Cup. But that's it.

She better fucking not, now that would be something worth going to war for.

[Trapper John]

Call me cowardly, I don't want me or my loved ones reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes because of a row started over some bloody asylum seeker.

Your'e cowardly.

It's the principle. You can't just let a big bully get away with it every time. You have to put your marker down. Whether this is Britain's marker remains to be seen. I doubt it. It's just the wrong time for us to take Russia on, you have to pick your moment and this isn't it. Once we are out of Europe though, we really will be the freshers in the playground.

Europe are ten times worse than us at being cowards. When the Russian invaded the Crimea, the EU started blustering about sanctions and doing something noteworthy to show it's disgust.

Russia cut off it's gas for a week and they were banging on the Kremiln door saying sorry and can we have our gas supply back please.