Politics

[WAB]

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Way to go [emoji6][emoji6]]@Tanks with the stereotyping vis a vis your Arabs and camels comment haha. Camels are pretty widespread over there and are used by more than one ethnic group… The Turkic peoples have probably been using them just as long as the Arabs, Berbers, Iranian and Indo-Aryan people groups.

I was climbing a remote section of the Great Wall of China and there were camels. Their distribution is pretty amazing.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I was climbing a remote section of the Great Wall of China and there were camels. Their distribution is pretty amazing.

Any pictures from your trip??

 

[Russ16]

It’s actually second. Bangkok was number one last year.

Key to note, that is almost completely driven by Chinese tourism. Both Bangkok and Istanbul are on cruise ship routes dominated by Chinese passengers.

Neither city is particularly high on the list for US or Euro travelers right now.

Istanbul is probably nicer 2 on the list of places my friends are traveling this year right behind Greece.

 

[Alistair]

I fully concur with the above.

Istanbul is a fantastic city.

Amazing history, amazing culture, beautiful architecture spanning Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman. Great weather (except peak summer), friendly locals, interesting cuisine, still quite cheap.

Full of tourists of course, but what historical city isn't?

It probably ranks #2 on my top 10 favorite city list, just behind Rome.

As it happens I'm visiting with my college buddies in September of this year. Second visit for me, first time for most of them. I can't wait.

 

[Russ16]

I fully concur with the above.

Istanbul is a fantastic city.

Amazing history, amazing culture, beautiful architecture spanning Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman. Great weather (except peak summer), friendly locals, interesting cuisine, still quite cheap.

Full of tourists of course, but what historical city isn't?

It probably ranks #2 on my top 10 favorite city list, just behind Rome.

As it happens I'm visiting with my college buddies in September of this year. Second visit for me, first time for most of them. I can't wait.

I’m flying through there for my Romania hunt in November. Trying to figure out if I can spend a day or two but not sure what I would do with my rifle.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Victor Davis Hansen now sporting a cool, old school hat. He needs to add a small "PRESS" sign and tuck it in the hat band.

 

[Red Leg]

I think General Jack Keane has a grasp on the Russian, Ukrainian war very first steps towards negotiations.

He also gets how to get tyrants to the table. It actually takes sucking up your personal pride. Not venting all your personal thoughts to the opposition.

If Trump was seen as being 100% on the Ukrainian side, Putin would never come to the table.

Marco Rubio and Sergey Lavrov are the ones that will actually eventually get this done.

Marco would be well advised if he consulted with General Jack Keane occasionally. He is no war monger as many would claim.

Unfortunately, it’s what the negotiation team often is handed.
but it is a shame that the people that broke the vase are long gone (Obama/Biden,Blinken)and a new team gets to sweep up the broken pieces. And the cleanup team is blamed for upsetting people.

It would help to remember exactly who and what caused this mess in the first place. Not the team now holding the bag.

Remember Obama sending blankets and MREs. And even before that Obama’s weakness told Putin that he would get zero US resistance.

I think that is pretty accurate, particularly if we look at if from a responsibility perspective. I have a great deal of confidence in Rubio and Kellogg (the latter of whom seems personally to have saved the pending economic joint venture fiasco from Trump's nonsensical rhetoric). If Trump will just use the leverage he has to obtain a just settlement, much of the damage caused by the Obama and Biden administrations can be mitigated. I wish I had more confidence that Trump was capable of that.

To his "credit" I suppose, Trump has created a new post-hostilities paradigm where an ally has to pay us reparations. Half a trillion is more than the Germans were forced agree in 2024 dollars as a defeated enemy in the Treaty of Versailles.

No one has seen the details yet, but an actual joint venture where both countries benefit economically would be a win win for both Ukraine and this country. I actually believe that is what is being created. But Trump's rhetoric, where we claim half of Ukraine's mineral resources, is an impossible concession domestically for any Ukrainian.

 

[Alistair]

I’m flying through there for my Romania hunt in November. Trying to figure out if I can spend a day or two but not sure what I would do with my rifle.

If you can work something out, it'll be well worth it. I can't help you on the rifle question though.

You can barely scratch the surface in a couple days, but you'll get a sense of the place at least.

I think it gets a little chilly in the winter months, but it should be a lot quieter at least.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Most people don’t realize just how huge a city Istanbul is… just under 1000 square miles.. it goes on forever… with tons of stuff to see and do off the beaten path if you’re willing to go native a little bit..

With the relatively new airport, opened in 2019, way up northwest of the town, Istanbul will only get bigger. The airport is the 7th busiest in the world.

 

[Tanks]

On another side note those woeful Turkish forces decisively defeated a British led Commonwealth invasion force at Gallipoli in WWI.

Yep. My grandfather fought in that action, he was on Ataturk's staff. My great-grandfather on mom's side died there.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I’m flying through there for my Romania hunt in November. Trying to figure out if I can spend a day or two but not sure what I would do with my rifle.

I believe you can check with the Police at Istanbul and they lock it up for you. I have a buddy I hunt with that is planning on doing this but he hasn't actual done it yet so can't give you the full details of the experience.

 

[Happy Myles]

Yep. My grandfather fought in that action, he was on Ataturk's staff. My great-grandfather on mom's side died there.

View attachment 667286

Wow!

 

[wesheltonj]

My nephew is having a destination wedding in Istanbul in September. 350 guests. Here is the venue.

View attachment 667282

MANDARIN ORIENTAL BOSPHORUS, ISTANBUL | Luxury Hotel

Experience a 5 star hotel stay in Bosphorus, Istanbul. Discover our luxurious rooms and suites, fine dining, private spa and meetings & wedding facilities.

www.mandarinoriental.com

Beautiful location, but away from the main tourist sites. Have a great time there.

 

[WAB]

Any pictures from your trip??

Many years ago. That would take some digging!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[WAB]

With the relatively new airport, opened in 2019, way up northwest of the town, Istanbul will only get bigger. The airport is the 7th busiest in the world.

By far the nicest airport I have ever been in.

 

[CJW]

Another "isolated" Islamic terror attack in France. One killed, many injured. He was on a terror watch list but free to roam of course.

1 Killed In France Knife Attack, Macron Calls It "Islamist Terror Act"

One person died and two police officers were seriously injured Saturday in a knife attack in eastern France that President Emmanuel Macron said was an "Islamist terror act".

www.ndtv.com

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I think that is pretty accurate, particularly if we look at if from a responsibility perspective. I have a great deal of confidence in Rubio and Kellogg (the latter of whom seems personally to have saved the pending economic joint venture fiasco from Trump's nonsensical rhetoric). If Trump will just use the leverage he has to obtain a just settlement, much of the damage caused by the Obama and Biden administrations can be mitigated. I wish I had more confidence that Trump was capable of that.

To his "credit" I suppose, Trump has created a new post-hostilities paradigm where an ally has to pay us reparations. Half a trillion is more than the Germans were forced agree in 2024 dollars as a defeated enemy in the Treaty of Versailles.

No one has seen the details yet, but an actual joint venture where both countries benefit economically would be a win win for both Ukraine and this country. I actually believe that is what is being created. But Trump's rhetoric, where we claim half of Ukraine's mineral resources, is an impossible concession domestically for any Ukrainian.

I’m pretty sure that train car got blown to hell when the tide of ww2 started to turn so the Ukrainians won’t have to sign in it atleast.

 

[Aaron N]

On a side note, İstanbul is the most visited city in the World right now.

Constantinople or nothing is what I say!

 

[Aaron N]

It’s actually second. Bangkok was number one last year.

Key to note, that is almost completely driven by Chinese tourism. Both Bangkok and Istanbul are on cruise ship routes dominated by Chinese passengers.

Neither city is particularly high on the list for US or Euro travelers right now.

There’s no competing with lady boys, and the numbers prove it.