Rowan van Tonder

@DrHelenFry So far a very interesting read on the characters shaping the SAS in the early days.

What World War Two book have you been reading this weekend?

@Microinteracti1 He really misread the European room especially at this time.

Completely tone deaf, Rutte. He’s talking to Europe like it’s a permanent servant of Washington, like there’s literally nothing Europeans can do. Seven hundred million European “losers” on a continent that basically helped invent most of the modern world, and our only option is to accept that our fate is fixed and our role is to nod along. That framing is not leadership. Europe is not a charity case. Europe is an economic superpower, an industrial base, a scientific engine, a geopolitical heavyweight, and home to democratic societies that have repeatedly rebuilt themselves after disaster. If Europe can create modern institutions, build global companies, and sustain advanced welfare states, then it can also build credible strategic autonomy where it matters. Rutte’s dismissive tone is what makes this worse. When NATO’s Secretary General waves off the very idea of Europe standing taller, he is not defending the alliance, he is infantilizing half of it. Here’s what he should have said, if he respected Europeans: Europe can choose to remain close to Washington and still build the capacity to act independently when necessary. Those are not mutually exclusive. Stronger Europe does not mean weaker NATO. A Europe that can defend itself is a Europe that is a better ally, not a worse one. Because the real truth is the opposite of Rutte’s vibe. Europe absolutely can do something about its own destiny. It just requires the one thing too many leaders avoid: decisions. Long term procurement, serious stockpiles, coordinated production, faster rearmament timelines, real air and missile defense, and a hard look at command structures and readiness. Not speeches. Not symbolic summits. Actual capability. So yes, Rutte is under fire, and he earned it. His remarks don’t come across as a wake up call. They come across as a scolding lecture from someone who thinks Europe’s job is to follow. Europe’s job is not to follow. Europe’s job is to lead, protect its citizens, and make sure its security is never hostage to another country’s election cycle. Europe is not trapped. Europe is late. And being late is something you can fix.

@tinattix @Gerr1898 @RpsAgainstTrump Yes exactly, just vomiting out the orange blob’s words verbatim without any mental processing, research or thinking for themselves.

@Gerr1898 @RpsAgainstTrump My guess is you just say acquiring Greenland is important for strategic security because you heard that from Trumplestiltskin, and you couldn’t explain why, even if someone paid you to do so

JUST IN: Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen have introduced a bill to block Donald Trump from taking over Greenland. The NATO Unity Protection Act would bar the use of Defense or State Department funds to blockade, occupy, annex, or otherwise assert control over the sovereign territory of a NATO member.

@DrHelenFry It’s a posed photo though as in reality they wouldn’t be loading belts of ammo but ammo boxes, which would be quicker to load. But a great photo to honour the ground crew nonetheless.

RAF mechanics load ammunition into a Spitfire's wing to feed its Browning machine guns at an English base in 1940. Have you ever seen a photograph like this before?

@DavidSokoloski @RpsAgainstTrump Reminds me of this clip: youtu.be/MN9kaloihyg?si…

@RpsAgainstTrump tRump is like the crazy guy at the bar. He talks nonsense and nothing goes together. At the end, you just pat him on the shoulder and tell him to get help.

Trump: "In New England, for 50 years they had 2 whales washed up. And last summer they had 14 washed up. I’m not saying that's the wind farm that was built, but maybe it is. Probably is”🤡

@demo_skye @samstein Reminds me of this story about him: youtu.be/dp6BIDCZRic?si…

@samstein You know if it’s a Trump Gift…it’s a Grift. Cheapest quality ever

Big news from the White House tonight amid worsening tensions in the Middle East

@UllmannMaike @PebvVan @Bricktop_NAFO I do know the RAF pilots came over to the US to help teach the US pilots who were essentially useless at air combat in the early years of World War 2. For example: RAF’s Sailor Malan in simulated air combat exercises, shot down of 12 opposing aircraft in under 5 minutes.

@PebvVan @Bricktop_NAFO The English and the French were a much stronger Military power. The USA were on rank 13 worldwide by that time! You dumbass!

🇺🇸Americans, quick reminder. Hamburger – Germany Hot Dog – Germany French Fries – Belgium or France Apple Pie – England Ketchup – China Mac and Cheese – Italy Fried Chicken – Scotland and West Africa Doughnuts – Netherlands Cheesecake – Ancient Greece Barbecue – Indigenous Caribbean tribes Chilli con Carne– Mexico and Spain Tacos – Mexico Pizza – Italy Bagels – Poland Pickles – Mesopotamia Beer – Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt Pretzels – Germany Meatloaf – Germany Corned Beef – Ireland Ice Cream – China Ford GT40 - British 🤣

@martinmobil @GrantCardone Absolutely agree on the tariff science. And here in Germany it doesn’t even come into consideration to even think about buying a lower quality US car. The same way I’ve never been to a Starbucks here, really no need when there are amazing coffee shops here.

@GrantCardone First question: do they? Second question: how big are the tariffs? Trump claimed, the EU puts 39% tariffs on US imports. Obviously, that’s ridiculous lie. In fact, on average the EU puts a 1% tariff on US imports. The reason ppl don’t buy US cars is: they suck.

If tariffs are so bad why do other countries impose them?

@RpsAgainstTrump So very unnecessary. I lived in both Canada and the USA and met wonderful people on both sides, sad that a certain group is making this hard for both sides and for no good reason.

“People are canceling reservations left and right. They’re not booking. We should be super, super busy right now and we’re just basically seeking American business,” he said. He adds the unthinkable: “I think we need to give up on the Canadians.” miamiherald.com/news/local/imm…

@Duddiesmum @OrkReaper Oddly in my feed just above this post is a clip of Vance criticising Europe, so there you go. 🤔

@OrkReaper Why the hell do some Americans have a sudden disdain for everything European? I assume nothing to do with the fact that Trump told them we were now the enemy, right? 🙄

Who’s going to tell him 😂

@ThoOlb Another man without a suit…

a suit without a man

@ukrainiansquad Your bravery is a huge example to the world. I know my German leaders new and old stand with you as we do.

Write your country name if you still SUPPORT Ukraine ❤️

We are one Planet...

INTERVIEW - Charlie Duke war der jüngste Mensch auf dem Mond. Er erinnert sich an wilde Fahrten mit dem Mond-Rover und die Leere nach der Rückkehr nzz.ch/gesellschaft/c… via @NZZ

Hyper realistic paintings that look like photos - a thread 🧵 1. Alyssa Monks

@ChrisDunnIllos Absolutely love the calendar, arrived in perfect condition and good quality. Beautiful illustrations and nice to see them on paper finally.

@George687616905 @MarinaMedvin I know an elderly lady who was a teen at the time working on a farm with her friend, they were out on the land and plainly visible. An allied fighter plane came over and strafed them and killed the girl next to her.

Remember Germany attacking England during WWII? And England had to retaliate, so English soldiers would fly over Germany and attack their cities. Imagine America telling England (not Germany) to hold their horses so that “humanitarian aid” can get through to the German civilians. That’s what Biden is doing right now to Israel.

@wars I visited their memorial and museum at the university in Munich this past Saturday, very touching to go there and think what transpired.

Pictured here are Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, and Christoph Prost, who were all part of the non-violent student resistance group called "White Rose" during Nazi Germany in 1942. All three were convicted of treason and executed by the Gestapo. Sophie Scholl's last words before her execution: "How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?" She was just 21 years old.

NASA just released a stunning new image from the james webb space telescope ✨

@MattWallace888 @elonmusk Just saw this in a flight museum here in Germany yesterday, the Wright brothers used this guy’s design to create theirs…

Here is a list I put together (it took me a really long time) of the top Inventions/Innovations the United States has brought to the world! It is one of the most spectacular displays of strength and contribution ever assembled :) Enjoy: 1. The Internet 2. Light Bulbs 3. Cell Phones 4. Airplanes 5. Email 6. Electricity 7. Smart Phone 8. Modern Farming 9. Laptops 10. Google 11. GPS 12. Air Conditioning 13. Social Media 14. Television 15. MRIs 16. WiFi 17. Cotton gin 18. Photoshop 19. Hubble Space Telescope 20. The Human Genome Map 21. The Nicotine Patch 22. Disposable Contact Lenses 23. Rolling Luggage 24. 3D Printing 25. Desktop Computers 26. Microwaveable Popcorn 27. You guessed it...the Microwave! 28. Digital Cameras 29. Post-it Notes 30. Stealth Technology 31. The world's very first home video game console. 32. Anti-lock Brakes 33. Weed Whacker 34. Laser Printer 35. Mouse pad 36. Virtual Reality 37. Pocket Calculator 38. Voicemail 39. Foam Insulation 40. Potato Chips 41. The Suspension Bridge 42. Condensed Milk 43. Disc Records 44. Cotton Candy 45. Tea Bags 46. The mousetrap 47. Electric Traffic Lights 48. Sunglasses 49. Nylon 50. UV Waterworks 51. Fully Automatic Transmission for your car 52. The credit card 53. Lasers 54. LED Lighting 55. Compact Discs 56. The first space shuttle 57. iPods 58. Kevlar 59. The lunar module 60. The Ferris Wheel 61. Chocolate Chip Cookies 62. Floss 63. The Zipper 64. The hearing aid 65. The Defibrillator 66. Crash Test Dummies 67. The Assembly Line 68. Chemotherapy 69. The Transistor 70. The swivel chair 71. The Telephone 72. Washing Machines 73.Segways 74. Robots 75. Airbags 76. Fire Alarms 77. Pacemakers 78. Bottle Cap 79. Velcro 80. Ice Cream Scoops 81. TV Remote Control 82. The Teddy Bear 83. Online Music Sharing 84. Windshield Wipers 85. Duct Tape 86. The Electric Blanket 87. Fortune Cookies 88. Hamburger Buns 89. Supermarkets 90. Light Switches 91. Blenders 92. Toasters 92. Adhesive Bandages 93. Garage Doors 94. The Convertible (Car) 95. Water Skiing 96. Baseball 97. Basketball 98. Football (Not the boring kind lol) 99. Bulldozers 100. Sliced Bread 101. Peanut Butter! 102. Recliners 103. Ice Cube Trays 104. Electric Razors 105. Tampons (Love to the ladies) 106. Frozen Food 107. Electric Guitar 108. Blues 109. Rock and Roll 110. Rap 111. Bug Zapper 112. Golf Carts 113. Parking Meters (Sorry World) 114. Compact Fluorescent Lamps 115. Bass Guitar 116. Soft Serve lce Cream 117. Deodorant 118. Bazooka 119. Slinky 120. Cruise Control 121. Traffic Cones 122. Autopilot 123. Muffler 124. Paper Towels From Elon Musk Alone In The Last Decade: 1. Starlink 2. Tesla 3. Nueralink 4. SpaceX 5. Breakthrough in self-driving This list is only a small part of the remarkably long and important record of contributions the USA has made to the world. God Bless The USA! You’re welcome world :) #Happy4th

🇺🇸🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸🇺🇸