Boris Johnson's weakness brings international complications

He did this to himself. He set an awful example for Britain and government heads everywhere by his wreckless bumbling stupid behavior. He has mismanaged affairs in the UK, at the Queen's Jubilee he got boos. He barely made it by in a no-confidence vote this week. He has brought shame and disgrace to #10 Downing Street and he may be the worst PM since Maggie Thatcher, if not the dumbest.

Bozo, resign and let Parliament wipe the slate clean.

Britain and the EU each accuse the other of refusing to compromise. Now Johnson says he will act unilaterally — and, critics say, illegally — by passing a law to rip up part of the binding treaty he signed with the bloc.

Biased reporting: it's a binding treaty, yes, until you adjust it ACCORDING TO ITS OWN PROVISIONS. Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol allows either the EU or UK to take unilateral "safeguard" measures if they conclude that the deal is leading to serious practical problems or causing diversion of trade.

Once you know the truth, you realise that the image peddled here of Johnson recklessly 'ripping up' a 'binding treaty' is outrageously inaccurate.

"Weakness". lol. OK. So let's put this into perspective, as this screed obviously has no interest in doing.

Boris won a landslide victory in the last general election, the largest landslide election in more than 30 years. Labour was CRUSHED. Is Labour "weak"? If not, why not?

Even with the large number of Tory votes against him, those who did vote in favour of keeping him as PM was LARGER than the ENTIRE Labour representation in Parliament. Even at half strength, he's twice the support of the Left. Does this make Labour "weak"? If not, why not?

You know who's really "weak"? It's the parties that have to wait another year in opposition, doing nothing but moaning about "partygate", lol, until Boris smashes them in the next General.

If the EU negotiators had any sense at all, they would have included specific penalties for Johnson unilaterally breaking the treaty in the small print. They must have realised that he would break it at some point.

With or without Johnson, the UK is weakening by the day. Brexit fractured the economy. The West then hugely overplayed its hand with Russian energy sanctions, leading to massive inflation. This is politically destabilising most of Europe, initiating strikes and causing increasing economic damage, especially in the UK. Brexit was one act of economic suicide. The energy sanctions were the second. The UK economy can't take much more. Annoy China (with a 'hawkish' stance) or the EU (with a trade war) and the UK economy will collapse like a row of dominoes. A breach with China now would cut the UK off from basic resources and finished goods. A trade war with the EU would empty supermarket shelves.

Putin knows that a cold winter without Russian energy will take down European regimes. Western sanctions have little effect on a regime that is immune to domestic criticism and has no political opposition. It is a bit like the brilliant moment in 'Blazing Saddles' where Sheriff Bart, faced with an angry mob, puts his gun to his head and threatens himself. It worked on the townsfolk in the movie. It didn't work on Putin.

The West should have done what it did whenever the Soviet Union behaved badly in the 20thC, arming the other side. The energy sanctions were idiocy and are as unsustainable as Covid Zero in China. It's like political leaders have forgotten how to run countries.

If they thought inflation would reduce emissions by suppressing the economy, they were also wrong. There is now huge money in fossil fuel, nations are re-opening coal mines, pushing damaged and clapped-out nuclear reactors beyond their working lives, and licensing new gas fields. Pre-pandemic, wealthy, settled economies were ramping up green energy creation with Chinese tech. Now, impoverished, unpopular regimes are hoping for a miracle in Ukraine before their citizens freeze and the lights go off in the winter. Did you vote for these geniuses?

EU regimes may be in a stronger position than Johnson, but they are not in an inherently strong position. Johnson may not be the only leader to leave office before the year is out in Europe.