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The EU did not have strategic reserves for a pandemic. This took us all by surprise and the speed with which this evolved into a clusterfuck was breathtaking. E

The EU did not have strategic reserves for a pandemic. This took us all by surprise and the speed with which this evolved into a clusterfuck was breathtaking. Everyone has been freaking out about their own situation. Nobody has enough masks, ventilators, hospital beds or trained staff. Consider that the first cases in Rome were confirmed on January 31 to my knowledge. We are less than 2 months in. Also this news about China providing aid whereas the EU refused to do so is probably one in a long chain of fake news promoted by Russia, meant to destabilize EU. Shame on you for spreading it. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-disinformation/russia-deploying-coronavirus-disinformation-to-sow-panic-in-west-eu-document-says-idUSKBN21518F https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-disinf...

deleted 7y ago
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SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
Why do you say it's probably fake news? China's aid to Italy is well-documented and widely reported; do you know of other stories where the EU has provided a comparable amount of aid?
- hef19898 7y ago
  There is fine, but very important line between being unable to help and being unwilling to. Which makes propaganda so much more powerful.
  - SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
    It’s easier for China because they have supplies in abundance. But in for example the US, there’s no question of willingness vs. ability; each individual state is building up its own healthcare system, but things still cross state borders easily as needed. The criticism isn’t, I don’t think, that the EU is being uncommonly cruel or heartless. It’s just that the EU isn’t a union. When the chips are down, when there’s some crisis that actually matters, other countries in the EU won’t make sacrifices for your sake. Which is fine, there’s no reason a trade organization shouldn’t have a flag or declare itself to be a single entity in economic rankings, but it means members need to be careful about how dependent they allow themselves to become.
- bad_user 7y ago
  The EU provided 50 tons worth of medical equipment to China in January. The exchange was mutual. --- What is fake is the way this story is portrayed, i.e. the EU does nothing, provides no aid, whereas look at China and Russia, our would be saviors. Never mind that Chinese authorities lacked transparency, censored whistle blowers, were late to admit the problems of human to human transmissions and allowed millions of people to fly out of Wuhan to all corners of the world, thousands of them being infected, ultimately this early inaction being in part responsible for the pandemic. I see China's efforts of late and I appreciate them, in the end we're all human, we all make mistakes and this is a time for all of us to work together. But that's NOT the tone set by such posts, or the intent. My Facebook feed is filled with fake news that is clearly targeted at destabilizing the EU, a crisis like this being the perfect opportunity and my tolerance for it is really low.

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SpicyLemonZest 7y ago

Why do you say it's probably fake news? China's aid to Italy is well-documented and widely reported; do you know of other stories where the EU has provided a comparable amount of aid?

hef19898 7y ago
There is fine, but very important line between being unable to help and being unwilling to. Which makes propaganda so much more powerful.
- SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
  It’s easier for China because they have supplies in abundance. But in for example the US, there’s no question of willingness vs. ability; each individual state is building up its own healthcare system, but things still cross state borders easily as needed. The criticism isn’t, I don’t think, that the EU is being uncommonly cruel or heartless. It’s just that the EU isn’t a union. When the chips are down, when there’s some crisis that actually matters, other countries in the EU won’t make sacrifices for your sake. Which is fine, there’s no reason a trade organization shouldn’t have a flag or declare itself to be a single entity in economic rankings, but it means members need to be careful about how dependent they allow themselves to become.
bad_user 7y ago
The EU provided 50 tons worth of medical equipment to China in January. The exchange was mutual. --- What is fake is the way this story is portrayed, i.e. the EU does nothing, provides no aid, whereas look at China and Russia, our would be saviors. Never mind that Chinese authorities lacked transparency, censored whistle blowers, were late to admit the problems of human to human transmissions and allowed millions of people to fly out of Wuhan to all corners of the world, thousands of them being infected, ultimately this early inaction being in part responsible for the pandemic. I see China's efforts of late and I appreciate them, in the end we're all human, we all make mistakes and this is a time for all of us to work together. But that's NOT the tone set by such posts, or the intent. My Facebook feed is filled with fake news that is clearly targeted at destabilizing the EU, a crisis like this being the perfect opportunity and my tolerance for it is really low.