Orenthal? Is that you?
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Orenthal? Is that you?
He’s just here to get his memorabilia back
I read that they stalled out on applying for NATO because it's heavily divided. I could have gotten that wrong. I'm not much at following politics or news but I'm trying to catch up, mainly yesterday while being stuck in bed trying to clear my throat.Quote:
Originally Posted by dunfree
My bad. Looks like they're holding on to that airport outside Kyiv. I still think they should gas up a long range fighter and go strafe Putin's castle though.
Haha. Yeah, totally possible to divorce this from political discussion. This has nothing to do with politics...(I know, 'partisan discussions of US politics,' but no, the distinction doesn't exist unless you aren't really interested in the discussion in the first place, which is why the entire premise is faulty. You guys know you could always just ignore the people complaining that their feelings are hurt because they can't keep themselves from clicking on inherently political threads?)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mod Team
I don't think Biden has been a particularly effective president. He hasn't managed to totally fuck anything up, but he hasn't really gotten all that much done either. Some of those failures are his fault and some of them aren't, but the end result is that it's (thus far) been an entirely forgettable administration.
That said, I think he's handled the Ukraine situation as well as he realistically could. He's done a good job of presenting a unified front with Europe on sanctions, I think the frequent public declassification of intel on Russia's plans leading up to the invasion was effective, and the US response once the invasion began has been appropriate. He hasn't made any noteworthy gaffes or missteps, and he's managed to walk the fine line of being involved and tough on Russia without turning the U.S. response into a unilateral world police kind of thing.
MF-style diplomacy. On point.Quote:
Originally Posted by MontuckyFried
Finding the real killer.Quote:
Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy
I don’t really see this as a shift in Putin’s state, like going nuts, because this is all consistent with his long term mission of restoring the Soviet glory days.
You could say that’s nuts, and fair enough to that, but it’s not a recent development in his gameplan. And generally, as far as working toward his goal, he does as much as he can get away with, and he’ll probably get away with this, so yeah, pretty consistent really.
Especially now. My Facebook lit up with patriotic posts from both sides of the political spectrum yesterday.Quote:
Originally Posted by OJ204
Just want to say I agree with this take.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brownski
I've been thinking, what's the line that needs to be crossed for NATO to do something? Just because Ukraine isn't a NATO country doesn't also mean that what Russia is doing isn't a threat to NATO. To me that distinction hasn't been explored very much, or used as a reason for some type of retaliation besides sanctions. I don't know what that response would be and I don't know what could be done that wouldn't drag NATO into a war with Russia, but thought I'd throw it out there.
It seems to me that it will come to a head eventually, so it's a matter of when do we/NATO want to deal with the Russian threat militarily? What does that mean for China? I see they're more or less backing Russia in this, blaming only the US for Russia invading Ukraine, for example. If we/NATO do nothing militarily in response to this Russian invasion of Ukraine doesn't that give China a green light to invade Taiwan?
I guess where I'm going is that I think the line has been crossed by Russia and it's time to go fuck them up. I'm not talking about invading Russia nor am I talking about putting troops in Ukraine...something less than that...what that is I don't know.
ageismQuote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
Attachment 407350
The legend grows!
Yeah. Remember the outrage all about Georgia? Crimea? How about the Belarus state sponsored highjacking of an international airliner? Or the recent butchering of an uprising in Kazakhstan? The last few are already distant memories. We'll get used to this one, too.Quote:
Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy
Japanese cargo ship off Odesa hit by missile.
https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/801951.html
Was it loaded with Porsche's bound for Tokyo?
So, um.
So…do you guys think this could be some kind of world war with China and Russia and us?
Like, is that anxiety way out of line with reality, or is that a possibility here?
Suck my balls, Dex.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki
Ever forget, bunnyQuote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
I think China is watching the response closely as to how to proceed over Taiwan.Quote:
Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy
Welp Russia threatened Sweden and Finland...militarily. And dumbfucks here want to nitpick Biden's presentation during a speech. JFC. While you are judging his smiles, his fucking backroom is best in class. Actual qualified military leaders, advisors and intelligence giving accurate advice which is heeded and applied. Every fucking thing they said would happen, did happen. You should be grateful for the team's competence and experience instead of some dumb shit "going with his gut" who has been wrong on every fucking chance he's ever taken. Oh and it's not USA doing it unilaterally, we actually have the civilized international community's alignment, attention and respect.
This is as humanitarian crisis
This is destabilization for all of europe and ultimately the world
This is a strategic powerplay, absent of conscience and respect of law from the guy you'd least want in control
But go on... memes about ice cream..
YupQuote:
Originally Posted by Timberridge
2018 lecture on the topic of how we got here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7Ng75e5gQ
Similar point as the last video I posted. Putin and Russians don't trust NATO/West. NATO/West have not been trustworthy. It could have been different. Maybe if there's better understanding, there can be compromise in the future.
I alone can fix it.. I know more than the generals...Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlMega
My bad. Will cease pointing out the obvious. Need to get back in line fellating PM Gear to get right on this?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mod Team
So is Yemen. So is Syria. So is Iraq. So is Lybia. The Afghan population is starving to death in the winter right now. Venezuela and, certainly Cuba, could tell you about years, hell, decades of sanctions against the people. Where do you stand on that?Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlMega
The video works with this too, covering what the Russians remember. We all may need to forget a few things to achieve some peace.Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
Patience. He'll get to yours in a bit, he's got a helluva line to work thru.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mod Team
Attachment 407351
Exactly. I think this type of reasoning is why NATO/the West need to put their foot down. I don't want WW3 but just ignoring reality isn't going to make it go away.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlMega
Lots of NATO invasions huh? All those democracies they've overrun and occupied. Now, let's do Russia and USSR. Compare track records.Quote:
Originally Posted by LongShortLong
What's your argument here? That because the West is absent in those places, had a fucked up response, or sanctioned Cuba and Venezuela that we should do nothing? Or are you just flinging poo because it's all you're good at?Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
Wait, people believe this shit? Jesus this place is stupid.Quote:
Originally Posted by LongShortLong
With the prc, or Putin, forget the thought that they are like you. Then you’ll learn what they’ll do.
No, it's just beyond hypocritical when someone uses "think of the poor starving people being over run by the bad conquering tyrants and then left to fend for themselves" when we have done the same shit over and over. Sanctions hurt the people way more than the leaders. You think these oligarch and Putin himself is worrying about their billions stashed who knows where?Quote:
Originally Posted by Adolf Allerbush
Some Takeaways:
- The Russian regime overall is very skilled in deception and propaganda
- Americans are far more preoccupied by their fights with each other
- In spite of its vast (on paper) superiority the Russian military is so far unable to destroy Ukrainian defenses
- Russia appears to be out of precision guided missiles and will either have to inflict mass civilian casualties using unguided munitions like WW2 Stalingrad or hope Ukraine surrenders rather than fighting as an insurgency
- Taiwan can't count on overt Western support and must step up its covert armament
I was recently laughed off in Polyass trying to remind people how important WWII is to the Russian people to this day. That isn't going away soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by LongShortLong
Ok. You understand this is a different situation than your examples, such as Yemen, correct?Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
I was writing something similar but thought it too harsh.Quote:
Originally Posted by dunfree
YesQuote:
Originally Posted by MultiVerse
You don't understand...one time a guy wrote an article in 1998 that contradicted something said in 1946. They've been butthurt ever since then and that's why they've occupied and terrorized their neighboring nations for centuries.Quote:
Originally Posted by dunfree
My forehead hurts from pounding it on the desk.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adolf Allerbush
Over/under on Shohkin mysteriously getting poisoned?Quote:
Earlier on Thursday, as the country’s stock market tanked for the second day in a row, Putin held a televised meeting with Russian big businessmen. Alexander Shokhin, the group’s leader, told Putin, “Everything should be done to demonstrate as much as possible that Russia remains part of the global economy and will not provoke … global negative phenomena on world markets.” He seemed nervous while making the statement—a strong, if implicit, critique of Putin’s policies—but the fact that he said this at all should raise eyebrows.
All the pundits are connecting this to Taiwan naturally. signs point to Xi being in no hurry to push that one.
At this rate it seems probable there’ll be a puppet ‘all Ukraine’ govt installed this year, massive insurgency forcing Putin to maintain a troop presence increasingly unpopular in Russia, obvious economic woes, and eventually some negotiated outcome that gives up the E and S chunks to Russia and a still large Ukraine even more West oriented than before.
I posted a while back that fairly credible poll showing only 45% support in Russia for invasion, before body bags have piled up, and a relatively quiet non-State propaganda situation. Meanwhile ^^ business leaders feel they need to speak out. None of this seems to indicate a strengthening of Putin’s situation. And he doesn’t have a Wehrmacht capable of significant invasion and occupation in E Europe.