War in Ukraine

[AshG]

So what did Ras do to invoke the ire of so many people on here?

I think @AM64 meant the historical Rasputin in this case.

As for our Rasputin, he's been passionately pleading his case and enjoying the fruits of disagreeing with the hive mind.

 

[05_never_again]

I believe he also expected America to further divide over the issue. He should have tuned out Fox and especially Tucker.

Not just American division, but NATO/EU division. His base case scenario as far as a Western response was probably a watered-down sanctions package, consisting of incrementally stiffer sanctions on some banks and oligarchs. Honestly, that's what I thought the West would do as well.

One of Putin's other military options (what I thought he was going to end up doing), moving troops/tanks into the newly "independent" areas inside of eastern Ukraine and then using that as a base of operations to destabilize the Ukraine government over the next few years, probably looks attractive right now. He had to do something - he'd lose all kinds of international legitimacy if he massed troops to that level and made those very specific demands, then did nothing when NATO inevitably wouldn't give in to those demands.

That would have brought out the incremental sanctions and he'd have a while to plot his next move. Instead he dropped the frog right into the boiling water and it jumped right out. I think he's feeling time pressure, like Russia's window to do something like this is closing, and he needed the more aggressive action now.

 

[AM64]

Cutting off the Chinese deliveries to our ports would create an economic catastrophe of epic proportions for us as well as the rest of the world.

I'm not sure I know which country the Muslim terrorists come from specifically. I doubt we let them dock as it is.

The real tactic is stop the flow of cash to China as payment for all the theft that went into production of the goods they sent us, but that would take politicians with balls and no ties to China, and it's highly unlikely that either exists. As far as the other guys, I think some of them are still delivering oil since joe discouraged our own production. At any rate, OPEC should be considered a terrorist organization anyway.

 

[Septic]

 

[Velo Vol]

 

[landscapingvol]

So what did Ras do to invoke the ire of so many people on here?

He sided with AOC, Bernie Sanders, Luther, and Putin. It's an unforgivable sin

 

[Volsdeep4]

Well that does it. WWlll is upon on us. Bring it on, invaders.

 

[05_never_again]

Ukraine should want ties with Europe, but not want to be in the EU. Basically what the Brits did.

The EU political leadership is not good, but it sure beats "Have ties with us or we'll invade you" leadership from Putin.

 

[AM64]

That convoy north of Kyiv is now 17 miles long.

Sure makes you think that Ukraine doesn't have the upper hand as much as we might like to believe. Seventeen miles of basically trapped vehicles is like sitting ducks, and nobody seems to be doing much about that.

 

[Septic]

This convoy of trucks would be a military air force commander's dream come true in a war against any country with an air force.

If we're seeing it on VNPF, you KNOW that there are predator drone operators looking down on that sh*t in real time just itching to get the green light.

Doesn't seem fair that pooty gets to call in reinforcements and the rest of the world has to sit by and watch. He's a thug and this stain on history will now belong to Russia and Belarus.

 

[landscapingvol]

Sure makes you think that Ukraine doesn't have the upper hand as much as we might like to believe. Seventeen miles of basically trapped vehicles is like sitting ducks, and nobody seems to be doing much about that.

Very true, but I had a difficult time believing they had control of the airspace in general

 

[Septic]

Well that does it. WWlll is upon on us. Bring it on, invaders.

The EU is not NATO.

 

[Volbucky]

What’s the rush for Ukraine to join the EU right now of all times?

 

[evillawyer]

Chances of having attended January 6th insurrection and riot? Probably 80%.

 

[85SugarVol]

I can’t see how either Germany or Japan could reach the point they were at in 1939. But I couldn’t have guessed 6 months ago that the world would be staring down nuclear war forced by an out of control madman.

I don’t know the first thing about Japanese sentiment, and little of their politics.

But I can at least imagine a path for Germany.

With as quickly as sentiment has drastically changed in that country, we better all hope this thing doesn’t spill over and end up hurting German citizens.

 

[AM64]

Seems low - maybe those are just the ones they know about.

Many more guns are allegedly sitting in sunken boats in lakes and rivers all across the US.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I wish they would give them a few bombs to go with them. Maybe accidentally lose a few over the convoy.

 

[Septic]

Chances of having attended January 6th insurrection and riot? Probably 80%.

He's the commander of Meal Team 6.

 

[Hunerwadel]

Not just American division, but NATO/EU division. His base case scenario as far as a Western response was probably a watered-down sanctions package, consisting of incrementally stiffer sanctions on some banks and oligarchs. Honestly, that's what I thought the West would do as well.

One of Putin's other military options (what I thought he was going to end up doing), moving troops/tanks into the newly "independent" areas inside of eastern Ukraine and then using that as a base of operations to destabilize the Ukraine government over the next few years, probably looks attractive right now. He had to do something - he'd lose all kinds of international legitimacy if he massed troops to that level and made those very specific demands, then did nothing when NATO inevitably wouldn't give in to those demands.

That would have brought out the incremental sanctions and he'd have a while to plot his next move. Instead he dropped the frog right into the boiling water and it jumped right out. I think he's feeling time pressure, like Russia's window to do something like this is closing, and he needed the more aggressive action now.

I believe you're exactly right. He appears to have badly overplayed his hand. He may eventually take the cities but he will not quell the insurgency that has begun. If Russia doesn't withdraw Putin is going to have a lot of dead soldiers on his hands.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

I think they just kicked russia out of the un. U.S. expels 12 Russian U.N. diplomats over security concerns

 

[Septic]

I believe you're exactly right. He appears to have badly overplayed his hand. He may eventually take the cities but he will not quell the insurgency that has begun. If Russia doesn't withdraw Putin is going to have a lot of dead soldiers on his hands.

He's going to own two countries that he can no longer afford.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

labelled "persona non grata" (is that how you spell that?)

 

[VolStrom]

I don’t know the first thing about Japanese sentiment, and little of their politics.

But I can at least imagine a path for Germany.

With as quickly as sentiment has drastically changed in that country, we better all hope this thing doesn’t spill over and end up hurting German citizens.

Nah, they have the Polish in between them and harms way, and the Polish take their safety seriously.

 

[evillawyer]

He's the commander of Meal Team 6.

He's the one they send in buffet--I mean, before--the other troops.

 

[05_never_again]

I believe you're exactly right. He appears to have badly overplayed his hand. He may eventually take the cities but he will not quell the insurgency that has begun. If Russia doesn't withdraw Putin is going to have a lot of dead soldiers on his hands.

...and the insurgency that would inevitably occur during the occupation was going to be a problem even if the initial invasion/overthrow of the Ukrainian government was a cakewalk. It seems like political leaders learn nothing from their own (Soviets in Afghanistan) or other people's (US in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq) mistakes. The United States never could effectively pacify Iraq, and struggled for almost in a decade in a smaller country (both in size and population), who actually hated their previous government and wanted the US there to a certain degree. Ukraine is larger than Iraq, full of people that love the country and are fighting for it, and the Russian military has nowhere near the capability of the Americans. It's going to be a disaster for them.

It is still kind of hard for me to believe he did a full-blown invasion of the entire country. Not because I didn't believe he wanted control of Ukraine (he definitely did/does), but I thought he'd conclude the price of doing so, in both blood and treasure, would be too steep.