War in Ukraine

#11,251
#11,251
volbound1700 said:
Someone loves history as much as I do.

Funny thing is that one of the best fought wars by Russia (Seven Years War) saw their new Czar that took over mid-war sign a treaty for nothing and join the Prussians. Russia's great period was the timeframe of Peter the Great through Catherine the Great. They did do a good job beating up Mongol and Turkish states such as the Great Horde, Kazan, Uzbeks, etc. but you are right that they really haven't done very well in modern era.
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I teach AP World and US History, always love it especially Vietnam!
 
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#11,252
#11,252
volbound1700 said:
Germany lost so many people and land during the World Wars that they really are not that much of a threat anymore. Hitler inherited a lot large Germany territorial and bolster his population with the Austrian Germans in Austria and Czechoslovakia.

After WW2, Germany lost the major landmasses that were Prussia, Silesia, and Pomerania.
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They still have the strongest economy in Europe, make the best weaponry, and still have a very large population by European standards. It was stupid of Putin to awaken them from their slumber.
 
#11,253
#11,253
OrangeTsar said:
Putins Long term strategy is to reform the USSR and potentially the Warsaw Pact. He wants/needs a buffer from a strong EU controlled by Germany. Ironically his misstep will lead to a much militarily stronger Germany now. I am expecting a basic doubling of their military budgets the next few years.
Short term, Putin‘s strategy was to install a compliant puppet leadership in a nominally „independent“ Ukraine. He has tried for years to accomplish that through non military means. When that wasn’t producing results quickly enough, he grew impatient and started his buildup along the Ukrainian border. When Kyiv refused to be intimidated by that, he gave the greenliight for an invasion. I really believe he thought it would only take about 24 hours for the Ukranians to capitulate and throw out their Democratically elected government and give him defacto control of Ukranian policy. The gambit has failed so far
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The Russians and Chinese have never wanted real neutral buffer states. They want puppet "neutral" states that they can use as staging grounds, stock piles, and for safe transport of supplies and munitions. It's a fairly common theme with them.
 
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#11,254
#11,254
OrangeTsar said:
They still have the strongest economy in Europe, make the best weaponry, and still have a very large population by European standards. It was stupid of Putin to awaken them from their slumber.
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Possibly but they don't have the advantages they had in the 1930s from a war footing perspective and I think the German population learned their lesson.

Although they could talk about taking back lands, it is only a fringe in Germany that even cares about that.

Right now, both France and Poland (1-on-1) would trash Germany in a war.
 
#11,255
#11,255
Septic said:
The ruble is worth less than 1 cent. Companies are severing ties at break neck speeds and it's so bad, the Russian stock market refuses to even open. You sound like Baghdad Bob.

4uGXKGUh.jpg
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I wonder if this would be a good time to buy?
 
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#11,256
#11,256
AM64 said:
The Russians and Chinese have never wanted real neutral buffer states. They want puppet "neutral" states that they can use as staging grounds, stock piles, and for safe transport of supplies and munitions. It's a fairly common theme with them.
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I sometimes wonder if China wants to restore the Mandate of Heaven which was, in the middle ages, a name for China to dominate all of East Asia and turn them all into tributary states for the Emperor (Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam all paid tribute to the Ming and Qinq).
 
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#11,258
#11,258
NCFisher said:
Correct; what importance is a photo of one bloodied woman whether real or fake? It's not as if this is a bloodless invasion and this suddenly changes world perspective. I mean, what can be more dangerous than Russia invading the country and now preparing to encircle and take Kyiv? I don't understand the fascination for the tree in this forest of destruction.

Again, I approve any means Ukraine takes to defend themselves. Or garner material and moral support for that defense. They are absolutely in the right and Russia absolutely in the wrong.
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Ukraine has every right to defend themselves. I’m not saying they aren’t justified or that Russia is correct. Spreading a false narrative is a dangerous game...probably played a part in Russia’s decision to invade...
 
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#11,260
#11,260
'Biden needs to get his act together': Tearful Ukrainian-born GOP Rep. tells President the 'blood of Ukrainians will be on his hands' if he doesn't do more and civilians are being 'slaughtered like animals' by 'crazy' Putin's forces

Ukrainian-American Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz on Tuesday called on Joe Biden to do more to exercise power against Russia during the 'genocide' in Ukraine and warned he could also have the 'blood' of civilians on his hands.

'This president needs to get his act together and exercise his leadership,' Spartz said as Russia continued closing in on Kyiv and President Biden continued preparations for his first State of the Union tonight.

Ukrainian-American Rep. tells Biden 'blood will be on his hands' if he doesn't send more guns | Daily Mail Online
 
#11,261
#11,261
IluvdoubleD's said:
basically, the world has him pinned and now we wait. We wait for the Russians, or Ukraines, or Belarus... or all to do thier thing. We can't do much more. It's not our place. That's why we have stepped back. We refused to enact a no fly zone and not give polish jets for the same reason. We didn't want to be the ones to have to shoot russian planes out of the sky. We are not the aggressor. He's done it to himself.
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Finally a dubbaD post I can agree with! (looks around for people in white labcoats to come and get me) :eek:
 
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#11,262
#11,262
volbound1700 said:
Possibly but they don't have the advantages they had in the 1930s from a war footing perspective and I think the German population learned their lesson.

Although they could talk about taking back lands, it is only a fringe in Germany that even cares about that.

Right now, both France and Poland (1-on-1) would trash Germany in a war.
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France, Poland?????? What you smoking today dude? 😂B14031F1-F35A-4B34-8898-E7AD30BA7C14.gif
 
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#11,263
#11,263
volbeast33 said:
I feel media narrative is a huge issue….. they lie about everything…. I want to know the truth about what is going on over there.
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I've had the impression for some time that the news media make up what they don't know in the best of times, and it's far more sinister and dishonest when they have an agenda. I don't think the news media are capable of discovering and reporting the truth, and haven't been for decades.
 
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#11,264
#11,264
lawgator1 said:
Sure, we all could have done a better job over the last 3 decades of heeding advice that Putin at the end of the day is an aggressive actor capable of this.

But in the last 5 to 10 years the right has been particularly vocal about dismissing those concerns and undermining our European alliances, including NATO. Pretty bad look for them when the stalwarts of the party (Trump) and their mouthpiece (Fox) particularly got this wrong. Waaaaaayyyy wrong.
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Did they though. I'm not absolving Putin or the right but for years we've ignored the real possibility that expansion could lead to this. We've been very stupid and short sighted. The left and right and lobbyists who they've sold out to built Russia as well as Putin. And now we're surprised? We shouldn't have been.
 
#11,266
#11,266
utvolpj said:
I don't think it's anti free market to look at potential supply chain issues and see if they can actually work within your needs. Having a single point of failure is never a good idea yet we've allowed it to happen with critical goods.
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We call that “dual sourcing” in the biz. And yes, we need to establish additional sources for critical goods.
 
#11,268
#11,268
OrangeTsar said:
France, Poland?????? What you smoking today dude? 😂View attachment 436585
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France has the second largest air force, one of the largest armies, and the third largest navy in NATO right now. Poland also has a very well-equipped army.

Germany has to a degree neglected its army build-up and apparently was still limited, by treaty, on the size of its air force.

Both Germany and Japan still have archaic WW2 treaties that actually limit the size of their armed forces.
 
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#11,270
#11,270
volbound1700 said:
I sometimes wonder if China wants to restore the Mandate of Heaven which was, in the middle ages, a name for China to dominate all of East Asia and turn them all into tributary states for the Emperor (Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam all paid tribute to the Ming and Qinq).
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Wouldn't doubt that at all, and they'd probably use the same argument as they have for their new islands in the S China Sea as proof of ownership. I have a lot of respect for Asians in general, but not the Chinese. They have been corrupt since forever - just part of their culture and heritage it seems - the last people you should ever get into bed with.
 
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#11,275
#11,275
Franklin Pierce said:
'Biden needs to get his act together': Tearful Ukrainian-born GOP Rep. tells President the 'blood of Ukrainians will be on his hands' if he doesn't do more and civilians are being 'slaughtered like animals' by 'crazy' Putin's forces

Ukrainian-American Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz on Tuesday called on Joe Biden to do more to exercise power against Russia during the 'genocide' in Ukraine and warned he could also have the 'blood' of civilians on his hands.

'This president needs to get his act together and exercise his leadership,' Spartz said as Russia continued closing in on Kyiv and President Biden continued preparations for his first State of the Union tonight.

Ukrainian-American Rep. tells Biden 'blood will be on his hands' if he doesn't send more guns | Daily Mail Online
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Psssshhhh. Biden sucks, but the blood of Ukrainians is on the hands of those shooting them, not Biden.
 
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