US Presidency
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| Nimble |  | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 03:54 |
 woefully weak Member 4748, 1506 posts SQ 157, BP 133, DL 260550.0 kgs @ 104kgs UnEq | billynomates said:Has Putin lost the plot? Yes. Bizarre move. Also... can't make head or tail of what's going on at the moment. A lot of fake stuff getting shared. Why would Putin (apparently?) send in his b-team? A lot of comment being made with very little actual information. On topic of this thread — Trump apparently wants to run again. The one Republican candidate that would have a good chance of losing. Can the Americans PLEASE choose someone who's not senile, woke or just plain obnoxious, for the world's sake? Based on limited knowledge, wish Tulsi Gabbard had got the nod last time round. | ||
| luki |  | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 08:38 |
Avatar Member 5517, 1538 posts SQ 160, BP 165, DL 201526.0 kgs @ 110kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 28.02.2022 @ 14:11 PM by luki I don't think Russia's actions were unpredictable. They told NATO they would not allow Ukraine to become a hostile nuclear carrying country for NATO missiles back in November. Israel blocked this by refusing to grant America permission to install Iron Dome missile systems in Ukraine. Israel has 200k Russians and lots of Russian speaking Ukrainians (Jews) who fled after WW2. Secondly Kiev has refused to meet any of the Minsk II agreement pledges to create a federal Ukraine with autonomy for Donbas. In a federation Donbas would be able to veto anti Russian foreign policy. This would be unacceptable to Kiev nationalists who want to join NATO and EU and move the foreign policy out of Russia's speer of influence. French and German media has been more transparent on this, they are signatories to the agreement. If Biden and EU keep funding a gorilla war it's only a matter of time until Russia attacks a NATO countries arms shipment to Ukraine. This would mean war with NATO. Russia has raised it's nuclear status in a pretty clear statement to what this means. Turkey has blocked it's waters to stop Russian crafts moving to strike rage of NATO. Below's an article from head of Russian studies in kings college and FCO advisor. Worth a look. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/02/25/ukraine-what-russia-wants-what-the-west-can-do/ | ||
| billynomates | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 09:19 |
Member 4923, 1795 posts | Nimble said: Yes. Bizarre move. Also... can't make head or tail of what's going on at the moment. A lot of fake stuff getting shared. Why would Putin (apparently?) send in his b-team? A lot of comment being made with very little actual information. Its being speculated that Putin's A-Team are refusing to fight. Its also being suggested Putin has cracked somehow, this invasion is quite reckless for him and has completely backfired. Instead of dividing NATO, he's given them a new sense of purpose. He has almost no allies in this, China do not approve of his actions.. looking at the videos Zelensky has put out its impossible not to root for him. Its already a lost cause for Putin, but he doesnt seem like the type of guy to cut his losses and leave. Nimble said: Can the Americans PLEASE choose someone who's not senile, woke or just plain obnoxious, for the world's sake? Amen to that. | ||
| KevC86 | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 12:32 |
 Member 5141, 4206 posts SQ 300, BP 180, DL 350830.0 kgs @ 130kgs UnEq | billynomates said: Nimble said: Yes. Bizarre move. Also... can't make head or tail of what's going on at the moment. A lot of fake stuff getting shared. Why would Putin (apparently?) send in his b-team? A lot of comment being made with very little actual information. Its being speculated that Putin's A-Team are refusing to fight. Its also being suggested Putin has cracked somehow, this invasion is quite reckless for him and has completely backfired. Instead of dividing NATO, he's given them a new sense of purpose. He has almost no allies in this, China do not approve of his actions.. looking at the videos Zelensky has put out its impossible not to root for him. Its already a lost cause for Putin, but he doesnt seem like the type of guy to cut his losses and leave. Putin hasn't lost anything. The economic sanctions don't matter to him. The wider world's view of Russia doesn't particularly concern him. He will eliminate Ukraine as it currently exists because he won't let Nato get that close to his borders. There is no scenario in which he pulls out before victory is achieved. He will win, it's really just a matter of what shape that victory takes and what it costs. | ||
| Nimble | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 14:16 |
woefully weak Member 4748, 1506 posts SQ 157, BP 133, DL 260550.0 kgs @ 104kgs UnEq | KevC86 said: Putin hasn't lost anything. The economic sanctions don't matter to him. The wider world's view of Russia doesn't particularly concern him. He will eliminate Ukraine as it currently exists because he won't let Nato get that close to his borders. There is no scenario in which he pulls out before victory is achieved. He will win, it's really just a matter of what shape that victory takes and what it costs. I don’t doubt he’ll “win”, but it will be a Pyrrhic victory. If you’re right that “The economic sanctions don't matter to him” — his actions suggest you are — then it would seem to be evidence that he’s insane. The jury was still out on that until a week ago. These sanctions are now very, very serious. Though I’m shooting from the hip here. I’ve not looked much into it in. | ||
| The_Lone_Wolf | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 14:57 |
 I eat a lot of meat Member 5124, 2997 posts SQ 245, BP 130, DL 275650.0 kgs @ 105kgs UnEq | Great to see that Vlad has flopped his majestic Russian helmet out and has it dangling close to the nukes button all because of a comment made my Liz Truss... Cheers Liz, you silly sausage! | ||
| Billwest | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 15:23 |
Member 541, 4898 posts SQ 192.5, BP 120, DL 222.5535.0 kgs @ 92.8kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 28.02.2022 @ 15:24 PM by Billwest Russia's attack on Ukraine was a total shock, though the motivation behind it is quite clear. Putin and much of the Russian elite simply do not want to allow an independent Ukraine. Others things have surprised me as well about the invasion 1) Russian armed forces just aren't that good, outside of the paras and other special units.I fully expected Kyiv to fall on Saturday. This does not mean that Russia will not win a conventional war, they will, sooner rather than later. Their forces are just too powerful and well-equipped. 2) Ukraine and its people are not just going to roll over in the face of aggression. The longer it goes on, the less chance Putin has of securing a satisfactory - for him - peace. 3) Putin did not prepare the Russian public for this invasion,as shown by the demonstrations (large by the standards of brutal authoritarian state) and that it is not widely supported by the public, as evidenced by the various interviews with ordinary Russians seen on TV 4)Putin has managed, by his heavy-handed policies, to unite Europe. Quite an achievement, given the EUs ability to disagree on most things. Getting rid of deadweight (i.e. the UK) has obviously done them good. I'm not sure what the outcome of this will be. Ukrainian neutrality? I'm not sure Ukraine's leadership will go for that. Why should they allow another country to define their future | ||
| Billwest | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 15:29 |
Member 541, 4898 posts SQ 192.5, BP 120, DL 222.5535.0 kgs @ 92.8kgs UnEq | Nimble said: I don’t doubt he’ll “win”, but it will be a Pyrrhic victory. If you’re right that “The economic sanctions don't matter to him” — his actions suggest you are — then it would seem to be evidence that he’s insane. The jury was still out on that until a week ago. These sanctions are now very, very serious. Though I’m shooting from the hip here. I’ve not looked much into it in. For all the bravado the Russian's are showing about sanctions, they will work, in time. They may have $630bn in reserve, but that won't go far if the rouble is worth nothing, and if they cut off their main source of foreign currency earning by closing off the gas/oil pipeline to Europe. If Putin's goal's are to make Russia a great power again, then isolating Russia in the sporting arena will have an effect as well. | ||
| luki | | ... | 28-02-2022 @ 23:58 |
Avatar Member 5517, 1538 posts SQ 160, BP 165, DL 201526.0 kgs @ 110kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 01.03.2022 @ 00:38 AM by luki Sanctions have been overused for years on Russia and China. Russia has had sanctions since 2014! They will intertrade with BRICS and continue to ignore them.I was wondering if the lack of reaction by Europe and USA will embolden China to take Taiwan. The Americans sailed through the China straight again yesterday and are on a military mission there today. It's like they want war on two sides of the world. | ||
| Nimble | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 00:57 |
woefully weak Member 4748, 1506 posts SQ 157, BP 133, DL 260550.0 kgs @ 104kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 01.03.2022 @ 01:10 AM by Nimble luki said:Sanctions have been overused for years on Russia and China. Russia has had sanctions since 2014! They will intertrade with BRICS and continue to ignore them. I was wondering if the lack of reaction by Europe and USA will embolden China to take Taiwan. The Americans sailed through the China straight again yesterday and are on a military mission there today. It's like they want war on two sides of the world. From what I’m seeing, the SWIFT and central bank sanctions are on a whole different level to what’s happened before? | ||
| luki | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 10:03 |
Avatar Member 5517, 1538 posts SQ 160, BP 165, DL 201526.0 kgs @ 110kgs UnEq | Hunter Biden’s Ukrainian Gas board colleague sentenced to prison for securities fraud on Sioux. www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-business-partner-sent... | ||
| Billwest | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 11:17 |
Member 541, 4898 posts SQ 192.5, BP 120, DL 222.5535.0 kgs @ 92.8kgs UnEq | luki said:Sanctions have been overused for years on Russia and China. Russia has had sanctions since 2014! They will intertrade with BRICS and continue to ignore them. I was wondering if the lack of reaction by Europe and USA will embolden China to take Taiwan. The Americans sailed through the China straight again yesterday and are on a military mission there today. It's like they want war on two sides of the world. Lack of reaction? I think the reaction the last few days has been pretty significant. In Europe and the US. The US has no treaty with Ukraine. It has binding treaties with Taiwan and Europe (through NATO). The US has done nothing but stress it will not put boots on the ground in Ukraine. You can hardly accuse America of warmongering. All the warmongering so far has come from Russia, with tacit approval from China. But you are right, China does want some kind of quid pro quo with Russia. We'll support you over Ukraine, and you support us over Taiwan. | ||
| luki | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 13:32 |
Avatar Member 5517, 1538 posts SQ 160, BP 165, DL 201526.0 kgs @ 110kgs UnEq | Billwest said: ... It has binding treaties with Taiwan Oh no it doesn't. https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/580055-will-america-fight-for-taiwan America pumped $260m military aid into Ukraine in December and $300m this year so far. Biden has congressional approval for 1bn. Russia says increased neo-nazification and militarism are why Donbas asked it to invade. Somewhere in the middle is the truth. | ||
| Billwest | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 14:24 |
Member 541, 4898 posts SQ 192.5, BP 120, DL 222.5535.0 kgs @ 92.8kgs UnEq | luki said: Oh no it doesn't. https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/580055-will-america-fight-for-taiwan America pumped $260m military aid into Ukraine in December and $300m this year so far. Biden has congressional approval for 1bn. Russia says increased neo-nazification and militarism are why Donbas asked it to invade. Somewhere in the middle is the truth. Whether the US will fight for Taiwan is a moot point, it probably depends on relations with China generally and whoever is in power So America sends military aid to Ukraine. It doesn't make them allies, any more than it makes America close allies with Pakistan or Egypt, who it also sends military aid to. This, of course, the spin that Putin and his cronies would want to put on it. Neo-nazism and militarism in the Donbas? Again, Kremlin lies. I'm sure there is an extreme right in Ukraine, just as there is in most European countries, including Britain, and Russia. Thius is just an excuse to invade, and pretty obviously bo***cks. The problem is, as I say again, Putin does not accept Ukraine's existence as an independent state. It's that simple!! | ||
| luki | | ... | 01-03-2022 @ 15:02 |
Avatar Member 5517, 1538 posts SQ 160, BP 165, DL 201526.0 kgs @ 110kgs UnEq | Billwest said: Neo-nazism and militarism in the Donbas? Again, Kremlin lies. ...Thius is just an excuse to invade, and pretty obviously bo***cks. Neonazis are supported from government and seen as saviors by the Ukrainians at the Donbas boarder. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cohen-ukraine-commentary-idUSKBN... | ||
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