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If I follow the women in my Mamba profile, then the desirable women have already swarmed out. They are not based in Poland or Hungary. Istanbul, Dubai, Paris, Nice, Barcelona are now in the profile.This is the exact same thing we've seen with Venezuela. Those beautiful Venezolanas fanned out all over the Americas and Europe.
It's also worth pointing out that China needs the West, especially Europe, more than they need Russia. Russian GDP is less than that of Italy and can't replace the money China gets from Western markets. So China is walking a tightrope and is unlikely to be the savior to Russia that many think.
Here's a crude analogy: Since they're both predators, Russia in a military way and China in an economic way, their relationship is a bit like pairing Freddy Krueger from Friday the 13th with Michael from Halloween. How long before they turn their knives on each other?Many underestimate the dependency of huge trade surplus countries (China in the example) on the nations that buy their goods. The Chinese domestic economy is hurting, but it's covered up by overinvestment in unproductive areas, a growing trade surplus and less than reliable data. The creaking Chinese property market is the tip of an iceberg of underlying problems.
https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2022-01-13/chinas-trade-surplus-surges-to-record-676-4b-in-2021
John Clayton
03-07-22, 17:15
Ukrainians can now legally work in Europe. A dream for Ukrainians. A nightmare for us...Life is change. As one venue disappears, another will open -- maybe better. Barring a nuclear war, it looks like Putin's days are numbered. Imagine Russian girls, used to designer handbags, Iphones, trips to the West...and food, suddenly bereft of all that. This summer, St. Petersburg!
Kyiv UkraineAs shells have begun exploding in the heart of Kyiv, museums have rushed to protect their most prized, valuable pieces: the original artwork of once-in-a-generation talent Hunter Biden.
"The Louvre may have Van Gogh and the Mona Lisa, but here we have Coke On Coke by Hunter Biden," said museum owner Ivan Rostyslav. "I will never forget when he sold us this piece, he said to me, 'Ivan, I don't know how I got here or where my pants are but can you get me to the airport?' Ha! What an artist he is!
According to sources, most of the paintings were initially purchased for the Burisma boardroom with the tacit understanding that then-Vice President Joe Biden would look out for Ukraine. Museum owners waged huge bidding wars to acquire the pieces, knowing that beyond the remarkable art, each painting came with the assurance that the United States would have their back..Even if one is a Biden supporter, you have to appreciate some funny satire.
He's contradicting himself all the time. First he admits that Ukraine is a special project for Putin who's trying to restore the empire. Then in the same breath, he blames Biden for lifting objections to Nord 2 as if that emboldened Russia to invade. Makes no sense. That's not an analyses, that's a collection of soundbites.Niall Ferguson is a highly engaging and interesting presenter. He is part of an elite group of well-marketed experts who articulately present the past and package it up with some soothsaying. I would put Ian Bremmer, Thomas Friedman and a few others in the same group. I enjoy listening to them and they routinely show up in a Charlie Rose-type format to promote themselves and their ideas.
Do they know what is going to happen in the future more than anyone else? No, not really.
The Warsaw pact countries led by The Evil Empire invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968,occupied it for few months, set up a puppet government, then withdrew their armies.
The rest is now history, But how does the Czech Republic now stand in world rankings?
'The Czech Republic Among the 20 Happiest Countries In The World'. https://www.praguemorning.cz/the-czech-republic-among-the-20-happiest-countries-in-the-world/.
https://kafkadesk.org/2019/10/02/czech-republic-ranked-in-worlds-top-10-best-countries-for-expats/My first venture into Eastern Europe was to Czechoslovakia and its beautiful capital Prague.
http://www.internationalsexguide.nl/forum/showthread.php?644-Prague&p=974864&viewfull=1#post974864.
Had the people resisted the Soviet invasion, Probably the city could've been flattened just like Grozny in the 90's.
:;The 1999–2000 battle of Grozny was the siege and assault of the Chechen capital Grozny by Russian forces, lasting from late 1999 to early 2000. The siege and fighting left the capital devastated. In 2003, the United Nations called Grozny the most destroyed city on Earth. Wikipedia.
Niall Ferguson is a highly engaging and interesting presenter. He is part of an elite group of well-marketed experts who articulately present the past and package it up with some soothsaying. I would put Ian Bremmer, Thomas Friedman and a few others in the same group. I enjoy listening to them and they routinely show up in a Charlie Rose-type format to promote themselves and their ideas.
Do they know what is going to happen in the future more than anyone else? No, not really.I'm not saying he's not engaging, I'm just saying that his logic is flawed. Putin had been planning this war for many years, at least since 2013, and Biden's sanctions on Nord 2 wouldn't have changed anything.
How far back do you want to go to prove your non-existent point? The Punic Wars?
What else are you driveling about? EU will be the same thing as NATO?Funny thing, I thought I saw "Pubic Wars" when I first read your post. My bad. Wishful thinking, I guess (wink).
My first venture into Eastern Europe was to Czechoslovakia and its beautiful capital Prague.
http://www.internationalsexguide.nl/forum/showthread.php?644-Prague&p=974864&viewfull=1#post974864.
Had the people resisted the Soviet invasion, Probably the city could've been flattened just like Grozny in the 90's.
:;The 19992000 battle of Grozny was the siege and assault of the Chechen capital Grozny by Russian forces, lasting from late 1999 to early 2000. The siege and fighting left the capital devastated. In 2003, the United Nations called Grozny the most destroyed city on Earth. Wikipedia.Well, it was totally different. Czechoslovakia was the Warsaw Pact member and all alone. The world couldn't help.
And Obama's inability (or lack of desire) to adequately confront him back in 2014 was a profound and costly mistake.
But Trump's incessant, baffling and, quite frankly, nauseating bootlicking has certainly emboldened him to a huge degree.In reality, I think Trump was schmoozing Putin like a salesman would. Clearly, Putin likes to have his ego massaged.
Believe what you want about Russian collusion, the United States still needs to pivot away from Russia to China. The Europeans are perfectly capable of defending Europe with some American assistance.
PedroMorales
03-08-22, 18:15
My first venture into Eastern Europe was to Czechoslovakia and its beautiful capital Prague.
:;The 19992000 battle of Grozny was the siege and assault of the Chechen capital Grozny by Russian forces, lasting from late 1999 to early 2000. The siege and fighting left the capital devastated. In 2003, the United Nations called Grozny the most destroyed city on Earth. Wikipedia.Czechoslovakia ceased to exist on January 1, 1993. Prague is in Central, not Eastern Europe.
The Russian forces did a good job rooting out ISIS from Grozny. Have you seen what the US terrorist forces did to Raqqa, to say nothing of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Americans have no moral cards. Never had and never will.
Europe's root problem is having the USA here.
I'm not saying he's not engaging, I'm just saying that his logic is flawed. Putin had been planning this war for many years, at least since 2013, and Biden's sanctions on Nord 2 wouldn't have changed anything.I basically agree. Guys like Niall Ferguson's opinions can be classified as infotainment. One might learn something about history, economics and politics, but one shouldn't get too bought in on his opinions.
Czechoslovakia ceased to exist on January 1, 1993. Prague is in Central, not Eastern Europe.
The Russian forces did a good job rooting out ISIS from Grozny. Have you seen what the US terrorist forces did to Raqqa, to say nothing of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Americans have no moral cards. Never had and never will.
Europe's root problem is having the USA here.I'm guessing Europe's "root problem" is about to get worse, since there will probably be several countries (Poland? Baltics?) asking the US to station additional troops (in existing or new bases) on their soil. One likely outcome of Putin's actions will be to make for stronger ties between individual European countries and NATO / US.
Thankfully, Zelensky is finally being reasonable, or maybe it's the extreme nationalists who are finally allowing Zelensky to be reasonable rather than threatening to kill him for any signs of capitulation. Article below shows agreement on 3 of Putin's 5 demands. Remaining demands are no EU membership and de-militarization. If Ukraine can swallow no NATO, they can swallow no EU. As for de-militarization, probably no offensive weapons will be enough to satisfy Russia. Unlimited anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, but no long-range surface to surface missiles, limited aircraft, certainly no nukes. Putin must be given a victory soon, otherwise Kyiv and orher cities get saturation bombed. Hopefully, CIA is communicating this clearly to the Stepan Bandera crowd and hopefully that crowd is satisfied with how many Russian tanks and troops they have destroyed so far. , so that this war can finally end.
https://us.yahoo.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-says-cooled-joining-181721289.html
In reality, I think Trump was schmoozing Putin like a salesman would. Clearly, Putin likes to have his ego massaged.
Believe what you want about Russian collusion, the United States still needs to pivot away from Russia to China. The Europeans are perfectly capable of defending Europe with some American assistance.Sorry, but I strongly disagree. Europe is not capable of defending itself (nothing new there), and Putin's mad-tsar disease is threatening the world right now. While Xi might become way more dangerous in the future, is it wise to ignore a present danger fighting a possible threat down the road instead?
Tell you what, though. I wouldn't mind if we tried to tackle both. Especially that Xi seems to be going out of his way to please his buddy Pu. Let's hit him with something like, I don't know, warning sanctions if he tries too hard.
Czechoslovakia ceased to exist on January 1, 1993. Prague is in Central, not Eastern Europe.
The Russian forces did a good job rooting out ISIS from Grozny. Have you seen what the US terrorist forces did to Raqqa, to say nothing of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Americans have no moral cards. Never had and never will.
Europe's root problem is having the USA here.There wasn't any ISIS in Grozny, you cretin. And yeah, they did a heck of a job, bombing the living hell out of everyone in Grozny including ethnic RUSSIANS who had a misfortune of living in Chechnya for decades. When did he give a fuck who to kill? You do know he had blown up two apartment buildings in Moscow to ramp up public support for that war?
Thankfully, Zelensky is finally being reasonable, or maybe it's the extreme nationalists who are finally allowing Zelensky to be reasonable rather than threatening to kill him for any signs of capitulation. Article below shows agreement on 3 of Putin's 5 demands. Remaining demands are no EU membership and de-militarization. If Ukraine can swallow no NATO, they can swallow no EU. As for de-militarization, probably no offensive weapons will be enough to satisfy Russia. Unlimited anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, but no long-range surface to surface missiles, limited aircraft, certainly no nukes. Putin must be given a victory soon, otherwise Kyiv and orher cities get saturation bombed. Hopefully, CIA is communicating this clearly to the Stepan Bandera crowd and hopefully that crowd is satisfied with how many Russian tanks and troops they have destroyed so far. , so that this war can finally end.
https://us.yahoo.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-says-cooled-joining-181721289.htmlLOL. The only "agreement" this article shows is an agreement to start a conversation, LOL.
PedroMorales
03-09-22, 09:06
The USA is a serial invader of other countries. Right now, it is occupying and looting Syria of its oil. It destroyed Libya, got its side kicks to destroy Libya, is complicit in the Saudi genocide of Yemen, destroyed the Nordstream 2 gas project.
Sorry, but I strongly disagree. Europe is not capable of defending itself (nothing new there), and Putin's mad-tsar disease is threatening the world right now. While Xi might become way more dangerous in the future, is it wise to ignore a present danger fighting a possible threat down the road instead?
Tell you what, though. I wouldn't mind if we tried to tackle both. Especially that Xi seems to be going out of his way to please his buddy Pu. Let's hit him with something like, I don't know, warning sanctions if he tries too hard.
There wasn't any ISIS in Grozny, you cretin. And yeah, they did a heck of a job, bombing the living hell out of everyone in Grozny including ethnic RUSSIANS who had a misfortune of living in Chechnya for decades. When did he give a fuck who to kill? You do know he had blown up two apartment buildings in Moscow to ramp up public support for that war?
LOL. The only "agreement" this article shows is an agreement to start a conversation, LOL.
HessenStud
03-09-22, 10:04
It also amazes me with how many people are not up on international relations enough to realize that Russia and China are the same. They have a mutual defense pact. They are the same animal in this regard. So you cannot hope to fight one and not the other. So weakening our position in Europe or NATO is also appeasing China as much as appeasing Russia well but it seems politically convenient for people to ignore.
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2021/11/24/russia-china-sign-roadmap-for-closer-military-cooperation/.Russia has taken so many land from China in the last 200 years. At least 90% Chinese hate Russians. But Chinese has not so many atom bombs and advanced weapons like Russia and they share the probably longest country board in the world. China does not want to offend Putin. You didn't mean that a bear and a dragon can be good friends, did you? The Chinese also doesn't like Americans, but it is more like wrestling, after wrestling they are still friends, because in the WW 2 Americans have helped China a lot and Americans have never taken even one square meter land from China. Trade, human right, or technology conflict are there, but they are changing. If you have lost your land, like Alaska, Texas, Falkland (Argentina) or Crimea, it would be almost impossible or even impossible to get it back.
If China supported Ukraine, later Putin could make big troubles on the boarder after the war in Ukraine, (because otherwise he would lost his face), let alone China needs the oil and gas from Russia (each year about 20 billion dollars). EU trades about 50 billion Euros oil and gas from Russia per year and it is not included in the current sanction.
During the WW 2, nobody made such a sanction to Hitler. Now look at the EU and USA, they want 'Putler' to stop the ear but they are continuously doing business with his land. What a shame! With the 50 billion Euros Putin can fight 365 days per year! Are there still bravery spirit in Americans? I cannot see any of them like in WW 2, Irak, Afhan, Korea or Vietnam! Remember you (esp. USA and England) have promised Ukraine that you will defend Ukraine if any country invade Ukraine as Ukraine damaged his atom bombs. China has also a similar pact with Ukraine, that's why even now China does not admit, that it is an invasion.
Putin said there is Nazis in Ukraine and he has to clean them out for his country's benefit, but there is always Nazis in Germany, will later Putin also take care Germany? For example, attacking Berlin? If Americans now send troops, I don't think China, India, Brazil etc. Will do any business with Russia, because it will be a final contest, it's a matter dying for justice or dying as a coward!
The above is only my two cents, it doesn't represent any groups or governments' opinion.
The Russian forces did a good job rooting out ISIS from Grozny. Have you seen what the US terrorist forces did to Raqqa, to say nothing of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Americans have no moral cards. Never had and never will.
Europe's root problem is having the USA here.The GDR ceased to exist after 'reunification' while the Bundesrepublik continued. This was no end to the Cold War; it was the post-war Allied Occupied Zone expanding. The root problem is America has refused to release its subjugated German vassal, and won't do so until they're rooted out.
PedroMorales
03-09-22, 17:54
Sorry, but I strongly disagree..You are American and so are a moron. Stick to the American politics thread, what a genius Biden is etc.
Europe's root problem is Americans are here.
You have your Audie Murphy / John Wayne black hat / white hat world view. Ukraine, of which you, being American, know sweet fuck all, shows your simplistic analysis (sic) is good for nothing, only to feed obese Americans. Following the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany, the CIA recruited Gestapo and SS to give them information on the USSR. This was most effective in Ukraine where Nazi contingents fought on into the mid 1950's. CIA controlled Ukrainian expats in Canada especially wrote the counter narrative that the SS were the good guys. That is why the Nazi have been more successful in Ukraine than anywhere else.
Americans do not belong in Europe. They should fuck off once and for all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYWy0lbEerg&ab_channel=MaineMilitaryMuseum%26LearningCenter
Hopefully the Bandera SS and their CIA handlers will be marched through Moscow like this on their way to new jobs in Siberia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6oJURg6Pk&ab_channel=MaannaJoro
The USA is a serial invader of other countries. Right now, it is occupying and looting Syria of its oil. It destroyed Libya, got its side kicks to destroy Libya, is complicit in the Saudi genocide of Yemen, destroyed the Nordstream 2 gas project. Here is how American "tourists" should be treated, scum like McCain especially.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYWy0lbEerg&ab_channel=MaineMilitaryMuseum%26LearningCenterOnly the USA threatens the world? Really? Is the irony of posting this statement in the Kiev forum lost on you?
Why don't you find the nearest Ukrainian and make that statement directly to their face? Then come back and let us know how that went.
And while you're at it, go ahead and repeat that exercise with someone from Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Sorry, but I strongly disagree. Europe is not capable of defending itself (nothing new there), and Putin's mad-tsar disease is threatening the world right now. While Xi might become way more dangerous in the future, is it wise to ignore a present danger fighting a possible threat down the road instead?Of course you're right. Europe cannot currently defend itself.
However, global strategic pivots don't occur overnight. If Germany was meeting its 2% NATO commitment to "pure" defense expenditures, it would likely be able to go toe-to-toe with Russia just on their own.
Having said that, Merkel's Russia policies are now being reevaluated. History has a a way of bringing clarity to the politics of the past.
The single most important thing we can do is precisely to analyze, etc. Ukraine got into this mess because it didn't think. To get out of the mess, it has to start thinking or get help thinking, especially from those of us comfortably sitting outside Ukraine and thus able to keep our minds from getting carried away by emotions.
So far, my attempts to talk sense to Ukrainians have resulted mostly in furious accusations that I'm a Russian troll, followed by banning me from forums. If everyone talking sense is accused of being a troll (and that's what I'm seeing), then Ukraine is truly in bad shape and will likely be dealt with like a stupid, strong and rebellious bull: beaten senseless, a ring put through the nose, maybe castrated to permanently calm it down........Your Russian bias comes through clearly in your posts. Perhaps you have Russian ethnicity or perhaps you are just a Russophile. I think you said you were studying Russian. From your posts, I don't think you are learning Russian to apply for a job with the CIA or a European intelligence agency.
Surely, the Ukrainians will lose the battle for her country. But Putin will likely lose the war. This invasion is taking on global strategic implications. Putin did more for Ukrainian sovereign identity in two weeks than the last eight years since Putin's puppet was thrown out of the country. Putin has also united the Europeans. Even Switzerland is lending a small hand.
These new sanctions will seriously harm ordinary Russians. (You seem so genuinely concerned about ordinary Ukrainians. How about ordinary Russians?) The cost to occupy, control and / or rebuild the Ukraine will hurt a weakened economy. The Russian military expenditures likely won't be cutback in the short-run though. The likely outcomes in reaction will be more European defense spending and more global exploration / distribution of gas and oil. Neither of which is good for Russia in the long-run.
You have alluded to Putin rattling the nuclear saber to have the world take him and his demands seriously. Can this move be any stupider? You can't play this card and expect to win anything. Sure, it keeps Polish MiGs out of Ukrainian hands. It might even keep a light touch by the West, as Russia pounds the Ukrainians into submission. However, you don't think Europe and the USA Are adjusting their strategic defense policies? Even the Chinese might be thinking WTF is this guy doing.
Win the battle, but lose the war.
The GDR ceased to exist after 'reunification' while the Bundesrepublik continued. This was no end to the Cold War; it was the post-war Allied Occupied Zone expanding. The root problem is America has refused to release its subjugated German vassal, and won't do so until they're rooted out.Seems to me that recent history is replete with examples of the German "vassal" having its own mind, and taking positions that didn't please the US.
As far as rooting them out, would you prefer the Germans did that themselves or would you like to have some non-German power handle that job? And which country would you prefer, Russia, or China, or someone else?
What's really funny is that Putin's actions have strengthened the (US-led) NATO alliance in ways that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Which means, as I've mentioned in another post, that the presence of the US in Europe is likely to increase. I wonder how many more "vassal" states will be created as a result? Any guesses?
Win the battle, but lose the war.Once again, winning the peace will be even harder than winning the war, as Mr. Putin is most assuredly going to find out. In the end, he's going to lose both, and go down as just another beady-eyed Russian tyrant. And so far, even winning the battles has not been as easy as he thought it would be. Not good for Russia. Not good for the world.
NRandom940
03-10-22, 03:52
Anyone know about this guy? Anyone talk to him on PM?
Is he still with us?
Mojo Bandit
03-10-22, 04:00
Putin said there is Nazis in Ukraine and he has to clean them out for his country's benefit, but there is always Nazis in Germany, will later Putin also take care Germany? For example, attacking Berlin? If Americans now send troops, I don't think China, India, Brazil etc. Will do any business with Russia, because it will be a final contest, it's a matter dying for justice or dying as a coward!
The above is only my two cents, it doesn't represent any groups or governments' opinion.I will concede that I do not know how the Chinese feel about Russia but I have pointed out that there has been considerable exchanges of what would be considered highly top secret technology of weapons and not the kind you share with anyone but a close friend and theres the recent statement by China's president saying that Russia and China's friendship has "no limits" - one could hope that this is mostly rhetoric but if one also looks at all the other cooperation they have had the the conclusion is that people say they do not have "formal alliance" - but you can see that it looks like duck, it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck. So....
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-russia-xi-putin-ukraine-war-11646279098
https://warsawinstitute.review/issue-2020/russia-china-a-limited-liability-military-alliance/
https://thediplomat.com/2016/12/behind-china-and-russias-special-relationship/
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3067.html
https://tass.com/politics/1379867?ut...rer=google.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_S..._of_Friendship
https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/the-emperors-league-understanding-sino-russian-defense-cooperation/
https://apnews.com/article/russia-uk...1836911b1dbc45
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/mili...s-trade-player
I will concede that I do not know how the chinese feel about Russia but I have pointed out that there has been considerable exchanges of what would be considered highly top secret technogy of weapans and recently statement by China's president saying that Russia and China's friendship has "no limits" - one could hope that this is mostly rhetoric but if also look at all the other cooperation they have had and while people say they do not have "formal alliance" - but you see it looks like duck, it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck. So.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-russia-xi-putin-ukraine-war-11646279098
https://warsawinstitute.review/issue-2020/russia-china-a-limited-liability-military-alliance/
https://thediplomat.com/2016/12/behi...-relationship/
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3067.html
https://tass.com/politics/1379867?ut...rer=google.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_S..._of_Friendship
https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/th...e-cooperation/
https://apnews.com/article/russia-uk...1836911b1dbc45
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/mili...s-trade-playerChina sends humanitarian aid to Ukraine:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220309-china-to-provide-ukraine-about-790-000-in-aid-official
China urges implementation of safe humanitarian corridors:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-08/China-urges-safe-implementation-of-humanitarian-corridor-in-Ukraine--18eaFRWIOuk/index.html
"As a peace-loving country, China laments the fact that the situation in Ukraine has come to this stage, Zhang said. China supports all efforts to ease the escalation and strongly opposes any action that is not conducive to promoting a political settlement but rather fuels the fire and escalates the situation, he said" "Zhang reiterated that China's position of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter has been consistent".
As is ever the case, China will pursue it's own interests. They have no problem helping Russia avoid sanctions, especially if that leaves Russia indebted to them. But, despite ongoing speculation, has anyone seen evidence of any concrete military assistance from China to Russia?
I've been regularly checking news sources and social media accounts that are posting in-depth reports about the war in Ukraine. Whether pro-Russia or pro-Ukraine, any evidence of material military support would be a huge deal and would be widely covered. There have been zero reports of such, not even so much as single Chinese military-grade supply truck.
Those reporting on the war are scrutinizing satellite imagery, photos of trains and rail stations, etc. And there have been absolutely no sightings of Chinese equipment being employed by Russia. Talk is cheap, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but facts and evidence are what will rule the day.
Neurosynth
03-10-22, 06:48
Once again, winning the peace will be even harder than winning the war, as Mr. Putin is most assuredly going to find out. In the end, he's going to lose both, and go down as just another beady-eyed Russian tyrant. And so far, even winning the battles has not been as easy as he thought it would be. Not good for Russia. Not good for the world.This is what passes for optimism these days, but even this is overly optimistic I'm afraid.
Talk of chemical weapons.
Talk of biological weapons.
Talk of nuclear weapons.
Talk of military aid being an act of war.
Talk of "escalate to de-escalate. ".
Talk of false flag operations.
Talk of ethnic cleansing.
Talk of tactical nuclear weapons under field generals.
So many ways to go wrong. Any one of which can trigger the end.
Your Russian bias comes through clearly in your posts. Perhaps you have Russian ethnicity or perhaps you are just a Russophile. I think you said you were studying Russian. From your posts, I don't think you are learning Russian to apply for a job with the CIA or a European intelligence agency.
...
You have alluded to Putin rattling the nuclear saber to have the world take him and his demands seriously. Can this move be any stupider? You can't play this card and expect to win anything.I understand you are using "you" rhetorically to mean "any person" but the above paragraph suggests you think that, because I see Putin's / Russia's point of view, I endorse this view or that I'm trying to help Russia and so it's me playing the cards. Which suggests you are a typical stupid American who can only see the world in black and white terms, where Americans are always good guys. This stupidity hasn't gotten the USA into much serious trouble so far, because USA has been such an impregnable fortress until recently, but it will get USA into trouble in the future if we (I'm American) don't reform soon.
Note that, for all the talk of the horror of bombing civilians and especially using nukes on civilians, guess which country is the only country to use nukes and to use them on a civilian target? That's right, USA. We did it because the Japanese leaders were negotiating with Stalin to join in military alliance. USA thus set a precedent that nuclear weapons are okay to use in such cases. Similar case as with Ukraine negotiating to join NATO. Anger at me for telling the truth would be better directed at Zelensky and his extremist handlers for refusing to accept Russia's reasonable demands, same as fault for the Hiroshima bombing goes to the Japanese leaders, plus anyone who supported those leaders.
(As an aside, though leaders should be judged on actions, without a lot psycho-analyzing, and this goes for both Putin and Zelensky, it's worrh remembering that the latter is an actor, thus has a natural attraction to drama, publicity, heroic role-playing, etc. If a strong personality, Zekensky can resist that attraction and do what is best for Ukraine. Otherwise, he will do what it takes to keep himself in the public eye, including unnecessarily prolonging the war.)
I studied Russian for use in Ukraine, dumbass. It continues to be the most widely spoken language in Kyiv right up until Oct 2021 when I was last there, and is essentially the only language spoken in Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv, among others. Never visited Russia, never plan to.
I understand you are using "you" rhetorically to mean "any person" but the above paragraph suggests you think that, because I see Putin's / Russia's point of view, I endorse this view or that I'm trying to help Russia and so it's me playing the cards. Which suggests you are a typical stupid American who can only see the world in black and white terms, where Americans are always good guys. This stupidity hasn't gotten the USA into much serious trouble so far, because USA has been such an impregnable fortress until recently, but it will get USA into trouble in the future if we (I'm American) don't reform soon.
Note that, for all the talk of the horror of bombing civilians and especially using nukes on civilians, guess which country is the only country to use nukes and to use them on a civilian target? That's right, USA. We did it because the Japanese leaders were negotiating with Stalin to join in military alliance. USA thus set a precedent that nuclear weapons are okay to use in such cases. Similar case as with Ukraine negotiating to join NATO. Anger at me for telling the truth would be better directed at Zelensky and his extremist handlers for refusing to accept Russia's reasonable demands, same as fault for the Hiroshima bombing goes to the Japanese leaders, plus anyone who supported those leaders..Besides descending into name-calling, criticizing stupid Americans and just about everyone accept Putin and the Russian military, you have not addressed the main point I made. How does Putin get from winning the battle for Ukraine to actually winning the war. Do you think the Europeans will just say "Okay you win. You get to keep the Ukraine again as one of your chess pieces. " without an extreme cost to the Russians.
Sure, countries enter and continue battles that don't add anything strategically or tactically to their benefit (I. E. USA And Russia in Afghanistan). However, you have not offered a response how Putin comes out a winner in the long-run. Instead, you have offered a dog's breakfast of propaganda. When challenged, you redirect to the United States as the big, bad menace even when we can see the Europeans are as cohesive continent-wide as they have ever been.
You also seem to dive back far into history. Some of it is relevant today. However, I don't see Putin being too effective at cordoning off and isolating Russians. 2022 is not 1948. The world is a lot smaller. You can try to use the Chinese government as an example, but China has been truly an economic miracle. The Chinese dictators have had more legitimacy because of this economic success. It's no accident that China is also integrated with the global economy. Russia will likely suffer in isolation.
Mojo Bandit
03-10-22, 21:18
Seems to me that recent history is replete with examples of the German "vassal" having its own mind, and taking positions that didn't please the US.
I am agreeing with you but just want to throw some more into the discussion.
Germany / GDP per capita 45,723. 64 USD.
Russia / GDP per capita 10,126. 72 USD.
Gee wiz Beaver, I think I would prefer to live in the German "vassal" than the cronyism capitalist country that ranks 1st in natural resources and 57th in per capita GDP,
Here is an interesting article about comments from someone who actually knew Putin and also knows the mindset of the Russian leadrship structure. He is the former foreign mintister. He says the reason that the Russian army is doing so poorly is that for years people have been embezzling money from the budget. He also says that Putin does not know any of this and probably does not know how poorly the invasion is going because people are afraid to tell him.
https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ex-fm-kozyrev-miitary-failing-budget-spent-yachts-2022-3?fbclid=IwAR333S9ytgkJj-gNu5jXmbXFrpvKPS-KWJmKa_tNR5RyMNLZH3aIcC73CuA
How does Putin get from winning the battle for Ukraine to actually winning the warI'm not going to debate with a moron and I don't care much about the future of Putin or Russia. My concern is with the future of Ukraine. In particular, preventing the utter destruction of much of Ukraine. Because that's where things are heading.
Ukrainians are betting on a coup if they can hold out another week or two. An extremely risky strategy. Putin's demands are reasonable (assuming de-militarization only refers to offensive weapons and Ukraine can have unlimited anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and a neutral party like China, Egypt, Peru, etc brokers and monitors the deal). Everyone who cares about Ukraine should be urging them to accept those demands and bring this war to a speedy conclusion. Putin is not to be messed with, and thinking otherwise is how we got where we are, though he has shown himself to be stupider than most people ever imagined. Stupid, cruel and powerful is actually worse than smart, cruel and powerful, because stupid is less predictable. However, we can still safely predict that Putin can and will destroy Ukraine rather than "lose". Destroyed Ukraine that is not in NATO or EU is victory in his eyes, regardless of what you think.
I'm not going to debate with a moron and I don't care much about the future of Putin or Russia. My concern is with the future of Ukraine. In particular, preventing the utter destruction of much of Ukraine. Because that's where things are heading.
Ukrainians are betting on a coup if they can hold out another week or two. An extremely risky strategy. Putin's demands are reasonable (assuming de-militarization only refers to offensive weapons and Ukraine can have unlimited anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and a neutral party like China, Egypt, Peru, etc brokers and monitors the deal). Everyone who cares about Ukraine should be urging them to accept those demands and bring this war to a speedy conclusion. Putin is not to be messed with, and thinking otherwise is how we got where we are, though he has shown himself to be stupider than most people ever imagined. Stupid, cruel and powerful is actually worse than smart, cruel and powerful, because stupid is less predictable. However, we can still safely predict that Putin can and will destroy Ukraine rather than "lose". Destroyed Ukraine that is not in NATO or EU is victory in his eyes, regardless of what you think.First, dial down the name calling. Anyone here can have your insulting posts deleted and you can be put on moderation (if you haven't been already). Moderation is not fun. Your posts might not get posted by the moderator until the next day. By then, the conversation might have moved on.
You have been shaping Putin's demands as mostly keeping the Ukraine out of NATO. Is that why he invaded Crimea in 2014? That makes no sense. Invade your neighbor so they don't search for allies. More broadly, Putin doesn't want a functioning democracy that is prospering with EU trade on his border. He wants his former Soviet vassals.
You can call me names and try to dismiss me instead of my arguments. You can say this invasion is all about stopping the Ukraine from joining NATO. In my opinion, this is more about Putin dominating the Ukraine. Perhaps the Belarus model is not such a bad thing. Putin won't crush you in return for total allegiance and loss of sovereignty.
By the way, there will be no victors from this war. This war is particularly bad for everyone, but clearly the Ukrainians.
What's really funny is that Putin's actions have strengthened the (US-led) NATO alliance in ways that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Which means, as I've mentioned in another post, that the presence of the US in Europe is likely to increase. I wonder how many more "vassal" states will be created as a result? Not really funny at all. Really predictable is what it is.
The Empire of Lies bid to incorporate Ukraine as another vassal is on temporary hold. We'll all have to wait and see how it goes. Wars can have uncertain outcomes.
HessenStud
03-11-22, 09:05
China has involved in two main wars in the last 70 years or after they set up the new Republic of China. One is the the Korea war, back then the president Mao wants to lick the asshole of Stalin and let him trust him, so he lets his troops enter Korea and let more than 400 0000 soldiers died there although he knew clearly back then the USA will not attack China, the real enemy of USA back then is Russia. The second war is the war between China and Vietnam. Back then the President Deng has seen all countries who follow USA were getting richer, he wants to show some good signs to USA. So after USA left Vietnam, he attacked or invaded Vietnam, again, the Chinese President in fact was licking the asshole of another big power in the world. After that China and USA started their honeymoon, and only after that the economy in China is starting to develop, even to now. But more than 60 000 soldiers died during the invasion and the relation between Vietnam and China is completely broken, even now they cannot get along with each other.
Basically Chinese don't like war and, they are happy with their own land and they have some kind of 'middle' spirit in their blood, so you seldom see their troops in other countries, for example Syria, Irak or now in Ukraine. If they have a military goal, it will be to take and control Taiwan, but the current sanction to Russia almost completely destroys their hope of conquering Taiwan with troops or weapons.
Not really funny at all. Really predictable is what it is.
The Empire of Lies bid to incorporate Ukraine as another vassal is on temporary hold. We'll all have to wait and see how it goes. Wars can have uncertain outcomes.I probably should have been more clear about what I meant by the "funny" characterization. And there's irony upon irony when one considers possible and probable knock-on effects for both Russia and China.
About the uncertainty of outcomes, you're absolutely correct. One thing that drives me crazy is the plethora of pundits and "experts" who speak with pseudo-certainty while ignoring or glossing over some of the variables that make this conflict quite a different beast.
Neurosynth
03-13-22, 09:52
I'm not convinced. First and only prior post was 1 year ago saying " Anyone here? What's the scene like?" and nothing more in the General Info for *Burma*. Next post he's already in trouble in Ukraine. No prior participation at all.
As I have said before, I have no reason to lie or falsify reports. What do you expect me to take pictures of? Everything here is locked down and somber. If you don't believe me there's not much I can offer. I post these reports as a distraction to myself from the situation here. Not to mention I didn't come here by myself, other members of my group would be strongly opposed to me taking any pictures AND posting those pictures online. I thank others for their support. I have never asked for a single penny from anyone, I just wrote the reports to provide help to others who may have thought of coming or are even in the country. If you're unconvinced then feel free to ignore any of my posts. I just didn't have any information of worth to post till coming here.
PedroMorales
03-13-22, 14:20
I suggest Voltaire's Candide, the forerunner to HulaHoops. Pray for mongers everywhere (and hookers too).
I'm not convinced. First and only prior post was 1 year ago saying " Anyone here? What's the scene like?" and nothing more in the General Info for *Burma*. Next post he's already in trouble in Ukraine. No prior participation at all.
PedroMorales
03-13-22, 14:38
First, dial down the name calling. .Why don't you tone it down? You just repeat US / NATO rubbish, with no personal in sight. People like you destroy this and similar sites.
I'm not going to debate with a moron a.Again, I admire your posts. It is a rarity when one can think through issues. The sooner the USA fucks out of Europe, the better. No point joining in as Americans just go Putin, Puutin, Putin, like the brainwashed cretins that they are.
I probably should have been more clear about what I meant by the "funny" characterization. And there's irony upon irony when one considers possible and probable knock-on effects for both Russia and China.
About the uncertainty of outcomes, you're absolutely correct. One thing that drives me crazy is the plethora of pundits and "experts" who speak with pseudo-certainty while ignoring or glossing over some of the variables that make this conflict quite a different beast.Besides the professional pundits and the armchair experts on social media (myself included) opining about who is to blame and who could have prevented this war, I don't think this conflict is good for anyone.
Why don't you tone it down? You just repeat US / NATO rubbish, with no personal in sight. People like you destroy this and similar sites.
Again, I admire your posts. It is a rarity when one can think through issues. The sooner the USA fucks out of Europe, the better. No point joining in as Americans just go Putin, Puutin, Putin, like the brainwashed cretins that they are.Unfortunately for Putin, his invasion of Ukraine seems to have caused a diametrically opposed effect to what he likely envisioned. No matter what attitudes existed toward Ukraine and Russia before the invasion, Putin has singlehandedly caused the vast majority of the world to view him as the villain and Ukraine as the victim. Whatever you think or want the "reality" to be, perception and public opinion has overwhelmed it. And, when it comes to the information (or propaganda) battle space, Ukraine has dominated and Russia has failed miserably.
One clear result is that pro-NATO sentiment in Europe has grown. Some examples of that effect include Germany and Denmark ramping up defense budgets to the 2% NATO target and countries like Sweden and Finland seriously considering joining the alliance. And it's highly likely that more US-NATO troops will be stationed in more countries than ever before.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/03/putin-nato-finland-sweden-support-ukraine/626965/
I have no idea in what country you live but, if its in Europe, I suspect you're going to be subjected to more NATO rubbish for years to come. On the other side of that coin, Putin has turned Russia into a pariah state that now exists in a bubble floating somewhere between North Korea and Iran.
Country-level sanctions are just part of it. What's truly remarkable is the vast number of private companies that have completely turned their back on Russia. The damage to the Russian economy is likely to last for years and many of those companies may never return. And, if Putin is found guilty of war crimes, which seems likely to happen, then Russia's pariah status will continue for as long as he remains in power.
So that's my personal insight, which I would assert is supported by the available evidence. And I would also suggest that you keep a sharp eye out for brainwashed cretins, as they're likely to be coming out of the (European) woodwork more than ever before.
P.S. If you're looking for someone to blame, look no further than Putin, Putin, Putin.
Why don't you tone it down? You just repeat US / NATO rubbish, with no personal in sight. People like you destroy this and similar sites.You can read the policies about directing insults and derogatory comments towards forum members or you can quickly click on "Report Post" to see the list of infractions. If you don't like the policies, I suggest you take them up with the forum administrator. No surprise that this etiquette is fairly common for on-line forums. If people are bothered by differing opinions and / or have hyper-aggressive natures, public forums are probably not a good place for them.
Asking someone to tone it down here is actually a courtesy to avoid them receiving infractions, moderation and possibly being suspended.
Mojo Bandit
03-14-22, 23:31
Americans just go Putin, Puutin, Putin, like the brainwashed cretins that they are.
If having an education and the ability to access all the information there is and I am able to process that information. If this is being "brainwashed" I can think of some others who need their brains washed. Maybe it would rid them of the brain filth that seems to be causing a decay in the reasoning process.
I do not repeat what "NATO" or anyone else says. You assume too much. You assume wrong. I think for myself. I have an education and I have traveled the world. I not only have advanced formal univerisity education, I also have other educative experiences. I spent some years in the military. I spent two years in a penal institution. These experiences I consider more valuable than formal education. Try to pin me down as a nationalist of any country would be wrong. I have residency in three countries. I consider myself a citizen of the world. For the record I was very much against the USA invasion of Iraq. I am not a peace lover, I am an ex soldier. but one should only fight when there is a clear and present danger.
There are innocent women and children being killed by Putin sent missiles but please enlighten us wise one on why he does not deserve to be demonized. He was not prevoked, he was not threatened. He just decided to. Putin attacking Ukraine and saying it is a threat is like watching a full gown man kick a baby and say he was defending himself. I would love to hear your side of the story. Tell us why you choose to serve the dark lord over allowing people to breathe freely.
The fact is Russia has no freedom of speech and they just make up shit as they go along. Thats why the Ukrianians have labled the Russian soldiers as Orcs. Mutant slaves who are only capable of doing their master's bidding. Not capable of human thought.
This is a direct quote from the lady who works for a Russian "news" channel who just got detained for speaking her mind. I would think that she has some insight. She knew she would go to prison but was brave enought to say it anyway
Marina Ovsyannikova: "Unfortunately, I have been working at Channel One during recent years, working on Kremlin propaganda, Ovsyannikova said. And now I am very ashamed. I am ashamed that Ive allowed the lies to be said on the TV screens. I am ashamed that I let the Russian people be zombified."
That Putin is a horrible leader goes way beyond this war. The numbers demonstrate plainly and truthfully why Putin is a horrible leader. Russia is the number one country in the world for natural resources. Number one. Back in the 1990s we all thought the Russian economy was going to soar. Yet it falls down 85th in per capita GDP? Russian has a very functional and potential great infrastructure. Including several ports on the sea. Russian has educational institutions that also have great potential. The fact that Russia is 85th in per capita GDP is inexusable. That number is even skewed in a country with so many Oligarchs hoarding the resources. Lets compare a neighboring country. Someone called Germany a "vassal" state. Well in such a vassal state the GDP has grown 4 times its size in the time that Putin has been in charge of Russia. German citizens make up 4. 4 percent of global millionaires, while Russian makes up only. 5 percent. Average worker's salary in Germany is 43000 Euro. In Russia that number drops to 6200 Euro. one sixth! Pathetic. I do not criticize countries leaders when the country does do not have potential. Putin's entire time in office is a portrait of squandered oppurtunity. The whole GDP of Russian if he had taken every advantage and structured a free economy instead of a cronyist oligarchy? Probably could have been twice that of Germany at least one and one half the size. Somewhere betwenn 6 and 8 trillion euro.
People around the world blame Putin, not just Americans, you seem to let your hatred of America drive your thinking, but people blame Putin himself because we still love the Russian people. A rich cultural people who I pray someday can meet their potential.
Russian says that NATO is a "threat" but the whole rest of the world knows that it is not. NATO treaty is a public document that the whole world is welcome to read. It states plainly that if one country of NATO is attacked then the other countries will defend that country. If one country decides to attack another country than by no means is NATO obligated to jump in.
Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons, that is probably the only reason there are not F22 Raptors currently enforcing a no-fly zone over Ukraine right now. No one is foolish enought to balatantly attack Russia. It is certain that it is a reason that NATO or any Eastern European nation would not start a war with Russia. If Russia were attacked even the UN would not argue with the use of tactical nuclear weapons. What fool would attack a country that posseses thousands of nuclear weapons. Its a deterrence that works. Its way beyond the scope of reason that any country or bloc is a threat to a country with so many nuclear weapons.
The real threat is that when a country like Ukraine gets real freedom and enters the EU and sees real econonmic growth - and so many nomal people who visit from Russia see this and start tu understand why Russia functions so poorly = and they realize the answer is Putin. That is the real threat but it is only a threat to Putin not to Russia
These are indisputable facts and not up for debate so I will say no more
Why don't you tone it down? You just repeat US / NATO rubbish, with no personal in sight. People like you destroy this and similar sites.
Again, I admire your posts. It is a rarity when one can think through issues. The sooner the USA fucks out of Europe, the better. No point joining in as Americans just go Putin, Puutin, Putin, like the brainwashed cretins that they are.To all those brainwashed idiots standing with Ukraine:
https://odysee.com/@DanTheOracleFashyMusicArchive:0/No-Russian-Ever-Called-Me-White-Trash-by-Paddy-Tarleton:1
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1503430216554795014.html
It's a bit long, but worth a read (IMO). The author makes a few different points, but what I found most enlightening was the description of how the power struggle between elites close to the center of government (courtiers) vs elites with their power base in the regions (barons) is at the center of the dysfunction and corruption that plagues the Russian system. The failure of the Russian military in Ukraine is merely the most currently visible manifestation of that dysfunction, but it's everywhere and goes all the way down to the bone.
He also makes the point that, if Putin falls, whoever takes his place would probably come from the ranks of either the courtiers or barons. And, since both those groups are steeped in the prevailing culture of corruption, a new leader might not result in as much change as people hope. He also points out that "opposition" figures, like Navalny, may be nothing more than courtiers who have fallen out of favor. That being the case, those who believe such "opposition" figures are a key part of any long term solution had better do their homework first.
The impression I was left with is that there are no fully satisfactory answers. The shit has truly hit the fan and we don't yet know exactly where it will fall, or how widely it will spread.
PedroMorales
03-15-22, 10:17
To all those brainwashed idiots standing with Ukraine:
https://odysee.com/@DanTheOracleFashyMusicArchive:0/No-Russian-Ever-Called-Me-White-Trash-by-Paddy-Tarleton:1Can't say I like the song but odysee is where I go to get RT live. I get updates on an Indian proxy server. All thanks to US censorship. Facebook now allows direct threats against Russians and praise for Nazis in Ukraine.
Lavrov has said Russia is finished with Western Europe. Western Europe must now get rid of the USA.
As regards Yanks (advising to report or block morons, the issue is this site, like all other sites is full of them and with cretins who repeat Fox News / CNN type mantras. It is why you have all the Stupid Shit threads.
As regards the war, sorry to disappoint but Russia is winning it Russia's way. Nice strike against foreign mercenaries the other day. Unless you were one of the 200+ mercenaries who died.
Falsehood in War-time, Containing an Assortment of Lies Circulated Throughout the Nations During the Great War, was written by Arthur Ponsonby in 1928 lists and refutes pieces of propaganda used by the Allied Forces against the Central Powers. The Belgian historian Anne Morelli systematized the essential propaganda techniques of Ponsonby's classic in her book Principes élémentaires de propagande de guerre. Morelli explains how these principles not only worked during the First World War, but were also applied in wars into 2001:
We do not want war.
The opposite party alone is guilty of war.
The enemy is inherently evil and resembles the devil.
We defend a noble cause, not our own interests. (Just war theory).
The enemy commits atrocities on purpose; our mishaps are involuntary.
The enemy uses forbidden weapons.
We suffer small losses, those of the enemy are enormous.
Recognized artists and intellectuals back our cause.
Our cause is sacred.
All who doubt our propaganda are traitors.
On that latter point, here is Herman Goering at Nuremberg: "Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or fascist dictorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. "
Lavrov has said Russia is finished with Western Europe. Western Europe must now get rid of the USA.Since the vast majority of countries are siding with Ukraine, with the exception of China, Belarus, and a few small countries, Russia is headed for an extended period of unprecedented isolation. Western Europe is ramping up defense budgets and figuring out ways to reduce or eliminate dependence on Russian gas and oil. It'll be interesting to see who comes away with the short end of the stick from that broken relationship. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be Western Europe.
Oh, but Russia can always count on their "good friend" China, right? Except for the fact that the Chinese never do anything free or against their own interests. So Putin should get ready to bend over and grab his ankles, because China will demand the best Russian natural resources at the deepest imaginable discounts. And it wouldn't surprise me if China used their unique leverage to gain even more concessions. Anyone who thinks China won't exploit their opportunities is living in a fantasy land.
About Western Europe getting rid of the USA, that's just not going to happen, no matter what you want, for the foreseeable future. As a direct result of Putin's actions, US-led NATO will be entrenched more firmly than ever, with more troops in more countries. And the icing on the (pushed into Putin's face) cake will be if Sweden, or Finland, or both, join NATO. So prepare to "get used to disappointment" as the saying goes.
As regards the war, sorry to disappoint but Russia is winning it Russia's way.I haven't seen any credible military analyst who thinks Russia can't win the war, if they're prepared to endure the costs. The informed discussion centers around how much damage the Russian military and economy will incur, and whether any "victory" will be Pyrrhic in nature. If Putin's Plan A was to mount a quick "special operation" in which he captured Kyiv, deposed the Zelensky government, and was hailed as a liberator by a large portion of Ukraine's population, that's utterly failed. If the backup plan is to bombard Ukraine into submission, or until there's nothing left but scorched earth, he can certainly do that. Then, having turned almost the entire world against him, Putin can try to hold the smoldering husk of Ukraine in his hand and hope it doesn't burst into flame. No worries, the Russians are great when it comes to occupying hostile territory, right? Just look at their track record in Afghanistan.
Falsehood in War-time, Containing an Assortment of Lies Circulated Throughout the Nations During the Great War, was written by Arthur Ponsonby in 1928 lists and refutes pieces of propaganda used by the Allied Forces against the Central Powers. The Belgian historian Anne Morelli systematized the essential propaganda techniques of Ponsonby's classic in her book Principes lmentaires de propagande de guerre. Morelli explains how these principles not only worked during the First World War, but were also applied in wars into 2001:Everything about which you accuse Ukraine and the West of applies equally to Russia, if not more so. Within Russia, any media outlets that aren't willing to parrot the Kremlin are either directly shut down or "voluntarily" disband or suspend operations. I wonder if the recently passed law imposing a 15 year prison sentence for disseminating "disinformation" had anything to do with that?
https://niemanreports.org/articles/putin-ukraine-russia-media/
I'm absolutely certain that both sides are engaging in propaganda and information warfare. Unfortunately for Russia, Ukraine is kicking their ass in that arena. But intelligent observers do their best to pierce the veil of manipulation, though it's not an easy task. But you've got it all figured out, right? All you need to do is listen to RT and that'll give you the pure, unadulterated, truth. Good luck with that.
Lavrov has said Russia is finished with Western Europe. Western Europe must now get rid of the USA.
As regards the war, sorry to disappoint but Russia is winning it Russia's way. Nice strike against foreign mercenaries the other day. Unless you were one of the 200+ mercenaries
On that latter point, here is Herman Goering at Nuremberg: "Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or fascist dictorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.Of course. And the unasked question is: Who wants (this) war? We'd ask qui bono but this one more (much more) than any others in recent and not so recent history has the potential for unintended consequences for all parties involved, for the entire world actually.
......If the backup plan is to bombard Ukraine into submission, or until there's nothing left but scorched earth, he can certainly do that. Then, having turned almost the entire world against him, Putin can try to hold the smoldering husk of Ukraine in his hand and hope it doesn't burst into flame.Whether one agrees with you or not, that is quite the metaphor.
PedroMorales
03-15-22, 22:44
The comedian Zelensky is suing for peace as Russia opens the roads into Kiev. The dog Zelensky now admits Ukraine will never be in NATO. Several hundred mercenaries were sent to hell by Russian missiles, serving as a warning to any other rat bags.
India and Pakistan (small countries) are dealing with Russia. Saudi Arabia is now talking of trading oil in yuan. Game changer as they say.
Germany has a choice: end the US occupation and exploitation or go under. If Germany prefers nuclear war, that is ok too. The main thing is to turn the USA into the pariah state that it is.
How about laying off Chinese racist stereotypes? Russia is a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative. The next step is clear the South China Sea of the US 7th Fleet one way or the other. The USA is getting beaten in Ukraine. Hopefully, all mercenaries captured will end up in Siberian salt mines and all Nazis will end up pushing up daisies.
I hope the Chechens capture the aptly named Olena Semenyaka.
Since the vast majority of countries are siding with Ukraine, with the exception of China, Belarus, and a few small countries.
The comedian Zelensky is suing for peace as Russia opens the roads into Kiev. The dog Zelensky now admits Ukraine will never be in NATO. Several hundred mercenaries were sent to hell by Russian missiles, serving as a warning to any other rat bags.
India and Pakistan (small countries) are dealing with Russia. Saudi Arabia is now talking of trading oil in yuan. Game changer as they say.
Germany has a choice: end the US occupation and exploitation or go under. If Germany prefers nuclear war, that is ok too. The main thing is to turn the USA into the pariah state that it is.
How about laying off Chinese racist stereotypes? Russia is a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative. The next step is clear the South China Sea of the US 7th Fleet one way or the other. The USA is getting beaten in Ukraine. Hopefully, all mercenaries captured will end up in Siberian salt mines and all Nazis will end up pushing up daisies.
I hope the Chechens capture the aptly named Olena Semenyaka.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/15/china-does-not-want-to-be-impacted-by-russia-sanctions-fm
"China's foreign minister has told his Spanish counterpart his country does not want to be impacted by Western economic sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine last month, according to state media.
"China is not a party to the crisis, still less wants to be affected by the sanctions," Wang Yi said, according to a readout of a phone call with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares that was published on Tuesday".
China is walking a tightrope and, while they're happy to keep Russia on an IV drip, they're not going to sacrifice a single one of their interests for Putin.
Racist stereotypes? Really? Is that your new ad hominem tripe in view of the fact that some of your name calling posts got shitcanned? How is it racist to point out the reality that China is not shy about pressing an advantage when it has one? Speaking of racist, that's an apt description of the despicable terms the Russians imposed on the Chinese when they stole Chinese territory in the Amur Annexation. Is it racist to point out that China has a long memory? And is it racist to point out that, when China refers to its "Century of Humiliation," Russia was one of the offending countries? Payback is a beyotch and I'd love to see China turn the screws on Putin.
https://www.newsweek.com/china-exploit-western-ban-russian-energy-buy-cheap-oil-gas-bloomberg-1686332
"However, far from swooping in to prop up the Russian economy and cushion it against the sanctions, Bloomberg's report suggests China may seize the opportunity to increase Moscow's already hefty economic dependence on Beijing".
And thanks for bringing up the BRI, since that initiative is rife with corruption, de facto debt servitude to Beijing, and mounting opposition.
https://www.newsweek.com/china-exploit-western-ban-russian-energy-buy-cheap-oil-gas-bloomberg-1686332
But I sincerely hope you're right about Russia becoming an ever closer "partner" in BRI. I put that word in quotes because, while a true partnership denotes equality and equity, there is no scenario in which any future China-Russia interaction isn't going to be completely dominated by China. In fact, I recall recently running across the phrase "subjugated vassal state," which is a great description of where Russia is heading.
About other countries, many are walking the same tightrope as China, only on a smaller scale. India's a good example as they're also looking to benefit from bargain basement prices for Russian oil and resources.
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3170407/india-may-buy-discounted-russian-oil-and-commodities-say-officials
But self-interest, by any country, is a far cry from supporting Putin's actions. Even China is now calling it a war, and calling for an end to violence. The difference between tightrope-walking and true support is that, if and when the sanctions calculus changes, the tightrope-walkers won't hesitate to dial down or abandon their transactions with Russia.
Putin can certainly lob bombs and missiles, but he hasn't managed a single notable military achievement. In the meantime, depending on the analyst cited, he's lost anywhere from several thousands to 10,000+ troops, several of his generals, and a shitload of tanks and military vehicles. As I said before, his Plan A has utterly failed. If he wants to carpet bomb, or resort to chemical warfare or tactical nukes, then all bets are off. I don't have a crystal ball that tells the future, although obviously you think you've got it all figured out.
My gut feeling is that the regular military would balk at following an order to launch nukes, assuming Putin is insane enough to give such an order. I doubt that the officers in that particular chain of command want to see Moscow and Leningrad, among others, turned into (bring your own hazmat suit and skates) year-round skating rinks.
What's quite apparent is that Putin completely miscalculated in his assessment of Ukraine's resistance, and the West's response. Indisputable evidence of this is that he left somewhere between 40% to 50% of his central bank reserves in offshore deposits and denominated in dollars, euros, and yen. He's lost access to those funds when, had he not miscalculated, he could have moved the money back to Russia. But it's great, when you think about it, that the ruble has become the most colorful toilet paper in the world! A little scratchy, but war is hell, right?
Oh, and just because you love to repeat your wet-dreams about the US getting kicked out of Europe, or the South China Sea, doesn't make them even remotely true. I've already pointed out that the available evidence shows European countries moving toward the US and NATO, not the other way around. And, when it comes to the Pacific area, Australia has announced a significant expansion of their military and Japan is seriously discussing a nuclear-sharing arrangement with the US. I'm guessing both those items are causing some heartburn in the CCP and, when they look for a proximate cause, they see Putin, Putin, Putin.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/03/12/morr-m12.html
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Senior-Japanese-lawmakers-eye-nuclear-sharing-option-with-U.S
But go ahead and feel free to dream, if that's what floats your boat. And while you're at it go ahead and throw in a porn star or two. As for me, I'm happy to observe the evidentiary basis of things and to try to discern where that evidence points. Right now things aren't looking great for Russia, or Ukraine for that matter. It's a shit-show, that's for sure. But anyone who thinks Russia will emerge smelling like a rose is indulging in some Putinesque, Greater Russia, hallucinogenic trip.
I'm not convinced. First and only prior post was 1 year ago saying " Anyone here? What's the scene like?" and nothing more in the General Info for *Burma*. Next post he's already in trouble in Ukraine. No prior participation at all.I'm not buying it from the beginning something not adding up.
Mojo Bandit
03-16-22, 09:34
But go ahead and feel free to dream, if that's what floats your boat. And while you're at it go ahead and throw in a porn star or two. As for me, I'm happy to observe the evidentiary basis of things and to try to discern where that evidence points. Right now things aren't looking great for Russia, or Ukraine for that matter. It's a shit-show, that's for sure. But anyone who thinks Russia will emerge smelling like a rose is indulging in some Putinesque, Greater Russia, hallucinogenic trip.Here is an article where a former NATO Secretary-General recounts the efforts of NATO to partner with Russia. Demonstating how much BS Putin is spouting about NATO being such a threat.
https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-ukraine-nato-rasmussen-russia-interview/31749844.html
That blog post you linked in an earlier post about the inerdynamics of Russia was interesting. I had heard parts of that structure described by a Russian who's blog I was following a couple of years ago. The way they keep everyone poor so the "barons" look bad is sad. Use the country as their pinata and manage the propaganda to still look good themselves. I also believe what he is saying about Navalny, the west likes to put anyone on a pedestal that stands up to Putin. Yet in reality Navalny is still alive and even tweeting from Jail? Really? I liked Boris Nemtsov, but he should have been more careful and he should not have telegraphed his moves the way he did. He should have learned from Khodorkovsky's experience but even though Khodorkovsky only went to prison - Nemstov was shot down gangster style.
PedroMorales
03-16-22, 09:49
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBtvjsE4JQ&ab_channel=OxfordUnion
There is a smart American I am listening to now. The USA is a predatory country that has invaded China at least one. The Chinese have long memories.
Germany has allowed the USA sink Nordstream 2. Ukrainian immigration, caused by the USA arming Ukrainian Nazis, is going to give Western Europe all kinds of problems. Iraq wants the US invaders gone but the USA will not fuck off. Afghanistan has to rebuild after the USA raped it.
People like to quote Einstein saying the next world war will be fought with hatchets. Up close and personal. Think about that.
But go ahead and feel free to dream, if that's what floats your boat. And while you're at it go ahead and throw in a porn star or two. As for me, I'm happy to observe the evidentiary basis of things and to try to discern where that evidence points. Right now things aren't looking great for Russia, or Ukraine for that matter. It's a shit-show, that's for sure. But anyone who thinks Russia will emerge smelling like a rose is indulging in some Putinesque, Greater Russia, hallucinogenic trip.I don't do drugs. Russia is getting out of Ukraine what she wants. And British and American mercenaries got more than they bargained for. Enjoy Zelensky (worth $1.6 bn, not bad for a clown). Hopefully he will go back to his day time job in Florida strip clubs. I'll go back to Stone.
And thanks for bringing up the BRI, since that initiative is rife with corruption, de facto debt servitude to Beijing, and mounting opposition.
..............................................................
What's quite apparent is that Putin completely miscalculated in his assessment of Ukraine's resistance, and the West's response. Indisputable evidence of this is that he left somewhere between 40% to 50% of his central bank reserves in offshore deposits and denominated in dollars, euros, and yen. He's lost access to those funds when, had he not miscalculated, he could have moved the money back to Russia.I don't think a lot of people understand that the Belt and Road Initiative is just a lending program on steroids. Many of the recipient countries don't have the institutions and stability to attract private capital. Government lending direct or indirect to the third world has a terrible track record.
Many here are too young to remember the Latin America debt crisis of the 1980's. China thinks they can manage these investments better than previous efforts. The Chinese have already had to take control of "assets". Foreign control over physical assets always causes resentment. The "investments" can be a debt trap for third world countries.
As far as Russia's dollar and euro reserves, a few talking heads speculate that this could spell the demise of the dollar. This sort of analysis demonstrates a lack of understanding of global trade and economics. In order to run chronically large trade surpluses, a country (I. E. China, Russia, etc.) has to park their surpluses in a foreign reserve economy as opposed to spending it domestically or abroad in the way of imports. That country also doesn't want money flowing into their currency as this would also move through their economy as spending and result in imports. In other words, at this point in its economic development China does not want to invite money to flow in from abroad and held in Renminbi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBtvjsE4JQ&ab_channel=OxfordUnion
There is a smart American I am listening to now. The USA is a predatory country that has invaded China at least one. The Chinese have long memories.
Germany has allowed the USA sink Nordstream 2. Ukrainian immigration, caused by the USA arming Ukrainian Nazis, is going to give Western Europe all kinds of problems. Iraq wants the US invaders gone but the USA will not fuck off. Afghanistan has to rebuild after the USA raped it.
People like to quote Einstein saying the next world war will be fought with hatchets. Up close and personal. Think about that.
I don't do drugs. Russia is getting out of Ukraine what she wants. And British and American mercenaries got more than they bargained for. Enjoy Zelensky (worth $1.6 bn, not bad for a clown). Hopefully he will go back to his day time job in Florida strip clubs. I'll go back to Stone.It doesn't take much to find someone who agrees with you. A couple of minutes doing a web search should suffice. You could do a search of (insert name of country) doing bad shit, and you'd be rewarded with plenty of results. But, in the end, it's merely an exercise in confirmation bias and proves nothing.
One interesting thing I'm noticing about your responses is that you studiously avoid dealing with reality-based evidence. Instead, you deal out a steady stream of ad hominem attacks against a variety of targets. Whether it's Zelensky, the US, regular Ukrainians, or anyone who aligns with them like Germany, they're all interchangeable when it comes to your oppobrium.
A second way you avoid debating the evidence is by posting about fantasies and items of wishful thinking that have no basis in reality. You want the US out of Europe and the South China Sea, yet the clear evidence is that Putin's aggression has driven countries closer to the US in both those regions. You can't deal with that reality, hence you ignore it. Your other oft-repeated fantasy is that Putin's campaign is proceeding according to his plan. The available evidence completely contradicts that. Consider, as one example, that if it had been Putin's plan to resort primarily to bomb and missile strikes, he could have done that without using such a large invasion force. The available evidence indicates that the initial blitzkrieg-style operation bogged down and failed. What we're seeing now is the backup plan. Similarly, the available evidence shows that Putin seriously underestimated the resolve of the West when it came to sanctions. See my previous post re Russia's central bank reserves.
And yet a third way you have of avoiding reasoned debate is by playing a shell game in which you constantly change the focus. The latest example is your mention of Afghanistan, which you use to accuse the US while failing to mention Russia's bloody and brutal record in that country. I'm sure you're aware of that chapter, which means your lack of mention was intentional.
The reason I draw attention to your shuck-and-jive tactics is not because I think there's any chance you'll change. You're obviously a pro-Russia shill who isn't interested in anything but promoting Putin, his agenda, and attacking anyone that doesn't agree. No, the reason I point these things out is so other forum posters can take appropriate note of them.
Clearly a Russian troll.Tomasb,
There are also some anti-American, anti-West Marxists scattered about social media. They're taking up this Ukraine war to bash the USA And its Western allies again. They don't seem to realize Russia and China are now as far from Marxist as you can get.
Of course, politics makes strange bedfellows.
What we know for sure is that Ukraine will be a very different place when this is over.
HulaHoops has also been saying the Ukrainians now hate foreigners. That is a grave concern, if we ever return.
Even during the pandemic I started feeling that people have not been as friendly as they were before the pandemic in this provincial city I was living in, which has been bombarded by now.
I did hear from the former freebee girl. She's still in Kyiv and is saying that now is not time to get divorced as she doesn't have money. So she has to stay in Ukraine, as her husband is not allowed to leave the country.
It may be even safe to say party is over for us in Ukraine. On the other hand, the condition may be set for us in Russia if it goes back to the Soviet time. Who knows?
Neurosynth
03-17-22, 19:47
HulaHoops has also been saying the Ukrainians now hate foreigners. That is a grave concern, if we ever return.
Even during the pandemic I started feeling that people have not been as friendly as they were before the pandemic in this provincial city I was living in, which has been bombarded by now.
I did hear from the former freebee girl. She's still in Kyiv and is saying now is not time to get divorced, so she has to stay in Ukraine, as her husband is not allowed to leave the country.
It may be even safe to say party is over for us in Ukraine. On the other hand, the condition may be set for us in Russia if it goes back to the Soviet time. Who knows?HulaHoops is a fraud. The account was created with a single "what's up?" post a year ago and then nothing until a string of posts about being in Ukraine. Whether this was a sleeper account created by Russian paid trolls is a matter for speculation. It might just be an individual troll in need of attention.
HulaHoops is a fraud. The account was created with a single "what's up?" post a year ago and then nothing until a string of posts about being in Ukraine. Whether this was a sleeper account created by Russian paid trolls is a matter for speculation. It might just be an individual troll in need of attention.Total troll fake account, zero proof he's their and nothing to show, I wasn't believing it from the get go, sad! Anyone that is their going through it I hope finds a safe way home, talking about bad karma on him, stay safe!
Russia supplies the world with fertilizer for their crops they have sanctioned the US to not receive any until at least after December, the only thing that is crippling is this administration.So let them take their fertilizer and shove it up their collective asses. Let's see what that does for the value of the ruble.
Ukrainians are under attack and, while the primary object of hate is Putin (plus all his supporters and enablers), it's not surprising that they might feel varying levels of anger at those countries they think could and should be doing more to help.
The "No Fly Zone" is probably the best current example. It's perfectly rational and reasonable for NATO countries to point out how the imposition of a NFZ would escalate the situation and likely make things worse. But Ukrainians who've lost loved ones and seen their towns and cities reduced to rubble aren't feeling particularly reasonable, and their responses are (understandably) coming from an emotional place, not a rational one.
Such strength of feeling is likely to last a long time for many, perhaps even generations. While there will certainly be individual, and perhaps regional, variations, it's my guess the level of anger against non-aggressors will be highest against the stronger NATO countries, such as the US, UK, Germany, etc. That's simply a function of the fact that they have more power to help and, in the minds of many (most?) Ukrainians, have failed to do so or failed to do enough.
It's impossible to predict the future, and much depends on how long the war continues, and how it ends, but the country and its people have already been permanently scarred. Which means that it will be prudent for anyone visiting Ukraine to take that into account.I total not agree.
I'm still in Ukraine running supplies from west to central Ukrain.
Stayed in Central ukraine 150 Km west of Dnipro until 7 days ago, had to move more west due to the family.
But I'm still running supplies back and forth, and I not seen any negativity against me, more on the checkpost they like WTF why you still here.
Most people I speak with also understand why Nato just not can't close the sky, but the weapons that's coming in are helping.
Those who say this is a loosing battle have no clue about what's going on here on the ground, I don't say Ukraine will win yet, but they dint loose any SET yet if we can use tennis terms.
Total troll fake account, zero proof he's their and nothing to show, I wasn't believing it from the get go, sad! Anyone that is their going through it I hope finds a safe way home, talking about bad karma on him, stay safe!It is a little hard to believe that a foreigner currently stuck in Kiev, would make posting on ISG a priority. You think they would spend every waking moment trying to figure out how to head West and get the fuck out of the Ukraine.
Ukrainians are under attack and, while the primary object of hate is Putin (plus all his supporters and enablers), it's not surprising that they might feel varying levels of anger at those countries they think could and should be doing more to help.
The "No Fly Zone" is probably the best current example. It's perfectly rational and reasonable for NATO countries to point out how the imposition of a NFZ would escalate the situation and likely make things worse. But Ukrainians who've lost loved ones and seen their towns and cities reduced to rubble aren't feeling particularly reasonable, and their responses are (understandably) coming from an emotional place, not a rational one.
Such strength of feeling is likely to last a long time for many, perhaps even generations. While there will certainly be individual, and perhaps regional, variations, it's my guess the level of anger against non-aggressors will be highest against the stronger NATO countries, such as the US, UK, Germany, etc. That's simply a function of the fact that they have more power to help and, in the minds of many (most?) Ukrainians, have failed to do so or failed to do enough.
It's impossible to predict the future, and much depends on how long the war continues, and how it ends, but the country and its people have already been permanently scarred. Which means that it will be prudent for anyone visiting Ukraine to take that into account.Depending on the post-war peace that is negotiated, it is possible the West can help rebuild the Ukraine. I'm not sure Putin will tolerate this. Perhaps if the Ukraine agrees to be a neutral state. I certainly don't think this is what Putin envisioned when he invaded the Ukraine.
Neurosynth
03-17-22, 21:53
HulaHoops is a fraud. The account was created with a single "what's up?" post a year ago and then nothing until a string of posts about being in Ukraine. Whether this was a sleeper account created by Russian paid trolls is a matter for speculation. It might just be an individual troll in need of attention.
But his attempt to vilify the people of Ukraine, people who are supposedly keeping him alive even as the Russians are trying to kill him, is highly suspect at best.
Let's not give this guy what he wants.
Those who say this is a loosing battle have no clue about what's going on here on the ground, I don't say Ukraine will win yet, but they dint loose any SET yet if we can use tennis terms.Sadly, we can't go back to love-love. I don't think Putin knows what this word means.
Who knows what the future will hold. What we know for sure is that Ukraine will be a very different place when this is over.
I don't know how my post below ended up in the other "Stupid Shit" thread:
HulaHoops has also been saying the Ukrainians now hate foreigners. That is a grave concern, if we ever return.
Even during the pandemic I started feeling that people have not been as friendly as they were before the pandemic in this provincial city I was living in, which has been bombarded by now.
I did hear from the former freebee girl. She's still in Kyiv and is saying that now is not time to get divorced as she doesn't have money. So she has to stay in Ukraine, as her husband is not allowed to leave the country.
It may be even safe to say party is over for us in Ukraine. On the other hand, the condition may be set for us in Russia if it goes back to the Soviet time. Who knows?
Neurosynth
03-17-22, 22:19
…
HulaHoops has also been saying the Ukrainians now hate foreigners…Which is exactly the kind of thing a Russian troll would say.
Neurosynth
03-17-22, 23:48
So I went back to reread HulaHoop's supposed posts from Kyiv. Here are some things I noticed.
He first started posting (other than the single post a year ago) on 2/25. On that very first day he started to allege that Ukrainians hate foreigners.
He uses the Russian version "Kiev" rather than the Ukrainian version "Kyiv". (But that may just be an age thing I suppose.).
He emphasizes that he and his friends are all white more than once.
He reports Russian tanks on the streets of Kiev. Has that happened yet, let alone on 2/25?
In virtually every post he says the locals hate foreigners because their home countries have not come to the aid of Ukraine.
On 3/3 he says "I've never been in a place that's racist to white people before. ".
On 3/4 he shifts from warning other mongers to warning would be volunteers, with a dose of defeatism: "To any foreign volunteer: do not believe the Ukrainian propaganda! The military situation in Ukraine is dire, the media will have you think that Ukraine is winning. That is not the case whatsoever! Please be careful. ".
Is this beyond a reasonable doubt evidence? No. But I’ve noted that today HulaHoop has remained logged in for hours at a time. That, and all of the above, sounds more like a troll than a guy in his 60’s thinking that now was the time to go fishing in Ukraine. With a bunch of friends who agreed no less.
I total not agree.
I'm still in Ukraine running supplies from west to central Ukrain.
Stayed in Central ukraine 150 Km west of Dnipro until 7 days ago, had to move more west due to the family.
But I'm still running supplies back and forth, and I not seen any negativity against me, more on the checkpost they like WTF why you still here.
Most people I speak with also understand why Nato just not can't close the sky, but the weapons that's coming in are helping.
Those who say this is a loosing battle have no clue about what's going on here on the ground, I don't say Ukraine will win yet, but they dint loose any SET yet if we can use tennis terms.After reading some expressions of concern about possible anti-foreigner sentiment, I thought it was worth pointing out how extreme stress can affect people. My hope was to promote a level of patience and understanding for anyone who might have a negative encounter.
I'm very glad to hear about your positive experiences and I fervently hope and pray for your continued safety. You didn't mention your country of origin but, from your writing style (please correct me if I'm wrong) I'm guessing it's not the US or UK, which is one of the variable factors I discussed in my post. You also mentioned two other things: family and the fact that you're helping out by transporting supplies. I'm guessing that people with significant ties to Ukraine, like family connections, speaking the language, residing in the country, helping in the war effort (and similar), are going to be viewed differently. Again, I'm happy to hear about your positive experience. Long may it continue!
BTW, I completely agree with your assessment of Putin's non-progress. This is a war of attrition and the longer Ukraine holds out (with NATO's help) the more the pressure on Putin mounts. I have no crystal ball for the future, but what's clear thus far is that Russia's initial plan has failed and Russia has become a pariah state.
https://mobile.twitter.com/kamilkazani/status/1504103672019513345
A bit long, but worth a read, IMO. The author makes the point that Russia's mismanagement of areas it's controlled, such as Crimea and Donbass, has had a negative effect on pro-Russia attitudes.
Those who have lived in Ukraine can validate, or refute, from their personal knowledge. It's beyond my experience, but it does make for an interesting hypothesis as to why cities like Kharkiv are strongly resisting, rather than welcoming Russia.
Russia supplies the world with fertilizer for their crops they have sanctioned the US to not receive any until at least after December, the only thing that is crippling is this administration.No single sanction, by or against Russia, is likely to be the definitive and final blow. I'm not a farmer but it won't surprise me if they figure out alternatives, even if those are significantly more expensive.
What matters is the totality of the sanctions regime and which side can hold out longer. Russia is getting some assistance from China, although the Chinese are walking a tightrope and I've read mixed reports of their helpfulness. A few other countries haven't completely cut off Russia but nobody (including China) wants to risk getting caught up in the West's anti-Russia sanctions campaign.
What I don't think gets enough attention is the extraordinary number of private companies that have abandoned Russia, or are refusing to do business with it. How long will Russian planes be able to fly domestically without support and maintenance from Boeing and Airbus? I recently read that one Russian aviation official was fired after he let it slip that China was refusing to supply aircraft parts. But the point is that there are literally hundreds and thousands of variables, with each sanction triggering attempts to evade. It's literally a "Death of a Thousand Cuts" strategy by each side.
Hard, if not impossible, to make a prediction, IMO. My gut feeling, and that's all it is, is that Russia is more isolated and therefore more vulnerable. But sanctions aren't the whole story because, the more pressure Putin feels, the more dangerous he could become.
Mojo Bandit
03-18-22, 03:48
https://mobile.twitter.com/kamilkazani/status/1504103672019513345
A bit long, but worth a read, IMO. The author makes the point that Russia's mismanagement of areas it's controlled, such as Crimea and Donbass, has had a negative effect on pro-Russia attitudes.
Those who have lived in Ukraine can validate, or refute, from their personal knowledge. It's beyond my experience, but it does make for an interesting hypothesis as to why cities like Kharkiv are strongly resisting, rather than welcoming Russia.Just want to say thanks again. The links you post like the one in this post have some real insight. I remember reading after the annexing of Crimea how Russian judges replaced Ukrainian judges in the court and Ukranians began being stripped of their businesses and property by a system of kleptocracy. Which means Putin was a war criminal even before he invaded Ukraine.
https://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/putin-prohibits-ukrainians-from-owning-land-in-crimea/
https://khpg.org/en/1608809377
https://mobile.twitter.com/kamilkazani/status/1504103672019513345
A bit long, but worth a read, IMO. The author makes the point that Russia's mismanagement of areas it's controlled, such as Crimea and Donbass, has had a negative effect on pro-Russia attitudes.
Those who have lived in Ukraine can validate, or refute, from their personal knowledge. It's beyond my experience, but it does make for an interesting hypothesis as to why cities like Kharkiv are strongly resisting, rather than welcoming Russia.It was interesting and tragic to see what Russification has brought to Crimea and the Eastern Ukraine.
I read further on the author's views on challenging Russia to break Putin's continue cycle of scaling up conflict. I have a couple issues with his views. First, the author's comparison to Nazi Germany is fallacious. The Russian military in 2022 is not as effective as Nazi Germany was relative to 1939. Second, NATO has always pursued a policy of containment and avoiding direct conflict. The policy worked until the corrupt and oppressive Soviet system crumbled from its own ineffectiveness.
One might say the invasion of the Ukraine is a brazen move. We however had Soviet violent invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. NATO stood by and let the Soviets bully and dominate their neighbors. Unfortunately, I don't think the United States and NATO can be the policemen of the world. It also appears China is not interested in working with the Western alliance in preserving global peace.
The Warsaw pact countries led by The Evil Empire invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968,occupied it for few months, set up a puppet government, then withdrew their armies.
The rest is now history, But how does the Czech Republic now stand in world rankings?
'The Czech Republic Among the 20 Happiest Countries In The World'. https://www.praguemorning.cz/the-czech-republic-among-the-20-happiest-countries-in-the-world/.
https://kafkadesk.org/2019/10/02/czech-republic-ranked-in-worlds-top-10-best-countries-for-expats/The Czech&Slovak people didn't resist, Dubceck didn't ask Nato to intervene, Nato didn't intervene.
Now in March 2022 https://www.praguemorning.cz/world-happiness-report-.
2022/ text=Share%20 via%3 A,of%20 Happiness%20 on%20 March%2020.
The Czech&Slovak people didn't resist, Dubceck didn't ask Nato to intervene, Nato didn't intervene.
Now in March 2022 https://www.praguemorning.cz/world-happiness-report-.
2022/ text=Share%20 via%3 A,of%20 Happiness%20 on%20 March%2020.So, when the Soviet Union (aided by Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria) removed the Dubcek government in 1968, it was essentially an internal matter between Warsaw Pact countries. Seen in a Cold War context (and with the US involved in Vietnam) how likely was it that NATO would intervene? Answer, not very.
Fast forward to today: the USSR and Warsaw Pact are defunct, the Czech Republic is firmly ensconced in the bosom of the West AND is now a member of NATO. Therefore, in looking at the totality of historical events, I would argue that Czech happiness is a direct result of no longer being under the Soviet yoke, or being chained by the Warsaw Pact, and being able to freely run their own country.
Also, given what we're now seeing in Ukraine, I'm thinking that Czech happiness is even more enhanced by the security they feel under the NATO umbrella. I wonder if anyone has done a recent opinion poll (among Czechs) re favorable vs unfavorable sentiment toward NATO? I'd love to see the results.
It was interesting and tragic to see what Russification has brought to Crimea and the Eastern Ukraine.
I read further on the author's views on challenging Russia to break Putin's continue cycle of scaling up conflict. I have a couple issues with his views. First, the author's comparison to Nazi Germany is fallacious. The Russian military in 2022 is not as effective as Nazi Germany was relative to 1939. Second, NATO has always pursued a policy of containment and avoiding direct conflict. The policy worked until the corrupt and oppressive Soviet system crumbled from its own ineffectiveness.
One might say the invasion of the Ukraine is a brazen move. We however had Soviet violent invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. NATO stood by and let the Soviets bully and dominate their neighbors. Unfortunately, I don't think the United States and NATO can be the policemen of the world. It also appears China is not interested in working with the Western alliance in preserving global peace.Since the Twitter user I linked to is a historian, it's not surprising he uses historical comparisons. But, as the saying goes about history rhyming but not repeating, there will always be elements that don't fully match.
It's my sense that the author views appeasement as something to be avoided because it will only feed the beast (as with WW-II and Hitler). We don't know how Putin will respond, but we know he views the West as weak and therefore anything less than a strong response is likely to fail. Lots of room for debate, that's for sure, but that's the gist of the author's argument.
You're certainly correct about 1939 German forces vs Russian forces now. Although it seems 2022 Russia had a high estimate of their own capabilities, especially in comparison to their low estimate of Ukraine's. Putin obviously didn't have an accurate and objective assessment, or things would have been done differently. He's had a reality check now, but he clearly believed in Russia's overwhelming military superiority. Hitler made a similar miscalculation when he launched Operation Barbarossa.
About Hungary and Czechoslovakia, both were charter members of the Warsaw Pact. This was in the 1950's and 60's. So, in a Cold War context, Soviet control and suppression of their satellite states, while being publicly and diplomatically condemned, would also have been viewed as internal to the Soviet Bloc. USSR-controlled territory was theirs to command and the West wasn't going to change that.
That's a far cry from today's situation. The USSR has dissolved and former Soviet Bloc countries have mostly gone their own way. Putin is now pursuing an expansionary campaign in a way the Cold War Soviets were not. At least one facet of his scheme appears to be a partial reconstruction of the Soviet era sphere of control, except now using the rationale of uniting ethnic Russians in a New (and Greater) Russia. Both Hungary and the Czech Republic are now NATO members and I doubt either country wants to turn back the clock. I'm not sure mid-20th Century Cold War circumstances are directly analogous here. Again, those tricky historical parallels may not fully apply.
One further problem with the Ukraine situation is that (IMO) it's a mistake to think Putin won't use any victory, or concessions, as license to pursue future aggressive expansions. Why would he hesitate to declare "de-Nazification" campaigns in the Baltics or elsewhere? And Greater Russia surely can't be denied a land corridor to Kaliningrad, right?
That's why the Twitter author takes a strong stand against appeasement. And, after considering the pros and cons of the matter, I tend to agree. How that plays out in a practical sense remains to be seen. But I don't see any indications that Putin will voluntarily stop.
Neurosynth
03-19-22, 06:32
Nuclear weapons changed everything. The game theory part is difficult enough, but the assumption of rational actors is itself irrational.
Nobody posting here knows what Putin's health is like. He might be going mad. And if he is, no amount of history will matter. He gets a nuclear holocaust if he wants one. We are not in control.
But if we do survive, I hope we will finally realize nukes have to be negotiated down and then eliminated. That will be harder than ever, now that the world has seen how third rate the Russian army is.
PedroMorales
03-19-22, 08:52
Prague's beauty is because the Wehrmacht did not destroy it in 1945. Prague has always been at the heart of Western / Central Europe. Lower Bohemia is where the Wars of the Reformation were fight, with 33% fatalities.
Prague has recently been colonized by flotsam, Americans in the main, pricing Czechs out of the market. It is a major centre of off kinds of shtt.
The 1914-45 European Civil War is over. It is time for the USA to pack up and fuck off back home to continue their manifest destiny of slaughtering the Natives and locking up Blacks.
Russia will bring Clown Zelensky and his Azov death squads to heel.
So, when the Soviet Union (aided by Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria) removed the Dubcek government in 1968, it was essentially an internal matter between Warsaw Pact countries. Seen in a Cold War context (and with the US involved in Vietnam) how likely was it that NATO would intervene? Answer, not very.
Fast forward to today: the USSR and Warsaw Pact are defunct, the Czech Republic is firmly ensconced in the bosom of the West AND is now a member of NATO. Therefore, in looking at the totality of historical events, I would argue that Czech happiness is a direct result of no longer being under the Soviet yoke, or being chained by the Warsaw Pact, and being able to freely run their own country.
Also, given what we're now seeing in Ukraine, I'm thinking that Czech happiness is even more enhanced by the security they feel under the NATO umbrella. I wonder if anyone has done a recent opinion poll (among Czechs) re favorable vs unfavorable sentiment toward NATO? I'd love to see the results.
Either there is some serious scapegoating going on, or the reality is that Putin was led astray by FSB's Ukraine's division. Hence the unexpected (for Putin) outcome of the invasion. Be that either way, it's good news for Ukraine.
Neurosynth's observations about HulaHoop's posts seem valid enough. There was a strong sense of a joke.
Whizzing through so many sources and channels to see what the Future hold for Ukraine, I found this very interesting Article on Ukraine, and I am afraid it doesn't sound like a promising Future for the Brave and Lovely People of this Unfortunate country being destroyed.
https://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/ceasefire-agreement-may-come-too-late-for-ukraine/
"Ceasefire agreement may come too late for Ukraine.
To avoid the appearance of failure, Russia may agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine only after ensuring it has turned the country into Syria's identical twin. "
About the writer of the Article, a Wiki search shows what A a Beauty With Brains Born in Moscow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksenia_Svetlova
A bit long, but worth a read, IMO. The author makes the point that Russia's mismanagement of areas it's controlled, such as Crimea and Donbass, has had a negative effect on pro-Russia attitudes.Thank you for the link.
Before this war, I made 3 statements to friends--I guess my predictions. I think I am right with 2 out of 3.
1st: There is no way in hell Russia will invade Ukraine--it just doesn't make any sense. I got this one wrong (2nd: If Russia invades Ukraine, the Ukrainians will fight like hell, and they will be better than anyone thinks they will be.
3rd: If Russia invades Ukraine, they will lose any pro-Russian sentiment they have forever. Instead of gaining an ally, they will make a steadfast enemy.
DramaFree11
03-19-22, 17:29
Yes. Thank you for the link.
Before this war, I made 3 statements to friends--I guess my predictions. I think I am right with 2 out of 3.
1st: There is no way in hell Russia will invade Ukraine--it just doesn't make any sense. I got this one wrong (2nd: If Russia invades Ukraine, the Ukrainians will fight like hell, and they will be better than anyone thinks they will be.
3rd: If Russia invades Ukraine, they will lose any pro-Russian sentiment they have forever. Instead of gaining an ally, they will make a steadfast enemy.
Nobody, could have ever predicted this outcome, but the longer it goes on nobody wins. There will be nothing will be left of Ukraine, Russia will be broke and isolated. The rest of the world's economy will be greatly weakened or worse.
Prague's beauty is because the Wehrmacht did not destroy it in 1945. Prague has always been at the heart of Western / Central Europe. Lower Bohemia is where the Wars of the Reformation were fight, with 33% fatalities.
Prague has recently been colonized by flotsam, Americans in the main, pricing Czechs out of the market. It is a major centre of off kinds of shtt.
The 1914-45 European Civil War is over. It is time for the USA to pack up and fuck off back home to continue their manifest destiny of slaughtering the Natives and locking up Blacks.
Russia will bring Clown Zelensky and his Azov death squads to heel.Bosnia-Herzegovina and Georgia are already in the queue to join NATO, Sweden and Finland are having serious discussions to that end, and I fully expect more countries to follow suit. And, regardless of how many countries formally join NATO, it's a veritable certainty that the number of US troops in Europe will increase, and probably new bases established. Oh, and I don't see any member countries moving to leave the alliance (not Czechia, not anyone).
Putin may have the ability to destroy much of Ukraine, but he's simultaneously flushed the future of Russia down the toilet. Sanctions will last for years, if not decades. There's already a been a brain-drain going on that is likely to continue, if not increase, as young Russians confront the limited prospects of an isolated country. And let's all sit back and watch how long it takes "good friend" China to start tightening the screws on their newly acquired vassal state. I'm getting the popcorn ready now!
Once again it's clearly evident that your fantasies are irrelevant and that reality is firmly pointing in a direction that is guaranteed to make your head 'splode. Putin has strengthened the West, NATO, and the US, in a way that would never have happened had he not invaded. Sposibo bolshoye, Vlad!
P.S. I have no illusions about Ukraine. All their future paths are varying levels of dismal for years to come. But Russia, instead of playing the longer and more patient game (like China), gambled it all and is now staring into the abyss.
Hello all,
Not much to report. It seems we will be leaving Kyiv to the border. We've paid a local to help us with transportation as I've mentioned before.
I had a long post written up as to proving my validity however it didn't get posted for some reason. Ah well.
As I have said before I have no reason to mislead or lie to others. If you let me know any pictures of landmarks in Kyiv you want me to post, I will take a picture and write my name on a piece of paper to prove my validity and that I'm actually in Ukraine.
As for the poster who is also in Ukraine. I don't have the PM facility.
Will every foreigner that comes to Ukraine get attacked? Of course not. We came at a specifically ridiculous and emotionally tense time. I hope other foreigners come to Ukraine and post their reports. If they disagree with my reports that's fine, they just had a different experience. The more reports on the forum the better.
I'm not a troll. If there's anything you want me to do, pictures you want me to take, phone calls or whatever. Please let me know and I will take them. As me and my group are leaving Ukraine, this or early next week. I'm not apprehensive anymore about exposing my identity.
As for me being online, I leave my laptop turned on almost 24/7 while I do other stuff. Plus please also accommodate that when I make a post, it doesn't show instantly but must be approved by admin before it is shown on the board.
Hope that's ok.
PedroMorales
03-20-22, 14:05
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Georgia are already in the queue to join NATO, Sweden and Finland are having serious discussions to that end, and I fully expect more countries to follow suit. And, regardless of how many countries formally join NATO, it's a veritable certainty that the number of US troops in Europe will increase, and probably new bases established. Oh, and I don't see any member countries moving to leave the alliance (not Czechia, not anyone)..Tell me something I don't know. Zelensky, a clown by profession, addresses the Israeli Parliament today. No doubt some Mossad hack will write his speech, just as MI5 wrote his Churchillian speech for the seals in Westminster.
Hopefully, Russia will shut him and his C18 and Azov Nazi pals forever soon.
The USA is the root of all evil, as millions of dead Vietnamese, Afghans and Iraqis could have testified had Uncle Sam not murdered them. (Ukraine helped the genocide in Iraq).
Europe has to get rid of its collaborators and strike deals with Russia and China and treat Americans at all levels as the jerks that they are.
There is a lot of disquiet that is hard to direct when Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, the Bolshoi, Yuri Gagarin, Russia cats, dogs and trees are banned. We have been down this road before in 1914. The EU and USA both run on them pty tanks. That is their weakness. Hopefully this time Uncle Sam will pay.
If Russia invades Ukraine, they will lose any pro-Russian sentiment they have forever. Instead of gaining an ally, they will make a steadfast enemy.It seems that Russian political ineptitude has fortified the Ukrainian identity and its concept of sovereignty. Crimea and Donbas might even have lost their affinity for Russia.
On the other side, we will have to see how the Russian public views the bloody and costly foray into the Ukraine. This war is clearly not Georgia, Moldova or Crimea. The economic fallout is also something the Russian people have not had to realize from Putin's previous military actions.
Sanctions will last for years, if not decades. There's already a been a brain-drain going on that is likely to continue, if not increase, as young Russians confront the limited prospects of an isolated country.Not exactly what you are talking about, but I wonder if Russian servers will be cut off from the internet. Could Russian hackers be shut out of the World Wide Web or extremely limited?
This is a laymen's question. I would guess that there would be workarounds through neutral countries' servers.
Tell me something I don't know.My previous post had, as its central theme, the increasing influence of the US and NATO in Europe. Since you've not only failed to refute, but also affirmatively conceded the point, the argument has been conclusively won (by me).
Zelensky, a clown by professionSpeaking of argumentation, your penchant for ad hominem, whether directed against Zelensky or any who disagree with you, powerfully manifests both the weakness of your position and your lack of ability to effectively defend it.
As a fun thought-experiment, I wonder how you'd describe Putin if you weren't such a sycophant? Would you dwell on his short stature? Some reports list him at 165 cm (5'5") and mention that he uses lifts in shoes. Would you derisively observe that his height deficit makes it deliciously appropriate to wonder whether he suffers from a Napoleon Complex? If so, you'd be perfectly justified in pointing out that his need for macho demonstrations, like riding shirtless on horseback, is evidence of that. Then, for an encore, would you indulge in some hilarious comments about how such overcompensation mechanisms are often indicative of someone having a male "package" that is less than adequate?
Was poor Little Vlad teased and hazed in the KGB locker room? Maybe his friends could tell us? Oh, wait, anyone who teased him has probably been exterminated by now, and anyone left alive knows better than to talk.
Yessiree, I'm betting you'd have quite a field day with Little Vlad, if you ever decided to switch allegiances! He's such a juicy target for your ad hominem barbs, don't you think?
The USA is the root of all evilYeah, I'm sure that's your first thought in the morning and your last thought at night. I wonder if that attitude is shared by those who lost loved ones to Mao's Cultural Revolution (deaths estimated as high as 20 million)? Or, even more appropriately since Ukraine is our current focus, those who were victims of Stalin's Holodomor (deaths estimated as high as 7 million)?
It's heartening to see that, while your bias is intractable, the vast majority of Europe has clearly rejected Putinism (the new Stalinism) in favor of the Western model. And that model, for the foreseeable future, includes increased influence in Europe for the US and NATO.
Europe has to get rid of its collaborators
Hopefully, Russia
Hopefully this time Uncle SamAh, yes! No post of yours would be complete without referencing your (futile) hopes and (desperate) dreams! Too bad for you that all the weight of reality and evidence is heading in the other direction, namely a deeper and more extensive collaboration between Europe and the US.
"Ceasefire agreement may come too late for Ukraine.
To avoid the appearance of failure, Russia may agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine only after ensuring it has turned the country into Syria's identical twin. "I've thought the same, because the strategy to wreck Ukraine's economics could have been a sure way to prevent it from becoming a member of the EU. But we'll see how the EU will react to this, if it's seen as a purposeful act. If there is need for low-paid workforce in Europe, that could support the acceptance of membership.
Mojo Bandit
03-21-22, 09:08
Yes. Thank you for the link.
If Russia invades Ukraine, the Ukrainians will fight like hell, and they will be better than anyone thinks they will be.
I have had a profound respect for the Ukrainian people's spirit to fight for their freedom since 2013.
If anyone had been paying attention in 2013 and 2014 when their corrupt president betrayed them and they rose up and protested and the more protesters they killed and kidnapped the more people showed up to protest and fight.
This documentary "Winter on Fire" captured this perfectly. This was them fighting when they had no guns and the people they were fight did have guns. That takes some balls. The video starts dark but just for a few seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzNxLzFfR5w
Neurosynth
03-21-22, 10:20
...I had a long post written up as to proving my validity however it didn't get posted for some reason. Ah well.
.Please post a wide shot outdoors with a Ukrainian flag in the background, and you in the foreground. Or the classic picture where you are holding a local dated newspaper up would be a good one.
Neurosynth
03-21-22, 10:31
My previous post had, as its central theme, the increasing influence of the US and NATO in Europe. Since you've not only failed to refute, but also affirmatively conceded the point, the argument has been conclusively won (by me).…
Thank you! Well said! Salut!
He doesn't need to show his face FFS, the wide shot, and hand showing HulaHoops, ISG and date will be fine.
Please post a wide shot outdoors with a Ukrainian flag in the background, and you in the foreground. Or the classic picture where you are holding a local dated newspaper up would be a good one.
Tell me something I don't know. Zelensky, a clown ....This guy is totally unhinged and removed from reality.
This guy is totally unhinged and removed from reality.So best to just ignore "Evo" versus wasting valuable time on him.
PedroMorales
03-21-22, 14:16
My previous post had, as its central theme, the increasing influence of the US and NATO in Europe. Since you've not only failed to refute, but also affirmatively conceded the point, the argument has been conclusively won (by me).Americans like to win. The LA Olympics was the best ever, no competition. There is emerging competition in Ukraine in the form of Russian ordnance. Most of Asia, the Lev ant (which the US destroyed) and Africa (which the US rape) are watching, many wondering if Americans will be turned on the way Germans were after 1945.
I have not bothered reading your essay as there is no point. American expansionism is being blocked in Ukraine. That is the first necessary but not sufficient condition. Western Europe is going to take a massive hit because of US / NATO meddling. "Putin" can only be blamed so long.
I have has a productive day so far today and intend to stay on this winning track. No time to squander wrestling with American and their Fox News / CNN / Coca cola injections.
Hello all,
Not much to report. It seems we will be leaving Kyiv to the border. We've paid a local to help us with transportation as I've mentioned before.
I had a long post written up as to proving my validity however it didn't get posted for some reason. Ah well.
As I have said before I have no reason to mislead or lie to others. If you let me know any pictures of landmarks in Kyiv you want me to post, I will take a picture and write my name on a piece of paper to prove my validity and that I'm actually in Ukraine.
As for the poster who is also in Ukraine. I don't have the PM facility.
Will every foreigner that comes to Ukraine get attacked? Of course not. We came at a specifically ridiculous and emotionally tense time. I hope other foreigners come to Ukraine and post their reports. If they disagree with my reports that's fine, they just had a different experience. The more reports on the forum the better..I'll try take a picture somewhat close to the motherland monument. I won't post my face, I will write my name on a piece of paper.
Sun begins to set around 6 pm here in Kyiv so I will do it during the afternoon for maximum sunlight.
When I mention exposing my identity, I mean showing proof that I am actually in Kyiv. I cannot show my face as I am sure you all understand.
Kyiv is going into a curfew Tuesday evening, I will try to get it done before then.
Please also accommodate that it takes about a day or two after posting before my posts show here. Because of my low post count.
Americans like to win. The LA Olympics was the best ever, no competition. There is emerging competition in Ukraine in the form of Russian ordnance. Most of Asia, the Lev ant (which the US destroyed) and Africa (which the US rape) are watching, many wondering if Americans will be turned on the way Germans were after 1945.
I have not bothered reading your essay as there is no point. American expansionism is being blocked in Ukraine. That is the first necessary but not sufficient condition. Western Europe is going to take a massive hit because of US / NATO meddling. "Putin" can only be blamed so long.
I have has a productive day so far today and intend to stay on this winning track. No time to squander wrestling with American and their Fox News / CNN / Coca cola injections.Two classic ways of trying to avoid admitting defeat:
1. Change the subject (box checked).
2. Abandon the original argument (box checked).
It must be your worst nightmare that your pathetic ad hominems keep getting pummeled by simple logic and argumentation. Just like it must be Putin's worst nightmare that he's exposed just how weak his military is. As I've posted previously, Ukraine's future will not be an easy one, but Russia's future is in the shitter.
Russia already had a demographic problem, with low birthrates among ethnic Russians. Now they've isolated themselves and tens (hundreds?) of thousands of the youngest, brightest, and best, are leaving. Will that be offset by people emigrating into Russia? Not very likely, given current conditions, except maybe a few Syrians who have it even worse in their own country.
No matter what the outcome of the war, win, lose, or draw, Russia is well and truly fucked. And Putin is solely responsible. The rest of the world already knows all this. Putin's big problem will be when the chickens of awareness come home to roost.
Starts in 45 minutes. Will take pictures on Wednesday.
Americans like to win. The LA Olympics was the best ever, no competition. I have has a productive day so far today and intend to stay on this winning track. No time to squander wrestling with American and their Fox News / CNN / Coca cola injections.Speaking of injections, Russians like to win too, and will go to great lengths to do so by cheating, such as by injecting their athletes with banned substances. So much so that Russia can't even participate in the Olympics as a nation anymore! Rather, doped up Russian athletes must participate under the flag of the "Russian Olympic Commitee": https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/russian-athletes-competing-roc-olympics/story?id=79069924. And even then, a Ruskie still does not learn a lesson and tries to get away with cheating: https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/winter-olympics-explaining-the-kamila-valieva-doping-scandal-that-is-clouding-the-russian-figure-skater/.. The only thing a Ruskie understands is strength. Peace through strength! War (and continued Ruskie cheating) through weakness! Sorry, but I could not ignore such "low hanging fruit".
I have had a profound respect for the Ukrainian people's spirit to fight for their freedom since 2013.
If anyone had been paying attention in 2013 and 2014 when their corrupt president betrayed them and they rose up and protested and the more protesters they killed and kidnapped the more people showed up to protest and fight. They had their freedom and then more and more fascistic elements and more and more western psyops and weapons showed up abetting a coup until the 'spirit of freedom?' was held hostage to extreme nationalism which has led to the present situation.
Neurosynth
03-21-22, 22:43
I'll try take a picture somewhat close to the motherland monument. I won't post my face, I will write my name on a piece of paper.And while you are at it perhaps you can explain what this means and why it's relevant here:
"I've never been in a place that's racist to white people before. ".
Starts in 45 minutes. Will take pictures on Wednesday.So not one pic since you been their? If so be careful no body sees you, hmmmm stay safe.
So not one pic since you been their? If so be careful no body sees you, hmmmm stay safe.I apologise, we haven't taken any pictures. It just hasn't been our main focus since we've been here. I will make an effort on Wednesday to take a picture close to the motherland monument.
In regards to the statement: "I've never been in a place that's racist to white people before."
I am more relaxed and logical now. Basically because I know I will be leaving Kyiv soon and I admit the statement above was an over emotional one.
I realize now that it's not fair whatsoever to judge people based on how they behave during wartime. I understand perfectly now that during wartime, the native civilians are given priority.
At the time I made the statement, I was extremely stressed and not sleeping well whatsoever. As I have said before we made the wrong decision to come here.
That particular statement came from some situations my group and I experienced.
1. One situation was when we went to purchase some items / seek assistance and we were ignored / brushed aside, while Ukrainians were given preferential treatment.
Looking back at the situation now, I am not angry. In wartime, native civilians are given priority. Maybe if we were able to speak Ukrainian, the situation might have been different. However I am not angry whatsoever.
2. An argument with some older Ukrainian men that did become a bit heated / a little physical.
Reflecting on this situation, these men were angry and looking for someone to blame. There were no lasting injuries and as I said before, it's not right for me to judge the actions of people during wartime. They were just jealous that we are able to leave the country and they are forced to stay.
The situations above are outliers but at the time I wrote the post, they were very distressing and it seemed that people were angry.
Are most Ukrainians like the people above? No. Most are just doing their best to stay sane and calm during this crazy period. They just want to go back to their normal lives and for the Russians to leave.
The young man who is helping us. He is going above and beyond for us. He got us resources, translated and has been our guide. He is helping us to leave Ukraine and for that we are paying him a great amount. He has become our friend and even introduced us to his extended family. When we do leave, we are determined to keep in contact with him and he has mentioned that we will always be welcome to stay with him.
My earlier posts are a bit emotional to be honest. All people are going to act differently when their country is being bombed, attacked and they are at war. Especially in the early days of war. If my country was being invaded and attacked, my first priority would be ensuring the safety of my family and those around me. I won't care about anyone else outside of that circle. I will repeat again, it wasn't right for me to judge the actions of people during wartime.
I do admit it saddened me to be called a troll and a liar. I however understand what would make you guys think that. I am a lurker, I read and don't contribute. However I will change that, I will start posting more and contributing value to the forums. I have been to Ukraine many times and this website has been a great resource, Kyiv is a wonderful place as I am sure we all know. Once wartime is over, I am sure things will go back to normal. As long as the Russians don't shell everything to dust.
They had their freedom and then more and more fascistic elements and more and more western psyops and weapons showed up abetting a coup until the 'spirit of freedom?' was held hostage to extreme nationalism which has led to the present situation.By no means am I looking at Ukraine with rose-colored glasses, but it's quite interesting to see criticism of Ukraine for having nationalist elements while completely glossing over the existence of the same phenomenon in Russia. Here are a few comments and observations to consider:
1. Interview of Nikita Khrushchev's great-granddaughter in which she calls out Putin for his poisonous nationalism. And, while she's not shy about criticizing Ukraine, the US, and the West, she's crystal clear about Putin bearing sole responsibility for the war.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/nina-khrushcheva-on-putins-poisonous-nationalism-and-a-new-new-russia
2. Russia and Putin have their own history of cultivating nationalist and Neo-Nazi groups. Which means that Putin's pointing the finger at Ukraine is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.
https://theconversation.com/putins-fascists-the-russian-states-long-history-of-cultivating-homegrown-neo-nazis-178535
3. The concept of Russkiy Mir, which imbues Russian nationalism with a religious component and fervor. Russkiy Mir (my take) elevates nationalist desires into a crusade in which Russia has both the calling and the God-given right to unite and rule over Greater Russia.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/03/21/russia-ukraine-putin-kirill/
Western and Russian psyops have been going at each other since at least the Cold War. And, even assuming a worst-case scenario of Ukraine applying to join both NATO and the EU, those processes would have taken years, even if those organizations were favorably disposed. I'm no expert but, as I understand it, unanimous votes are required to admit new members. I can think of at least two (Germany and Hungary) that would very likely cast a negative vote.
Before Putin decided to invade, he was in a position of strength and had "soft power" in high degree. He could have chosen any number of paths but chose this one. Nobody forced his hand. Now he and Russia are royally screwed because, no matter how the war turns out, Russia will be a pariah state for years, if not decades.
Here is a 'beauty', an illustration to all clueless w mongers who have no idea about the conflict.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrMwaRzeLJI
Reiner Otto
03-22-22, 06:02
Russia already had a demographic problem, with low birthrates among ethnic Russians. Now they've isolated themselves and tens (hundreds?) of thousands of the youngest, brightest, and best, are leaving. Unfortunately, you will be right. Being a "Putin Fan" until annex of Crimea, having lived and worked several years in SPb, and several years in the South of UA, I still remember the brain-drain around year 2000, when, because of commercial issues, lot of very smart guys left their countries. I had an acquaintance, former Prof. of CS at SPb-State University, when starting his job in Redmond, with $icrosoft, he told me: 50% of my collegues here speak Russian.
And a lot of the "Russian Beauties" left to the West, too.
I appreciated it.
Looks, like history will repeat. Unless, Putler will be replaced, soon.
Mojo Bandit
03-22-22, 11:58
They had their freedom and then more and more fascistic elements and more and more western psyops and weapons showed up abetting a coup until the 'spirit of freedom?' was held hostage to extreme nationalism which has led to the present situation."western psyops and weapons showed up abetting a coup" - How delusional. The fact that the whole situation was public knowledge that the Ukranians did not want to be part of a pathetic Russian economic zone is just common sense. How pathetic is the russian economy! Choosing between russias pathetic 1. 5 trillion fiefdom and a 20 trillion free economy is common sense to anyone who is not delusional.
No sane human being would choose to be part of sadly ran economy that squanders resources on an epic scale and that could create wealth and oppurtunity for everyone but only rewards butt lickers instead of entrepreneurs. Russian does not have an economy. Cronyism where a handful of people are billionaires and everyone else is poor is not an economy. These are the facts.
Russia has more natural resources than any other country in Europe. It should therefor have the largest economy and most oppurtunity as any country in Europe. But hell no. Russia has ten times as many people and yet fewer millionaires than Belgium. Its a fucking economic joke. Russia economic management is the laughing stock of the world. No one needs to use psy ops to get someone to change their mind when its common sense.
I can see that some people do not respond to reason so they must live in a bubble of propaganda - I shall mute all such from here forward
PedroMorales
03-22-22, 14:52
Two classic ways of trying to avoid admitting defeat:
1. Change the subject (box checked).
2. Abandon the original argument (box checked).I am not wasting my time arguing with you as you are not worth it. I am not going to go through your posts to see if the contrary is true, that you are some Henry Kissinger type into mongering.
Speaking of injections, Russians like to win too, and will go to great lengths to do so by cheating.In the Rambo movie, where Rambo beat the Rooskie, Rambo was jacked up. Lance Armstrong?
And banning Russian Paralympians? That is so sick Americans and the councils they control are.
No sport in politics, as it alludes to Israel, who shoot soccer players to mutilate them.
You are American, today's equivalent of a 1945 German Nazi. The moral high ground is not for oyu.
Here is a 'beauty', an illustration to all clueless w mongers who have no idea about the conflict.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrMwaRzeLJIThat fine gentleman is the Mayor of Kiev, is he not? No doubt, he would like some of the swingers here.
Unfortunately, you will be right. Being a "Putin Fan" until annex of Crimea, having lived and worked several years in SPb, and several years in the South of UA, I still remember the brain-drain around year 2000, when, because of commercial issues, lot of very smart guys left their countries. I had an acquaintance, former Prof. of CS at SPb-State University, when starting his job in Redmond, with $icrosoft, he told me: 50% of my collegues here speak Russian.
And a lot of the "Russian Beauties" left to the West, too.
I appreciated it.
Looks, like history will repeat. Unless, Putler will be replaced, soon.You are simply an American mercenary. Crimea has always been Russian, bar a short period when Khrushchev, a Ukrainian lumped it into Ukraine, where Lenin also dumped Donbass and Luhansk to satisfy Ukrainians.
You stick to calling Putin names. The emigration you speak of is part of the American exploitative way. The solution is to kick the USA out of Europe. Hopefully, Russia will soon move things up a few gears. Not a good time to be a Nazi in Mariupol.
They had their freedom and then more and more fascistic elements and more and more western psyops and weapons showed up abetting a coup until the 'spirit of freedom?' was held hostage to extreme nationalism which has led to the present situation.If Putin has such a great case for invading the Ukraine, why has he shut down private media outlets and speech? Shutting down speech and dissent generally means your message is garbage. One thing I can say factually is that the West is still openly discussing and debating the Ukraine war and whether it could it have been abetted. Not every commentator agrees that we should be promoting the Ukrainian resistance. So where are you going to find the best information? From Putin's controlled media or Western media?
Kharkiv in the Eastern Ukraine was suppose to be a pro-Russian city. Why hasn't Kharkiv's Russian sympathies materialized?
Many of us really try to remain objective and not be overly influenced by media. However, there are certain facts that we string together to come to our own conclusions.
In the Rambo movie, where Rambo beat the Rooskie, Rambo was jacked up.As was stated. Totally unhinged and removed from reality. Buh bye!
I am not wasting my time arguing with you as you are not worth it. I am not going to go through your posts to see if the contrary is trueYou can try to ignore facts and evidence, but reality keeps rising up to slap you in the face.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/nina-khrushcheva-on-putins-poisonous-nationalism-and-a-new-new-russia
https://theconversation.com/putins-fascists-the-russian-states-long-history-of-cultivating-homegrown-neo-nazis-178535
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/03/21/russia-ukraine-putin-kirill/
Putin is absolutely the worst possible kind of Nazi, because he exploits racism and nationalism and religious fanaticism.
Oh, and I really don't give a shit if you don't read my posts. It makes little difference since you live in your Putin butt-licking fantasy world. My main reason for posting is simply to stomp all over your putrid ideology and expose its poisonous nature for all to see.
I am all against war! For whatever reason it is.
However I can't resist on one thing, the freedom of search of Western Media. The first thing Western policy has done is to Ban all Russian media!
RT is not available anywhere in Europe!! Oops!! We can say its biased! But why is the West / US afraid of the Russian Media!
In short, the west want the people to know only what they want us to know!!
Why I think so? We only need to think about 'Julian Assange', that is more than enough for us to know how the media works, if its in US, west or in Russia!
US just used Ukraine to poke Putin! And Ukraine is going to be another Syria / Afghanistan, and what not!!
Its business (for US)!! Nothing to do with freedom!!
Politicians are supposed to find political solution considering the life of their own people.
If you see press confress my Ukrainian president some 6 weeks ago, you will know, where this was going.
If Putin has such a great case for invading the Ukraine, why has he shut down private media outlets and speech? Shutting down speech and dissent generally means your message is garbage. One thing I can say factually is that the West is still openly discussing and debating the Ukraine war and whether it could it have been abetted. Not every commentator agrees that we should be promoting the Ukrainian resistance. So where are you going to find the best information? From Putin's controlled media or Western media?
Kharkiv in the Eastern Ukraine was suppose to be a pro-Russian city. Why hasn't Kharkiv's Russian sympathies materialized?
Many of us really try to remain objective and not be overly influenced by media. However, there are certain facts that we string together to come to our own conclusions.
PhotoSlider
03-22-22, 23:16
IMO the following analysis by Neurosynth provides the sufficient and convincing proof that HH is yet another example of lying lowly life on our Forum. Too much attention paid to him.
Read carefully, and continue no further. Let's forget about the hating trolls, begging for attention here, and not deserving any.
So I went back to reread HulaHoop's supposed posts from Kyiv. Here are some things I noticed.
He first started posting (other than the single post a year ago) on 2/25. On that very first day he started to allege that Ukrainians hate foreigners.
He uses the Russian version "Kiev" rather than the Ukrainian version "Kyiv". (But that may just be an age thing I suppose.).
He emphasizes that he and his friends are all white more than once.
He reports Russian tanks on the streets of Kiev. Has that happened yet, let alone on 2/25?
In virtually every post he says the locals hate foreigners because their home countries have not come to the aid of Ukraine..
Mojo Bandit
03-22-22, 23:17
Hopefully, Russia will soon move things up a few gears. You should be careful what you wish for. Russian has most likely seen over 7000 Russian soldiers killed over a three week period. Every military expert in the world that has weighed in says that Russia has lost at least that many. So when you say Russia will move things up a few gears do you mean they should get even more Russian soldiers killed? Russia is saturating the battlefield as it is, they cannot send more troops they can only get more troops killed Putin is having to recruit outside of Russia. Widely reported.
I guess it does not matter to you how many Russian soldiers die for a war they did not ask for. If only Russians like yourself had as much respect for the people fighting for your country. Apparently Russians like yourself are all about serving the master, a slave menatlity at best. No desire for liberty. How sad.
This situation is going very bad for Russia. That is more troops killed than the USA lost in both Iraq and Afghanistan over a twenty year period. No respect for the Russian soldier and no respect for the mothers who are losing their son to mad power designs of a dictator.
My favorite is the first one it is a video of Russians themselves demanding answers about why their Russian sons have become cannon fodder. Then the Russian soldiers themselves explaining that they are cannon fodder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIw4kiZDmQ4
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/22/ukraine-russia-invasion-live-updates/7123227001/
https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/02/ukraine-russian-prisoners-of-war-say-theyre-sent-as-cannon-fodder-16201609/
I am all against war! For whatever reason it is.
However I can't resist on one thing, the freedom of search of Western Media. The first thing Western policy has done is to Ban all Russian media!
RT is not available anywhere in Europe!! Oops!! We can say its biased! But why is the West / US afraid of the Russian Media!
In short, the west want the people to know only what they want us to know!!
Why I think so? We only need to think about 'Julian Assange', that is more than enough for us to know how the media works, if its in US, west or in Russia!
US just used Ukraine to poke Putin! And Ukraine is going to be another Syria / Afghanistan, and what not!!
Its business (for US)!! Nothing to do with freedom!..No matter what people cite as "provocations" (US influence, or other), Putin had options that didn't include invasion, bombing cities to rubble, or displacing and killing civilians.
Most Western countries, especially those in Western Europe, have (correctly, IMO) branded Putin as the aggressor. That doesn't mean Ukraine and Zelensky were saints. It just means that Putin decided to start the fight and threw the first punch. And it's also relevant that Russia is the bigger country, with a larger military, which makes them look like a bully, which is even worse in the eyes of the world. Ukraine was never realistically a threat and even hypothetical future US or NATO membership was years away under the best scenario. And, as I posted previously, Russia had sympathetic countries in Europe, such as Germany and Hungary, that could have vetoed any membership bids.
This is important in any discussion of media because Putin is most definitely seen as the villain by those countries that have banned RT. Also, since the Kremlin has enacted laws that have resulted in the closure or suspension of independent Russian media outlets, it's pretty obvious that any still in operation had better conform to the official govt narrative, or else.
Countries that view Putin as the villain-aggressor are not adopting a neutral stance. They're levying a variety of sanctions on Russia, including revoking the license of RT, which they believe to be nothing more than Putin's mouthpiece.
It's also relevant to note that media companies who left Russia weren't directed to do so by their home countries. They left voluntarily, mostly because of a very reasonable fear of the new "disinformation" laws in Russia.
I'm guessing you can find an RT feed if you try hard enough. But nothing requires Western European countries to be neutral, which is why most are helping Ukraine and shunning Russia.
The poster with a handle Pedro Morales is not Russian. Brain drain, horrors of war, humanitarian disaster are all valid points, however whether most of you are uninformed, misinformed or don't have a clue about culture, history, land, language, origin of this conflict, current situation, I don't know. Please educate yourselves. Ask yourselves if you've got a relative, friend, colleague or a lover there, and when you start loosing sleep over daily news, then come and report.
When everything will be over you all will be welcome back, no hard feelings. I don't plan to convince anyone here to change opinions or alienate anyone.
Ask yourselves if you've got a relative, friend, colleague or a lover there, and when you start loosing sleep over daily news, then come Or if you're Khazarian. Anybody from that cohort ought to feel entitled to say anything they want, anytime they want, just like they do elsewhere, without have to endure your self-appointed moderation.
most of you are uninformed, misinformed or don't have a clue about culture, history, land, language, origin of this conflictAre you Ukrainian? Do you currently live, or have you previously lived in Ukraine? Do you have some relevant specialized experience or knowledge that others don't have?
You obviously feel you have a higher degree of understanding than others. That may indeed be the case IF you have the credentials to back it up. If you'd care to share, I'm sure everyone would give them due consideration.
In looking at your posting history, most of your recent (2021) interests have been in South America and the Caribbean, not Europe or Ukraine. Again, I'm certainly open to considering what credentials you might have that differentiate you from the average ISG poster, but it's up to you to share them.
Reiner Otto
03-23-22, 08:39
Crimea has always been Russian, bar a short period when Khrushchev, a Ukrainian lumped it into Ukraine, where Lenin also dumped Donbass and Luhansk to satisfy Ukrainians.
And? Whats done, is done.
Looks like, you and Putler do not care about contracts or agreements. Only good to break them, obviously.
Like the "Budapest Memorandum", https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280401fbb.
In which also Russia confirmed UAs borders. But Putler feels free, to break this agreement. Like Adolf Hitler did, with Stalin.
So, Putler is in good Nazi tradition.
Hitler brought back the "Sudentenland" back into the "Reich". Like Putler trying to do now with (parts of) UA.
Good old Nazi tradition, again.
The difference is, that the "to be liberated" population even in Eastern UA, which is very based on Russia, is fighting their "liberators".
Something, Putler did _not_ expect.
PedroMorales
03-23-22, 09:20
You are most likely a moron.
You mock Putin, whose father fought the Nazis but you use a nazi name.
Crimea is Russia.
USA should get out of Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, New Mexico, California and that is for starters.
You have no clue as to what is happening in Ukraine because you have no access to uncensored news. Facebook allows hatred of Russians (community guideline) and praise of Nazis like the Azovs, because they are killing Russian speakers.
Go back sitting on your dildo, Weiner.
And? Whats done, is done.
Looks like, you and Putler do not care about contracts or agreements. Only good to break them, obviously.
Like the "Budapest Memorandum", https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280401fbb.
In which also Russia confirmed UAs borders. But Putler feels free, to break this agreement. Like Adolf Hitler did, with Stalin.
So, Putler is in good Nazi tradition.
Hitler brought back the "Sudentenland" back into the "Reich". Like Putler trying to do now with (parts of) UA.
Good old Nazi tradition, again..
Lance Armstrong?Comparing what Lance Armstrong did to what the nation state of Russia has been caught doing is beyond lame. Lance Armstrong does not stand for an entire, nationalized program of cheating. He represents only himself. This is why there is no ban placed upon the Americans by the International (not American) Olympic Committee. We my compete under our flag. On the other hand the Russian Olympic Committee, and all of the Ruskie athletes who must now compete under its own corrupt flag, is the current standing representative of an entire, nationalized, banned Russian doping program, which actually continues to this very day. Did anybody really think that just because we now have the "Russian Olympic Committee" that somehow the Kremlin-backed and encouraged cheating would cease? Hahaha!
I'm guessing you can find an RT feed if you try hard enough. But nothing requires Western European countries to be neutral, which is why most are helping Ukraine and shunning Russia.Good response. Western Europe (and the USA) is not even trying to feign neutrality.
Furthermore, shutting down RT is not a violation of free speech. Free speech is almost entirely the right of a sovereign country's citizens. This right is certainly not extended to a Russian state-owned media outlet. On the other hand, Americans and most Europeans are free to say and publish any opinion on the Ukraine. Russians are clearly not.
One only has to look at the extensive attention recently given to John Mearsheimer's (University of Chicago Professor) opinions on the Ukraine in various Western media outlets. One might conclude he is a Putin propagandist. However in a very real and pragmatic way. Mearsheimer believes that the West has to allow Russia to dominate and keep the Ukraine in the Russian sphere of influence. He is just one of many commentators opining that the West should avoid getting deeper into the Ukrainian conflict.
https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2022/03/john-mearsheimer-and-the-dark-origins-of-realism
Is this shitty for the Ukrainians? Of course it is. Is this real sovereignty for the Ukraine? Of course not. This might be described as "realpolitik" as the West must back away some from unflinching support for democracy and human rights in certain parts of the world. This doesn't mean Putin is right. Or that he is not evil. Or that the Russian people would not be better off without Putin and his cronies. Realpolitik will likely be practiced as we enter a second Cold War that hopefully is short and evades armed conflict around the globe.
So do our pro-Russian friends understand that we are hearing all sorts of opinions in the West? Hearing them doesn't mean we have to agree with these opinions.
Social media is kind of a haven for pointless analogies and comparisons.
PhotoSlider
03-23-22, 16:58
Before the "always Russian", Crimea was Turkish, and Mongolian, and Scythian.
Through the course of history, parts of Crimea were also Genoese, Volga Khazar, Greek, and more.
Russia simply didn't exist during some of those "always" times.
Nazi invasion in 2014 didn't make it Russian, not again, not always. According to the current international law, that invasion made the Crimea an Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by the terrorist force from Russia.
BTW, take a look at the huge uptick in local real estate postings there. FSB and army moving out their families back to the motherland. As a result Putler issued a new decree preventing the exodus, as he needs more cannon fodder and hostages. He obviously doesn't care about human life, including the serfs of his own country.
And? What's done, is done.
Looks like, you and Putler do not care about contracts or agreements. Only good to break them, obviously.
Like the "Budapest Memorandum", https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280401fbb.
In which also Russia confirmed UAs borders. But Putler feels free, to break this agreement. Like Adolf Hitler did, with Stalin.
So, Putler is in good Nazi tradition.
Hitler brought back the "Sudentenland" back into the "Reich". Like Putler trying to do now with (parts of) UA.
Good old Nazi tradition, again..
Good response. Western Europe (and the USA) is not even trying to feign neutrality.
Furthermore, shutting down RT is not a violation of free speech. Free speech is almost entirely the right of a sovereign country's citizens. This right is certainly not extended to a Russian state-owned media outlet. On the other hand, Americans and most Europeans are free to say and publish any opinion on the Ukraine. Russians are clearly not.
One only has to look at the extensive attention recently given to John Mearsheimer's (University of Chicago Professor) opinions on the Ukraine in various Western media outlets. One might conclude he is a Putin propagandist. However in a very real and pragmatic way. Mearsheimer believes that the West has to allow Russia to dominate and keep the Ukraine in the Russian sphere of influence. He is just one of many commentators opining that the West should avoid getting deeper into the Ukrainian conflict..Here's an excellent, recent academic response to Mearsheimer.
https://newrepublic.com/article/165603/carlson-russia-ukraine-imperialism-nato
"Leftists in particular may think, when criticizing NATO expansion, that they are correcting their own or fellow citizens' biases as citizens of an imperial power that has often acted in bad faith. They may think they are adequately acknowledging this fraught legacy by focusing their critique on what they perceive to be Western expansionism. But they in fact perpetuate imperial wrongs when they continue to deny non-Western countries and their citizens agency in geopolitics. Paradoxically, the problem with American exceptionalism is that even those who challenge its foundational tenets and heap scorn on American militarism often end up recreating American exceptionalism by centering the United States in their analyses of international relations. It is, in Gregory Afinogenov's words, a 'form of provincialism that sees only the United States and its allies as primary actors. ' Speaking about Eastern Europe and Eastern Europeans without listening to local voices or trying to understand the region's complexity is a colonial projection."
Translation? The USSR fell, largely due to their own failures and inadequacies. A number of former countries from that sphere tasted freedom, enjoyed it, then asked for economic integration and protection from tyrants. Ignoring their agency while demonizing NATO is slanted analysis. Also, Russia nor anyone else tells us who can and cannot join NATO. This is decided by a consensus of the members, and Russia and any other country is also welcome to apply.
Furthermore Putin isn't concerned about NATO per se but of a large, thriving democracy operating on his border. That's a threat to his antiquated worldview, as well as to his autocratic power. The largely "westernized" youth of his country represent the same threat, but those are just quickly beaten up, then sent home or jailed.
That said we at the moment are doing both what is right and pragmatic. We are supporting the Ukrainians in defending themselves while calling out war criminals, while crippling the Russian economy, and all while avoiding direct conflict with a nuclear power. Any less projects weakness which is the wrong strategy with someone like Putin.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/23/anatoly-chubais-senior-kremlin-official-resigns
Before getting into a discussion of this event's significance, if anyone takes exception to the "sinking ship" characterization, I would simply point out that it doesn't matter what you or I think, it only matters what Chubais thinks. As someone who's been in or around senior levels of govt for quite a while, he's obviously in a better position to know than anyone in this forum.
It's also noteworthy that previous Russian military "special operations," including prior incursions into Ukraine, never triggered such a response. Why now? My personal theory is that never has Russia faced such a severe and united backlash. And that Chubais is savvy enough to know that Russia faces a dim future for years to come. In other words, the ship may have suffered blows in the past, but it wasn't in danger of sinking the way it is now.
I haven't done a deep dive into his personal history, but he's described as having been an advisor to Putin. To me that means, at a minimum, that he was acceptable to Putin's circle of insiders and also seen as loyal and non-threatening. To have someone like that not only resign, but also leave the country, has got to be sending a few shockwaves through govt circles and potentially through the public at large.
It'll be interesting to see how the Kremlin handles this over the next few days. Will Chubais be portrayed as one of the "traitors and scum," or will the reaction be relatively low key? So far all I've seen is an acknowledgement that Chubais stepped down "on his own accord," without further comment.
One intriguing question is whether Chubais had an exit plan already laid out, or whether something changed recently that convinced him he needed to get out of Dodge ASAP? I'm leaning toward the former theory, as anyone with money and resources would be foolish not to have a full set of contingency plans.
It's a certainty that no official or media discussions that dwell on the negatives will be allowed. But I'll be keeping an eye out for signals of any possible ripple effects. If other prominent figures feel that the exit door might be slamming shut, who knows how they'll react? Interesting times!
https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2022/03/john-mearsheimer-and-the-dark-origins-of-realism
Is this shitty for the Ukrainians? Of course it is. Is this real sovereignty for the Ukraine? Of course not. This might be described as "realpolitik" as the West must back away some from unflinching support for democracy and human rights in certain parts of the world. This doesn't mean Putin is right. Or that he is not evil. Or that the Russian people would not be better off without Putin and his cronies. Realpolitik will likely be practiced as we enter a second Cold War that hopefully is short and evades armed conflict around the globe.
So do our pro-Russian friends understand that we are hearing all sorts of opinions in the West? Hearing them doesn't mean we have to agree with these opinions.
Social media is kind of a haven for pointless analogies and comparisons.Forgot to repost your link, but it's fair to say that Mearsheimer goes further than your analysis, as he places blame for Putin at the feet of NATO. That's neither pragmatic (real politik) or real for the reasons stated in my prior post. And as to you saying that the West needs to back away from "unflinching support for democracy and human rights in certain parts of the world," well it's impossible for us to back away from a place we've never been. "Unflinching" support" would mean direct military intervention in Ukraine, where nukes off the table we'd mop up Russia in short order. We've never had any plans to do that, but we are projecting strength which is important when dealing with war criminals like Putin. We have the world's largest military and economy, and we set the terms, not Putin. He can use nukes assuming the order is carried out, but that's suicide. The more pressure that is put on him the greater the chances his own people will remove him. He's not only bad for the world but for them as well.
Mojo Bandit
03-24-22, 12:02
I am all against war! For whatever reason it is.
However I can't resist on one thing, the freedom of search of Western Media. The first thing Western policy has done is to Ban all Russian media!
RT is not available anywhere in Europe!! Oops!! We can say its biased! But why is the West / US afraid of the Russian Media!
Why I think so? We only need to think about 'Julian Assange', that is more than enough for us to know how the media works, if its in US, west or in Russia!
US just used Ukraine to poke Putin!
Politicians are supposed to find political solution considering the life of their own people.
If you see press confress my Ukrainian president some 6 weeks ago, you will know, where this was going.You need to understand that this is not me arguing with you. This is me explainging to you the way things are to you. You should think of this as a learning oppurtunity. So if you respond to this post with the same delusional drivel as your propaganda above stinks of I will not respond, I will simply realize that my intervention has failed.
Are you here to make us laugh? I do not think that Ukranians believe that being Putin's slaves is a "political solution". Putin started the war and yet you put the burden on Ukraine, that is not even in the same universe as reality. Putin wants to end their freedom. They did not "poke Putin". That is just repeating the propaganda. All Ukraine did was exercise their freedom. Putin hates freedom. I suppose you hate freedom too. You do not even seem to grasp what freedom is. There is probably no way to expalin it to you since you do not value it. I pity the ones with a slave morality. The free world admires Ukraine becuase they choose to fight rather than be slaves. Anyone repeating the Russian propaganda either does not understand what freedom is or they do not respect it because they have a slave mentality.
RT is still available in the USA. You must be a Russian troll since you just repeat all the same lies that are being echoed there. You are either being dishonest or you believe what you are saying in which case that reflects a slave mentality. Other than the horrific acts of brutalizing Ukraine what is being revealed is the lack of respect people seem to have for your fellow Russians. Ukranians are dying by the thousands and it is really sad to see that Russians have no respect for their young men who had signed up to fight for their country. Thousands of Russian soldiers are dying. Even by the most conservative estimates more Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine than American and allies soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Iraq combined over a twenty year period.
The fact that you repeat what the Russian propaganda machine has spit out means you do not realize that Russia does not have a media. There would be no point in trying to rationally explain to you how a "free press" works. It would be no point in explaining you that in the west Jouranalism is a profession, there are standards and ethics that many follow, not all but many do and if you have a free mind you know how to find them. In Russia they had some of those but they have all been shut down and only the propaganda remains. Russia now only has a propaganda machine. That is not media. When you say "the west want the people to know only what they want us to know! You are delusional. You have obvisouly never lived in a free society and watched time after time as the government takes on the press in courts and loses, something in the west that someone with a slave mentality can never understand. The fact that the press reported everything that Julian Assange reported should be proof enough to you that the western press is free.
Forgot to repost your link, but it's fair to say that Mearsheimer goes further than your analysis, as he places blame for Putin at the feet of NATO. That's neither pragmatic (real politik) or real for the reasons stated in my prior post. And as to you saying that the West needs to back away from "unflinching support for democracy and human rights in certain parts of the world," well it's impossible for us to back away from a place we've never been. "Unflinching" support" would mean direct military intervention in Ukraine, where nukes off the table we'd mop up Russia in short order. We've never had any plans to do that, but we are projecting strength which is important when dealing with war criminals like Putin. We have the world's largest military and economy, and we set the terms, not Putin. He can use nukes assuming the order is carried out, but that's suicide. The more pressure that is put on him the greater the chances his own people will remove him. He's not only bad for the world but for them as well.I do not share Mearsheimer's views on the Ukraine. I used it as an example of the multiple viewpoints that are circulating Western media. I've heard some Fox News commentators have been criticized for not wanting to getting further involved in the Ukraine war. I heard a business commentator saying isolating the Russian economy was self-defeating. Anyway, the point is that the West has a myriad of media perspectives because we have freedom of speech.
I think Mearsheimer's POV is important to consider though. It harks back to the Cold War struggle between the USA And Soviet Union. For several reasons, this is not a great global struggle between two superpowers with opposing ideologies. However, the Russian nuclear arsenal makes for some of the same strategy considerations. Already, we have this tentative (as you point out) physical support for the Ukraine. How much can the West support the Ukraine without provoking Russia? Ground-based anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons are okay, but Polish MiG's are not. Putin has the diabolic advantage of what we use to joke about with Reagan in the 1980's. He is a crazy, motherfucker and you don't know how he will react.
To paraphrase the late Senator John McCain, Russia is a gas station with a pissed off, violent gas station attendant masquerading as a country.
As far as "realpolitik", Russia cannot project its power as far off and as extensively as the Soviets. However, we are already seeing realpolitik in play. It seems the USA Wants to speed up a reconciliation with Iran and get their oil back into Western petroleum markets. The USA Likely backs off criticizing Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Mideastern countries for human rights. The USA Is already dancing with India's Modi.
"Leftists in particular may think, when criticizing NATO expansion, that they are correcting their own or fellow citizens' biases as citizens of an imperial power that has often acted in bad faith. They may think they are adequately acknowledging this fraught legacy by focusing their critique on what they perceive to be Western expansionism. But they in fact perpetuate imperial wrongs when they continue to deny non-Western countries and their citizens agency in geopolitics. Paradoxically, the problem with American exceptionalism is that even those who challenge its foundational tenets and heap scorn on American militarism often end up recreating American exceptionalism by centering the United States in their analyses of international relations. It is, in Gregory Afinogenov's words, a 'form of provincialism that sees only the United States and its allies as primary actors. ' Speaking about Eastern Europe and Eastern Europeans without listening to local voices or trying to understand the region's complexity is a colonial projection."
Translation? The USSR fell, largely due to their own failures and inadequacies. A number of former countries from that sphere tasted freedom, enjoyed it, then asked for economic integration and protection from tyrants. Ignoring their agency while demonizing NATO is slanted analysis.I agree that it is erroneous thinking to believe the Ukraine is a matter to be decided by the USA / NATO vis-a-vis Russia. The Ukrainians have agency and as a sovereign nation should have self-determination.
I think people forget that the Ukrainians quickly and overwhelmingly pursued independence after the Soviet Union dissolved.
Per Wikipedia:
"Voters were asked "Do you support the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine?" The text of the Declaration was included as a preamble to the question. The referendum was called by the Parliament of Ukraine to confirm the Act of Independence, which was adopted by the Parliament on 24 August 1991. Citizens of Ukraine expressed overwhelming support for independence. In the referendum, 31,891,742 registered voters (or 84.18% of the electorate) took part, and among them 28,804,071 (or 92.3%) voted "Yes.""
After approximately 250 plus years of Russian domination and control, the Ukrainians amazingly maintained their identity and never really warmed to Russia. The Czars and then the Soviets fucked up the development of all the empire from brutal oppression and mismanagement.
It's the 1939 Winter War all over again, which saw tiny Finland stop the mighty Russian aggressor, inflicting heavy losses and humiliation upon the Ruskie bear:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War
The difference is, that the "to be liberated" population even in Eastern UA, which is very based on Russia, is fighting their "liberators".Free men fighting slaves.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/23/anatoly-chubais-senior-kremlin-official-resigns
Before getting into a discussion of this event's significance, if anyone takes exception to the "sinking ship" characterization, I would simply point out that it doesn't matter what you or I think, it only matters what Chubais thinks. As someone who's been in or around senior levels of govt for quite a while, he's obviously in a better position to know than anyone in this forum.
It's also noteworthy that previous Russian military "special operations," including prior incursions into Ukraine, never triggered such a response. Why now? My personal theory is that never has Russia faced such a severe and united backlash. And that Chubais is savvy enough to know that Russia faces a dim future for years to come. In other words, the ship may have suffered blows in the past, but it wasn't in danger of sinking the way it is now.
I haven't done a deep dive into his personal history, but he's described as having been an advisor to Putin. To me that means, at a minimum, that he was acceptable to Putin's circle of insiders and also seen as loyal and non-threatening. To have someone like that not only resign, but also leave the country, has got to be sending a few shockwaves through govt circles and potentially through the public at large.
It'll be interesting to see how the Kremlin handles this over the next few days. Will Chubais be portrayed as one of the "traitors and scum," or will the reaction be relatively low key? So far all I've seen is an acknowledgement that Chubais stepped down "on his own accord," without further comment.
One intriguing question is whether Chubais had an exit plan already laid out, or whether something changed recently that convinced him he needed to get out of Dodge ASAP? I'm leaning toward the former theory, as anyone with money and resources would be foolish not to have a full set of contingency plans.
It's a certainty that no official or media discussions that dwell on the negatives will be allowed. But I'll be keeping an eye out for signals of any possible ripple effects. If other prominent figures feel that the exit door might be slamming shut, who knows how they'll react? Interesting times!Chubais was more than an "advisor" to Putin. Chubais is one of the main creators of Putin. His cast a decisive vote (allegedly) when a small group of Russian oligarchs made Putin a heir apparent to Boris Yeltsin back in 1997.
Having said that, I wouldn't read too much into Chubais' "defection". I've read that 300,000 Russians have fled the country in the last month alone, so you don't have to be sly Chubais to know that Russia is poison right now, and this is not going to change any time soon, no matter what they do (or don't do) next.
You are most likely a moron.
You mock Putin, whose father fought the Nazis but you use a nazi name.
"Most likely"? Wow! You're giving him a benefit of a doubt, ain't you a prince!
Well, I'm not a prince, so I'll give it to you straight. You ARE a moron.
Who gives a fuck that Putin's father fought the Nazis? Of course he fought the Nazis, every man in the USSR fought the Nazis. How does it absolve his homicidal son?
Imbecile!
"Most likely"? Wow...
...Imbecile!I refer you to my previous summary regarding Comrade Morales, which is now known as "The Vindici Code" LOL.
This guy is totally unhinged and removed from reality.
PedroMorales
03-30-22, 13:38
I refer you to my previous summary regarding Comrade Morales, which is now known as "The Vindici Code" LOL.Like X Partan or whatever the dog's name is, you are an American simpleton. His job here is to litter stupid shit and American Women / Politics threads with his cliches. Guess what. Russia is winning in Ukraine. The Nazis is Mariupol have been vanquished. The Russian / Chinese alliance is strong and all you have is Zelensky, a transvestite clown (look up the videos) who got to act as a President in a TV show and now gets to act the part.
Anyone in Europe paying attention. A small percentage in any country. Sees what is going on. Four million Ukrainian women and children off loaded on us, inflation, unemployment etc. As Europe impales itself, a big reaction is brewing. The American tank is running on empty and soon the bill falls due.
One more thing, you moron. Russia is not a Communist country though the CP, not that Pussy Riot American shill, are the main opposition.
To repeat: you are American and therefore stupid. Look up the futility of arguing with fools.
Like X Partan or whatever the dog's name is, you are an American simpleton. His job here is to litter stupid shit and American Women / Politics threads with his cliches. Guess what. Russia is winning in Ukraine. The Nazis is Mariupol have been vanquished. The Russian / Chinese alliance is strong and all you have is Zelensky, a transvestite clown (look up the videos) who got to act as a President in a TV show and now gets to act the part.
Anyone in Europe paying attention. A small percentage in any country. Sees what is going on. Four million Ukrainian women and children off loaded on us, inflation, unemployment etc. As Europe impales itself, a big reaction is brewing. The American tank is running on empty and soon the bill falls due.
One more thing, you moron. Russia is not a Communist country though the CP, not that Pussy Riot American shill, are the main opposition.
To repeat: you are American and therefore stupid. Look up the futility of arguing with fools.Pedro,
If you are a Russian, I pray for your country.
If you are an Islamist, I pray for your women.
If you are a Marxist, that ship sailed a long time ago. Today's Russia isn't anywhere close to being Marxist.
Look up the futility of arguing with fools.I could not agree more.
Chubais was more than an "advisor" to Putin. Chubais is one of the main creators of Putin. His cast a decisive vote (allegedly) when a small group of Russian oligarchs made Putin a heir apparent to Boris Yeltsin back in 1997.
Having said that, I wouldn't read too much into Chubais' "defection". I've read that 300,000 Russians have fled the country in the last month alone, so you don't have to be sly Chubais to know that Russia is poison right now, and this is not going to change any time soon, no matter what they do (or don't do) next.Is because I was sure there would be different opinions as to how close Chubais was to Putin, and the center of power. But that discussion is not terribly relevant because, whether at the very center or a bit further out, it's inarguably true that he was a member of the elite echelon.
And that very fact, membership in the elite ranks, makes his defection qualitatively different from (assuming your numbers are correct) any of the hundreds of thousands of rank-and-file Russians who have also left. Among the pro-Putin segment of the population, what elites say and do commands a high degree of attention. They may not care if tens of thousands of the youngest and brightest are leaving, viewing them as traitors and scum, but someone like Chubais is bound to raise questions.
Why? Because elites are at the top of the food chain when it comes to status, power, money, etc. They have it all, so why would one of them choose to leave all that behind? Chubais was, as I understand it, an outstanding example of a loyal servant of the regime. His sudden departure has got to be difficult to process for many, and a bitter pill for the Kremlin to swallow. And how will other elites react? That's difficult to say because they're all individuals. But elites pay close attention to such events because they're always looking out for their own survival, shifts in the power structure, and how they can maintain or improve their own status. So it's my gut feeling that, although done in hushed whispers, there must be a heightened level of chatter among some in the privileged class. It won't surprise me if more defections happen. Of course, if they plan and execute well, we won't know until after it's happened.
I've been following the news looking for further explanation, or comment, or condemnation, by the Russian govt. I haven't seen anything and, even if I missed seeing an article, you'd think that any communication from the Kremlin would be repeated and analyzed by others. As of now, it seems like the departure of Chubais is being given the silent treatment. That silence, in and of itself, deserves further discussion and analysis, but that's a topic worthy of a separate post.
Russia is winning in Ukraine.No one who has a clue about history declares a winner before hostilities end, and winning any particular battle does not equate to winning the war. Anyone looking at the early years of WW-II would have thought an Axis victory to be inevitable. It didn't turn out that way, did it? BTW, here's an hours-old article citing Putin's demand for Mariupol to surrender, which makes it clear it hasn't yet happened. In the future you might want to double-check with your master before making premature pronouncements.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60926470
It's also quite revealing that you conveniently ignore Putin's utter failure to take Kyiv. In fact, the many military failures have been obvious to all (except Putin butt-kissers). Not only failures, but also desertions and refusals to fight, have shown the Russian military "machine" to be poorly engineered, poorly maintained, and vastly overrated.
The Russian / Chinese alliance is strongChina is happy to engage in any alliance it can dominate. Russia is now a de facto subjugated vassal state, full stop. While it's useful to portray it as a "partnership," Xi controls the puppet-strings and can pull them however and whenever he wants. If Putin should ever balk at a Chinese "request," Xi can just cut the lifeline and watch as Russia sinks and drowns. So by all means fill your head with fanciful notions of supposed positive benefits. The Chinese will be quite content to wait patiently for their payment. And it's certain to be a big one.
Oh, and what do you think will happen if pressure is brought to bear such that China is forced to choose between Russia and Western markets? Buh-bye Russia, do svidaniya Putin!
The American tank is running on empty and soon the bill falls due.It might be one of your wet-dreams that the American tank is running on empty but, as usual, you haven't provided a shred of evidence to support your fantasy. As a matter of fact, America has a multitude of tanks, all fully fueled, and is sending more and more of them to Europe.
https://www.militaryspot.com/news/colorado-based-armored-brigade-arrives-in-europe
More US tanks, more US troops, more US influence. And who was the cause of Europe's current uber-welcoming attitude toward America? Why, none other than Putin, Putin, Putin!
Look up the futility of arguing with fools.In order to come to any conclusion with respect to argumentation, it's an indispensable requirement that one needs to have an understanding of what true argument entails. The elements of argumentation, namely logic, evidence, and sound reasoning, are as foreign to your nature as the truth is to Putin's. In their place you've substituted invective, ad hominem, and wishful thinking. Therefore it's fitting for me to close the circle of this post by making reference to the subject line.
Oh yes, and let me remind you that I couldn't care less whether you read this post, or not. My sole purpose is to point out how vapid and lame your pseudo-arguments are. I'll let forum members read and decide for themselves, but you've thoroughly established yourself as a quintessentially pro-Putin, anti-America, broken record troll. And there is literally nothing you can say that will prevent me from dissecting every one of your posts and exposing their hatefulness, emptiness, and complete lack of foundation.
Troll / troll / troll.
like x partan or whatever the dog's name is, you are an american simpleton. His job here is to litter stupid shit and american women / politics threads with his cliches. Guess what. Russia is winning in ukraine. The nazis is mariupol have been vanquished. The russian / chinese alliance is strong and all you have is zelensky, a transvestite clown (look up the videos) who got to act as a president in a tv show and now gets to act the part.
Anyone in europe paying attention. A small percentage in any country. Sees what is going on. Four million ukrainian women and children off loaded on us, inflation, unemployment etc. As europe impales itself, a big reaction is brewing. The american tank is running on empty and soon the bill falls due.
One more thing, you moron. Russia is not a communist country though the cp, not that pussy riot american shill, are the main opposition.
To repeat: You are american and therefore stupid. Look up the futility of arguing with fools.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/russia-facing-internet-outages-due-to-equipment-shortage/
https://www.securitylab.ru/news/530708.php (article is in Russian but will automatically translate if using Chrome browser).
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/70000-russian-it-professionals-have-left-the-country-another-100000-could-leave-in-a-month/
Notice that the reported numbers (170,000 estimated) come from Russian sources. And, even though those sources are trying to put a positive spin on things (it's only temporary), you can read between the lines and see the desperation.
Also, anyone who understands tech people knows that they generally have a pretty extensive network of likeminded friends and colleagues. That means, for each person who leaves and is able to establish themselves outside Russia, that will provide an example to others in their network and may incentivize them to make a similar move. And tech people are smart enough to see through the empty (or temporary) government promises being rolled out to persuade them to stay.
In most of the articles I've read about the effects of sanctions, not enough attention (IMO) is being paid to this phenomenon. And, the longer the war continues, the more brain-drain will likely occur and the more long-lasting the damage to the Russian economy is likely to be.
China is happy to engage in any alliance it can dominate. Russia is now a de facto subjugated vassal state, full stop. While it's useful to portray it as a "partnership," Xi controls the puppet-strings and can pull them however and whenever he wants. If Putin should ever balk at a Chinese "request," Xi can just cut the lifeline and watch as Russia sinks and drowns. So by all means fill your head with fanciful notions of supposed positive benefits. The Chinese will be quite content to wait patiently for their payment. And it's certain to be a big one.I found this interesting commentary in regards to Biden saying Putin "cannot remain in power."
Per Holman Jenkins in the Wall Street Journal: "My one disappointment was that China didn't pipe up to say, "No, Mr. Putin must remain in power," to emphasize just how thoroughly the Russian leader, through his own blunders, has reduced himself to a rag doll being fought over by nations that actually matter."
Beijing4987
03-31-22, 22:10
Xi Jing Ping has the pee tape and surprise, surprise Moscow Mitch is involved. Now we know the Republicans in Congress snort coke at orgies. Whistle blower Madison Cawthorne is on his way out the door.
Xi Jing Ping has the pee tape and surprise, surprise Moscow Mitch is involved. Now we know the Republicans in Congress snort coke at orgies. Whistle blower Madison Cawthorne is on his way out the door.I'm pretty sure no one in Ukraine, or who cares about Ukraine, gives a rat's ass.
https://www.proekt.media/en/investigation-en/putin-health/
https://futurism.com/neoscope/putin-cancer-specialist
The first article is a longer and more detailed piece of investigative journalism. It includes an analysis of hotel records that show which doctors have been closely associated with Putin over the years. For example, by comparing the doctors' travel records with Putin's known stays in Sochi (or other locations), and with known periods in which Putin disappeared from public view, it's possible to show the connections. Then, by looking at the specialized expertise of each doctor, it's possible to develop a theory (or theories) about health problems Putin may be experiencing, or at least is concerned about.
The second article is a shorter summary of the same information. For anyone interested, I recommend reading both, but especially the first.
Of course, since definitive information about Putin's health is a closely guarded secret, it's impossible to know for sure, but these articles provide some fascinating insights. And they're relevant because, if Putin is dealing with serious (terminal?) health issues, it will almost certainly affect his decision making process. If he thinks his time is short, and sees victory in Ukraine as essential to his legacy, then he will act accordingly even if those actions don't seem rational to others. By the same token, if other Russian elites believe that Putin is seriously ill, that may affect their own attitudes (support vs non-support vs self-preservation) toward him.
PedroMorales
04-04-22, 13:10
https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ZHPL2pTuadJ/?fbclid=IwAR3X5mTIhCVuEuKIktI9AyrVCIWR6DYkBv3e31ekxchptofTArv7hs1G9Ko
Here is some contrary evidence that slipped through the USA net. American censorship means their victims are always playing catch up in these PR wars.
Here is an important question: how do you confront a perpetual liar? We have, for example, some dudes here who lies about their sexual conquests. One guy in the Thai board was bonking armies of upscale women a day. Another guy sent me a message showing how the first guy was a fraud. Although lots of others called out the first guy, my question is more general / generic: how are perpetual liars called out?
Although the USA had plenty on the Nazis in Ukraine, they now deny there are any. President Trump was banned from social media partly, at least, for questioning Hunter Biden. Yet we now know Hunter Biden has very serious criminal questions to answer over Ukraine. The circus continues.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ZHPL2pTuadJ/?fbclid=IwAR3X5mTIhCVuEuKIktI9AyrVCIWR6DYkBv3e31ekxchptofTArv7hs1G9Ko
Here is some contrary evidence that slipped through the USA net. American censorship means their victims are always playing catch up in these PR wars.
Here is an important question: how do you confront a perpetual liar? We have, for example, some dudes here who lies about their sexual conquests. One guy in the Thai board was bonking armies of upscale women a day. Another guy sent me a message showing how the first guy was a fraud. Although lots of others called out the first guy, my question is more general / generic: how are perpetual liars called out?.No one with a lick of sense thinks that Ukraine was (or is) run by a bunch of saints. But, whatever corruptions and sins they may have committed, or are still committing, Putin has washed them clean by his own actions.
Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that Ukraine was engaged in all the nasty and negative activities of which Russia and Putin and you have accused them. So what? Was Ukraine ever going to be able to threaten Russia militarily? Were Ukrainian tanks and missiles ever likely to reach Moscow, or any other Russian city? Was Ukraine ever likely to be allowed into NATO in the foreseeable future? The answer, for anyone who hasn't drunk their fill of Putin's poisonous propaganda, is an unequivocal no.
As long as Putin maintained the pre-Feb 24 status quo, he could have continued to argue his point of view and many in the West would have been sympathetic. But he threw all that away when he launched his disastrous MudKrieg. He singlehandedly turned a situation that had many shades of gray into one that is starkly black and white. He is now and forever the villain. And he will now and forever be branded a war criminal and a butcher of innocent civilians. It's already done, a fait accompli, and nothing you say or believe will ever change that fact.
Putin acolytes and sycophants (like you) will go to their graves thinking that Putin is the good guy. But 99% of the world has already found him guilty. There is no good outcome for him because, even if he manages to seize and hold parts of Ukraine, he's turned Russia into a pariah-state. And even formerly pro-Russia elements in Ukraine now hate his guts. The sanctions will continue, the brain-drain will continue, and China is sharpening their pencils for all the IOUs that will be coming due.
Whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, that's Russia's reality.
https://www.somefakevideo.russiantrolls
...I love Putin... Russians can do no wrong... Ukrainians are making everything up... It's the West that's doing all of this...Just so we are clear.
The Ukrainians took more than 100 bodies, dressed them up in civilian clothes, then tied them up, blind-folded them, and shot them all in the neck.
When they were done with that, they strew bodies over the streets.
After that they went around to different basements and dispersed even more bodies, as well as a mass grave, which they themselves dug.
In parallel to this rather macabre "false flag" operation, they hired over a 100 actors, who were instructed to tell anyone who asked, that the Russians have tortured and killed their loved ones.
After this operation was concluded, in record time I might add, we're talking literally just hours after the Russians left. The Ukrainians retreated, put back destroyed cars in the middle of the roads, and returned with the International Media in tow.
Also this same set up was repeated multiple times around cities in Ukraine. All just to make Russia look bad?
PedroMorales
04-05-22, 15:46
I am skipping American idiot Vndici, who argues by concocting quotes from me. He should be e tied to a lamp post as Ukrainians do to their minorities and his dick put on view to give everyone a laugh (and gay boys a free feel).
I have scanned your rubbish, will quickly go through it now and make some points.
The white bands BTW are one of many give away. Putin, who you stupidly link to me, does not have to appeal to yokels like you or your government which is complicit in long litanies of war crimes. Geddit? Let's cut.
1. There was no status quo. Ukraine's Nazis, some of whom are still holed up in Mariupol, were going to increase their murder rates. Russia stopped them by fighting Russia's wa, not America's kill and destroy all way.
The USA laughs at al this as the EU, bar Hungary, impales itself.
I am not a Puutin sycophant. Such a stupid comment shows you have watched too many John Wayne white hat black hat cowboy movies. Moron.
99% of the world has not found "Putin" guilty, you moron. By the world, you mean the USA and its West European and Five Eyes allies. China, India and Pakistan are telling the USA to fuck off.
Pro Russian elements in Ukraine? They are Russian, speak Russian, are inter married with Russians etc. They have been persecuted and murdered just for speaking Russian by scum supported by brain dead Americans like you.
China and Russia have excellent working relationships, you dummy. Their BIRI will prevail. It's the economy, stupid.
As long as Putin maintained the pre-Feb 24 status quo, he could have continued to argue his point of view and many in the West would have been sympathetic. But he threw all that away when he launched his disastrous MudKrieg. He singlehandedly turned a situation that had many shades of gray into one that is starkly black and white. He is now and forever the villain. And he will now and forever be branded a war criminal and a butcher of innocent civilians. It's already done, a fait accompli, and nothing you say or believe will ever change that fact.
Putin acolytes and sycophants (like you) will go to their graves thinking that Putin is the good guy. But 99% of the world has already found him guilty. There is no good outcome for him because, even if he manages to seize and hold parts of Ukraine, he's turned Russia into a pariah-state. And even formerly pro-Russia elements in Ukraine now hate his guts. The sanctions will continue, the brain-drain will continue, and China is sharpening their pencils for all the IOUs that will be coming due.
Whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, that's Russia's reality.
...incoherent rambling..I think this is your answer to anything.
I think this is your answer to anything.The Russophiles of the Alt Right, USA and around the world have a lot in common with the Putin regime in that anything they don't like, anything they don't want to hear is dismissed out of hand as "fake" "rigged" "staged" etc. Though Ukraine at the moment is getting by far the worst of it, we are talking about a cancer that has infected the much of the world.
P.S. Satellite images confirm that the same dead civilian bodies were laying on the ground in Bucha back on March 18th when the Russians were in control of the city. But of course this likewise will be dismissed as "fake news. " There's no convincing these sheeple and their leaders. All we can do is try to contain them, keep blood off their hands which is proving to be quite the challenge.
ColoradoHobby
04-05-22, 20:21
One might say the invasion of the Ukraine is a brazen move. We however had Soviet violent invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. NATO stood by and let the Soviets bully and dominate their neighbors. I think the key difference here is that there was consensus, right or wrong, amongst Western nations that Czechoslovakia and Hungary were within the USSR's sphere of influence. Recall the the Cuban missile crisis was the result of the USSR operating in what had previously been agreed to be solely in the USA's sphere of influence. There were lines and although there was a moral argument to be made in favor of supporting the popular uprisings in both CZ and H, the best case scenario would have seen the USSR using western engagement in Warsaw Pact countries as permission to take overt action supporting communists in Western Europe.
Although you could easily argue that Ukraine and the other former Soviet Republics are within Russia's sphere of influence today, but absent a true Cold War (prior to February at least), it's not difficult to make the case that Russia is too poor and insufficiently powerful to have a sphere of influence anymore. Further, the brazenness of Russia's attack is compounded by Russia and Ukraine having a treaty that specifically precludes a Russian attack (which is part of why Russia continues to call it a "special military action", as instigating a war with Ukraine is a violation of Russian law). That treaty was part of the deal that got Ukraine to give up their nuclear arsenal. I have to think that Russia would not have invaded a Ukraine with a nuclear deterrent in place.
It also appears China is not interested in working with the Western alliance in preserving global peace.China plays geopolitics ruthlessly. China has no interest in peace. Rather, China is more focused on making money than war, unless that war is good for China Inc. In this case, sanctions and voluntary actions from the west are making Russian exports cheap for China and making exports to Russia extremely profitable in Beijing. China will only advocate for peace when / if there's more money to be made from peace and / or avoiding western sanctions, or if there's an existential threat to China itself.
PedroMorales
04-05-22, 20:27
Russia has shot down more NATO choppers trying to evacuate their scientists and generals from Mariupol, where they are embedded with the Nazi vermin. Stalin got to Berlin, Tsar Alexander got to Paris. Hopefully, these scum wil get to Siberia in a cattle truck.
The NATO filth are stuck in Mariupol with their Nazi pawns.
Hopefully, if not Siberia, the remains of these American, French, British, German and Israeli dogs will be paraded for the world to see what human filth looks like. The Biden family's bio labs have been caught. Your generals are being caught. Repent. The end is nigh.
P.S.: Don't repent. Suffer the consequences.
At least Western Europe is getting all the Ukrainian hookers, organ harvesters and more. Pity the USA is bankrupting Europe, making even baby oil too expensive for the wankers. Look at the billions Germany is giving the USA for the shit weapons. Russia laughs.
PedroMorales
04-05-22, 20:42
The explosion of nitric acid at the chemical plant in Rubezhnoye was carried out while considering the direction of the wind and a full understanding of the consequences for the civilian population of Donbas. This is a Ukrainian forces chemical attack. This is a major, deadly attack. Time for Russia to take off the gloves.
PedroMorales
04-05-22, 22:50
Reports are coming in a US general has been captured in Mariupol. Though I have the name, I doubt it is is him.
Either way, any Americans captured in Mariupol are not protected by the Geneva Convention.
There is some serious shit going on there.
https://ricochet.com/1214468/finnish-intelligence-officer-explains-the-russian-mindset/
Fascinating insights from someone who had an entire career dedicated to analyzing and understanding Russian thinking and motivation. The article is a translation from a lecture given in 2018.
It's a bit of a read, but well worth it, IMO. It explains the historical basis for Russia's deep-seated insecurities (paranoia?) and constant need for an external villain and a "strong man" leader who will protect the country from outside forces and prevent internal chaos.
One conclusion I drew from the article is that, even if Putin is replaced, any new leader is likely to be cut from the same cloth. And that's simply because Russia isn't culturally or psychologically prepared for anything else. The idea that there will be some type of more liberal or progressive leadership is almost certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.
If Putin's failures in Ukraine cause his downfall, it's more likely that it will come at the hands of those who are more hawkish and militaristic. Putin's problem now is that his propaganda wrote checks that his military can't make good. No matter how he tries to spin things, he's abandoned any attempt to take Kyiv, the Zelensky government remains in power, and that will be seen in Russia as weakness and failure. The article gives insight into how Russians react to such things, which doesn't portend a bright future for Putin. Maybe he'll survive by becoming even more repressive, who knows?
As noted above, the lecture was given in 2018. For the (retired) intel officer's current thoughts on the situation, here's his Twitter handle:
https://mobile.twitter.com/maraj60
(Most tweets are in Finnish so you'll need to use your favorite translation method).
https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/article-703209
Mikhail Prokhorov, former owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, has fled to Israel and applied for Israeli citizenship.
Q: Why would a rich Russian oligarch abandon his home country?
A: 1) he's had a falling out with the ruling elite and leaves to avoid being killed or imprisoned. 2) he understands that Russia faces a bleak future (sinking ship) and decides to leave while he still can.
I haven't found any information that leads to conclusion #1, which leaves #2 as the more likely explanation. After Chubais left, I posted that I'd be watching for the next one, and here he is. It's becoming clearer that the door has been effectively slammed shut for many Russian elites (by sanctions, etc.) but others, like Prokhorov, may just be waiting for an opportune moment.
Dickus Maximus
04-06-22, 04:58
https://ricochet.com/1214468/finnish-intelligence-officer-explains-the-russian-mindset/
Fascinating insights from someone who had an entire career dedicated to analyzing and understanding Russian thinking and motivation. The article is a translation from a lecture given in 2018.
It's a bit of a read, but well worth it, IMO. It explains the historical basis for Russia's deep-seated insecurities (paranoia?) and constant need for an external villain and a "strong man" leader who will protect the country from outside forces and prevent internal chaos.
One conclusion I drew from the article is that, even if Putin is replaced, any new leader is likely to be cut from the same cloth. And that's simply because Russia isn't culturally or psychologically prepared for anything else. The idea that there will be some type of more liberal or progressive leadership is almost certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.
If Putin's failures in Ukraine cause his downfall, it's more likely that it will come at the hands of those who are more hawkish and militaristic. Putin's problem now is that his propaganda wrote checks that his military can't make good. No matter how he tries to spin things, he's abandoned any attempt to take Kyiv, the Zelensky government remains in power, and that will be seen in Russia as weakness and failure. The article gives insight into how Russians react to such things, which doesn't portend a bright future for Putin. Maybe he'll survive by becoming even more repressive, who knows?
As noted above, the lecture was given in 2018. For the (retired) intel officer's current thoughts on the situation, here's his Twitter handle:
https://mobile.twitter.com/maraj60
(Most tweets are in Finnish so you'll need to use your favorite translation method).This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.
This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.There's certainly hope for real change, especially as more time passes. Younger Russian citizens are exposed to social media and function with a lot of western concepts and enjoyment of western culture. Polls regarding Putin's popularity aren't reliable so this is an unknown, though through oppressing the media and his opposition likely has majority support at the moment. We also don't know how many citizens want to speak out but are afraid to. There's other countries in the region that had little to no democratic history but are now functioning democracies. There's a good chance that a replacement for Putin would be a step in the right direction for Europe. We are currently experiencing more instability, genocidal acts and threats to democratic freedoms on the continent than we have since World War II. It's hard to fall out of bed when you're already sleeping on the floor. Plus there's a broader worldwide conflict between democracy and autocracy, with the cancer of the latter alive and well in Europe and the US. We ignore this at our peril.
P.S. As to current events, no we aren't going to "stay out of the mess" while a tyrant is murdering our friends. We will support Ukraine and punish Russia. Likewise we are unlikely to go head to head with Russia unless he touches a NATO country. In any case there's too many Neville Chamberlain's among us, especially in monger forums, for whatever reason. Putin has already stated his objective, to roll back NATO to pre-1997. Now is a time to project strength.
Neurosynth
04-06-22, 06:55
This is the problem with our misguided regime change mindset. Most of these countries don't have the necessary traditions to have a functioning democracy. What you get after you destroy the government is a new one cut from the same cloth. Better to stay out of the mess.Except this one won't keep his murder within his own borders. Maybe the next one will have learned a lesson.
PedroMorales
04-06-22, 08:10
The current government is cleaning up the oligarch issue in Russia and also in Ukraine, where Clown President is the world's richest comedian, with over $1.3 billion in foreign banks.
Russia does not need American comments on its system of governance.
America does not support or export democracy. That is a self serving fallacy.
America has no values, let alone democratic values.
Except this one won't keep his murder within his own borders. Maybe the next one will have learned a lesson.Pretty much this. When the regime meddles with the affairs of other countries by, invading, starting a war and then murdering their civilians, it is not unreasonable to want it changed.
Reports are coming in a US general has been captured in Mariupol. Though I have the name, I doubt it is is him.
Either way, any Americans captured in Mariupol are not protected by the Geneva Convention.
There is some serious shit going on there.There is some serious shit going on in your head.
I had a team in Ukraine, most of them could not give a shit about politics, they were about reading their thesis, making money, going on with their lives. Holodomor was just a distant memory.
Now, they are supporters of Azov, and they ask me about the Blau Division, Spanish volunteers with the Wehrmacht.
These events have turned them into rabid Russian haters. This will not go off in 20 or 30 years. This will linger a long time.
No one with a lick of sense thinks that Ukraine was (or is) run by a bunch of saints. But, whatever corruptions and sins they may have committed, or are still committing, Putin has washed them clean by his own actions.
Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that Ukraine was engaged in all the nasty and negative activities of which Russia and Putin and you have accused them. So what? Was Ukraine ever going to be able to threaten Russia militarily? Were Ukrainian tanks and missiles ever likely to reach Moscow, or any other Russian city? Was Ukraine ever likely to be allowed into NATO in the foreseeable future? The answer, for anyone who hasn't drunk their fill of Putin's poisonous propaganda, is an unequivocal no.
As long as Putin maintained the pre-Feb 24 status quo, he could have continued to argue his point of view and many in the West would have been sympathetic. But he threw all that away when he launched his disastrous MudKrieg. He singlehandedly turned a situation that had many shades of gray into one that is starkly black and white. He is now and forever the villain. And he will now and forever be branded a war criminal and a butcher of innocent civilians. It's already done, a fait accompli, and nothing you say or believe will ever change that fact.
Putin acolytes and sycophants (like you) will go to their graves thinking that Putin is the good guy. But 99% of the world has already found him guilty. There is no good outcome for him because, even if he manages to seize and hold parts of Ukraine, he's turned Russia into a pariah-state. And even formerly pro-Russia elements in Ukraine now hate his guts. The sanctions will continue, the brain-drain will continue, and China is sharpening their pencils for all the IOUs that will be coming due.
Whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, that's Russia's reality.
Hopefully, if not Siberia, the remains of these American, French, British, German and Israeli dogs will be paraded for the world to see what human filth looks like.Hmm Israeli dogs. That's an odd reference in a post about the Ukraine war. The NATO countries referenced makes sense. Israel though?
These events have turned them into rabid Russian haters. This will not go off in 20 or 30 years. This will linger a long time.Putin believed his own fantasy, further fed by the lies of his sycophants, that Ukraine wasn't really a nation, that they longed to be part of Russia again, and that the Russian army would be welcomed as liberators.
When that didn't happen he unleashed the kind of brutality one might expect from a rejected and jilted lover. A kind of "If I can't have you then I'm going to completely ruin you" sentiment. Even the formerly sympathetic areas in Eastern Ukraine will be impossible to effectively manage. Sure, Putin can station many troops in areas he manages to seize and hold, but those areas will never be a willing and productive part of Russia. Instead, they will continue to bleed Russia of manpower and resources while the vast majority of the world keeps sanctions in effect.
Putin will have turned Russia into a larger version of North Korea, a true pariah state. That assumes, of course, that he manages to stay in power after such a humiliating defeat and display of weakness. He raised expectations in Russia to an extremely high level such that the general belief was that Kyiv would be quickly conquered and the Zelensky government overthrown. Instead, Putin's army had to retreat from the Kyiv front in humiliating fashion and Zelensky remains in power. No matter how hard the Kremlin spin doctors try, Russian citizens recognize this as a defeat and a profound failure to achieve the desired objective. They may not be able to freely talk about it, but they surely understand what's happened. And that can't be good for Putin's future prospects.
Neurosynth
04-07-22, 03:49
Hmm Israeli dogs. That's an odd reference in a post about the Ukraine war. The NATO countries referenced makes sense. Israel though?It's always the same story with fascists. Blame the Jews.
It's always the same story with fascists. Blame the Jews.It's always the same story with Jews. Blame the fascists.
Oh, wait, except in Ukraine where the Jews are the fascists.
Hmm Israeli dogs. That's an odd reference in a post about the Ukraine war. The NATO countries referenced makes sense. Israel though?Not at all an odd reference in context of the Khazarian Homeland. Ample evidence and likely more forthcoming of the Ashkenazim insinuating themselves into this conflict.
The current government is cleaning up the oligarch issue in Russia and also in Ukraine, where Clown President is the world's richest comedian, with over $1.3 billion in foreign banks.
Russia does not need American comments on its system of governance.
America does not support or export democracy. That is a self serving fallacy.
America has no values, let alone democratic values.And sinking fast, because poor Putin and his pussilanimous posse of pipsqueaks have collectively pulled the plug!
Every passing day the tide turns further against Russia. They're in a constant state of loss: whether it be territory, or status, or support, etc. Even Kazakhstan is distancing itself, which is a shocker since Putin just bailed out the Kazakh leader not long ago. That's gratitude for you, eh?
Oh, and as I predicted, Finland is reportedly submitting their NATO application by April 14th. Which means Putin will have yet another member of NATO sitting on his border. And Poland is buying about $5 billion worth of US (Abrams) tanks and is offering to host NATO nukes.
Everywhere you look, assuming one isn't deluded enough to believe one's own propaganda, Putin is losing ground. Russia is totally fucked and has no future. When that reality dawns on the people, when it can't be hidden any longer and the curtain is pulled back, it's not going to be good for anyone in the Russian leadership, especially Putin.
Buh-bye, tovarisch!
Mikhail Prokhorov, former owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, has fled to Israel and applied for Israeli citizenship.
Q: Why would a rich Russian oligarch abandon his home country?.Russian? His "home country"? LOL.
With his dual passport dusted off, this rat is going to his home country.
Russian? His "home country"? LOL.
With his dual passport dusted off, this rat is going to his home country.The Jpost article mentioned that he applied for citizenship upon arrival and his application was reviewed and approved under the "Right of Return" laws pertaining to Jews born outside Israel.
That puts him in a different category from Russian oligarchs who already had Israeli citizenship like, IIRC, Roman Abramovich. That's because someone with pre-existing dual-citizenship already had an escape door available, but Prokhorov abandoned Russia without having that in place.
So, while I'm sure he had people working behind the scenes to grease the skids, there was still some degree of risk that things could go wrong. So that brings me back to my original point, which is that the easiest path would have been to stay in Russia. As an oligarch he had all the privileges and advantages available to the elite.
So why take on the risk of leaving? Any amount of risk, large or small, is still greater than staying put. It's my guess that he looked at Russia's bleak future and decided it was worth the risk to jump ship when the opportunity presented itself.
The elites don't give a shit about what regular people do, but they watch each other like a hawk. With Chubais leaving, and now Prokhorov, others are probably asking themselves whether they should also head for the exits.
Neurosynth
04-09-22, 04:16
Russian? His "home country"? LOL.
With his dual passport dusted off, this rat is going to his home country.I get it. You hate Jews.
You lost last time.
You will lose again.
PedroMorales
04-09-22, 09:47
The rouble is strong, the Russian Army is strong and the rats remain in Mariupol where Russian and Chechen Special Forces have them by their balls.
If Poland and Finland wants World War Three, bring it on. As long as American cities are also repeatedly nuked.
Dumb American bs
.......So that brings me back to my original point, which is that the easiest path would have been to stay in Russia. As an oligarch he had all the privileges and advantages available to the elite.
So why take on the risk of leaving? Any amount of risk, large or small, is still greater than staying put. It's my guess that he looked at Russia's bleak future and decided it was worth the risk to jump ship when the opportunity presented itself.
The elites don't give a shit about what regular people do, but they watch each other like a hawk. With Chubais leaving, and now Prokhorov, others are probably asking themselves whether they should also head for the exits.I would put Chubais and Prokhorov in different categories. I sense Putin's tolerance for billionaire oligarchs is waning. It doesn't sound like Putin needs them anymore.
As a man who manipulated the system for his gain after the fall of the Soviet Union, I'm don't think Prokhorov deserves much of our consideration. Besides many of these oligarchs seem to have been more like globe-trotting world citizens than Russian citizens.
The Jpost article mentioned that he applied for citizenship upon arrival and his application was reviewed and approved under the "Right of Return" laws pertaining to Jews born outside Israel.
That puts him in a different category from Russian oligarchs who already had Israeli citizenship like, IIRC, Roman Abramovich. That's because Pre-existing. "Citizen" of the ethno-religious state by birthright.
I love licking Putin's bunghole!The ruble is rubble. The exchange rate is meaningless when you consider: 1) The manipulation being practiced by the Russian Central bank, and; 2) The fact that sanctions drastically limit what Russia can buy.
https://www.dw.com/en/putin-tactics-drive-rebound-in-russian-ruble/a-61363334
"It's effectively just artificially supporting the ruble while appearing to be forcing buyers in hostile countries into utilizing the ruble currency," Erlam said. "It's like the measures that have been imposed on Gazprombank and others already in terms of forcing them to convert 80% of their currency payments into rubles. This further supports those types of desperate measures".
"Ruble trading volumes have dried up due to sanctions and many brokers and speculators remain wary of dealing in the currency. This means that the ruble's current market price is being determined by far fewer transactions than usual".
Also, probably the most competent govt apparatchik is the Central Bank governor, Elvira Nabiullina. So what does it say about the Russian economic situation that she wants to resign but Putin won't let her? If she had the same resources as Chubais and Prokhorov, I'm guessing she'd already be gone.
https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-top-central-banker-step-down-ukraine-war-putin-2022-3
"state of hopelessness" taking root among Russian central bank employees who fear being cut off from the outside world".
About Putin's paper-tiger army, every analyst who isn't a pro-Russia shill (like you) recognizes that they suffered a humiliating defeat in their attempt to seize Kyiv. They retreated so rapidly they had to abandon any equipment that might slow them down. Any "after the fact" explanation that they weren't serious about taking Kyiv is transparent and laughable bullshit.
I have no idea how the battle for the East and South will turn out, but Putin has already lost because the Zelensky govt is still in place and, after raising expectations about conquering (and denazifying) ALL of Ukraine, he couldn't deliver. So now he's desperately trying to find something, ANYTHING, he can spin as a victory. And he'll need to figure out what how to explain to tens of thousands of Russian widows, orphans, and bereaved parents, that the deaths of their loved ones was worth it. For what, the Donbass (assuming Putin can even pull that off)? Give me a fucking break!
Oh, and about his constant WW-III threats, his conventional forces are a total joke, so all he can do is wave the nuke banner. Even assuming he's insane and suicidal, I've read a few articles about the layers of military bureaucracy that would be involved. So it's equally likely that someone in the chain would say "nyet" just like some of Russia's front-line soldiers have already terminated their own officers.
Putin has completely miscalculated and followed that miscalculation with abject failure. As a result he's united the West beyond anyone's wildest imagination. Poland, the Baltics, and soon very likely Finland and Sweden will be NATO gatekeepers on his doorstep. And Russia's future is already circling the drain. The big question now is whether anyone is able to deliver a Stalinesque retirement to Putin before the country turns into a clone of North Korea.
Pre-existing. "Citizen" of the ethno-religious state by birthright.I don't know what your problems with Jews are, and I frankly couldn't care less.
What I do care about is being factually accurate. If someone is a citizen (sole or dual), that's a factual statement of legal status. And that legal status entitles them to carry the passport of their country (ies) of citizenship.
As a factual matter, Prokhorov was NOT a citizen of Israel until he 1) Arrived; 2) Applied; 3) Had his application approved.
At any point in that process, Israel retained the right to decline approval. Although declination was unlikely, there is still a case-by-case review and certification that needs to happen. Until ALL the requirements were met, and approval granted, Prokhorov was not an Israeli citizen.
Those are the plain facts, whether you choose to accept them or not, that's entirely up to you.
I would put Chubais and Prokhorov in different categories. I sense Putin's tolerance for billionaire oligarchs is waning. It doesn't sound like Putin needs them anymore.
As a man who manipulated the system for his gain after the fall of the Soviet Union, I'm don't think Prokhorov deserves much of our consideration. Besides many of these oligarchs seem to have been more like globe-trotting world citizens than Russian citizens.There are undoubtedly many differences between Chubais and Prokhorov. My main reason for discussing them is because they provide a window into what might be going on in elite circles. I agree that Putin probably needs oligarchs less than they need him, but that doesn't mean they don't (some of them, at least) still have a level of influence and power. If, for example, Putin were to be ousted, it's likely someone from elite circles would replace him.
To my mind there are roughly three types of oligarchs. First, those who are already locked into Russia by existing sanctions. That group, as least publicly, are more likely to double down in their support of Putin because their fates are linked with his. They don't have any easy exit route. Second, those who already lived abroad some or most of the time, perhaps with dual-citizenship status. One notable example is Roman Abramovich who, even though (IIRC) he's subject to some sanctions, still had a relatively easy exit route. Third, those who are in between, like Prokhorov. He had money and status enough to allow him to ride out the storm in Russia, but chose to leave and needed to create an exit strategy to do so.
It's that third group that interests me most. How many more will abandon ship and how will that affect the mindset of other elites?
Interesting times! Stay tuned.
As a factual matter, Prokhorov was NOT a citizen of Israel until he 1) Arrived; 2) Applied; 3) Had his application approved.
At any point in that process, Israel retained the right to decline approval. Although declination was unlikely, there is still a case-by-case review and certification that needs to happen. Until ALL the requirements were met, and approval granted, Prokhorov was not an Israeli citi.Show up, announce you want citizenship and voila -- "approved!" Just like it works everywhere else in the world. And for all other peoples.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/russia-facing-internet-outages-due-to-equipment-shortage/
https://www.securitylab.ru/news/530708.php (article is in Russian but will automatically translate if using Chrome browser).
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/70000-russian-it-professionals-have-left-the-country-another-100000-could-leave-in-a-month/
Notice that the reported numbers (170,000 estimated) come from Russian sources. And, even though those sources are trying to put a positive spin on things (it's only temporary), you can read between the lines and see the desperation.
I saw a quote of 700,000 people from a reliable source today (Mark Feygin, a human rights activist) with some sources putting it over 1 million. In any case, this number can only be compared with the exodus after the 1917 revolution.
The ruble is rubble. The exchange rate is meaningless when you consider: 1) The manipulation being practiced by the Russian Central bank, and; 2) The fact that sanctions drastically limit what Russia can buy.
Yep. A friend in Russia laughed at me when I asked if he could buy dollars at the official rate. He can't, it's all for a show. You can only get cash if you had a dollar account at a Russian bank before March 9, and there are still lots of restrictions. Buying black market can get you a rate over 130 to $ (and up to 7 years of hard labor if you get caught).
I don't know what your problems with Jews are.I can help you with that, since I've had a displeasure of reading Golhinho's takes on Jews before. He's simply a rabid anti-Semite. Easy-peasy.
PedroMorales
04-10-22, 10:20
Once I saw you had posted, I thought: here comes a shit fest.
First off, I see NATO is pouring into Quislingstan ie Norway. The bottom line is: if NATO cross a line, we have nuclear war which would be less of a bad thing if the USA is a direct target.
Now on to the shit fest.
I saw a quote of 700,000 people from a reliable source today (Mark Feygin, a human rights activist) with some sources putting it over 1 million. In any case, this number can only be compared with the exodus after the 1917 revolution.Ukrainians are pouring out in very large part because Ukraine is piss poor. The evidence for that is in its surrogate babies, its fake medical degree mills, its orgn a harvesting and in prior threads here. It is / was the second poorest country in Europe.
The big exodus was at the start of the 20th century when Jews poured out of the Pale in the millions.
Yep. A friend in Russia laughed at me when I asked if he could buy dollars at the official rate. He can't, it's all for a show. You can only get cash if you had a dollar account at a Russian bank before March 9, and there are still lots of restrictions. Buying black market can get you a rate over 130 to $ (and up to 7 years of hard labor if you get caught).
The rouble is tied to the price of gold. It is higher now than it was before Russia took on the Nazis. That is why the USA, the enemy of humanity, is trying to do regime changer in Pakistan and up to similar games in China. This time, it won't work and Americans wil answer for it.
I can help you with that, since I've had a displeasure of reading Golhinho's takes on Jews before. He's simply a rabid anti-Semite. Easy-peasy.Israel and Jews both have a special role in this. That is simply a fact.
Zelensky, the Jew, is the world's richest comedian, worth over $1.3 billion. He didn't do that by royalties from his transvestite dancing shows.
The rouble is strongYou should show us all what idiots we are. Convert all your liquidity to RUB and show all of us cowards that you are a man of principle. You believe what you are saying, so of course there is no downside to having your life savings denominated in the strong currency that is RUB.
Escape the tyranny of other currencies, convert everything to RUB and stand for what you believe in.
Yep. A friend in Russia laughed at me when I asked if he could buy dollars at the official rate. He can't, it's all for a show. You can only get cash if you had a dollar account at a Russian bank before March 9, and there are still lots of restrictions. Buying black market can get you a rate over 130 to $ (and up to 7 years of hard labor if you get caught).A Central Bank can do a lot of things if they want to maintain the facade that the currency is stronger than it is. Almost all hurt the economy, but artificially prop up the currency.
Per the Deutsche Welle article Jmsuttr posted below, "The bank more than doubled the country's key interest rate to 20%, restricted local firms' access to foreign currency, and set limits on withdrawals in foreign currency. It also took measures to keep dollars from fleeing abroad, including by banning foreign investors from dumping Russian stocks and bonds."
PedroMorales
04-10-22, 15:47
You are stupid. You are American. Do you understand. Simple - English-?
They are facts.
The rouble is strong, stronger than it was when Russia began stemming the Nazis? Follow so far?
They are facts. They have nothing to do where I hold my money. I am divested of all US $ as I have no need of them.
Nor do I currently have a need of roubles or most currencies listed here. https://www.xe.com/.
Just how stupid are you? Have you even learned basic hygiene and not to eat too many hamburgers and drink too much of that awful American beer?
There are threads here slamming American women. Maybe, in rejecting male American libtards, they have a point.
You should show us all what idiots we are. Convert all your liquidity to RUB and show all of us cowards that you are a man of principle. You believe what you are saying, so of course there is no downside to having your life savings denominated in the strong currency that is RUB.
Escape the tyranny of other currencies, convert everything to RUB and stand for what you believe in.
You should show us all what idiots we are. Convert all your liquidity to RUB and show all of us cowards that you are a man of principle. You believe what you are saying, so of course there is no downside to having your life savings denominated in the strong currency that is RUB.
Escape the tyranny of other currencies, convert everything to RUB and stand for what you believe in.Yeah. Spend next winter sweatered in your apartment in the Nato States and show us what a man of principal you are, shivering for what you believe in.
As a factual matter, Prokhorov was NOT a citizen of Israel until he 1) Arrived; 2) Applied; 3) Had his application approved.
At any point in that process, Israel retained the right to decline approval. Although declination was unlikely, there is still a case-by-case review and certification that needs to happen. Until ALL the requirements
Those are the plain facts, whether you choose to accept them or not, that's entirely up to you.Shows up, "applies", and "case by case review" wouldn't you know it -- approved! Just like how it works in every other country in the world, that is every other ethno-religious state that recognizes -- requires! -- citizenship by birthright.
Plain facts.
They are facts. They have nothing to do where I hold my money. I am divested of all US $ as I have no need of them.
Nor do I currently have a need of roubles or most currencies listed here. https://www.xe.com/.So you won't put your money where your mouth is. I guess we know who the real coward is.
Yeah. Spend next winter sweatered in your apartment in the Nato States and show us what a man of principal you are, shivering for what you believe in.I have no plans on moving from my abode, so yes I will be a man of principle. Perhaps you should also convert all your liquidity to RUB and show us that you can stand for what you believe in, or are you as cowardly as Medro?
I have no plans on moving from my abode, so yes I will be a man of principle. Perhaps you should also convert all your liquidity to RUB and show us that you can stand for what you believe in, or are you as cowardly as Medro?There you go. Make the Europeans suffer while in the USA (or in the land formerly known as Palestine) you can be securely domiciled. That's real courageous of you, you man of principle you.
Show up, announce you want citizenship and voila -- "approved!" Just like it works everywhere else in the world. And for all other peoples.You appear to have a very strained relationship with actual facts.
Fact #1: There are millions of people around the world who might qualify for Israeli citizenship under current Israeli law.
Fact #2: NONE (as in zero, zip, nada) of those eligible people are currently Israeli citizens. They don't have Israeli passports, they can't vote in Israeli elections, they can't exercise ANY of the rights that pertain exclusively to Israeli citizens.
Fact #3: These two groups, existing citizens and those who are prospectively eligible for citizenship, are completely separate and discrete. Non-citizens are, by definition, not citizens. That would seem to be obvious and self-evident, but apparently that truth appears to be lost on you.
BTW, there are a number of countries that allow citizenship by virtue of heritage, so that's not unique to Israel. Israel chooses to define heritage along religious lines, which is understandable in that they see themselves as a refuge and homeland for Jews. I'm not Jewish, but I have no problem with any country making their own decisions about eligibility for citizenship.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joesills/2020/09/30/these-countries-will-grant-you-citizenship-based-on-your-ancestry/amp/
Also, there are plenty of countries for which you can buy your citizenship. Are those rules ok with you? No connection at all with the country is required, not birth, not heritage, not religious connection, nothing except having lots of cash.
https://www.fodors.com/news/deals/how-to-buy-citizenship-around-the-world
Are you similarly outraged at all of these programs and the people who take advantage of them? Or is Israel your sole focus? That last question is actually rhetorical as I think I already know the answer.
The rouble is strong, stronger than it was when Russia began stemming the Nazis? Follow so far?
They are facts.https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russias-rouble-rebound-not-quite-what-it-seems-2022-04-08/
*"all is not what it seems and the exchange rate used in everyday transactions is sometimes very different to the official one".
*"anyone who tries to buy foreign currency online at a bank or, illegally, at a foreign exchange booth, or who buys goods and services online denominated in foreign currencies will find the actual rate considerably worse".
*"defending the rouble, never mind the real economy, makes sense as a propaganda strategy".
*"demand for FX was artificially suppressed. Russia banned cash purchases of dollars and euros, introduced a 12% commission on buying foreign currency online, and set the maximum amount that an individual could withdraw from their bank account at $10,000 until Sept. 9."
*"Within a short walking distance of the Kremlin, an exchange office behind an unmarked door offered to sell cash dollars for 93 roubles and euros for 103 roubles on Thursday."
Quite a difference between the official version and how things actually operate in the real world! And that's not even factoring inflation into the mix.
*"I used to buy cans of Dutch-made baby formula for 2,500 roubles before Feb. 24," said Marina, a Moscow resident, with her newborn baby. "Now the same can costs 4,500 roubles."
*"Since Feb. 24, food prices have soared, taking the year-to-date increase in prices for cabbage and carrots to 85% and 54%, respectively, according to statistics service Rosstat. Prices of imported goods jumped even higher, with prices for some foreign-made cars more than doubling."
I wonder how long it will take before the average Russian starts going under as a result of these economic conditions? I suspect it might be sooner than you think.
*"A survey by state polling agency VTsIOM from February showed that 64% of people in Russia had no savings".
As I said, the ruble is rubble and Russia is flushing itself down the toilet. Follow so far?
PedroMorales
04-10-22, 23:03
So you won't put your money where your mouth is. I guess we know who the real coward is.
I have no plans on moving from my abode, so yes I will be a man of principle. Perhaps you should also convert all your liquidity to RUB and show us that you can stand for what you believe in, or are you as cowardly as Medro?I put my money where my mouth is, you American moron. People who know me know I am no coward, quite the opposite. You, on the other hand, are an American, and a guy on a hookers; forum proffering financial advice.
Guess what. I give away 100% of what I earn, all of it.
You are the type of fat, ugly American who threatens America you will leave if your side loses one of your fake elections.
I see The Russians blew up another couple of hundred million dollars of your weapons that cxame v ia the posatage stamp country of Slovenia.
Americans, fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian. With your regime change be s in Pakistan, you have started bombing Afghanistan again, but it might not work as million s of Pakistanis are out on the streets.
Solomon Islands: China advances. Take your McDonalds, your Coca Cola and your KFC and fuck off back to America. I would say Hollywood too only that is gone down the tube. Two wankers slapping each other. Two comedians who have nowhere near the wealth Zelensky has.
Zelensky will win a Nobel Peace Prize, like that mas murderer Zelensky got.
You want cowards? Here are American cowardly scum walking through Hanoi. They deserved to be skinned alive for their crimes. These animals included John McCain who cried like a dog when captured and never even thanking the Vietnamese farmer who saved his life.
You appear to have a very strained relationship with actual ound the world who
of those pertain exclusively to g citizens and those who are prospectively eligible for citizenship, are completely are a number of countries that allow citizenship by virtue of heritage, so that's not unique to Israel. Israel chooses to define heritage along religious lines, which is understandable in that they see there are plenty of countries for which you can buy .But, of course. The man who could have chosen to "buy citizenship" anywhere, chooses a little ethno-apartheid settler colonial state that is always crying it is in such mortal peril and needs billions of American taxpayer money to survive. Clearly the logical choice for an oligarchic billionaire seeking expedited service, and wealth-sheltering, especially if he wants a place from where he can't get extradited.
Glad to help you understand how things really work.
But, of course. The man who could have chosen to "buy citizenship" anywhere, chooses a little ethno-apartheid settler colonial state that is always crying it is in such mortal peril and needs billions of American taxpayer money to survive. Clearly the logical choice for an oligarchic billionaire seeking expedited service, and wealth-sheltering, especially if he wants a place from where he can't get extradited.
Glad to help you understand how things really work.I don't give a rat's ass about how you think things work. Subjective opinions and biases are tiresome and nearly always lacking in intellectual rigor.
What I care about are empirically verifiable facts. And one empirically verifiable fact, which your biases render you incapable of recognizing, or drive you toward incoherent obfuscation of, is that a non-citizen is categorically not a citizen until they are granted that legal status by the authority empowered to do so.
That's true in Israel and every other country on the face of the planet. It's quite ludicrous to watch your gyrations as you try to ignore or deny the simple, observable, and verifiable, fact that Prokhorov was not an Israeli citizen when he arrived there. All your BS is nothing more than your own projections looking for any nook and cranny into which you can jam your anti-Semitic screeds. And all the pseudo-points you try to make have one thing in common: they're completely tangential and irrelevant to the simple facts I've laid out.
It's quite an illuminating study into the mental contortions someone's biases can cause them to have. I'm happy to have been the instrument of drawing them out for others to witness. Please feel free to continue your mental masturbatory exercises, I'm sure you won't let something as basic as evidence and facts dissuade you. It'll be fun to see what you come up with next. It's rather like an anti-Jew game of Twister, don't you think? I wonder what will your sad little internal spinner will command you to do next? Right hand, Yellow! Left foot, Blue!
I put my money where my mouth is, you American moron. People who know me know I am no coward, quite the opposite. You, on the other hand, are an American, and a guy on a hookers; forum proffering financial advice.
Guess what. I give away 100% of what I earn, all of it.
You are the type of fat, ugly American who threatens America you will leave if your side loses one of your fake elections.
I see The Russians blew up another couple of hundred million dollars of your weapons that cxame v ia the posatage stamp country of Slovenia.
Americans, fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian. With your regime change be s in Pakistan, you have started bombing Afghanistan again, but it might not work as million s of Pakistanis are out on the streets..How do you eat? And who pays for the phone or computer on which you write your hysterical posts? Even if you're surviving on McDonald's, KFC, and Coca Cola in the Solomon Islands, that shit ain't free. Of course, if you're living in locked down Shanghai that would explain some of it. I see that people there are saying they're starving. Not sure how such a thing could happen in "advanced" China.
https://mobile.twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1512974880463114241
Does Comrade Putin send you regular shipments of military rations for your sustenance in exchange for your support? And do those shipments also include military uniforms? Or maybe KGB-style poorly-made and ill-fitting suits?
You really should start a blog on the topic of how to live while giving away 100% of your earnings. I'm sure it'd be very popular, and then you'd have even more earnings you could 100% give away. It's really a win-win when you think of it.
I put my money where my mouth is, you American moron. People who know me know I am no coward, quite the opposite. You, on the other hand, are an American, and a guy on a hookers; forum proffering financial advice.
Guess what. I give away 100% of what I earn, all of it.
You are the type of fat, ugly American who threatens America you will leave if your side loses one of your fake elections.
I see The Russians blew up another couple of hundred million dollars of your weapons that cxame v ia the posatage stamp country of Slovenia.
Americans, fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian. With your regime change be s in Pakistan, you have started bombing Afghanistan again, but it might not work as million s of Pakistanis are out on the streets.
Solomon Islands: China advances. Take your McDonalds, your Coca Cola and your KFC and fuck off back to America. I would say Hollywood too only that is gone down the tube. Two wankers slapping each other. Two comedians who have nowhere near the wealth Zelensky has..Pedro, can you disclose a little bit about yourself? Like approximate age, citizenship. I am just trying to get an idea where ideas like yours are popular.
PedroMorales
04-11-22, 09:18
*"A survey by state polling agency VTsIOM from February showed that 64% of people in Russia had no savings".
As I said, the ruble is rubble and Russia is flushing itself down the toilet. Follow so far?You are using Reuters, a US echo chamber.
Russians use roubles. The forex rate on the street does not matter. Use $, pay a premium. The rouble is tied to gold, not to the $, which will hopefully collapse as it free lunches end.
Russians have no savings? Quite like the Americans so.
Baby food, which I accidentally deleted, is a problem and it is one I am marginally involved in. However, that is precisely who Americans murder with their sanctions.
Putin has the highest approval rating of any Russian leader. Many, I am sure, would like him to step up the special operation in Ukraine where they arguably should have gone in like the Yanks, blowing up water, sewage, electric and then doing mopping up operations.
I don't give a
What I care about are empirically verifiable facts. And one empirically verifiable fact, which your biases render you incapable of recognizing, or hat's and every other country on the face of the planet. It's quite observable, and verifiable, fact that Prokhorov was not an Israeli citizen when he arrived there. All your
It's quite an illuminating study I wonder what will your sad little internal spinner will command you to do next? You are much too illuminating with your intellectual rigor mortis. Don't let your sad little internal sphincter hold you back.
You are much too illuminating with your intellectual rigor mortis. Don't let your sad little internal sphincter hold you back.And the only dysfunctional sphincter in this forum is the one between your ears. Speaking of illuminating, you and Pedro M should get together IRL. Think about it, pro-Russia shill meets anti-Semite troll. With the bias-meter redlined, it would most likely result in spontaneous combustion. If you livestreamed it I think people would definitely pay money to watch. In dollars, rubles, or shekels, take your pick.
*"defending the rouble, never mind the real economy, makes sense as a propaganda strategy".That's all it is. A propaganda strategy It will only harm the Russian economy even more.
It's hubris to think artificially propping up the Ruble is an act of strength. Historically, countries with weak currencies that attempted to prop it up by limiting free exchange and implementing monetary controls have harmed the economy beyond what fragility already existed.
You are using Reuters, a US echo chamber.
Russians use roubles. The forex rate on the street does not matter. Use $, pay a premium. The rouble is tied to gold, not to the $, which will hopefully collapse as it free lunches end.
Russians have no savings? Quite like the Americans so.
Baby food, which I accidentally deleted, is a problem and it is one I am marginally involved in. However, that is precisely who Americans murder with their sanctions.
Putin has the highest approval rating of any Russian leader. Many, I am sure, would like him to step up the special operation in Ukraine where they arguably should have gone in like the Yanks, blowing up water, sewage, electric and then doing mopping up operations.The main reason I linked to the Reuters article was because they specifically referenced a Russian source for the point about savings. If you don't like Reuters, I'm guessing there are other outlets that might quote the same source. It's noteworthy that you can't refute the data itself, so you once again rely on ad hominem.
If Forex doesn't matter, then any comments you make about the supposed strength of the ruble also don't matter. Forex only matters to Russians trying to buy foreign goods or otherwise transact in foreign currencies.
For Russians who exclusively use the ruble domestically, the biggest problem is the rampant inflation and the fact that some goods aren't available at any price. Putin could end most or all of the sanctions tomorrow by ending his war on Ukraine and withdrawing to the pre-Feb 24th positions.
Of course there's no way he'd do that, because a strongman leader can't ever show weakness or admit defeat. So, while it's clear he has lost when it comes to the primary objective of taking Kyiv and removing Zelensky, it wouldn't surprise me if he escalated by taking some aggressive action against Poland, the Baltics, Moldova, etc. And I wouldn't put it past him to use a false-flag attack on Russia as a pretext.
I have no idea how the next few weeks or months of the war will go. But it's clear that Russia's position weakens with every passing day. There is no independent metric you can cite that shows things getting better for Putin. And, as I've posted several times, there are no good outcomes for Russia. If they lose, it's a catastrophic result for the Russian psyche and Putin will be blamed. If they achieve some level of territorial gain in Ukraine, they'll struggle to hold it and Russia will remain a pariah-state. They already had a demographic problem which will only be exacerbated by a continued outflow of young people who recognize they have no future in Russia.
How did things get to this point? Putin, Putin, Putin!
That's all it is. A propaganda strategy It will only harm the Russian economy even more.
It's hubris to think artificially propping up the Ruble is an act of strength. Historically, countries with weak currencies that attempted to prop it up by limiting free exchange and implementing monetary controls have harmed the economy beyond what fragility already existed.In futile partnership with a Potemkin economy that's been hollowed out by systemic kleptocracy. And the armed forces are in the same leaky boat.
As time goes on, and stresses increase, we'll see to how many other things the Potemkin label applies.
That's all it is. A propaganda strategy.
It's hubris to think artificially propping up the Ruble is an act of strength. Historically, countries with weak currencies that attempted to prop it up by limiting free exchange and implementing monetary controls have harmed the economy beyond what fragility already existed.It's too soon to tell how this will play out. The Russians have pegged the ruble to gold. They will accept only rubles for their oil and gas -- so far. Whether they extend this to accept only rubles for all their exports and move to make their ruble an asset backed currency remains to be seen. When Quaddafi made a similar move, the USA Had no answer in response except to take him out. Libya, of course, had no nuclear arsenal.
The USA Meanwhile has been shorting gold for years, and has a currency backed by -- nothing. Well, backed by its military and its ability to control the oil market via the petro dollar. For how much longer is this strategy sustainable? Remains to be seen, however it is pure hubris to think artificially propping up the dollar is an act of strength. For all holding dollars, the people running USA Policy seem to realize this which is why they're willing to keep increasing the stakes -- from Iran, Iraq / Syria, Venezuela, Libya, and now finally it has come to Russia. Should we hope the USA Succeeds and realizes the Hitlerian dream to control Russia's resources? Well, as long as you have the USA Passport and USA Currency and like to spend it like a little king lording it over poor, foreign girls you have to hope the American policy of brinksmanship pays off.
In futile partnership with a Potemkin economy that's been hollowed out by systemic kleptocracy. And the armed forces are in the same leaky boat.
As time goes on, and stresses increase, we'll see to how many other things the Potemkin label applies.An other thing to which the Potemkin label applies: the USA Economy.
It's too soon to tell how this will play out. The Russians have pegged the ruble to gold. They will accept only rubles for their oil and gas -- so far. Whether they extend this to accept only rubles for all their exports and move to make their ruble an asset backed currency remains to be seen. When Quaddafi made a similar move, the USA Had no answer in response except to take him out. Libya, of course, had no nuclear arsenal.
The USA Meanwhile has been shorting gold for years, and has a currency backed by -- nothing. Well, backed by its military and its ability to control the oil market via the petro dollar. For how much longer is this strategy sustainable? Remains to be seen, however it is pure hubris to think artificially propping up the dollar is an act of strength. For all holding dollars, the people running USA Policy seem to realize this which is why they're willing to keep increasing the stakes -- from Iran, Iraq / Syria, Venezuela, Libya, and now finally it has come to Russia. Should we hope the USA Succeeds and realizes the Hitlerian dream to control Russia's resources? Well, as long as you have the USA Passport and USA Currency and like to spend it like a little king lording it over poor, foreign girls you have to hope the American policy of brinksmanship pays off.https://hungarytoday.hu/dispute-between-eu-and-hungary-over-payment-to-russia-in-rubles/
Not sure how China and India are paying, but it doesn't seem like it's happening anywhere in Europe. That could certainly change but it's premature to assume it's already a done deal or will definitely happen on a broad scale. Putin can demand rubles but he also needs income, so it might come down to who blinks first. And it's worth noting that, as the weather warms, Europe's energy needs should be less. Not sure how much impact that has on total demand, but the depths of winter have passed.
About the ruble being pegged to gold, I agree that it's too soon to tell as it's a new development that only happened after Putin invaded Ukraine. When the value of the ruble plummeted it was one of the measures Russia adopted to try to stabilize the currency. Whether it will be effective over the medium to long term remains to be seen. Here's one article that discusses some of the issues, including potential downsides:
https://theconversation.com/why-russia-has-put-the-rouble-on-a-gold-standard-but-its-unlikely-to-last-180632
About the dollar, I'm certainly not a general defender of US monetary or economic policies (although I'm not an indiscriminate basher of same), but the relevant question with respect to dollar dominance is what currency (ies) are realistic candidates to replace it? Any such currency would need to be backed by a country willing to endure the Reserve Currency Paradox (aka Triffin's Dilemma).
https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1011/how-the-triffin-dilemma-affects-currencies.aspx
According to that concept, a reserve currency's issuing country needs to accept a permanent trade deficit condition. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not aware of any sizeable world economy, other than the US, that perennially runs a trade deficit. So, while it's always in fashion to bash the dollar, it's hard to see what will move the needle in any substantial way.
An other thing to which the Potemkin label applies: the USA Economy.As I noted in my other post, I'm neither an indiscriminate supporter or basher of US economic and monetary policy. But I would note that, with all the demographic challenges around the world (declining birth rates, aging populations, etc.), the US still tends to attract more immigrants than many countries, which should have a generally positive effect on growth going forward. Obviously there are many countries in Africa and Asia with robust birth rates, but they tend to be poorer and less developed. That's not a defense of any specific US policy but rather a broad observation that the tide is still moving in a growth-positive direction.
https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/04/answering-call-heavy-weaponry-supplied.html?m=1
Obviously there will be a lot of things happening behind the scenes, and not announced publicly, but this site aims to keep track of everything it can and keep the list updated as new info comes in. For those still present in Ukraine, or anyone interested in this kind of war-related info, this would be a good site to bookmark. And it should also show which countries are keeping their commitments and which are just mouthing empty promises.
https://hungarytoday.hu/dispute-between-eu-and-hungary-over-payment-to-russia-in-rubles/
Not sure how China and India are paying, but it doesn't seem like it's happening anywhere in Europe. That could certainly change but it's premature to assume it's already a done deal or will definitely happen on a broad scale. Putin can demand rubles but he also needs income,
About the ruble being pegged to gold, I agree that it's too soon to tell as it's a new development that only happened after Putin invaded Ukraine. When the value of the ruble plummeted it was one of the
About the dollar, I'm certainly not a general defender of US monetary or economic policies (although I'm not an indiscriminate basher of same), but the relevant question with respect to dollar dominance is what currency (ies) are realistic candidates to replace it? Any such currency would need to be backed by a country willing to endure the Reserve Currency.The stock answer in context of the future of the dollar for years has been, 'Yes, long-term it's all bad, but there's no place else to go. ' Anyone who's spent anytime in the industry knows this. And now we've reached the point where it's the linchpin openly behind US foreign policy. Question is will this battle with Russia lead to the endgame.
How it came to this should be general knowledge. See Michael Hudson, Super Imperialism (updated from your edition back in undergraduate economics).
Or his take on current situation: https://michael-hudson.com/category/articles/.
Of course Putin needs income, which is why he's not giving oil to belligerents that have frozen Russia's accounts. Sanctions have blowback -- in this case so obvious it can only be assumed to have been intentional to, as like the Nuland woman said, eff the E. You. Meanwhile, China will buy Russian oil and gas and pay in yuan which won't be frozen (stolen). The US confiscated Venezuela's foreign holdings, and they even stole poor Afghanistan's. And now Russia's. What kind of a message does that send to anyone who noticed?
US balance of payments, or trade deficit is the underlying situation-issue-problem that's being exposed. The outcome of the present war determines whether there'll a new world economic order.
It's here in the Title https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-insider/2022/04/11/yes-russia-is-still-winning-00024373.
Whizzing through sources, the above caught my attention and read it more than once.
;If you think Russia isn't winning from its invasion of Ukraine, consider this: Moscow's monthly gas export receipts have tripled from a year ago; Marine LE Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; and from today, Western leaders will once again start arriving in Moscow to court President Vladimir Putin into a Ukraine settlement.
In other words: You can win even when you're being humiliated on the battlefield.
On the European front, Putin's supporters win elections in Hungary & Serbia https://edition.cnn.com › europe › h.
Pro-Putin leaders win two elections in Europe, reminding the Kremlin it has friends in high places. CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/04/europe/hungary-serbia-elections-putin-friends-analysis-intl-cmd/index.html
But its not all Win, Win for Putin https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/finland-sweden-set-to-join-nato-war-ukraine-latest-7m8bn6mf8.
He wins some and loses some!
Pedro, can you disclose a little bit about yourself? Like approximate age, citizenship. I am just trying to get an idea where ideas like yours are popular.That's a good question. Pedro, your ideas and words don't sound like a Latin to me.
It might seem like a personal question. Some of us are quite open about our backgrounds. I can also often tell when I am conversing with an American or a European based on their references and their use of written English.
I think most would agree people's backgrounds and life experiences affect the way they look at the world.
Well, as long as you have the USA Passport and USA Currency and like to spend it like a little king lording it over poor, foreign girls........Then WTF are you doing on this website? It's one thing to post your pro-Russia political thoughts, but you are trolling American men who travel abroad to meet foreign women on here the International Sex Guide of all places.
Pull your head out of your ass and look around at where you are.
Then WTF are you doing on this website? It's one thing to post your pro-Russia political thoughts, but you are trolling American men who travel abroad to meet foreign women on here the International Sex Guide of all places.
Pull your head out of your ass and look around at where you are.Got your panties in a twist? Keep it real and get some self-awareness. As much as we enjoy our currency's buying power, it wouldn't be worth going anywhere if The Empire of Lies spread its globohomo corruptions to Russian girls and to the remaining fun spots of the world.
It's too soon to tell how this will play out. The Russians have pegged the ruble to gold. They will accept only rubles for their oil and gas -- so far. Whether they extend this to accept only rubles for all their exports and move to make their ruble an asset backed currency remains to be seen. When Quaddafi made a similar move, the USA Had no answer in response except to take him out. Libya, of course, had no nuclear arsenal.
The USA Meanwhile has been shorting gold for years, and has a currency backed by -- nothing. Well, backed by its military and its ability to control the oil market via the petro dollar. For how much longer is this strategy sustainable? Remains to be seen, however it is pure hubris to think artificially propping up the dollar is an act of strength.This is actually a fairly good take, but only half the story. I've heard some of this with young tech guys who trade and hold crypto. Basically, their prognosis is that the Mideast oil producers will eventually refuse the Dollar as payment and cryptocurrency will be validated as a major global currency.
It misses the bigger issue. How do chronic trade surpluses eventually wind their way through the global economy and converted into reserve assets? The medium of exchange is not really important from an economic perspective. Whether one talks about paying in Gold or Bitcoin, some exporter has to inevitably circulate the Dollars, Euro, Yen, Renminbi back into their respective countries. If Saudi Arabia only accepts Bitcoin, a USA Petro enterprise has to buy Bitcoin to buy Saudi oil. Even if the Saudis choose to hold Bitcoin, the party selling Bitcoin has to direct their Dollars. So Dollars must keep circulating in the global economy until they find their way back into imports from the United States, assets domiciled in the United States or Treasuries.
China and the Mideast oil producers tend to accumulate United States assets and treasuries to sterilize their chronic trade surpluses. Trade surpluses generally find their way back to countries with political stability, strong laws protecting capital and its free movement. Freezing Russian assets presents a new precedence.
Which brings us to the Russians accepting Chinese Renminbi for oil and gas. In the short-run, the Chinese will likely allow the Russians to hold Renminbi reserves. More likely the Chinese will prefer to sell them goods. Believe me for those of us who have studied the global trade system and balance of trade mechanisms, China does not currently want to be a reserve currency and they are not prepared to do so. One of the big things is that the Chinese would have to eliminate their strict capital controls. See Jmsuttr's note about the Triffin Dilemma. Contrary to popular belief, hosting a reserve currency presents difficult economic challenges.
About the dollar, I'm certainly not a general defender of US monetary or economic policies (although I'm not an indiscriminate basher of same), but the relevant question with respect to dollar dominance is what currency (ies) are realistic candidates to replace it? Any such currency would need to be backed by a country willing to endure the Reserve Currency Paradox (aka Triffin's Dilemma).
https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1011/how-the-triffin-dilemma-affects-currencies.aspx
According to that concept, a reserve currency's issuing country needs to accept a permanent trade deficit condition. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not aware of any sizeable world economy, other than the US, that perennially runs a trade deficit. So, while it's always in fashion to bash the dollar, it's hard to see what will move the needle in any substantial way.This is kind of a follow-up to my last post regarding global trade and currency.
Jmsuttr, I was impressed that you brought up the Triffin Dilemma. Most financial journalists have no clue what this well-accepted economic principle is. It's very common to generalize that the Dollar's reserve currency status is purely a benefit. It's often brought up in anti-American rhetoric as an unfair geopolitical advantage.
For obvious reasons, Wall Street is one benefactor of surplus Dollars accumulated around the globe and directed back to the United States assets. Wall Street is an important lobby for policies that protect the Dollar as a reserve currency.
For similar reasons as the Dollar, the British Pound acts a reserve currency in a smaller degree of magnitude. For the size of its economy, the you. K. Runs fairly large trade deficits perennially to absorb the inflow of capital from around the world. You. K. Policies protect capital rights and the free movement of capital in and out of the country.
Then WTF are you doing on this website? It's one thing to post your pro-Russia political thoughts, but you are trolling American men who travel abroad to meet foreign women on here the International Sex Guide of all places.
Pull your head out of your ass and look around at where you are.Uncharacteristically strong words from me on social media. However, I think you owe the entire Board an apology.
Guess what. I give away 100% of what I earn, all of it.
So, not only are you a delusional crackpot, you're also a bum.
Figures.
The stock answer in context of the future of the dollar for years has been, 'Yes, long-term it's all bad, but there's no place else to go. ' Anyone who's spent anytime in the industry knows this. And now we've reached the point where it's the linchpin openly behind US foreign policy. Question is will this battle with Russia lead to the endgame.
How it came to this should be general knowledge. See Michael Hudson, Super Imperialism (updated from your edition back in undergraduate economics).
Or his take on current situation: https://michael-hudson.com/category/articles/.
Of course Putin needs income, which is why he's not giving oil to belligerents that have frozen Russia's accounts. Sanctions have blowback -- in this case so obvious it can only be assumed to have been intentional to, as like the Nuland woman said, eff the E. You. Meanwhile, China will buy Russian oil and gas and pay in yuan which won't be frozen (stolen). The US confiscated Venezuela's foreign holdings, and they even stole poor Afghanistan's. And now Russia's..Is that they rely on multiple variables that may not play out in the ways envisioned by the predictive models. There are plenty of opinions out there, and I'm happy to let them argue the issues in their ivory towers. And predictions about the impending demise of the US are the most popular of all.
I'm much more interested in the pragmatic, empirical, and observable. The plain fact of the matter is that, prior to the invasion, Russia had a higher position in the world, politically and economically, than it does now. No matter how the war turns out, Putin has shown himself to be a barbaric war criminal. There's no coming back from that. And there's no coming back from the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of young Russians who have fled to make a future elsewhere.
Similarly, the image of a strong Russian military has been exposed and destroyed. Sure, Russia has their Soviet-legacy nukes, but their conventional forces have been exposed as a paper tiger. That's one reason why, IMO, Sweden and Finland are unmoved by Russian threats over NATO membership.
War is an uncertain and dynamic beast. Looking at a snapshot in time, or even a series of snapshots, and trying to extrapolate a prediction, is a tricky business. The sanctions regime, and any effects thereof, is similarly a dynamic beast. I find predictions as to who will prevail in the end, and how things will turn out, to be mostly exercises in vanity by people anxious to show off how much they know. And I generally find them to be reluctant to admit how much is unknown and how easily something that comes out of left field could screw up their predictions.
Here's just one example: All of the discussions I've seen re sanctions have assumed that China will continue to support Russia. What if that changes? I'm not saying it will, but I would observe that China isn't in a happy place right now, with having to lock down Shanghai (plus other cities, ports, factories, etc.) in their efforts to keep COVID from wreaking havoc. So, while I'm not predicting, I can envision a scenario in which a combination of China's vulnerabilities and Western pressures could have a material impact on support for Russia. My sole reason for laying out this scenario is to point out the hubris of those who make predictions without accounting for, or even discussing, variables that would skewer their theories.
It is, however, possible to lay out possible scenarios and, with an appropriate degree of humility, point out the rough probabilities of each one. But such discussions should also contain plenty of caveats as to how things could drastically change if the landscape of variables shift.
For example, I've continued to assert that there's unlikely to be any scenario in which Russia truly wins. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that they can occupy much or even all of Ukraine. That is likely to be a Pyrrhic victory as it's clear the Ukrainians don't see Russia as a liberator and don't want to be occupied or assimilated. Russia would be viewed as an aggressive occupier, perhaps having to brutally suppress insurgents, and the sanctions regime would continue.
Meanwhile, since oil and gas are fungible, most of Russia's former energy dependents will have switched, or be actively looking to switch, to other suppliers. The recent deal Italy signed with Algeria is a case in point. That would be a permanent loss of income for Russia and a corresponding reduction in leverage.
Again, I'm not in the prediction business and, historically speaking, most people who thought they had it all figured out ended up being wrong more often than right. But I am in the business of making observations. And one clear observation is that the state of Russia today is weaker than the state of Russia before February 24th. It's hard for me to see how a weakened Russia, having been devalued on a number of fronts, turns these deficits into a winning position. Much like chess, at some point the loss of material + poor positioning = a loss. I think Russia will play to the last pawn, unless something happens internally to tip over the king, but I find arguments for a Russian win to be singularly unconvincing.
They will accept only rubles for their oil and gas -- so far. They can accept Martian dirhams for what I care. No one is paying in rubles except his buddy Orban.
Then WTF are you doing on this website? It's one thing to post your pro-Russia political thoughts, but you are trolling American men who travel abroad to meet foreign women on here the International Sex Guide of all places.
Pull your head out of your ass and look around at where you are.
Come on, be realistic. You're asking him to perform an impossible physical exercise.
Pull your head out of your ass and look around at where you are.That's asking a lot! Don't you think? LOL!
It's here in the Title https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-insider/2022/04/11/yes-russia-is-still-winning-00024373.
Whizzing through sources, the above caught my attention and read it more than once.
;If you think Russia isn't winning from its invasion of Ukraine, consider this: Moscow's monthly gas export receipts have tripled from a year ago; Marine LE Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; and from today, Western leaders will once again start arriving in Moscow to court President Vladimir Putin into a Ukraine settlement.
In other words: You can win even when you're being humiliated on the battlefield.
On the European front, Putin's supporters win elections in Hungary & Serbia https://edition.cnn.com europe h.I'm doubtful LE Pen will win in France. She made it to the 2nd round in 2017, was polling less than Macron at that time, and lost. She's now made it to the 2nd round again, it's a similar situation to that in 2017, and I'll be surprised if the outcome isn't the same.
Predicting a winner at this point is a fool's errand, of course, but even if she wins she'll be constrained by France's membership in the EU. Hungary's Orban has already encountered similar constraints.
One possible LE Pen victory scenario is that she could certainly set a Frexit in motion. That would free France from EU constraints, but that's a years-long process even assuming she has enough support. Unless and until that happens, any friendly overtures toward Russia would have to conform to EU restrictions.
Politico, CNN, and The Times are certainly entitled to their predictions. But they're not immune to the pitfalls that come with that territory, which I detailed in my response to Golfinho.
They can accept Martian dirhams for what I care. No one is paying in rubles except his buddy Orban.Bonus points if you know where that reference is from!
Reef LostCause
04-12-22, 20:02
Marine LE Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; Marine Le Pen is the closest she has been to the French presidency:
He wins some and loses some!Marene La Pine is the closest she has been to the French presidency but that doesn't mean zilch.
Think of it this way: With a brillant young QB and WR, the Buffalo Bills are the closest they have been to winning the Super Bowl.
PedroMorales
04-12-22, 21:12
Ie the lowest form of human life on the planet.
Your argument (sic) is them ore than 50% of the world the US gangster regime have under sanctions should fuck off to Russia even though you, being American, are on stolen land and therefore belong nowhere. You are, in other words, a bum.
And a stupid one. I have a stock of wealth. I do not need the flow of wealth so I give it away, all of it.
See, you are American. That means you are stupid and prone to violence and crime.
Now fuck off back to your American Politics thread.
And such a stupid thread it is. American wankers screaming at each other as immigrants spit roast their obese women.
So, not only are you a delusional crackpot, you're also a bum.
Figures.
Marene La Pine is the closest she has been to the French presidency but that doesn't mean zilch.
Think of it this way: With a brillant young QB and WR, the Buffalo Bills are the closest they have been to winning the Super Bowl.She's neither brilliant nor young. Persistent maybe. But not brilliant or young!
I have a stock of wealth. I do not need the flow of wealth so I give it away, all of it.Here's a definition:
"Current usage of the term 'rentier capitalism' describes the gaining of 'rentier' income from ownership or control of assets that generate economic rents rather than from capital or labour used for production in a free competitive market."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rentier_capitalism
Your statement that you have a "stock of wealth" that attends to your needs puts you squarely in the heart of the above definition. Since you're not exchanging your labor (manual or intellectual) for income then you're literally contributing nothing of value to society.
That revelation certainly explains a lot with respect to some of the bilge you post. Someone who actually works for a living would tend to have a reality-based take on things. Thanks for enlightening the forum as to why your world view is so disjointed and disconnected.
Bonus points if you know where that reference is from!I do now, but only because I cheated, LOL.
As for your questions, I have no objection against that currency. Better than rubles, I think.
I have a stock of wealth. Nah, you don't. You're a bum.
PedroMorales
04-13-22, 10:21
I do now, but only because I cheated, LOL.
As for your questions, I have no objection against that currency. Better than rubles, I think.
Nah, you don't. You're a bum.I have tried to explain things to you, in baby language so that you might understand even though baby logic is beyond you. You do not because you are a fool.
"Marine LE Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; Marine LE Pen is the closest she has been to the French presidency."
European Politics isn't Local unlike American Politics as shown in the recent Elections in Hungary and Orban winning the elections in a mainly Roman Catholic country, and also the first country in the Iron Curtain to revolt against Russian domination.
Here is an interesting article on French Elections worth reading. https://www.ft.com/content/f1c99456-84b1-4193-b058-f72d0f738849.
"Marine LE Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; Marine LE Pen is the closest she has been to the French presidency:
Old age didn't stop Presidents Biden and Trump winning elections, did it!
Is that they rely on multiple variables that may not play out in the ways envisioned by the predictive models. There are plenty of opinions out there, and I'm happy to let them argue the issues in their ivory towers. And predictions about the impending demise of the US are the most popular of all.
I'm much more interested in the pragmatic, empirical, and observable. The plain fact of the matter is that, prior to the invasion, Russia had a higher position in the world, politically and economically, than it does now. No matter how the war turns out, Putin has shown himself to be a barbaric war criminal. There's no coming back from that. And there's no coming back from the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of young Russians who have fled to make a future elsewhere.
Similarly, the image of a strong Russian military has been exposed and destroyed. Sure, Russia has their Soviet-legacy nukes, but their conventional forces have been exposed as a paper tiger. That's one reason why, IMO, Sweden and Finland are unmoved by Russian threats over NATO membership.
War is an uncertain and dynamic beast. Looking at a snapshot in time, or even a series of snapshots, and trying to extrapolate a prediction, is a tricky business. The sanctions regime, and any effects thereof, is similarly a dynamic beast. I find predictions as to who will prevail in the end, and how things will turn out, to be mostly exercises in vanity by people anxious to show off how much they know. And I generally find them to be reluctant to admit how much is unknown and how easily something that comes out of left field could screw up their predictions..Of course, things seldom play out as scripted: The cunning of reason (if you recollect your Hegel), or blowback in the vernacular.
Too soon to know, but I'd suspect the people behind the USA warmongering are willing to play to the last pawn -- and that's us.
We want our currency to continue to enable us to romp in the world's fun spots and-- equally important -- not to have alternative currencies and economies destroyed (temporarily weakened a bit is ok, but not wiped out). We all know what happens when girls start quoting you in dollars -- no good. Anybody remember what good value Ecuador and Costa Rica were before they adopted the dollar? It's from this perspective that we need Russia and it's allies to weather this trial of strength.
https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/04/answering-call-heavy-weaponry-supplied.html?m=1
Obviously there will be a lot of things happening behind the scenes, and not announced publicly, but this site aims to keep track of everything it can and keep the list updated as new info comes in. For those still present in Ukraine, or anyone interested in this kind of war-related info, this would be a good site to bookmark. And it should also show which countries are keeping their commitments and which are just mouthing empty promises.Very good idea as well is to list Countries which are helping Russia in its occupation of Ukraine.
Here is one I found earlier, And guess what!! It's the Country that was invaded and we were told" Mission Accomplished."
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-backed-militias-in-iraq-reportedly-smuggling-weapons-to-arm-russian-invaders/
"Iran-backed militias in Iraq reportedly smuggling weapons to arm Russia in Ukraine.
RPGs, anti-tank missiles, Bavar 373 missile system and Brazilian-designed rocket launcher systems have made their way from Iraq to Putin's forces, according to the Guardian".
AS for "Mission Accomplished in Iraq " https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/north-africa-west-asia/from-invasion-to-failed-state-iraqs-democratic-disillusionment/.
"Western-style democracy has failed Iraq, bringing a dystopian economy, an ineffectual government and more pain for its long-suffering people."
As for your questions, I have no objection against that currency. Better than rubles, I think.Martian dirhams are valuable, but the Venusian Pusso is the most valuable currency in the Universe.
European Politics isn't Local unlike American Politics .
Old age didn't stop Presidents Biden and Trump winning elections, did it!Old age wasn't a handicap then, but old age & apparent senility encourages even Old Allies to take the piss out of Politics by Joe President, LOL.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOhcCPqc4pk
Of course, things seldom play out as scripted: The cunning of reason (if you recollect your Hegel), or blowback in the vernacular.
Too soon to know, but I'd suspect the people behind the USA warmongering are willing to play to the last pawn -- and that's us.
We want our currency to continue to enable us to romp in the world's fun spots and-- equally important -- not to have alternative currencies and economies destroyed (temporarily weakened a bit is ok, but not wiped out). We all know what happens when girls start quoting you in dollars -- no good. Anybody remember what good value Ecuador and Costa Rica were before they adopted the dollar? It's from this perspective that we need Russia and it's allies to weather this trial of strength.I'd have a shitload of dollars, which I'd be glad to have rather than other alternatives. So I hope I'll be forgiven for keeping my financial car in the dollar's garage. It may not be perfect, but it's proven to be more reliable than the most of the competition. As the investing prospectus always says, "past performance is no guarantee of future results," but it's sure nice to have a decent track record.
As for your last point, from a human perspective I hope Russia and its allies crash and burn. I wouldn't shed a tear if Putin was Mussolinied by his own people. And I'm happy to see Comrade Xi hitching his horse to a wagon with a broken wheel (or four). May they keep each other company in the appropriate circle of Dante's Inferno.
PedroMorales
04-13-22, 17:57
Russia is a major exporter of weapons. Ask India.
There is no reason they would need to complicate matters by involving Iraq, a country America, cheered on by the Guardian, destroyed.
The Ukrainian marines did the right thing at Mariupol and surrender, Let's find out what NATO vermin are holed up with the die hard Azov Nazis. Some British cut throats have already surrendered The Geneva Convention does not apply to this surrender monkey or any Yanks that may be holed up there https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10712653/Captured-British-soldiers-family-beg-Russian-forces-treat-humane-dignified-way.html?ito=facebook_share_article-top&fbclid=IwAR2cWF1NGZfHl92bRfs3uNb-80eL4VArtR4j0kw6Beoy1Wk74OUZ05_oYEM.
AS for "Mission Accomplished in Iraq " https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/north-africa-west-asia/from-invasion-to-failed-state-iraqs-democratic-disillusionment/.
"Western-style democracy has failed Iraq, bringing a dystopian economy, an ineffectual government and more pain for its long-suffering people."
Of course, things seldom play out as scripted:
We want our currency to continue to enable us to romp in the world's fun spots and-- equally important -- not to have alternative currencies and economies destroyed (temporarily weakened a bit is ok, but not wiped out). We all know what happens when girls start quoting you in dollars -- no good. Anybody remember what good value Ecuador and Costa Rica were before they adopted the dollar? It's from this perspective that we need Russia and it's allies to weather this trial of strength.What's worse is when Girls start quoting in € Euros. I was and still am comfortable with paying a Benjamin or equivalent in local currency as a benchmark for one hour with an EE / Central European hottie.
The Euro adoption = Higher prices for everything, On the other hand, a weaker Ruuble is great for mongering.
Russia is a major exporter of weapons. Ask India.
There is no reason they would need to complicate matters by involving Iraq, a country America, cheered on by the Guardian, destroyed.
The Ukrainian marines did the right thing at Mariupol and surrender, Let's find out what NATO vermin are holed up with the die hard Azov Nazis. Some British cut throats have already surrendered The Geneva Convention does not apply to this surrender monkey or any Yanks that may be holed up there https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10712653/Captured-British-soldiers-family-beg-Russian-forces-treat-humane-dignified-way.html?ito=facebook_share_article-top&fbclid=IwAR2cWF1NGZfHl92bRfs3uNb-80eL4VArtR4j0kw6Beoy1Wk74OUZ05_oYEM.India has got to be looking at developments and wondering if they're getting their money's worth.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/ukraine-war-russian-tanks-destroyed-outside-kyiv-ukrainian-troops-pose-for-selfies/videoshow/90581720.cms
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/russias-moskva-missile-cruiser-seriously-dam-1496883.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/ukraine-claims-missile-strike-on-russian-warship-101649890367848.html
Images of Russian tank turrets flying through the air, after being hit by a drone strike or shoulder-launched weapon, are all over the internet. And images of the burning and sinking cruiser Moskva may join them soon. If the ship was out of the range of land-based cameras, I'll be looking for satellite imagery to appear. BTW, I believe this is the ship that was the object of the famous Ukrainian "Russian Warship, Go Fuck Yourself" defiance incident.
I'm guessing that India, being shrewd consumers, will either demand a return clause or a steep discount! Russia would have been better off just displaying their weapon systems in parades, rather than actually using them and letting the world see their shortcomings.
The Ukrainian marines did the right thing at Mariupol and surrender, Let's find out what NATO vermin are holed up with the die hard Azov Nazis. Some British cut throats have already surrendered The Geneva Convention does not apply to this surrender monkey or any Yanks that may be holed up there https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10712653/Captured-British-soldiers-family-beg-Russian-forces-treat-humane-dignified-way.html?ito=facebook_share_article-top&fbclid=IwAR2cWF1NGZfHl92bRfs3uNb-80eL4VArtR4j0kw6Beoy1Wk74OUZ05_oYEM.Putin's henchmen must be really desperate if they resort to sending their trolls to a mongering board.
I'd have a shitload of dollars, which I'd be glad to have rather than other alternatives. So I hope I'll be forgiven for keeping my financial car in the dollar's garage. It may not be perfect, but it's proven to be more reliable than the most of the competition. Well, it's not like we have a choice, unless you want to convert your dollars into diamonds and wear them in a little bag hanging around your neck. Or join the procession opening bank accounts in Panama, or start buying aquifers.
We all want to find out who will be The Ultimate Winners in The Ukraine Coflict, don't we?
According to this analysis in the respected Financial Times," The US will be the ultimate winner of Ukraine's crisis.
America stands to gain in stature and influence in Europe, Asia and the court of world opinion."
Written by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janan_Ganesh.
Of course it's all a matter of Opinions and we all have more than one.
"Janan Ganesh is a biweekly columnist and associate editor for the FT. He writes on American politics for the FT and culture for FT Weekend."
Putin's henchmen must be really desperate if they resort to sending their trolls to a mongering board.When China starting cracking down on Hong Kong, saw the same thing with China's trolls on social media.
It's bizarre when national pride translates to subjugating a people who want self-determination.
I'm guessing that India, being shrewd consumers, will either demand a return clause or a steep discount! Russia would have been better off just displaying their weapon systems in parades, rather than actually using them and letting the world see their shortcomings.Russia displays its tanks in a competition called Tank Olympics (or Tank Biathalon). There's videos. It's good watching. Look and see how the tanks from various countries compare. Not battle conditions obviously.
The rap against US armament is expensive maintenance, among other things. There's also a substantial literature on this. But until there's actual battlefield conditions, there's no way to know.
Well, it's not like we have a choice, unless you want to convert your dollars into diamonds and wear them in a little bag hanging around your neck. Or join the procession opening bank accounts in Panama, or start buying aquifers.Best investment as Mark Twain said, Buy land, they're not making it anymore.
What about buying Land in Russia with the Inevitable regime change there!
"Russia is an ideal country for farming business, mostly because the land is still very cheap. Foreigners have already purchased about 5 million hectares of agricultural land in Russia, and there are many reasons for this:
The cost of 1 acre of Russian land is several times cheaper than the price of 1 acre in South America or even in Africa."
The cost of 1 acre of Russian land is several times cheaper than the price of 1 acre in South America or even in Africa."The price factors in the cost of clearing Stalin's skeletons.
It's bizarre when national pride translates to subjugating a people who want self-determination.Except when America does it, pardner, that's different. That's bringing Freedom.
Except when America does it, pardner, that's different. That's bringing Freedom.I don't remember people choosing Sadaam Hussein and the Taliban. That's self-determination, pardner.
When China starting cracking down on Hong Kong, saw the same thing with China's trolls on social media.
It's bizarre when national pride translates to subjugating a people who want self-determination.Social media is one thing (Putin's "Internet Research Agency" has been doing it for years) but a mongering board? LOL!
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