Stupid Shit in Kyiv

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2966802]Have you gentlemen visited Russia? Moscow's in better shape than any Latin American capitol I've been to. And IMO better than Lisbon and Athens. [/QUOTE]How nave do you have to be if to say this with a straight face! Yes, Moscow is a world class city. But that's only because it's sucking life, blood and wealth out of the rest of Russia. Every Russian will tell you MOSCOW IS NOT RUSSIA! Every Russian unequivocally hates the city of Moscow. They were overjoyed when Ukraine hit Moscow with drones, for Christ's sake. That's all you need to know.

And yes, to answer your question I've been to Moscow, Ukraine and many other cities in Russia and FSU, but once again: having been to Russia is NOT a prerequisite to understanding what this failed fascist mafia state is doing right now.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2966802]Look at tables of per capita income or GDP adjusted for purchasing power. They support that view. Russia's per capita GDP adjusted for purchasing power is about 2-1/2 times greater than Ukraine's.[/QUOTE]What are you talking about? Their GDP is boosted by war. Up to 41% of their budget is war and security. Try to spread a bullet on a piece of bread, then come back and tells us how it worked for you.

The sanctions, though fairly toothless, are working, and if the oil prices really go down as the world economists predict, that's the lights out for your favorite failed fascist mafia state.

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2966802]While westerners aren't rushing to move to Russia, in part because of sanctions, people from other FSU states are.[/QUOTE]First of all they WERE flocking to Russia for work. Second, not anymore. Fascists being fascists can't help themselves. Even with the critical shortage of labor in Russia, they're either pushing migrants to join the war or squeezing them out. Most make the right choice, and new potential migrants stay home.

Read: [B]Russia is expelling migrants at a record pace.[/B].

[URL]https://www.trtrussian.com/novosti/rossiya-vysylaet-migrantov-rekordnymi-tempami-18222890[/URL]

[QUOTE=Tiny12;2966802]Molotov, who signed the agreement for Russia in Moscow, didn't die until 1986. Undoubtedly younger people were present at the signing.[/QUOTE]Sigh! They would've had to be very young people in 1939, wouldn't they, though? So young, in fact, that they most probably would've had no idea what was going on around them. And even if we presume that those "present at the signing" weren't Questner's imaginary friends, there's no way on earth they would've known the context of the "secret protocols". Those were worked on by a very narrow group of people.

Heard of the Secret Protocols? They are the essence of the The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Read: [URL]https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-molotov-ribbentrop-pact-august-1939[/URL]#text.

It's quite touching (NOT) to watch how you defend Questner and his buddy here--to and beyond the point of absurdity.

[QUOTE=PaulInZurich;2966676]LOL. Sure buddy, everybody believes you talked to first hand witnesses of the 1939 agreement. This makes everything else you say very believable.

I would like for you to explain how two of the biggest mass murderers in history having an agreement to carve out other countries was a good thing. Funny how Putin who talks about "denazification" of Ukraine finds excuses for Hitler.

Buddy, I couldn't care less how Russians see Switzerland. I wonder why all of Russians neighbours, Finland, Baltic countries, Poland, Romania all have the same opinion about Russia..[/QUOTE]Tucker asked soft questions to make the interviewed can deliver his message to the audience. This is what good interviewer does. Remember Larry King? Now, the previous journalists from FOX and CNN failed because they were full of ego, made sure their position within a network is not in jeopardy and repeated the same stupid mantra.

There was a number of about maybe 300,000 that left in 2022. Majority is back for many reasons and the most important that there is no second wave of mobilization, it's cheaper to rely on contract soldiers, not very socially fair, but cheaper.

Life in Switzerland is much more comfortable, you always have clean latrines. However, spiritually I doubt it very much. At the end we all face the same Totendanz. You have to understand that through our history we faced not only one Till but hordes of arches all aimed at the apple above our head.

Swedes proved the dumbest to join NATO, all after surviving in two world wars and many other conflicts after the Napoleonic wars.

When in Moscow (unless you get trapped at one of the many metro staircases) buy this guy a cup of coffee and ask all the questions about 1939 pact: [URL]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyacheslav_Nikonov[/URL].

In 1939 it was obviously clear that the war inevitable. The only question was with whom and when. The pact allowed us to move the border west that helped much in summer of 1941. The pact also allowed millions of people to evacuate east. Large part of that evacuated population was Jewish.

Any grievances with the President? Ask him directly at [URL]https://moskva-putinu.ru/[/URL] and get an answer this December 19th.

[QUOTE=JohnClayton;2966808]Clearly not. I prefer a secular fascist state to a religious fascist state. I believe that history will reflect somewhat positively on the Soviet coup in Afghanistan in 1978 (and to a lesser extent on the Russian support of al Assad). The Soviet backed PDPA was non sectarian, supported women's right and land reform. [/QUOTE]For once I agree with you. Assad had his faults I'm sure, but he was far better than the terrorists that have taken over Syria with support from the collective west.

[QUOTE=Questner;2966872] ... ask all the questions about 1939 pact: [URL]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyacheslav_Nikonov[/URL].[/QUOTE]So clearly you don't understand what first hand witness means. And sure, that guy talks to a low level troll, uh huh.

[QUOTE=Questner;2966872]In 1939 it was obviously clear that the war inevitable. The only question was with whom and when. [/QUOTE]So let's just invade whoever happens to be nearby, just in case. Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bessarabia, who cares? This way of thinking makes your kind very popular with your neighbors.

[QUOTE=BloodRed;2966917]For once I agree with you. Assad had his faults I'm sure, but he was far better than the terrorists that have taken over Syria with support from the collective west.[/QUOTE]It remains to be seen. The Syrians seem pretty happy.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966823]
And yes, to answer your question I've been to Moscow, Ukraine and many other cities in Russia and FSU, but once again: having been to Russia is NOT a prerequisite to understanding what this failed fascist mafia state is doing right now.
[/QUOTE]Fair enough. You'd be in a better position than I am to understand the standard of living in the FSU from the viewpoint of the residents. Also, from your recent posts, you probably read and speak Russian. It's a difficult language to learn. I've tried twice and failed. BTW while we often disagree, I've always thought you're among the most intelligent political posters on the board. You're wrong about this though. There's no way Ukraine will win this war, and peace is in the best interest of both countries. Preferably before lots of blood is spilled over Pokrovsk.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966823]What are you talking about? Their GDP is boosted by war. Up to 41% of their budget is war and security. Try to spread a bullet on a piece of bread, then come back and tells us how it worked for you.[/QUOTE]Then take a look at the Wayback Machine. In 2020 and 2021, Russian and Greek GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power were about the same. And Russia's GDP per capita was about 2.1 to 2.2 X Ukraine's.

[URL]https://web.archive.org/web/20220328091050/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita[/URL]

Russia was spending around 3.8% of GDP before the war and 5. 8% in 2023, see

[URL]https://www.statista.com/statistics/810561/ratio-of-military-expenditure-to-gross-domestic-product-gdp-russia/[/URL]

The USA was spending more than that as a % of GDP the majority of the time from 1960 to 1989.

[URL]https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/usa/united-states/military-spending-defense-budget[/URL]

Russia has the industrial capacity to continue this war for a long, long time. Or to end it quickly, by means of nuclear weapons or targeting civilians in large numbers. As to the later, I don't believe Russia would do that. But I also don't believe the west should push it into a corner and find out for sure.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966823]The sanctions, though fairly toothless, are working, and if the oil prices really go down as the world economists predict, that's the lights out for your favorite failed fascist mafia state.[/QUOTE]Were they lights out for Venezuela when the price of oil went down? For Iran? Sanctions haven't worked there. Nor have they in Cuba despite having been in place since 1960. Oswaldo Paya, the Cuban activist who was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize and killed by the regime, believed sanctions were stupid.

The Russian GDP was down 1.8% in 2022, but up 4.9% in 2023 and 3.1% in 2024. Russia, admittedly boosted by big defense expenditures, is outperforming the EU.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966823]First of all they WERE flocking to Russia for work. Second, not anymore. Fascists being fascists can't help themselves. Even with the critical shortage of labor in Russia, they're either pushing migrants to join the war or squeezing them out. Most make the right choice, and new potential migrants stay home.

Read: [B]Russia is expelling migrants at a record pace.[/B].

[URL]https://www.trtrussian.com/novosti/rossiya-vysylaet-migrantov-rekordnymi-tempami-18222890[/URL][/QUOTE]It sounds like they're deporting people who violated immigration laws. I'd question how many of the one million migrants left between when COVID started and the start of the war with Ukraine, as opposed to after the start of the war. And I'd point out that there's been a net outflow of Mexican immigrants from the USA during certain periods as well. That doesn't mean that many Mexicans don't prefer to live or work in the USA because economic conditions are better in the USA.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966823]Heard of the Secret Protocols? They are the essence of the The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Read: [URL]https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-molotov-ribbentrop-pact-august-1939[/URL]#text.[/QUOTE]I haven't read much about the treaty. Based on your link, yes, it looks like Russia and Germany did premeditatedly decide to screw over Poland.

[QUOTE=JohnClayton;2966968]It remains to be seen. The Syrians seem pretty happy.[/QUOTE]So you think Al Qaida / ISIS terrorists are a better bet than an educated, secular dictator like Assad?

The Syrian people are innocent, I love them and I want nothing but the best for them. Just like the Ukrainian people, they are innocent.

[QUOTE=BloodRed;2967084]So you think Al Qaida / ISIS terrorists are a better bet than an educated, secular dictator like Assad?

The Syrian people are innocent, I love them and I want nothing but the best for them. Just like the Ukrainian people, they are innocent.[/QUOTE]The end of Assad's rule marks the end for an easy weapons route from Iran to Syria to Hezbollah and Hamas.

Overall, that's a good thing.

We are on the cusp of the end of the Sunni Israel conflict. Saudi has been trading and working to normalize relations with Israel for quite some time now. Gaza has put that on hold, but just for a little while. As soon as Saudi recognizes Israel the rest of the Gulf States will fall in line. And it will be SUNY and Israel versus Iran and the few Shia that are left. Iran's new guy is far more moderate. With Iran being more and more isolated the possibility of the Revolutionary guard and the mothers losing power increases.

Additionally with the fall of Assad we have decreased the influence of Russia in the Middle East.

We shall have to see how things work out in the new Syria. What role will the Kurds play? Will we see another balkans?

Overall I'm a bit more optimistic. But as long as we have islamists in charge of states in the middle east, peace will be impossible. And let's not forget that the majority of the Gulf States in Egypt have harsher laws against islamists than we do in the West.

[QUOTE=Questner;2966865]Tucker asked soft questions to make the interviewed can deliver his message to the audience. This is what good interviewer does. [/QUOTE]No, that is called sucking up. It's the mentality of a slave. A good interviewer challenges obvious lies.

[QUOTE=Questner;2966865] You have to understand that through our history we faced not only one Till but hordes of arches all aimed at the apple above our head.[/QUOTE]Clearly you know nothing about the Wilhelm Tell myth.

[QUOTE=Questner;2966865]Swedes proved the dumbest to join NATO, all after surviving in two world wars and many other conflicts after the Napoleonic wars.[/QUOTE]You can thank Putin being so aggressive with its neighbors that Sweden and Finland joined NATO. Great strategic move from Putin. Obviously Sweden and Finland did the right thing, now they have long term real security guarantees. Bullies don't stop bullying until they are being pushed back.

[QUOTE=BloodRed;2967084]So you think Al Qaida / ISIS terrorists are a better bet than an educated, secular dictator like Assad?

The Syrian people are innocent, I love them and I want nothing but the best for them. Just like the Ukrainian people, they are innocent.[/QUOTE]This is called the strawman fallacy. For sure, al Assad was pretty bad. I would hope for a rational, democratic state. I desire the same outcome for Russians. Get rid of Putin.

[QUOTE=BloodRed;2966703]Exactly. Lindsey Graham openly said a long time ago that it is Ukrainians that are dying, not Americans, so it's OK. He felt no shame in saying it. Then recently he said there were a lot of minerals in Ukraine and hence America can't let Russia take all of that. I'm shocked that some people still don't see that America aka NATO does not give a shit about the Ukrainian people. Ukrainian lives are worthless to them.[/QUOTE]The allies helping Ukraine are of course doing it out of self interest, whether it be their own security, or future economic concerns. The fact that it's the morally right thing to do, to stop a violent dictatorship taking over a self sovereign nation, is gravy.

[QUOTE=BloodRed;2966792]Are you happy that terrorists took over Syria?[/QUOTE]Are you happy that bloodthirsty kleptocrats are in charge of Russia?

[QUOTE=Questner;2966865]
Life in Switzerland is much more comfortable, you always have clean latrines. However, spiritually I doubt it very much. At the end we all face the same Totendanz. You have to understand that through our history we faced not only one Till but hordes of arches all aimed at the apple above our head.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=PaulInZurich;2967106]Clearly you know nothing about the Wilhelm Tell myth.[/QUOTE]Yep. The dumbest reference ever.

It's telling, though, how this Putin's fanboy unwittingly but rightly identifies his country as tyranny suppressing freedom throughout its history.

[QUOTE=PaulInZurich;2967106]No, that is called sucking up. It's the mentality of a slave. A good interviewer challenges obvious lies.

Clearly you know nothing about the Wilhelm Tell myth.

You can thank Putin being so aggressive with its neighbors that Sweden and Finland joined NATO. Great strategic move from Putin. Obviously Sweden and Finland did the right thing, now they have long term real security guarantees. Bullies don't stop bullying until they are being pushed back.[/QUOTE]You can try to deflect from the main questions as far as you can (poking on a messenger and forgetting the message, trying to connect the present leadership with the WWII era, having doubts about Russia's technological strengths, laughing at the quality of life from the level of a neat latrine etc) however the questions will remain the same:

What is the origin of the conflict? What are the positions of the parties? How to end the conflict in a way that will bring open borders, friendship and better life? How to avoid escalation of this conflict?

If you can contribute something of value you are welcome. By the way, both Sweden and Finland joined without a referendum. Will Switzerland join without a referendum?

I am pessimistic about European future. In 1940 we moved the border west near Leningrad. We are ready to move it again if needed. We have even a saying that Russian Army is used to pay a visit into Berlin and Paris once in a century. I don't think it would be wise to prompt the invitation.