The Ukraine Crisis

[SDHornet]

Zelensky apparently had to take a break from the war and tell Europe they need green energy to stop Russia.

WTF?

Wonder if he gets a kickback from those telling him what to do.

Its a no-brainer …. makes total sense from the UKR perspective

If Russia cannot sell fossil fuels to the EU, theyre toast no matter how much China buys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If only Biden wouldn't have diminished production to meet the EU's demand for energy...whoops.

[SDHornet]

Increasingly, Ukrainians are confronting an uncomfortable truth: The military’s understandable impulse to defend against Russian attacks could be putting civilians in the crosshairs. Virtually every neighborhood in most cities has become militarized, some more than others, making them potential targets for Russian forces trying to take out Ukrainian defenses.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... civilians/

[SDHornet]

[SDHornet]

Interesting read. Curious as to if the troop numbers make sense. Russians from the Kyiv thrust have been redeploying into the Donbas.

[Ibanez]

Its a no-brainer …. makes total sense from the UKR perspective

If Russia cannot sell fossil fuels to the EU, theyre toast no matter how much China buys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If only Biden wouldn't have diminished production to meet the EU's demand for energy...whoops.

Biden forced oil companies to produce less? 2022 YTD oil production numbers get released tomorrow(supposedly), i'm very curious to see if the production trends.

[CID1990]

Its a no-brainer …. makes total sense from the UKR perspective

If Russia cannot sell fossil fuels to the EU, theyre toast no matter how much China buys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If only Biden wouldn't have diminished production to meet the EU's demand for energy...whoops.

You do know that we can reverse that easily, right? Within the next year we can be the EU’s greatest supplier of LNG and Biden literally will have no choice but to let it happen.

Also on a side note- I highly recommend grain futures


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kalm]

Two powerful drivers - Russia switching to roubles for gas export payments and exporting firms being mandated to convert 80% of their foreign currency earnings into roubles - are supporting the Russian currency, said Iskander Lutsko, chief investment strategist at ITI Capital.

"The market now really depends on progress in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine," Lutsko said of the Russian stock market, as the two sides met for face-to-face talks in Turkey and there were signs of tentative progress.

https://www.reuters.com/business/financ ... 022-03-29/

[CID1990]

Interesting read. Curious as to if the troop numbers make sense. Russians from the Kyiv thrust have been redeploying into the Donbas.

It sure is an interesting read, coming from a major contributor to RT. The same one who predicted the land war would be over in a week. This is also the same Scott Ritter who did a 180 degree about face on Saddam Hussein and WMDs. The guy is a pennant in a breeze. No surprise given his paycheck that he’s taking the “Russia meant to do this all along” tack.

Russia isn’t moving anything away from Kiev except to get forces out of the way of Ukrainian counterattacks along the northern corridor from Belarus.

Putin is saving face - if his objective was to lose 20,000 troops simply securing the Donbas, well then, mmmkay. Notice how the Russian negotiating position no longer involves any language about de-Nazification?

Putin is losing on three fronts - the war, domestic, and international. When this is over, Putin will declare all his objectives achieved, and you and a few others on here will be agreeing with him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kalm]

[UNI88]

Interesting read. Curious as to if the troop numbers make sense. Russians from the Kyiv thrust have been redeploying into the Donbas.

Do they need a land bridge to the Crimea across 200-250 miles of potentially hostile territory when they control an actual bridge across the entrance to the Sea of Azov? Or are they that afraid of anything with Azov in the name?

[Ivytalk]

Trump is Bill Kristol’s sole reason for posting. Since the demise of Weekly Standard, he’s been lost.

[Baldy]

Somebody help a brotha out. Can someone please give me a playbook or a scorecard?

1. For years, the never Trumpers, Leftists and the media have been saying that Trump was a Putin puppet, a Russian asset, and a Nazi. I'm old enough to remember the "punch a Nazi" campaign.
2. Now Putin goes full Antifa and invades to de-Nazify Ukraine.
3. The media, never Trumpers, and the Left are in full "I Support Ukraine" mode.
4. Is Trump a Nazi like his brothers in Ukraine or is he a Russian asset and Putin puppet?

I don't really see how he can be both...

[kalm]

Somebody help a brotha out. Can someone please give me a playbook or a scorecard?

1. For years, the never Trumpers, Leftists and the media have been saying that Trump was a Putin puppet, a Russian asset, and a Nazi. I'm old enough to remember the "punch a Nazi" campaign.
2. Now Putin goes full Antifa and invades to de-Nazify Ukraine.
3. The media, never Trumpers, and the Left are in full "I Support Ukraine" mode.
4. Is Trump a Nazi like his brothers in Ukraine or is he a Russian asset and Putin puppet?

I don't really see how he can be both...

You think Putin invaded Ukraine because, Nazis?

[Skjellyfetti]

2. Now Putin goes full Antifa and invades to de-Nazify Ukraine.

[houndawg]

I don't know. Biden mentioning regime change has to put Putin on edge. That's not a good idea if Putin might be unstable.

Trump said some outlandish and stupid things but I didn't feel closer to a nuclear war because of his verbal diarrhea the way I have recently with Biden.

I agree that Biden has been far more unstable. For all of his outlandishness, which was plentiful, you always knew where Trump was coming from - he was an egotistical narcissist to the nth degree. Biden is a different thing entirely, he simply looks checked out. Sometimes he's piloting the ship, and sometimes he's just not there. They can't even keep him on script anymore. Why they continually let him get in front of the press right now is borderline elder abuse, but then again, even in controlled speeches like in Warsaw, he can't stay on message. With all that said, I still think there are adults in the room and just like Trump, I don't think uncontrolled outburst from the President are going to result in people launching the missiles.

Now now, no histrionics needed, its not like its the first time we've had an dementia-ridden old fool in the Commander-in-Chief's chair. Or used that fact to our advantage with our adversaries. You younguns chill out, we've been here before, we got this.

[houndawg]

Increasingly, Ukrainians are confronting an uncomfortable truth: The military’s understandable impulse to defend against Russian attacks could be putting civilians in the crosshairs. Virtually every neighborhood in most cities has become militarized, some more than others, making them potential targets for Russian forces trying to take out Ukrainian defenses.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... civilians/

Now you're just flinging feces at the wall of your cage.

The presence of Ukrainian troops isn't putting civilians in the crosshairs, there were always there. The Russians deliberately targeted children in Afghanistan with explosives that look like toys; it's their version of "shock and awe".

[CID1990]

Somebody help a brotha out. Can someone please give me a playbook or a scorecard?

1. For years, the never Trumpers, Leftists and the media have been saying that Trump was a Putin puppet, a Russian asset, and a Nazi. I'm old enough to remember the "punch a Nazi" campaign.
2. Now Putin goes full Antifa and invades to de-Nazify Ukraine.
3. The media, never Trumpers, and the Left are in full "I Support Ukraine" mode.
4. Is Trump a Nazi like his brothers in Ukraine or is he a Russian asset and Putin puppet?

I don't really see how he can be both...

For the 5 millionth time -

Putin has listed a number of reasons why he is justified in invading Ukraine

Ukraine is not a real country

Ukraine has an illegitimately elected government

Ukraine is full of Nazis (like their Jew president)

Ukraine has always traditionally been a part of Russia

^^^^ all of these are purely intended for domestic Russian consumption. For some reason, we have legions of otherwise intelligent Americans biting on Putin’s hook.

My only explanation is that the MSM says Ukraine is the victim and Russia is the aggressor, and therefore some of us are duty bound to believe that’s bullshit? That must be it … because it beggars belief that anyone could “yes but” a war of naked aggression.

Stop being the liberals at the cocktail party. You know who i am talking about. They are the ones who come up in the middle of the conversation about the Industrial Revolution in America and remind you that, you know, we killed Indians where that Chrysler plant used to stand… because you might not know that if this smerchy smug cunt didn’t educate you.

That’s what you guys talking about Nazis in Ukraine remind me of.

Or Henry Ford. You remind me of him, too.

Shame


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SDHornet]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... civilians/

Now you're just flinging feces at the wall of your cage.

The presence of Ukrainian troops isn't putting civilians in the crosshairs, there were always there. The Russians deliberately targeted children in Afghanistan with explosives that look like toys; it's their version of "shock and awe".

Take it up with WaPo, it's their article...similar to those Newsweek articles about "nationalist militias" in Ukraine that were published back in 2014...or is that flinging feces at a wall too?

[SDHornet]

Interesting read. Curious as to if the troop numbers make sense. Russians from the Kyiv thrust have been redeploying into the Donbas.

It sure is an interesting read, coming from a major contributor to RT. The same one who predicted the land war would be over in a week. This is also the same Scott Ritter who did a 180 degree about face on Saddam Hussein and WMDs. The guy is a pennant in a breeze. No surprise given his paycheck that he’s taking the “Russia meant to do this all along” tack.

Russia isn’t moving anything away from Kiev except to get forces out of the way of Ukrainian counterattacks along the northern corridor from Belarus.

Putin is saving face - if his objective was to lose 20,000 troops simply securing the Donbas, well then, mmmkay. Notice how the Russian negotiating position no longer involves any language about de-Nazification?

Putin is losing on three fronts - the war, domestic, and international. When this is over, Putin will declare all his objectives achieved, and you and a few others on here will be agreeing with him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nothing was going to stop Putin's land grab, because nothing stopped him in the past. And no one is going to do anything about it. Russia will have firm control over the Donbas and there is nothing anyone is going to do about it and they'll likely be turned into puppet states.

As to what Putin will claim and what will be determined as a win/loss, meh. Of course he'll spin it as a win (think "mission accomplished" meme I mentioned in a post about Kremlin claims earlier). Could Putin have initially wanted to grab the whole Ukraine and failed? Probably. Is still making gains via a puppet state or two, and a severely diminished Ukraine that will likely have to be "neutral" (no NATO membership) going forward a win? Yep.

And no, none of the Putin narratives justifying the invasion are legitimate. This was a land grab against a weaker foe who put their eggs in the "West will back us" basket and all they got were guns and ammo. It is what it is.

[SDHornet]

CNN article on Azov Battalion (neo-Nazis).

While the far-right worldview of the Azov movement is clear, there has been an intense debate on whether the Azov Battalion should be classed a "foreign terrorist organization" by the US Department of State.
"People always assume it (the Azov regiment and Azov movement) is one Death Star," Rekawek said. "Year by year, the connections (between the regiment and the movement) are looser," he said, explaining that the battalion's ranks now include Ukrainians who have no affinity with its neo-Nazi past.
Ritzmann says the far-right element in Ukraine's army is no different to what's been detected in other militaries, such as in Germany and the US.
"Presumably, far-right extremists serve in the Ukrainian military as they do in all other militaries -- valid data regarding the exact numbers are not available," he said.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/europe/u ... index.html

[CID1990]

CNN article on Azov Battalion (neo-Nazis).

While the far-right worldview of the Azov movement is clear, there has been an intense debate on whether the Azov Battalion should be classed a "foreign terrorist organization" by the US Department of State.
"People always assume it (the Azov regiment and Azov movement) is one Death Star," Rekawek said. "Year by year, the connections (between the regiment and the movement) are looser," he said, explaining that the battalion's ranks now include Ukrainians who have no affinity with its neo-Nazi past.
Ritzmann says the far-right element in Ukraine's army is no different to what's been detected in other militaries, such as in Germany and the US.
"Presumably, far-right extremists serve in the Ukrainian military as they do in all other militaries -- valid data regarding the exact numbers are not available," he said.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/europe/u ... index.html

This article says exactly what I have posted here at least twice.

The origins and history of the Azov Battalion are a complete red herring.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[houndawg]

It sure is an interesting read, coming from a major contributor to RT. The same one who predicted the land war would be over in a week. This is also the same Scott Ritter who did a 180 degree about face on Saddam Hussein and WMDs. The guy is a pennant in a breeze. No surprise given his paycheck that he’s taking the “Russia meant to do this all along” tack.

Russia isn’t moving anything away from Kiev except to get forces out of the way of Ukrainian counterattacks along the northern corridor from Belarus.

Putin is saving face - if his objective was to lose 20,000 troops simply securing the Donbas, well then, mmmkay. Notice how the Russian negotiating position no longer involves any language about de-Nazification?

Putin is losing on three fronts - the war, domestic, and international. When this is over, Putin will declare all his objectives achieved, and you and a few others on here will be agreeing with him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nothing was going to stop Putin's land grab, because nothing stopped him in the past. And no one is going to do anything about it. Russia will have firm control over the Donbas and there is nothing anyone is going to do about it and they'll likely be turned into puppet states.

As to what Putin will claim and what will be determined as a win/loss, meh. Of course he'll spin it as a win (think "mission accomplished" meme I mentioned in a post about Kremlin claims earlier). Could Putin have initially wanted to grab the whole Ukraine and failed? Probably. Is still making gains via a puppet state or two, and a severely diminished Ukraine that will likely have to be "neutral" (no NATO membership) going forward a win? Yep.

And no, none of the Putin narratives justifying the invasion are legitimate. This was a land grab against a weaker foe who put their eggs in the "West will back us" basket and all they got were guns and ammo. It is what it is.

So far guns and ammo have been enough.

You need to keep in mind that an example needs go be made of Russia to remind China that there is a price to pay when fucking around with a superpower.

[houndawg]

Somebody help a brotha out. Can someone please give me a playbook or a scorecard?

1. For years, the never Trumpers, Leftists and the media have been saying that Trump was a Putin puppet, a Russian asset, and a Nazi. I'm old enough to remember the "punch a Nazi" campaign.
2. Now Putin goes full Antifa and invades to de-Nazify Ukraine.
3. The media, never Trumpers, and the Left are in full "I Support Ukraine" mode.
4. Is Trump a Nazi like his brothers in Ukraine or is he a Russian asset and Putin puppet?

I don't really see how he can be both...

For the 5 millionth time -

Putin has listed a number of reasons why he is justified in invading Ukraine

Ukraine is not a real country

Ukraine has an illegitimately elected government

Ukraine is full of Nazis (like their Jew president)

Ukraine has always traditionally been a part of Russia

^^^^ all of these are purely intended for domestic Russian consumption. For some reason, we have legions of otherwise intelligent Americans biting on Putin’s hook.

My only explanation is that the MSM says Ukraine is the victim and Russia is the aggressor, and therefore some of us are duty bound to believe that’s bullshit? That must be it … because it beggars belief that anyone could “yes but” a war of naked aggression.

Stop being the liberals at the cocktail party. You know who i am talking about. They are the ones who come up in the middle of the conversation about the Industrial Revolution in America and remind you that, you know, we killed Indians where that Chrysler plant used to stand… because you might not know that if this smerchy smug cunt didn’t educate you.

That’s what you guys talking about Nazis in Ukraine remind me of.

Or Henry Ford. You remind me of him, too.

Shame


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He's always been a smug cunt, I've been telling him for years, but now that he's crossed into smerchy territory..... well I think that shit speaks for itself.

[GannonFan]

I agree that Biden has been far more unstable. For all of his outlandishness, which was plentiful, you always knew where Trump was coming from - he was an egotistical narcissist to the nth degree. Biden is a different thing entirely, he simply looks checked out. Sometimes he's piloting the ship, and sometimes he's just not there. They can't even keep him on script anymore. Why they continually let him get in front of the press right now is borderline elder abuse, but then again, even in controlled speeches like in Warsaw, he can't stay on message. With all that said, I still think there are adults in the room and just like Trump, I don't think uncontrolled outburst from the President are going to result in people launching the missiles.

Now now, no histrionics needed, its not like its the first time we've had an dementia-ridden old fool in the Commander-in-Chief's chair. Or used that fact to our advantage with our adversaries. You younguns chill out, we've been here before, we got this.

Reagan's advantage was that he was actually a pretty decent actor, already had much of his foreign policy in motion, and had a successful Presidential term behind him, before the dementia started kicking in. Biden entered the job without that background, with no track record other than his spotty performance in the Senate, and with the dementia already in evidence.

[kalm]

Nothing was going to stop Putin's land grab, because nothing stopped him in the past. And no one is going to do anything about it. Russia will have firm control over the Donbas and there is nothing anyone is going to do about it and they'll likely be turned into puppet states.

As to what Putin will claim and what will be determined as a win/loss, meh. Of course he'll spin it as a win (think "mission accomplished" meme I mentioned in a post about Kremlin claims earlier). Could Putin have initially wanted to grab the whole Ukraine and failed? Probably. Is still making gains via a puppet state or two, and a severely diminished Ukraine that will likely have to be "neutral" (no NATO membership) going forward a win? Yep.

And no, none of the Putin narratives justifying the invasion are legitimate. This was a land grab against a weaker foe who put their eggs in the "West will back us" basket and all they got were guns and ammo. It is what it is.

So far guns and ammo have been enough.

You need to keep in mind that an example needs go be made of Russia to remind China that there is a price to pay when fucking around with a superpower.

This guy is pretty good to follow on Twitter.















The whole thread is an interesting read.