The Ukraine Crisis

[Winterborn]

Russian porn?

Pussy Riot is a punk band

I did not even know they were Russian until recently.

[Winterborn]

Interesting article. People's thoughts?

Russian President Vladimir Putin chose this war, Joe Biden said in his Thursday afternoon speech to America regarding the conflict in Ukraine. That is true, but U.S. elites also had something to do with Putin’s ugly and destructive choice—a role that Democrats and Republicans are eager to paper over with noble-sounding rhetoric about the bravery of Ukraine’s badly outgunned military. Yes, the Ukrainian soldiers standing up to Putin are very brave, but it was Americans that put them in harm’s way by using their country as a weapon, first against Russia and then against each other, with little consideration for the Ukrainian people who are now paying the price for America’s folly.

It is not an expression of support for Putin’s grotesque actions to try to understand why it seemed worthwhile for him to risk hundreds of billions of dollars, the lives of thousands of servicemen, and the possible stability of his own regime in order to invade his neighbor. After all, Putin’s reputation until this moment has always been as a shrewd ex-KGB man who eschewed high-risk gambles in favor of sure things backed by the United States, like entering Syria and then escalating forces there. So why has he adopted exactly the opposite strategy here, and chosen the road of open high-risk confrontation with the American superpower?

Yes, Putin wants to prevent NATO from expanding to Russia’s border. But the larger answer is that he finds the U.S. government’s relationship with Ukraine genuinely threatening. That’s because for nearly two decades, the U.S. national security establishment under both Democratic and Republican administrations has used Ukraine as an instrument to destabilize Russia, and specifically to target Putin.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news ... dly-gamble

[BDKJMU]

Was going to put this in the Memes thread, but it sums up the reporting on Ukraine.

[Ibanez]

I haven’t listened to a second of their music but they’re famous for being anti-Putin


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Well, Putin has president of Russia since what, the late 90s?

Pussy Riot has been around for about 10 years or so


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[Ibanez]

So…where’s the Russian Air Force? I gotta say, this is a perplexing war. Putin is holding back and showing unusual risk aversion. It doesn’t quite make sense why he’s seemingly giving Ukraine the kid glove treatment if he’s all about rooting out corruption, Nazis and what else’s he falsely believes is happening in Ukraine.


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[CAA Flagship]

Anyone else noticing slow internet response from bank websites since the Ukraine crisis started?

[Skjellyfetti]

[Ibanez]

Anyone else noticing slow internet response from bank websites since the Ukraine crisis started?

[SeattleGriz]

So…where’s the Russian Air Force? I gotta say, this is a perplexing war. Putin is holding back and showing unusual risk aversion. It doesn’t quite make sense why he’s seemingly giving Ukraine the kid glove treatment if he’s all about rooting out corruption, Nazis and what else’s he falsely believes is happening in Ukraine.


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I think the line of thinking from those not spouting Russia was ill prepared are actually trying to give the Ukrainians a chance to put down weapons and go home first. If they don't, Russia will start turning up the heat. Looks like they will be taking Kyiv soon, as they almost have it surrounded.

[SeattleGriz]

Interesting article. People's thoughts?

Russian President Vladimir Putin chose this war, Joe Biden said in his Thursday afternoon speech to America regarding the conflict in Ukraine. That is true, but U.S. elites also had something to do with Putin’s ugly and destructive choice—a role that Democrats and Republicans are eager to paper over with noble-sounding rhetoric about the bravery of Ukraine’s badly outgunned military. Yes, the Ukrainian soldiers standing up to Putin are very brave, but it was Americans that put them in harm’s way by using their country as a weapon, first against Russia and then against each other, with little consideration for the Ukrainian people who are now paying the price for America’s folly.

It is not an expression of support for Putin’s grotesque actions to try to understand why it seemed worthwhile for him to risk hundreds of billions of dollars, the lives of thousands of servicemen, and the possible stability of his own regime in order to invade his neighbor. After all, Putin’s reputation until this moment has always been as a shrewd ex-KGB man who eschewed high-risk gambles in favor of sure things backed by the United States, like entering Syria and then escalating forces there. So why has he adopted exactly the opposite strategy here, and chosen the road of open high-risk confrontation with the American superpower?

Yes, Putin wants to prevent NATO from expanding to Russia’s border. But the larger answer is that he finds the U.S. government’s relationship with Ukraine genuinely threatening. That’s because for nearly two decades, the U.S. national security establishment under both Democratic and Republican administrations has used Ukraine as an instrument to destabilize Russia, and specifically to target Putin.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news ... dly-gamble

I think these sorts of articles are closer to the truth than what our mainstream media is putting out.

[kalm]

Yeah…I’m gonna go with McFaul on this one instead of Russian peasant guy.

Not that McFaul isn’t McFaulible….but he’s right in this case.

[UNI88]

Yeah…I’m gonna go with McFaul on this one instead of Russian peasant guy.

Not that McFaul isn’t McFaulible….but he’s right in this case.

Are you saying that the Russian peasant guy is lying and that "John Mearsheimer, the Chicago prof now famous for predicting this war back in 2014" didn't predict this war and didn't tell "Michael TO HIS FACE that his policies would result in this war."?

If you're going with McFaul, you're either saying that Russian peasant guy is misrepresenting Mearsheimer or also going with McFaul over Mearsheimer.

[Skjellyfetti]

If only we appeased Putin all along he would be a force for peace, democracy, and liberty in Europe and around the world.

[Baldy]

If only we appeased Putin all along he would be a force for peace, democracy, and liberty in Europe and around the world.

Joe appeased, Putin invaded. Pretty simple.

[Col Hogan]

Anti Second Amendment people in this country have always ridiculed pro 2A folks when they present the reason our founding fathers put the Second Amendment into the Constitution was to prevent an evil government from stepping on our rights or to defend our country if an external invasion…

Those anti 2A people usually argue nothing like that will ever happen in this or any first world country…

Well, it’s happening…

The Ukrainian People’s Struggle Reminds Us Why We Need the Second Amendment

By now, there are few Americans who haven’t sat riveted by the news coming out of Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. The media narrative, likely influenced by a healthy dose of propaganda, has nonetheless demonstrated plucky Ukrainians putting guns in the hands of everyone they can and giving one of the world’s largest militaries all it can handle.

In fact, some of the most stirring images aren’t brave Ukrainian troops standing against the Russian juggernaut. What’s truly remarkable are the pictures of ordinary civilians taking up arms against the invaders.

It’s a reminder of why we’re blessed to have a Second Amendment here in the US. When our Founding Fathers first penned the Constitution, they had just come out of the Revolution. They were fearful of standing armies because they’d seen how such an army could become an instrument of tyranny.

They crafted the Second Amendment, in part, as a hedge against invasion, something the fledgling nation had to consider quite seriously. After all, the US wasn’t always the superpower it is today.

https://www.based-politics.com/2022/03/ ... V_pIN1MPSc

[GannonFan]

If only we appeased Putin all along he would be a force for peace, democracy, and liberty in Europe and around the world.

Joe appeased, Putin invaded. Pretty simple.

The equivocation on what size of an invasion would be certified as an invasion was not Joe's finest hour. And thankfully Zelensky didn't take us up on our suggestion that he leave Kiev or the country, "for his safety", as then we would've not had the galvanizing presence that he's been since then. It would've been very easy for the West to just pooh-pooh this whole thing had Ukraine's leadership been so ineffectual to just jet out of danger the moment the tanks started moving. Afghanistan's President high tailing it out of Kabul the moment we told him we were handing things over to the Taliban and good luck certainly didn't help that situation. Imagine how different it would've been if Churchill gave his "We Shall Never Surrender" speech or his "Finest Hours" speech from across the ocean in New York or Wash DC? Zelensky staying there and being the leader he has been, along with the actual resistance so far by the Ukranians, has made all the difference in terms of world response to this.

[SeattleGriz]

Hmm. I think I see the pattern she is talking about.
12 second clip.

[AZGrizFan]

Hmm. I think I see the pattern she is talking about.
12 second clip.

And she just does NOT see the irony there....

[93henfan]

Imagine how different it would've been if Churchill gave his "We Shall Never Surrender" speech or his "Finest Hours" speech from across the ocean in New York or Wash DC?

We might not have gotten such an awesome intro to Aces High.

[SDHornet]

Interesting article. People's thoughts?

Russian President Vladimir Putin chose this war, Joe Biden said in his Thursday afternoon speech to America regarding the conflict in Ukraine. That is true, but U.S. elites also had something to do with Putin’s ugly and destructive choice—a role that Democrats and Republicans are eager to paper over with noble-sounding rhetoric about the bravery of Ukraine’s badly outgunned military. Yes, the Ukrainian soldiers standing up to Putin are very brave, but it was Americans that put them in harm’s way by using their country as a weapon, first against Russia and then against each other, with little consideration for the Ukrainian people who are now paying the price for America’s folly.

It is not an expression of support for Putin’s grotesque actions to try to understand why it seemed worthwhile for him to risk hundreds of billions of dollars, the lives of thousands of servicemen, and the possible stability of his own regime in order to invade his neighbor. After all, Putin’s reputation until this moment has always been as a shrewd ex-KGB man who eschewed high-risk gambles in favor of sure things backed by the United States, like entering Syria and then escalating forces there. So why has he adopted exactly the opposite strategy here, and chosen the road of open high-risk confrontation with the American superpower?

Yes, Putin wants to prevent NATO from expanding to Russia’s border. But the larger answer is that he finds the U.S. government’s relationship with Ukraine genuinely threatening. That’s because for nearly two decades, the U.S. national security establishment under both Democratic and Republican administrations has used Ukraine as an instrument to destabilize Russia, and specifically to target Putin.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news ... dly-gamble

The invasion doesn't happen without a foreign policy that is set on getting Ukraine into NATO. Biden and his foreign policy advisors, who are the same ones with the same policy that resulted in Crimea getting eaten, completely own this.

[SDHornet]

If only we appeased Putin all along he would be a force for peace, democracy, and liberty in Europe and around the world.

Joe appeased, Putin invaded. Pretty simple.

This didn't happen under Orange Man.

[Skjellyfetti]

The invasion doesn't happen without a foreign policy that is set on getting Ukraine into NATO. Biden and his foreign policy advisors, who are the same ones with the same policy that resulted in Crimea getting eaten, completely own this.

Can you tell me what moves were made to get Ukraine into NATO?

Ukraine was under a Putin stooge until 2014. Afterwards, NATO wasn't touching Ukraine with a 1000km pole with a proxy war raging with Russia in Donbass and Lukhansk. What steps were being made to get Ukraine into NATO?




And, why would Ukraine ever want NATO? Could it be the threat of invasion by Russia? Get them in NATO. And Finland and Sweden ASAP.

[BDKJMU]

Fuel isn't an issue when you have air superiority and a 40 mile long convoy that's on cruise control.

We really need some EU country to fire some tomahawks on that convoy. I don't know the geopolitics of cruise missiles very well, admittedly, but they would be a gamechanger in substitution of air power. If it's a US-only asset, I guess it's a no-go.

You mean the convoy that hasn’t moved in 3 days? Because of fuel shortages? Is their cruise control set on ‘0’?

What is is 4 days now and hasn’t moved much? Too bad the Ukranians don’t have adequate air power. Could turn those trucks, APCs & tanks into another Falaise Gap or Highway of Death (Gulf War Highway 80 between Kuwait City & Basrah where Coalition (ok US) air power dedtroyed upwards of 2700 Iraqi vehicles)..

[BDKJMU]

NASCAR legend Richard Childress offers to donate 1 million rounds of ammo to Ukraine
https://www.foxnews.com/auto/nascar-ric ... mo-ukraine

[CAA Flagship]

Imagine how different it would've been if Churchill gave his "We Shall Never Surrender" speech or his "Finest Hours" speech from across the ocean in New York or Wash DC?

We might not have gotten such an awesome intro to Aces High.