IWat
Full Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2014
- Messages
- 934
I don't know why, because the whole situation is not at all funny, but I snorted out loud reading that.
I'm not saying otherwise. Russia has legitimate beef with NATO, and it's clear to understand they don't want NATO parked on their doorstep, but those nations are still self-determining nations, unless we are claiming NATO forced them to sign up at gunpoint.
If I were Finland I think I would join now before its too late
While this may indeed be the case, you are underestimating the strength of Russian stubbornness supported by Putin's propaganda machine.I know it’s almost meme level joking about this being enough to end the war but these sorts of things are going to add up to the Russian public over time. No Eurovision, no Grand Prix, no Champions League, the list is going to go on and on and over time the public is going to begin to massively resent being cut off from the rest of the world.
It would be tactical nuclear weapons aimed at destroying a large military build up. Bombing cities like Hiroshima would be the very last option.I doubt there would be a message. Once one goes they probably all go.
It would be tactical nuclear weapons aimed at destroying a large military build up. Bombing cities like Hiroshima would be the very last option.
If I were Finland I think I would join now before its too late
Or maybe they are doing something like the deadliest joke in the world skit from pythonGermany are basically Spurs in all this.
I know it’s almost meme level joking about this being enough to end the war but these sorts of things are going to add up to the Russian public over time. No Eurovision, no Grand Prix, no Champions League, the list is going to go on and on and over time the public is going to begin to massively resent being cut off from the rest of the world.
This is a very valid point. The best answers I have is that these things are not binary. There was no NATO that caused WW1 or 2. We are talking about a democratic country who peacefully disarmed their nuclear deterrent in exchange for guarantees of security from UK, US and Russia. I can’t say I am an expert, but do those guarantees not still stand? We are talking about a country who aspired - and even wrote into their constitution - to join NATO.
The only difference between the current situation and Hitler is that the latter didn’t have nukes. It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where mutually assured destruction is a possibility, but it is. The question is, is Putin really prepared to destroy the world (since I’m damn sure they would be the ones to make the first strike if it happened)? And would the Russian people and military let him? Until troops are marching on Moscow, I can’t see it happening. As long as NATO was clear about retaking Ukraine (and maybe Belarus while we are there), there is no reason to escalate.
My other idea was to enact a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Putin publicly claims that this is a special military operation, focused on the Donbas. With that in mind, a no-fly zone over the rest of Ukraine (ie Kyiv) should not interfere with his plans. Ukraine has the right to request their airspace be protected.
In practice, this would either mean Putin ceding that this is a full invasion, or sacrificing air operations - which would give the Ukrainians a much better fighting chance, if nothing else.
Alternately, tell Ukraine to sacrifice the Donbas and Crimea region in exchange for immediate NATO membership. If this conflict is about Donbas (which publicly, it is, according to Russia) then the conflict is over and you get Ukraine into NATO immediately. Again, is Putin going to start throwing nukes around for the sake of Western Ukraine? Not convinced.
Can we acknowledge reality without having to go to weird extremes like NATO forcing someone at gunpoint? NATO leading nations knew perfectly that the expansion of NATO would be interpreted as hostile, the same way they would interpret a similar expansion toward their borders as hostile. I don't blame those smaller nations for taking a good deal, I understand why they would do it but it doesn't mean that NATO don't know what they are doing. And if needed be I really hope that they will protect those nations.
Yes please.PUTIN XHUYLO...90 minutes long, every match
They wouldn't nuke a nato member who has their own nukes firstThey were but that's just a common thing rather than any particular readiness for this invasion.
I was morbidly thinking who the first country Russia would try nuke if they wanted to send a message. It would probably be the UK wouldn't it.
Got to the think public pressure is growing for that to happen (given assume there is already a lot of censorship and fear of posting certain things?)Rospotrebnadzor has just announced a partial blockage of Facebook in Russia because it violates basic human rights and freedoms... by limiting their access to Russian media.
Simply deploying nuclear weapons at all crosses such massive red lines, that I dont think it matters at that point. Once one of them has been fired, a chain of events has been started that likely results in the end of the world as we know it.
Putin & his goons have enough money to withstand any external economical pressure and he doesn't care about Russian people enough for them to really influence his decisions. It's very egoistical of me, of course, but I just know that he's going to be just as good as he was before and we're going to struggle while Russian stance on the matter of Ukraine won't change even a bit.That is why I was of the opinion that tough sanctions should've been imposed straight away. No messing around. Go all in, and then negotiate steps back if necessary.
But you are probably right, unfortunately, dark days ahead. Putin tried to reassure the oligarchs yesterday when he said that the state will give them more freedom. Meaning more burden on ordinary people.
Yep, see Tom Peck's article that I just posted from The Independent. He calls for RB Leipzig to refuse to play Spartak and for all other clubs in the competition to align with them. His argument is the blazers will do nothing, so we have to call on clubs and players to act, no matter how unfair that expectation is. Sporting boycotts work.I know it’s almost meme level joking about this being enough to end the war but these sorts of things are going to add up to the Russian public over time. No Eurovision, no Grand Prix, no Champions League, the list is going to go on and on and over time the public is going to begin to massively resent being cut off from the rest of the world.
Has there been talks of consequences for Belarus as well?
Allowing the Russians free entry gives them a huge strategic benefit in being able to attack from an additional front. Belarus has blood on their hands as well.
Tweet says Belgrade, is this location of photo or tweet or..
TweetTweet says Belgrade, is this location of photo or tweet or..
Those Russian flights over Ireland & the U.K. a few months ago, were no training were they? Seems to me they were checking response times in the event that the U.K. in particular might go to war
That's harshGermany are basically Spurs in all this.
It's not a weird extreme. It's a figure of speech. It also seems like you're not disagreeing with anything I said.
I think it is a joke of Germany sending them 5000 helmets 2 weeks ago.So, Germany is sending help in the form of helmets but the exchange cannot take place in Ukraine. I'm seriously struggling to understand the difference here, either way, Russia knows Germany supplied Ukranians with aid (much like other countries have been doing) Yet Russia continues with this "If you interfere you will face consequences" rhetoric. I think its safe to say the West has interfered. It may be time to call their bluff entirely, and impose the toughest sanctions possible immediately.