pawnman

Pretty sure Germany isn't paying as much because, despite being the richest country in Europe, they're way behind the US. And then there's also the fact that seems overlooked in all these conversations...most of what we're giving them is weapons and ammo, something we have WAY more of than Germany. Ironically, the reason most of NATO has so little to give is because NATO never expected to fight Russia, let alone invade them. Most of Europe was winding down military spending in favor of social spending, and getting into business with Russia...something Romney and Trump saw, and got ridiculed for at the time.

Do you think Ukraine should exist as a country? Because where I see a negotiation that gives up a bunch of Ukrainian territory is another invasion in a few years (like they already did to Crimea). Then another one a few years after that. Then Russia's in Kyiv and there's no Ukrainian government anymore. In my mind, it's not just about Ukraine. It's about whether we want to set the precedent that bigger nations can just seize territory from smaller ones at will, because we don't think we should get involved in territorial disputes. I'd also say one big difference between Ukraine and Iraq is that the US didn't set out to conquer and annex Iraq. There was never, even for a second, the consideration that Iraq would become a US territory.

So in Russia's eyes, this is an existential war that they started because...?

I dont understand how anyone looks at the way NATO came together, and the addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO, and comes to the conclusion that those are weakened alliances...

5. Lower the bar. 5 sorries in the T-6, do all instruments in the simulator. VR instead of flight time for low-level navigation. Kick formation to the FTUs. Not a smart idea, but one I can see the Air Force leaning towards. We're already reducing flying hours and training events.

I can't say this to you any more clearly... Eat a giant bag of dicks.

I've been ordered to do a lot of things that don't work. The question isn't whether they work, or even whether the decisions were smart. The question is whether a bunch of military officers are willing to follow legal orders or not.

How do you think this ends? You think Zelensky just asks nicely and Putin removes all the troops? Every proposal I've seen from folks who say we should negotiate a settlement involves Ukraine giving up a bunch of land to Russia. And let's not forget this is the third attempt by Russia to take land from Ukraine in the last 20 years. I don't know why anyone would think Russia would stick to any negotiated settlement this time around.

Russia also treated Ukraine pretty brutally and starved several million people there... maybe there's a reason Ukraine isn't in a hurry to surrender.

In your analogy, the dealer said the car's reliable. You said it only has 3 wheels. The dealer says "look, you can see all 4 wheels right here". Then you said "it doesnt matter if it has all 4 wheels, it's still unreliable".

There is a very wide gulf between "Ukraine is struggling as this war continues" and "Russia is stronger now than they were before the invasion". There's probably some merit in the idea that Russia can eventually win just through sheer weight of manpower. I don't see any merit in the idea that they're better off militarily now than they were in 2019...

When I read "flew F-16s, then deployed in helicopters" (assuming that part is true)...what I hear is "washed out of F-16 B-course and got reassigned to helos".

Probation? All she got after stabbing a dude and trying to kill him was PROBATION?

I don't know how you make the claim that a military digging out 60's Era equipment and buying ammo from North Korea is stronger...

You're right... we should definitely just let Russia invade whoever they want.

Yeah, I'm tapping out. You all can declare victory if you want.

No...I said I'd be pretty pissed when I found out people were lying about being vaccinated just so they could disregard SECDEF's guidance on masks. Including UCMJ action for people who choose to lie, to my face, about their vaccination status in order to not wear a mask. Integrity first, unless it's something I don't want to do... I was always clear that I believed Biden and the DoD had the legal authority to order military members to get vaccinated. That's very different than believing that the federal government should force every citizen to get vaccinated. Like...I literally can't say this any more simply. Y'all have built a strawman, and you're clutching it with both hands so you can keep beating on it.

You got all the apology you're gonna get.

I'm sorry...can you point to the phrase you believe says "I think thenfull force of the federal government should come down on people who don't get vaccinated?" You guys enjoy beating on that strawman. Youve gotten plenty of practice over the last 2 years.

Great. I was never on the side of the mandate cultists. You guys have just decided that anyone who doesn't believe the vaccines will sterilize you daughters and kill your sons must be on the side of mandates. I was on the side of "get the vaccine so we can get back to normal". I've been bitterly disappointed at the long-term efficacy of the vaccines. I don't believe they are any more dangerous or damaging than any of the dozens of vaccines already on the vaccination schedule. Now, before someone drags up previous posts for a "gotcha" moment, I want to make a distinction. I believe Biden and the DoD had the legal authority to order service members to get vaccinated. That doesn't mean I think it was a good idea. I NEVER supported the idea of a nation-wide mandate for the vaccines.

So...a couple high profile cases are more compelling to you than any actual statistical data? I'm not going to keep arguing it with you. You've found a topic you're passionate about, and you won't be convinced otherwise. Unlike you, I can be convinced by data...and it turns out there's a lot of studies that show people who hold emotional views not only can't be swayed by data, they actually just dig in as you present data contrary to their opinion. Dont get vaccinated. Don't get your kids vaccinated. I don't care.

Ah. "I don't like the vaccines, I can make up anything I want and it's on you to prove me wrong". You guys are about as coherent as flat earthers with your arguments. For what it's worth, I don't think the vaccines should be mandatory for anyone and I'll even give you the point that they don't work nearly as well as advertised. I think you hurt your own argument when you completely make up new, scary side-effects that aren't supported by the data.

The burden of proof rests with the person making the assertion. What evidence do you have that the vaccines did cause all these additional miscarriages? Aside from counting multiple instances in the report twice to get a more alarming number, that is?

I'm in favor of a single age for adulthood. If you think 16 year olds are old enough to vote, they should also be allowed to drink, smoke, join the military, get credit cards, get married, move out, etc. I'm not at all a fan of our tiered approach, where you're an adult for some things but underage for others.

Yeah, look at that precision machining...