Prozac

& the dude was a comedian playing the Ukrainian president on TV until he actually got elected to do the job for real. The guy is the epitome of real leadership. I really, really hope he and his country survive this.

You may be right. But by all accounts the Ukrainians have been making things far more difficult for the Russians than expected. The post conflict analysis will be a treasure trove as others have mentioned.

Holy shit! I realize this is one side of the story but if Russia lost anywhere near 80 MBTs in a 48hr period (against a supposedly far inferior force) that is astonishing. Makes one wonder if we’re witnessing the end of the tank as an effective battlefield weapon when confronted by infantry equipped with modern anti-tank weaponry.

Agree on this point. Lose/lose for all involved. Again, not the mark of smart or good leadership. Smart leaders look for the win/win. Understanding one’s adversary does not necessarily mean accommodating them.

Really? What are his goals here? He want’s to weaken NATO on his borders and ensure the alliance makes no more gains in Ukraine of course, but also countries like Finland and Sweden. How’s that working out so far? NATO is more United in purpose now than it has been in 30 years. The US is moving troops back into Europe and I’d be willing to bet that their presence will be permanent. Countries that have been hesitant to spend defense dollars will now be rethinking their priorities. The Finns are going to be thinking long and hard about where their allegiances lie. Instead of weakening NATO, the only thing Putin has managed to do is get the West’s hackles up and further fortify ex-Soviet NATO countries. And while I agree that cutting Russia off from Swift should’ve happened yesterday, other measures taken are not trivial. Most importantly, NordStream II has been shelved and the Europeans are actively discussing how to wean themselves off Russian energy long term. So yes, Putin is about to gain a satellite state on the Black Sea, albeit one filled with angry citizens who will likely mount an insurgency that will be killing Russian soldiers and sympathizers for many years to come. But he is loosing virtually all of his other strategic goals. And we haven’t even begun to discuss how these developments will affect his regime’s hold on power as Russians become annoyed by the body count, by their inability to travel, by their economy tanking, and by their security deteriorating. I fail to see how this is a win for Putin. In fact, it looks more like a colossal mistake and about the dumbest move he could’ve possibly made.

Ughhh. Can we not turn this into another political pissing contest. I understand why many here aren’t enamored with Biden. I even get the sentiment that he projects a less than strong image. Go ahead and criticize all you want. It’s a free country. It’s certainly not treasonous to criticize a sitting or former president. What IS troubling to me are the number of people seemingly willing to get down on their knees and fondle Putin’s balls in order to make their point. At that point, you’ve crossed a line and are actively making your country look weak while making Russia look strong. Putin is not playing chess. He’s essentially smashed the chess board into a thousand pieces. I’m tired of hearing how smart he is and how he’s out maneuvered the West when all he’s really done is make Russia a pariah state that’s even more of a joke than it already was.

His post didn’t seem remotely left leaning to me. I’m further left than most here and I disagreed with a lot of it. People’s views are generally far more nuanced than “left” or “right” especially on a topic like the one we’re discussing here.

Russians thought they were going to waltz in unopposed.

Doesn’t have to come from Russia to act as effective propaganda. I find it to be in extremely poor taste at best, and borderline treasonous at worst. You’re free to criticize our president all you want. Some of those criticisms are probably valid. Making Putin out to be some sort of genius is something I expect to see on RT, not BODN.

You do realize you’re spreading your adversary’s propaganda for him here, don’t you? You don’t have to elevate a despot in order to voice your political displeasure.

This. Putin does not see NATO as an actual threat on his Western flank. But he likes to use that trope on his own people in order to further secure his position of power. This idea that we should affect policy with an eye to historic Russian sensitivities is bollocks and only further plays into Putin’s hand. There is only one “right” position here and it’s not the one that’s apologetic for spreading liberal democracy.

Yeah, but you’ve still got to pick a side every now & then.

America’s & NATO’s viewpoint is the right one. Putin’s viewpoint is that of an autocratic dictator, is simply wrong, and doesn’t deserve to be regarded seriously. Sovereign nations are free to choose their own paths and allies. If Putin is losing influence over former Soviet states it is because he cannot or will not offer them what the West can. Namely peace, freedom, and security.

Perhaps. Or perhaps the Russians will be surprised by the bloody nose they receive from Ukrainian resistance. Perhaps the despot Putin will be taken aback when his people revolt as the ruble craters. Perhaps the Russian people will grow increasingly impatient as the security situation on Russia’s western borders becomes more tense, which is the opposite of what Putin has promised. Perhaps the Russian bear will be surprised by the swift and unanimous condemnation of virtually every developed nation in the world. Yes, Russian oligarchs may be drooling over potential new Black Sea dachas, but nobody wants to go to their little party. Fuck them. Fuck Putin.

Ok, except no one is advocating for appeasing the aggressor in this case. The goal is keeping a sovereign nation whole vice carving it up.

Wait, whaaa? 😳

Just givin’ the BUFF guys a little shit. 😎

So, what should our strategy be here? You say you are against direct military action (as am I), but without the threat of direct NATO involvement, Putin is going to do what Putin does. Not sure there are many good options here. Sanctions & continued material support to Ukraine are about all that’s on the table short of full scale war. Let’s be clear here; this is taking place because Putin has an extreme hard on for Ukraine & the former Soviet empire. The blame rests solely with him. Also, I’m curious who you think is a “war hawk” here? I don’t recall a single poster advocating for direct military action against Russia. What many of us DO want is for the autocratic regime in Moscow to be held to account for its actions and not simply be given a pass.

Best way I’ve heard it put is that MD bought Boeing with Boeing’s money. Somehow it was a majority of MD execs that wound up running the company after the merger. I’ve also heard it said that McDonnell kills everything they touch. Did it when they merged with Douglas & doing it again with Boeing.

https://sports.yahoo.com/beijing-olympics-finnish-cross-country-skier-suffers-frozen-penis-the-pain-was-unbearable-190726163.html Incredibly, this isn’t the first time this has happened to this athlete. I think I’d find a new sport…

Of course this happened in Florida... https://cbs12.com/news/local/video-police-chase-woman-on-motorized-suitcase-at-orlando-airport In all seriousness, major props to the skycop. He showed remarkable restraint & patience with this individual.

Ah yes….the dreaded seven engine approach! 😂

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/02/14/us-troops-in-poland-prepare-to-aid-refugees-if-russia-invades-ukraine.html

Wouldn’t mind reading that. Have a non-paywall link by chance?

We are the richest nation on the planet. By a lot. https://www.investopedia.com/insights/worlds-top-economies/ While debt may be a cause for some concern, it is not the main factor in judging an economy or how rich a country is. Most, if not all countries carry debt. The fact that our economy continues to grow despite seemingly astronomical level of debt speaks volumes to the amount of soft power the U.S. can wield. I don't think we should be so quick to willingly give that power up. I'm sure China and Russia, who lag quite a way behind us economically would be more than happy to take on whatever debt necessary in order to displace U.S. power. I don't see how a world where they run the show remotely benefits American citizens.