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Post by Timeblue on Feb 14, 2022 12:45:24 GMT
Seriously though, it's looking a bit grim isn't it. Are we on the verge of WW3 do you think or is it just a bluff by Vlad? The whole situation reminds me of the Cuban missile crisis back in 1962 when the Russians wanted their missiles just 90 miles from the US. So I can see both sides here, if the Ukraine joins Nato then Russia will feel aggrieved that Nato's military might will be on their border. Any Russian or Ukraine posters on here?
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Post by orioles70 on Feb 14, 2022 14:29:58 GMT
we had a couple of Ukrainians at my last job they hated and feared Russia
I don't see two sides here the Russians had nukes in Cuba the US has bubkas in Ukraine and there's not even any talk of it being part of NATO the NATO "threats" that Putin is talking up are purely hypothetical
dear old Putin must realize that if he's going to terrorize his neighbors they will go looking for help from the West the guy expects Ukraine to meekly submit and NATO to stand idly by
I don't know how meek the Ukrainians are going to be. but the only war is going to be a trade war no gas for Europe no tech for Russia probably some cyber hacks in both directions and a lot more silly Russian propaganda
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Post by orioles70 on Feb 14, 2022 16:21:10 GMT
Randy's take on bad Vlad. Believe it or not, I've got this on vinyl.
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 14, 2022 17:00:52 GMT
Well, according to the 'experts' we'll find out in the next 48 hours...
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Post by orioles70 on Feb 14, 2022 18:19:27 GMT
they've been saying that every 48 hours though
in American football, there's a strategy that the offense uses when it's fourth down and one they posture like they're going to run a play, the QB barks out signals, all sorts of players move around it's usually a bluff to get the defense to jump offsides, in which case a penalty is given and the offense gets a free first down
the offense (Putin) has options 1) hope the defense jumps, (Putin moves in and blames Ukraine for provoking him) 2) call a time out and punt (Putin laughs and talks about silly alarmism from the West, then repeats the drama next year) 3) go for it (Putin laughs at Ukraine's inability to stop him and NATO's weakness)
if it's the 3rd option, then the cold war is going to ratchet up big time but will we find out in 48 hours? Probably not. Putin's in no big hurry and he likes to make people sweat.
interesting that he's using the Olympic games as a way to get more attention in 2014, the games were in Sochi (Feb 7 to 23) Putin invaded Crimea right as the games were ending. same playbook this time?
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 14, 2022 18:34:30 GMT
I fear something may happen, why would they go to all this effort? If Vlad backs down, he will lose face so maybe not WW3 but I expect some confrontation....
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Post by unomusette on Feb 14, 2022 22:42:47 GMT
If Putin does invade Ukraine, and occupies it, won't he then stright away have NATO countries on his (ie Ukraine's) border anyway? As I understand it, Ukraine is a kind of buffer zone between Russia and a block of NATO countries. If he occupies it he will be creating the situation he says he wants to avoid.
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 15, 2022 14:27:44 GMT
If Putin does invade Ukraine, and occupies it, won't he then stright away have NATO countries on his (ie Ukraine's) border anyway? As I understand it, Ukraine is a kind of buffer zone between Russia and a block of NATO countries. If he occupies it he will be creating the situation he says he wants to avoid. That's a good point but Latvia and Estonia are part of NATO and they are on Russia's border too.
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Post by unomusette on Feb 15, 2022 20:57:23 GMT
He's a law unto himself, who knows what he's aiming for? Now he's withdrawing a few troops which doesn't seem to be impressing too many people.
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Post by orioles70 on Feb 19, 2022 18:10:57 GMT
Putin gave a speech last year where he said Ukraine is not a real country but has always been part of Russia. That will come as somewhat of a shock to those who speak Ukrainian rather than Russian. He also seems to have a Putin doctrine whereby he sayhs Russia should be able to dominate any country that it ever controlled in the past. Kind of a bummer for all the countries that suffered through the bad old days of the USSR (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, ...)
it certainly looks like Putin is determined to take all or much of the Ukraine. Pardon my language, but that's going to cause a shitstorm. Ukraine talked about joining NATO in 2008. 14 friggin' years ago and they've not dared utter the word again. Putin responded by rigging their election to put in a hand chosen pro Russian leader. The Ukrainians got rid of that guy and Putin punished them by taking Crimea and Donbass. Ukraine has done nothing to provoke what's coming next.
Putin complains about NATO as if it's some offensive force that is threatening Russia. But name one time in history that NATO attacked. And why are some of the former Soviet countries part of NATO? Because they asked to be. Why? Because a Putin led Russia scares the hell out of them.
the only good thing is that Donald "Chamberlain" Trump isn't in power anymore
argggh - end of rant
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Post by unomusette on Feb 19, 2022 20:19:05 GMT
Isn't Putin trying to drag China in on his side too? As if there isn't already enough trouble in the world. Human nature never changes, despite all the lessons that could have been learned from previous aggression.
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 19, 2022 22:22:44 GMT
Isn't Putin trying to drag China in on his side too? As if there isn't already enough trouble in the world. Human nature never changes, despite all the lessons that could have been learned from previous aggression. And if Putin succeeds in getting China on board then you can add North Korea too and look how unstable they are....
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 19, 2022 22:27:03 GMT
Everyday that passes, it looks more and more likely that something will erupt, 'false flag' information is being reported on both sides now and one side will relent I feel....
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Post by Timeblue on Feb 22, 2022 17:05:18 GMT
I'm sure that cancelling the champions league final is really going to hurt Vlad the imposter.....
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Post by orioles70 on Feb 23, 2022 2:54:23 GMT
At the end of each day, Vlad sends Zelensky a text: good night, sleep tight, I’ll most likely kill you in the morning
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