Wait, you're saying the cartels are smuggling HIMARS and other advanced weaponry across the southern border into the US? lol
On a related issue, I always wondered why there isn't a huge blackmarket trade of military grade small arms for gangs and criminal organizations in Europe, considering how big and corrupt the border is and how much stuff was handed out to civillian volunteers at the beginning of the war or later looted from the battlefield. Either the security services on both sides of the border are particularly effective (there's been a few busts if you search on Google, including an attempt to sell an anti aircraft gun), or there's not much demand by these groups beyond maybe pistols (probably the least common weapon), whereas the relatively low level of violence in Europe vs Latin America or something doesn't justify the use of AKs and RPGs which would just bring down heat. Then again, I hear they do like their grenades up there in Sweden :p
Trump is a chameleon depending on the audience. An alpha narc salesperson is not going to be what you are describing to Putin. He's going to be as interesting as he can be - and narcs can be very interesting. My ex-wife was one and she could portray whatever was needed. It's pretty interesting to watch if you understand the situation.
"Putin could barely tolerate Tucker, by all accounts a much more articulate and thoughtful person than DJT. "
Okay, I'll bite. Like him or not...Tucker is far from the intellectual lightweight he's being charged with. Just be advised, he took the big leap to interview not only V. Orban but went to Moscow and interviewed, respectfully, A. Dugin, Lavrov and Putin. Who in the 'land-of-the-free' does THAT? He also compared the Moscow subway to the NY City subway and it wasn't a favorable comparison for the NY train wreck (no pun, etc). He also did a great interview with the young Russian, Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram. Durov came off as sophisticated and absolutely brilliant. His English was flawless. All of the aforementioned Tucker conversations humanized the Russians...a job never done by our "hate all things Russian" crowd in the US-where I live. Most of my presumably educated associates here have zero clues about Russia, anything "Russian" or their inherent right to defend themselves.
Tucker is one of the great interviewers. He creates a welcoming atmosphere, allows the subject to answer a question without interruption, asks reasonable follow ups and refrains from the "gotcha questions". Tucker has the humility to point out something he doesn't understand and an open mind to the subjects point of view. I think an interviewer that tries to express their own intellectual power is boring and sad. The only interviewer who was better, in my opinion, was Imus.
I don't think AFKAH's "NAFO" was a typo. I think he was referring to the "North Atlantic Fellas Organization", an informal group of rah-rah-US Russophobe scumbags (like Adam Kinzinger) who post a lot of things on the internet about the plucky Ukrainian freedom fighers and NATO (the actual one) mopping up the battlefield with Putin's orcs.
Hi Nathan - 9gag's asking for you to come back. The fellas are withering under the assault of USAID funding being withdrawn, and need your continued support. Remember your oath: "Nothing is Beyond Our Reach".
I salute you, Fella! Go NAFO! Please remember to bring your camo dress and rainbow patchies.
the embarrassing behavior of US whores-in-charge is nothing but a sign of obedience to their true owners, the supranational /supremacist banking cartel and the dishonorable "just business" MIC.
And don’t forget Willie Mays’ catch of Vic Wertz’s deep centerfield blast in the 1954 World Series between the NY Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Forever to be known as “The Catch.”
This is pretty much an unsolved problem everywhere. If you allow that long duration focus, you end up with no accountability and the system eventually implodes on itself (cf. any state-owned enterprise, like the ones Thatcher privatized in the U.K.). If you implement near real-time reporting and accountability (like quarterly earnings statements), the long term is ignored and self-destructive decisions become rational.
The only solution I see (other than electing AI to overlord status once the tech is ready) is a good king. Aristotle said as much. He also said good kings are always followed by bad kings, which are the worst of all possible worlds and inevitable as far as I can tell.
I thought it was more of a "propose ideas to see who puts their money where their mouth is" sort of approach. Force leaders like Erdogen who only provide vocal support of Palestinians to act or back down. Now Egypt is moving, and Jordan is threatening war, having judged the level of support, DJT might back down.
Imagine the mental gymnastics trying to keep the financial system imploding; the amount of totally illogical economic advice is akin to voodooism. Magical incantations will levitate the economy ever higher. Concurrently the west's war gods demand further sacrifices, and yes the home countries are on the menu.
"It tediously mentions the need for a ‘coalition of the resolute’ to send troops to Ukraine,"...,
Which describes exactly what Russia has been doing, with the main threat always NATO.
NATO's biggest lie fully on display. Their lack of enthusiasm, since 2014, is a direct result of how threatened they feel! They measure their strength with polling data and how much they spend propagandizing the world.
Russia's behavior of the last 35 years shows a measured panic. NATO is coming for us!
I totally agree, Cheeto. Putin and Trump have both been dissed by the EU elites, and I believe both of them are laughing about these pompous idiots who don't give a damn about their own citizens.
I'm not so sure if that's true. The French aristocracy seems like it was completely disconnected from everything around them - the reason why a false attribution like "let them eat cake" resounded as absolute truth. Our political elite of the Biden years and currently in Brussels / most European countries seem connected to what's happening on the ground. It's just that their goals and the goals of their populations are diametrically opposed.
Louis XVI was genuinely surprised and mostly unaware of the depth of dissatisfaction against his regime, and the extent and danger of different movements to overthrow it. The current political geniuses are well aware of both - and have been balls to the wall in steps to prevent it, like flooding the west with deeply traumatized, unassailable, and unskilled/low I.Q. immigrants.
G'day Dave, what's so wrong with electric cars, with solar on your roof as is nearly the norm in Australia you get free electricity plus a rebate sometimes and free driving and if your country let's in Chinese cars a deal breaker with $2 plus a litre for fuel plus security of transport in any future upheaval. Can't see any downside, please inform of what I seemed to be missing.
This is all quite untrue, unfortunately. The "let them eat cake" statement was not made by Mary Antoinette, but by some lady of the court, and at least 20 years before things went haywire in France. Louis XVI meanwhile was absolutely coming to terms with a changing world and was very much interested in the ideas of the Enlightenment. Unfortunately, he met a lot of resistance from the rest of the French nobility. But he did try to reform!
Do we forget the role the US has played in expanding the NATO footprint and the deep money fueled fascists' escapades of 2014?
Now the US can casually stroll off to finish off the Arabs and Chinese?
Meanwhile Europe solves the problem that Brussels started in Ukraine? I suppose next we pin Nordstream on the Euro-midgets as that makes as much sense as any one, but the obvious villains.
With the added caveat of Trump insisting that he be compensated for starting the mess in the first place?
Like removing a democratically elected government in a violent coup is a service to who? Oh yeah genetically proven progeny of Nazis. Oh and whoever it is that finances them?
Well duh we are sacredly entitled, so shut up or you are next.
excellent comments, I too agree that Russia won't stop until it has what it needs. In the end it may come down to agreeing to joint treaty-governed ownership of the ports under Russian guarantee and all the attendant clauses and sub-clauses, as well as to Kiev being an open city under Russian protectorate. Something that avoids the blood that will be spilled if Russia has to take them by force but gives Russia palpable influence over Ukraine's foreign relations and domestic politics. .
For Russia and Putin Ukraine is important but so much as a lasting peace agreement - this outweighs anything the Ukraine issue brings to the table. I anticipate a higher level deal that frees Trump from a humiliating defeat in Ukraine whilst at the same time offering him the possibility of sharing a Nobel prize for Peace. That would suit him quite well, both masking his inability to bring Russia to an agreement on his terms and feeding his massive ego.
I believe Trump will work with Putin and Xi to form a global agreement on partitioning most of the world into respective areas of interest, bringing with it the possibility of a lasting peace - note, I say 'possibility' - but then, image is everything, isn't it?
the bankers and war profiteers have been using their tools of mossad/cia/MI6 to prevent "the possibility of a lasting peace." To prosper, money changers need rivers of blood and mounds of flesh.
Look at the real Holocaust in Gaza (including the use of white phosphorous and carpet bombing of hospitals) –– the supremacist scum and their servants in US/EU governments are totally fine with the largest ever numbers of pediatric amputees in Gaza. None of the holobiz museums and synagogues has protested the genocidal actions of jewish fascists in Gaza, yet jews at the holobiz museums and synagogues continue squealing like pigs about their special "incomparable sufferings" and "superior morality." Zionism is just the jewish version of fascism / nazism.
The US / EU governments have been arming and financing the destroyers of monuments to WWIII in Europe. Nazi thugs are the last hope for the zionized banking cartel and MIC.
Anna, I'm on your side. BUT with one caveat: Can you tell me who taught you what you think you know about the National Socialists and Germany? ...Because you were lied to.
You wrote, "Zionism is just the jewish version of fascism / nazism".
It's not. A deep reading of David Irving's colossal output of historical non-fiction would soon change your mind.
Zionism is much much worse than than fascism, which was the bringing together government, business and labor to run the country in the interests of all involved. That's not remotely what happens when the tribal serial killers who believe they are destined to assume complete control of the world after butting their way in at the front of the line assume control, is it?
There are reasons to believe Trump is likely to greatly reduce American forces & expenditures in Europe as part of his government cost reductions.
Perhaps Putin can give Trump some face saving way out of Ukraine & Europe. For example- Russia can offer Trump a non-aggression guarantee towards the EU in exchange for American & NATO withdrawl from Ukraine & central Europe.
Of course the EU will hate this.
But for Trump it is good enough for him to greatly reduce American military & expenditures in the EU.
For Trump this is win, win, win.
He gets out of the war with minimal effect.
He saves a lot of money.
He crushes the Euro elites, crats & garchs
Russia is ZERO threat to Europe.
The only people harmed by this are Eurocrats & Eurogarchs.
Such withdrawl by America would devastate these 2 groups.
The atmosphere has completely changed from 2018. Trump recognizes the present reality of Ukraine & that doesn't affect his desire for peaceful cooperation w/ Russia.
>They even convincingly link the recent seeming slow-down on the front to this, painting a portrait of Putin ‘winding down’ the action as a ‘gesture of good will’.
There is a much simpler explanation -- the soldiers on the ground constantly hear talks about "negotiations", thus they see the next dogovornyak coming, and are naturally wondering what the point of continuing to fight is. Can you blame them?
But this is the typical pattern for the Kremlin under Putinism -- defining clear goals and sticking to them, rallying the troops and the public, etc. is something they fail abysmally at again and again and again. And then they backstab the Russian people, again and again and again, so who can trust them about anything?
>In actuality, there’s virtually nothing to talk about. Not only has Putin clearly dictated that no legal document can be signed with an illegitimate president like Zelensky—which itself puts off any “negotiations” until Zelensky is long gone—but the truth is, it’s hard to imagine any legal document being signed with the West as well
So if there is nothing to talk about and there will be no dogovornyak soon, then why is Putin continuing to shackle the Russian army and not finally switching to a regime of seriously trying to win the war?
>In the past few days, major gas terminals and other power grid hubs were hit in Chernigov, Poltava, Sumy, and elsewhere, with videos showing walls of flames lighting up the night skies at the facilities.
What is the point of hitting these objects when Ukrainian command-and-control and logistics are still fully intact, now almost entering the fourth year of this shitshow? When will Putin answer the question of why all the targets that would actually incapacitate the AFU continue to be off-limits?
Yep. And how come ports are still operating? Ships should be sunk right there at the wharf rendering it unusable. Ports with dredged roads ships should be sunk right there in the roads. What about the planes bringing in the arms, planes and trains? Why aren't they identified and interdicted?
It is widely admitted now that the Russian military had many, many problems and had to learn to fight, to organise itself to fight, to rid itself of much rot and so on. Halfway along according to Prighozin this was still not done.
At this end (?) stage I think it is still not done.
No, actually none of the questions you are asking relate in any way to the Russian military's problems.
Those problems affected the ground troops.
But it is not the job of the ground troops to do any of that, it is the job of the VKS and the strategic missile forces. And those have shown beyond any doubt that they can hit what they have been told to hit accurately and effectively.
They just haven't been ordered to destroy what needs to be destroyed.
I don't follow your reasoning. Not that it's important. But I ask how come ports are still operating? It is the Russian military that conducts the war, that has the power to stop them, surely?
Or are you making technical quibbles?
I ask about planes, trains being interdicted. The same applies.
Then I mention Russian military problems. And Prigozhin. All that relates to incompetence and corruption reaching up to the highest levels: Shoigu in particular was targeted.
The failings of the Russian military in 2022 were all on the ground and in the VKS not being able to provide proper air support on the immediate front lines due to the absence of things like real-time targeting pods and glide bombs (not that the Russian MIC hadn't developed all kinds of glide bombs, but they were not procured in bulk).
But that is because nobody prepared for a big ground war. All the investment went (hopefully it indeed did) into strategic weapons. They should have been preparing for a ground war, but...
My point was that the ground war was entirely irrelevant to the questions of physically blockading Ukraine, decapitation of leadership and destroying logistics.
That is all done with long-range missiles, which is the area in which Russia has been performing excellently.
Thus all those tasks could have been accomplished on February 24-25th 2022 with no issues. And the whole catastrophe of the next three, now entering a fourth year, could have been avoided.
All that was missing is the order to do what has to be done.
It is still missing.
Whoever is genuinely trying to understand why Russia lost the war, has to investigate why that order was never issued.
Of course, that necessitates first acknowledging that Russia lost the war, because even asking that question is incompatible with the religious belief that it is winning.
P.S. Even a lot of the failings on the Russian ground army directly followed from that too. The rules of engagement in the early stages of the war were so ridiculously self-defeating, that it is amazing that even these results were achived. Those rules of engagement are still enormously stacked against the Russian army to this day.
I think ending the war quickly is a valid strategy but potentially very costly. Putin's gradual grind is prudent because it preserves his own forces and bleeds the AFU and their allies by extension. As time goes on the Russian army sharpens their tactics and expands their ranks of experienced strike forces. I would be curious to find out how many U.S. forces have actual strike force experience compared to Russia. Scary thought...
Not ending the war quickly is what has cost 100,000 Russian lives, and that is on the Russian side. Most Ukrainian dead are ethnic Russians too.
There is no military-technical reason why the Russian army should not have been setting up border checkpoints with Poland in the summer of 2022 with 20-30K dead at most.
What prevented it from happening are the Kremlin's decisions.
Dude, Rus have been talking about negotiations since the beginning of the SMO. They actually started the first negotiations in one week after the start of the SMO.
They went in lightly, because they wanted to enforce negotiations. Rus MO is negotiations, "jaw, jaw better than war, war".
They constantly say, yes negotiations, but fait accompli on the ground needs to be taken into the consideration.
Rus are all about the negotiations, non stop, whatever they do. So dunno how all of a sudden Rus soldiers would be surprised by negotiations.
Backstabbing Rus people? Rus state exists today because of him. Dude enforced multioplarity. Beginning of the end of the utterly short unipolar world started on Dec 31, 1999. He announced the end of the unipolarity in Munich 2007, and now muhriqans had to publicly admit that it is so. They will throw temper tantrums, but cannot deny it anymore.
No other country was capable and willing to do that.
Governments typically don't provide a transcript of high level diplomatic conversations. They provide a document called a "readout" summarizing the conversation. This reflects the flavor and interpretation of the conversation they want to present to the public.
Also, when both sides provide readouts, it both confirms that the event took place and provides an avenue for both sides to confirm that their understandings of what took place are aligned.
"The Ukrainian 79th brigade reportedly reflected on the betrayal of soon having to fight and die for American-owned ‘rare earth’ mines, rather than their own Ukrainian land"
But this is exactly what Zelenski proposed months ago. If you won't fight for the people of Ukraine, fight for the minerals, he moaned at the west.
Of course had Zelenski done what his western masters wanted and crippled Russia enough to seize their energy, he wouldn't need to go cap in hand with his second-rate offering of Ukrainian minerals. The whole notion is ludicrous, because tens if not hundreds of billions worth of infrastructure will be required to extract them if these minerals are even accessible, and theres no way of knowing with any certainty their quality and quantity.
There will be no peace treaty because it would be bad politics for Trump, and Putin has no reason to concede anything...So it will end as some of us predicted, with the Russians taking everything they want, and a neutralized and disarmed rump Ukraine...In consequence of which, Black Rock and the City of London banks will likely be insolvent, and NATO will be on death watch...what a shame!
The rest of the World can then resume its sensible everyday activities....,
"Black Rock and the City of London banks will likely be insolvent, and NATO will be on death watch..."
Considering the total absence of moral fiber among this bloody scum, the RF should publish a map of all luxurious bunkers built for the 'deciders.' This would provide proper and desirable targets for those wronged by the 'deciders'
Exactly! Nothing has changed for Russia and VVP continues to insist that the root causes of the conflict be eliminated (i.e. Nato encroachment and security violations) via the stated goals of demilitarization, de-nazification and neutrality. It seems that only the collapse of Nato and the end of U.S. meddling can assure this; if so, the end of the war is not near.
"Vladimir Putin pointed out it was necessary to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Donald Trump in that a sustainable settlement could only be reached via peaceful negotiations." (Kremlin)
Here is my take on President Trump. Zelensky is a CIA puppet. The CIA/Intelligence agencies are a cancer to the USA. Putin is a capable leader that the USA can work with. The death of Ukrainians, Russians, anyone in war is sad & wasteful. Nato & Europe can go pound sand. How much of the Ukraine do we have to give away to stop the madness?
Trump is tied up with the Likudists, and supports Orthodoxy (who are mostly Sephardic). Zelensky is Ashkenazi and is their puppet.
The two groups have almost nothing in common. Ashkenazi are mostly atheists who support male-on-male anal sex action in the strongest of terms. Orthodox aren't and don't.
It is more nuanced than this---there are various Hassidic clans involved on both sides, and the desirability of Israel's existence is a contended point---but essentially, yes, you are mostly right. The vampire masters are not a monolithic block. Still, they all crave the same thing.
New boss new rules and options. Trump is not Biden
Wait, you're saying the cartels are smuggling HIMARS and other advanced weaponry across the southern border into the US? lol
On a related issue, I always wondered why there isn't a huge blackmarket trade of military grade small arms for gangs and criminal organizations in Europe, considering how big and corrupt the border is and how much stuff was handed out to civillian volunteers at the beginning of the war or later looted from the battlefield. Either the security services on both sides of the border are particularly effective (there's been a few busts if you search on Google, including an attempt to sell an anti aircraft gun), or there's not much demand by these groups beyond maybe pistols (probably the least common weapon), whereas the relatively low level of violence in Europe vs Latin America or something doesn't justify the use of AKs and RPGs which would just bring down heat. Then again, I hear they do like their grenades up there in Sweden :p
Maybe it will change after the war
Not to be patronizing - but very well said. Every word true.
Hahahahaha
Trump is a chameleon depending on the audience. An alpha narc salesperson is not going to be what you are describing to Putin. He's going to be as interesting as he can be - and narcs can be very interesting. My ex-wife was one and she could portray whatever was needed. It's pretty interesting to watch if you understand the situation.
"Putin could barely tolerate Tucker, by all accounts a much more articulate and thoughtful person than DJT. "
Okay, I'll bite. Like him or not...Tucker is far from the intellectual lightweight he's being charged with. Just be advised, he took the big leap to interview not only V. Orban but went to Moscow and interviewed, respectfully, A. Dugin, Lavrov and Putin. Who in the 'land-of-the-free' does THAT? He also compared the Moscow subway to the NY City subway and it wasn't a favorable comparison for the NY train wreck (no pun, etc). He also did a great interview with the young Russian, Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram. Durov came off as sophisticated and absolutely brilliant. His English was flawless. All of the aforementioned Tucker conversations humanized the Russians...a job never done by our "hate all things Russian" crowd in the US-where I live. Most of my presumably educated associates here have zero clues about Russia, anything "Russian" or their inherent right to defend themselves.
This concludes my homily for Thursday.
remember what happened w/Durov not long after (aug. 2024) the Tucker interview (april 2024).... https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2024/08/27/why-was-pavel-durov-arrested-in-france-and-what-charges-could-he-be-facing_6722400_13.html
Yup....captured by the frogs...can't have too much freedom of speech! /s
Perhaps I should let Huffy speak for himself, but I believe his point was that Trump is the lightweight, relative to Tucker.
Point taken FF, I was just trying to offer props to TC. Unpaid promotion...if you will.
Tucker is one of the great interviewers. He creates a welcoming atmosphere, allows the subject to answer a question without interruption, asks reasonable follow ups and refrains from the "gotcha questions". Tucker has the humility to point out something he doesn't understand and an open mind to the subjects point of view. I think an interviewer that tries to express their own intellectual power is boring and sad. The only interviewer who was better, in my opinion, was Imus.
And even if he is a simp, so fucking what? It's his blog. Do you want a shout-out for "being right?"
Ok.....your power of observation is astounding!
Now piss off back to Facebook, child.
I don't think AFKAH's "NAFO" was a typo. I think he was referring to the "North Atlantic Fellas Organization", an informal group of rah-rah-US Russophobe scumbags (like Adam Kinzinger) who post a lot of things on the internet about the plucky Ukrainian freedom fighers and NATO (the actual one) mopping up the battlefield with Putin's orcs.
"rightly to smash Ukraine and it's illegitimate Nazi leader...." not "nazi" you retard
NAME the JEW
Hi Nathan - 9gag's asking for you to come back. The fellas are withering under the assault of USAID funding being withdrawn, and need your continued support. Remember your oath: "Nothing is Beyond Our Reach".
I salute you, Fella! Go NAFO! Please remember to bring your camo dress and rainbow patchies.
Rather a benevolent genius than an orange douchbag!
Strzok needs to be impaled in public in DC as a lesson to the deep state.
The US hasn't talked to Russia in over 3 years. That's absurd, especially considering what's been going on.
This is indeed a big deal.
T
It's frankly embarrassing, given the lack of maturity on display.
the embarrassing behavior of US whores-in-charge is nothing but a sign of obedience to their true owners, the supranational /supremacist banking cartel and the dishonorable "just business" MIC.
what's in a name ("Kellogg").
And don’t forget Willie Mays’ catch of Vic Wertz’s deep centerfield blast in the 1954 World Series between the NY Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Forever to be known as “The Catch.”
Long duration focus is beyond the intellectual capabilities of the Western Political/Managerial Class (PMC).
This is pretty much an unsolved problem everywhere. If you allow that long duration focus, you end up with no accountability and the system eventually implodes on itself (cf. any state-owned enterprise, like the ones Thatcher privatized in the U.K.). If you implement near real-time reporting and accountability (like quarterly earnings statements), the long term is ignored and self-destructive decisions become rational.
The only solution I see (other than electing AI to overlord status once the tech is ready) is a good king. Aristotle said as much. He also said good kings are always followed by bad kings, which are the worst of all possible worlds and inevitable as far as I can tell.
By Aristotle's logic, we're due for a "good king." God knows how many "bad kings" we had in the past decades:-)
I agree, it has been so for a long time. Short termism is the name of the game aka "take the money & run".
This mentality makes sense, as long as you can socialize any losses and keep the gains.
I thought it was more of a "propose ideas to see who puts their money where their mouth is" sort of approach. Force leaders like Erdogen who only provide vocal support of Palestinians to act or back down. Now Egypt is moving, and Jordan is threatening war, having judged the level of support, DJT might back down.
Imagine the mental gymnastics trying to keep the financial system imploding; the amount of totally illogical economic advice is akin to voodooism. Magical incantations will levitate the economy ever higher. Concurrently the west's war gods demand further sacrifices, and yes the home countries are on the menu.
Economics itself is founded upon as much Reality as Voodooism, frankly.
A system of "assigned values" articles of Articles of Faith, in essence.
"It tediously mentions the need for a ‘coalition of the resolute’ to send troops to Ukraine,"...,
Which describes exactly what Russia has been doing, with the main threat always NATO.
NATO's biggest lie fully on display. Their lack of enthusiasm, since 2014, is a direct result of how threatened they feel! They measure their strength with polling data and how much they spend propagandizing the world.
Russia's behavior of the last 35 years shows a measured panic. NATO is coming for us!
I totally agree, Cheeto. Putin and Trump have both been dissed by the EU elites, and I believe both of them are laughing about these pompous idiots who don't give a damn about their own citizens.
Look who the cool kids are now.
I'm not so sure if that's true. The French aristocracy seems like it was completely disconnected from everything around them - the reason why a false attribution like "let them eat cake" resounded as absolute truth. Our political elite of the Biden years and currently in Brussels / most European countries seem connected to what's happening on the ground. It's just that their goals and the goals of their populations are diametrically opposed.
Louis XVI was genuinely surprised and mostly unaware of the depth of dissatisfaction against his regime, and the extent and danger of different movements to overthrow it. The current political geniuses are well aware of both - and have been balls to the wall in steps to prevent it, like flooding the west with deeply traumatized, unassailable, and unskilled/low I.Q. immigrants.
Let them drive electric cars. Let them eat bugs, own nothing and be happy.
Let them be vaccinated to the full extent of the law, eat synthetic butter, lab-grown meat & be bitten by genetically modified mosquitos.
G'day Dave, what's so wrong with electric cars, with solar on your roof as is nearly the norm in Australia you get free electricity plus a rebate sometimes and free driving and if your country let's in Chinese cars a deal breaker with $2 plus a litre for fuel plus security of transport in any future upheaval. Can't see any downside, please inform of what I seemed to be missing.
This is all quite untrue, unfortunately. The "let them eat cake" statement was not made by Mary Antoinette, but by some lady of the court, and at least 20 years before things went haywire in France. Louis XVI meanwhile was absolutely coming to terms with a changing world and was very much interested in the ideas of the Enlightenment. Unfortunately, he met a lot of resistance from the rest of the French nobility. But he did try to reform!
Do we forget the role the US has played in expanding the NATO footprint and the deep money fueled fascists' escapades of 2014?
Now the US can casually stroll off to finish off the Arabs and Chinese?
Meanwhile Europe solves the problem that Brussels started in Ukraine? I suppose next we pin Nordstream on the Euro-midgets as that makes as much sense as any one, but the obvious villains.
With the added caveat of Trump insisting that he be compensated for starting the mess in the first place?
Like removing a democratically elected government in a violent coup is a service to who? Oh yeah genetically proven progeny of Nazis. Oh and whoever it is that finances them?
Well duh we are sacredly entitled, so shut up or you are next.
excellent comments, I too agree that Russia won't stop until it has what it needs. In the end it may come down to agreeing to joint treaty-governed ownership of the ports under Russian guarantee and all the attendant clauses and sub-clauses, as well as to Kiev being an open city under Russian protectorate. Something that avoids the blood that will be spilled if Russia has to take them by force but gives Russia palpable influence over Ukraine's foreign relations and domestic politics. .
Yeah how many would flunk that quiz question?
I don't think Ukraine will manage anything in Sevastopol any time ever again:-)
For Russia and Putin Ukraine is important but so much as a lasting peace agreement - this outweighs anything the Ukraine issue brings to the table. I anticipate a higher level deal that frees Trump from a humiliating defeat in Ukraine whilst at the same time offering him the possibility of sharing a Nobel prize for Peace. That would suit him quite well, both masking his inability to bring Russia to an agreement on his terms and feeding his massive ego.
I believe Trump will work with Putin and Xi to form a global agreement on partitioning most of the world into respective areas of interest, bringing with it the possibility of a lasting peace - note, I say 'possibility' - but then, image is everything, isn't it?
the bankers and war profiteers have been using their tools of mossad/cia/MI6 to prevent "the possibility of a lasting peace." To prosper, money changers need rivers of blood and mounds of flesh.
Look at the real Holocaust in Gaza (including the use of white phosphorous and carpet bombing of hospitals) –– the supremacist scum and their servants in US/EU governments are totally fine with the largest ever numbers of pediatric amputees in Gaza. None of the holobiz museums and synagogues has protested the genocidal actions of jewish fascists in Gaza, yet jews at the holobiz museums and synagogues continue squealing like pigs about their special "incomparable sufferings" and "superior morality." Zionism is just the jewish version of fascism / nazism.
The US / EU governments have been arming and financing the destroyers of monuments to WWIII in Europe. Nazi thugs are the last hope for the zionized banking cartel and MIC.
Anna, I'm on your side. BUT with one caveat: Can you tell me who taught you what you think you know about the National Socialists and Germany? ...Because you were lied to.
You wrote, "Zionism is just the jewish version of fascism / nazism".
It's not. A deep reading of David Irving's colossal output of historical non-fiction would soon change your mind.
Zionism is much much worse than than fascism, which was the bringing together government, business and labor to run the country in the interests of all involved. That's not remotely what happens when the tribal serial killers who believe they are destined to assume complete control of the world after butting their way in at the front of the line assume control, is it?
Putin won't have to "claim" anything.
It is obvious Russia has won.
Trump now has to work on the retreat to "Fortress America" that Biden stared when he stripped Europe of much of its industry with his IRA bill.
Well, one way the USA has to get a "rare earth" is going to be with a WWIII
There are reasons to believe Trump is likely to greatly reduce American forces & expenditures in Europe as part of his government cost reductions.
Perhaps Putin can give Trump some face saving way out of Ukraine & Europe. For example- Russia can offer Trump a non-aggression guarantee towards the EU in exchange for American & NATO withdrawl from Ukraine & central Europe.
Of course the EU will hate this.
But for Trump it is good enough for him to greatly reduce American military & expenditures in the EU.
For Trump this is win, win, win.
He gets out of the war with minimal effect.
He saves a lot of money.
He crushes the Euro elites, crats & garchs
Russia is ZERO threat to Europe.
The only people harmed by this are Eurocrats & Eurogarchs.
Such withdrawl by America would devastate these 2 groups.
Totally agree.
The atmosphere has completely changed from 2018. Trump recognizes the present reality of Ukraine & that doesn't affect his desire for peaceful cooperation w/ Russia.
OR perhaps its time to get on with the world.
It is moving too fast to get caught up in this senseless waste of resources and humanity.
D.T. just asked RU and CN to get together and cut military spending.
Is it a sham?
Who knows?
>They even convincingly link the recent seeming slow-down on the front to this, painting a portrait of Putin ‘winding down’ the action as a ‘gesture of good will’.
There is a much simpler explanation -- the soldiers on the ground constantly hear talks about "negotiations", thus they see the next dogovornyak coming, and are naturally wondering what the point of continuing to fight is. Can you blame them?
But this is the typical pattern for the Kremlin under Putinism -- defining clear goals and sticking to them, rallying the troops and the public, etc. is something they fail abysmally at again and again and again. And then they backstab the Russian people, again and again and again, so who can trust them about anything?
>In actuality, there’s virtually nothing to talk about. Not only has Putin clearly dictated that no legal document can be signed with an illegitimate president like Zelensky—which itself puts off any “negotiations” until Zelensky is long gone—but the truth is, it’s hard to imagine any legal document being signed with the West as well
So if there is nothing to talk about and there will be no dogovornyak soon, then why is Putin continuing to shackle the Russian army and not finally switching to a regime of seriously trying to win the war?
>In the past few days, major gas terminals and other power grid hubs were hit in Chernigov, Poltava, Sumy, and elsewhere, with videos showing walls of flames lighting up the night skies at the facilities.
What is the point of hitting these objects when Ukrainian command-and-control and logistics are still fully intact, now almost entering the fourth year of this shitshow? When will Putin answer the question of why all the targets that would actually incapacitate the AFU continue to be off-limits?
Dumbest comment on the thread... Chip
Hi liar. How does losing feel ? It is your reality 24/7
Hopefully your account is blocked for trolling soon, too.
Yep. And how come ports are still operating? Ships should be sunk right there at the wharf rendering it unusable. Ports with dredged roads ships should be sunk right there in the roads. What about the planes bringing in the arms, planes and trains? Why aren't they identified and interdicted?
It is widely admitted now that the Russian military had many, many problems and had to learn to fight, to organise itself to fight, to rid itself of much rot and so on. Halfway along according to Prighozin this was still not done.
At this end (?) stage I think it is still not done.
No, actually none of the questions you are asking relate in any way to the Russian military's problems.
Those problems affected the ground troops.
But it is not the job of the ground troops to do any of that, it is the job of the VKS and the strategic missile forces. And those have shown beyond any doubt that they can hit what they have been told to hit accurately and effectively.
They just haven't been ordered to destroy what needs to be destroyed.
I don't follow your reasoning. Not that it's important. But I ask how come ports are still operating? It is the Russian military that conducts the war, that has the power to stop them, surely?
Or are you making technical quibbles?
I ask about planes, trains being interdicted. The same applies.
Then I mention Russian military problems. And Prigozhin. All that relates to incompetence and corruption reaching up to the highest levels: Shoigu in particular was targeted.
I find it a quite coherent and sensible post.
The failings of the Russian military in 2022 were all on the ground and in the VKS not being able to provide proper air support on the immediate front lines due to the absence of things like real-time targeting pods and glide bombs (not that the Russian MIC hadn't developed all kinds of glide bombs, but they were not procured in bulk).
But that is because nobody prepared for a big ground war. All the investment went (hopefully it indeed did) into strategic weapons. They should have been preparing for a ground war, but...
My point was that the ground war was entirely irrelevant to the questions of physically blockading Ukraine, decapitation of leadership and destroying logistics.
That is all done with long-range missiles, which is the area in which Russia has been performing excellently.
Thus all those tasks could have been accomplished on February 24-25th 2022 with no issues. And the whole catastrophe of the next three, now entering a fourth year, could have been avoided.
All that was missing is the order to do what has to be done.
It is still missing.
Whoever is genuinely trying to understand why Russia lost the war, has to investigate why that order was never issued.
Of course, that necessitates first acknowledging that Russia lost the war, because even asking that question is incompatible with the religious belief that it is winning.
P.S. Even a lot of the failings on the Russian ground army directly followed from that too. The rules of engagement in the early stages of the war were so ridiculously self-defeating, that it is amazing that even these results were achived. Those rules of engagement are still enormously stacked against the Russian army to this day.
I don't see that Russia has lost.
Would you care to list your points supporting that or link to the if you've done so previously?
None of the stated goals of the SMO have been achieved, most of them in fact have gone backwards.
And the stated goals of the SMO are far short from what is geostrategically mandated for Russia to pursue.
How is that winning?
I think ending the war quickly is a valid strategy but potentially very costly. Putin's gradual grind is prudent because it preserves his own forces and bleeds the AFU and their allies by extension. As time goes on the Russian army sharpens their tactics and expands their ranks of experienced strike forces. I would be curious to find out how many U.S. forces have actual strike force experience compared to Russia. Scary thought...
Not ending the war quickly is what has cost 100,000 Russian lives, and that is on the Russian side. Most Ukrainian dead are ethnic Russians too.
There is no military-technical reason why the Russian army should not have been setting up border checkpoints with Poland in the summer of 2022 with 20-30K dead at most.
What prevented it from happening are the Kremlin's decisions.
Dude, Rus have been talking about negotiations since the beginning of the SMO. They actually started the first negotiations in one week after the start of the SMO.
They went in lightly, because they wanted to enforce negotiations. Rus MO is negotiations, "jaw, jaw better than war, war".
They constantly say, yes negotiations, but fait accompli on the ground needs to be taken into the consideration.
Rus are all about the negotiations, non stop, whatever they do. So dunno how all of a sudden Rus soldiers would be surprised by negotiations.
Backstabbing Rus people? Rus state exists today because of him. Dude enforced multioplarity. Beginning of the end of the utterly short unipolar world started on Dec 31, 1999. He announced the end of the unipolarity in Munich 2007, and now muhriqans had to publicly admit that it is so. They will throw temper tantrums, but cannot deny it anymore.
No other country was capable and willing to do that.
Systematically disassembling Ukraine's power grid, yeah grinding (not) winding down.
Biden Putin phone chat - please explain!!!
Pretty sure that was an oversight and relic of recent past.
yes, should be Trump here
Woops.
"Russian Ruble has soared today, as well as virtually all Russian stocks,
after the Biden-Putin phone chat"
Maybe proves he isn't about AI
Двойное добро
Dvoynoye dobro
Solid, realistic piece. Thank you. Here's the Russian readout of the conversation--along with Zelensky's comments on his call from Trump. https://natyliesbaldwin.com/2025/02/kremlin-readout-of-putins-telephone-conversation-with-trump-trumps-report-of-the-call-on-truth-social-zelenskys-comments-after-phone-call-with-trump/
Governments typically don't provide a transcript of high level diplomatic conversations. They provide a document called a "readout" summarizing the conversation. This reflects the flavor and interpretation of the conversation they want to present to the public.
Also, when both sides provide readouts, it both confirms that the event took place and provides an avenue for both sides to confirm that their understandings of what took place are aligned.
Standard diplomatic protocol.
"The Ukrainian 79th brigade reportedly reflected on the betrayal of soon having to fight and die for American-owned ‘rare earth’ mines, rather than their own Ukrainian land"
But this is exactly what Zelenski proposed months ago. If you won't fight for the people of Ukraine, fight for the minerals, he moaned at the west.
Of course had Zelenski done what his western masters wanted and crippled Russia enough to seize their energy, he wouldn't need to go cap in hand with his second-rate offering of Ukrainian minerals. The whole notion is ludicrous, because tens if not hundreds of billions worth of infrastructure will be required to extract them if these minerals are even accessible, and theres no way of knowing with any certainty their quality and quantity.
At least Trump is making him sweat on it.
Maybe a slight correction is needed 😘: “Russian Ruble has soared today, as well as virtually all Russian stocks, after the Biden-Putin phone chat:”
There will be no peace treaty because it would be bad politics for Trump, and Putin has no reason to concede anything...So it will end as some of us predicted, with the Russians taking everything they want, and a neutralized and disarmed rump Ukraine...In consequence of which, Black Rock and the City of London banks will likely be insolvent, and NATO will be on death watch...what a shame!
The rest of the World can then resume its sensible everyday activities....,
Probably not
Sez’you
"Black Rock and the City of London banks will likely be insolvent, and NATO will be on death watch..."
Considering the total absence of moral fiber among this bloody scum, the RF should publish a map of all luxurious bunkers built for the 'deciders.' This would provide proper and desirable targets for those wronged by the 'deciders'
Precisely! DOX the mfkrs too as far as possible.
So less than a few hours, you proven your last article wrong. I believe this war will end this year
I guess since you couldn't prove me wrong, someone had to do it
The former article was about Baltic Sea and the efforts to provoke a bigger War. You are trolling.
Exactly! Nothing has changed for Russia and VVP continues to insist that the root causes of the conflict be eliminated (i.e. Nato encroachment and security violations) via the stated goals of demilitarization, de-nazification and neutrality. It seems that only the collapse of Nato and the end of U.S. meddling can assure this; if so, the end of the war is not near.
"Vladimir Putin pointed out it was necessary to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Donald Trump in that a sustainable settlement could only be reached via peaceful negotiations." (Kremlin)
Here is my take on President Trump. Zelensky is a CIA puppet. The CIA/Intelligence agencies are a cancer to the USA. Putin is a capable leader that the USA can work with. The death of Ukrainians, Russians, anyone in war is sad & wasteful. Nato & Europe can go pound sand. How much of the Ukraine do we have to give away to stop the madness?
If only geopolitics was that straightforward...
zion don and Zelensky are jew puppets....
Trump is tied up with the Likudists, and supports Orthodoxy (who are mostly Sephardic). Zelensky is Ashkenazi and is their puppet.
The two groups have almost nothing in common. Ashkenazi are mostly atheists who support male-on-male anal sex action in the strongest of terms. Orthodox aren't and don't.
It is more nuanced than this---there are various Hassidic clans involved on both sides, and the desirability of Israel's existence is a contended point---but essentially, yes, you are mostly right. The vampire masters are not a monolithic block. Still, they all crave the same thing.
The Sephardi and Ashkenazi are both rabbinical and talmudic though aren't they?
" Trump is tied up with the Likudists, and supports Orthodoxy (who are mostly Sephardic). "
You should see Putin's Chabad friends then.
The fact that 8 people who supposedly read Simplicius agree with your comment explains the downward trajectory of these columns