Politics

[DieJager]

The Europeans will realize they no longer can count completely own the United States. I think you will see the build up of western Europe's militaty.

And this is long overdue. Since the cold war ended most Western European armies are mostly a shell of their former selfs.

 

[Foxi]

nd its funny now the Chinese are so quiet about this. And no one should mention the Olympics pleasse

The Chinese are not only calm, they are also sympathetically on Putin's side.
These are not good omens for Taiwan

 

[Red Leg]

Spare me the false equivalency. This is about relative military and economic power. The Russians do not have forces in the western hemisphere because the United States has the military and economic power to prevent it. The fact that USSR once had the military power to exercise hegemony over Eastern Europe does not mean that modern Russia has any right whatsoever to demand a buffer zone today any more than Spain should demand the disarmament of France.

And let me be clearer about the Bundeswehr of the 70's and 80's. They were a vital part of NATO's land component. Their main battle tank and armored fighting vehicles were far superior to the M60 and M113. Those forces were well trained and not yet gutted by the German labor movement. Were that same force and capability in existence today, it would be a very viable deterrent to Russia's current conventional forces.

I am also certain that NATO air power could achieve air superiority over Ukraine in about 72 hours. The SU-57 is a fine aircraft with good armament. However, it is a 5th generation aircraft with 4th generation engines and stealth technology behind the F22 - much less the 35. I am sure that assessment is clear to the Russians as well and why Putin rattled his nuclear saber this morning at the West.

And we are not being "baited" into anything. I agree the administration's inattention to our southern border is criminal, but the one has nothing to do with the other. NATO exists in our national interests as well as the collective interests of the member states. An attack against one of the alliance members is an attack against the others. Except for our airpower, ground defense of the alliance already is essentially in Europe's hands. We no longer have meaningful ground force formations deployed in Europe. I think that was a mistake, because the deterrence value of a couple of M1A1 equipped armored divisions on Poland's eastern border would be rather useful at the moment.

Twice before in the last hundred years, well meaning Americans believed that events in Europe were not an American concern. We had better get serious about an emboldened Putin's ambitions now and figure out a way to curtail them. If for no other reason, a miscalculation on anyone's part could lead to a series of nuclear exchanges that would make this debate rather meaningless.

Historical parallels are always interesting but rarely as accurate as most would lead us to believe. However, the Sudetenland in September of 1938 is worth studying. After seizing this German ethnic region of Czechoslovakia, Hitler became convinced neither the UK or France would not honor its treaty commitments to Poland. I hope Putin doesn't make a similar miscalculation as he looks at the Baltic States.

 

[Brent in Az]

Germany, is also complicit for what's going on in the Ukraine. Weak leadership from Germany, Biden, as well as weak diplomacy.
What countries will Russia gobble up next?

We have 3 more years of this jerkoff President, and I feel it's only one of many bad things to come. At home, and abroad.

 

[sgt_zim]

Germany, is also complicit for what's going on in the Ukraine. Weak leadership from Germany, Biden, as well as weak diplomacy.
What countries will Russia gobble up next?

We have 3 more years of this jerkoff President, and I feel it's only one of many bad things to come. At home, and abroad.

It's sorta understandable that we in the US should have short memories about the dangers extant in the world (not excusing it, just recognizing it) . The last time we had widespread warfare here was 150 years ago. The improvidence of western Europe, OTOH, is a bit more difficult for me to understand.

 

[wesheltonj]

The only connection between our southern border and the war in Europe is that the press (Fox News) will stop covering the southern border.

I suspect, the Chinese are watching our response, to determine how soon, or if at all to take Taiwan.

I suspect Russia, will not go beyond Ukraine. At least I hope, as I have vacation plans.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Poll says most in U.S. don't care about Ukraine. From this chair, no surprise.

AP-NORC poll: Most in US oppose major role in Russia strife

A new poll finds little support among Americans for a major U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

apnews.com

 

[Pheroze]

I watched a report of the large number of citizens signing up for duty in Ukraine. I can't help but wonder Trudeau's decision to not send anti-tank weapons will be a factor in all of this. They seem to have willing people but no equipment.

 

[reineke]

@ foxi: no the NATO has not advanced to the Russian borders-nearly all of the Warsaw Pact Countries
have simply fled from the Russian Threat, which they knew well from the last decades, into the relative safety of NATO.
And even a mislead former KGB-Officer perfectly knows, that NATO is no military threat at all. The fear that runs down his spine is, that the Ukrainean people, beeing very close to the Russian people, were on the way to a western orientation, including the most horrible circumstances like freedom of press, of speech and some sort of fight against corruption-which of course is needed. So how could Putin explain to his people that they may not have the same rights as the people in " the core region of Russia" , as he said in his recent speech.
So he can only follow the script of our former Fuehrer, whose heirs should be paid a licence fee for illegally violating his copyright.
Therefore the comparison between some small NATO forces stationed in Democracies on these countries' demand -for long asking for more - and Russian troops in Mexico is simply misleading, wrong and forgetful about Hungary,Tchechoslowakia, Syria asf- just Russian propaganda.

One last remark to the question of the power of the Bundeswehr in the 70ies and eighties. I have been a
volunteer in the Bundeswehr 1963. The threat szenario with the Volksarmee and some 3 Million Russian troops just in striking distance of the Federal Republic was just overwhelming. We could have done not very much.
Today the saying goes: what is the task of the German army? To create some confusion until real soldiers arrive. Responsible for this tragedy are all governments of the last 20 years, not listening to Winston Churchill(?) about Diplomacy: speak softly and carry a big stick.

I think die USA should in time ask themselves: are we prepared to go to war for Estonia? If Putin feels the answer is no, nobody will stop him.

 

[lwaters]

It's was all a pretty good plan. Put a bunch of trolls on Facebook spreading lies. Then create a virus that attacks old and sick people. Than laugh at the fools fighting about that. Pretty soon just take Ukraine and laugh at the fools blaming each other for that happening. If China moves on Taiwan the Europeans better crank up their defences. I think the soybean we plant this year may hit 20 dollars a bushels but with no meaningful moisture since November I may not have any. A dry year like 36 and Americans may really find out where their food comes from. Thing could spiral down hill quickly

 

[Sabattiboy]

The Chinese are not only calm, they are also sympathetically on Putin's side.
These are not good omens for Taiwan

Odds are good that China and Putin have a pact together. He goes first to test the waters. His threat any country interfering to bring such as never has been seen may mean we are in for two more years of Covid.(Covid Joke) In reality we could experience a good round of radiation or biological warfare, since we don't have to guess that the banning of such things is a joke.
The world needs a world wide war that takes 20 years for every country to recover from then the shit will die down until the next generation of leaders emerge and read the play book and it will start over again.

 

[Sabattiboy]

It's was all a pretty good plan. Put a bunch of trolls on Facebook spreading lies. Then create a virus that attacks old and sick people. Than laugh at the fools fighting about that. Pretty soon just take Ukraine and laugh at the fools blaming each other for that happening. If China moves on Taiwan the Europeans better crank up their defences. I think the soybean we plant this year may hit 20 dollars a bushels but with no meaningful moisture since November I may not have any. A dry year like 36 and Americans may really find out where their food comes from. Thing could spiral down hill quickly

Where our food comes from? That is a joke itself. Remember all the anti meat people that think only fresh packaged meat caused an animal to die? Meat in a can or box is different. Don't believe it? Just asked them. Parmesan cheese that has wood pulp in it? How about Upton Sinclair's the Jungle exposé? Is today any different with the USDA's approval? It's no wonder american health is in the tank.

 

[CJW]

Don't worry, Fauci will soon pop out of his hobbit hole and reassure us all that the first two weeks are the most important in flattening the red scourge curve.

 

[Randy F]

 

[flatwater bill]

There are military parallels much more recent than Sudetenland in 1938. How about Dec 79 when Russia invaded Afghanistan? Jimmy Carter pitched a fit, initiated sanctions, cancelled participation in the Olympic Games, and said that the sky was falling. The USA and Pakistan armed the Russian resistance to the teeth, and the well armed Taliban marched forth from Pakistan, and into our lives. What would have happened had we left it alone? Could they have ground each other down without us interfering? I don't know. We have been taught to hate Russia since we were kids. Military and Civil Servants have made two and three generation careers in DC from hating Russians. Wasting billions in the Cold War. But one thing I do know. If we had left Russia alone to deal with Afghanistan, we would not have left 328,000 M16 rifles fitted with the Advanced Combat Optical **NOT**PERMITTED** in the hands of terrorists. All I'm saying is that there was a time for dialogue. I advocated it then to my Senators. We missed it. Sniffer was too busy sending weapons before he could think it thru (or whoever is running his Whitehouse for him)...........FWB

 

[Brent in Az]

Russian troops have already taken over the Chernobyl nuclear sight.

This wouldn't happen under Trump.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Anger, regret from Western Europe. Across Europe, officials reacted to the invasion with a mixture of shock, horror, and even regret as some realized they gravely miscalculated the intentions of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the run-up to the invasion.

“I’m so angry at ourselves for our historical failure. After Georgia, Crimea, and Donbas, we have not prepared anything that would have really deterred Putin,” tweeted Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the former German defense minister.

 

[WAB]

We have friends sheltering in Kiev, others on the road trying to get to Slovakia. The folks we know in Luhansk are basically stuck. The human tragedy in this fiasco is going to be enormous.

 

[wesheltonj]

Unfortunately, the only meaningful sanction, SWIFT was not imposed and the EU is not in favor of restricting access to SWIFT. Hard to pay for all that Oil & Gas without it.

 

[Hogpatrol]

If you ever feel like you haven’t accomplished anything, try to remember that it took 20 years, trillions of dollars and four Presidents to replace the Taliban in Afghanistan with………. the Taliban.