Politics

The biggest problems I see in both Canadian and US politics is that we both need to get rid of the dead weight of positions that have been there for years and don’t really do anything but follow the party line.
 
I could get behind Gabbard but.... She supports Pro Choice. That is is a line in the sand issue for me.

To my Alaska brethren on here... I am feeling curmudgeonly where politics is concerned. The White House is wretched, all 3 Alaskan legislators in Washington need to be tossed out, my state representative is spineless and I would LOVE to see him gone. Heck, even our mayor needs voted out. Just. Can't. Win. :p
Well, it could be worse. Here in Colorado we have a Governor, Speaker of the State House and President of the Senate whom are all from Boulder. At least your Governor is a good guy and hunter but yes, throw the rest of your politicians out!
 
Scott... Murkowski stretches even the term RINO. Both she and Sullivan voted to confirm Haaland (HORRIBLE!). Sullivan stood up for Murkowski when the Republican Party up here censured her. And when I asked (email) Sullivan why he voted to confirm Haaland he responded that she was going to be confirmed anyway so he figured why vote no. (I still have the email) Totally spineless move. While Young had no say so voting, he offered a ringing endorsement... which Manchin said helped sway his vote. All 3 need to go.

I like our governor. I voted for him. But our legislators? A bunch of mentally challenged twatwaffles. Dunleavy will get nothing done without a shift there. And my rep is the biggest turd in the bunch.

A sincere apology for my digression. Here's hoping this thread returns to a more global outlook. Thank you for letting me vent.
 
Russian officers have been on the ground in Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014....russian forces exposed themselves among other things by comitting T-80U tanks wich Ukraine never posessed, they have only rebuilt T-64´s..
In fact, in Ukraine, according to official data, there were about 200 pieces of t-80 of different modifications. One stands in Kiev in front of the National Academy of Defense of Ukraine, those who wish can go and see. Partially these tanks were produced in Kharkov (with diesels).
And T-72 tanks - although their main production was in the Urals, Ukraine even exported its modifications to NATO countries.
The territory of Ukraine was crammed with military arsenals - this is half of the rear of the Soviet Army in the European Theater. In addition, military equipment being withdrawn from the Warsaw Pact countries was stored in Ukraine, and there is no accurate information about what was part of it.
Everything is there and was there. Here, for example, are the results of yesterday's strike on the center of Donetsk with a Tochka-U missile with a cluster warhead:
20903892_0 0 3071 2048_1920x0_80_0_0_26583c8af985ab01e7f9d044cea7e0a8.jpg
374406.jpg
 
@Vashper
Can you tell us about Ukraina history, in WW 2?

Odessa and Kiev are two of 12 hero cities of soviet union.

Yet, there is also a history of collaborationist government of Stepen Bandera, and SS divison Galicia (or Galicina).

Those are conflicting facts.
 
 
Russian Bear.jpg
 
From 'American Purpose':

Preparing for Defeat​

Francis Fukuyama

I’m writing this from Skopje, North Macedonia, where I’ve been for the last week teaching one of our Leadership Academy for Development courses. Following the Ukraine war is no different here in terms of available information, except that I’m in an adjacent time zone, and the fact that there is more support for Putin in the Balkans than in other parts of Europe. A lot of the latter is due to Serbia, and Serbia's hosting of Sputnik.

I’ll stick my neck out and make several prognostications:
  1. Russia is heading for an outright defeat in Ukraine. Russian planning was incompetent, based on a flawed assumption that Ukrainians were favorable to Russia and that their military would collapse immediately following an invasion. Russian soldiers were evidently carrying dress uniforms for their victory parade in Kyiv rather than extra ammo and rations. Putin at this point has committed the bulk of his entire military to this operation—there are no vast reserves of forces he can call up to add to the battle. Russian troops are stuck outside various Ukrainian cities where they face huge supply problems and constant Ukrainian attacks.
  2. The collapse of their position could be sudden and catastrophic, rather than happening slowly through a war of attrition. The army in the field will reach a point where it can neither be supplied nor withdrawn, and morale will vaporize. This is at least true in the north; the Russians are doing better in the south, but those positions would be hard to maintain if the north collapses.
  3. There is no diplomatic solution to the war possible prior to this happening. There is no conceivable compromise that would be acceptable to both Russia and Ukraine given the losses they have taken at this point.
  4. The United Nations Security Council has proven once again to be useless. The only helpful thing was the General Assembly vote, which helps to identify the world’s bad or prevaricating actors.
  5. The Biden administration’s decisions not to declare a no-fly zone or help transfer Polish MiGs were both good ones; they've kept their heads during a very emotional time. It is much better to have the Ukrainians defeat the Russians on their own, depriving Moscow of the excuse that NATO attacked them, as well as avoiding all the obvious escalatory possibilities. The Polish MiGs in particular would not add much to Ukrainian capabilities. Much more important is a continuing supply of Javelins, Stingers, TB2s, medical supplies, comms equipment, and intel sharing. I assume that Ukrainian forces are already being vectored by NATO intelligence operating from outside Ukraine.
  6. The cost that Ukraine is paying is enormous, of course. But the greatest damage is being done by rockets and artillery, which neither MiGs nor a no-fly zone can do much about. The only thing that will stop the slaughter is defeat of the Russian army on the ground.
  7. Putin will not survive the defeat of his army. He gets support because he is perceived to be a strongman; what does he have to offer once he demonstrates incompetence and is stripped of his coercive power?
  8. The invasion has already done huge damage to populists all over the world, who prior to the attack uniformly expressed sympathy for Putin. That includes Matteo Salvini, Jair Bolsonaro, Éric Zemmour, Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbán, and of course Donald Trump. The politics of the war has exposed their openly authoritarian leanings.
  9. The war to this point has been a good lesson for China. Like Russia, China has built up seemingly high-tech military forces in the past decade, but they have no combat experience. The miserable performance of the Russian air force would likely be replicated by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, which similarly has no experience managing complex air operations. We may hope that the Chinese leadership will not delude itself as to its own capabilities the way the Russians did when contemplating a future move against Taiwan.
  10. Hopefully Taiwan itself will wake up as to the need to prepare to fight as the Ukrainians have done, and restore conscription. Let’s not be prematurely defeatist.
  11. Turkish drones will become bestsellers.
  12. A Russian defeat will make possible a “new birth of freedom,” and get us out of our funk about the declining state of global democracy. The spirit of 1989 will live on, thanks to a bunch of brave Ukrainians.
 
@jpr9954 ... It's not his actual age that concerns me as much as his apparent social media age of 5 (or thereabouts). I truly believe if he could have filtered his social media postings even just a bit we'd be in his second term right now, and not careening off a cliff Thelma and Louise style with Joe and Kamala. Frankly, I think Trump shot himself in the foot by not practicing even a modicum of self restraint, IMHO.
You won't find any disagreement on this from me. Self-restraint was a bridge too far for him.

My wife and I were constantly saying for four years, "Will someone please take away his Twitter account?"
 
In fact, in Ukraine, according to official data, there were about 200 pieces of t-80 of different modifications. One stands in Kiev in front of the National Academy of Defense of Ukraine, those who wish can go and see. Partially these tanks were produced in Kharkov (with diesels).
And T-72 tanks - although their main production was in the Urals, Ukraine even exported its modifications to NATO countries.
The territory of Ukraine was crammed with military arsenals - this is half of the rear of the Soviet Army in the European Theater. In addition, military equipment being withdrawn from the Warsaw Pact countries was stored in Ukraine, and there is no accurate information about what was part of it.
Everything is there and was there. Here, for example, are the results of yesterday's strike on the center of Donetsk with a Tochka-U missile with a cluster warhead:
View attachment 457322View attachment 457323
Meanwhile the poorly trained, poorly led, and poorly supplied mob that Russia considers a military continues its futile barbaric bombardment of whatever its rapidly diminishing stockpile of munitions and combat power can reach. Spare us all the false equivalency.

Regrettably the Russian people can't see the reality of the "special operation" in Ukraine. But the rest of the world can. Your president and his gang of enablers will make your nation a pariah for a generation. I trust it was worth it.

My professional estimate is that the Russian forces can sustain some effort of an attack for perhaps another week. By that point, losses, disorganization, low morale, and the utter failure of the Russian logistics effort will force the Russian formations within Ukraine onto the defensive. Ukraine will begin to counterattack.

I wonder how that will be explained to the dictator in Moscow.

Kiev
Kiev2.jpg

Kiev3.jpg

In the morning hours of March 14th, 2022: there were direct Russian artillery strikes on a large residential housing bloc, many floors were destroyed and others damaged as Ukrainian firefighters rescued injured civilians from their windows, Obolonsky district, Kyiv, Ukraine.
by u/_Raven_Roth in CombatFootage

Kharkov
Kharkov1.jpg

kharkov3.jpg


Mariupol
Mariupol2.jpg

Mariupol3.jpg

Drone footage of the destruction in Mariupol
by u/broforwin in CombatFootage
 
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The biggest problems I see in both Canadian and US politics is that we both need to get rid of the dead weight of positions that have been there for years and don’t really do anything but follow the party line.
We have to remember that common sense is needed in almost everything our politicians do but common sense has become a SUPER POWER. Very few have any real world experience and stay in their secure bubbles.
 
Joe...you are an artillery officer...what about supplying MLRS batteries to Ukraine..? No direct US/NATO involvement, just a supply of arms..?
 
Joe...you are an artillery officer...what about supplying MLRS batteries to Ukraine..? No direct US/NATO involvement, just a supply of arms..?
Crews would have to be trained. The launcher is targeted using a digital system that integrates counter battery radars, UAVs (hate the term drone), troops on the ground, and the fire direction centers. The weapon platforms themselves also obviously utilize a unique set of spares and specially trained mechanics and technicians. I don't know how one could integrate all of that on any time frame that would be meaningful.
 
In fact, in Ukraine, according to official data, there were about 200 pieces of t-80 of different modifications. One stands in Kiev in front of the National Academy of Defense of Ukraine, those who wish can go and see. Partially these tanks were produced in Kharkov (with diesels).
And T-72 tanks - although their main production was in the Urals, Ukraine even exported its modifications to NATO countries.
The territory of Ukraine was crammed with military arsenals - this is half of the rear of the Soviet Army in the European Theater. In addition, military equipment being withdrawn from the Warsaw Pact countries was stored in Ukraine, and there is no accurate information about what was part of it.
Everything is there and was there. Here, for example, are the results of yesterday's strike on the center of Donetsk with a Tochka-U missile with a cluster warhead:
View attachment 457322View attachment 457323
So the little guy is not supposed to hit back huh? Your comparison is absurd.

It will be interesting to hear what you and others like you have to say when that sadistic lunatic "leader" of yours is defeated and runs out of the special Kool-Aid he's serving you daily.
I will almost feel sorry for you when the fog lifts and you see the reality. Almost.
 
I believe Nikki Haley is just the person your great country needs. It is not only the time for an intelligent leader who talks sense and can unite the American populace, but one who can also claim the high ground on the world stage. Remember you elect that person for all of us too and you let us all down so badly with Biden, as we are seeing now.
It puzzled me how much the people of other nations were encouraged when JFK was elected. He could change nothing regarding how their own leaders treated them but were encouraged none the less and felt the loss when he was assassinated.
In the decades that followed I could better see how people draw hope or encouragement from other country's leaders. When Gorbachev and Yeltsin were bringing changes in Russia I felt lighter hearted at the future with better relations.
Yes, a nice World War now and then brings economic prosperity but the money could well be spent on better things. I guess that depends on whether one is on the money making side or the one having your apartment building blown up.
 
There is so much time for potential contenders to rise up, and others to fall off the radar. That said, at this time, I still think a DeSantis/Noem ticket has appeal. IMHO
When Trump was a candidate there were a lot standing there with him that would have been great to set in that seat but one by one they fell out at primaries etc. Why?
I talked to some people at that time that said they wanted a non politician this time. Did everybody want that or was it a case of not wanting Hillary.
Proverbs 16:33 says the lot is cast into lap but its every decision is of the Lord.
 

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