Politics

[Ridge Runner]

Well, there's just as much capability to do something about it militarily as there's ever been.

I guess it's simply not of interest to our political classes, or they don't think it's of interest to the general populace. Based on the isolationist commentary on here and the let's call it 'mixed' reactions to the Israel situation within the wider population, they might even be correct on the second point.

I don't think we can hold Ukraine or even Russia responsible for that though!

As an aside, this is an interesting policy position to take on your part. We shouldn't bother helping Ukraine against Russia because it's not to our benefit and might weaken our position against China, but it's very important to jump into the Israel conflict against Hamas?

Not trying to be confrontational, but I would be extremely interested to understand a bit more about your logic here. Perhaps I've misunderstood your position?

I am for assisting Ukraine with weakening Russia's military.
I am for assisting Taiwan to remain an independent nation from China.
I am for assisting Isreal.
I am for American manufacturing being strongly encouraged to bring critical US supply chain products back to the US.
I am for a more balanced trade with foreign countries. Balanced trade. NOT Free trade.
I am for securing and closing our borders to illegal immigration and the total deportation of illegal immigrants, to include those here with "anchor babies".

I am for America and Americans First. Because if we don't look after ourselves no other country will or has. Everytime a major disaster strikes a foreign country that is or acts like they are semi US friendly there first phone call for assistance is to the US for aid. When the US has a national disaster not one country we have provided aid or other forms of assistance to has ever offered any type of reciprocate aid.

I am against all these pro Palestine, pro socialism, pro woke, pro DEI, pro give me, give me - government owes me, pro blm, pro burning American flag and other such dirtbags.

During my military career one of my skill set was to analyze/assess situations, problem solve the situations, then take the necessary appropriate actions. For every situation multiple OPLANS with multiple Contingency Plans were required.

Once we received our mission a plan was chosen based on current situation information, then we hit the ground, ready to adjust things as/when needed.

All options had to include as many "What Ifs" and be prepared for "Murphy" to really fk things up once we are green lighted.

The Russia-Ukraine Options offered don't include any Contingencies, or "What If" or for "Murphy". The options are "tunnel vision". Unprepared for: What happens next?.

Thus my previous responses........and perhaps any future responses.

 

[1dirthawker]

Still, I'll go with Harris as a better choice if the alternative is Option 1 or 2 in regard to Ukraine with Trump.

hmmm,

yeah, i am sure Kamala will be better for the overall health of our country.....just like joe biden was.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Well Lenny you got that point right. But on the deer meat and fish..... those populations would be decimated. Eat chicken if you want, it ain't really meat though

Chicken the other white meat.
Pork is the main white meat. Bacon, ribs, ham, tenderloin, sausage, Bacon, ribs, chops, steaks, butt, Bacon, ribs, rinds, salt pork, roast, more Bacon, more ribs.

 

[Datchew]

Meanwhile our friends in Moscow are having a bit of a conniption fit leavened with classic Russian schadenfreude. The arrest by France of Pavel Durov is causing something of a crisis for the folks in the Kremlin and their lackeys in the Russian press. I won't comment on the nature of the specific charges against Durov because I do not know them - nor for the moment does anyone else including Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk who have assumed it is an attack on free speech. We'll have to wait and see.

However, what is not questioned is that the Telegram messaging service founded by Durov, who holds dual French and UAE citizenship, is a primary communication tool for the Russian government and military, various Russian bloggers and influencers, and the hard core propagandists in the Russian "news" media. I have posted video and screen grabs from the service often when referring to Ukrainian attacks against Russian assets. If the Russians are talking about and filming the aftermath on "their" messaging service then it probably happened.

Solovyov's dialogue also contains a bit more revelation of Russian military incompetence than he likely intended before he then swings fully into typical Russian self-victimization that passes for a discussion of the war. After all, it isn't their fault that the brilliant strategist in the Kremlin decided to invade Ukraine.

Umm. Schadenfreude is German, not Russian.

It's kinda like laughing and enjoying another's misfortune.

If Russia is having a conniption fit, as you say, over the arrest, that doesn't really make sense. Laughing at themselves??

 

[Red Leg]

Umm. Schadenfreude is German, not Russian.

It's kinda like laughing and enjoying another's misfortune.

If Russia is having a conniption fit, as you say, over the arrest, that doesn't really make sense. Laughing at themselves??

I speak German - almost fluently. I used the expression exactly as I intended. But thank you.

 

[Sheldor]

 

[Sheldor]

 

[ActionBob]

nor for the moment does anyone else including Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk who have assumed it is an attack on free speech. We'll have to wait and see.

Is Tucker Carlson even relevant anymore?

Elon Musk often seems to be the only person defending true freedom of speech. It seems Europe is determined to remind the rest of us that the US is the only country with a working Bill of Rights..... at least until the left gets it's way here and shuts down anything that does not promote their narrative.

 

[ActionBob]

When they finally figure out how to raise cattle like chickens and hogs. The price will come down. Why are people complaining there are plenty of deer to eat. Over population of wild geese to eat. Lakes are full of fish. I really don't know how they can sell any of that mushy expensive beef. I wouldn't even butcher one when I raised them.

Lenny if you mean raising cattle large scale and efficiently, you should visit a feedlot in SW Kansas.

However cattle do not have the reproduction turn around time of hogs much less chicken. And the feed conversion ratio cannot compete...

Lower FCR values indicate higher efficiency. FCRs are typically 6.0–10.0 for beef, 2.7–5.0 for pigs, 1.7–2.0 for chicken and 1.0–2.4 for farmed fish …

 

[bob meadows]

Sounds great to have everything made here but be prepared for more inflation. Isolationism was part of the reason four two world wars.

don't have to have everything made here.......just don't have our enemies making it. anything that is vital to America, needs to be controlled by America.......bob

 

[bob meadows]

If we were to have everything made here, we would have to have a serious discussion between skilled and unskilled labor in this country. And we would have to quit paying people to NOT work. That latter would solve many of our societal ills.

pretty simple concept.....bob

 

[ActionBob]

Just look at what is going on in the Middle East where Biden administration did try a policy of appeasement towards Iran which emboldened the Iranians to bolster their surrogates (Hezbollah, Yemen, Hamas, etc.) and we have a mess in our hands that can lead to a regional war

And yet you said you would support Harris over Trump because of Ukraine? Harris is as close to outright supporting the Palestinians as a Presidential candidate could get. She obviously picked her VP candidate on this issue.

 

[gearguywb]

My simple thought for the day:

Stop giving aid and money to those sworn to kill us.

Seems rather obvious, of course that's probably why politicians can't figure it out.

 

[ActionBob]

Fair point. I guess that'd be Option 3.5, whilst still sending something, but less might be 2.5.

I suspect that this option is unlikely to happen under Harris, but almost 100% guaranteed not to happen under Trump.

If you listened to what Trump said about this... And you need to listen carefully because he is not a clear communicator... He said he will negotiate an end to that war. He said he will put pressure on Zelinsky to come to an agreement. And he said the same thing about meeting with Putin and putting pressure on him. However he added that if Putin refuses to negotiate reasonably, then he will throw heavy support to Ukraine.

This is classic Trump, the Negotiator. So I suspect that Trump will support option 5 when talking to Putin. And he will likely support option 2 when talking to Zelinsky.

One thing we can be sure of is that he will do something and it won't be going on vacation while the World burns!

Can anyone imagine Harris negotiating with Putin? And take the Left's most cebrated leader. Obama. Remember when he thought the microphone was off and he told Putin that after the election he could give him what he wanted?

No @Tanks I would much prefer Trump lead us on the World Stage. I cannot believe you can honestly say you would support Harris. You are correct that she will come for your money....

 

[bob meadows]

My simple thought for the day:

Stop giving aid and money to those sworn to kill us.

Seems rather obvious, of course that's probably why politicians can't figure it out.

or the worn out phrase.....its a rounding error....just a drop in the bucket......bob

 

[Red Leg]

If any of you have a direct line to the strategic genius in the Kremlin, you might ask him for the rest of us how that whole BRICS thing may be shaping up.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826921951358570600

 

[PARA45]

I believe certain things should be made in the US. Look at what happened with the chip shortage, you couldn't find a new car/truck anywhere. Thousands of vehicles sat in parking lots because they didn't have this chip.

So, if China makes so many things for us, does that mean that China can cripple us at any given time? I agree with some of the comments, on why are we helping our enemy get bigger & stronger.

 

[Datchew]

don't have to have everything made here.......just don't have our enemies making it. anything that is vital to America, needs to be controlled by America.......bob

Yup. This.

I'm not a fan of government subsidized anything except critical tech and critical resources.

Unfortunately it seems most subsidy programs are grifts and cronyism

 

[Red Leg]

Strieff's latest update on the war in Ukraine. Extremely thorough as usual. He also picked up on the Indian PM visit thread from Jason Smart. He is if anything more critical of the Jack Sullivan way of war than I am and spends a bit of time on the administration's reasons (excuses) for tieing Ukrainian hands with respect to the employment of US weapons. That leads to his discussion of the Kursk incursion which Ukraine was determined to keep secret from everyone - particularly the US.

There is also a timely discussion in the article with links with respect to Russia's growing manpower issues. The conclusions are rather different than the limitless Russian army myth perpetuated by so many tools, unwitting or otherwise, of Kremlin propaganda.

In any case, worth scrolling through as always.

Putin's War, Week 130. White House Says the Quiet Part Out Loud and a Storm Gathers in Southern Ukraine

redstate.com

 

[LivingTheDream]

What is also interesting in that article is China did a cyber attack on Russia. These have become more frequent in recent years. As they with friends like these....